On Good Friday
We humans cling to our traditions, our rituals, our sense of the rightness of things. We adore anniversaries, remembrances of times past. We must celebrate occasions reminiscent of happy memories, as well as those representing sad yet memorable events.All the more so when those momentous events are of historical, traditional, cultural and above all, religious significance. In so doing, we feel ourselves reaching mysteriously, from the present back to the past, touching and at one with our predecessors. Paying homage to their sacrifices on our behalf.
And on Good Friday, staunch Christians flock to their churches to pray, to demonstrate toward God their faith in His presence. More, their appreciation for His divine decision to teach humankind everlasting and true values through the parables and preaching of His only begotten son. A Jewish man imbued with the wisdom of the sages of yore, the prophets of his people, the Israelites.
And in the Philippines, the truly devout Roman Catholic population take their religion seriously indeed. Every year the world is treated to the spectacle of self-flagellating men, drawing their blood as a sacramental tribute to God, through the confession of their mortal sins. These are the true penitents, those to whom the presence of God in their lives is the over-riding truth expressing the depth of their faith.
Oops! The Philippines health officials have issued warnings to these devotees of the world's supreme drama. Re-enacting the crucifixion could be severely injurious to their health. The original was, after all, seen to be critically, mortally inimical to the health of the original.
They are alerted that tetanus shots should be seen to, beforehand. And please, check the conditions of the whip you're lashing your tender flesh with; discard the dirty ones.
Dozens of Philippine men are expected to turn out for the big Good Friday event. The wood crosses have been built, the nails are at the ready. "We are not trying to go against the Lenten tradition here because whipping has somewhat already become some form of 'atonement for sins' for some of us," said the health minister, in a grand understatement.
"Getting deep cut wounds during whippings or lashings is inevitable and being so exposed during the course of the penitence, with all the heat and dust blowing in the wind, welcomes all sorts of infections and bacteria like tetanus." It would, yes it would. If only the rash faithful would listen to their own church - which frowns upon these "improvised Golgothas".
But the state understands. This is a pious tradition that cannot be altered in its nature, nor stopped in its biblical tracks. So penitents are encouraged by a concerned health department to "bring enough drinking water for the whole course of the pilgrimage to avoid dehydration, rather than buy bottled water from unfamiliar sources". Which might be contaminated by who knows what kind of nasty things.
There is no enthusiasm quite like that of a devout believer whose faith will not be shaken by cautionary words which only serve to strengthen resolve. The symbolism of religious devotion, the desire to share the holy tribulations and grievous pain of the original sacrificial lamb is simply overwhelming. They are one with Christ.
God, however, might not be pleased. He might very well disapprove - mightily at that - of such personal arrogance. It was to his own beloved son, and him only, that the Father apportioned the full weight of mankind's suffering.
Take care, now.
Labels: Religion, Social-Cultural Deviations, That's Life
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, March 20, 2008
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