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Holy Week Group
United Methodist students and their faith companions led the Lenten "gig," "Until All Are Fed We Cry Out" in Cabanatuan City, Philippines on March 27, 2018. Photo by Gladys P. Mangiduyos.
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"Every Man"
A morality play, "Every Man" was performed at the student-led Lenten "gig," "Until All Are Fed We Cry Out."
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Philippines communion
Rev Jason Andrew Mallari of Tarlac Philippines Annual Conference presided over an ecumenical communion was included in the Lenten gig, "Until All Are Fed We Cry Out," led by students in Cabanatuan City, Philippines.
CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines –Regardless of faith orientation, spoken word artists, musicians, and actors converged for an ecumenical Lenten gig to express indignation to social unrest and forms of violence as the Holy Week sets in. An ecumenical holy eucharist was celebrated as well.
John Wesley Academy & Critical Thinking Center, a program of The United Methodist Church in the Middle Philippines Annual Conference led the Lenten Gig 2018 with a theme “Until All Are Fed We Cry Out!” on March 27, 2018 at WalterMart, Cabanatuan City.
Powerful poetries, songs and hip hop music on peace and justice denouncing all forms of violence, a play on the day of reckoning entitled Every Man, and a statement were offered.
Aloha Balbuena read her created poetry:
I grew up fearing churches
Not because I came from a family of witches
But because I get scared senseless
Every time I look up and see the man on the cross,
hanging with hands and feet bleeding
with wounds on his body
and thorns on his head
In the eyes of a child I cannot imagine
How people still keep on singing
When there is a man suffering
As a child I cannot imagine
How someone can inflict a terrible pain
As long as people are killing people
And everyone seems to be looking for trouble
As long as leaders are corrupting their power
Stealing lives, money, and even lovers,
As long as there are hatred, pride, violence,
And selfish intentions,
He is nailed to the cross again.
Growing up has made my heart broken
To witness the ugly things happen
And all the time all I heard Him say was:
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Issues on discrimination, violence, corruption, stigma on sexual orientation, religion, migration, broken homes, and depression among others were highlighted. It was attended and participated by students from Wesleyan University-Philippines who belong to United Methodist Church, Wesleyan Church, Iglesia Evangelica Methodista En Las Islas Filipinas (IEMELIF), and Roman Catholic Church.
Nathaniel Capinpin, a devout Roman Catholic student leader who read the poetry he made, underscores inclusivity why he participated in the event.
"The Lenten gig is a perfect example of what God’s church is – inclusive. For a great common purpose, which is both to denounce all forms of social injustices that are happening in our society and to sensitize people about such, we converged to stage a gig that is for God and His people."
Capinpin mentioned the delight he experienced. "It just really feels great to see people of different religious beliefs working and performing in unity and harmony as they are grounded on a common principle; And nothing beats the moment when you hear them all shout together with their firm and loudest voices: ‘Until all are fed we cry out!’"
A scriptural poem on the theme was read before an ecumenical holy communion was given by Rev Jason Andrew Mallari of Tarlac Philippines Annual Conference.
"T'was a great feeling when I did the rap song ‘Where’s The Love?’ by Black-Eyed Peas, that was the only moment of a real cry out," Carmella Porquerino said after the event. "I was really decrying the violence which many people are not seeing. And of course, I feel blessed, because God gave me this kind of talent. I promise to use this for the purpose of sensitizing people.
John Mark Bondoc, a professor who belongs to the Wesleyan Church of the Philippines, said, "The Lenten gig was a great time for us to be united in remembering the deeper meaning of the cry of our Lord Jesus during the last days of His life on earth. The poetries and music emphasized how we should treat one another, how we should value the life that God has given us and how should we make ourselves accountable for every situation."
Bondoc said that the gig empowered the young people to express their indignation on injustices they have witnessed in this world.
In a powerful delivery Capinpin read: "In the midst of all the injustices and distress in our world, it is a consoling thought to consider that there are still feelings greater than us. This consolation can be found in the greatness of the value of life over ruthless killings or in the overriding power of truth, integrity, dignity, and righteousness over greed, lies, selfishness, and corrupt practices. And this consolation is not rare. It is around us. Like how the women’s crusade for empowerment, equity, and liberation from all sorts abuses finds strength in its gradual success over violence and fatal stigma; like how the rainbow of vibrant colors makes its call for equality and respect heard by the hypercritical judges of the boxed society. And like how the loud cry of students champions over the oppressive pedagogy of the prostituted dead zones of imagination. Indeed, there is still hope as there are still feelings greater than us!"
Gladys P. Mangiduyos is a writer in the Philippines. She frequently contributes to United Methodist Insight and United Methodist News Service.