Holy Week: Catholics encouraged to experience Jesus’s presence in churches

The Holy Week is the time to commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which begins on Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday.

For Fr. Francis Gustilo, president of Don Bosco School of Theology in Parañaque City, the week is the perfect time to visit the church and nurture God’s presence.

He said that compared to seeing the president, the Pope, or a celebrity, meeting Jesus is easier, as it requires no appointment.

“They're sikat. At, ito oh, Jesus Christ. With you, accessible. Anytime in a church,” Gustilo told GMA News Online.

(They are all famous, but Jesus Christ is with you, accessible anytime in a church.)

“So, we need to foster that sense of accessibility of God na naandyan na, ba't di natin siya pinapansin? Sayang naman, and we lose parang golden opportunities,” he added.

(So, we need to foster the sense of God, who is always accessible. He’s already here, yet we fail to notice Him. It’s a waste if we lose the golden opportunities.)

Looking for inspiration, strength, or courage amid difficult times? Gustilo recommends going to church.

“You want more blessings, visit more times. Kasi magkakaroon ka ng sense na hindi ako nag-iisa o pwede mong sabihin na every time that you visit, we ask the Lord Jesus to inspire you. We ask the Lord Jesus to give you strength, give you courage to face your difficulties,” said Gustilo, who is also Vice-Dean for the Institute of Salesian Studies and Spirituality.

(You want more blessings, visit more times. Doing so makes you feel that you are not alone, or each time you visit, we ask the Lord Jesus to inspire you. We pray that He gives you strength and courage to face your difficulties.)

The Paschal Triduum or Easter Triduum refers to the last three days of Holy Week that highlight of the Lenten Season commemorating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and also signals the end of the Season namely Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.

One of the traditions done during Holy Week is the Visita Iglesia, practiced every Maundy Thursday, in which Catholics may participate as a form of gratitude.

Citing the narration of Jesus Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, Gustilo pointed out that the Lord was sad when he found out that the disciples were sleeping when he asked to watch over.

“That has become the reason na itong mga bagong alagad ni Cristo, tayo, kasi mahal natin si Cristo, alam natin ang kanyang paghihirap para sa atin bilang simpleng pasalamat lang, magtanod at least ng isang oras,” Gustilo said.

(That has become the reason for us, the new disciples of Christ, to spent at least an hour of vigil. Because we love Him and recognize His suffering for us, we do this as a simple act of gratitude.

During Visita Iglesia, the faithful are invited to remain in the church and keep vigil for an hour, from 6 p.m. during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, until 12 a.m. at the Seventh church.

Visita Iglesia as a cultural heritage

Participated by families or small groups of friends, the Visita Iglesia has also become a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

“I think, parang it is a handing over… Yung aking paniniwala, inihahabilin ko sa'yo (It’s like a handing over where I entrust my belief to you),” Gustilo said.

But what do Catholics expect when they enter the church during Visita Iglesia?

It's dark, the holy images are covered, and the Blessed Sacrament is exhibited for adoration.

A time to pray

Gustilo explained that this is the case because the faithful are meant to focus entirely on Jesus Christ through the Blessed Sacrament.

“Ikinoconcentrate sa Kanya lang. Para, focused. Kasi parang, watch with me (the attention is being focused on Jesus Christ, more like to watch Him),” he explained.

The priest added that during Visita Iglesia, the faithful can pray before the Blessed Sacrament while others keep silent to reflect.

“Some people don't even pray. They just watch and reflect. Behold. Sometimes yung sinasabing pause yung silence, and you just look without thinking too much, certain things happen to you,” he said.

Some churches also provide suggested prayers, while others follow the Stations of the Cross.

Gustilo also urged Catholics to expose themselves to the Blessed Sacrament and witness the changes in one’s perception and value.

“Siguro pag nag-expose ka sa Blessed Sacrament before the Lord Jesus, baka mag-iba rin ang puso mo,” the priest said.

“Huwag ka yung sa shadow, huwag ka yung sa lilim na kumbiniyente. Bumungad ka. Pumaso ka sa regions of His light. Hindi alam mo natamaan ka ng Kanyang liwanag,” he added.

(Maybe when you expose yourself to the Blessed Sacrament before the Lord Jesus, your heart might change. Don’t stay in the shadows or under the cover of convenience. Step forward. Enter the regions of His light. You never know, you might be touched by His radiance.)

This year, Maundy Thursday will be on April 2.

Good Friday is time spent commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary, while Black Saturday is a time for waiting after Jesus's body is laid in a tomb.

Easter Sunday is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. — BAP, GMA Integrated News