ROMMEL N.

PARADILLO AB Philo – Theo 1 Sacraments and Liturgy for Seminarians

REV. FR. JAIME DEL ROSARIO, OMI
Asynchronous Task (August 23, 2023)

The Enduring Echoes of the Small Voice

Lea Salonga’s “Ako’y Munting Tinig, I am But a Small Voice” radiates the young
Filipinos’ aspiration for a better world. It opens with lines that point out who the persona is: a
small voice with a little dream. The small voice dreams of the world's beauty, singing about
the sweet smell of flowers flowing from an unpolluted air, the rain, and the free world. The
song builds its character's call on innocence, youth, and unity. The small voice also magnifies
the love for humankind, where people, especially the young ones, are free to dream of peace
and prosperity.

I want to focus on the small voice, which echoes the classical Filipino values of
simplicity, unity, and youthfulness. The small voice reminds us to return to a value-laden
world and life, giving much respect to nature, which sustains and amazes us with all its
wonders and beauty. I was particularly touched by the part when the voice sings of the
freedom to play under the rain and splashing clean water from the stream. This reminded me
of my childhood playing and living free in our place, which is far cleaner and cozier. I was
brought back to when we swam in the canal and irrigation without worrying about getting
sick. Those were moments when living an innocent and free energy was at its climax.

The song recounts the dream of an unpolluted world and sings of a great treasure: the
youth. Not only is the youth being highly regarded in our country but also in the Gospels.
Jesus opens the Kingdom of Heaven to a child, a youth, and highlights the values innate to a
child. He further spoke about the unchanging importance of humility and openness to the will
of the Lord, saying, “Unless you become like one of these little ones, you will not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.” This Gospel passage invites us to trust God’s providence so that we are
assured of His grace and guidance when we become all the more reliant on Him.

One indispensable component of heeding the small voice is prayer. Across cultures
and religions, prayer yields good things. Lea’s song reverberates hope, inspiration, and
clarity, some of the values we derive from praying. In praying, we are instilled with the
enduring value of hope, one of the three magnanimous Gospel values proposed by St. Paul in
his letter to the Corinthians. In hope, life and all its facets and challenges become a
transcendence where humanity draws motivation. As Christians, our hope lies in the Lord.
Inspiration is a spice in life. One that gives flavor and an established mechanism is far more
subjective but provides clarity, so it goes with hope. Prayer, spiritual by nature, is a
significantly recollective solace with the Divine. Ultimately, the value of praying is a
personal matter that depends on our beliefs, experiences, and needs. The small voice is ever-
present in our prayers.

On a more personal note, prayer roots deep in me as I take on the challenges of

seminary formation. It gives me a sense of presence where I connect to a higher power. This
sense I call reinforcement as it redirects me to my purpose. Prayer is a parcel of my daily
reflections as I mindfully attend to the daily Gospel readings, which leads me to introspection
—an aide to my personal growth, increased self-awareness, and connectedness to my values.
Not only does personal and communal prayer lead to spiritual transformation, but it also
gives joy. Rehashing the Holy Father’s apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of
the Gospel, the faithful is urged to become joyful in their witness to the Gospel. There must
be something more significant in the proclamation of the Gospel that lurks within: joy. A
joyful witness is a holy one.

Being brought up in a joy and love-filled family, I found it easy to decide to enter the
seminary given all the love and support of my family. I always believed that happiness has a
more profound implication in our lives. It solidifies good values amidst the contemporary
world. Many saints have given their lives as a testament to the inspiration that joy brings.
God is a joyful God! I want to hold on to this statement for a lifetime. God’s joyousness is
recounted in the Sacred Scriptures, should we be more keen at listening to it. In the plight of
His beloved people, the Israelites, He is ever-joyous, marked by His ever-presence amidst
them. Jesus Himself, God made man, is joyful among the people of His time. He feasts with
the sinners, the outcasts, the lame, and the forgotten. I could only imagine the light in the face
of Jesus when He is with His people; those moments of healing and touching the lepers, the
chit-chat with the woman in the well, and Zacarias, O Zacarias! I wish I were you when Jesus
dined at your home!

Listening to the small voice might be metaphorical, but for a joyful believer, it is inner
wisdom, positive intuition, and God’s conscience. May the small voice in us help us navigate
the right way, leading to the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.