Getting unholy on Holy Week

THE most solemn days of Christians’ year start with Palm Sunday, as it ushers in the Holy Week, and with the defining moments on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

During these days, the faithful commemorate the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—events supposedly giving them the discerning sense of life.

For this year, Palm Sunday falls on April 13, marking the blessing and procession of the Palms to recollect Jesus’ humble entry to Jerusalem, with a conviction to carry out his Father’s will for him to suffer and die for the good of others.

Thus, Good Friday until Easter Sunday, April 20, equally reminded us about Jesus’ death on the cross to redeem mankind from sin, so that upon his resurrection, the doors of Heaven’s Kingdom could be opened for all repentant sinners to enter.

Sadly, there are Holy Week traditions that are no longer observed. There are some practices that remain but apparently have lost solemnity and significance.

More lamentable of what Holy Week observance has become over the years is the crass commercialism where even some religious rites have become fund-raising endeavors. No wonder the Catholic Church started banning some Holy Week activities sensed to only sting the religion.

Penitence, too, has lost its pure value and purpose because of the more pecuniary concerns in observing the Week—if not through family outings and vacations, by dint of new practices that only dilute the event’s sacredness.

In the midst of such material engorgement, lest Christians might forget, the Scriptures say if we believe, then we shall—like Jesus on Easter—resurrect and live forever.

That is God’s assurance—not coming from a politician who promises only to consign later into oblivion, or from a physician who charges immensely to heal.

This Divine vow comes not from a civil servant demanding some cuts from contractors in exchange for projects; nor from the genteel who sees the marginalized as recreants for wanting in the savoir-faire of the educated and the affluent.

Neither does the Almighty’s promise come from a pressman who flaunts his media card as a matter of privilege, not uprightness.

Moreover, God’s assurance does not come from some powerful lawmakers who say their hearts are for the poor so they poured their pork barrel to some NGOs which are supposedly there to help the poor and underprivileged, only later we find out that those NGOs are neither real nor are they for the poor.

With the above as mere bits of the wide array of mundane traits in this modern era—which counter the true essence in the devotion for Holy Week and Easter—two things are certain and simple as they are: God will reward the good and punish the wicked—perhaps He would conquer chiefly those who deceive by going about His work but monkey on the side.