by Susan Palmes-Dennis
Sorry for this late post on Earth Day that was celebrated last April 22.
But I sense that the Holy Spirit is working in me so I continued working on it. I told myself to share this article about Earth Day and how it dovetails into my religious practices here at North Carolina and in the Philippines.
Last Palm Sunday at the St. Mark Catholic Church I noticed, just like in the past five years that I've been attending Mass, that church goers don't bring palm fronds.
It is the” church people” who would be giving each churchgoer who attends Mass in Church. It was a discernment moment and I find it awesome because there is no wasted palm fronds to be blessed.
I recalled spending Holy Week (semana santa in Filipino) in my hometown of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines. Holy Week in my town and in other parts of the country were usually hot and humid and the roads are bare.
As kids then, we didn't mind the heat as we gathered coconut leaves. I was with my brothers and sisters as we were given marching orders by my mother to bring “lukay” or coconut palm.
I remember that we got the “lukay” there at the Natumolan area close to the house of Tia (auntie) Belen Neri. I remember she is the daughter of Iyo Dodo Neri ”the hilot (healer).”
We usually ripped the coconut tree of its branches and leaves and carry it all to the house and along the way many would ask from us. I recall Iya Meldad Tadeo would ask for leaves and she won't bother asking where we got it.
I also recalled that we made the tree “opaw (bald)” by plucking its branches and leaves and wondering if it would ever grow again. We never bothered asking for permission from the owners and just hacked away on the leaves and branches with our bolos.
It was still an innocent time and neighbors were friendly and don't know anything about trespassing. If we harvested on a Friday then we worked on the “lukay” on Saturday with the radio turned on and listening to a Diego Salvador drama.
Over the years people have became too zealous and they would bring the whole branch or tree for the priest's blessing. I know that blessing the palm would bring blessings and I don't blame the overly religious for doing this because they believe it would also help them ward off evil.
To many the palm fronds would occupy a space in the altar or in a prominent space in the house that can be seen by family members who would be blessed and reminded of the importance of Palm Sunday.
Thus over the years, I came to imagine that the coconut trees would hide for fear of being bald as they are stripped of their branches and leaves for the Palm Sunday observance.
Everything is forgotten after the celebration of Easter Sunday when we resume our mundane practices.
We observe Palm Sunday to remember who Jesus was and what He did for us. Palm Sunday reminds us of the price He paid for us. He could have stuck around in Jerusalem and let everybody continue to cheer for Him or traded His donkey for a thoroughbred but He did not.
He got busy doing the work He was called to do despite knowing what it would cost Him. Excuse me- this is not all about our religiosity as it is more about preserving the coconut tree.
Coconut trees are diminishing in the Philippines and it is best for Filipinos not to uproot the coconut tree just to keep with practices on observing Palm Sunday.
What if it is the church that would distribute the palm fronds to each family?
It is good to limit the distribution of palm fronds in order for each family to appreciate its value.
After all when the Lord created the world, He intended for us to take care of it.
#palmsunday#religiouspractices#dominggosasalukay#earthday#savethetree#cocunuttree
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
