Why the turkey was always cut in half

There is an often told story around Thanksgiving Day about a family that always cut their turkey in half before they cooked it. This was certainly very odd by American tradition since everybody always served a whole baked turkey as the centerpiece for the Thanksgiving meal.

For many years this strange ritual went on until a child from the fourth generation decided he was going to find out why his family had such a very “strange” tradition. So he went up to his Momma and asked “why exactly do we cut the turkey across the middle whenever we cook one for Thanksgiving?”

 Somewhat startled by such a sensible inquiry, the mother decided to ask her mom exactly the same question the youngest had put across: “Momma, Why ‘do’ we cut the turkey in half?”

Grandma for her part could only scratch her chin and reply, “to tell you the truth, I can’t exactly tell why. All I know is that was how I saw my momma do it, and that’s how I’ve done it all these years. Why don’t we ask Great Grand Nanny!”

So they all huddled around the Matriarch as Grandma asked, Momma, why exactly do you always cut the thanksgiving turkey in half before you stick it in the oven?

Great Grandma sat her self up and with a look of disbelief she replied, “Did you never realize that our oven was never big enough to stick a whole turkey in? That’s why I always had to cut them turkeys in two,”

I repeat the story for you in case you are also one of the many who continue to perform rituals handed down through generations or passed on by others but never really understanding the “why they did it and why we do it” aspect of Holy week.

I originally meant to title this piece “It’s not a vacation or an execution” because that in short is what Holy Week seems like for many people. For many years, the Holy Week for many Filipinos was like an annual funeral to be observed as solemnly as if we ourselves lost a loved one. In addition to this funeral like atmosphere, it was also the time of the year when our individual and collective guilt was laid on us so thick by references to how “your” or “my” sin nailed Jesus to the Cross.

Historically, this was the time when holiness and not filth ruled the airwaves. This was the week when you saw more movies about God and Jesus and the apostles in a few days than on a whole year.

Generation after generation put up with the annual funeral and the guilt laying. But just like many nations and societies around the World, the whole thing simply became such a put down and so depressing. Others on the other hand simply dropped out in ignorance and indifference. They would say too much of the “good thing” made people want to be “Bad”.

Unless people realize or understand the reason, the meaning, or find relevance to commemorating Holy Week in this predominantly Catholic country, chances are the Holy Week will become shorter and shorter and eventually morph into just another holiday and not a Holy week.

As it is, Holy week is no longer observed as a “full week” but only begins to happen around Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, then Easter Sunday. The once dark and gloomy “Black Saturday” which was the only official whole day that Jesus was dead is no longer observed with equal respect or concern.

What exactly is the relevance of the Holy week as it turns into a national excuse to have an unofficial 7-day holiday? Does an official weeklong commemoration of the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have any effect or real impact on the collective sins and guilt of this nation?

Ask yourself, how many times in a year do you actually step back to seriously reflect on your relationship with God without any distractions or concerns pulling you away? Or are you also one of the members of the annual movement for repentance on Holy Week only?

The real message I see in the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is that he did what needed to be done. He did the talk and he walked the talk. He lived as he preached and he was willing to die for it. What you may not have realized is that the “it” he was willing to die for was YOU.

We can do all the rituals but the question is: what do you claim to be? And do you live the way you claim to be.

If you claim to be a follower of Christ, have you taken time to read and learn his teachings? Have you made an effort to understand and live out what he has asked and taught you to be? If you claim to be a Catholic, a Christian or a God believing person, have you read God’s word or have you quoted what you know is more hearsay than reading his official statements?

It is ironic that we call the betrayal, the false accusation and the murder of Christ as “Holy week”. Then again, many people claim to be followers but they betray Christ for wealth, power and fame. They accuse Christ as a cosmic killjoy or the cause of their unhappiness, and on a daily basis their sin and misrepresentation of Christ whether as Catholics or Christians equate to crucifying the Christ they believe in but don’t really follow. Let’s not talk about crucifixions when you can’t even carry a cross for Christ.