simbang gabi

i have been attending the misa de aguinaldo at our subdivision's chapel these past days. it was a first for me - attending the masses at just one church/chapel coz usually, i go to different churches each day.
this year is the first in our subdivision to have the masses and i think it is an answered prayer coz this time, i need not wake up very very early for mass. i can leave the house at 415 and still make it in time.
i enjoy hearing monsignor's sermon every day. he makes short ones but they surely get the point right through you.
day one had him asking us "what is your motivation for attending the masses?". mine was to get myself ready for christmas, christ's birthday. i have been doing this for the past years and so this is already a sort of tradition for me (even my friends too).
day two, he talked about families after reading in the gospel the lineage of jesus. no family is perfect, not even jesus'. these days, the concept of what a family is has been changing. the monsignor said that if we simply look at the picture and add into the formula our ideas and mainstream/traditional definitions of “normal”, we would immediately conclude that the Filipino family is headed for disaster. but it doesn’t have to be. there is much hope to be found on the other side. estranged couples are now more willing to deal with each other with respect and love despite their obvious differences. they bring their new spouses into the picture, creating a new web of parenting and friendship that is borne of acceptance and maturity. The whole family learns a whole new way to love. the circle gets bigger, the children are faring better than having their parent stay together and live in an environment of lies and indifference.
day three had him talking about the blessed virgin. she has always been the intercessor and people ask her to favors like passing the board exam, having lots of money, getting visa, etc. she has become a "lady of petitions" when she should be the "lady of imitation". we should go back to wanting to imitate the values and virtues of the blessed mother and not just ask her for favors when sometimes what we ask for are not exactly what's best for us.
day four, he talked about heartbreak. heartbreak, in any form, can be a straight road towards our greater humanity and that’s why it is so painful. after that, you can never be the same. on this often unplanned journey, you plunge into the very depths of darkness, just like the Christ did, and then begin your own pilgrimage towards your center again–that place in you that carries the most light. a heart that is broken and healed shines so much brighter than one that is whole and unsullied, because it has more cracks through which light and sun and joy can enter! it knows more, feels more, grieves more, laughs more. It is just more!
this morning, he talked about change and taking risks. it is not an easy thing to do, he said, but sometimes, taking that leap of faith is what's best for you. sometimes, all you have to do is jump and everything will fall into place. after that he talked about taking the chance to help others, especially those who were struck by Sendong.

tomorrow's day six and it's four mornings til i finish my novena.
goodnight, friends.

misa de gallo

every year i attend the misa de gallo and usually i go to nine different churches for each day. this year, however, i limited my church goings to two: my school's chapel (about 15mins drive away) and the church near my house.
i guess this was a better option because the sermons were "connected" more rather than when i go to different churches. each year, the gospels are the same but the realizations are different/added upon.

so what have i learned?

interconnection

we are all connected in God. people may not know that, people may not like that but we are one family. we are God's family and may we never cut that off.
Do not let go of God even when others have. Hold God with one hand, grip the other person with your other hand.

letting God work himself in and through us.

Why is it so hard to listen to God? To know what he wants for us? Easy. It's because people are spoiled. When someone is spoiled, it makes it harder for the person to listen to someone else. A spoiled person enjoys immediate gratification. S/he does not know how to wait for something (even someone) s/he wants. A spoiled heart can no longer listen to God. That's why it is important for everyone to practice discipline. Delay the gratification a little bit. For when you wait for something (or someone), that something (or someone) becomes more meaningful. It's easy to take something (someone) for granted when you got it just as easy.

change.

change is good. change for the better, that is. let us not be content with just being "okay". we can always work on being better, being the best. everything for God's glory.

patience

people these days do not have this virtue anymore. in a world of fast food, fast wifi, fast everything, people tend to want everything, right now. that's even true with prayers. people want results fast. God's delays are not GOd's denials. Sometimes we just have to wait. God will never give us what's less for us.

taking a deeper look at things/persons

image is a big thing nowadays. we are caught by appearances that we forget to look deeper. we tend to shun what's "ugly", what's "not in" and fall for the "beautiful/cool" ones. we forget that image is just the tip of the iceberg. a person is more than just his/her face. we should dig deeper coz when we do that, me just might find a more beautiful person underneath.

hope

we Pinoys have plenty of this. we always seem to find the positive in whatever negative that comes our way. With hope, we can face the darkness. Miracles do happen.

being a light for others

Jesus is the light of the world. we should also be lights in our own ways. in order to be a light for others, we must be light persons - have a light heart, a light disposition.

love

the best way to celebrate Christmas is not through the giving of material gifts but of our presence, our love - making our loved ones feel and know that we are there for them.

that's my aguinaldo post for this year.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

6th day

It's the 6th day of simbang gabi and the stress is taking a toll on me. I've been getting home at 12midnght or onwards lately due to all the christmas events and I get about 2hrs max sleep before the mass. Good thing I got some sleep after the mass this morning.

Anyway, the sermon this morning was about letting God work himself in and through us. The importance of discipline and of delayed self-gratification.

Why is it so hard to listen to God? To know what he wants for us? Easy. It's because people are spoiled. When someone is spoiled, it makes it harder for the person to listen to someone else. A spoiled person enjoys immediate gratification. S/he does not know how to wait for something (even someone) s/he wants. A spoiled heart can no longer listen to God. That's why it is important for everyone to practice discipline. Delay the gratification a little bit. For when you wait for something (or someone), that something (or someone) becomes more meaningful. It's easy to take something (someone) for granted when you got it just as easy.

Are you ready to listen to God?

5th day

I was supposed to go to a chuch near my house but since I was out of the house early, i drove farther and ended up somewhere else.

The gospel says that in the sixth month after the conception of St. John the Baptist by Elizabeth, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the Virgin Mary. Mary was of the house of David, and was espoused to Joseph, of the same royal family. And the angel having taken the figure and the form of man, came into the house and said to her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." Mary having heard the greeting words did not speak; she was troubled in spirit, since she knew not the angel, nor the cause of his coming, nor the meaning of the salutation. And the angel continued and said: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. "



Priest's sermon was focused on what a christian is. He said that in the gospel, there are two things uttered by the angel Gabriel that could best describe a follower of Christ:

"the Lord is with thee" = A christian has the Lord with him/her. Therefore, s/he is a happy person.

"Fear not" = A christian is fearless. Fearless because s/he is with the Lord.

So we all should smile. Stay postive. And we should have courage.
The Lord is with us.

Do you have what it takes to be a Christian?

4th day

I went to mass at a hospital's chapel. Chapel was overflowing with people. I got there at 410am and had no seat already.

I was still annunciation day but not Jesus'. First reading was about Samson. The gospel was about John the baptist. What do these two have in common? They were both borne to parents who were not old but rather "advanced in age" (I love how politically-correct that is!) and they were both consecrated to the Lord while still in the womb.

In the gospel, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and told him that his wife will be of child and that thier child will pave the way for the messiah. Zechariah questioned this and he then he lost his ability to speak until Elizabeth gave birth.

So what do these readings teach us?

We should try to look at the bright side. Be optimistic. See the positive in everything/everyone and believe in the good. Believe that no matter how nasty something/someone is, there will always be something good -no matter how small- in it/her/him (hahah).

The priest said this: "God's delays are not GOd's denials. Sometimes we just have to wait. Do not lose hope and thank God for that waiting period because that means He's preparing you to receive that wonderful gift. Hope. With hope, we can face the darkness. Miracles do happen. God will never give us what's less for us."

How do we look at the world? at other people? How do we go about in our relationships?

3rd day

This morning, I attended simbang gabi at another church/chapel. My goal is to attend nine masses at nine different churches/chapels so i'm on a roll here(hahaha).

The gospel today was about the annunciation. The annunciation to both Mary and Joseph.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, all she said was "be it done unto me according to your word."

One sentence and trouble ensued. She got pregnant. Out of wedlock.

The priest focused on Joseph. Joseph did not sleep with Mary but Mary got pregnant. In their culture, something like that calls for a public trial and eventually stoning to death of the adulterer.

Joseph was man enough to stand up for Mary. He was compassionate. He decided to secretly divorce her. He spared her and the child from being killed. When the angel visited him and enlightened him about what happened to Mary, he changed his mind and we all know what happened next.

Mary and Joseph both said yes to God.

What does it cost us to say yes to God as well?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

the church i went to this morning had an empty belen. every morning, they add an element/figure to the belen...pretty nifty concept. i'll come back and take pics of the belen when it's complete =)

2nd day

I was supposed to blog last night but i had too much to do. Apologies to my five followers (hehehe....aylabsyu!)

So I went to the second day of simbang gabi. This time to another church - rather chapel of one of the big malls here in our place.

The gospel was about Jesus' genealogy. For those who have attended or have been attending simbang gabi for the past year/s, this is where we hear about his lineage -Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, until it reaches Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Priest said it is important to note the genealogy of Jesus to know that he came from the the blood line of David, the king. Jesus was of royal blood but he did not come to be a political king, he came to save us from sin, to lead us to where there is true happiness.

May this holiday season make us realize that what is truly important is that we celebrate Christ's birth and not think too much of the material things that come with the season.

1st morning

it's another round of simbang gabi for me. when mom was still around, she used to sing for the cathedral's choir and i was just happy to tag along every morning. she sang with the choir until the december before she died and so i promised to continue this tradition.
i went to mass at 430am earlier. mass was surprisingly short, just about an hour. last year, i attended a mass that started at 430 and lasted til 645am. priest got so pumped up with his sermon he did not notice some people were already snoring...hehehe.
after mass i had breakfast with some friends and then went to work super early. by midmorning, i was super sleepy na rin =(

i took some pictures but can't upload them yet. will prolly post them tomorrow. have to sleep earlier tonight so i can have enough energy for tomorrow =)

thank God, it's not a kumod-filled day today! yay!