Why Celebrate All Souls Day….

       The celebration of all Souls Day and all Saints Day started way back in the Spanish regime. Since then, it became part of the culture and tradition of all Filipinos from all walks of life. Relatives of the dead find way to went back home to visit their love ones in the cemetery.

       November one is an all Saints Day celebration; however, people are used to observe the day as all Saints Day celebration, too, instead of November two. Why? It was believed that the dead were also considered Saints because many of the dead like saints have done great and honorable deeds. They were also worthy to be honored during the all Saints Day.

       The celebration also served as family reunion. Aside from Christmas, this is the celebration were members of the family from far away find time to have fun together with both the living and the dead.

For some, it is a time of vacation. Since it is a holiday others are using this to visit beautiful places.

       Whatever is the reason for the celebration, what is very significant is that, we have time to remember our love ones and offer those prayers and respect. Their way of life can be an example to us. It will also remind us of the important message about life and death. By remembering them we understand that is dear and precious and that in death there is no exemption, no rich, no poor nor age limit.

Rolly Paul Hinguillo

The Greatest Wonder of the World...Death?

          Life is full of surprises and so is death. In one episode of the story if Mahabharata of India it said that the greatest wonder of the world is that day after day and hour after hour, people die and corpses are carried along, yet the onlookers never realize that they are also to die one day, but think they will live forever.

        Death comes in many faces, in different time, place, ways, and events. It strikes without warning and with no discrimination. No matter what standing in life you have accumulated, who you are, powerful or slaves, rich or poor in the society you belong. It can be a serious illness, a fatal accident, a disaster, natural or man-made or it comes of an old age. Indeed, death is just around watching and waiting our right moment to die. No man has the capacity to keep himself from dying.

          Nevertheless, ironic it is, but almost everybody pray and wanted for a better and longer life. People are accumulating wealth, power and everything to enjoy yet when death comes, he cannot take with himself anything he worked for lifetime.

        The church believes that there is life after death. It is the precious moment for at last one can go home back to his Fathers arm- God that one can enjoy an everlasting life away from hardships and difficulties that the material world has offered.

         For some it’s in the form of reincarnation to a certain animals while for some dead it’s the end of everything.

        No matter what one believe about death, one thing is sure, everybody will die and nobody will live forever. What is very important is that man has understood what is life and death. He had able to live his life with meaning and purpose. By doing so, one would not fear death but will welcome him as his happiest moment and his highest achievement.

Rolly Paul Hinguillo