How Painful is to Repent

Happy Easter everyone!

For sure some of you are enjoying their vacation and are relaxing in some beach resort right now.

It is a long weekend in PH as we are celebrating the holy week which is about to end today, Easter Sunday.

When I was kid my family would go to my mother’s hometown to celebrate the holy week. That was also the time most of our relatives would gather every year which has been a family tradition even today. Unfortunately I have not celebrated the holy week in our place for nearly 20 years since I went to Manila for work until I have my own family now.

Let me share with you some experiences during my childhood about holy week.

Firstly, let me clear with you that I was baptized as catholic. My parents, especially my mother, are kind of religious and would let us memorize the five mysteries of the rosary.

I was kind of stubborn as a kid and my mother was afraid that I would be a big trouble when I grow up so she was consistent in disciplining me and the rest of my siblings. Thus she devotes herself to church duties and would always want us to attend the mass every Sunday and pray the rosary every 5AM and at night before bedtime.

But now I don’t remember the last time I attended a holy mass. You know as we evolve, we tend to ask so many questions particularly with our faith and beliefs. So it doesn’t matter to me now whether I no longer attend mass as long as I have faith.

Anyway for you guys who are celebrating the holy week I know for sure that you are aware of the events that are happening within those seven days.

My eleven year old daughter asks me about holy week as if she has completely no knowledge about it. So I asked her if it hasn’t been taught by their teacher in religion and she answered me no. Then I explained to her about things that I know about the holy week.

Flagellation

Yesterday as I was watching the TV news, I saw video clips of some people who appeared to be devotees performing re-enactment of the passion of Jesus Christ. This is common to some Catholics whenever holy week happens.

I remember seeing re-enactment when I was a kid. It was so realistic that you can figure out how Jesus Christ suffered before he died. They even do the nailing on the cross which is kind of risky. But to some devotees I think they have strong faith and that they are just fine after doing such an act of penitence. Perhaps they are guided by the Holy Spirit while they endure the pain.

Unfortunately the video clips about re-enactment that were shown on the report appear to be unusual. It was more than just re-enactment. The punishing looked real.

One video that was captured and uploaded on social media was showing a devotee who was tied with ropes and was dragged by at least five men.

Another re-enactment video was posted with devotees being punched and kicked several times for real. Even the barangay police can be seen ceasing the re-enactment.

According to some Catholic priests there is nothing wrong with the re-enactment of the passion of Christ because it is an act showing penitence. There are different personal reasons why some people would want to do such a thing. However some devotees are doing it to the extent that the participant can inflict physical injury.

Here in PH it is a tradition since the 1950s even if the Church disapproves such practice. It is a way of showing repent by some people. Even if it is painful they still have to do it because they have made an oath, pledge or similar things like that.

Nevertheless penitence need not have involved physical pain just to show repentance. But since the act is kind of promoting tourism, they have made it to show a realistic re-enactment. I think we can also promote culture and tradition in a less harmful way.

Thanks for reading. Ciao!

Lead image source credits to Alex Shute