[OPINION] Holy week invites the presence of the heart, not the hand

By Ingrid Mendoza

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Holy week is a traditional religious event celebrated by Catholics all over the world, especially here in the Philippines but in spite of the pandemic, does celebrating it indoors remove its essence?

People are disappointed that it’s now in the second year that Holy Week traditions are done within the four corners of their home. There were expectations that by the start of 2021, the pandemic would have been at least partially solved and lives would be ‘semi-normal’ already. Although, that’s not the case. Instead of going home to their provinces, or doing the Visita Iglesia or Easter celebrations, they have to deal with virtual masses or novenas.

This is also the case with my family. We would usually go to our home province every year on holy week. My mom and grandmother were in charge of fixing the Santo Inchero, which was a replica of Jesus’s burial that was used during the procession. People would volunteer to carry it around the city, as their penitence.

Holy week was an event that my family truly looks forward to since it is a part of their culture and it was their way of serving the church. My mom believed that our faith should not be solely on going to mass every Sunday, but it should be practiced every year during Holy Week.

It has come down to asking myself, if I do not celebrate Holy Week the way we usually do, does that have an effect on my faith, and is its essence really taken away?

On a virtual mass my family and I attended last Sunday for the celebration of Palm Sunday, the mass presider, Fr. Jerry Orbos, emphasized in his homily that the Holy Week was about coming back home to Jesus’ heart and walking with him through his journey.

It made me realize that my faith would not be questioned whether or not I would do the traditional ceremonies or events on the Holy Week, but if my heart was sincere and ready to follow Jesus on his path and listen to his word. The essence of the Holy Week does not only rely on actions but with the purest intention of the heart.

Celebrating indoors is a change, but it wouldn’t make a difference if our heart was set on the true meaning of why we do what we do. The sacrifice and penitence can be done differently, but the intention can remain the same.

As of the moment, I try my best to sacrifice what I can for a greater change, a safer place, and better future. This Holy Week, where everything has still crumbled and the world is filled with cruelty and suffering, makes me strengthen my faith that one day, the life we have missed will never be missed again.

Let us not dwell on the things we can’t do, but look forward to what we can.

Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Public Affairs, suggests that churchgoers must come up with different ways to continue with the annual religious traditions.

In an article written by CNN Philippines, the following are tips they have suggested for the celebration of the Lenten Season:

1. Virtual Visita Iglesia

2. Stations of the Cross at home

3. Simple Sacrifices

4. Charitable Acts

5. Online Masses until Easter Sunday