And Lean Not On Our Own Understanding

The catholic church here in Singapore decided to celebrate Ash Wednesday on a Friday of that same week. I find it quite amusing, no offence by the way. We might as well catholics, at least here in Singapore, call it Ash Friday. The reason is that this will fall on the first day of Chinese New Year on Feb 9. Majorities here are Chinese, so Chinese New Year is really a grandiose, comparable to Christmas season in Pinas.

I was tempted and itching to approach our parish priest and ask for lucidity. Why does culture and tradition takes precedence over a very important religious event? But then again, I decided not to, prudence got the better of me. Anyway, it's a fat chance that they will reconsider with my inquisitions. The best that I can probably get is euphemistic explanation and a smile. It's no big deal by the way, at least for me. No beef as long as is it not contradictory to, or skewed from the core fundamentals of my faith, which I tend to believe are common denominator for all monotheistic faith: one true God, social justice and practical compassion.

For me, anything inconsistent with these fundamentals is detestable to our Creator and destructive to humanity as a whole. That's why it think it makes sense that Jerusalem, since time immemorial, is in chaos. God is showing us HOW NOT LIVE OUR LIVES: intolerance to people of different faith, insisting one's faith is better, and using force to advance this fallacy and ludicrousness.

Just for your info, R&R--race and religion--are topics of discussions which are taboo here. Openly discussing the "infirmities" of other faiths or skin colors is practically outlawed.