Silence Day?

Veneration of the Cross @ St. Simon, Likas (21/3/08)

All these years, I never understand nor did I ever pay attention to Holy Week. To me Good Friday is another public holiday(yes, Good Friday is a Public Holiday in Sabah) that I can wake up anytime in the day, hav light breakfast (no meat), go to church 2hrs before mass in order to get ourselves a place to sit, and spend the 2 hours kaypo-ing, dinner will be very simple with only veges and 'dou shi yu' (can food: black bean fish). Then comes Saturday where my parents will attend mass and I will give excuses just to stay home. Easter Sunday, a very much awaited day bcoz my family will usually throw a big feast. That's my interpretation of Holy week b4 getting married.

Holy Saturday- The Service of Light @ Mary Immaculate Church, Bukit Padang

But this year it was really different. Anoti and I went to church 2 hrs before mass, by then the church was already FULL. Anoti and I had no choice but to split in order to get a seat. I was lucky then, I found a seat which was near to the altar. Bcoz of my strategic location, I actually pay full attention through out the whole mass. It was that moment, I learned that Bali practices Silence Day - Nyepi which I think people like me should practice. Its a day where we shunned ourselves from the electronic world. 4 hours of pure silence. No handphone, no laptop, no TV, no radio, no air-cond, no fan and so on....4 hours of pure meditation and reflection. Can I survive the 4 hours (10am-2pm) of silence? It makes me wonder....but i will definitely give it a try next Good Friday.

Happy Easter Folks!