Holy Week observance is different

By Gonzalo Duque

BECAUSE we just observed Holy Week, out muna ang politics this issue. It is the tradition for Holy Week, which we as Christians don’t want to violate. 

We observe the tradition with utmost respect and holiness, reflecting on our relationship with God. The other religions have their own practice for what we know as Holy Week. It is the Ramadan for the Muslims and Pass Over for the Jews of Israel.

But our own Lenten Season is the most colorful of them all. It is replete with many traditions passed on to us by our ancestors who inherited this from the Spaniards when they colonized our land and planted the Holy Cross.       

There is for instance the “babasa” as well as flagellation by some penitents on the way to the Manaoag church, nailing to the cross, “sinakulo”, etcetera.

All these are truly Filipino traditions passed on to us by our ancestors, who were God-fearing, known for their deep religiosity, going  to mass, not missing it on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.     

That was how we became the first Catholic country in Asia.

It was the early friars who came with the conquerors who taught us to imbibe the Catholic faith, including the observance of the Holy Week.

And so, the tradition is still alive till today! 

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But you know guys, the observance of the Holy Week in the Philippines has now evolved differently as compared in the past.      

Ngayon, our people through the evolution of communication are now more circumspect in their faith, about the existence of God. Some even question if God really exists.    

Notwithstanding if it’s Holy Week, many take the opportunity to motor to Baguio for a weeklong holiday where they can breathe fresher and cooler air, never mind if they miss going to Church. 

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For our politicians, it means time out muna prior to judgment day on May 13. After a hectic campaign, they also deserve some rest and because it’s Holy Week, I implore them to take this opportunity to make some reflections.

Kumbaga sa basketball, tapos na ang first half and even the third quarter of the game. You are about to go to the fourth quarter, which is the final phase of the campaign.

So, relax lang muna kayo, tutal hindi puedeng mag-kampanya. The Comelec prohibits campaigning during the Lenten Season.

Siguro, puwede kayong mangampanya kung patago-tago lang. That is, kung may tinatago kayong pampadulas (just joking)!

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Do you know that the Catholic Church has relaxed its strict rules a bit, expecting or demanding less from its faithful?

We were informed that some dioceses have waived off the collections of fees like in baptism, confirmation, extreme unction, mass for the dead and interment  

I don’t know if wedding fees to be paid by the couple or their families are included.

If this is true, this is good news, especially to the poor because in the past, there were fees imposed for every service performed by the Church–literally from birth to tomb and even after tomb.

Ngayon, mukhang nababawasan na ang babayarin ng mga Katoliko!

But, of course, the faithful are encouraged to make donations during a mass. This is called tithing, a practice that other religions also do, Dictionary says tithe is a fixed amount of money or goods given by the members to support their church, the priest as well as for charity. 

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