2014 Blog 357: Joyful

It is the last day of simbang gabi. It was so beautiful to see the church was filled up on each of the 9 evenings that I attended. There you can see an overwhelming faith. It is a beautiful sight. There has been some chances of saying the Lord’s Prayer in my native tongue. That felt really good. So joyful.

It has been a wonderful time of christmas waiting. I think going on reflections helped take away the buzz of how busy christmas season can be. It helps bring up the solemnity of christmas.

The waiting is almost over. The big day is almost here. I pray that everyone may find the peace and joy of Christmas Day.

Are you feeling the joy?

 

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2014 Blog 349: Simbang Gabi

One of the filipino christmas traditions is “Simbang Gabi”. It means “Evening Mass”. It is a Catholic novena done by attending a mass for 9 executive evenings prior Christmas Day. In some churches, it is done around midnight or early morning before sunrise. The novena prepares someone in the coming of the Day Jesus was born. When I was in the Philippines, I have been not able to attend this every christmas season due to timing. And truly, of all the years I might have tried attending it, I think there would be very few that I have completed. Now, many many miles away from the Philippines, I am glad that there is one nearby that will render for 9 nights through christmas eve. It is not exclusive to the filipinos but it is mostly attended by filipinos. I will try to go and complete this novena. It reminds me so much of home, and the evening prayers makes me feel how special and blessed it is waiting for Jesus’ Birthday. Wow. Ten days more and it is christmas.

How are you waiting?

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2014 BLOG 107: 116 Km of Prayers

Today, I did my Visita Iglesia. It is a Holy Week practice of Catholics in many places.  This practice involves praying a novena in each different  seven churches.  Not a lot of Catholics do this.  It is a very old custom that is not quite in the highlights anymore.    I just started doing this in Edmonton in 2010.  Since then, every spring time, I look forward in having a reason to cruise around the City with a spiritual purpose.  I have loved doing it every year. This year would just be my fifth year doing this. Gladly this time Thorr is with me.  It would be his first time.

We started this morning with so much snow on the ground.  I didn’t think the weather was cooperative.  But I was determined to pursue this regardless.  I have had a much worst weather in 2012 when even some power lines and tree branches went down due to heavy snow.  That did not stop me.   For today,  the good thing is that I still have my winter tires.  So no worries?  Yes.  No worries.

We cruised from Saint Theresa’s Parish (in Millwoods), to Saint Vital Parish (in Beaumont), to Saint Michael (in Leduc), to Saint Margaret (in Calmar), to Maria Goretti (in Devon), to Saint Thomas Moore (in Terwilliger), and finally to Saint Joseph Basilica (in Edmonton Downtown).   From our house through the 7 churches was a nice cruise of 116 kilometers in 210 minutes.
Thorr is so funny when we started.  When we went into the first church and I handed him the prayers, he was stunt to read 2 pages of prayer + gospel reading + reflection.   He thought it was too much of prayers that it might just take us the whole day.  But I calmly believed otherwise.   When we pursued to the second church, he was stunt again by the length of prayers + gospel reading + reflection.   The truth is, it didn’t take us much time.  The second church was up on a hill.  The ground was still so white of snow by then, it seemed we were in the heavens.  On the third church,  he got used to the length of the prayers I have prepared.  He was then leading.  I am happy for him.

At the seventh church is where we lit up a final candle, and where we spent the longest moment of prayer and reflection.   He said at the end that it felt altogether so good.  I am glad and thankful.
As any of the Visita Iglesia I have had before, there were good things that I get to pick along the way.  Each leg of the journey has beautiful sights and new discoveries.  At the end, there has always been some feeling of spiritual fulfillment and nourishment.

 

 

Is there something I can pray for you? 

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