Sunday, February 18, 2007

Lent

Thanks to Jessica at Homemaking Through the Church Years, I have become aware that the Lent Season is upon us. She's hosting a Carnival on Lent, and so I thought I'd join in.

Truth be known, I miss many of the Filipino traditions that goes along with the Lent. Many were paganistic in nature, but some of the traditions bring our focus to Jesus…and those are the ones I miss the most. Since I came to the here to the US about 13 years ago, I have not really “observed” the Lent as much as I did when I was in the Philippines. Yes, we do celebrate Easter in our church here…but it seems abrupt…no preparation, not much meditation…..not much tradition…. In the Philippines, it was much more traditional. Again I would like to clarify that the tradition I miss the most are the ones that reminds me of "what Jesus has done for us", and that "He has risen from the dead".

You see, my childhood memories of Easter were not of Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies. I did not hear of those until after college, and even then I wasn’t interested in them…. What I remember most were:

1) Going to the province to spend the "Holy Week" with our relatives and to get away from the hussle and bussle of the city life;
2) Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Ressurection Sunday! The "description" for each day is connected to the tradition each day brings.

3) the Stations of the Cross - I like this... walking around the church meditating on the happenings in the last hours of Jesus.

4) the Seven (7) Last Words - we listen on the radio, or watch TV, the whole Saturday to different priests, pastors and preachers expound the 7 last words of Jesus,

5) and Bible Stories (movies) shown on TV. - The media in the Philippines is in a low-keyed state during "Holy Week" as TV and music stations will be paying off their respects: no upbeat music, no upbeat and comedy programs, and if there is it should be mellow and should emblematize the season of Lent theme.

I grew up as a Catholic and never read the Bible...but I have learned a lot about the Bible during Lent as we watch the follwoing movies year after year: 1) The Greatest Story Ever Told 2) The 10 Commandments 3) Joseph the Dreamer 4) and many more...

So in observance of Lent Season, I will blog more about lent this coming days... (opss didn't I say that I should stop announcing what I will blog about because when I announce it, usually I don't get to do it?) I hope I will....

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