Mercies in Disguise

 Holy Week, also known as Semana Santa, is one of the most important and solemn periods in the Christian calendar. It is a time when Christians all over the world commemorate the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The week begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday, marking a seven-day period of reflection, prayer, and spiritual renewal.

Baptists and other Christian denominations don’t make the Holy Week a biblical ordinance to observe. One reason is that real Christians make the essence of the Holy Week the core foundation of their faith. It is the entire Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4) that Christ died and rose again. We don’t take the Holy Week as a once-a-year observance but rather the daily content in our meditation—that Christ died and rose again for me to live forever in heaven! To remember Christ during the Holy Week is a source of awareness for the non-Christians. But, we, born-again believers, believe in Christ Jesus more than the so-called Christian Holy Week observance. For we are doing “Holy Week” in our hearts daily — even hourly. We are happy for our biblical Jesus for He died and rose again to give us eternal life — through our faith in Him as only Lord and Savior! We keep the Holy Week like keeping our loved ones in our hearts every moment — not just once a year!

As a Born Again Christian, I participate in our church's annual service that centers on Jesus's seven last words. I went to my second encounter of the Seven Last Word this year. Every branch of our church in Ilocos is present at this ceremony, and each church has a representative to talk about one of Jesus' final words. We have a profound understanding of His thoughts as He took on all of humanity's sins from His Seven Last Words. He cries out to God, pardons the repentant thief, pardons His enemies, and announces the end of His earthly existence with these words. To be able to forgive someone, you need to forgive yourself first. Your ability to forgive others is directly tied to the ability to forgive yourself; the skills are the same,” Bartlett said. “It’s all about acceptance. Accept your imperfections and your humanity. Accept that you don’t need others to be perfect and accept that you don’t need to be perfect either. That means you can stop punishing yourself. And if you can ease up on that, you may find a deep well of compassion inside you that you can finally use on yourself.” In addition, during Holy Week, we traveled to the beach to unwind from the pressures of school. We went swimming overnight. We had a bonfire and spent a long time gazing at the shore. We then went to the seashore to catch crabs. We then went for a walk in the morning before spending hours in the sea. Despite the fact that most of modern life is still based on technology, we frequently have the best experiences when we take time off to disconnect and experience the world as it is, rather than how we've made it in our devices. Perhaps this is why so many people today adore beaches: they serve as a reminder of how different our world once was.

In conclusion, Holy Week is a time of deep reflection, prayer, and spiritual renewal for Christians around the world. It is a time to remember the events leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection and to reflect on the significance of these events in our lives. Whether through attending church services, participating in devotional practices, or simply taking time for personal reflection, Holy Week is an opportunity for Christians to draw closer to God and to renew their commitment to living a life of faith and service.

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