It’s not yet even two weeks since the holy week passed. It went by so fast that right now you cannot feel that we just celebrated the greatest victory in the world – the victory over sin so we can be reconciled with the Lord.
The holy week is the peak of all Catholic Celebration. Everything we celebrated before that is geared towards Holy Week. Christmas is also for the fulfillment of the Holy Week.
However, since Ash Wednesday, the start of lent there was not much symbols or decorations that will remind us of the Season of Lent.
Why is it on Christmas, everyone puts up Christmas decorations and radio stations even play Christmas songs all throughout the day? Why is it during Christmas, everyone seems very happy and excited? Why do people give gifts to each other? Why is everyone just extra nice to everyone else? Why is there an “obligatory” Christmas dinner? We give so much importance to Advent Season (which is also good). These things are there as a reminder of the reason of the season.
On the contrary, the Season of Lent has only a few if not none at all. We do not put on nor even have a specific – decoration for Lent; radio stations don’t play Lent songs or even; no one except the Christians are excited to celebrate lent; we do not give gifts to each other; Everyone treats lent as just one of those regular weeks; and there is no such thing as Lent Dinner.
Yet the bigger question (aside from all the tangible material things) is that the Season of Lent should start within us – our heart, mind, and soul should be transformed so that we will be the living reminder of Lent.
“Oh Dear God the Father, thank you for showing your unfathomable love to us. Thank you for sending your only Son. Thank you for allowing us to celebrate the greatest victory won by Jesus Christ. We pray that we will have a conscious effort to always bring your Son where the people are. May we never get tired of living out a truly-like life. May we always reflect you to other people.”