12/21/11

Misa De Gallo




It's Christmas Time!

Many memorable experiences comes to mind when this season comes. One of the most exciting event that I look forward to is the Misa De Gallo.

Misa de Gallo is a set of nine-consecutive early morning mass that starts on the 16th of December and ends on Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, this 4:00 am mass encourage parishioners to strengthen their belief on Christmas tradition, that became a part of Catholic Christian celebration in the archipelago.

"Simbang Gabi" which literally means "Night Masss" begins in some parishes as early as three o'clock in the morning. Attendance at the nine Masses is meant to show the believer's devotion to God as well as to heighten anticipation for the Nativity of Jesus. A popular belief is that upon the devotee's completion of the nine Masses, God will grant any special wish he makes.

 I made a lot of  special wishes and I can't say if they were granted because I completed the nine-morning masses.

I started to attend Misa de Gallo when I was young. I went with an Aunt. We left the house at two o'clock so we could have a seat inside the church. We sat in front. That made me so drowsy when the mass started at four o'clock.

I only attended the mass because of curiousity. Seems like many people talks about it. To my dismay, I found it not so very nice. What with the Latin songs that were sung and very, very long. It was just that I was obedient enough to behave and sleep and wake up and sleep discretely during the mass. The choir was composed of older people which was just right, I thought, because only old people knows the language these days.That made it even more boring to me. I couldn't wait for the mass to finish and sleep again.

Because many people goes to it, I just attended the mass again and again every year whenever some people at home would ask me. Eventually I have grown to like it. I realized how much grace one gets from attending it. I began to value it. I longed to learn the songs.

I was happy when one day our Parish Priest organized a Grand Choir which will sing during the Misa de Gallo. He obliged all the choir groups in the Parish to join. Since I was a choir member myself I was excited. Before the practice, we were given the copy of the Latin songs.

"Ah! So this was what those old women were singing." I told myself.

Unfortunately, for some reason, our group were not able to join. But I would bring the song sheets with me and sung with the choir during the mass. It saved me from sleeping and being bored.

Also, I don't go to church early so I could have a seat. I don't mind standing for more than an hour. It's a great sacrifice. But some days I bring with me a chair.

This year is different. Now I have a sure seat during mass. But I have to come early.

Because now, I am a member of the choir! At last!

Now I almost see myself as one of those old women when I was younger, torturing me with their high pitch voices that would almost break my ears.

Fortunately now our voices are better and we sing better. Unlike before when choirs only have a guitar as accompaniment, we have an almost complete instrument which wouldn't make people sleep.

 I also wished that I could sing the solo part, too. To my surprise, one night,  I was asked to sing the solo part because the soloist hasn't arrived yet and the other one had a sore throat. My performance was really great. Well, to me. Actually it was a duet. Only that, the mic was on my mouth. Someone has to sing with me or else I will forget. Boy, I thought it was easy. It 's different when you are actually singing. The congregation is giving their attention to you. Added to that, the presiding priest was the priest who organized and heads the grand choir eleven years ago. I was holding the copy of the song sheets that he gave us. I knew he would know if I would miss a note. I know he wouldn't mind. But was I anxious that he would notice my a mistake.

 Big thanks to my seatmate. He didn't know it wasn't really a solo, but a duet. *:-)

                       *******

A few days from now is Jesus' birthday, and Misa de Gallo ends.

For me, this is one special gift that I could give to God as gift, my service.

I am blessed and is continually being blessed even more than my wildest dream.

I thank God for this opportunity to love Him back, in action and not just in words.

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