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Thursday, February 24, 2005
Antalan: The season of Lent
By Roger P. Antalan
Dateline Igacos
AMONG Catholics, Lent is the season of meditative prayers and sacrifices. The season covers from Ash Wednesday until the Holy Week. In the past, people went about their daily lives in a quiet way.
Churchgoing was encouraged even on weekdays. Almsgiving to the poor and the needy was practiced.
Sacrifices were done through fasting. There was strict observance of meatless Fridays. Stations of the cross were made by many families even before the Holy Week.
Parties were frowned upon and celebrations were very rare. Games were very subdued if not prohibited. Everybody went around wearing a "Biernes Santo" face--sober and prayerful. Aside from the solemn Holy Week services, one of the highlights was the lengthy singing of the "pabasa"--detailing the life of Jesus, especially His Passion and Death on the cross.
Nowadays only a few observe and practice the traditional Lenten customs. Active parishioners however still follow the spirit of Lent. Still, there are many people who are already planning to go on picnics and family reunions at the beach and other resorts during the Holy Week holidays.
For the poor and the ordinary folks, the sacrifices are still there in various other ways. There's the constant and inescapable increase of the prices of basic commodities. There is no need to fast and there's no problem observing meatless Fridays.
Since this is also the season for graduations and the end of classes, parents are hard pressed looking for resources to pay the tuitions and the graduation expenses.
Recently, I saw a big sign in front of one school that temporarily softens the struggle to send children to college. The sign reads: No Tuition Increase In 2005. There are few things the DepEd should do. First, his business of Yearbooks should be stopped. Each graduating student is given a quota of solicit. And the poor parents make the rounds soliciting from the businessmen, relatives and politicians. I cannot count how many Yearbook I have contributed to. And ever since I have not seen a single copy.
Most parents love to go the graduation rites of their children. DepEd should decree simple graduations. I attended one closing ceremony. The graduates wore simple clothes. There were no togas. No graduation ball. Only flowers and the presence of the proud parents. No big time politician as guest speaker, so there was no need to prepare sumptuous food. After the picture taking, everybody went home to celebrate in their own small way. The Lenten season was lightened by the simple but meaningful ceremony.
It must be noted that after the giving of diplomas, the modern version of the Stations of the Cross will be reenacted. The thousands of new graduates will have to look for jobs--applying from one company to another--and there are not enough job openings. It could be more than 14 stations.
The church teaching however keeps reminding us not to look at Lent and sacrifice as the end of it all. The doctrine should be taken as a whole: The Passion, Death and Resurrection. The Risen Christ gives meaning to all our struggles, trials and tribulations. After the long seasons of Lent in our lives, there is always the promise of Easter. As G. K. Chesterton puts it very well: "There is one thing which gives radiance to everything. It is the idea of something around the corner."
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 23, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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