THE IRONY OF FAITH

This is how the so-called "Mahal nga Adlaw" (Holy Week) is relived in our small community. I've been living in Maghubas (a small barangay 2kms away from the town proper of Burauen, in Leyte) for almost 18 years now. Ours, is a perfect community... not because everyone is righteous nor everybody's nice,... because in fact you'll see all types of people from all walks of life here. It is a perfect community in a sense that just like any place I know, everything's here. "Kumbaga sa kape, 3 in one, all in one"...

We have the typical "bungangeras", "tsimosas", and "paraghubog"(mga drunkenmasters or sunog baga)...

We also have the plastics and the "sipsip" to the heirarchial body...

We have the "walang paki" (which I often consider myself as the leader)...

We also have of course the "simpleng tao" who doesn't bother with the whole community's "kabaliwan" and who simply live life as is...

....And ironic as it is,... whenever the Lenten season comes,... there goes the spirit of Catholicism. Whether its mere going with the flow for some, or sincerely doing the rituals as I call it,... the usual routine of "pagpinanlibak" stops for a moment and everyone seems to busy themselves with the activities organized by the mission.

One of the highlights is what we call "An Pagdumdum han Pagkasakit ni Kristo" or commonly called as the Passion of the Christ. We've been doing this for 5 years now, and even if I'm not really a religious I can't help but admire those individuals who join in the reenacment especially the one who acts the role of Christ. They are really not nailed on the cross but mind you, its not easy to carry such thing on your shoulder under the unnerving heat of the sun. And after the walk through the 14 stations, they will still have to stay on the cross for almost 3 hours for the last words. Not an easy thing huh... but of course, it's still nothing compared to the sufferings of the one being who once upon a time has been there in that same scenario with real blood coming from real wounds and who experienced real death (is there a fake death?) in the name of redemption.