"PASIONG MAHAL"

READING, TIME FOR LOVE, FORGIVENESS

By Rodolfo A. Arizala
Santiago, Chile 11 March

Everytime the Lenten Season comes around, I remember that in my father´s hometown of Liliw, Laguna my auntie used to have the reading (actually singing) of the "Pasiong Mahal" by a group of reader-singer at her ancestral house. Said annual ritual lasts 24 hours marathon or non-stop reading - singing of the sacred book. And during those 24 hours, people come and go at my auntie´s "pabasa" (reading-singing of the Pasion). The people are feed breakfast, lunch, "merienda", dinner, mid-night snacks and then breakfast again. My late old auntie (God bless her soul) was not a very religious person. She does not go to church on Sundays nor I see her pray except whenever she goes out of the house, she always makes the sign of the cross. She might not be a religious woman, but has this "ako" (vow) of having a "pabasa" every year. She really sees to it that she save enough money to spend for such yearly ritual.

I also recall to mind the words I heard when I was still a teenager from the reader-singers hired by my auntie. The scribes, pharisees, high priests, the Roman rulers, etc., were described or referred to in the "Pasiong Mahal" as "sukaban," (traitor), "malupit" (brutal), "uslak" (foolish), "lilo" (renegade), "dulingas" (almost crazy), "taksil" (traitor), "balawis" (scoundrel), "halimaw" (wild beast or bestial), "ganid" (preying animal), "tampalasan" (wicked), "palamara" (wretched), "kuhila" (betrayer), "baliw" (maniac), "bulaan" (liar), "sulupika" (prone to telling lies), "balikiyot" (deceitful), and "alipala" (rash or irresponsible).

It occured to me if the above descriptive words in a religious book called "Pasiong Mahal" or "Sacred Passion." are forms of lingering expression of "hatred" against the scribes, pharisees and Roman rulers in the Holy Land in the past because our Lord Jesus Christ was made to suffer, and nailed to the cross at Mt. Calvary by them. That despite some two thousand years ago while Christ was agonizing on the cross He had forgiven them already, are we still incapable of extending "forgiveness" to those who have wronged our Lord? It may be recalled among the " Seven Last Words" Christ uttered before He expired on the cross were: "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do."

Lent is time for sacrifice, abstinence, prayers, meditation, love, forgiveness and hope for all mankind.

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