In Thailand you have the Water Festival features parades, performances and water splashing Songkran is the Thai New Year. It’s a spiritual festival designed to cool you down and wash away the sins of the previous year. What better way of doing that than by committing a few new ones, right away? Songkran takes place all over the country with everyone embarking on possibly the world’s largest water fight.
In China The Water-Splashing Festival, New Year's Day by Dai Calender will be celebrated in the Jinghong City Proper between April 12 and 18. The grandest festival of the Dai is usually held along with activities such as dragon-boat racing, sending off skyrockets, and throwing love pouches. It is believed that everyone being splashed at will have good luck. In India Holi is a two day Hindu spring festival that occurs in northern India. The first night is marked by bonfires, and the second day is spent pleasuring your inner 2nd grader by splashing colored flour and water over everybody. In Myanmar Traditional Water Festival is Thingyan. In Singapore we celebrate International water festival
IN Philippine WATCH out! Tomorrow is the feast of St. John Baptist and pranksters will take to the streets especially in the city of San Juan to douse water on people and passing vehicles. It's a tradition commemorating the birth of St. John who baptized people and Jesus Himself at the River Jordan. Legend says that a long time ago, a fisherman saw the statue of St. John the Baptist which became Pola’s patron saint. Sab’uyan Festival takes place every June 24 in honor of St. John the Baptist whose image is taken from the church and carried on procession accompanied by a band and set on a beautifully decorated boat to the sea where it was first found. The Sab’uyan begins. People in the boat throw seawater to one another chanting “Viva San Juan Bautista”. After the procession at the sea, the image is carried around town. Dancers from various groups follow the image. The Sab’uyan continues. The splashing of water is received with good humor for the people believe that being doused brings good health, luck and happiness. The procession ends at the church plaza.
Posted by Philstar
Watch out! Tomorrow is the feast of St. John Baptist and pranksters will take to the streets especially in the city of San Juan to douse water on people and passing vehicles. It's a tradition commemorating the birth of St. John who baptized people and Jesus Himself at the River Jordan.
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Earth, sea and sky, or, Marvels of the universe: Being a full and graphic description of all that is wonderful in every continent of the globe, in the world of waters and the starry heavens
There's more to the feast of the Baptist, however, than all the water dousing. For his life tells us about what it means to be a true Christian.
John the Baptist was a prophet. When we hear the term "prophet," not a few think of someone who foretells the future, like the manghuhula (fortune teller).
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The truth is that a prophet, in biblical sense, is not to foretell but to proclaim the message of God at all times, to all people whether they like to hear it or not.
The prophet is the conscience of the people.
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Thus, John the Baptist didn't mince words when he denounced wrongdoings during his time. He lambasted the self-righteous Pharisees and Sadducees: "Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming!" To the abusive soldiers, he fulminated, "Stop oppressing the people."
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Then he dared tell Herod Antipas that it was wrong for him to take Herodias, his brother's wife, as his mistress.
John's uncompromising stand disturbed Herodias' conscience and the only way to silence him was to have him beheaded. By the way, he was the first man in the Scriptures to literally "lose his head over a woman."
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We may not be as bold as John the Baptist in denouncing evil. Sometimes we have to exercise prudence in a given circumstance and the danger on life and family members.
But there will be times when we Christians have to stand our ground and disagree.
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We perform our prophetic function when, for instance, we refuse to compromise in shady deals or to give or accept "lagay" (not the Cebuano meaning, of course!) or bribes, even if everybody is doing it.
Likewise, people are turned off by glib talking leaders - and that includes clerics and evangelists - who are after their pockets and vested interests. These are no prophets but profits.
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Reminds me of the story of a wealthy balikbayan lady. She approached her parish priest to request that a Requiem Mass be said for her beloved dog which had just died.
"Mass for a dog?" the priest growled. "That's nonsense. That's against the canon (church) law! We don't say Mass for animals."
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"You see, Father, I love that poor dog very much," she replied. "When I was still in the States, I set aside $500 for its funeral Mass... But if you don't like," she said as she started to leave, "I'll just go to the Protestant church nearby." On hearing the $500, the priest's eyes sparkled.
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He rushed after the lady and said, "Ma'am, come back. Why do you go to a Protestant church? Isn't your dog Catholic. Bring it here and I'll say the Requiem Mass."
Of course that's only a joke but it teaches us that we should not compromise our laws and convictions in exchange for monetary consideration.
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The Irish-born British statesman Edmund Burke once said: "The only way by which evil men prosper in society is for the good to do nothing."
May we have more modern-day John the Baptists!
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INDIGENT SICK. There are many indigent patients, like Dante Cabansag who has renal failure, we are supporting. While medical consultations are free, they have no money to buy expensive medicines.
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How about reaching out? Send any amount payable to Indigents c/o Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD at Christ the King Seminary, 1101 E. Rodriguez Blvd., 1099 Quezon City. For inquiries, write to: belsvd@yahoo.com.
ST. JUDE NOVENA. Tomorrow is Thursday. Join our novena to St. Jude at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary Compound on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City after the 6 p.m. Mass. A healing session will follow.
