Christmas Alphabet

Simbang Gabi is a devotional nine-day Mass series honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary in anticipation of Christmas. It originated in the early days of Spanish rule over the Philippines as a practical compromise for farmers who, to avoid the noonday heat, starts to work before sunrise. It eventually became a cherished Christmas custom and a distinct feature of Filipino culture.

That cold night of the first Simbang Gabi mass, when the choir started to sing carols, I could not help but gush to whoever would listen how good they were – it was like listening to the radio. It was so nostalgic that I was transported to the time when our family would play carols on full blast and one of them was the Christmas Alphabet – where Christmas is represented by candy canes, Santa and toys underneath a tree so tall. It was a carol we all know by heart, but this year, in the course of nine days, I learned a new Christmas Alphabet based on the night’s gospel readings and Father Troy’s anecdotes and it goes like this:

Night 1. Commitment. What is your motivation for simbang gabi? Growing up, the lure of puto bumbong, hot cocoa and the sumptuous breakfast that awaits us at home was our motivation to get up before the crack of dawn to attend mass. As young adults the promise of a granted wish was what peaked our enthusiasm – but food as motivation wanes and as for granted wishes – well I figured that if I prayed hard enough God will grant me my wish anyway so as a result I have never completed the 9 day mass series. This year though I found a different kind of motivation. 

Night 2. Humility. Christmas is a time for family. Just as Jesus humbly accepted his imperfect ancestry so should we accept our family’s flaws (as well as our own) and work towards making our families Christ-centered, with Peace, Love, Faith and the Grace of God binding us together.

Night 3. Reflecting Image. Marriage is the fundamental relationship in which to apply all God’s teachings.  As two people promise God to love one another and look towards God in all the aspects of their marriage, they reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church. Marriage vows truly puts new meaning to the term ‘unbreakable vow’.

Night 4. Insight. Often when we face and come across life’s hurdles – we whine and ask God “why, why me? Why have you allowed this to happen to me?”, we often lack understanding and vision as to what message God wants us to receive, but just as Saint Joseph accepted and heeded God’s command so should we learn to silence our hearts, listen and readily accept God’s challenges. Let not our weakness and self doubt hinder us from saying “Yes” to the Lord, turning our whiny why’s into “Why not?”

Night 5. Submission. I am one of those person who likes to plan their day – I make a ‘to do’ list and feel happy and accomplished when I get to tick chores/ errands off my list. When my day does not go as planned, I get agitated and moody – and to think that we are only talking about just one day! Just imagine how Blessed Mary felt when it was revealed to her that she is to bear a son – it might not be in her immediate plans but she submitted herself to the will of the Lord saying “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word”. We each have our own life plans but like Mother Mary we should put our full Faith and Trust in God. We should always have an open heart to the plans God has for us - “thy will be done”.

Night 6. Treasure. Everyday God’s showers us with countless blessings. We are blessed abundantly by God not because he wants us to amass a great deal of fortune but because he wants us to grow in spirituality, learn and have the resources to share and in turn be a blessing to others because as Father Troy puts it “Grace is not Grace when not shared”. 

Night 7. Master Plan. God’s outpouring blessings can be easily overlooked when we focus on the little things that may seem discouraging and insignificant - at times we even get riled with greed, envy and other worldly sins when we fail to see the big picture and desperately make things go our way . Echoing Fr. Arlo’s  ”ang lahat ng bagay ay biyaya ng diyos na hulog ng langit” sentiment we should include everything in our gratitude – good or (seemingly) bad, because anything and everything that has happened, is happening and will happen in our lives has a purpose and meaning  - it is all part of God’s greater plan for us.

Night 8. Apostleship. What’s in a name? I used dislike how my name is often misspelled and mispronounced despite how common it is. Overtime I began romanticizing my name having learned that it meant ‘beloved’, but this night’s readings and homily enlightened me to the truth that there is more to my name that just an idea of a pocketbook heroine.  Each one of us is given the collective name ‘Christian’ when we were baptized and are each called by name to do God’s work. 

“Hi! I am (a) Beloved Christian, and I am a follower of Jesus”.

Night 9. Salvation. As we come to the conclusion of the Simbang Gabi, let us remind ourselves the reason of our celebration. God has given us the greatest gift wrapped not in ribbons and fancy paper but in swaddling clothes in a manger. God has gifted us with salvation with the birth of his son Jesus and it is because of him that we are saved.

Living in a non-Christian country where Christmas celebrations are subdued, it came to a point where we regard Christmas as just another ordinary day. Even the traditional simbang gabi is forgone because of the weariness our daily grind brings. Some expats would often even say ‘walang pasko sa Abu Dhabi’ but Christmas is here and I can feel it…

More that the reward of granted wishes or a full tummy, the urge to hear mass as a way of giving thanks for all the blessings I have received was motivation enough and having completed the Simbang Gabi for the very first time ever and learning a new Christmas Alphabet, has deepened my understanding of Christmas as it opened my eyes and heart to its true meaning and so despite being physically away from my famiIy, despite fewer gifts under the tree, I am sure to have the merriest, most significant Christmas yet!

… and for all of this May God be Praised!!!