An Apostle's Easter Triduum Celebration

Image borrowed here

Arriving home from our morning services, I can't help but to feel nostalgic with probably the best Easter Triduum celebration I took part with starting last week's Maundy Thursday. Oh the euphoria still lingers. And I already miss that sense of fellowship everybody coming from the different ministries and walks of life have created. Perhaps such form of united passion, hope and service is a common sight (and of course, a requisite) in every Eucharistic Celebration I've ever seen yet nothing can truly compare to that intense sense of communion during the celebration of Christ's Ressurection where everybody stops for a while in their daily lives to make that Easter journey regaining a new perspective of life and how to live its meaning in the Paschal Mystery of Christ's Passion and Ressurection.

To tell it flat, I truly had a blast having chosen by the music ministry to represent one of the Twelve apostles. It was something new which I have not pictured myself doing yet here I am point blank staring at mid-air reflecting on something I wish could've lasted a little longer.

{Some Reflections}

• For starters, I was able to avail of the Sacrament of Confession as part of our spiritual preparation a week before all activities commenced. And I tell you, the Lord's forgiveness truly is one of the greatest gift I received during this year's Season of Lent.
• Simply honouring and humbling. Almost cried when my Father R kissed my foot during the Washing of the Feet. For a milli-second there, I almost pictured him as Jesus and I as one of his beloved apostles. The experience is simply incomparable in any manner. We even had a closed-door agape reenacting the Lord's Last Supper where we first established the Eucharist.
• 'Behold the wood of the cross on which is hung our salvation. O come, let us adore.' - I just looove that song. It was playing in my head the whole of Good Friday. I'll surely miss this solemn chants when Easter arrives.
• I learned all about the salvific meaning and the redemptive mystery of our everyday trials and sufferings. It is true that there is no smooth road in becoming a faithful follower of Jesus. But let us all strive to imitate Simon of Cyrene who learned to love the weight of the Cross upon encounter with the suffering Jesus.
• The procession with the Santo Entierro was really tiring yet it gave me the much needed long walk of reflection with the rest of the faitful community while praying the Rosary. With lighted candles in our hand, we made our way thru the deserted commercial street of Timog Avenue to the slow neighborhood of the Scouters area silently reflecting on the Lord's Passion. The solemnity of it all is just overwhelming.
• I was touched by one woman's faith during our Black Saturday Pax Tecum Visit where we visited and prayed with the families of 8 chosen homes (we were assisted by a member of the Legio Mariae and a member of the BEC). She was teary-eyed and thankful saying in us she saw the real beloved apostles of the Lord - even asking for our blessings when she made the gesture of respect, the mano.
• And finally, I was able to meet with other faithful men from different ministries/walks of life and share a fellowship which by God's grace I pray will continue even after this Easter celebration. With the messed up perspective of manhood that for quite a time littered my mind, it is such a blessing to see other fellow men standing up (for whatever reason that lead them) to represent Jesus' beloved apostles. All this time in the back of my mind, proudly I say - 'ang isang tunay na lalaki ay malapit kay Hesukristo.'

As we get on with our daily grind, with the work place (and the university as for me), may we always remember that redemptive Passion of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. May we consider this as regaining of our sense of perspective in life where with great clarity, we know it has a meaning and we can live it out with a sense of mission.

We should rejoice for the Lord has risen! May the glory of Our Lord be known to all! Thanks be to God. Alelluia! Alleluia! Happy Easter to all! :)