The Santo Niño de Cebú ("Holy Child of Cebu") is a Roman Catholic figure of the Child Jesus highly similar to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Like the image's counterpart in Prague, the figure is clothed in expensive textile robes mostly donations from fervent devotees in the Philippines and abroad. The statue is the oldest Catholic relic in the Philippines and permanently housed since 1565 at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City, Cebu. [Reference: Wikipedia.org]
It seems like all of Cebu is so festive about this Sinulog event celebrated in honor of an image of what they call an Infant Jesus.
While some religious Catholics are faithful in their religious activities, still many others (the huge majority) are too preoccupied with the festive activities like discos, parties, tattoos, booze, rendezvous with friends and the like. They were not even aware of their church's doctrine on this little god; they don't really even care at all.
How did all of these start?
Every Cebuano knows that the image was given by a Spaniard to the first catholic converts in the Philippines. Years later, the Cebuanos revered the image as the Jesus himself. They mixed pagan practices and Catholic practices which resulted to seemingly immortal traditions; the Sinulog dance is an example.
Why would they portray Jesus as an infant? According to some priests, it is mainly because of Jesus' statement in Matthew 18:3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Now about the deception. God clearly commanded in Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.". What is Santo Niño? Who's image do you think it is? Jesus? Isn't Jesus in heaven? The making of the image is already a sin against a direct command of God (which is actually one of the ten commandments, but Catholics clearly omitted it in their doctrine).
Then God said further, Exodus 20:4 "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me".
Then the idolaters will say, "It's not to the image that we're bowing but to the one it represents."
God will answer them:
Isaiah 40:18
"With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?"
Who has ever seen God that he may illustrate Him? No word is enough to describe Him. No form is enough to illustrate Him.
Actually, the image of God has already come. Colossians 1:15 "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation". Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God is worthy to be the image of God.
Who then is the image of the Son? Is it the bloody face of a brutally beaten bearded man in Veronica's towel? The Veronica scene may be seen in some movies portraying the death of Jesus, but it's not actually found in the Bible. Who then can describe the exact appearance of the earthly Jesus if the camera was only invented centuries after His death?
Or didn't they know that,
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amp)
So If an adult human image of Jesus is not enough to describe Him, how much less a child? Clearly their understanding on Jesus' statement in Mat. 18:3 is plainly physical. For Jesus entered the kingdom of heaven as a glorified being, mature and not a child anymore.
Then if Santo Niño really is Jesus, the Spaniards who introduced it to our forefathers should have taught love to our forefathers because the nature of Jesus is love (see 1Jn. 4:16). But what happened? The ones who ought to teach love oppressed our forefathers and produced violence instead. Jesus Christ was really right when He said "You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16).
What then are the fruits of the Spaniards' oppression? Did they produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? (Gal. 5:22-23) Surely there is no love in killing even if it is for the country, nor joy in revolution, nor peace in war, nor forbearance in rage, and still many more to mention.
The real Jesus is not made up of wood, stones, metal or cloth. Rather He is made up of love. We became God's children because of His love and sacrifice for us.
Therefore, "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man."Acts 17:29
Rather, this then is what we have to do: "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
May God open your eyes to the truth, in the Name of Jesus Christ!
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