by Telly G. Ocampo
The anticipated Misa De Gallo – my Liwanag sa Dilim
Christmas is never complete without the Misa De Gallo. I’m truly grateful that we have this schedule of the anticipated for Misa de Gallo. The schedule was intended for seniors but there are still young ones and young couples who bring along their children for this anticipated schedule of the mass. This is a real Liwanag sa Dilim.
I’m also happy that i met again, through the Misa de Gallo, old friends who are partly disabled like me. These are old friends whom we missed for quite some time due to Covid. It seems that today, everybody is giving a blast of freedom after having been “imprisoned” for two years by Covid. We see people attending parties here and there. It is a real Liwanag sa Dilim.
But there’s something we tend to miss in the frenzy of the celebration. Medy Gonzaga Ngo’s sharing of the message of the Pope will help us see what is missing. She said:
“Hello! Here’s a lovely message from Pope Francis …
What exactly is Christmas? Christmas is usually a noisy party: we could use a bit of silence, to hear the voice of Love.
Christmas is YOU, when you decide to be born again each day and let God into your soul.
The Christmas pine is you, when you resist vigorous winds and difficulties of life.
The Christmas decorations are you, when your virtues are colors that adorn your life.
The Christmas bell is you, when you call, gather and seek to unite.
You are also a Christmas light, when you illuminate with your life the path of others with kindness, patience, joy and generosity.
The Christmas angels are you, when you sing to the world a message of peace, justice and love.
The Christmas star is you, when you lead someone to meet the Lord.
You are also the wise men, when you give the best you have no matter who.
Christmas music is you when you conquer the harmony within you.
The Christmas gift is you, when you are truly friend and brother of every human being.
The Christmas card is you, when kindness is written in your hands.
The Christmas greeting is you, when you forgive and re-establish peace, even when you suffer.
The Christmas dinner is you, when you gave bread and hope to the poor man who is by your side.
You are, yes, the Christmas night, when humble and conscious, you receive in the silence of the night the Savior of the world without noise or great celebrations; you are a smile of trust and tenderness, in the inner peace of a perennial Christmas that establishes the Kingdom within you.
A very Merry Christmas for all those who look like Christmas.”
This message of the Pope is very timely. I’m not sure if this is the right time to express my frustration over the way Christmas and fiestas are celebrated by the youth of today.
For one, discos are never meant for the “visperas” of fiestas. And it is never meant to disturb people – young or old. Imagine last December 7, the bombombom of the disco sounds reached my farflung space of Taguihon. And what was worse was it ended at almost 4 in the morning. Naundang lang kay dihay nagsumbagay. What is our police doing? Dili na diay manabang ning mga bata karon?
And here is another observation as well as request for mothers. Mothers, please don’t make the church a playground for your children when mass is going on. Church goers are distracted by these children when the latter become uncontrollable inside the church. Mothers simply tolerate what their children are doing in the house of God. Discipline ought to start at home. Badlongon gyud unta ang mga bata nga gadagan-dagan ug gasaka-saka sa mga bangko sulod sa simbahan. We ought to respect the church and respect the people.
Liwanag sa Dilim! This is an imagery that comes to mind as I think of all these instances. The term Liwanag sa Dilim is both daybreak and twilight. Daybreak is banagbanag in the vernacular. It’s darkness getting lighter and lighter because the sunlight is slowly overshadowing darkness. On the other hand, twilight is kilumkilum. This is the time when sunlight is almost setting down and is slowly covered by darkness. As darkness envelops the surroundings during the kilumkilum, the skies sparkle with millions of diamonds – the stars. When the moon shines, the stars are covered by the light of the moon. To me, daybreak and twilight signify hope and that is the essence of Liwanag sa Dilim.
But in church, they have another version of Liwanag sa Dilim. It is about a slide show with the music of Liwanag sa Dilim but with images on screen that are figures in black – tumbling and dancing. What I was expecting was a slide show of what the parish did after the fury of Odette when church roof was blown away and the houses were built for those who were truly in need. They called the program: Balay sa Kabus. I’d rather call the program Balay sa Paglaum. Let us not allow poverty as something permanent because sometimes poverty is a mindset.
Be that as it may, the youth is the hope of the motherland. Let’s help guide them. It’s about time for them to reflect on the wisdom of the old.
Maayong pasko ug malipayong bagong tuig.
