Who are you? Sino ka?
When I was growing up in Porac, then in my teen years Holy Week particularly Maundy Thursday and Good Friday the observance was the time for most older people of the town to reflect and do some soul searching. We kids weren’t allowed to go out and play, much more go swimming in the river. We were told to stay home. No listening of music either. Para kayong nasa kumbentong tahimik. From a distance you can hear the chanting of the pasyon coming out loud from a makeshift altar.
It was believed that in a deep reflection, penance and contemplations were reserved for the Holy Week. Silence is a way of understanding who we really are, and what is life all about. From dust you came, to dust you return'. It is said when you are born, there is only direction, and that is Heaven, if you are in God’s grace. From womb to tomb. But never fear death said the Holy Book . The greatest gift God has given to mankind is death', said a passage in the bible. Imagine the people who are now in advance age, bed ridden, immobile and only under assisted living, petitioning in silence God to give them the forever rest.
I know a lot people who in their heydays were the game changers and shakers in their communities. Politicians who made bundles of money. Achieving a high degree of influence and unlimited funds for expenses to satisfy their whims and follies. Now in the twilight of their years, money and power don’t matter anymore. Many people made a lot of money from several businesess, but spent them for hospital bills. At some point many of these in sick beds of medical centers they will ask God to end their misery and plead death. There are so many other true to life situations wherein people begged God for mercy to end their sufferrings.
'Father why thou hast forsaken me'. Even our Lord Jesus Christ uttered this word towards heaven when his human body can no longer endure the pain. What more for ordinary mortals.During this time I hope each one of us will try to contemplate our own life existence. That it may focus on the fragility of human life, that one day you will breathe your last, and that at the end you can make good accounting of what you have done for others.
Shakespeare once wrote, 'all the evil in men will be interred with their bones'. I beg to disagree on the thoughts of the greatest writer of all time. Possible he didn't realize when he was writing that particular line that there is the last judgement that will come. A blindfolded lady symbolizes human justice, meaning she cares not if you are rich or poor, good looking or ugly, educated or unlettered, but her ears can still hear and be tempted of a whispered promise. Not in the Divine Justice, husticia divino. It will be right minus wrong since in my belief God is all just. If you have done thousands of good deeds and committed few infractions and felt really sorry for your sins, God may in the last judgement may reserve a seat for you in heaven. Today's life is only for today.