YESTERDAY, March 6 was Ash Wednesday. Count from day one and in a period of forty days, Catholics and the whole Christendom will be readying celebration of the Holy Week.
It is time for everyone to reflect and do some soul searching. It is a way of understanding who we really are, and what is life all about. You might discover that you should have strong faith to our Creator. And religiosity is not enough.
Religiosity is when you never fail to attend Sunday masses, visit the Blessed Sacrament, join processions and visit several churches on Good Friday. Spiritually is when you give alms to the poor. Invite them to your houses, visit the prisoners and doing good things “to the least of your brethren and you have done it unto Me.”
We always mourn the passing of love ones, family, kin and friends. Just the last two weeks, two friends of mine, who were members of Monday Club, David Tan and former Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan Mayor Bebot Villar passed away. Though we extended condolences to the families and mourn their passing, yet in my heart I firmly believe that there is a season for everyone. A time to be born and a time to die. All of us will end the same way, “whosever you are, even if you are the loftiest of tower, death will surely overtake you.” The richest man in our country just died recently leaving all worldly possessions. But never fear death said the Holy Book.
“The greatest gift God has given to mankind is death,” said a passage in the bible. Imagine people who would be in advance age, bed ridden, immobile and only under assisted living. Maybe in their bleeding hearts they are begging the Good Lord to end their sufferings. Death is beautiful in in certain situations.
Do you remember the story I wrote some time ago about have a relative from Porac who was an ICU patient at the Angeles University Foundation Hospital for more than three years. She made a lot of money from several businesses, but spent all the profits for hospital bills. She was at some point asked God to end her misery and pleaded death. There are so many other true to life situations wherein people begged God for mercy to end their sufferings.
“Father why thou hast forsaken me?” Even our Lord Jesus Christ uttered this word towards heaven when his human body can no longer endure the pain. What more for ordinary mortals.
During this coming Holy Week I hope each one of us will try to contemplate our own life existence. That it may focus on the fragility of human life, that one day you will breathe your last, and that at the end you can make good accounting of what you have done for others.
Shakespeare once wrote, “all the evil in men will be interred with their bones.” I beg to disagree on the thoughts of the greatest writer of all time. Possible he didn't realize when he was writing that particular line that there is the last judgement that will come.
A blindfolded lady symbolizes human justice, meaning she cares not if you are rich or poor, good looking or ugly, educated or unlettered, but her ears can still hear and be tempted of a whispered promise. Not in the Divine Justice, husticia divino. It will be right minus wrong since in my belief God is all just. If you have done thousands of good deeds and committed few infractions and felt really sorry for your sins, God may, in the last judgment may reserve a seat for you in heaven.
Today's life is only for today. Enjoy every moment because even today's newspaper will become tomorrow's waste paper.