Semana Santa
I spent the holy week in Pampanga. We stayed there from Wednesday to Sunday evening. Actually, it was a Thursday already since we left home past 11pm so we arrived at Pampanga by 1am... Weird!:)
I wanted to make my holy week special this year by doing something different but it seemed like I had no time to plan what I was going to do. I later figured, it wasn't really because i had no time, I was just too lazy...Grrrr!
Anway, I opted to do something more important and more meaningful instead. I chose to do some things different on the inside... I discovered I still have a lot of building and reconstructing to do.
During Holy Thursday, we were blessed enough to arrive early at church and so we managed to sit on a pew that was near the altar. I thought it was going to be just another Holy Thursday mass where the priest washed the feet of the apostles... But God was so good to grant me the grace to see the significant event in a new light. As I watched the priest imitate Christ in washing the feet of the apostles and with all humility, even kissed their feet, it was like I saw the whole thing for the first time. I was overwhelmed and I was in awe.
Something hit me so hard inside. It was like I was truly seeing my God doing that... it was a beautiful sight. It was a beautiful deed. It was a LOVING deed. My eyes agreed with my heart. They showed there appreciation and understanding by giving off tears.
It was like I was hearing Christ all over again, saying, "DO THE SAME".
Good Friday. It was good indeed. We joined the annual procession wherein we walked around town barefoot. In my heart, I knew it was our way of sharing Jesus' sacrifice and suffering. It was like walking with Him, letting our evil desires and passions, our temptations and guilt, die within ourselves as well. It was tiring yet fulfilling.
Saturday... We didn't go to church. We spent time at our kubo. It was time with the family. GLorious!
Sunday. The happiest day of all time! EASTER!! I was ecstatic and it was like something inside me told me that a new me has been given a chance to live. We were late for mass to our dismay, but God was gracious enough to bless us with lessons that would remain in our hearts.
A preacher was right in saying that having had attended mass should not be measured by what part of the mass you arrived. Instead, the real measure of having had attended mass is if you came out of the church a better person than were when you came in. If you became a bit more like Christ after attending mass, then you truly did attend mass.
Ofcourse, I knew in my heart that it was not an excuse for being late for mass...hehe! Nothing beats celebrating the whole Sacrament.
The same preacher could not be any more correct when he said that the Holy Week isn't all about just giving up something or sacrificing...it is more about RECEIVING.
Receiving God's Love.
Receiving God's Mercy.
Receiving God's Life.
Receiving God's Grace.
Receiving HIM...
I wanted to make my holy week special this year by doing something different but it seemed like I had no time to plan what I was going to do. I later figured, it wasn't really because i had no time, I was just too lazy...Grrrr!
Anway, I opted to do something more important and more meaningful instead. I chose to do some things different on the inside... I discovered I still have a lot of building and reconstructing to do.
During Holy Thursday, we were blessed enough to arrive early at church and so we managed to sit on a pew that was near the altar. I thought it was going to be just another Holy Thursday mass where the priest washed the feet of the apostles... But God was so good to grant me the grace to see the significant event in a new light. As I watched the priest imitate Christ in washing the feet of the apostles and with all humility, even kissed their feet, it was like I saw the whole thing for the first time. I was overwhelmed and I was in awe.
Something hit me so hard inside. It was like I was truly seeing my God doing that... it was a beautiful sight. It was a beautiful deed. It was a LOVING deed. My eyes agreed with my heart. They showed there appreciation and understanding by giving off tears.
It was like I was hearing Christ all over again, saying, "DO THE SAME".
Good Friday. It was good indeed. We joined the annual procession wherein we walked around town barefoot. In my heart, I knew it was our way of sharing Jesus' sacrifice and suffering. It was like walking with Him, letting our evil desires and passions, our temptations and guilt, die within ourselves as well. It was tiring yet fulfilling.
Saturday... We didn't go to church. We spent time at our kubo. It was time with the family. GLorious!
Sunday. The happiest day of all time! EASTER!! I was ecstatic and it was like something inside me told me that a new me has been given a chance to live. We were late for mass to our dismay, but God was gracious enough to bless us with lessons that would remain in our hearts.
A preacher was right in saying that having had attended mass should not be measured by what part of the mass you arrived. Instead, the real measure of having had attended mass is if you came out of the church a better person than were when you came in. If you became a bit more like Christ after attending mass, then you truly did attend mass.
Ofcourse, I knew in my heart that it was not an excuse for being late for mass...hehe! Nothing beats celebrating the whole Sacrament.
The same preacher could not be any more correct when he said that the Holy Week isn't all about just giving up something or sacrificing...it is more about RECEIVING.
Receiving God's Love.
Receiving God's Mercy.
Receiving God's Life.
Receiving God's Grace.
Receiving HIM...
