My first ever Simbang Gabi.
Want to record my experience before I forget.
Mass starts at 8pm.
Luckily I reached early at 7pm.
Church is already almost half filled.
By 8pm, Moses, Alicia, Nimmi and Greg were nicely
seated in church already.
And was entertained by 30mins of beautiful Carols.
Of which, they sung one of my fav...Gaudete.
More beautifully, the digital pipe organ was played
to accompany some of the Carols.
The organists even played some classical variations of
hymns to stall time while waiting for the celebrant to come,
stucked in a jam.
Mass began at around 8.30pm,
church filled soulful and heartfelt singing from the
community of Pinoys.
We were the super minority who came and kaypoh.
Gospel reading was on the genealogy of Jesus.
Matthew 1:1-17.
It is considered one of the most boring passage of the gospels
if one doesn't know the meaning behind this 17 verses.
And I was lucky, having been through the T3 Matthew.
As the names of the 14 generations before Christ
was proclaimed by Fr Camilus,
upon reaching the name Joseph, the husband of Mary,
for the 1st time,
I felt a gush of tears forming in my nose and eyes.
It dawned upon me the culmination of the longing,
the significance and meaning of the wait,
and finally 2011 years ago, the Son of God was born to us,
among us, and shall always be with us.
I felt overwhelmed, grateful and empathetic.
The people of Israel waited for the Messiah,
and finally He came.
The people of our times are waiting for the second coming of Christ,
and He shall come, at the hour which none will know.
But our role is to be ever ready to receive His glorious return.
And more emotional was when Fr Camilus stressed the importance
of remembering our past. Using our past hurts and failures as strength and comfort to help us get through our current difficulties and trials. 'Coz we've overcame in the past, and Christ is always with us to see us through all these.
It was an overall emotional & beautiful eucharistic celebration.
Truly, I thank You Lord.
And I thank You for your forgiveness and grace.
One more week to Christmas.
And I'll try my best to continue to make the little difference,
and reach out to my community at home, work, church and on the streets.
