Holy Week is About Redemption and Hope

The coming Holy Week would be a commemoration of the death and crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Philippines being a predominantly Catholic country observes this Holy Week with religious rites and events occurring from Monday to Sunday. From Palm Sunday, to The Seven Last Words, to the Stations of the Cross, then to Easter Sunday.

Here in Pampanga, some devotees allow themselves to be flogged and crucified to the cross in reparation for their sins. I don’t question this practice as I believe that each individual has to find his personal relationship with His God. But I won’t be concentrating on this because the real meaning of Lent for me is REDEMPTION AND HOPE!

Everyone is given the second chance to redeem himself and change for the better. I would like to share this anecdote with you.

Two men – Frank and Dave – were on their way home. They trudged wearily after a hard day’s work. Along the way they encountered a drunken man who was swaying dangerously on the sidewalk.

Frank just walked past him, but Dave stopped.

“Do you need help?“ he queried with concern.

“Why bother with an irresponsible bum, who does not know when to stop drinking?” Frank sneered.

Dave ignored the comment and steadied the swaying drunk. “Here, let me bring you home. What’s your address?”

The drunken man mumbled an address, and as Frank left the two, Dave brought the disoriented man home.

The house was ablaze with funeral lights. Three little children were chorusing in ululating cries of grief. The mother has just died, and the man Dave brought home, was grieving. The relatives were deeply grateful for the unexpected help from him.

A whole week had passed after that incident when there was a knock on Dave’s door.
It was the drunken man he had helped.

“I came here to thank you for giving me the second chance to be with my family.” There was a twinkle of hope in his eyes. “I was about to do the unthinkable, but you had saved me.”

Sometimes in our lives, we render negative judgment very quickly. We would think that if we were in that particular circumstance, we would have acted valiantly and courageously, but we can never say this because we have not been there. It is only when we experienced similar situations that we understand why people do certain things.

If we want more meaning in our lives, then we have to live, not only for ourselves but for others as well. Understanding people and lending a helping hand whenever we can, can make a difference in this world.

And even if you don’t believe in the Divine presence and in what Holy Week stands for, science will always find a way to bring back to you, what you have given out. The law of nature is to create balance. What you give out is what you get in return. That is the law of “karma’.