Join the Journey of the Cross

     

What is Lent? Lent is a season in which we especially focus on examining our hearts, confessing our sins. Lent is the season to observe and commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. It is an opportune time to reflect on what it means to be a follower of Christ. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.

 

During this pandemic, catholics faced many challenges just like attending the mass with face mask and face shield. Others cannot allow going out. Due to these lockdowns catholics have no other choice but to attend the mass online which is the Facebook live. Because of the Pandemic, catholics have no other choice but to find a way to celebrate and commemorate Christ’s sacrifice. In previous years, the priest placed a cross in our foreheads during Ash Wednesday unlike today they only sprinkle it in our heads. There are no procession that were done because of the pandemic. This Covid-19 Pandemic is really challenging us including our faith. But we can make this Pandemic as a great time to reflect on ourselves and think of doing something good and better. Thinking of changing yourselves for the better and for everybody. This can be a time to think of our doings and correct it because this pandemic really affects us including our commitment to church. Church reconnects us to our shared beliefs. It reinforces the higher philosophy and purpose behind marriage and family and it allows us a safe space to connect with God and our spouse together. Couples who attend church together are making time to reiterate the important foundations of their marriage. Even though there is pandemic, priest and pastors did not stop to share and spread the word of god. Virtual mass is a great idea to continue the beliefs of catholic. It has a different impact but it is the safer way to do it to save ourselves from getting the virus and to stop the spreading of the virus. We should do our part and possible we can end this pandemic.

 

                Just like going to church together, we can end this pandemic if we cooperate with each other and follow safety measures. Let this Lenten season be a time to reflect ourselves and think of what can we do good during this pandemic and do our part to end it.

 REFERENCES: 

Image 1- Retrieved on May 2,2021 from https://www.thehopenewspaper.com/significance-of-lenten-season/

Image 2- Retrieved on May 2, 2021 from https://www.countryliving.com/life/a26294776/when-is-lent/

Image 3- Retrieved on May 2,2021 from https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/lent/perspectives-on-lent/articles/reflecting-on-the-lent-season/

 

Tragedy of Bataan

 

 Dec. 8, 1941, the United States entered World War II as Congress declared war against Imperial Japan, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese shows the most intense phase of their conquest. In January 1942, forces of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy invaded Luzon along with several islands in the Philippine Archipelago

The battle of Bataan is one of the most historical and intense that happens in Philippine history. It is the first land battle between the Americans and Japanese during the World War II. Many of us have no interest in their history but why battle of Bataan is very important to the Philippine history and especially to us Filipinos? The battle of Bataan is one of the most devastating military defeats of the American war history. There are almost 76,000 Filipino and American troops in Bataan and it is also the largest army to surrender in a war under the command of the Americans.

The commander-in-chief of all U.S. and Filipino forces in the islands, General Douglas MacArthur, consolidated all of his Luzon-based units on the Bataan Peninsula to fight against the Japanese army. By this time, the Japanese controlled nearly all of Southeast Asia. The Bataan Peninsula and the island of Corregidor were the only remaining Allied strongholds in the region. Many of the soldiers faced different challenges in their lives. Despite the lack of supplies, the Filipino and American military managed to fight and hold the Japanese army for three months. With the three months of holding the Japanese army, the Filipino and American managed in a fighting retreat southward. It is hard to imagine that these events happened in our fellow Filipinos. The battle of Bataan started in January 7, 1942 and ended in April 9, 1942. So why did the grounds of Bataan surrendered? American commandment made a decision on April 8, 1942 to immediately grant independence so that Philippines could declare a status of neutrality and on April 9, 1942 declared as The Day of Valor or in tagalog- “Araw ng Kagitingan”. The day of Valor also known as the Bataan day and Bataan and Corregidor day. After the April 9, 1942 U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II (1939-45), the approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make an arduous 65-mile march to prison camps. During the Bataan Death March, approximately 10,000 men died. Of these men, 1,000 were American and 9,000 were Filipino.

  

             The sacrifices that our soldiers did will never be forgotten and always be remembered. The experiences they have that lead to trauma. The wounds that they have suffered during the wars and the enslavement will be remembered forever and it will be honoured because without them, we cannot experience the joy of life today. They are the real heroes who fought for their own land and for us.

REFERENCES:

Image 1- Retrieved on May 1, 2021 from https://bataancampaign.wordpress.com/2015/11/12/veterans-day-wednesday-11-november-2015/

Image 2- Retrieved on May 1,2021 from https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/bataan-death-march-survivor-finds-forgiveness-after-freedom/article_c738ad0e-48d9-11df-8f49-001cc4c002e0.html

Image 3- Retrieved on May 1, 2021 from https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/538391330429835027/

 

 

 

Women Empowerment

Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. In this month we are celebrating the Women History Month which was begun in 1^st day of March and ends in March 31. This month of March we give extra attention to all strong and determined women of the world. But why do we celebrate Women’s Month?

In the past centuries, women experienced less power and less right than men. They don’t have the chance to express their feelings to the world and what they have in mind. They have been enslaved and not free. Women are also human; they can also do the things that men can do. They are also human and there have no difference. We celebrate Women History Month to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of women throughout the years, their contributions to our culture, science, and politics. This month is a chance to reflect on the trailblazing women who lead the way for the change. In the Philippines, Women’s History Month is also celebrated and has since served as a venue to highlight women’s accomplishments and achievements and discuss continuing and emerging women’s empowerment and gender equality issues and concerns, challenges, and commitments.

The real purpose for celebrating Women’s month is to promote the peace with women’s right. We are in the 21^st century and we must normalize seeing each other as equal. The theme for 2021 Women’s History Month is about the women who have fought for woman’s right to vote in the United States of America. “I am prepared to sacrifice every so-called privilege I possess in order to have few rights” – Inez MilHolland Suffragist, 1909

REFERENCES:

Images Retrieved from:

 Image 1- https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/70823/UN-organization-lauds-Egypt-s-plan-of-action-on-women

Image 2- https://leverageedu.com/blog/essay-on-women-empowerment/