Noel Copiaco – Lansing, Michigan http://www.examiner.com/x-27530-Lansing-Unity–Diversity-Examiner
In early November, almost everyone prepares for a hectic season of buying, consuming and eating frenzy. The parties are endless and so are the expectations and the spending. That is how most of us celebrate our respective holidays here in the material world. That is not to say giving gifts and getting together with friends and family during the holidays have no place in our culture but sometimes all these things make us lose track of what we are really celebrating. Treats and gifts can make it easy to teach the Faith to children but we can do so with some practicality and austerity especially in these days of economic uncertainty.
As a boy growing up in a largely Catholic city of Manila (Philippines), I have learned to love the liturgical season of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. The presents we received on Christmas were never expensive or elaborate. In fact it is the joy of seeing love ones and the solemnity of the religious preparations that were the real gifts and the cause of excitement even for us kids. I remember affectionate images of my mother with her veil and missal as she completed all the rituals in observation of this sacred portion of the liturgical calendar. In the Philippines, Advent includes the Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi, a series of pre-dawn mass introduced in 1660 by the Spanish friars who were then part of the ruling class. It is really a novena that begins on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve. It is still observed to this day.
One of the customs associated with the Filipino Advent practice of Simbang Gabi is the selling of traditional Philippine holiday delicacies just outside the churches. This would include puto bumbong (a purple rice pastry) sweetened and garnished with grated coconut and sesame seeds, bibingka (sweet rice cakes), salabat (ginger tea), and tsokolate (hot sweet cocoa drink). These treats made it worthwhile to wake up before dawn to attend mass, particularly to children.
Advent came from the Latin word adventus which was translated from the Greek word parousia and often used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. It is also a season of the Catholic Church in preparation and celebration of the Nativity which starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25. It is not clear when the celebration of Advent started although it has been recorded that Catholics in nations like Spain, Portugal and France were practicing it near the end of the 4th century around 380 AD.
Preparing our mind, body and soul for the birth of Christ takes on a wider meaning in my old age. I have come to see Advent as a season to cleanse our whole being of all the toxins that we’ve acquired during the year, particularly from the wounds of sin and division. It is a season to forgive others as well as one’s self.
Personally, I believe Advent is a time for deep conversations with God meditating on our connection with Him, all beings and all of creation. A time to reaffirm that we move and have our being in Him, that we are vessels of His love, conduits of His light and instruments of His peace.
Doing all these, we have prepared a clean place for the rebirth of the Christ light in our hearts. Then we can do as my mother told me as a boy and really see the Christ in everyone.
During this season, let us ask the Holy Spirit that He allows us to extend His light to all and that He allows us to be who we are . . . . His children.
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
Happy Christmas, everyone!
