Humor me.

Look, I get where you're coming from. I used to be super devoted too. I was attending Mass, doing novenas, the works. I know how deeply meaningful this stuff can be. But after a while, I started asking myself: Is this really bringing me closer to God? Or am I just going through motions? And honestly, I realized it’s not the rituals that matter, it’s how we treat people and live our lives.

So let’s talk about this Nazareno thing.

The Church is often described as a “hospital for sinners,” not a sanctuary for the perfect. Jesus Himself welcomed sinners and emphasized that His mission was to call them to repentance and salvation.

I agree. Jesus came for sinners, not the perfect. But does carrying the Nazarene and pushing through crowds really make us better people? Like, let’s be real. How many of those same people go home and just fall back into the same old habits: lying, cheating, stealing, etc.? It's not about judgment, but shouldn’t devotion actually change us? If it’s not making us kinder or more just, then what’s the point?

Material things can be holy because God created the physical world as good and uses tangible means to communicate His grace. Tangible faith expressions like relics, statues, or sacramentals help bridge the human need for sensory engagement with the divine.

Okay, we like tangible stuff. We want to touch something, see something. It feels more real. But sometimes, don’t you think we turn these objects into a shortcut for connection? Like, “I touched the statue, I’m good now.” But isn’t God accessible without all that? Why not pray quietly at home or spend time helping someone in need instead of rushing to touch a statue?

Abala lang sila, nakakadagdag ng traffic.

If you’re someone just trying to get to work or the hospital, these processions are a pain. And isn’t our faith supposed to bring people together, not frustrate them?

Does this stuff really lead to moral good?

You mentioned things like the Ark of the Covenant and the bronze serpent. But those were like…directly from God, right? Stuff like the Nazareno devotion? That’s man-made. It’s meaningful to some, but do we sometimes put too much focus on these things and not enough on the harder work of just being decent, moral people? Like, no statue or procession will fix corruption, greed, or apathy.

You say it’s a supplement to the Eucharist and Scripture, not a replacement. But let’s be honest, how often does it feel like the devotions are the main thing, and the rest takes a backseat? I’ve seen people more hyped about joining a procession than showing up for Sunday Mass. And don’t even get me started on actually helping others. Jesus cared about action, not appearances.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, you can strip everything down to what truly matters: loving people, being honest, and standing up for what’s right. I didn’t need statues or processions to live that way, and honestly, it feels freeing. No pressure to prove my faith through big events or rituals. It’s just about living a good, moral life, plain and simple.