On Holy Saturday at 6:00 PM, the faithful gathered for the Hour of the Mother, a solemn and intimate devotion that invited the community to keep vigil with the Blessed Virgin Mary as she endured the silence of loss and the waiting of faith. Presided over by Rev. Fr. Edgar Ma. Benedi-an, OSM, the service became a sacred pause between the sorrow of the Cross and the promise of the Resurrection.

In his reflection, Fr. Edgar shared that the Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us what it truly means to arrive at our “hour.” This hour, he explained, is not only a moment of success or fulfillment, but more often a time marked by failure, tragedy, and disaster. Holy Saturday, like many painful moments in our lives, is not empty nor completely hopeless. Even in its silence and darkness, it carries meaning and promise.

Fr. Edgar reminded the faithful that Mary shows us how to face such moments – not by rushing to solutions, not by taking shortcuts, nor by fast‑forwarding our pain – but by facing it honestly and surrendering it fully to the Lord. He gently shared how Mary taught him personally to spend time, to stay, and to remain quiet, allowing stillness to become a space for reflection and healing. Sometimes, he said, simply being there – motionless and speechless – is already the grace of the hour, the moment when we slowly become whole again.

As the community accompanied the Blessed Mother in this painful hour of her life – her loss, her grief, and her waiting – the faithful were invited to remain with her, even prolonging the silence if necessary. Together, we stayed in prayer, trusting that this shared stillness would eventually lead to the fulfillment of long‑awaited hope: the Resurrection of her Son. In that sacred vigil, hearts were gently prepared to move from mourning to joy, from silence to victory, holding on to the quiet strength of a Mother who believed even when all seemed still. Hearts were quietly prepared to enter the joy of the Resurrection, carrying with them the example of a Mother who never ceased to hope.