“Keep and maintain the prayerful atmosphere of the Holy Week. It is through remaining silent while caring for our natural environment that we are able to deepen our reflections this Holy Week.”
Marinduque Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit Jr. emphasized that since the Holy Week calls on the faithful to reflect on the sacrifices of Jesus for mankind, it is ideal “to refrain from making unnecessary noises, remain silent, while helping preserve our God-given environment.”
“The sense of responsibility to keep and maintain the prayerful atmosphere of the Holy Week must come from every individual. Let us take care of everything that surrounds us because at the end of the day, its preservation and destruction will affect us. Keeping the prayerful atmosphere of this holy season must emanate from every person’s sense of responsibility to do so,” Maralit said.
Cubao Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco echoed Maralit’s call for an eco-friendly Holy Week observance.
“The Holy Week is a way for us to show our love for God and for the environment that He has gifted us with through self-discipline and conscious effort to keep our surroundings clean. Pope Francis has reminded us to care for the environment and keep it sustainable as it is essential to man’s survival. Life is a gift from God that we must value and respect,” Ongtioco added.
Meanwhile, well-preserved religious traditions that have been passed on for generations will be observed today, Holy Tuesday, the third day of the Holy Week.
In many provinces, the three-day “pabasa,” the marathon chanting of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus lifted from the pages of the Holy Bible, which started yesterday, Holy Monday, will be held for the second straight day.
Many devotees, especially those who own images depicting the passion of Christ, will also be busy preparing for the traditional Holy Wednesday procession tomorrow, particularly in Bulacan, Iloilo City, Marinduque, Pampanga, Rizal, and Laguna, as well as Metro Manila, where these processions are held on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday.
Today’s mass readings and reflections will focus on Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver coins and of St. Peter’s denial of Jesus.
Also known as Great Tuesday, Church officials continue to call on the faithful to perform acts of charity and self-denial and to go to confession.
Catholic parishes traditionally extend confessional services during the Holy Week to give churchgoers more time to go to confession. (Christina I. Hermoso)