It's Holy Week!

It has been a while since I updated this blog. A month to be exact... I have been busy with online tasks and some contests aside from my usual routine as a Mom and as a follower of Christ. And tomorrow, it's already Palm Sunday, the beginning of what we call the Holy Week in the Catholic tradition. In some countries, like in the Philippines, and also in Germany, the Holy Week is observed and is even declared officially a national holiday, especially Thursdays (Holy Thursday), Fridays (Good Friday), Saturdays (Black Saturday) and Sundays (Easter Sunday).

This is a big celebration in the Catholic tradition because it commemorates the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's Palm Sunday tomorrow and our Sto. Nino Group will be celebrating a mass in English in advance today. But why do we celebrate Palm Sunday? This is to remember and reflect on the beginning of the many events that followed in Jesus' life to fulfill the scriptures and the prophecy.

In between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, we are given the time to remember and reflect on the details of the Passion of Jesus. One can say that the last week of Jesus' life was "crammed" with events: it started with his glorious entry into Jerusalem and ended with his death on Good Friday. In between those, Jesus preached and taught, presided over the Passover meal, stood trial and was condemned to death.

If you have been praying the Rosary, you'd be familiar with most of the events but way before the Agony of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, there is the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in which he rode a colt. This is to fulfill the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9. "The people greeted him by placing palm leaves on the path the he passed, as though he were an earthly king; they were sure He would end the Roman occupation and Jerusalem would again be a Jewish city. They shouted, "Hosanna," which means "save us," and comes from Psalm 118: 26."

During the Holy Week, there are Passion Plays, Reading of the Seven Last Words, the Way of the Cross (which most pilgrims perform on Good Friday). This is to remember his passion and death and reflect on our lives. And we fast during the Lenten season. It is not only about not eating meat and drinking alcoholic drinks, it is mostly about depriving oneself of the material pleasures of the earth. If one loves to go shopping, one sacrifices and lets a week pass without going on a shopping spree. Or if one loves to dress up, one opts to dress simply and modestly instead. Or if one is addicted to Facebook or the Internet, one opts to do other worthy tasks like reading the Bible and taking time to reflect. It's all about depriving oneself of the things that gives him material satisfaction and earthly pleasures. These are just very small things (and so much a part of our daily life) in comparison to what Jesus had to sacrifice, HIS LIFE, so why don't we all give it a try?

If you can avail and go on a Holy Week Retreat, join one! If being physically present in a retreat is made impossible by a number of circumstances, there is a an ONLINE JESUIT RETREAT that you can attend. It is conducted by Fr. Johnny Go, SJ and is called "MEETING PLACES". It is a three day retreat, which starts on Maundy Thursday, April 1.

To quote Fr. Go's words in his blog:

I've called it "MEETING PLACES" because I think the mysteries of Holy Week unfold in three Lenten places: the Garden (Holy Thursday), the Hill (Good Friday), and the Tomb (Black Saturday). If we spend some time in those virtual meeting places, we may encounter the Lord in a special way.

Interested in joining? An essential part of this retreat is to prepare yourself because it is more importantly an opportunity to pray about your own life. You can start preparing by clicking here.

Let me leave you with a beautiful Jesuit song: How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place. I hope that this Holy Week, you will find that your heart and soul is God's dwelling place.



I wish everyone a blessed and meaningful Holy Week! May God bless us all...

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Pit Senyor!

The caro bearing the Sto. Nino at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Last Saturday was the 16th Sinulog celebration of the Filipino community here in Stuttgart, Germany. It was my very first time to join in the festivities as I have never experienced the Sinulog while I was still in the Philippines. Ironic, isn't it?

The Sto. Nino during the procession from the Cathedral in Rottenburg to the Festhalle...

Sto. Nino's at the procession...

It was a very fun celebration. We were blessed by God with a very good weather and the celebration went smoothly from the celebration of the Holy Eucharist down to the procession and then the continuation of festivities at the Festhalle.

Doing the Sinulog inside the Festhalle.


Pit Senyor Ate Vicky! May He answer your prayers...

While it was unlike the grand celebration that you see in Cebu, the Filipino devotion to the Holy Infant Jesus was very much alive when we danced to the music in worship and thanksgiving. I must admit that while dancing and while witnessing the others dance, I got teary-eyed, touched by the Holy Spirit and the realization that indeed, it will always be faith and the spirit of friendship and love that will bind and unite a community.

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A Parent's Prayer for Children

Here's a prayer for children which I adapted from Catholic Online, for use by the Sto. Nino group. This is a prayer of parents for their children. As parents, it is essential that we teach our children how to pray so that they may grow to have a deep faith in God.

You can also adapt this according to your preference and use your own words. Allow the Holy Spirit to move you and you have a very beautiful and powerful prayer that is coming from the heart.

Prayer for The Children

O Senor Sto. Nino, we commend our children unto thee,
those who are present here before you namely (state name of children)
and those who are in the comfort of their homes.
Grant Senor Sto. Nino, that they may grow
to serve you, love you and know you.
Protect them always from harm, evil and sickness
and watch over them as they grow.
Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world,
to resist all solicitations to evil,
whether from within or without;
and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy.
Pour Thy grace into their hearts,
and confirm and multiply in them
the gifts of Your Holy Spirit,
that they may daily grow in grace
and in the knowledge of You;
and so, faithfully serve You here,
and may they come to rejoice in Your presence hereafter.

O Senor Sto. Nino, who has given unto us these children,
and committed them to our charge to bring them up for Thee,
and to prepare them for eternal life:
help us with Thy heavenly grace, that we, as parents,
may be able to fulfill this most sacred duty and stewardship.
Teach us what to give and what to withhold;
when to reprove and when to forbear;
make us to be gentle, yet firm;
considerate and watchful;
and deliver us equally from the weakness of indulgence,
and the excess of severity;
and grant that, both by word and example,
we may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom
and true piety, so that at last we may, with them,
be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven,
in the company of the blessed Angels and Saints.

Amen.

Source: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=71

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