As is the case every year, Manila is becoming less congested as thousands have started leaving for their hometowns elsewhere in the country. It's holy Thursday and most people head for other places on Wednesday and come back to the capital either on Saturday or Easter Sunday.
Parishes are busy preparing for the services to be held today till Easter -- the Way of the Cross, Masses, customs like the Washing of the Feet, the Holy Thursday vigil, the Easter vigil and the Salubong, among others. Some traditions, particularly the Visita Iglesia, are very much alive to this day. If you're unfamiliar with this one, it's the practice of visiting seven different churches and praying before the Tabernacle for a few minutes -- usually done on Holy Thursday.
From April 2006 wherein I posted passages from In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez, and this one is from Vol. 2 (Lent and Eastertide).
Sin, infidelity to a greater or lesser degree, always involves a denial of the highest ideals that Christ has sown inside us. Sin is the great downfall of man. This is why we need to struggle with determination, counting on grace, so that we avoid all grave sins, whether of malice, weakness or culpable ignorance, and then all deliberate venial sin.
But even from our sins, when we are unfortunate enough to commit them, we have to draw advantage, because contrition strengthens the bonds of our friendship with Our Lord.
Heaven is full of great sinners who decided to repent. Jesus always welcomes us and rejoices to see us set out again upon the road we had abandoned, perhaps in small matters.
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