MAUNDY THURSDAY 2021: FREEZE IN SPRING

 MAUNDY THURSDAY 2021: FREEZE IN SPRING

It is the second time around that the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines is under strict quarantine protocol called Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ). The first was last year on April 9, 2020. On this holy week commemoration, tonight I felt the urge to meditate on the meaning and significance of the Maundy Thursday in the life of the Church, the Filipino nation and the world. I oblige myself to have original photos or creating contemporary symbolism of the passion, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. This year I have prepared at least two. For tonight is the picture of cinnamon roll bread, a mug of hot chocolate drink made of tablea or cacao tablets melted in hot water. The other is for Good Friday, the bamboo cross with background of different materials forming a multimedia wall painting. This will be used for tomorrow's reflection.

Maundy Thursday emotionally affects us in two ways, it evokes human remorse at the experience of betrayal or being left alone by those who used to assure us that they love and care for us. Jesus' disciples loved, respected and honored Jesus, their Teacher and their Friend. Yet after several years, we find out that some of our trusted friends or even loved ones, failed in their promises and commitment. 

Aside from betrayal, Maundy Thursday dissects our core spirituality, such as our internalization of servanthood, illustrated by Jesus in the washing of the feet of the disciples, and the impression of agape or love for humanity especially those who are left alone in despair and darkness. Indeed many of us maturing Christians have paid lip service to our core spirituality of humility and servanthood. It is often mistaken that humility is giving unconditional assent to those in authority, e.g. parents, clergy, government leaders and even the big capitalist next door. No, humility before God is allowing ourselves to be God's spokesperson for the poor, deprived and marginalized. When we assert for the rights and welfare of the least among us, we have crossed the life-giving shore from self-aggrandizement and self-love.

Whether we are common church member or are elected in the Church's hierarchy as clergy or bishops, our servanthood is tested at the crucible of violence and aggression inflected by those who refused to be converted on the side of the suffering people, the people who are famished and unemployed and succored. The Covid-Pandemic as well tests our endurance of faith and commitment to serve our people.

Spring time has arrived in the northern hemisphere, like in Japan and Korea. The cherry blossoms have started blooming, nature's way of announcing of Spring or the coming of warm season and in the Philippines the experience of tropical Summer. But as the Korean would express the drop to freezing temperature in April as "Winter is jealous of the beauty of Spring."  Freeze in Spring, a contradiction in terms of feeling, but worse would be a freeze order of our UCCP Haran account and property made the government's Anti-Money Laundering Council. 

In UCCP Council of Bishops' Press and Pastoral statements  on issued on 30 March, the Church condemns the Freeze Order released by AMLAC on March 12 and published at the government's PNA news portal on March 28, 2021. The single account was in the name of UCCP Haran and it is has a balance of roughly 72 thousand pesos, an amount that would not even warrant an account freeze as the minimum amount is 500 thousand pesos. How can the Church support terrorism with such a meager amount which is used to pay the monthly electric, water and telephone bills? Haran is a peace shelter or place of refuge for distressed people, like the indigenous people in Mindanao or the Lumads. The center has hosted and cared for the Lumads for more than seven years already. The reasons why they were displaced was mentioned in the statements. You can visit the UCCP webpage https://web.facebook.com/uccphilippines.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, and after giving thanks to God, he broke it, saying, "This is my body broken for you. Take, eat in remembrance of me." In the same manner he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured our for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink of it, all of you, in remembrance of me." 

Food is essential for the nourishment of our bodies, otherwise, our bio-systems will fail, without food. Even the humble lugaw or rice porridge is essential food. In Seoul, Korea, there are many Porridge Restaurants, and a serving of a porridge of your choice is as expensive as your regular meal of meat or fish. The IATF written protocols of what is essential and non-essential should be translated in Filipino or Tagalog and provide a definition of what they mean by those categories. But this is one of the many hilarious experiences, that when delve deeper exposes the level of depravity of the Filipino people and the excesses of the government leaders, to the point of tyranny.

Maundy Thursday reminds us of the fruit of the vine and the wine press that made wine possible for dinner and for special occasions. Tasting varieties of wine is not common for our ordinary folks, but with our children getting a better paying jobs allowed then to dine in like a member of the bourgeoisie and enjoy wine drinking and few others would spend handsome amount of money for cognac brandy and others. 

No, the wine that Jesus mentioned is his blood, the life giving blood that would present us cleansed for a life of compassionate love and for life-giving incarnation where the power of evil and darkness is strong and oppress people. The new covenant has been inaugurated in the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In partaking of the bread and wine, we proclaim the Lord's death, until he comes back. What a joy it will be to join the banquet where peacemakers, justice and human rights advocates and those who unconditionally love their neighbor as themselves sit and dine together. + +FJH-01April 2021-