Holy Week

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43:25-26).

Holy Week is celebrated every year. It is one of the most important events in Catholic calendar. It is the final week of the lenten season before Easter. It commemorates the the events of Jesus' last week before his death through various observances and services in some churches or chapels. It has chief festivals namely: Palm Sunday, Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday (Great Vigil). Here in the Philippines, Lent is observed through weekly fasting and abstinence, penitence as well as the traditional passion plays or senakulo, panata, via crucis, visita iglesia and the pabasa in most barangays or villages in every town and city.

In my barangay (Brgy. Malapoc Norte), we commemorates the sacrifices that Jesus have done to save us. It was lead by Rev. Father Boy Luzon. On Palm Sunday, the mass was started with the blessing of the palm leaves and then marching to the Church. People in our barangay brought coconut leaves for the blessing of the leaves and place it in their house when they got home after the Mass. During the mass, reading of the entire passion narrative from one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 26:14-27:66; Mark 14:1-15:47; and Luke 22:1-23:56) was being featured. For Maunday Thursday, a mass was held commemorating the events that took place the night Jesus was betrayed. During the mass, there is an reenactment of the foot washing rituals. However, the true essence of this day is the celebration of the Last supper and stripping of the altar followed afterwards in which the priest and assistants remove all vessels. In spite of its solemnity, Lent Season and its peak of holy week are special occasions for Filipinos to pray and bond or reunite with their families as well as relax from the daily grind. It is also the time to repent for our sins, asked for forgiveness, sorry, and show the essence of genuine love & trust to HIM coz nobody in this world to SAVE Us people except the Almighty. Lets thank Jesus for saving us despite of our wrong deeds that made him suffer on the cross. We Love You Jesus.

During Good Friday, station of the cross was held early in the morning. When the afternoon came, there is a reading of seven last words and mass was held afterwards. In spite of the solemnity of Good Friday worship, it is not a funeral service for Jesus. It is rather a time of quiet and serious contemplation on His great saving work. for the Black Saturday, great vigil is reenacted. The Great Vigil is made up of four separate but connected worship services. These are service of light, service of readings, service of baptism and last is the service of Holy Communion. During the great vigil, people staying up late in the church until the coming of the Easter Sunday.