For us Filipinos, we were surely exfoliated with our sins as we did our own kind of penance for the past three days so-called the Easter Triduum.
MAUNDY THURSDAY - like most of the Filipinos had been to different churches to do the Visita Iglesia. My family and I were on our second year doing this and only seven churches around Muntinlupa, San Pedro and Binan were chosen to be part of our own ritual. We went first to the Parish of St. James the Great at the plush Ayala Alabang Village. It was our second try to get inside of this exclusive (and I mean exclusive, men!) village just to visit the church. The church is fantastically huge and air-conditioned, thanks to the people who wished to make it air-conditioned (hehehehe!). Seriously, we attended the Mass of the Last Supper and it was a great one. We witnessed the ritual called Washing of the Feet, as done by the apostles of Jesus Christ, part of his Last Supper. Afterwards, we witnessed the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament done inside the church. I missed my novena days with St. Jude Thaddeus because we sang O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo (Let Us Raise Our Voice), in line with the procession. It was really remarkable, breathtaking and serene. We went straight to our next church which was the very simple St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Susana Church just outskirts of Alabang Town Center. There were so many people because of the ongoing mass. What we did was we said our own little prayer and we went ahead for our next church. We went to Sto. Nino de Cebu Parish in Binan, Laguna, near Colegio San Agustin. There were so many people doing their own Way of the Cross inside of the church, while we were still praying for our own wishes and requests. Up next was the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Church inside Rosario Complex in San Pedro, Laguna. The church was very small and simple. While we were in it, some people were doing some rites in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. I do not have any idea with it and my purpose of visiting their church is to do Visita Iglesia. Next was the Sto. Rosario Parish in Pacita. We were attacked by traffic and the volume of people going to Landayan for Lolo Uweng or formally known as the Holy Sepulcher. After we exited to the vicinity, we went straight to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church inside United San Pedro Subdivision. Lastly after the almost 3 hours of plying the road, we went to our nearest church and that's St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish Shrine, just near to our village. Together with my brother, I did the Way of the Cross. The fourteen stations are all about the celebration of the Lord's Passion from the Last Supper, His agony at the Garden of Gethsemane, His condemnation, crucifixion and His death up to His resurrection. Indeed, the Passion of the Christ can also be done to us, in our own very way. Each one of us have the way of the cross and we must face it. All we have to do is to have faith. And for us, the very simple Visita Iglesia is indeed a challenge and penance for us Christians.
These are the seven churches that were part of our itinerary for Visita Iglesia 2012:
Parish of St. James the Great, Ayala Alabang
St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Susana Church, Alabang
Sto. Nino de Cebu Parish, Binan, Laguna
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish, Rosario Complex
Sto. Rosario Parish, Pacita Complex, San Pedro
St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish Shrine, TunasanI am very sorry I do not have a picture of the sixth church (prior to St. Peregrine), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church in United San Pedro Subdivision.
GOOD FRIDAY - This was the most solemn celebration of the Easter Triduum (three days prior to Easter). I just stayed at home, heard the Seven Last Words and the reflection of the priests according to the statements and watched some serious movies. This is the only time for Christian to be very solemn, the way we see how Christ was tortured, scorned and crucified to His death and because of us, He did it. My good friend sent me a very good message, very timely for what we celebrated:
"When I saw Jesus at the cross, I grieved and cried, 'Who nailed Him?' But I was shocked, when I turned and saw... the hammer in my hand." - Hebrews 6:6
This powerful quote reminds us of one thing, Jesus Christ was died in cross not because of his innocence, but his innocence was used because of our sins. Few years ago and it was also Good Friday when I watched the most illustrious depiction on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ. During the time of its release, most of the people known and unknown, man and woman, Catholics and non-Catholic shared their opinion, reaction and insight about this film, telling about the passion of our Savior. Many have said they were moved, and felt apologetic after watching film. Many also have said Mel Gibson's film is outstanding and Jim Caviezel, portraying Jesus Christ is an A-lister. I watched the film, though I didn't start it from the beginning but every scene of the film really gives me goosebumps. It seems that you were also one of the people watching Jesus Christ from the time He was sentenced to be crucified down to the time of His death. I wanted to cry because of the hardships Jesus Christ had accepted and done. I still remember the scene where He was being bullied by some Roman (?) soldiers. He was being whipped with a leather at most of the parts of His body. Another one, in which I can stand to watch was the time He was crucified. I can still remember the pain the Lord Jesus Christ felt while the nail was pounded at His palm. It was gruesome yet very powerful for each Catholic or Christian to reflect. I cannot watch it anymore for knowing what I did to Him. Yet, it was the most beautiful film ever done all about the passion, death and the revival of Jesus Christ's life (since it was done in 2004, the most recent).
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| One of the greatest movie about the Lord's passion |
BLACK SATURDAY - Earlier in the morning, we went to St. Peregrine Parish to listen to Lenten Recollection. Good thing, it was my favorite priest, Fr. Beni Ma. Isip who did the talk. According to him, Black Saturday is considered the most quiet day of the Easter Triduum because, according to the Christian tradition, there was no God. Think of having a wake, that was the most peaceful part of the whole funeral service. I have known so many things from the recollection; why rich Filipinos and poor Filipinos have different aspect, celebration and tradition while they were having a wake? Interesting and true!
Rich Filipinos: Wakes are usually held at a memorial chapel (think of Arlington, La Funeraria Paz, Loyola). There were foods to be served but mostly soups, tetra-pak juices, mamon or ensaymada, and of course, coffee and biscuits. Only small and quiet talks were exchanged while having a wake. Kiss from a cheek was done and an embrace or hug was given to the person or member of the dead person as a sign of condolence. Sometimes, it would only take 3 days minimum to 1 week maximum of stay before the burial rites or cremation rites. And yes, the venue of the wake is air-conditioned and there's also a family room for the immediate family to stay on.
Poor Filipinos: Usually held at the streets (think of squatter's area, looban) and it would surely look like a fiesta for so many people are staying near the wake. There were also foods to be served but only coffee and biscuits (think of Nescafe 3 in 1 and Skyflakes). There were no small and quiet talks but loud shouts and noises coming from the players of pusoy dos, mahjong, and the national card game, tong-its. Aside from that, not too far from the wake, there could be a videoke singing different versions (or renditions) of My Way, and not too far also from the wake, are some inuman sessions. They would say they were not allowed to come to the visitors going home because it might bring bad luck, so just a simple goodbye would be enough. And the length of the wake might take 1 week minimum to maximum of three weeks, depending on the donation, called abuloy. Sometimes, the wake could be at the dead person's home, or at the street itself, or even at the barangay hall.
There was a huge difference and it would never be changing, unless the government would soon see it the way we do it as a tradition. What's important during Black Saturday was the recollection of the sins we again did why Jesus was needed to catch all of those. It was really a black Saturday, but the whole Christendom was prepping up for the Easter vigil, to be done at the night. It would also serve as the mass for Easter Sunday. It was very serene, very quiet and very celebrating. Afterwards, it would be the Salubong, the resurrected Jesus will now meet His mother, Mary with a black cloth covering Her sorrowed face (thus being called Our Lady of Sorrows).
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| The Lord has risen! Rejoice! Rejoice! |
I can't wait for our next year's celebration of the Holy Week. I would surely know it would be a blast and aside from my family, I think it was good to have Visita Iglesia with your friends. That would be a great idea!
Happy Easter everyone!
"Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." - John 20:17
Toodles!!!
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