Times have changed, many years ago you could not listen to music or turn on the television, much less travel and go to the beach on Good Friday was considered a sin to enjoy while Jesus Christ lived his passion and death on this day, said the auxiliary bishop of Yucatan, Pedro Sergio de Jesus Mena Diaz.
“Sadly, because of all the technology we have at hand, that penitentiary spirit has been lost, even several years ago on Good Friday there was no work, it was a day that was unworkable. Now, many people go to the beach from Thursday or days before,” he said.
Holy Week is the last of Lent, during these days the Catholic Church remembers the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Many myths and traditions revolve around this time, some come from religion, and others from people’s traditions.
Some years ago grandmothers or mothers used to say that during Holy Week you should not eat pork or beef, eat chocolate or drink alcohol before Easter Sunday, as well as not participate in parties, listen to music, and avoid gambling. On Good Friday one should not clean the house or sweep the floor because it is equivalent to sweeping the face of Christ.
The popular belief said that people who had sexual relations during Holy Week could be “stuck” until Easter, for this reason, marriages are not celebrated. On Saturday of Glory, mourning takes place before Easter Sunday. Communion can only be given as viaticum, Christian couples cannot marry nor can any other sacrament be administered, except penance and the Anointing of the Sick.
Mena Diaz said that it is important to maintain the penitential spirit during these days, it is necessary to see the way for the people to understand that they have to take advantage of this time for their own conversion, for their change of attitude. The word of God asks to be good to our neighbor, even if the person is not Catholic or professes another religion. It is a matter of course.
“If I do my reflection and analyze how many bad attitudes I have and on Good Friday I have faith, in that Lord who is on the Cross. Christ died for my sins so that I can change, then I have to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
He commented that the true meaning of Lent is to deprive oneself of something we like to eat or do and what is saved from it to give it to the needy. The important thing of this time is to help our neighbor, we must respect not to eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we must keep the penitentiary spirit.
The prelate said that together with this, we must change our attitudes, that is why the prophet Isaiah says, the fasting that I want is to stop having vindictive attitudes against others, to fast from bad attitudes.
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