Travel Industry’s Lenten Reflections

This week, we recall the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, through our respective forms of penitence, prayers, fasting, abstinence, or any other act that would show atonement for whatever sins we may have committed. I asked some friends, who represent a good cross-section of the travel industry, to share their thoughts on this Holy Season:

Lent means the story of our Lord Jesus Christ, His humble birth, His death, His glorious resurrection. It reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice that was made for the atonement of my sin. Lent inspires me to do my utmost for His highest, so that one day I can stand worthy before Him and let Him know that His sacrifice was worth it. –Simon Ang, managing director, Let’s Celebrate Life Travel

Lent is the time to reflect and appreciate more the unselfish love of our Lord through the death of His son, Jesus, for us to have an everlasting life and the assurance that God is alive and God is good ALL the time. –Onelle Pacheco-Verzosa, director of Sales & Marketing, Boracay Tropics/Hotel Celeste

For me, the observance of Lent should be focused on Jesus Christ who did as God the Father willed it. He suffered on the cross, died, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. As Christians, Lent reminds us to firmly believe that Christ went through these sufferings as a sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. Acts 15:11 says, “…we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…” –Ma. Corazon Jorda Apo, director, Market Development Group, Department of Tourism

Lent should be the time for forgiveness… for the slights and imagined oversights of family and friends, for the unintended and deliberate snubs of colleagues, for the violent and hurtful words and actions of strangers and neighbors. Forgiveness is such a neglected and unpracticed virtue. Perhaps it is often neglected in the daily hustle of making a living, surviving traffic and earning a pat on the back from the boss and the customer. The pause that Lent brings should, therefore, be the most appropriate time to resolve that we should, more and often, be forgiving of one another. For didn’t He Himself show it, for all the world to see that in His final hour, He cried out for forgiveness for all of us even if we did not know what we were doing? How, then, can we not follow Him? –Arnie Bayag, consultant for Inboud, Travel Experts Inc.

Each day of Lent, through prayer, I remember special friends, family members and loved ones. I pray for a specific person each day, for their safety, good health and blessings from God. I also fast from negative thoughts and make myself more worthy and grow more deeply in God’s grace. I also make sure that I spend quality time with my family during this season. –Isabel Garcia, AVP-Sales, Henann Group of Companies

Lent is a time for us to reflect on the sufferings of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Lent is about repentance, sacrifice, prayer and almsgiving. We are all leading such busy lives that we might have forgotten the true essence of our lives – love for God and love for our fellowmen. –Ma. Paz Alberto, president, Ark Travel Express Inc. 

Lent is the reflection of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to save humanity from suffering and death. The Lenten period is the time for repentance, forgiveness, abstinence and prayer. As a Roman Catholic by heart and soul, I would do what Christians do during Lent: Join the “Pabasa,” Visita Iglesia, listen to the Siete Palabras, join the procession on Good Friday, the Salubong and all other Lenten activities. –Teody Espallardo, senior sales manager, Huma Island Resort and Spa 

While we live in the guidance of God every day, we still tend to do wrong things and give in to temptations. This is why Lent, for me, is a very special time. It gives us time to ponder on things we have done and those we have failed to do. It allows us to reflect how far we have drifted away from God. It gives us an intimate time with ourselves to focus more on the wondrous grace that can lead us back to Him so that we shall be worthy of the sacrifices Jesus made to save us from our sins. –Marlene Insigne, manager, Tours Division, Southeast Travel Corp.

The Lenten season is the time for reflection on how closely I have lived my life according to the instructions of our Lord. –Apolonio Anota, Jr., chairman and president, Kultura at Sining Scholarship Foundation  YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE: There are three kinds of men in this world.  Some remain single and make wonders happen. Some have girlfriends and see wonders happen. The rest get married and wonder what happened. For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com