Filipino Catholic churches closed their doors this afternoon. It is only at this time of the year that this is done, signifying the ‘death of the Christ Jesus at the climax of His week-long Passion.
These past 5 days Filipino faithful have staged their individual, and collective, imitations of the Savior’s harrowing journey to redeem man from his sins.
While Semana Santa is a hand-me-down tradition from Spain, Filipinos have given it their own ‘hue’, even taking it to the extreme: bloody flagellation and excruciating crucifixion.
While the participants say they do these to atone for personal sins or prove themselves worthy of the Lord’s benediction, the practice is now capitalized on as tourism spectacles with the lukewarm prohibitions of Catholic Church prelates being largely ignored.
The times are hard and may indeed get harder before the economic situation plateaus and begins recovering.
The Church doors will reopen on Easter Sunday signaling Christ’s return from the dead and ascension into heaven.
For Filipinos, may the symbolisms and deeper meaning of Semana Santa become truly internalized, and practiced in our daily lives as wellsprings of hope, goodwill, and the drive to better themselves.
POSTSCRIPT:
One story being reported just now is that of an Australian radio-TV comedian having been among the 29 men and women who were crucified yesterday in two towns in Pampanga,
One other curious, if not disturbing element in the report is how ‘for-hire’ penintentes are available to stand in for others.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25318274-401,00.html
Popularity: 1% [?]
It maybe a cause of apprehension once the Australian radio-TV comedian expresses his belief on our predilection to self-flagellation and crucifixion as if collectively, we haven’t suffered the most under a less-than-ideal regime. Happy Easter!
Primer,
I think an aspect of concern here is when a basically religious tradition is reduced to becoming a spectacle, a curiosity with even penitentes become agents for hire.
If ths is not a debasement of values I don’t know what else is.
In the end we might even end up apologizing to racists like Chip Tsao.
Wala na bang sagrado of kakanyahang kulural at maka-relihiyon na marapat galangin?
Komersiyalismo na bang ang ganap na maghahari sa lipunang Pilipino?
If there are layers in any religious tradition or praxis, then I tend to think that given the kind of people who willingly want themselves nailed, perhaps everything operates at gut’s level.
Even kidneys are within the commerce of man. One nail, right or left in every hand or toe might really have equivalent monetary reward from some local influentials. If the criers are hired, so are the cried upon. I don’t know.
You could perhaps call it ‘crocodile penitence or grief’ then…
But I hasten to make clear that in the Tsao episode he was plainly racist, not matter how ‘unaffected’ entities try to be nonchalant or dismissive about it.
Pero tapos na tayo kay Tsao.
We dont agree to see Religion as a time for a Masochistic Rituals. I
believe there is a perversion of faith in there. We believe in the
moral teachings of any religion. But when, we see it as a ritual. We
miss the true purpose of the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Tumpak.