Christmas Filipino style

“Isn’t it too early to greet people a Happy Christmas?” a European asked last December 15. When asked about when they started greeting people a Merry Christmas back in their country, he said closer to the 25th, perhaps on the 20th, when work was done and when people started to relax and feel happy.

Filipinos must be a very happy people since they start Christmas greetings as soon as the “ber” months come!

From September down to December, Christmas songs, ads, lights, decors, greetings are all over. In Cebu, the Christmas decors are not removed till Sinulog, which is celebrated on the third Sunday of January! For Filipinos, Christmas is not just for a day; Christmas extends for months. For some, everyday is Christmas!

Many Filipinos also look forward to December 16, the much-awaited start of simbang gabi or Misa de Gallo. Families, neighbors, friends and individuals wake up very early to join the dawn masses for various reasons.

Many Filipinos bring their prayers anad petitions with them during the 9-day dawn celebration. Others enjoy the cool air, the food that greet them when they go for the early morning masses.

Ah, the migrant Filipinos must surely be missing the bibingka, the sikwate, the puto bungbong after the mass!!! They will also be certainly missing the mano po, the kisses, the hugs and greetings from families and friends!

Can you imagine how many Filipinos get up early to attend the dawn masses? Can you imagine how much prayer power can be mustered for special intentions from all the faithful gathered for each mass until Christmas?

Is it too much to ask the Church to ask all these thousands of Filipinos to pray for special intentions for our country during these 9 days of simbang gabi?

Top on the list of prayers is for the Lord to grant our people more honest public servants so that our nation, our people will be the true recipients of public funds and services. Another prayer can include unity in government and real peace in our land, especially in Mindanao. We need special prayers that are not split between the 2 crowns, Corona, crowned by Gloria, and the Crown Prince, PNoy, crowned by the people by virtue of his being the son of Cory and Ninoy.

We may also wish to include prayers for those affected by the flood in Thailand, by the millions of children especially in Africa who need food and basic services as well to survive?

 Shall we also include special prayers for those who are feeling alone and deprived this Christmas?

And oh yes, prayers of thanksgiving, of praise and worship should also be part of our prayers for a whole year of God’s grace and protection for us and our families and our country.

What else would you like to be included in the prayer offerings for the 9-day dawn masses? Don’t you also wish for the Church bells to ring loudly each early morning till Christmas day?

Aside from reminding everyone about the true message of God’s joy and love for us all, the church can, through the loud campanas, enjoin every Filipino to say a short prayer for honest and genuine governance, prosperity especially for the poor, and for unity for our country, and peace, peace among our people and all throughout the world.

The campanas, simbang gabi, and the powerful prayers of thousands of Filipinos led by the church this Christmas may yet usher in the redeemed united honest Philippines that everyone had been hoping for.

Year in, year out, every 16th of Christmas as well, most probably, an unanswered prayer remains: that of a country like ours to start shining as a true witness of God’s love manifested in real care and service rendered to our people by a true and honest government and by responsible citizens.

When will our country show the world that we truly care for each other, by responding first to the needs of the truly poor and wanting?

Hopefully, next Christmas will see us thank the Lord for blessing our people andour country with much awaited prosperity, honest leaders and genuine public service.

Then shall new prayers of praise and worship finally replace fervent prayers for better lives that have remained unanswered for years?

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