Some Lenten thoughts from Fr. Arevalo

We went to SJB Parish last night upon the invitation of Fr. Joe Fernandez who wanted to attend the lecture of Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ in connection with the Crib and Cross Benedict XVI Reflection Series spearheaded by the Don Bosco Center of Studies.

It was out of the scheduled. But when Fr, Mike tossed to us the idea that going to the St. John Bosco Parish is a possibility and followed up with a question as to who among us might want to join. I caught myself raising my hand. Br. Eric also made a head motion that he wanted to attend it.

We left Canlubang at 5:30 allotting a good 1.5 hours to travel all the way to the venue. The travel time was all consumed since there were some choke points in several potions of the SLEX. Fr. Arevalo was there. Fr. Mike told us that we have to leave earlier. Fr. Arevalo has the reputation to be a stickler on time. If he is asked to speak for thirty minutes, he could speak less, but not more.

But luck was on our side that evening. When we arrived, Fr. Francis Gustilo was just about to introduce the speaker.

Upon taking the floor, Fr. Arevalo was quick to point out that the talk that evening would be more of a reflection on the meaning of the theology of redemption, and a “strictly spiritual” talk would have to wait until next week (more of this below).

Noting that there were a fair number of lay people around, he clarified that the meaning of Paschal Mystery ought to include the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He added that “We are reminded by the Church that the Paschal mystery is the center of all the Christian faith mysteries: Dying You destroyed our death, rising You restored our life, Lord Jesus come in glory.”

Here is a healthy dose of direct quotes from him:

“There is only one mystery, not mysteries... Hence, a Christian who knows his theology cannot separate any of the elements of this mystery. Since if we separate the elements (that is passion, death, resurrection and ascension) it would be incomplete and if it happens it is a defective and wrong Christian understanding of the Redemption. The cross must never be separated from resurrection.

He emphasized that in Holy Week, "We have the Easter triduum (three days): the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday. It is important that we all attend all three. But then, sadly, after the Good Friday rite, after the people have had their confessions, heard the siete palabras (seven last words), they go back to the beach, missing the most important which is the Easter Vigil on Black Saturday. The Holy Thursday and Good Friday are only for the sake of Easter. They have no meaning outside the Easter, just as Easter loses its full meaning without Holy Thursday and Good Friday.”

I’d like to upload the audio file of the talk here, but I don’t know how. If there’s an opportunity in the proximate future, I’ll share it with you. Now, if you're living within the St. John Bosco Parish in Makati. Or if you have some time to spare on Wednesday evenings (7:00 PM), then, you might want to join in the recollection series that they're having. The recollection series started last March 5 and will end on April 1. The theme of the recollection is on family.

Lenten penances

Ever since I entered the seminary, I've been used to the yearly assembly called for just some days before the Lenten season in order to come up with a community Lenten penance.

Community penance is carried out under the spirit of the Lenten season. Since we are religious, it also highlights the communal character, meaning, the mode of the penance is agreed upon by every member of the community. Once agreed upon, it would be carried out daily except on Sundays.

This is on top of the individual penance that each of us chooses.

The perennial picks are the following:

• Batch/community work (the brother assistant designates a place in the community which needs attention, and the community will concentrate its effort there).
• Silent work/chores (the spirit behind this is to maximize every minute/hour, the idea is to be in solidarity with the poor)
• No cold water
• No condiments
• No snacks
• No dessert

Over the past years, there have also been ‘ultra creative’ community penance suggestions. I could enumerate some like "silence during games," "dawn work," and "no breakfast at all daily."

Last year, when I was a novice, we adapted the penance of the Salesians:

1. Extra visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and
2. No afternoon snacks

This year, our community has come up with the following resolutions

1. 30-minute community adoration.
2. Community work on Fridays.
3. No meat during supper

Of course, these acts are merely external. They help us as we journey through the forty days, but there is a great danger of losing the whole point of the Lenten season if we fix our gaze only on these. For our sacrifices would become only meaningful if we offer it to the suffering Christ.

Musings on Ash Wednesday

If there is one moment in the liturgical year I love to hate, it would be Ash Wednesday.

Not only because it ushers in the beginning of the 40 or so days of the Lenten season, which means, meat has to be set aside on a regular basis (on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of lent for 14 years old and above) and fasting has to be observed (fasting means eating only one full meal a day for 18 years old and above), but more than these legalese expressions, Ash Wednesday gives us a grim reminder of the finality of life, of our life.

Whew! That was a load of a sentence up there!

Seriously now, the very symbol of Ash Wednesday foreshadows what awaits me after my earthly sojourn.

I am mere dust. I am nothing.

***

Except for metaphysicians, "nothingness" would really mean nothing to us. It's just that... nothing.

But to bring home the idea of nothing means we are mere mortal. We are not in control.

We could soar high, dream big dreams, win big in life, but at the end of the day, everything will amount to nothing. One day, we would have to stop breathing, and our bodily organs would cease from functioning.

And we would be dead. Flat line follows.

And the hair and the body and the face which we took good care of when we were still alive would start corrupting right after some days. Until every part of our body would return to its original matter: dust.

photo credit: http://news.bn.gs. the very image i used in this entry could be found here.