The holy week is in our midst once again! Beyond just celebrating the lenten season, this means almost everyone will be getting a four-day non-working holiday. While many choose to have vacations out of town or abroad, there are those who opt to stay home. You can have celebrations of your own without leaving the comforts of your DMCI condo. Here are a few suggestions.
Get cozy with a book
If you are like most people, you may also be complaining about how you never have time to read. Well, the holy week will give you plenty of time. Now you can catch up on your reading list! It’s a great time to chill by the condo pool and just get cozy with a book. In keeping with the spirit of the holy week, put your spiritual books on top of the list. Take the time to do some soul searching through written words of wisdom. The Road Less Travelled written by M. Scott Peck is one great option. It offers a new psychological perspective on the fundamentals of spiritual growth, love, life, and traditional values. The Mystery of Faith will also be worth your while. Written by Rev. Michael Himes, the book will have you exploring the basic truths about Catholicism and how the holy sacraments can contribute to your personal growth.
Share the story of Christ’s passion and resurrection
This is especially ideal if you have children at home. You can even invite your nieces and nephews to come visit you at your condo for at least a day or two. Think of creative ways to teach the story of Christ’s passion and resurrection. Be ready with children’s religious books. You can either drop by a Christian bookstore or shop online. You can also find good ebooks available online for free. One such book is the Easter Story of The Action Bible by David C. Cook. Reinforce your storytelling sessions with arts and craft activities to make it more engaging and fun. You can also look for a copy of The Flying House and put together a play that demonstrates the story. People at home, especially the young ones, will have a renewed appreciation for Jesus’ love and sacrifices.
Set the mood with hail songs
Music stirs the soul. This holy week, you will need to keep things quiet and solemn, but that does not mean you’d have to steer clear of music. Be ready with a playlist of hail songs, and you’ll have just the right mood for meditation and reflection. Here are some options to get you on the right track:
Maundy Thursday
- I Love the Lord; He Heard My Cry - Isaac Watts
- Beneath the Cross of Jesus - Elizabeth C. Clephane
- At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing - Latin hymn, 17th century
- Remembering with Love and Hope - John Paarlberg
- This Is the Night - Peter Abelard
- Meekness and Majesty - Graham Kendrick
Good Friday
- Go to Dark Gethsemane - James Montgomery
- Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed - Isaac Watts
- In the Cross of Christ I Glory - John Bowring
- On a Barren Hilltop - Christopher L. Webber
- You Are My Refuge, Faithful God - David Gambrell
- Beneath the Cross of Jesus - Elizabeth C. Clephane
Easter Sunday
- Before the Throne of God Above – Charitie Lee Bancroft
- Celtic Alleluia – Fintan O’Carroll
- Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory – Jeffrey LaValley
- Holy and Anointed One – John Barnett
- Behold the Lamb of God - Mary Nelson Keithahn
- Sing a New Song Unto the Lord – Dan Schutte
Get together for a movie marathon
Families often get together during the holy week. Take advantage of the rare opportunity to have everyone in the same room, and just enjoy a laidback time watching movies that are fit for the occasion. Have a meaningful family bonding with the following movie suggestions:
- The Ten Commandments
- The Prince of Egypt
- Kristo
- King of Kings
- Son of God
- The Da Vinci Code
- Bruce Almighty
- Himala
- Sa’yo Lamang
- The Pursuit of Happyness
Have fun learning new recipes
There are days in the holy week when we are not allowed to eat meat. And we often find our moms preparing all sorts of local concoctions, such as escabeche, binignit and biko. You can have your own personalized dishes by experimenting with recipes you don’t usually prepare at home. Some recipes worth trying are fish lumpia, cioppino, sizzling tuna sisig, spicy daing na bangus, and crispy fried mahi mahi sarciado. Remember though that the holy week is about fasting and abstinence, so focus on quality and go easy on the quantity. Prepare less, but make them healthy so everyone gets the nourishment they need.
Pamper the people you love
Give your loved ones the pampering and break they deserve. Have your mom and dad been working so hard? Has your brother or sister been studying a little too hard? Have your own version of “washing the feet” at home. Prepare a room so it has the ambiance of a massage spa. Then treat people with massages, manicure and pedicure. You can also offer to do the chores for the day. Your efforts can be both your own way of doing penitence and expressing your love, not just for your loved ones but for Jesus Christ as well. Do everything from the heart, and you’ll find it just as rewarding as it is relaxing for the people you are pampering. Don’t forget to set the mood with the hail songs you’ve prepared!
Spend a few days of quiet time
Many people choose to turn off their electronic devices as penitence or sacrifice for the Lenten season. You can do this as well. But beyond just giving up something, you should take the time to be quiet and feel the presence of God. You may also read the Bible and pray with your family. Coming up with simple ways to help the less fortunate can also be one of your activities.
Enjoy your holy week activities while taking advantage of the comforts of condo living. Above everything, never lose touch with the spirit of the Holy Week. Keep it meaningful!
