Parishioners of the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper which initiates the Easter Triduum. Parish priest Rev. Fr. Lopito “Bembol” Hiteroza and Rev. Fr. Edwin Tirado concelebrated the mass which reminiscenced the Last Supper of Christ, that symbolically attributes to His body and blood being sacrificed for the sake of humankind and the institution of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
The reenactment of washing of the feet of the 12 apostles also took place during the mass which duly represents Christ’s humility and his Kingly mission which is “to serve and not to be served.”
With regard to these, Fr. Bembol left three points for reflection during his homily which he called as the 3 Ds:
1. Divine Table
The first D stands for the divine table or in other words the active participation during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. In this first point of reflection, Fr. Bembol recommends parishioners to regularly attend the mass to eventually achieve spiritual well being, genuine happiness and the promised eternal life.
2. Dialogue Table
Dialogue with the Lord, our self and nature through the bible is what the second D focuses on. Reading the word and the gospel actually serve as a bridge of communicating with the Lord. Once a relationship with God has been established, there already comes the self-realization through profound reflection and when one successfully communicates with one self then he or she will naturally have a peaceful connection with other people, nature and the surroundings.
3. Dining Table
The last of them all but definitely not the least is connected to the firm foundation of a family. Dining tables should be regarded as sacred in one family’s house for this is the place where a family bonds together and shares each of their stories to further know one another. This is probably where the very famous quote that “A family that prays together stays together,” came from since a dinner always starts with a prayer.
The Holy week is a time designated for the commemoration of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection so it is but fitting for this Maundy Thursday to spend enough time for prayer and reflection to acknowledge God’s eternal love of sending His own son. As it state from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Mariele Aquino
Junior Writer, Website Team, Media Ministry
Mariele R. Aquino is a member and website writer of the NSDA’s Media and Public Information Ministry, an aspiring future medical specialist and currently a STEM senior high school student in the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. Her principle in life is that genuine success is something achieved through a path and battlefield of dodging a thousand bullets without the course of self-centered desires and conducts for temporary existential accomplishment. As a form of simple youthful religious fervor, Mariele used her skills, talent and dedication in writing to serve her Lord but also to grow not only intellectually but more on spiritually.
