Holy week, for us Catholics, is a time to repent, to ask for forgiveness and forgive and to sacrifice. Here in Dubai, Holy week is commemorated the same way as it is in the Philippines. We have Palm Sunday, Visita Iglesia and Stations of the Cross. The things that they don't do here is pasyon and salubong.
Last Sunday, we went to Saint Mary's Church to attend the Palm Sunday mass. Good thing we arrived early we were able to get palaspas from the lector. The palaspas here is not that fancy like in the Philippines. We have the traditional one, Palm leaves.
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| The "palaspas" in Dubai. One for me, 1 for my fiance and 1 for my brother |
Before the mass started, people were forming a line and as if they were waiting for something. I was curious so I followed the line with my eyes and I saw the lector handing out Divine Mercy posters, novenas and pocket photos. And then it came to me, the feast of the Divine Mercy is near as well. It happens a week after Easter Sunday.
I am a devotee of the Divine Mercy ever since I graduated college. There is a story on how a began to be a devotee. It all began when I was reviewing for the board exam and my mother, a true blue Roman Catholic, believes that I should have one patron saint that I need to be a devotee to. I tried to think who should I choose but it was unsuccessful maybe because you're not suppose to be the one to choose but instead they will choose you. So I went to sleep and when I woke up commonly you don't remember anything about your dream but I remembered hearing someone say "Divine Mercy" during my dream.
After that my mind was set to becoming a devotee to the Divine Mercy but actually all along I was thinking that the Divine Mercy was Mama Mary @_@. I realized that I was wrong when I was watching television and ABS-CBN channel 2 is always broadcasting the "3 o'clock habit". To be honest, when I was a child I always change the channel whenever that prayer comes up. I was young then and don't know what I'm doing. Also, I already asked for forgiveness for that. Having second thoughts about it so I asked for a "sign", I was on the bus going to the review center and I said if I will see a pink rose within the day I will be your devotee. Needless to say, when I took the notebook that I have been using and glanced on the front cover there it was the pink rose that I am looking for. :D
That's not where the coincidence ends. I love Pope John Paul II ever since he visited the Philippines during the World Youth Day in 1995. I was 11 years old at that time and its common that at that age kids are not that religious but when I saw on TV the millions of people gathered at Luneta Park / Quirino Grandstand to see the Pope, I was in tears especially when I saw the Pope. There was a unexplainable radiance that beams out of him that caught my young heart, soul and mind. How I wish I was there to see it happen personally.
I remember the oral speech exam given to us in Sutherland in Clark Field, Pampanga. The question given was "If you were given a chance to ask a question to a dead person, who would it be and what will the question be?" (pang beauty queen ang tanong, hehe). I answered "I will ask Pope John Paul II how did he find in his heart to forgive the person who tried to kill him". This act of kindness he made shows how great and forgiving he was and I idolize him for that.
This video is the collage of Pope John Paul II visit during the World Youth Day in 1995. This brings me back at the time when I was a child. Still love the theme song as well.
