This is a much awaited day in the Philippines. Thousands probably woke up again very early to go alone or to go with friends and family to start this year's Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi!
This practice started from the days of Spanish colonization and has been continued until now for various reasons, from sacred to secular. Prayers are offered for particular intentions: thanksgiving, praise, petition, and more. There are those who wake up early to enjoy the company of friends and family. There are also the attractive delicious treats prepared for the interested waiting for them after the mass.
This year's December 16th came with Typhoon Melor reported to be leaving the Philippines. This year's Misa de Gallo can be offered to include prayers for the affected- that they can move on after the disaster - difficult to do within this festive season.
Perhaps, the Misa de Gallo participants can offer actual help, in cash or in kind to the typhoon victims. The early morning masses can also be thanksgiving offerings to God for sparing our people further loss or destruction. We can raise prayers of gratitude that our people are getting to be more effective in preparing for and protecting themselves and their communities from disasters.
This year's Misa de Gallo can also be special moments to ask God to protect our earth from more natural and human-made disasters. Let us also include our supplication and petition that our country be spared from any more destructive calamities this year and the years to come.
Typhoons and disasters are getting stronger, more frequent, and violent globally, however. This year's Simbang Gabi can also lift prayers of thanksgiving that global leaders in Paris made a joint commitment to take definite steps, to set targets to tackle climate change. Not enough to halt climate change yet but promising small steps for hope for a better world through collective commitment and serious implementation soon, we pray.
Nine days before Christmas, it is good to know that so many of our people are flocking to churches to lift prayers, including prayers for our nation. While the May election is still some months away, we hope all of us join together to petition God to bless our nation with His chosen leaders. Let us also all together pray for discernment and enlightenment for our voters to wisely exercise their precious right of suffrage through thorough and prayerful informed choices of leaders in May.
This time, let us continue to pray that candidates bring the campaign to a very high level of engagement in terms of concrete platforms and committed, honest public service. At the moment, there is so much personal trading of words and acts not worthy of emulation or not fit to offer as good example, especially to our children. Let us pray that election campaigns in our land bring out the best or expose the undeserving among the candidates.
We would even like to propose an ecumenical National Day of Prayer and Fasting as thanksgiving for all the blessings and grace received by all this year. The special day of prayer and fasting can also be one of supplication and petition to God to heal our land of the ills afflicting our people and our country.
The ills are legion: inequality, corruption, abusive leaders, insincere, dishonest public officials, apathetic citizens, and more. May we also have more days of collective prayer to lift up praise and gratitude to the Lord for continuing to love and protect us through the days and years.
Nine days before Christmas, we have enough time to truly reflect on and relish the beautiful essence and reason for celebrating Christmas: for God so loved the world, He sent us His only begotten Son. Happy Simbang Gabi to everyone!