A: 3rd Sun of Adv (15 Dec 2019) - COMMUNAL JOY (Mt 11:2-11)

Widely celebrated and anticipated worldwide is the Philippine staging of the Simbang Gabi masses (“Mass at Night”), also known as Misa de Gallo (“Mass of the Rooster”) or Aguinaldo Masses (“Gift-giving Masses”). These are nine days of novena dawn masses celebrated before Christmas Day.

However, liturgically speaking, this event is something that essentially defies the main principles of the Advent Season. Whereas Advent is a time for repentance of sins reflected in the violet color, the Simbang Gabi masses invite vibrant joyful participation symbolically represented by the white color. Also, whereas in the former the recitation of the Gloria is reserved until Nativity Day, in the latter the Gloria is joyfully sung every day. Finally, whereas in the former the mood is a reflective waiting for the coming of the Lord, the latter parades a festive atmosphere with all the parols (decorative stars), the mouth-watery puto bumbongand bibingka (rice cakes), the Christmas carols, the sparkling lights, and the monstrous Christmas trees at full display. By and large, the Simbang Gabi masses proclaim that Christmas Day has already arrived, and such will last even for weeks until mid-January.

I see that the Simbang Gabi masses is one of the best illustrations in explaining the Advent proclamation of “here but not yet” in terms of the coming of the Lord. On the one hand, Jesus has not arrived yet since physically he would be born only when Joseph and Mary would have traveled to Bethlehem for the national census ordered by Emperor Augustus (Lk 2:1, 4). On the other hand, he has already entered into our hearts especially when “the Word became flesh and lived among us”(Jn 1:14) which we definitely experience as we listen intently on the words of the Scriptures. In a similar vein, the Simbang Gabi masses maintain that it is not yet Christmas––the festivity on that day is beyond compare as family reunions are traditionally held beginning at its eve in the so-called Noche Buena (“Good Dinner”)––but anticipates its joy with the smiles, joys, decorations, food, songs, and merry-making happening left and right.

The Advent Season echoes this same joy on its Third Sunday which is dubbed as the Gaudete Sunday, termed as us by virtue of the liturgical entrance antiphon recited in the mass that day: “Rejoice (‘Gaudete’) in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5). Similarly, Jesus in our gospel today assured the disciples of John the Baptist that joy and happiness should not be compromised, despite fazed by the incarceration of their revered prophet. He gently reminded them not to lose faith but to cheer up: “the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor;happy is the man who does not lose faith in me (Mt 11:5-6).”

The holding of Simbang Gabi masses is officially approved by the Vatican evident in Philippine liturgical ordos(“order”) published annually. Today, December 15, 2019, is, however, quite monumental as it is the first time that the Supreme Pontiff in the person of Pope Francis celebrates the beginning of these novena masses at the St. Peter’s Basilica attended by several Filipino communities in Italy. Pope Francis, in so doing, not only validates our long-held tradition of doing dawn masses (even doing it anticipatedly ) but, more than anything else, enjoins us all, even non-Filipinos, to continue to wear smiling faces and to see joy and happiness amidst all the adversities of life.

One familiar refrain in a Filipino Christmas jingle is “sana araw-araw ay magiging pasko lagi” (“hopefully, it will be Christmas every day”). May this be our perennial disposition each day.

- Rex Fortes, CM