The Lenten Season

YESTERDAY, March 6, the Catholic faithful and the whole Christendom celebrated Ash Wednesday with the imposition of the blessed Ash on the forehead of the faithful and other Christian believers. This is a time-honored celebration which has been observed since time immemorial and signals the start of the Lenten Season and forty days fasting and abstinence. As one preacher evoked, the practice symbolizes humility with the passion (Holy Thursday), death (Good Friday) and resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. Once again the usual Seven Last Words will be delivered by designated priests from the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral and aired over radio and television networks. The Catholic Church and other Christian denominations never fail to observe these traditional religious practices as time goes by. Our government has mandated Holy Thursday and Good Friday among the Legal Holidays and this year it falls on April 18 and 19. Thus, with the long week-end, there are those who would rather enjoy family bonding in most beach resorts either in Caramoan, Nato beach in Sangay, or in Balogo or Magtabid in Pasacao instead of being in church or at home in solemn observance of the Holy Week. Indeed, how times have changed!

On the other hand, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has reportedly urged the faithful to “travel light” as they enter the season of Lent which he said, was a “journey with Jesus” for the faithful “until the end.” He further said that traveling light meant sharing what people have with the poor through acts of justice and charity.

TRIVIA: Through this column may I extend in my own behalf and that of my spouse Minda our most sincere condolence and sympathy to the bereaved family of Jorge Palma and his spouse Christy for the demise of Jorge’s mother Cristina Teodoro Palma. Her remains lay in state at the Eternal Gardens Memorial Chapel at Balatas, Naga City.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: “SO MANY OF OUR DREAMS AT FIRST SEEM IMPOSSIBLE, AND THEN THEY SEEM IMPROBABLE, AND THEN, WHEN WE SUMMON THE WILL, THEY SOON BECOME INEVITABLE.” CHRISTOPHER REEVE

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: “ARISE BLESS THE LORD, YOUR GOD, FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY.” NEHEMIA 9:11