Holy Week – Conforming to Tradition or Breaking Out? Written by Brad Burchards

It's that time of the year when we observe Holy Week. Being a predominantly Roman-Catholic country, it is a time we reflect upon the teachings of our Christian faith. I remember to when I was still young that on the weeks leading to Holy Week it was necessary to cleanse oneself of past mistakes just like making a New Year's resolution but much more solemn. It is a time of processions and parades of saints, a tradition inherited from our former Spanish colonial masters.

However, in this modern day and age do we still lean to the same traditions of solemnity or are we starting to break away from the usual practices? Just a few years back by the end of the 20th century we moved out of our comfort zones and traditions to make room for our own personal decisions – not the ones we were previously bound to by tradition. Most of us now see Holy Week as a time to unwind and be with our family and/or friends, traveling elsewhere to have a short vacation from the hustle and bustle of work. For the younger generation it’s a time to gather with friends and kick off the summer with beach parties which the traditionalists see as taboo.

We all know too well the perfect Holy Week getaways such as Boracay and Bantayan where the beaches are crammed with people from the city trying to enjoy the short sabbatical from work or school. The question that comes to mind is: Are we really forgetting the solemnity of the Holy Week or are we merely transforming our own values to suit modern culture?

Enjoying oneself is a form of pleasure but too much pleasure can also be bad when we forget to stop and examine the true meaning of why we get to have this "timeout" in our lives, which is designed to give a chance to see things in a positive light and perhaps correct our wayward paths.

The beach parties and outings will always be available 365 days a year, but for simply a few days are we really that eager to just shelve our treasured traditions for the sake of progress? One thing I did do in this year’s Holy Week is I had some puto (sticky-rice cake) and sikwati (hot cocoa drink) after the self-imposed reflection on how things have been and will be. It’s probably the only time one can think without any distractions.

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