Keeping our Faith

It’s Holy Week… the time of the year packed with a series of religious activities such as Visita Iglesia, the Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross (also called Via Crucis and Via Dolorosa) and the “Sugat” or the resurrection of Christ.  Visita Iglesia is a practice of Catholic believers to visit 14 churches, representing the 14 Stations of the Cross to reflect, meditate, and offer penance and prayers while, the Via Crucis is the interpretation of the last hours of Jesus commonly known as the Passion of Christ.

My family is not a devout Roman Catholic but we do attend Sunday masses, pray the Rosary and sometimes say the Novena only though when we get the chance.  Back in my childhood, I remember we spent Good Friday solemnly especially when the clock hits 3PM --- it meant no more playing, running, talking and laughing boisterously and most of all, we’re not allowed anymore to take a bath…not sure though what is the ‘scientific explanation’ hehe.  Good Friday also meant ‘binignit time’ for us, and I think all Filipinos can relate to this as apparently, this has become a staple food during Holy Week which represents fasting.  Fasting in the sense that we eat nothing but this foody.

However, since Holy Week means long vacation for us Filipinos, some capitalized this time to spend quality time with families and friends on the beach or on any travel destination of their choice, which I perfectly understand because this is already part of our culture.  But the sad reality now is…. a number of us has already forgotten the true essence of Holy Week.  It seems we now equate Holy Week with party, vacation, beach and fun. 

Will the next generation of Pinoys still join Via Crucis, visit 14 Churches and join the “Sugat” on Easter Sunday, and not just look forward for the Easter egg hunting? I wonder…