ONCE again, the Simbang Gabi Masses in our parish have been filled with excitement, joy and faith. Each early morning has been a period of reflection, heartfelt songs and prayer. Each homily has been engaging, humorous, and meaningful. Thanks to our visiting preacher from Butuan, Philippines, Fr. Randy Odchigue.
But each Simbang Gabi Mass and homily should bring deep effects in our lives; they should not merely entertain us, but they should change the way we live, relate with others, and fulfill our commitments and responsibilities.
For isn’t this the purpose of the Word of God? It should change the way think and lead our lives according to the values of Kingdom such as honestly, generosity, service, justice, and love for every one.
In the recent Simbang Gabi Masses, we heard stories of people who showed this kind of transformation. Two of them were Mary and Joseph. Both heard the Word of God through the vision and greetings of an angel, and both responded heroically to the call of God to be instruments of God’s salvation by being the earthly parents of Jesus, the Promised Messiah, here on earth.
Hence, our liturgies during this Advent and Christmas should not just be “feel good” moments but rather challenging times to live fully our baptismal identity. In our Second Reading this Sunday, St Paul tells us that we, “who have received the grace of apostleship,” are challenged to bring about the “obedience of faith” for the sake of his name.
First and foremost, our homes and our families are the places where we can bring to life the Spirit of the Gospel. They are the venues where we can practice true love, mutual understanding and respect, kindness, and patience. We come back from Church after hearing the message of the Gospel to enflame our homes with the Spirit of Christ, to mold each other’s heart and mind with the love and wisdom of God.
Then, we come to our places of work and live with common men and women in our neighborhoods and cities to bring about a kingdom of love, justice, and peace. We’re mindful that every task that we do at work or every responsibility that we fulfill should be about building a society of progress, equality, health, and justice, and hope for all.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of bringing the Gospel to life in our homes, society, and government. After all, this is also the reason why Jesus, the Son of God, became one like us. He wanted to affirm the goodness and sacredness of humanity and its potentials to eradicate all forms of evil in the world and to give to every human being a decent life.
As you do your Christmas shopping and prepare your holiday celebrations, I invite you to take some quiet moments to ask yourselves how you can be true to your Christian identity. I invite you to search your hearts and see what God is calling you to do to bring the Gospel to life! Amen.
* * *
Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
