The Fire Within

Whenever it's Palm Sunday, all I could think of is "palaspas" or palm fronds and hands waving, being blessed with holy water. A "palaspas" oftentimes reminds me of evil spirits, manananggal, and other underground characters. Blame the media because it inculcated in me that idea since childhood.

Last sunday, the Lord allowed me to "reexperience" His presence. We were invited to be one of the "stations" (I mean our house where there is a small terrace) where our parish priest would make a stopover and bless the palm leaves/fronds. It was the first time that such an activity happened. And so there was a choir and a group of "angels", played by small girls, all dressed in white, singing together, reenacting the welcoming of Christ entering Jerusalem.

When the statue of Christ, staged in a carroza or a small, well-adorned cart, surrounded and followed by a small crowd with bright smiling faces of co-villagers, arrived in front of our house, a surge of electricity thrilled me. It was a life-size Christ-figure, looking at our house. Even if it's just a statue, it meant a lot. I felt He was knocking, smiling and reaching out to us. It was a reinvigorating experience, rekindling the fire within.

Today is Maundy Thursday. More than commemorating the Washing of the Feet, The Seven Last Words and other Church-activities, amidst adversities, crises, dilemmas and other headaches, as long the heart and mind are open, He is always alive and burning.