Palm Sunday

Last Sunday March 24 which is Palm Sunday for all Christian Catholics around the world was celebrated that falls on Sunday before Easter. It commemorates Jesus Christ entry to Jerusalem, when he was greeted by the crowds waving Palm branches. In Philippines, we commemorate Palm Sunday by attending the mass and after that the priest will bless the palms as he walks along the aisle of the church and people along waving the palm altogether. Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week.

Holy Week Message

In this Holy Week, take a moment to thank God for always loving you, protecting you, and caring for you. Amen.

Palm Sunday

Churchgoers waving their palm branches to be bless

Worshipers at Saint James the Greater church

I attended the Sunday mass today.  Actually, today is Palm Sunday and it is the start of the Holy Week for all Catholics in the Philippines and around the world.  Palm Sunday is a Christian activity that falls on the Sunday before Easter. It is the day that we remember and commemorate the successful entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The church where I attended are full of worshipers bringing with them different palm branches for the blessing of the priest after the mass. We are doing this as a tradition to recollect the act that was done by a large crowd when Jesus Christ rode a donkey, entered Jerusalem and people gathered to laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road.

Stations of the Cross

Last Wednesday (March 14), I visited and attended the 12:00 am mass at the National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio at Sto. Thomas, Batangas. After the solemn mass the priest announced that a newly built stations of the cross was already opened at the back of the church for the churchgoers to see and visit it. This is timely for all the devotees as the celebration of Holy Week is nearly approaching and they can visit and offer prayers for each stations.  I was very lucky to take pictures of the stations of the cross without too much people around. 

Entrance - Stations of the Cross

 1st Station - The Last Supper

2nd Station - The Agony in Gethsemane

 3rd Station - Jesus before the Sanhedrin

4th Station- Jesus is Scoured and Crowned with Thorns

5th Station - Jesus Carries His Cross

6th Station - Jesus Falls Under the Weight of the Cross

7th Station - Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to carry His Cross 

8th Station - Jesus meets the Women of Jerusalem 

9th Station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross

 10th Station - The Repentant Thief

 11th Station - Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross

 12th Station - Jesus dies on the Cross

 13th Station - Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

14th Station - Jesus Rises from Death

Prayers

It's Holy Week around the Catholic world and today is Holy Tuesday (March 26, 2013). Since malayo ako sa ating bansa at nandito sa bansang mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang mag-practice ng ibang relihiyon, isang mabisang paraan upang magtika at mag-anuyo ay gawin ito sa apat na sulok ng aming flat. Ito ang panahon na dapat magnilay-nilay tayong lahat at humingi ng kapatawaran sa ating panginoong Hesus Kristo na nag-alay ng kanyang buhay upang iligtas tayo sa ating mga kasalanan. Masasabi kong isa akong debotong Katoliko bagama't walang anumang simbahan dito sa Saudi Arabia ay sa sarili kong silid ako nagdarasal at dumadalangin sa ating panginoong Hesus Kristo. Ang pag-alay ng prayers sa kanya, humingi ng tawad sa anumang kasalanang nagawa, ang magpasalamat sa mga blessings na binibigay niya sa akin, mga hiling ng pag-gabay sa sarili at sa aking pamilya ang tanging mga dalangin ko sa ating poong maykapal. Nawa'y sa Holy Week na ito ay mag-alay tayong lahat na Katoliko ng panalangin ng kapatawaran, kapayapaan sa mundo, pasasalamat sa mga biyayang bigay ng nasa itaas, at higit sa lahat ang pag-big ng bawat isa sa atin at sa buong mundo. Ang prayers ay isang mabisang paraan upang tayong lahat ay mapalapit sa ating Panginoon.