Archives12a.m.: May 2017

Purple Season: Suffering, Mourning and Reigning

Lent briefly explained

People are often intrigued with the origin of things and events. The beginning of Lent may be known to only a few. Here are eight facts relating to the season of Lent.

1. Baptism

The key to understanding the meaning of Lent.A special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II stated, "The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent — the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it, and penance — should be given greater emphasis in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis.

2. Spring

The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls.

3. Council of Nicea

The earliest mention of Lent in the history of the Church comes from the council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The council of Nicaea is best known for the profession of faith – the ‘Nicene Creed’ – which is still recited in most parishes every Sunday immediately after the sermon. However, the council also issued twenty canons of a practical nature, dealing with various aspects of church life, and the fifth of these canons speaks of Lent.

4. Ash Wednesday

This marks the beginning of Lent. This emphasizes our mortality and our need for ongoing repentance. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. As the priest applies the ashes to a person's forehead, he speaks the words: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

5. 40 Days

Being mentioned in the Scriptures for 146 times, 40 days [and 40 nights] has always had special spiritual significance regarding preparation. It was also a symbol of the period of testing, probation and trial. Also coming from the fifth canon of Nicea is the length of time that was adopted in imitation of the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert at the beginning of his public ministry.

6. Fasting

This requires a Catholic to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. The rules of fasting varied. First, some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. Second, the general rule was for a person to have one meal a day, in the evening or at 3 p.m.

7. Abstinence

Abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age until death to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, every Friday during Lent and good Friday.

8. Pillars of Lent

Prayer
Fasting
Alms giving

An info graphic about Lenten Season

Sources: catholiceducation.org

christianitytoday.com

thinkingfaith.org

This post was published on April 14,2017, 19:48.

Sacrificial Lambs in the heat of the sun

Sacrificial Lambs in the heat of the sun:

Repentance, the significance of Flagellation

It may be both brutal and humiliating but it was always considered a spiritual act.

The country have always practiced the tradition of Penitensya during holy week. Penitensya is where people would flagellate their selves and even wound themselves or carry a cross, some would even allow themselves to be crucified as well.

They would do it publicly, Public penance as it is called. As if it is to discipline who they are because we all are sinners. With this act they are interpreting the pain and suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But is it really that necessary and significant to re-enact this kind of suffering?

Public Penance

Repentance, it is the concept behind all of it. As sinners, we all desire to be forgiven, especially by our Heavenly Father. Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Sacrament of Penance is what consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction.

Sin before all else is an offense against God, a rupture of Communion with him. And only God forgives sins. (www.vatican.va) The Sacrament of Penance is therefore a sacrament of forgiveness, a sacred act of being reconciled with the Heavenly Father.

A part in the Passion play during Holy Week.

Self - flagellation may be grotesque but for devout Filipino Catholics it is a form of discipline. They do it to punish their selves for being a sinner, for having sinned, everything for our Lord Jesus' suffering.

It may be defined as the beating or whipping of skin, often on the back drawing blood.

Expression of guilt and remorse for the suffering of Christ.

A widespread practice in the Catholic faith.

Even the late Pope John Paul II, now a saint would whip himself and even Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church founded by Saint Josemaria Escriva which is known for having a reputation of secrecy is also observing this practice.

Corporal Mortification, as they term it is regularly practiced by Opus Dei; a startling aspect for those outside their group. It is a spiritual and unnatural practice of causing pain to oneself through bodily injury. Many of the practices of corporal mortification were at one time more regularly practiced within the Church.

However, due to modern psychology and thinking, the practices which inflict pain are sometimes considered to be counterproductive to one's spiritual development, as they can easily lead to pride and an unhealthy attitude toward one's body. (odan.org/corporal_mortification)

Catholic historian, Professor Michael Walsh says that this has been done up to the 1960s but is 'uncommon' today. It is acted out for symbolic purposes during penitential processions as a reminder that Christ was whipped before crucifixion.

But for others, self - flagellation is a more private expression of their faith. Professor Lewis Ayres, a Catholic theologian says that Early Christians believed that the notion of bodily penance allowed control of the body and emotions in order to focus more fully on worshiping God.

According to him, part of a good life is remorse and remorse can be shown through physical suffering.

Pope John Paul II was a firm believer in the New Testament tradition of suffering, a consistent theological historical position that a good life is simply preparation for death and life everlasting to follow, he says.

Early Christians believe that the body is sinful, evil, dangerous, needed to be controlled. But such practices are not healthy yet we try to cope up with and understand why such are common tradition.

Faith is somehow vast to be explained. It may as well be bleak; mysterious and confusing. But there are those who hold onto it, gripped it with their entire body and soul and that we must understand for that may be the essence of their existence.

This post was published on April 15, 2017, 10:56.

Beyond Mediocrity; An Inspiring Masterpiece

Beyond Mediocrity; An Inspiring Masterpiece

A sacred horror about everything grand, said by the famous Victor Hugo.

We see and meet different people as we move on with our lives each day.
Sometimes we're struck with awe and amazement at just how far different their lives are from us yet they somehow manage to inspire us, move us, give us a sense and make us realize that we all have purpose - even if they are deprived.

Photos taken by: Denniz Futalan

Handicapped, with no hands at all yet was able to create such an intricate work of art. This certain man from Dumaguete creates this miniature tricycle figures called Pedibox which cost 500 Php.

This man learned it from the owner of digital electronic shop surrounding his area.

Denniz Futalan, the photographer responsible for taking his pictures shared his photos on his Facebook posts.

The models are sold at the Art Workshop Art Workshop of SusanCanoy, 2nd floor of Robinsons Place Dumaguete and Ct Limit Digital Electronic Service Center at San Jose and Maria Cristina Streets, Dumaguete City.

For such handicapped man to be able to craft such refined work and give it scrupulous attention is just, wow!

Far-fetched from the ordinary when we thought of those with incapability can be capable of doing such things. Stories of people just like this can just captivate us and inspire one to get going.

Highly a Masterpiece!

This article was published on February 21, 2017, 20:10.

Opinion Piece 03-31-17

A Letter to my Generation

To the future future less generation:

I am not a drug pusher but somehow I feel like I'm a suspect.

Not too long ago when President Rodrigo 'Digong' Duterte sat office he pushed his long time campaign, war on / against drugs on which almost every Juan Dela Cruz acknowledged and supported it.

"To you who are holdup men and drug pushers, you better get out or I'll kill you." Almost an estimate of 3,000 have already been condemned - killed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on which the president gave honor to preside over this battle.

It was getting good, the war have always been a success at least for now.

Or is it really?

This campaign of Duterte which sought to kill all drug suspects, users, and pushers have raised many critics or oppositions as well.

Somehow as a journalism student, I do too. I feel ashamed but ironically and unfortunately happy with this campaign's results.

Conscience and Honor.

That may be the argument here.

Drug pushers are not mainly suspects but also victims. They have a family. What if they're the only bread-winner? They may be, yes, naive, stupid but somehow they are desperate.

If they were intelligent enough, they would've blamed it in the society - the corrupt government which for years is the sole reason why 'drug' is their work, their lifeline. Which is why they'd have to live feared by people and fearing the authorities.

To also point out, people have not only become merely observers but terrifying killers as well. The media, the authorities, netizens, street-watchers, 'Marami na ang naging mamatay tao.

How sure are we that those who were killed are really the suspects ? How sure are we that the police's intentions is to kill them because they're involved with drugs?

Indeed, there is less criminality in our country reigning in these days. However, surging in from the depths of our soul must be our conscience and honor.

Why are we even doing this?

How do we even know if it's right?