Following traditions
Our family on my father’s side has always been a fan of traditions. Being raised in the rural areas, every custom must be followed or else the elders will be displeased. For example, in time for All Souls’ Day we were required to walk over smoke from a bunch of burnt leaves called “palina.” Turns out, it was not only us who followed the tradition. Many others in many cemeteries give a few coins to kids who offer to burn leaves for you. When asked why, they would often answer that it has been a tradition passed on by the older generation but the explanation why has never been discussed.
In the Bible, the Jews have their own way of purifying themselves after visiting the dead or a house of a deceased. They often wash their hands and feet as a sign of purification. It could be that Filipinos found their own way of purifying themselves through smoke as their own way of believing that there are bad elements around the cemetery, or maybe everywhere else. The traditional Filipino believes in the supernatural and their place in the dimension that we are in. It is often told that we should excuse ourselves when passing by an anthill or a large balete tree, to respect the unknown living in it. Many times do we hear stories of people having the third eye and seeing the extraordinary even on ordinary days.
In the Christian faith, there is no such thing as traditions that we need to follow in order to cleanse ourselves. There is no doctrine proving that it is a must to make one’s self clean when exiting a cemetery or any place associated with death. However, traditions like these are part of the culture that defines who we are as a people. The more we believe in reality makes us lose our identity even faster especially now with the rise of western influence over the next generation. Following traditions that would not contradict other human rights is not harmful at all. As for me, I think these traditions should be preserved so our marks as Filipinos will not be erased. We’ve already lost so much during the coming of the colonizers and what’s left of us must be taken care of.
However, we should not forget these traditions do not equate to our personal faith. We still need to follow our own personal beliefs concerning our faith as long as they are not in conflict. It is most important to pray and trust the divine when it comes to our desires and wishes. No tradition would amount to our faith in the Lord.
As the All Saints’ and All Souls’ fever come to a close, it’s time to gear ourselves for December and Christmas. Traditions may still remain but the heart of it all is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ who came to save us. Many millennials will discard this belief but somehow this is the truth.