Stations of the Cross by teenagers, for teenagers

Onofre Pagsanghan is one of the finest teachers the Ateneo de Manila has ever had. In addition to teaching, he is the moderator of the High School Dramatic Guild, Dulaang Sibol.

Years ago, one of his young actors in Dulaang Sibol was Manoling Francisco. Working with Professor Pagsanghan, Manoling wrote a song: "Hindi Kita Malilimutan". It won five national awards. He entered the Society of Jesus, and for his first vows he wrote: "Sa Iyo Lamang" Both were written as hymns, prayers — but at weddings in churches all over the world you will hear Filipinos singing them as beautiful love songs.

Pagsi has a genius for encouraging young boys, and drawing the best out of them. Right now his Dulaang Sibol has produced a guide for saying the stations of the cross, for teenagers. Pagsi wrote the introduction. Here it is:

"When I was in 2nd Year High School, during the Japanese occupation of Manila, my home-room teacher in Math and Religion was a Christian Brother. That was many, many years ago; but there are teachers one doesn’t forget. Brother William was that way. He was the toughest teacher in the whole school. Behind his back, we called him the Gestapo.

"What I remember most about him was the morning he CRIED.

"The class was stunned into silence.

"Tears flowing down his face, Brother William took his man-sized handkerchief and blew his nose. Hard. The sight of this tough teacher-terror CRYING was almost ludicrous, were it not so bone-HONEST and gut-REAL

"Brother William was not the most eloquent of speakers. But that morning the lesson was not about public speaking. It was about being a WITNESS to the passion of Christ. And because Christ was so REAL to this witness, Christ became REAL to us. Because he witnessed Christ’s passion with such HONESTY, Christ’s passion came ALIVE to us.

"That morning’s experience shook us, teenagers, to the edge of prayer and tears.

* * *

"Toward the end of last school year, Father Catalino Arevalo, S.J., of the Loyola House of Studies, invited us to an interesting project. He sent us three pamphlets on making the STATIONS OF THE CROSS — one by a woman, another by a priest, the last one by a pope. Then Father Arevalo challenged the teenagers of Dulaang Sibol to try their hands and hearts at writing yet another Stations of the Cross. One written by teenagers for teenagers.

"The Sibolistas took the challenge to heart. They knew they could not do the writing without the WITNESSING. So they went through the Stations in a slowed-down pace. Two Stations per afternoon. Then in solitude and silence each Sibolista wrote down his reflections and prayers. Only one proviso was given for the witnessing and the writing. Be HONEST. Be REAL.

* * *

"Their work comes to you with a hope and a prayer. May these reflections and prayers by teenagers help other teenagers along the Way of the Cross. To Christ."

Here are some of the reflections:

"Sometimes I feel like a Pilate. I allow myself to be swept by what most people feel is ‘cool’. Nobody wants to be different. . . . . . .Being different means saying ‘No’. Being different means standing up for the outcasts, the fat people we tease, the gay community that we scorn, the poor we ostracize, the unwanted, the least. . . . . . It is so hard to be different. . . . . . Sometimes it is easier to crucify Jesus."

"Simon of Cyrene was pressed into helping a convict. He was conscripted into the great drama. He hated it. . . . .But after sharing His burden, Simon was reduced to tears for saying, ‘No, Lord’. He realized that he was a scourger, too. . . . . .Slowly, I realize I need to be pushed into water to learn how to swim. And I regret not jumping into the pool sooner."

"Jesus has been subjected to much brutality. He has been mocked and spat upon. He has been scourged, ridiculed, crowned with thorns. And now amidst the jeering crowd He carries a crude cross through the cobbled streets of Jerusalem up to the place of His crucifixion. And in this crucible of cruelty, a waft of unexpected gentleness. Veronica breaks bravely through the crowds and gently wipes the bloodied face of Jesus. Such courage, such gentleness from a girl so frail and fragile!"

"Perhaps, the most heart-rending part when someone dies is not the actual death, but rather, when the casket is lowered into the grave. It is here where the bereaved cry the most. It is the time when we have to accept the fact that we would never be able to see that loved one again. . . . . .Perhaps, the same thing happened to Jesus’ friends when the big stone was rolled to cover the tomb. Their hearts wept. . . . Our hearts should weep."

"Jesus came to die and love and live, so that we too may love and live. . . . .We were meant to die. And to live. And to love."

* * *

These Stations of the Cross, by teenagers and for teenagers, have been published by the Campus Ministry of the Ateneo de Manila High School, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.