Keep Holy Week holy

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Holy Week is now upon us, and the next few days will lead us to the anniversary of the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are days considered sacred by all those who belong to the faith He founded and was further strengthened by his sublime act of going through the humiliation and pain of his mock trial before Pontius Pilate, his agonizing trek to Calvary, His crucifixion and eventual death.

Today, many of the religious rituals we observe to commemorate this event, had been handed down to us by our ancestors. These are all intended to continuously remind us that the sacrifices Jesus Christ went through willingly, had been undertaken to save us from the damnation that would have been merited by our sins.

However, there seems to be some lessening in the fervor of many of our people in the way they now observe the practices of Holy Week. Where before entire households try to keep the solemnity of the occasion, there is now a growing tendency to just limit the observance of Holy Week to the Good Friday ceremonies, with the days before and after it spent in the pursuit of fun and good times with friends and kin.

Some people even plan a year ahead on what travels, vacations and gatherings they will have on these days. If at all they remember what Holy Week is all about, they make the concession, of joining or watching the Good Friday procession, make a brief church visit, and that is that.

We do not mean that we should mope around and look righteous in these days. But, perhaps, we could forego so much enjoyment and instead focus more on some stock-taking of our present lives, how we live and interact with others, and if we obey our laws, and what the Ten Commandments mean in our daily lives. Our Lord has been giving us so many reminders through the workings of Nature these days. Perhaps this mean that we must pause for a while and mark this Holy Week with some human holiness.*