‘Huli’ Week
One time, on my way to Batangas, I told my driver “Mag-rosary tayo.” As I was bringing out my rosary from my pocket, he made a stop, pointing to me, a grocery!
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Today is Palm Sunday. It’s that time of the year when we are asked to switch from “grocery” to “rosary” mode, as we contemplate on the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord. It is the time for us to pray, and be grateful to God for His tremendous love and mercy for us all.
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In today’s Gospel (Luke 23:1-49), we hear about the passion of our Lord. Let us not forget the message of it all—For God so loved the world, He gave us His only Begotten Son, who suffered, died, and rose again, so that we may have eternal life. May we be filled with remorse for our sins but most of all gratitude, for God’s mercy, and conversion from our sinful ways.
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Holy Week reminds us to be “hulí ” i.e. to put ourselves last, and put God first. All too often, we are so focused on ourselves, our agenda, our desires, and pleasures that we put God last and least in our lives. “Magpahulí ka.” Put yourself last and give priority to God.
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Holy Week also reminds us to be “húli” i.e. to be caught by God. Allow God to capture you, and bring you to His heart. All too often, we run away, and escape from God, and wander far and long from Him. “Magpahúli ka.” Surrender to God, and allow Him to embrace you lovingly, especially this Holy Week.
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GO SLOW. Let this be a time for us to rest, reflect, and renew. It’s the time to really stop, look, and listen to God, listen to our hearts, and listen to the people around us. Tone down worldly, political, and social media chatter.
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STAY LOW. Let us humble ourselves to God and be grateful to Him. Let us again know who we are, and who God is. We are not God. We owe everything to God. He owes us nothing. Let us beg for His mercy and forgiveness. It is also the time for us to ask for forgiveness from people we have hurt, used, or abused in any way because of our selfishness and pride. Let us also forgive those who hurt us, as God has forgiven us so many times.
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LET GOODNESS FLOW. Let our discipline of Lent and Holy Week bear fruit. May it not be said of us: “Dasal nang dasal, pareho pa rin ang asal. (Praying and praying, but the character is still the same.)” May our being prayerful be fruitful. And, there are people, too, who are “Mabunganga pero wala namang bunga. (Good in talking, but doing nothing.)” Let us learn to talk less, and just do good deeds, with a smile, and in secret.
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Whatever you do, wherever you are this Holy Week, please remember to connect to the Lord with the heart. Words without the heart are empty. God sees the heart. God feels the heart. He is a God who has a big, loving, forgiving, and generous heart. Let this time be a heart-to-heart time between you and God, and payback time to other people.
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May this Holy Week pause lead us to clearer and deeper mission for the Lord, and for His people. I hope that this Holy Week will result in a change of heart for many of our political leaders. Sad to say, we are still going through the “Via Dolarosa,” the Way of the Cross in our journey as people and as a nation. Praying that we, too, will experience a political “resurrection,” soon.
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Think about this: If you want to encounter the Lord, you must leave your comfort zones. There can be no real conversion if we do not go down from our entitled disposition, and part from our filthy possessions, inordinate pleasures, and relations.
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Inviting you to experience a serene and hidden “Way of the Cross” at the Sanctuary of the Divine Word, at the back of the Christ the King Mission Seminary, E. Rodriguez St. Avenue, Quezon City.
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Holy Thursday recollection at the Lord’s Flock Building in Catanduanes Street corner Del Monte, West Ave, Quezon City at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Good Friday recollection at the Rizal High School Stadium sponsored by the Christian Family Movement in Caniogan, Pasig at 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free admission.
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, help us to encounter You this Holy Week, and every week. Amen.
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momentswithfrjerry@gmail.com
