Magsisimula na naman po ang panahon ng simbang gabi o yung tinatawag nating Pinoy na misa de gallo (or "rooster's mass," kasi nga sa madaling araw ito ginaganap nang titilaok pa lang ang mga tandang paggising). Ang Simbang Gabi is one of the longest and most popular Filipino religious traditions in the country. “It is when Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi” which “ is a series of nine dawn masses. . . It begins on December 16 and ends on the midnight of the 24th of December, which is the midnight mass.”*
The argument we will deal with today ay ang argument na “Born-again Christians should not hold or participate in Simbang Gabi because it is not a traditional Protestant or evangelical religious activity.” Hindi po madaling sagutin ang tanong na ito ng "Oo" at "Hindi" para sa akin kaya naman po ang malimit na tugon ko dito ay yung prinsipyo ng continuity at discontinuity. May ititigil at mayroon ding itutuloy base na din sa personal conviction ng Christian and in most cases 'yung kaniyang simbahan. Bahagi ng Christian liberty ang pagsasagawa ng mga bagay na hindi magdudulot ng iyong pagkakasala at pagkakasala ng iba. Although may iba iba ring pananaw sa Christian liberty mga evangelicals they still provide mga moral boundaries for its exercise.
Sa pagsagot ng argument na ito, ilalagay natin sa continuum na (1) “History supports the claim that the simbang gabi is not a traditional evangelical religious activity” at (2) there are some very important lessons we can learn from this religious-cultural Pinoy festivity.
History of Simbang Gabi
Ang Simbang Gabi po ay naka novena mass. Ang mga evangelicals ay walang novena tradition. Ang word na novena is from the Latin “novem” which means “nine” -- that is why sa Simbang Gabi sa Pilipinas, it is held for nine consecutive days. According to some information na nakalap ko, ang Simbang Gabi ay unang in-observe nung unang panahon sa gabi talaga, subalit nagkaroon ng compromise agreement ang mga pari at parishioners na gawin ito sa madaling araw.
There was a practical reason behind the missionary father's design to hold early Mass. The Filipinos are a farming people, and they typically greeted the dawn of a new day in the fields while working the land. The missionary fathers decided . . . integrating a distinctly Filipino custom with the needs of Catholic worship.†Now you might think na ang novena ay isang solemn na event, at usually characterized ng mga matatandang babae na naka belo. Ngunit, bakit ang simbang gabi sa Pinas ay napaka festive at makulay?
It's for the simple reason na 'yung novena ginawang festive. Parang 'yung ginawa nating 'yung lamay nagkaroon ng videoke. Sa Simbang Gabi mayroon pang puto bumbong, parol at lights, salabat at iba pa? Dagdag pa, "a local band goes around town playing Christmas songs and inviting people to worship. After the Mass, the band continues to play and a variety of delicacies are displayed in the churchyard for everyone's pleasure. On the sidewalk, lighted lanterns called 'Parols' (Filipino version of the star of David [sic]) add to the joyous atmosphere that pervades the air,"‡
A novena nga is “nine days' private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces.” Although it is a little baffling talaga kung paano naging festive ang isang novena. Ang eight days, ayon sa Catholic Encyclopedia, or “octave has more of the festal character; to the novena [however] belongs that of hopeful mourning, of yearning, of prayer. "The number nine in Holy Writ is indicative of suffering and grief" (St. Jerome, in Ezech., vii, 24; — P.L., XXV, 238, cf. XXV, 1473).”
Well I can see only one reason why Filipinos would subvert "suffering and grief" with buhay-makulay. I could speculate na ganito ang resolve, "Andidito na rin lang tayo umagang umaga, gumawa na tayo ng puto bumbong, gisingin natin ang kabayanan with a band, magsabit tayo ng mga parol at gawin natin itong makulay."
Again, Filipino ingenuity (and subversion hehehe) at its finest. Para tayong si Puss sa Shrek, "Let's fiesta!"
What started out as a simple novena of masses to "obtain special graces,"§ became a colorful community cultural activity that lasted through the ages. Suportado naman ito ng Holy See lalung lalo na ng Vatican 2 Article 37 of the Sacred Liturgy.║
So, ang lalim po ng Roman |Catholic tradition dito kaya naman mapapansin ninyo bibihira o mangilan-ilang lang ang mga evangelical churches who do a simbang gabi of their own at ito’y tila mga midweek services on the theme ng kapaskuhan. Ang Protestant tradition never had this type of tradition so I think historically the argument’s support that says, “because it is not a traditional Protestant or evangelical religious activity” is actually true.
Recuperating Back to Jesus
But like any other festivity, the object of celebration gets forgotten in the celebration itself kasi na-engross sa katuwaan. Ito din nga yung naging dahilan kaya pinagbawal ng mga early Protestants ang Christmas celebration dahil naging inuman na lang talaga at kalokohan sa marami.
The Archdiocese of Pasig explains that the purpose of the Simbang Gabi: “novena of Masses in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Expectant Mother of God, and in preparation for the commemoration of the birth of our Savior.”¶ The deeper we get into the study of the history and theology of the Simbang Gabi the more we get into these two directions: Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Evangelicals do not have a doctrine of veneration of the saints and that is why we do not split the Christmas festivity honoring Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Dahil po sa ang ating episode series ay “Where’s the baby” let us refocus our attention on seeing the Simbang Gabi as a cultural symbol upang i-invite tayo to remember and prepare for the anniversary of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We also have to remember that culturally a more sincere celebration of Christmas season teaches that it is both 1) festal or pagbubunyi at 2) paghahanda.
If you were to ask me if I will attend a Catholic mass for Simbang Gabi, I would say no. However, I would like to create three duties para naman hindi lang puro reflection lang mangyari. These three duties are: secret, private at public. Sa pagdating ng kapaskuhan at least sa December 16 you can start a 9-day devotional as your secret duty. I have designed a 9-day devotional that begins on the morning of December 16 to 24. It talks about the 9 important Filipino symbols. You can download this devotional doon sa Facebook page na Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo o di kaya’y mag email kayo sa akin sa johnpesebre@gmail.com para ipadala ko ito sa inyo. Ang private duty naman is like a small gathering like a family or a small group Prepare simple gifts that will remind your group members of the birth of Christ. You can also lead your family to a daily dinner devotion using yung 9-day devotional na nabanggit ko kanina. For public duty, alam kong marami-rami ring Christmas activities ang church ninyo that you can be part of.
(C) Photo Credit
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* https://holidappy.com/holidays/Filipino-Christmas-Tradition-Simbang-Gabi
† Saint Catherine of Sienna Parish Church; http://www.sienachurch.org/scsf/Events/History%20of%20Simbang%20Gabi.pdf
‡ Saint Catherine of Sienna Parish Church, "Simbang Gabi," accessed at http://www.sienachurch.org/scsf/Events/History%20of%20Simbang%20Gabi.pdf
§ Catholic Encyclopedia, sv Novena, accessed at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11141b.htm
║ † Vatican Council II, Article 37 of the Sacred Liturgy. "Even in the Liturgy, the church does not wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not involve the faith or the good of the whole community. Rather she respects and fosters the qualities and talents of various races and nations. People's way of life which is not indissolubly bound with superstition and error she studies with sympathy, and if possible, preserves intact. She sometimes even admits such things into the liturgy itself, provided they harmonize with its true and authentic spirit."
¶ http://dioceseofpasig.org/blog/pastoral-notes-on-the-celebration-of-the-simbang-gabi/
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