Holy Week

Holy Week is the longest anticipated holiday in the Christian world. It starts on the last week of Lent from Palm Sunday to Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and ends with the most important Christian festival – Easter.

I remember my holy week experience as a child decades ago when business establishments were all closed from Holy Wednesday and only opened on Easter Sunday. Clearly, this was part of the observance of the holy period where abstinence from flesh, from pleasure and public business was strictly observed. It was a time for deep reflection and fasting of the physical body and the spirit.

Today, you wonder if Catholics continue to anticipate this holy tradition for spiritual renewal or for total relaxation in the beach or in popular vacation spots. The traffic jams in the express highways are a clear sign that people in this generation have shifted gear from staying at home in solemnity during this time to going out on a vacation for fun and recreation. What has happened to “Catholicism”?

The Catholic who is true to his principles and his Creed, loves God and obeys His commandments. He loves and serves his fellowmen. He religiously goes to Church and respects the Church. He will do all the good that he can, all that is worthy and just, serve others and save his soul.  But why has the practice of Catholicism weakened over time?

We are the third largest Catholic country in the world. Eighty percent of the Filipinos are Catholics. We are Asia’s most populous Catholic nation. Many of our fiestas and our day to day life is ingrained with Catholic beliefs and practices. Many of us are named after the saints and martyrs. Our celebrations of baptism, communion, confirmation, marriage, even death are Catholic sacraments.

When Pope Francis visited the country, he was awed by the spirit of the people who came together as a strong force. We showed the world how strong our faith is in God. Knowing what the Catholic faith stands for in our lives, why then, do we continue to commit the mortal sins of adultery, polygamy; why are there many crimes in the streets like stealing, cheating, rape; why is there too much corruption, drugs, etc.? What went wrong?

Indulge me for a moment as I write about our faith. We must keep it. We must make it stronger. We cannot ignore the fact that it is part of our identity. It is a part of our culture. All that we are and all that we have become is a result of the integration of the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic religion. The combination of the Filipino culture and Catholicism is what makes us unique.

We need to strengthen and revisit religious instruction in the public schools and in private schools that don’t have it in their programs. Our youth has become hostile to our faith because they have not studied it. They are ignorant of the faith they practice. They follow the tradition blindly. We should give it more meaning for them to appreciate it and follow it wholeheartedly.

 The present world turmoil and unrest, the terrible war now being raged in many countries, the idiosyncrasies of people would undoubtedly be avoided; humanity would have been spared so much suffering, so much bloodshed, so many tears, had the leaders of governments and nations, had the universities, colleges and schools prescribed religion.

I grew up in a devout Catholic family. My grandfather, Benito Soliven was a Papal Knight, and a lawyer pro bono, meaning he donated his legal services for free even as a congressman and assemblyman, to the Catholic Church, particularly to the Archdiocese of Manila. My father, the late Max Soliven was raised by a devout mother in the Faith, prayed the daily rosary, and together with his brothers served Mass daily. My grandfather made sure his children knew that serving God is serving your country and fellowmen. And as we do this, we protect and promote the welfare of the nation.

It is our civic duty to teach and inculcate patriotism to our youth. This is a necessary part of their moral, civic and religious training. It would be un-Filipino and un-Catholic not to teach patriotism and love of our country to Filipino children, young men and young women. Moral education requires that they be taught to comply with their duties and obligations. We teach them to love and honor their parents and to serve and cherish the family, of which they are members; we teach them to love their neighbors, we teach them to love God. In much the same way that the individual has duties to the family, he has duties, equally sacred, to his country. Thus, in every land, Catholics with a truly religious education will without a doubt, love their country, do deeds of patriotism and valor in the service of the nation.

Our country is in dire need of good citizens who will uphold the Constitution and maintain democracy; who will resist through all lawful means despotism and dictatorship; who will be progressive and scientific in their views; who will profit from the best experience of other countries; who will serve the country to the best of their abilities. By revisiting our Catholic education, we are helping our children strengthen their faith in God. And by doing so, we will develop the whole man, physically, mentally and spiritually, not only enabling him to be successful in his life work, but also to be a good man and consequently a good citizen.

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Last week came the test of our human spirit. We were jolted by a series of earthquakes with its epicenter in Batangas but was felt in many parts of Luzon and Visayas. Twin earthquakes rocked Metro Manila and nearby provinces on Saturday afternoon, April 8. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said a magnitude 5.6 quake first struck at 3:07 pm, off Mabini, Batangas. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) put it at 5.7.

According to Phivolcs, the first quake was then followed by a magnitude 6.0 tremor at 3:09 pm, also in the same area. USGS earlier said this tremor had a magnitude of 5.9. The recorded intensities for the two quakes are: Intensity VII – Mabini, Batangas, Intensity VI – Calatagan, Nasugbu, and Tingloy, Batangas, Intensity V – Batangas City, Sto Tomas, and Lemery, Batangas; Tagaytay City, Intensity IV – Dasmariñas, Cavite: Lucena City; Pateros City, Intensity III – Makati City; Pasay City; Quezon City; Muntinlupa City; Malabon City; Mandaluyong City; Bacoor, Cavite and Intensity II – Daet, Camarines Norte.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said that the twin tremors are related to the magnitude 5.5 earthquake that hit Batangas last April 4. There were no casualties during the Tuesday quake but structures, including the Batangas Provincial Capitol building, were damaged.

At times like this, it is our strong faith in God that keeps us together. We believe in the power of prayer. St. Therese of Lisieux said of prayer: “for me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” So together let us keep our hearts turned toward the Lord and pray. “God our Father, You set the earth on its foundation. Keep us safe from the danger of earthquakes and let us always feel the presence of your love. May we be secure in your protection and serve you with grateful hearts. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.” (Roman Missal, Prayer in Time of Earthquake).