Post Lenten reflections

In the anticipated Holy Mass for Palm Sunday, the officiating priest’s simple contemplation of the homily was so vivid and down-to-earth. Even an ordinary parishioner not honed in catechism, or well-versed in Bible study, could follow him with full understanding.

One took stock of his sagacious admonition that Lent should not be celebrated just to replicate the harrowing crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Cross to redeem mankind’s sins. Such sacrificial episode is but a significant segment of the Passion of Jesus, he stressed.

Explaining in English and Cebuano, the reverend father urged the congregation to celebrate Lent in meditation of the sufferings of Jesus Christ – the betrayal of Pontius Pilate, as well as Peter who thrice denied Him, the public whip-lashing on “via cruces”, the rank insults, and the crucifixion and the seven last words – then came His Death, followed by the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Subliminally, one got carried away momentarily by the analogy of the battering storm that rages as vicissitudes of life, resulting in tremendous ruin and loss of lives, and then, after the storm blissfully follows the calm. Simple folk wisdom likewise envisages dark clouds laden with torrential rains, the raging floods, and ensuing darkness, but on the morrow comes the eventual silver lining and eternal hope.

Just as fleetingly, came the priest’s further elucidation that forgiveness of sins comes only after repentance as the spiritual core of divine justice. There’s no soulful cleansing of sins or wrongs done to another – especially when the victim is innocent and not the source of provocation, as in the case of blatant betrayal of trust – when there is no prior sincere confession and repentance.

Simply saying that any ugly incident or perfidy has to be just forgotten as in “kalimtan na lang sa laktud” – and expect that everything that caused the hurt shall be relegated to the back burner – is definitely what the Christian tenet contemplates that forgiveness comes only after repentance and penance.

In fact, this religious creed finds truism in the holy confession, that is, when the sinner bares his heart in confession, only then that the truly penitent is given forgiveness. And meted the prayers of penance as the underlying act of contrition.

It is likewise the ultimate truism when the Sacred Heart of Jesus made the 6th promise to the sinners, like contrite Mary Magdalene, or the prodigal son, thus: “Sinners will find in My Heart an infinite ocean of Mercy.”

Beware of the glib-tongued present-day Pharisees who self-righteously pretend to proselytize that the Lord is all too forgiving even without the sinners’ sincere repentance. For instance, where the betrayal is so heart-wrenching with unprovoked treachery, say, imputing to an innocent benefactor any false wrongdoing or vice, like put-up selfishness, or “dinawo”, the hurt feelings can only be assuaged by the sincere candid contrition.

To aggravate the hurt or opprobrium by abetting the wrong-doer’s adamance not to own up the wrong by adding insult to injury, say, attributing to the victim of false pride, is the height of evil. This is especially so when the unreasonable abettor is one’s close sibling or blood kin.

And finally, came the Resurrection bliss with Easter Sunday. But has Christendom really reflected, and fathomed, that present-day practices seem to shortcut and overlook the dolorous and meditative spirituality of the Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ, but instead, hastily preempt and precipitate headlong into the Resurrection in celebratory festive mood and fiesta atmosphere?

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