GOOD FRIDAY FEARS

noeda, sharon, irish, baby danica, jehan and lovelyn

Back when my Lola Meding was still with us, for a little girl who loves playing in the mountains or at the school ground near our home, Good Friday is a doom's day. We're not allowed to go out of the house, play loud or noisy games and sing with the guitar as me and my sisters usually do when we're gathered at home. "Jesus Christ is suffering and will die today", my grandma would always remind us.

Even our sibling fights are put on hold - a ceasefire and a silent agreement to be a little bit nice in respect to "Big J's" death. What makes the day really doomed is - there's no cartoon shows on TV and regular programs are not on the entire Holy Week.

'Sabado Gloria' (Black Saturday) was better. The family usually goes swimming to Labey, the river that connects Tublay, Benguet and Ambuklao Dam. Other times, we go to the small river at my father's farm in Babatan which is only four kilometers away from our place.

As I grew up and knew more why Holy week is observed for us Catholics, I hope I understood it well. A God Himself who became a man and knew He will be mocked, thrown stone at, walked through His death and later be crucified had allowed all these to happen with His reason of saving man from their sins. That's one tough true love for HIM to bare for us who are sometimes undeserving of these noble sacrifice.

I remember that distinct feeling of my Good Friday Fears. If God is dead, ghosts and "baddies" will be all around till He is risen the next day. That sense of "security" that Someone is looking after you is gone. Oh my, I'm glad that's just for a day.

Writing these down now is not at all about my Good Friday Fears. It turned out to be a reminder of how I am doomed with out "Big J", how I really need Him after all. Funny memories, its good they keep coming back.