Holy Week 2012 : Leading us To Jesus

"We have our battle in life, and like Jesus, we carry our cross daily. It is for us to take it or to give up; to move forward or surrender; to follow or redirect."

The 40-day Lenten season is one of the most significant events among Christians worldwide. The last week of the season before Easter Sunday is the celebration of the Holy Week commemorating the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

During Holy Week, we celebrate the most important events, such as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday. These are all celebrations by devout Christians who reflect on the life and death of Jesus. 

Holy week is the time of repentance. It does not only mean we are sorry for our sins. It's when we must change our thinking, actions, and visions. It's the best time to reflect on our lives and to change them for the better. 

It's good to repent as it gives a feeling of being a renewed person. Someone complete and whole. What I have learned about repentance is the act of humility to acknowledge that I have sinned and to ask for forgiveness. 

Being renewed gives us the courage to stand up and face the world with selfless love and compassion for others. We extend our service to those who need it but cannot pay us back. Such an act makes us become 'Christ-like which is the message of the lent.

We may live in today's world full of material aspirations and worldly ambitions. But it is good to ponder on what are the necessary things in life and what is our true life purpose. It's not only material possessions, it is not just daily survival, but it is through following the right path and what God has commanded us to do. 

St. Peter's Church, Bandra (West), Mumbai

The season of Lent is not just about repentance, praying, and fasting. It's also the season of sacrifice. Like Jesus, He suffered the consequence of being upright and moral, and in the end, was sentenced to death. We can also sacrifice condemnation for being righteous. We can persevere in humiliation. We can endure persecution. However, in the end, what matters is the sense of righteousness we have chosen that leads to fulfillment in life.

We can compare the struggle of Jesus in today's modern world by becoming more courageous to speak for ourselves. Jesus did righteousness even though he knew his life led Him to persecution. He never got scared of the people in authority. Like us, we can stand up for what we believe is right. We can be ourselves if we live a good life and sacrifice for the common good. We have our battle in life; like Jesus, we carry our cross daily. It is for us to take it or give up. To move forward or surrender. To follow or redirect.

© 2012 Del Cusay

Celebrating Holi Festival

"We may have different creeds and faith. We may have different cultures and festivities. But one thing I learned most is to respect each other's differences towards unity, peace, and understanding."



Today, I am fortunate to have experienced a colorful and joyful celebration of the Holi festival in New Delhi. It was celebrated by everyone who shared fun and laughter while playing with colorful powders and putting them on each other.

Holi festival is also known as the festival of colors. It marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of the spring, where they welcome the season with vibrant colors—also known as the Spring festival. It is widely celebrated by Hindus throughout the country and other parts of the world where an Indian community exists.

At this festival, people gather regardless of gender, age, and social status. It is also believed to bring a closer relationship between two different castes, as practiced in the recent past or maybe at the present— India's lower and upper caste system.


Holi starts with a bonfire the eve before the day of the festival. It is followed by a gathering on the following day to celebrate this festivity. Holi would tend to bring back broken relationships, forgive enemies and bring back the closer ties of the community.

In a world where everyone should possess the values of politeness and courtesy, the Holi festival would have broken that social norm. Children and adults do not bother to become well-behaved on this day but are boisterous for even a short period celebrating this festival.

As I have observed, people have different interests in how they would have fun. Some kids and even adults played with water guns and rumbled on the muddy water. Some would love to dance to the tune of Bollywood music and western music. Some would just love to watch and have yet to want to get some colors.

We may have different creeds and faith. We may have different cultures and festivities. But I learned most to respect each other's differences towards unity, peace, and understanding.

Following Our Heart's Desire

"Life is like a valentine. We never know when an arrow will strike us. We never know whether it will give us hurt or joy. But whenever it comes, we accept it and follow with all our hearts—our relentless desire."


At the present time, we may have been experiencing a lot of struggles to survive life's endearing challenges. Some people might constantly worry about finding the right path in life. Some wanted to achieve their goals and dreams despite limited internal resources. Some would have been giving up and let live as it happens.

The fact that life is difficult is not the ultimate reason for us to quit, but to face life with faith and gratitude. There are so many things to be grateful for in life. One of which is our existence to find our purpose in living. We are here to follow the right path—the key to living a good life.

How we get, there is a question that sometimes we are out of an answer to. We may have tried to solve so many never-ending problems. Some cannot be handled well, resulting in frustrations and distress. However, it is not just the mind we should work for, but also the heart—the love center.

A good heart

Often, we follow our minds. Yes, it is superior and controls our well-being. Nevertheless, we should consider our hearts in our way of living. Our heart carries several functions aside from pumping blood. Hence, we should consider its importance and not take it for granted.

If we feel like giving and loving, we activate our hearts. Whenever we think of being compassionate and altruistic, we use the seat. Therefore, our heart is as important as our mind. There is the mind that interprets, but there is a heart that feels.

Man is good in nature. Thus we have a good heart. I recalled what our college teachers taught us: no matter how wrong a person is, there is still particular goodness in him. He still has a natural gift of a good heart. In that sense, we are allowed to renew and make better use of it.

Our desire

In our lives, we may have made wrong decisions that made us have some regrets. We have followed what other people have told us. Whereas we followed the advice of a friend, we listened to what a stranger said, and we pondered on wrong thoughts without following our honest and own desires.

For instance, in our society, we may know someone living in a dream with his parents. Pursuing a course or career opposite to what he truly loves. He cannot refuse but follow due to respect and love. He cannot live his own life but accept and persevere.

If this is the kind of life we want, we become a prisoner of our fate—our heart's desire. It seems that we do not have a mind and soul. We never realize that life depends on how we make it and not just living to somebody's wishes.

Something to ponder

What keeps us from not following our own will and desire is the reason we are unsure of our capabilities. We still have doubts that haunt us to move forward.

We may ask ourselves, who am I? Yet, we are still struggling to know who we indeed are. What do I want? Yet, they are unsure of what lies ahead. Where am I going? Yet, need to figure out where to head in life. When do I get there? Yet, have to start. Why shall I do it? Yet, doubting own self. And how do I get there? And yet, not utilizing inherent resources.

The questions above are valid because I used to be like that. Sometimes I question myself to better understand who, what, where, when, why, and how I want. It is good to constantly re-evaluate ourselves to keep track of our goals and desires.

Keep going on

Like a valentine, we may have full of hearts around on this day expressing love and affection to dear ones. Everyone gives flowers, chocolates, and whatever they think is unique and worth remembering. Indeed, that reminds us that the spirit of love is alive. Our heart is in working mode, and it teaches a valuable lesson to keep going —to follow our heart's desire.

Life is not just about finding ourselves but about how we create it. Indeed, we are responsible for our own lives; like a sailor, it is our choice of direction. We have the option, which depends on how we use it and make better gameplay.

Life is like a valentine. We never know when an arrow will strike us. We never know whether it will give us hurt or joy. But whenever it comes, we accept it and follow with all our hearts—our relentless desire. We offer our best wholeheartedly and must follow what our minds and nature dictate.

© 2012 Del Cusay