Lucban’s healing priest Fr. Joey Faller said the Covid-19 pandemic has brought people closer to God and enabled them to face its impacts, including death, poverty and suffering by putting their trust on Him.
LUCBAN, Quezon – HEALING priest Rev. Fr. Joey Faller, founder of the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church here, said that the Covid-19 pandemic “challenged our faith in God.”
In an exclusive interview with Opinyon Quezonin, Fr. Faller asserted that God has turned this pandemic into a blessing.
The priest said that although the pandemic brought pain, sufferings and death of loved ones, God’s saving presence is always able to meet the need of humanity and people learn to pray.
“Tumibay ang pananampalataya ng mga tao. Naging adik ang mga tao sa misa. Parang sinasabi nila na hindi kumpleto ang araw kapag hindi naka-attend ng misa,” the priest said.
Faller said that Covid-19 strengthens faith in God.
“Isang taon na akong nagmimisa online. I do morning praise and hundreds of thousands follow the mass online because people are hungry for spiritual needs,” he said.
“People follow and listen to you because this is the new normal expressing your faith through online masses. But, of course there will be no substitute for face to face mass,” he added.
He expressed uncertainty about when the Covid-19 pandemic will end, but added that what is important is that people’s faith in God does not end.
He explained that the health crisis brought by Covid-19 has strengthened family ties, has given people the opportunity to grow closer, built emotional resilience and strengthened communication within the family.
“Tumibay ang relasyon natin sa ating pamilya. Nagkaroon ng mahabang oras, bonding at quality time para sa ating pamilya. Dahil lockdown, natuto kang makinig sa kuwento ng asawa mo, nakilala ang mga anak mo. Pinanatili tayo ng Covid-19 sa ating mga tahanan,” the healing priest said.
Fr. Faller stressed that what is essential is love, understanding and forgiveness in the family which serve as fuel and source of strength of humanity in God even as Covid-19 has enabled the people to have a way for a simple life.
“Ang kaligayahan ay hindi lamang sa materyal na bagay at salapi. Pinakamahalaga na buhay ka, malusog at kapiling ang iyong pamilya,” he said.
The Healing Mass, which draws thick crowds of believers before the Covid-19 health crisis, is a general praying over through the Eucharist.
Instead of the usual holding of the hands and touching the eyes of the faithful while praying for healing, Fr Faller said he will just touch the head during the healing session as a precautionary measure against the scourge of the Corona virus.
“Ipinagpapasa-Diyos ko na lamang ang lahat. Lord, bahala na po kayo sa akin. I will extend my hands to them. Hinahayaan ko silang mag bless sa akin. I don’t deny people coming to me,” he said.
“Ayokong isipin ng mga tao na umiiwas ako sa kanila sapagkat ito ang panahon na kailangan ng mga tao ang blessing. Ito yung panahon na kailangan nilang maramdaman na may Diyos sa katauhan ng isang pari,” Faller elaborated.
He said that no one knows when the Covid-19 pandemic will end but what important is that the Filipinos’ faith in God lives on and it grows stronger.
“Kaya nga Pilipino tayo. Pili na (chosen). Pino pa(refined). Chosen to be refined, chosen to be purified.” Faller further explained about what Pilipino means.
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