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.
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