A glimpse of holiness

MANILA, Philippines – In the middle of a crowded street in Pasay City, behind a barricade of uniformed policemen and amidst a crowd of excited devotees, a woman broke down in tears the moment she caught a glimpse of the Pope coming out of the plane that brought him to the Philippines.

The emotion was raw and contagious, the crowd reacted immediately with an uproarious cheer and, almost as a reflex, the instantaneous illumination of mobile devices that lit up the urban darkness with the soft glow of digital light.

Strangers hugged each other emotionally and children ran in between the crowds waving little flags emblazoned with the picture and words of a Pope that seems poised to rival the popularity of the late Saint Pope John Paul II.

From the moment that there was news of the Pope’s motorcade being on the road there were people running on both sides of the street, from houses, offices, and from vehicles that were left running and with doors ajar by their occupants who rushed to catch a glimpse of holiness.

There were little stories too, like people in the crowd who gave up their spot for the elderly and those who were too short to see past the barricade that were helped up onto the concrete barriers by both the public behind them and the policemen standing guard before them.

It was one of those very rare occasions when people came together and demonstrated how wonderfully human they can be to each other.

At the periphery of the crowds, there were stories too, in the expectant faces of little kids from surrounding neighborhoods who came to see a man that they smilingly called “Lolo Kiko,” and also in the tearful wish of a street sweeper who could not write but had a message for the Pope to pray for her sick grandson.

It was undoubtedly a gathering of faith, and not just in a religious sense but also in a hopeful way that people could actually be as kind to each other as I witnessed while waiting for the Pope to pass by.

I think, people need something to be inspired with in order to find goodness in their heart, and it’s not always the speeches, the promises, and the grand theatrics that make people look into their hearts and find the immeasurable good that they are capable of.

Sometimes, inspiration passes by in a blur, aboard an open pope mobile, waving and smiling at a crowd who just needs somebody to have faith in them too. – Rappler.com

Myles Delfin is the founder of Bike Scouts Philippines.