So it’s Holy Week once more. I’ve almost always stayed at home during Holy Week and never gone out of town or wherever especially on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I’m a bit envious of all the people heading out to the beaches, whether in Puerto Galera or Boracay. But, I don’t feel it’s an appropriate way to spend religious holidays, especially the culmination of Lent.

The only time I was out of town during the Holy Week was a few years ago when most of my family and three other families (from Couples for Christ) went to Sorsogon and Albay. (We four families are regular vacation partners and we’ve spent many Christmases in Baguio and summers in Ilocandia, Subic, Batangas, and Laguna.) Even then, we spent the first part of the week at the beach in Gubat, Sorsogon and spent Maundy Thursday in Legazpi, Albay attending the “Washing of the Feet” mass and doing the Visita Iglesia.

It was only recently (like about two years ago) that I’ve learned that people head out to Boracay or Puerto Galera for the Holy Week. This is apparently such a common situation that it was even used as a minor plot device in the movie, Spirit of the Glass. I’ve got some close friends who are now in Puerto Galera/Boracay right this moment.

Call me boring, but my religious Catholic upbringing tells me that this is not right. While you are at the beach lazying around during the afternoons and partying at night, Catholics all over are meditating on the passion of the Christ and on God’s ultimate sacrifice to save us sinners. Para bang walang utang na loob. (I’ll admit that I’m somewhat hypocritical in saying that since I’ve neglected to do abstinence on a few Fridays this Lent.) This only applies to Catholics; if you’re Protestant or non-Christian, I don’t care what you do with the holidays.

Yes, I’m a bit envious of the beach-goers. The adventurous side in me wants to join my friends. But, I know deep inside that I’d feel really guilty if I do that.

So here I am in my room alone. I’ll be doing Visita Iglesia in a few hours and spending the next day at home with only my computer as my companion.