• Fr. Benny Tuazon

Holy Week is the week of all weeks for Catholic worship. It is so important that the most meaningful and essential celebra­tions are placed in the week. It culminates with the celebration of the Triduum of Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, and Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection (Easter).

In those days, we remember, at the same time, experience God’s salvation.

It is so important that our gov­ernment had made those days as holidays. Government respects all religions. Government recognises the value of one’s belief. Govern­ment, therefore, expects the faith­ful to spend those days in worship and celebration of their faith.

Thus, it is but right and proper that those days be spent as days of prayer, reflection, and participa­tion in celebrations. Specially the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil (Satur­day evening). It has been designed as ONE PRAYER spread over a peri­od of three days.

They are very much connect­ed with each other that the sign of the cross is made first at the beginning of the Holy Thursday liturgy and will again be done to close the Triduum at the end of the Easter Vigil. It follows that we should attend ALL three celebra­tions. Missing even one renders our worship incomplete, and maybe, useless.

It is unfortunate that there are some Catholics who either do not know this or blatantly disrespect these days. There is an appropri­ate time for leisure and pleasure. These days are not those days. They may have so many reasons for practicing their faith and still claim to belong to the Catholic Faith, but being absent these three vital days is untenable.

It is like the Eid ul-Fitr for Islam, Diwali for the Hindus, Magha Puja for the Buddhists, to name a few. They may even fall in comparison to our Easter. The point is, our faith is our life and our life is our faith. Celebration of the faith is not optional.

I, therefore, encourage every­one, especially parents to be good examples to their children. The ways and traditions we leave to them should be in accordance to what is right and proper, especial­ly with faith. Wherever you are during this Holy Week, see to it that you will spend them in church participating in those celebrations.

Lastly, please preserve the solemnity and sacredness of all activities during this week.

May we all have a fruitful and meaningful Holy Week!

God bless you

By Fr. Benny Tuazon