The Season of Re-Awakening

The Season of Your Re-awakening

by Marilyn Rivera

Lent is about becoming, doing, and changing. Whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now. – Sister Joan Chittister, OSB

As we approach Holy Week, many of us already has a planned itinerary for a family adventure, relaxation, and fun. Most of us, have flight bookings done, reservations made, and preparations all accomplished in our checklist. Our perspective has indeed changed from centuries before on how we observe this period of penitence, prayer and fasting to our present time.

Lent is the season of preparation before Easter based on Catholic organizations. It runs for 40 days excluding Sundays from the recorded date of Ash Wednesday up to Easter Sunday. And then during the famous Holy Week, we would normally witness some performing penitence of whipping one's back while walking the distance from one church to another as they are committed to their yearly penitence. And by the time they reached their destination church, their back will already be covered with blood as they continuously whipped themselves.

Most Roman Catholics eat sparingly during Lent and avoid any connection to technology. Individually, some would set a personal sacrifice that they would complete in the duration of the 40 days. For example, some would stop drinking beer or any alcoholic beverages while some

would avoid using any technological devices. We can set our own penitence in respect to the greatest historical and religious turning event that changed our lives. There is no fixed or standard rule to follow just as long as you are committed in doing this for Him and to shake us from our own lethargy, as Pope Francis would say.

As a Roman Catholic, it never fails to awe me that our core tradition is still intact and alive every Holy Week. During this time, you would definitely hear a single person or a group doing “Pabasa" in their barangays. Some find this annoying but if you can just imagine the efforts of the readers, singing pages after pages of Bible verses for days is truly a symbol of commitment and dedication to our local tradition honoring Him.

In some provinces like Zambales and Baliwag, people strongly hold onto another core tradition. This is “Pasyon”, a play which re-enacts the life of Jesus focused on His Passion, Death and Resurrection. The act normally starts from His captivity nearing His persecution until He was placed on the cross. This also includes the two thieves who joined Him being nailed on the cross. And these are real nails and real hammering of the nail through their flesh. In other provinces, residential houses create

small shrines at the end of their street where people in penitence would stop and pray until they complete visiting all of them. And another tradition that we do is the “Visita Iglesia” where you visit seven different churches on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. By the end of your journey, you would truly feel the revival of your spirituality and feel your closer connection to Him before your journey began.

How about you, what is your penitence this season or next year's season of Lent? The key note to place in mind is it is not based on the difficulty level of what you choose to sacrifice. The purpose of which is to renew our commitment that has grown dull and live our life more in reflection than by routine. The mere fact that you have set aside a simple pleasurable habit during this period of Lent like not drinking coffee or not going to malls is already a break or change to your daily habit. Make your penitence out from your own current life reflection, a retreat from your old self to a whole new one.

Have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week!