The Pharisee
i have always been a stickler for rules. being the oldest child in the family, my parents have instilled in me the responsibility of giving a good example to my younger brother and sister.
as a catholic, i have been used to the observance of the lenten season. even as i grew older and was away from my mom’s scrutinizing eyes, i still make it a point to observe fasting and abstinence during holy thursday and good friday. when i was a kid, i was used to making great sacrifices during good friday. as early as 6am, my mom would already wake us up so we can join the "stations of the cross" which is like a 5 mile hike done with prayer, kneeling and singing. all these done while at the same time fasting. being in the tropics, it is GREAT sacrifice. temperatures there go from 75 to 100 degrees fahrenheit. some people faint during the whole process but no one is complaining since all these were done so that "we may be saved and our sins forgiven."
today is good friday and i am a little guilty for breaking some of the rules. i am not supposed to curse but i did when a reckless driver cut me off. i am not supposed to think impure thoughts but i did when a hunk popped up on the screen. i am supposed to go to church but did not, only because laziness overcame me.
as i am savoring the last spoon of my oatmeal dinner, i think to myself: "well at least i didn’t eat meat."
