MISSA DE GALLO

Being a Christian is considered as one of the good legacies of the Spaniards to us. It is through the Spaniards that we came to know that there is only One and True God and we learned to worship Him. It has become part of our consciousness to live according to the teachings of Jesus. The propagation of Christianity in the country was accompanied by traditions that serve to strengthen our faith in God. One of these traditions which was started by the Spanish friars is the “Dawn Mass.”

The celebration of the Dawn Masses in the Philippines started in the 1700’s. It was during that time that the friars started to celebrate novena masses in preparation for the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the mass, the friars wanted to emphasize in the hearts and minds of new members the importance of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

The Dawn Masses are also called “Missa de Gallo.” Gallo is Spanish for “rooster”. The crowing of the rooster was a signal for Filipinos to rise up and prepare for mass. Most of the Filipinos then were farmers and fishermen. By celebrating the mass before the sun rises and before the people went to work in the farm or sea, the friars allowed the people still to worship God without neglecting their livelihood. In this way, the parish priests are successful in gathering their parishioners in one mass.

The Dawn Masses are also called “Misas de Aguinaldo.” During these masses, we commemorate the giving of gifts of the three wise men to the Child Jesus in the manger.

The Dawn Mass is an important spiritual tradition that serves as a preparation for Christmas. It helps us to recall and reflect on the spirit of the first Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Can you now hear the first crow of the rooster? Let us go and attend the Dawn Mass.

MERCY AND COMPASSION: PREPARATION FOR THE PAPAL VISIT

God is merciful and compassionate. His kindness knows no end and his mercy lasts forever, even if we continue to sin against Him. Because of His mercy and compassion, He sent His only Son to ransom and save us. That is why, in the Incarnation of God, through the mediation of Christ, we felt and saw the mercy and compassion of the Heavenly Father.

Christ is the face of the merciful and compassionate God. In Matthew 9:36, it is said, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” And if we observe all the things that the Lord has made, they are full of mercy and compassion. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, delivered those possessed by evil spirits, preached the truth, gave light and hope to humankind. And the greatest among these is: He offered His own life on the cross so that we can be saved and, become worthy of the everlasting life.

On January 14-19, 2015, Pope Francis will visit our country. The theme of his visit is mercy and compassion. He will come to let us feel and remember the mercy and compassion of God. He knows the situation of the Filipinos. He knows our sufferings, especially the suffering of the victims of calamities in our country. The world will never forget what happened last year, especially in the Visayan Region, when Typhoon Yolanda devastated our country. Thousands of lives were lost, properties were destroyed, many families were separated, and dreams were shattered. Until now, the victims still feel those sufferings. Many people became merciful and compassionate because of happened in the country. And one of those people is Pope Francis.

During the visit of Pope Francis, let us all prepare. Let us dispose ourselves by reflecting and living the mercy and compassion of God. It is important in our preparation that we ourselves feel that mercy and compassion. And since we know that we are all sinful and we experience a lot of sufferings, we also need mercy and compassion. Let us approach God. We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us go back to Him because He is merciful and is always ready to forgive. We also have the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus Christ, who is the source of life and strength of the Church. Let us remember those who are in need of mercy and compassion. Let us pray for them and help them to live their life again. Let us come together and help each other so that our Church will be a Church of mercy and compassion. During the visit of Pope Francis, may he see and feel in us that we are a nation and church full of the mercy and compassion of Christ who is our Lord.

THE GIFT OF SELF

Giving gifts to friends, co-workers, schoolmates, and loved ones has become a part of our celebration of Christmas. This custom originates from the Gospel story of the three wise men who came from the East and offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ received gifts during the first Christmas. This is the reason why gift-giving is very much alive during the commemoration of His birth. 

 

But if we will meditate upon this closely, who is really the receiver and giver of the gift during the first Christmas? Is it Jesus who offered his own life for us that we may be saved from sin? Or is it not us who first received the gift of Life of Jesus for our salvation? And is it not us who are tasked to share the gift of Jesus to others? And is it not us who are challenged to give ourselves as gift for others, not just during Christmas but at all times?

Giving gifts during Christmas does not pertain only to the giving of material things. More than these is the giving of oneself to the others, especially to those who are in need of companions in their loneliness, suffering and sorrow. The giving of oneself, perhaps, is the greatest gift one can offer to the other, in imitation of Jesus who offered his life for us all when he was born and crucified on the cross. This kind of gift giving-- giving oneself for the other-- is pleasing to the eyes of God and will remain with Him forever.

This coming Christmas, do not be alone or be selfish. Share to others. As the cliché goes, presence is the best present.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CELEBRATING THE CHRISTMAS VIGIL MASS

There is a great mystery that will unfold tomorrow and vigilance and preparations are needed for the coming of this day. We ordinarily call an overnight watch as vigil. The word vigil comes from the Latin word ‘vigilia’ which means ‘a watching’ or ‘keeping watch.’ In Filipino, pagmamatyag, paglalamay or pagtatanod. Thus our understanding of a vigil does not only mean to keep awake over the course of the night. It involves preparedness and watchfulness in ushering a most awaited day.

The vigil is a living tradition that originates from the early Christians, thousands of years ago. It was their custom to gather together in a church before the day of the feast which they commemorate. If we can stay awake for the things we deem important such as work, studies, even wakes for the dead, we should also keep vigil for the days significant for our faith: a vigil filled with preparedness and watchfulness.

Easter, Pentecost, Ascension at Christmas are some of the days when we hold vigils. In 380 AD, a Christian woman named Egeria went to Jerusalem. According to her, the Christians there hold a vigil that begins in the midnight in Bethlehem. The vigil is followed by a procession, with torches guiding their way to Jerusalem before the dawn. The procession ends in Jerusalem in time for the rising of the sun. Following this tradition, Pope Sixtus III promulgated the Midnight mass in a chapel in Bethlehem in 430 AD.

The present Christmas Vigil Mass that is celebrated a day before Christmas can be considered as a tradition that originated from the Christians in Jerusalem. Since then, as Christians, we continue to hold a vigil filled with preparedness and watchfulness for the coming of the day when our Lord is born. And like the early Christians, may the light of our Lord Jesus Christ remain our guide in the darkness until the new dawn breaks.

AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH

Jesus is the Word of God. He is God together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through the incarnation of Jesus, we witness a great dialogue: God gave his Word to Mary and Mary gave her answer to God. Both God and Mary have the same word – true and everlasting. Both God and Mary have the same Word – Jesus. This is the reason why Jesus is both true God and true man. He is the great reconciliation, union and communion between God and man.

When Jesus became man, he embraced our humanity. He became like us, especially the lowliest among us. Jesus lived a simple life among us. He was not glamorous, rich and powerful despite his being God. He chose to live simply with ordinary people. He even chose to be born in a stable. He lived a hidden life and like us he experienced how it was to be poor, to go hungry, to mourn and to die. He became man for our sake: that we may experience that God is very close to us, that he is with us in our difficulties and ease.

Christmas is a great celebration of so great a love God has for us. St. Athanasius once said, “God became man so that man may become god.” God shared in our life so that we may share in his life.