Why are there chain mails on Jesus and Mama Mary? Are the promises and warnings in these emails to be taken seriously?
Close to the hearts of Filipino Catholics are the devotions to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mama Mary because of our Filipino value of family- centeredness. Most feel the need to continue this devotion not only in traditional ways as done in churches but also through an adaptation of the culture of the times, as in texts or emails.
Sending of prayers and novenas through text or email can be authentic expressions of devotion. But what is NOT authentic is the superstition at the end that either warns people that something terrible will happen to them if they do not forward it, or that their wishes and prayers will come true within a day of doing so.
Those are no longer acts of devotion to Jesus and Mary. There is no guaranteed technique of praying that ensures that God would grant exactly what we pray for. Doing so is to limit God to act in certain ways, and in the ways that we have determined that God should act. We do not have a God-in-a bottle. We have a loving and creative God that answers all prayers in any of the following ways:
- “Yes, you can have what you prayed for.”
- “Yes, you can, but later.”
- “No, I have something better for you.”
- Written by Chris Mallion, M. A. and edited by Manny Blas II, M. A.
