A Faith That Refuses to Break

I’ve never been so proud to call myself a Filipino Catholic Christian.

Our faith is something no storm, no scandal, no suffering has ever been able to shake. Calamities come and go. Leaders disappoint us. Poverty persists. Accidents, losses, and heartbreaks visit our homes unannounced. And yet, here we are still praying, still hoping, still kneeling, still believing.

There is something deeply unbreakable about the Filipino soul, and I am convinced it is because our faith is woven into who we are.

This Christmas season felt different for me. Advent Masses were quieter, more reverent, more intentional. And this year’s Sinulog felt more solemn, more Christ-centered than any I’ve experienced since moving here in 2012. Maybe it’s because I’m a revert now. Maybe it’s because my eyes have finally learned how to see. But watching thousands, even millions, wake up before dawn, walk under the scorching sun or pouring rain, stand for hours, pray with tired bodies and hopeful hearts—it was overwhelming in the most beautiful way.

It was faith in motion.

We are often called one of the most resilient people in the world, and I believe that resilience comes from knowing we are never alone. We endure because we believe God is with us. We survive because we trust that He sees us.

Yes, we have been fooled many times by politicians who speak sweet words just to earn our votes. And it took me time to understand why we keep giving chances. Why we forgive so easily. Why we forget so quickly. It’s not because we are foolish. It’s because we have a child-like faith. We still believe people can change. We still hope for goodness. We still choose mercy.

Sadly, that innocence is often abused.

But even that betrayal has never destroyed our faith.

We fall to our knees not because we are weak, but because we know where our strength comes from. We keep praying not because life is easy, but because God is faithful. No matter how many times we are disappointed by men, we continue to trust in God.

And that is extraordinary.

To love the Filipino Catholic faith is to love a people who suffer yet sing, who struggle yet hope, who carry crosses yet smile through tears. It is a faith that refuses to break. A faith that walks barefoot in faith processions. A faith that wakes up early for Mass. A faith that believes, even when believing is hard.

I love my faith more now because I finally understand it.

We endure because God is on our side.And with Him, we will always rise.