Piety and frivolity

Every Sinulog season church people always remind us of the need to balance the entertainment aspect of the event with spiritual activities. The reminder is proper for without it our enthusiasm for jollity and frivolity could go overboard to the neglect of the religious nature of the affair.

PistaSeñor, the very reason for all the hassle and dazzle of it all, is of course a religious happening. It's a celebration of the joy and thanksgiving we feel for the gift of the Child Jesus' presence in our midst. What we have in the Basilica altar may just be an image crafted by human hands. But to most of us devotees it is the living Child God himself, for how explain the countless miracles it has manifested all these years.

The sick were healed, the poor were fed, troubled hearts became at peace, and most important the wanton and the prodigal rediscovered God. "Kanamo maluoy kaunta" sang by a sea of faithfuls' during novena masses is not just a supplication, it is an affirmation of the sensitivity of the Holy Child to the ails and travails of every supplicant who come to him.

As if these are not enough, the endless stream of worshippers who walk and pray during the solemn procession as the Santo Niño is conducted along the streets, hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of angel-faced adorers from all walks of life and from far and near-these are testament of the spiritual fervor the Pista Señor has awaken in us, his people.

Then comes the Sinulog Mardigras! From solemnity to levity the mood changes. Dancers gayly clad dancing to the beat of drums, swaying here and there, shouting "Viva Santo Niño"! Theme floats decked with muses smiling like the roses; higantes hobbling along scaring kids and scattering onlookers. It's a big big show, and an overwhelmingly delightful event and everyone seems to be enjoying.

Businessmen of course enjoy it all because business is good when people are in holiday mood; tourist enjoy because they are getting their dollars' worth of spectacle; government men are happy  because more visitors means more tax money; and of course the participants themselves feel gratified by the attention and accolade they get, win or loss in the competitions.Hassles and bubbles keep the entire city on its feet. Colors and crooners bewitch revelers and onlookers, and yes even those at home watching the happening on t.v.

 Where's the whiff of prayers from the Basilica? Where's the votive sway of old folks prayer-dancing for Tatay and Nanay? Forget about them, this is the Sinulog, the mother of the country's festivals. This is the modern-day worship of the Santo Niño. But many church people are not happy. Too much frivolity, too little piety, they wail. Balancing is needed. Deepening of faith should grow out of the Santo Niño festivities, not the enhancing of profit, power, and fame.

Yet are prayers articulated only on bended knees? Is God present only within church walls or its corridors? The whole gamut of Christian theology is replete with the idea that God is everywhere. Here's Saint JosemariaEscriva's on this: "Too often we live as through our Lord is somewhere far off-where the stars shine. We fail to realize that he is also by our side-always".

God at our side and always! What a comforting reality! Dancing or just watching the dancers, God is near us, most likely enjoying too what's going on. And  as we do our thing we think of him and offer what we are doing to him, how happy God would be!

So what's this talk about balancing frivolity with piety? If dancing is a prayer, what's the need for prayers? The truth is that dancing is a prayer only if you think of God as you dance and dedicate your art to him. If you dance only for money or glory or for such mundane stuff some supernatural entity may be with you, but it could not be God.It could be the devil.