When I was young, I grew up with my family organizing a “pabasa” in our house. We were told that that it was a “panata” of my papa. Growing up in a religious and prayerful family is not quite an easy blessing. I remembered staying up the whole Maundy Thursday until Good Friday to accommodate those who sing and of course, we sing, as well. Despite the young age I managed to start the pabasa by leading the rosary and the opening prayer, ending it with a rosary and a prayer again, serving everyone who goes to our house to sing and join them reciting the “pasyon”. Maybe because I was trained that way. Even in school, I used to join church events, serving special masses, reading responsorial psalms, participating in various plays. Another activity of the family is attending the "salubong" at the early morning of Easter Sunday, and me playing as an angel who chants and recites verses. It was a happy experience as a kid having a chance to participate during that religious and festive event. With attached wings throwing flowers and confetti while seeing people in admiration with their hands waving including my proud family, what else in this world can be more fulfilling than doing that? They were all excited to see the scene where Mother Mary and Jesus Christ finally met after Jesus’ resurrection. My father regularly goes to the group of men who joined the procession of the Risen Christ, me on the platform as one of the angels singing while the rest of the family were watching from the front. After the Risen Christ and the Mother Dolorosa (Mother Mary) meet at the middle, another angel in harness to create an illusion that she is really flying, will remove the black veil of Mother Mary as an ending of her mourning as Jesus has already risen. Then a crowd will applaud which will be followed by numerous fireworks and a regular Easter Mass. Truly a cinematic scene especially when you became a part of it!
But as we grow older, a lot of things changed. We were unable to continue the regular pabasa every holy week. Of course, I also started to grow too old for an angel during the salubong. Still, if I have time I do sacrifices in my own way. We do alay-lakad going up to “Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage” at Antipolo City San Miguel Avenue
Of all the holy week activities that I’ve experienced, including out of towns, BISITA IGLESIA has been one that I’ve been wanting to do but for some reasons, failed to for the past years. This year, since we don’t have any family plans elsewhere, I finally took the opportunity to do it.
They said it was visiting 7 churches, each church praying two stations to complete the 14 stations. But that was depending on the number of churches you want to visit. My original plan was to visit 14 churches. But due to constraint of time, we just had the chance to visit twelve churches. Nevertheless, it was a peaceful journey and I can say very worthwhile, just like my journey in life. And my personal intentions for doing that? I think God already knows that. He is ALL-KNOWING, after all.
