And time stood still.

 

He was scheduled to arrive at the University of Santo Tomas campus at around 9:30 in the morning. But I, together with my wife Snowie and daughter Therese, were already at our designated place at 3 a.m., more than six hours before he arrived. And more than 16 hours earlier, we were already inside the campus just to make sure.

 

No decent sleep, no hot meals for almost a day, and tired legs and knees for hours of standing. But these really did not matter. I was sure for that one shining moment, everything would be worth it. 

 

Time did not matter. It did not matter to the young PNP cop from Pangasinan standing beside me. He was narrating how he and his fellow policemen hadn’t had any sleep for the previous 48 hours. With the changes of the schedule due to the abbreviated events in Tacloban, there really was no chance for such. It also did not matter that he was away from his young family for almost a week. But it did matter a lot that it would be his fifth time seeing Pope Francis at arm’s length. And every time was the same: he was seeing this as a very valuable gift and blessing and not just a call of duty. One lucky guy!

 

Time did not matter as well to the thousands, Thomasians and non-Thomasians, who were waiting for hours. One could only be touched by the generosity of everyone, sharing their "baons" to anyone who need them, the space to allow one person more on one’s side to give him a better view. And the selfless volunteerism of thousands of UST students, faculty members, administrative and non-academic staff in the logistical, security and medical teams was really moving and heartwarming. It was a great day to be Filipino. A great day to be Catholic. And a great day to be Thomasian. 

 

 

My mind flashed backed to 1981, when I was a graduating UST high school student, and in 1991, when I just finished my residency and was starting my practice. The UST campus has changed a lot. Technology has evolved by leaps and bounds. And the global socio-economic, political and religious realities have even made papal visits a lot more complicated and even risky. 

 

But the more things change, the more they become the same. It was still the same fervor, patience and passion that I saw Filipinos have showed for their Pope. But most of all, it was the same faith. 

 

It was the same love as well - whether it was "Viva Il Papa Juan Paolo" or "We love you Lolo Kiko."

 

Love really is timeless.

 

 

When the top of his popemobile was within sight above a multitude of heads, arms and gadgets, the air became electric with shouts and excitement. When he became visible even from a distance, everybody erupted to applause and cheers.

 

And the succeeding seconds seemed like an eternity. It was both inexplicable and surreal: everything around was blocked off. All I could see was Pope Francis. All I could feel was his fatherly presence. All I could do was to stand in awe. And suddenly, what appeared like an eternity of waiting seemed like several seconds.

 

Above the din, I was both laughing and crying inside. 

 

I really felt God's love through Pope Francis, not only for me, to crowds around me but to all of us, His children.

 

To say that one is touched and moved upon seeing Pope Francis is an understatement. No amount of words would be enough nor be descriptive enough to explain what one actually feels when one sees the Pope Francis even from afar, even for a millisecond. Volumes would have been printed offline and online and hours of interview footages broadcasted and uploaded and still would not be enough.

 

Media coverage has began mentioning of the "Pope Francis Effect" for a lack of an explanation for this phenomenon. And who could really explain this "invisible force," this faith, that moved millions of Filipinos to brave the rains, wait and stand for hours just to catch a glimpse of this papal visitor? And most would emerge happy or crying, touched and moved.

 

The effect of God’s messages through Pope Francis on us, personally, and collectively as a people, are both specific and profound. His messages on God’s love, the Catholic faith, the youth and the family, the social, economic and political issues like corruption, "scandalous inequalities" and poverty, the present-day realities like technology, environmental degradation rung far and wide. 

 

Hopefully, our Pope’s words and messages would continue to reverberate within each one of us and not end with his flight out of the country.

 

Time could only tell.

 

Noel Martin Bautista, 50, a Thomasian for 45 years and counting, teaches at UST Medicine and is married to Jocelyn Yatco-Bautista. They have a daughter, Therese.