By Gonzalo Duque 

 

PALM Sunday is the day when Catholics go to mass and bring with them fronds of coconut or palm tree inside the church and ask the priest to bless these in observance of the old tradition centuries back.

This tradition reenacts the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus of Nazareth on a donkeys’ back, welcomed by throngs of people, many of them Jews, waving palm leaves and singing “Hosannah to the King”.

Since I was growing up as a child and as a young man, observance of Holy Week was always anchored on ritualistic traditions, beginning on Palm Sunday.

The rituals are still here today, but its observance appeared to have become more subdued. The spiritual aspect is now more emphasized than ever.

The great debate between and among religions which had been on for centuries without any settlement, is the proposition as to who among the people  and followers of religions will be saved after final judgment.

One religion says its flock will be the ones to be saved when judgment day comes, while others say exactly the same thing.

We can say that at the end of the day, we can only refer to the last judgment as the measure on whether we will be saved or not—not by rituals but on how we love God with all our will and strength.

God said we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves. The story of the Good Samaritan and the Publicans to the Pharisees and Sadducees as told by Jesus Christ reminds us of how we will enter the kingdom of God.

Thus, said the Lord: “Whatever you have done to the least of my brethren, you have done it to me. Did you visit me when I was in prison? Did you feed me when I was hungry?

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Next week column is on the call of the opposition in Dagupan City to Mayor Belen Fernandez to use the P200 million each year (for three years) or P600 million for the establishment of one collegiate school instead of pouring it all for the scholarship of poor but deserving students; the status of the Mother and Child Hospital and Dagupan’s garbage problem, etc.

In the spirit of the Holy Week, I’m holding back my punches on all these issues, so vital to every Dagupeno. So, abangan!

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