SIMBANG GABI 2018 9
YEAR OF THE YOUTH
DECEMBER 24, 2018
Jesus, I trust in you!
Simbang gabi ends today. We have
been coming to Mass for 9 dawns already and the novena fittingly ends with a
clear reference to the dawn: “In the tender compassion of our God, the Dawn
from on us will break upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the
shadow of death and to guide our feet on the way of peace.” (Sa kagandahang
loob ng ating Diyos na magpapadala sa atin mula sa kaitaasan ng isang araw na
sumisikat upang liwanagan ang mga nakaupo sa kadiliman at sa lilim ng kamatayan
, upang ituwid ang ating mga yapak sa daan ng kapayapaan.) Advent commemorates that long wait for the
coming of the Savior. It was a waiting in the darkness of error and sin. St.
Peter spoke of it: “We also have the message of the prophets, which has been
confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to this message,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star
rises in your hearts.” (Sa gayon ay tumitibay ang sinasabi ng mga propeta:
mabuti ang inyong gagawin kung mamasdan ito, na gaya ng isang ilawan na
tumatanglaw sa dakong madilim, hanggang sa pagbubukang liwayway at sa pagsikat
ng tala sa umaga sa inyong mga puso.) (2
Peter 1: 19) The world waited in the dark with only God’s revelation, his word
of promise, as a lamp to look at until the dawning of the promised day and the
rising of Christ, the morning star in our hearts.
John the Baptist was born and his
birth puts an end to the long silence of God. For a long time, God sent neither
prophet nor prince to his people. It was as if God got fed up with the constant
adultery of his people that he decided to give them the “silent treatment.” The
nine month silence of Zechariah was a sign of this. Remember that Zechariah was
made mute by the angel who appeared to him before John was conceived. And when
the child was circumcised and was named “John”, Zechariah’s tongue was
loosened. He began to speak in prophecy. At last, God speaks to his people. At
last, he has sent a prophet to them. And the purpose of the sending of the
prophet was to prepare the way for the coming of the Word of God himself: “You,
my child, shall be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the
Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the
forgiveness of their sins.” (Ikaw naman, sanggol, ay tatawaging propeta ng
Kataas taasan, sapagkat mangunguna ka sa Panginoon upang ihanda ang kanyang
daraanan, upang ituro sa kanyang bayan ang kaligtasan sa kapatawaran ng
kanilang mga kasalanan.)
The birth of John was the sign that
the long wait is about to end. “The night is far spent and the day draws near…”
so would St. Paul say. Soon the darkness will be over. The night will give way
to the dawn. The Light of the world will be born and he will dispel the
darkness of error, sin, and death. And when the day comes, we shall all see
what was hidden from us under the cloak of darkness. When the darkness of sin
is lifted up, we shall see how beautiful the world was meant to be. We shall
see how wonderful is the life that God intended to give us. On that day, we
shall realize how much the devil has stolen from us and what he has deprived us
of.
Dawn is the beginning of day. It is
a fresh start, a new beginning. Tired and weary, we rest our bodies in sleep.
We wake up fully refreshed at dawn. Whatever mistakes we have done, whatever
filth we have incurred, all these will pass away together with the darkness
that is dispelled by the first streaks of the light. The Lord allows us to rise
to a promise. Dawn is the opportunity to start all over again.
And this is the dawn of Christmas
morning. Most of us have wonderful memories of childhood Christmas mornings. I
have my own. When I was a child, I woke up on Christmas mornings always with a
sense of awe. I was awed by the gifts beneath the Christmas tree and by the
goodies left by Santa on the socks I hang on the wall. I hope, that tomorrow,
on Christmas morning, all of us will awake with child-like wonder. Let us be
like wide-eyed children as we behold the gift on God beneath the Tree of the
Cross: his only begotten Son who will be born of the Virgin. When you behold
him, pray to him and ask him to take away your sorrows and wipe away your
tears. Ask him to dispel your darkness and drive away your fears. Ask him to
forgive your sins and bring you to forgive others as well. Soon, we shall see
the promise of Christmas morning. Tonight, let us go to sleep with hope in our
hearts. Whatever darkness you are going through, it will come to end. The dawn
from on high shall break upon us!
O Mary conceived without sin, pray
for us who have recourse to thee!
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