Welcome to our Holy Week reflection series. Ano ba ang nangyari after Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem and how can we make this day a meaningful and worshipful day?

“Sapagkat naparito sa inyo si Juan at itinuro ang pagsunod sa kalooban ng Diyos, at hindi ninyo siya pinaniwalaan, ngunit naniwala sa kanya ang mga maniningil ng buwis at ang mga bayarang babae. Nakita ninyo ito subalit hindi pa rin kayo nagsisi’t tumalikod sa inyong mga kasalanan, at hindi rin kayo naniwala sa kanya.”

Mateo 21:32

Do you experience blue Mondays? Usually, after a restful weekend, you dread waking up on Mondays because it signals the old routine of going to work or school, braving the traffic and checking on the urgent tasks you missed over the weekend.

But today is quite different dahil Holy Monday. It might mean the start of a much-deserved break. You might be on the way to your home province or enjoying the beach somewhere.   

Today signals the start of the second day of Holy Week. Palm Sunday was the first. If we go back in time, the followers of Jesus must still be euphoric when they woke up on Monday. Didn’t they just witness the jubilant crowd welcoming Jesus with palm leaves?

But on that Monday, Jesus made offensive statements to the religious teachers and society’s respectful leaders. He challenged them and even compared them to tax collectors and prostitutes who were considered the lowliest and dirtiest in their society.  He said that as lowly and sinful as society sees them, Jesus sees them as righteous since they believed and repented.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Walang makakalapit sa Ama except through Him (John 14:6). No matter our status, our education, or even our position in church leadership, or involvement in charitable or Holy Week activities, we need to believe that Jesus is the only way to God. We simply need to have faith and believe.

May you experience God’s peace, mercy, and grace as you reflect this Holy Week. Join us again tomorrow for our Holy Week reflection.