Joseph Masilamany

As Christians around the world marked Good Friday in solemn remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Malaysian prelate Archbishop Simon Poh urged the faithful to become instruments of forgiveness, healing, and peace in a world marked by conflict and division.

“Have nothing to do with that innocent man,” she tells him, “for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

Catholic parishes across West Malaysia and the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak observed Holy Thursday with Maundy Thursday services conducted in multiple languages, including English, Bahasa Malaysia, and local vernaculars such as Iban and Bidayuh.

Holy Thursday, then, is not mere commemoration. It is a return to something fragile and immense, a mystery placed into the care of men who remain, unmistakably, human.

“Palm Sunday invites us to walk with Christ - not only in moments of joy, but also in times of suffering,” Archbishop Leow said. “We must be ready to reach out to those in need and become instruments of peace.”

Sheen was not only a theologian and archbishop - he was also a prolific writer and media pioneer. He authored over 60 books and two syndicated newspaper columns that ran for nearly 20 years, bringing moral and philosophical reflection into the public sphere.

Today, March 25, the Church celebrates the Annunciation of the Lord.

“The blood of martyrs is seed for the Church,” Romero once said. Today, his blood still waters the soil for those daring to speak truth to power.

St. John Paul II was a pilgrim across nations, ideologies, and human experience. He confronted tyranny without weapons, spoke truth without fear, and bore suffering with grace.

On this feast day, St Joseph invites us to reconsider what it means to be great. Not in prominence, but in presence. Not in recognition, but in responsibility. Not in words, but in witness.