Holy Week reflections

Last week, one of the top headline news was that there were seven social sins that the Vatican has added to the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was quick to explain that there was no revision at all in the existing Church doctrines. Rather, the statement was made in order to draw the attention of the faithful to the new social sins which were not prevalent in the Old Testament days. Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, was alarmed that 60 percent of Catholics in Italy no longer went to confessions. Moreover, these seven deadly sins became prevalent as a result of globalization and continued progress. These include “bioethical” offenses such as birth control, morally debatable experiments such as the stem cell research, which allow manipulation of genes, and in effect, God’s creation, social injustice which worsens poverty, the use of mind-damaging drugs, polluting the environment, inequality, excessive accumulation of wealth by a few, thus creating a greater gap among the rich and the poor and excessive consumerism that has invaded even the Church, that in the process, undermines the Christianity of a person, the lifestyle and behavior of the faithful.

Today is Holy Tuesday and traditionally, we observe this with a senaculo, a dramatization of the life of Christ. Pabasa, or the reading of the Passion of Christ also starts. We hope that, more than the practice, people would instead reflect on the sacrifices made by the Lord for mankind. People should take time to turn their minds away from the daily routine and reflect on the more important things in life, things that would enrich the spirit. Living simply is a basic tenet that has always proven to be a useful guide for people to live at peace with their selves and the people around them. People are basically not perfect and they are without their own faults and shortcomings. Instead of blaming others in difficult situations, people should think of solutions so that they will not become part of the problem.

We should learn to be thankful and appreciative of the things around us that make living easier for us, water from the shower, food on our table, money to buy our physical needs. We should begin each day this way, before anything else. If we must think of problems and trials, let it be how we have survived them in the past and how the Lord has sustained us and pulled us through.

When God created our world in the beginning, there was yet no man to till the ground but He sent a mist from the earth which watered the whole face of the earth. Every tree grew which is pleasant to the sight and good for food. He created Man. And thereafter, Woman to help him.

Now, many destroy trees. The last line of Joyce Kilmer’s poem Trees, says, “. . .  but only God can make a tree”. If I had my way, I would add, “. . . and anyone can plant a tree”. The natural ecosystem is destroyed because of man’s increased activities and consumption of the world’s resources and nature cannot seem to heal itself anymore. We have lots of fields but no plants in them. Lately, we read of the growing crisis in rice because we cannot grow enough to sustain our daily needs and we have to import from other countries at a higher cost. We should stop and think seriously about this.

Live simply. Live humbly. Be at peace with each other. If each person will practice these basic tenets, the global village will be a happy place to live in.