This Passion/Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week. Sadly, we will not able to celebrate Holy Week in our churches because of the carnivorous pandemic. It’s a huge cross that we all need to carry.
We can’t gather as communities of faith to get our palms blessed and celebrate the Triduum Masses (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday) because of our adherence to the “Safer At Home” and social distancing orders. What a depressing time for all Christian Churches! This is a period that will go down in history.
Despite these tragic times, many of our churches and congregations are finding ways to celebrate Holy Week and Easter through live-streaming of masses and services and Zoom meetings. No virus will ever stop us from celebrating our Christian faith!
So, let’s start a prayerful Holy Week, asking God to intervene in our lives to end this COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s ask Jesus to enter our cities and towns to heal those who are suffering from this deadly virus and are in danger of death.
We all struggle with the mystery of this pandemic. We can’t help but question God about it. What does it mean to us? Definitely, it is testing our faith and making us fearful of death.
But does this pandemic making us repent and turn to God? Is it strengthening our faith and making us examine our priorities and relationships? It is preparing us for one’s potential death and allowing us to believe in God’s promise of New Life? Indeed, is it giving us the firm belief that no disease and death will ever have power over God’s Eternal love for each one of us?
As we celebrate Holy Week, we remember the front-liners, those who take care of COVID-19 patients—doctors, nurses, nursing aides, medical technicians, respiratory therapists, janitors, and other caregivers. We also remember the grocery workers, the truck drivers, the garbage collectors, and all those who do essential works for us. We remember too our national and local government leaders and those in the media who are working hard to help people and disseminate the right information promptly about this pandemic.
The current news says that the next two weeks are critical for us in the U.S. as this period will be the peak of the spread of the coronavirus. Let’s follow the urgings of our government strictly to stay home and observe distancing.
Let’s keep on imploring God for His mercy and protection. Lord, heal the world!
Have a prayerful Holy Week!
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
