Fasting and Abstinence are not only observed through eating less than the usual, or having only one full meal a day, or not taking any meat. We can also observe these two by leaving our addictions behind or lessen those, for just a week or days, at least. Just like these simple, yet difficult things to give up on. I can say one of those addictions is texting. We can at least take a rest in texting, instead of spending money to load your sim, why not donate it to the Church? or even buy some food, to give it to that child on the street. Another is watching TV, instead of spending too much time watching shows,movies, etc., try just to take a moment of silence, reflect. And the most usual thing people, especially teens, including me, do and I think would be difficult to sacrifice, is facing the computer 24/7, blogging, chatting, searching, watching vids, sound tripping, and the like. You can start, at least, by using the computer for just half day, then for the next day, use it for a half of the half of the previous day, until you can totally not use the computer especially for the Good Friday, when we commemmorate the death of Jesus Christ, and to why is it called Good? it's because on that day through the body and blood of Christ, the world, the people had its salvation. That's why Cross doesn't only signifies death, nor sorrow, but the best thing it symbolizes is LOVE.And the best thing to do this Holy Week, is have a change of heart, or METANOIA(though we can do this any time of the year, any time we want). Change for the better, instead of the feeling of hatred, replace that feeling with love, instead of greed or envy, replace that with contentment, happiness and gratefulness, instead of doubts, replace it with faith, and most of all, place God in your heart, have a good conscience, not only for the Holy Week but all through out our lives.
What we're doing is nothing compared to what Jesus done for us. He sacrificed His life for us, He gave us salvation, our freedom, our lives and with that, we should all be thankful to Him. We should show Him that we are worthy of His salvation and show Him how we truly love Him. Just a simple act can mean so much to Him. I know a lot of us would find it hard to sacrifice such things because we are used of doing those things everyday but we should learn how to sacrifice.
But it doesn't end in sacrificing for the Holy Week. It's not only during this time that we would sacrifice, would be more good than the usual days, and to be holy, as what the name says, Holy Week. Everyday is a day to be holy, to be good or to be better, to know God, to love God, and to introduce to others who God is and made known to them how deep is the love of our loving and merciful God for all of us. All of these would be of nothing if after Holy Week we would leave those good ways, if after this week, we would go back to the normal, a person of hatred, of envy, of anger, etc. What we started-as a changed and better person, should be continued, should remain in us and should be improved as time goes by. In doing these things, we should bear in mind that it's not because that's what others tell us to do, not because we will look good in that way, but because it is what God wants us to be, for His people to take the right path. We are doing this because of our love and faith in Him, we are doing this for God, whose love is unconditional and endless.
May we all have a safe, significant and a meaningful Holy Week! God bless everyone! :)
