"One Voice" - the Holy Week Special


I spent the Holy Week alone in my room in Countryside, Pasig. Last Good Friday, I attended the fellowship in Word for the World and woah! I was filled with gladness as people were prasing God and worshipping Him! There was no atmosphere of mourning as the world commonly perceive during that day. For us Christians, the Good Friday was and is still the Best Friday in our lives because Jesus is victorious in fulfilling God's plan and we are eternally grateful for the eternal redemption of our Salvation. I could not help myself imagining what sacrifice Jesus did and no tear or word is enough to thank Him.

Today is Easter Sunday and the world is so busy fuzzing about easter bunnies and easter eggs but for us Christians, this sunday is the Resurrection Sunday. It is the day the Lord Jesus Christ has conquered death and rose among the graves and ascended into glory! It is this day that our faith was made. Just five hours ago, I watched our church's musical cantata entitled, "One Voice". Truly, I have watched many easter cantatas in the past but this one really struck a chord inside me.

"One Voice" tells the story of the two Pharisees, Joseph the pharisee of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Remember the heart verse of John 3:16? It is Nicodemus whom Jesus has spoken these words. The cantata begins with John the Baptist preaching about Lord Jesus' coming and some time later on he baptized Him in the name of the Father and of the Spirit. As Jesus' teachings touched the many lives of the people living at that time, these two pharisees also have different shares of conflict and struggles.
Joseph was a Pharisee who was concerned of abiding the Law of Moses. It was his UTMOST duty to protect it and have the people obey it. He found Jesus' teachings totally blasphemous with respect to the Law and he was with a hard heart that he would get rid of Jesus and his teachings so that the Law will prevail. Little did he know that Jesus was working in his hard heart. Nicodemus, on the other hand, was rather a confused man. He ceratinly did not reject Jesus' teachings but was silently believing Him. However, if he would actively declare his faith in Jesus, his reputation will be tarnished. As the story goes on, Joseph's wife is pressuring him to stand by the Law and live up with his father's standards. Meanwhile, Nicodemus' sister encouraged him to let go of his reputation and follow Jesus. Events happened: Jesus was brought into court, he was crucified and both did nothing. They did not condemn him nor pleaded for his life but they wished that they have done something. In the end, Joseph and Nicodemus found each other in the footsteps of Jesus' followers and they totally let go of what binded them for so long and led free lives to follow Jesus.

We ask ourselves now. What keeps us from totally following Jesus? Is it our Job? Ambitions? Career? Money? Opinions of other people? Our own religions? Beliefs? If we let go of everything and totally focus ourselves to Jesus, we could be free just like Joseph and Nicodemus.

Happy Resurrection Sunday Everyone!