I HOLD weekends sacred. I love weekends as much as Wednesdays and holidays that fall on Mondays! I treasure it for three main reasons, actually.
First of all it signals the beginning of the “cool down” period of the week. Although my weekend technically starts Saturday afternoon (my work week ends at noon), Fridays fill me with joy knowing that it marks the conclusion of my (usually) hectic schedule. When you know that you can soon let your hair down (or your feet up) and just enjoy, who wouldn't be ecstatic? It is like rewarding yourself for a job well done and for surviving a crazy week, right? We deserve it!
Also, my travels usually begin during weekends. Yup! Why disturb the working days when you do not need to do so? It may be a bit more crowded than usual but hey, there is fun in that too!
Saturdays are particularly special because it is the only day of my week when I can stay up as late as I want and not suffer any consequences the following day! Sundays are bittersweet because I do not need to get up so early to prepare breakfast and get ready! My Sundays are often lazy ones where I get to sleep in really late, guilt-free! I did say that Sundays were bittersweet. Well, Monday forever follows Sunday so that means the fun ends at nightfall because the new dawn shall bring forth the commencement of another work week!!! Yes folks, back to reality!!! I bet tomorrow will be particularly difficult to welcome due to the absolutely fab Holy Week holidays! I wouldn’t be surprised if people suffer from post vacation blues at all! Seeing all the social media posts of family and friends having fun, mountains, beaches, far off places and endless posts of binignit, I can tell that everyone was having a mighty good time!
I do hope though that in the midst of all the fun and merriment, we all remembered why we actually have this holiday. After all, it really is more than an opportunity to spend time bonding with family and friends. This season means so much more to those of us whose faith puts so much significance in the observance of the Lenten Season. I hope that we all took the time out to reflect on it and appreciate it for what it truly means.
In my childhood days spent in Tarlac in my maternal great grandmother’s house, I witnessed the pabasa every night. Quite honestly, I found it a bit too eerie for comfort initially after which I just found it boring. I would like to blame my youth for this because when I got older, I actually kinda miss it. I do not see it as often anymore and it would be a shame if this artful way of practicing the Catholic faith would completely disappear.
Last Friday, I saw a video clip of three men doing penance by flagellation. I witnessed this too in Tarlac, as a child. Men would go around the town, whipping themselves till their backs and shoulders bled from the wounds inflicted by thorns and even broken glass attached to strings bundled as whips. I remember staring at them aghast and speechless! It still makes me squirm seeing it on video even now. I am in awe of these people who have the will and fortitude to make such sacrifices even when there are safer ways of atonement. I feel that I have no right to judge their choices but they dl inspire to seek my own way of making up for my sins and I hope everyone took the time too, to at least get down on his knees and pray. There are so.many things to be grateful for, big and small, that we may have missed just because we live very demanding lives. Now that we have the opportunity to slow down and relax, I hope we discover it and be thankful for it!
Today is Easter and God has risen again. I cannot help but think how it has all Christians a second chance at life. Being a Catholic, I am quite overwhelmed by the fact that He died on the cross for my sins. And then to rise again? Pretty awesome don’t you think?
My takeaway from. this year’s Lenten Season is all about second chances. I am not religious person but I am rich in faith and I realized this year, this season that all of us have been given a chance to prove too, that we are worthy of His sacrifice. The same way that God has risen again, we too should rise and strive to become better human beings who spread love and kindness rather than hate and cruelty. We should promote positivity and peace to keep darkness and chaos at bay. Easter is more than just bunnies and egg hunts. It is more than a chance to go on a vacation to chill and relax. It is a time to be thankful and be a better person, don’t you think?
Happy Easter Sunday everyone! :)