THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
An honored Christmas tradition in the Philippines will begin soon – tomorrow evening in a number of Catholic Churches and at dawn of the 16th for many others.
The tradition is the “Simbang Gabi,” nine straight evenings or dawn masses culminating with the midnight Christmas Eve mass. Most if not all Catholic Churches holding the Simbang Gabi will surely be packed. It is one of the most attended rituals in the Catholic tradition.
In the Cathedral of Antipolo, the “Simbang Gabi” will commence tomorrow evening. The city expects the influx of a good number of pilgrims coming from nearby areas in Rizal and the National Capital Region. For the past many decades, parents have tagged their children along for an experience of a “Simbang Gabi” that is closest to the way it was celebrated the traditional Filipino way, complete with “banda ng musiko” playing Christmas carols, stalls selling bibingka and putobumbong, festive banderitas and the scent of Antipolo’s cold mountain breeze.
Many of these pilgrim families will finish the nine-day novena mass.
For a number of them, the tradition goes beyond the experience of a centuries-old ritual. It is an opportunity for them to impart their faith to their children. For some, the completion of the “Simbang Gabi” is a way of seeking favors from the Almighty. For others, it is a way of preparing themselves spiritually for the coming of the Savior into their lives today. For a number of the pilgrims who will complete the novena masses, it is a way of saying “thank you” for prayers already answered.
Whatever the reason may be, each pilgrim will be expressing his or her faith.
And, in times like the one we live in, having faith goes a long way.
A good number of secular psychologists believe that faith and spirituality are essential to our ability to survive and thrive in difficult times.
Kenneth Pargament, Ph.D. of the American Psychological Association, said: “Empirical studies of many groups dealing with major life stressors such as natural disaster, illness, loss of loved ones, divorce and serious mental illness show that religion and spirituality are generally helpful to people in coping, especially people with the fewest resources facing the most uncontrollable of problems.”
“Psychology has begun to encompass and explore a number of exciting new topics — meditation, forgiveness, acceptance, gratitude, hope and love,” he pointed out. “Each of these phenomena has deep roots in Eastern and Western religious traditions and philosophies,” he added.
The United States-based National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) boosts the emerging view of religion and spirituality. In an article, the NAMI said, “Religion gives people something to believe in, provides a sense of structure and typically offers a group of people to connect with over similar beliefs.” “These facets can have a large positive impact on mental health — research suggests that religiosity reduces suicide rates, alcoholism and drug use,” the NAMI explained.
Filipinos have long understood the importance of faith and spirituality in our lives. The 2016 Global Attitudes survey done by the US-based Pew Research Center bared that nine out of 10 Filipinos believe that religion matters. Among Asia-Pacific countries, we are third in the ranking on religiosity and 10th among the 40 countries surveyed by the said outfit.
Our deep religiosity and spirituality have worked well for us.
Journalist Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, writing for Union of Catholic Asian News, said: “As the Philippines enters its 500th anniversary year of its Christianity against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, the faith and religiosity of the Filipinos withstand the tests of time.” “So deep is the Filipinos’ faith that even the pandemic cannot deter them from practicing it,” she added.
She explains how the inner state of faith is expressed by our outward actions: “The display of faith and religiosity of the Filipinos is evident in many creative and colorful ways. Especially in this time of the pandemic, these have to be concretized through much-needed corporal acts of mercy. These include feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned.
No less relevant in our difficult times, where spiritual and mental resources are scarce, are the spiritual acts of mercy, which include counseling the doubtful, admonishing sinners, patiently bearing those who sinned against us, forgiving offenses, comforting the afflicted and praying for the living and the dead.” As the Simbang Gabi commences, we have an opportunity to pass on our faith to the next generation.
It is our hope that many of us would rediscover the power of faith as we join the rest of Christendom in our preparation for the coming of the Savior.
(For feedback, please email it to [email protected] or send it to Block 6 Lot 10 Sta. Barbara 1 cor. Bradley St., Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal)