President Marcos on Palm Sunday, March 24, enjoined Filipinos to “illuminate the path for others through acts kindness and selflessness” as the nation marks the start of the observance of the Holy Week.
Palm Fronds (Photo courtesy of Catholic Online)
Marcos said that the Holy Week is a time for the Catholic faithful to reflect about one’s self and spirituality with the impact of Jesus Christ in Christianity.
“In this solemn occasion, let us not only seek to unravel the mysteries of our faith, but also to illuminate the path for others through acts of kindness and selflessness,” he said in his Holy Week message.
“I pray that we may humbly accept our authentic selves as imperfect beings, for it is by becoming truly human that we can experience the divine. Let us always remember to seek the Lord in our desires and to desire Him in our seeking,” Marcos added.
The Chief Executive also said that Holy Week is a commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the people must remember the essence of this occasion.
"This hallowed time of contemplative silence behooves us to ponder on the mysteries that elude our grasp, seek revelation in the face of the inexplicable, and acknowledge the interplay of joy and sorrow in life so that we may understand the path laid before us by Almighty God,” he said.
“May our inward reflections manifest in our outward actions as we strive to give hope in a world that is threatened by darkness. Let us be the light that shines through the shadows, the love that triumphs over despair, and the hope that radiates upon all humankind,” he added.
Marcos expressed hope that the Catholic faithful will remember not what they have reached, but for the light that have kindled in the hearts of everyone.
Catholic Christians observe Holy Week, or Semana Santa, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. They usher the Holy Week by attending Palm Sunday masses and other church activities.