The UP Parish of the Holy Sacrifice (PHS) held a two-day Parish Evaluation and Planning Workshop last September 15-16, 2012 in the Delaney Hall.  The workshop’s main objective was to align the parish’s pastoral plan with that of the 8-Point Priority Agenda of the Diocese of Cubao for the years 2012- 2017.

The workshop had two components: the first was an evaluation of the previous PHS Pastoral Plan for 2009-2011, formulated and executed by the former parish priest, Fr. Raymond L. Arre.  The second was an extensive planning of the first year of a pastoral plan that would span 5 years under the leadership of the current parish priest, Rev Fr Henry E. Ferreras.

The former pastoral plan fully conformed with the 5-Point Priority Agenda (5-PPA) implemented by the Diocese of Cubao from 2009-2011.  Since the past 5-PPA goals are currently incipient in the new 8-Point Priority Agency (8-PPA), the results of the evaluation workshop identified the strong points  in terms of the best practices in the areas of manpower, resources and facilities, systems and procedures, communication, and resource management.

The objectives that were unfinished or partially accomplished were noted and marked for improvement in the succeeding pastoral plan.

In brief, the 8-Point Priority Agenda consists of:
·        BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES (BEC)
·        FORMATION
·        CLERGY
·        STRUCTURE & POLICIES
·        SOCIAL ACTION
·        MEDIA
·        STEWARDSHIP
·        CATECHETICAL

From the evaluation results of the previous agenda, the secretariat derived 11 objectives to be discussed and fine-tuned in the planning workshop. The first eight objectives indicated a sharp consistency with the diocese’s 8-PPA, while the last three captured the needs and priorities that are unique to the PHS:
·        To maintain, repair, upgrade and improve parish facilities
·        To strengthen and monitor linkages with the different organizations and sectors of the University (administration, faculty, students, barangay, and public officers)
·        To enrich the servant leaders’ fellowship program

Based on partial data given by the Secretariat, the following paragraphs provide some insights on how the various ministries, organizations, and areas link their respective plans with the 8-PPA.  (Note: The order of presentation follows the sequence according to the Diocesan 8-PPA).

Goal 1: Strengthen and Enliven the Parish through the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC)
The BEC group plans to strengthen the BEC organization by formulating an organizational chart that links the Parish-level BECs with the Parish Pastoral Council  (PPC) down to the area levels.  It also plans to continue the conduct of BEC orientation seminars, and regular monthly activities in the areas with intensified participation of ugnayans in area masses, area council meetings, and rosaryo sa kapitbahayan.

The Family and Life Ministry shall undertake Basic Catechism for Family, formulate a basic catechetical module for use in homes, and conduct catechetical formation on family and life.

Goal 2:  Sustain and enhance the relevant, on-going pastoral management program, focusing on skills and servant leaders and formation of lay leaders.
Family and life ministry will conduct a series of seminars on such subjects as person hood, human sexuality, responsible parenthood, and art of communication.

The Workshop Ministry will contribute to the formation of servant leaders among the ranks of LCGs to serve at area masses in collaboration with BEC.

Goal 3:  Clarify, align, and update organizational structures and policies for effective monitoring and evaluation of the 5-year pastoral agenda.
A unique feature of the new parish pastoral plan is an initiative of the PPC Executive Committee to present, ratify an updated version of the organizational structure of the PPC.

This plan includes designing a regular monthly and quarterly monitoring system that builds up into an annual summative monitoring and evaluation of the pastoral plan.

Goal 4:  Provide social service and development projects that respond to issues in solidarity with the poor
The Social Services and Development Ministry (SSDM) plans to conduct medical clinics twice a year targeting 180 beneficiaries and continue sending referrals to government and private welfare agencies (medical centers and hospitals, medical associations, orphanages and funeral parlors) for 200 beneficiaries.  It also plans to assist victims of crises and calamities (fire, typhoon, flood), and to hold Christmas gift-giving to 400 deserving families in the parish.  It will also continue implementing its HAPAG-ASA Feeding Program to 100 eligible children from Area 17 and Arboretum.

Goal 5: Intensify mobilization of servant leader and parishioner resources guided by the spirituality of stewardship
The BEC group will respond by training BEC servant leaders to become shepherds of BEC zones, kawans and cells by continuing the Seminar on Spirituality of Stewardship (SSS).

The Worship Ministry will organize spiritual formation seminars among its members, while the Public Affairs Ministry (PAM) will intensify basic orientation for lay leaders through seminars that highlight the importance of social apostolate.

Apologies are forwarded to the Formation Ministry, Parish Youth Ministry, Campus Ministry, and Catechetical/Vocation Ministry for non-coverage of their plans.  All plans, however, remain tentative until finalized and approved by the Parish Priest at the monthly meeting of the PPC on 21 October, 2012.

The Parish Evaluation and Planning Workshop was headed by the parish priest, Rev Fr Henry E. Ferreras and co-facilitated by the communication group, particularly Kristine Turado and Teresa Torres.

-Dr. Nestor N. Pilar

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord originated in the Diocese of Lie’ge in 1246 as the feast of Corpus Christi. In the reforms  of Vatican II, the feast was joined with the Feast of the Precious Blood to become the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord.

The bread and wine blessed, broken and given by Christ that night in the Last Supper continues to be celebrated in our masses.  Our coming to the table of the Holy Eucharist in more than just reliving the memory of Christ’s great sacrifice for our salvation, in sharing his “body” in the bread of the Eucharist we re-enter into a new dimension of love of God who gives us “new life” in His son, the risen Lord, in drinking his “blood” in the wine of the Eucharist we take his life into the very core of our beings.

Since, the bread and wine we received are transformed by the Spirit into the Body and Blood of Jesus, this should transform us into being like Him – being sign of God’s presence to our families and communities.  St. Augustine said.  “If you have received worthily the body and blood of Jesus, you become what you have received”.  We become the Body of Christ.  We should be Eucharistic people willing to be given and shared to others – making the love of God real in our world today.  May we become the bread of His forgiveness and reconciliation and the wine of His love for all who are longing for God’s presence.

 -Fr. Henry Ferreras

Change has always been a cause of various emotions like excitement and anxiety. Sometimes, changes are made to move forward, while not very often, some changes are made to move a step back.

Come December 2, 2012, our celebration of the masses in English will have a number of several changes. The first of these changes began in our parish last June 01, 2012. The usual response to “The Lord be with you” is no longer “And also with you.” It was now changed to “And with your spirit”, the literal translation of the Latin “Et cum spiritu tuo”.

Why do we have these changes? Is it simply to bring something new to the celebration of the mass, so that there will be a renewed interest from the attendees, just as whenever there is a newly opened restaurant in the mall, more mall goers are enticed to visit?

Obviously, a renewed interest in the celebration of the Holy Mass is most welcomed, but more than mere interest and a bit more attention, what is aimed by the changes in the responses, prayers, and songs in the masses in English, is for us Catholics to have a clearer and deeper understanding of what we celebrate.

Sometimes, we need to step back to check that we are moving to the right future. In a sense, the move to change the English translation we use today is a step back, in order to allow us to be closer to where we came from. It is a reminder that we should know our roots and be true to it.

The English translation that we use today is the 1973 translation that was made by the International Commission on English Liturgy (ICEL). While this direct and plain translation has been widely accepted and used, the late Pope John Paul II felt the need to make the translation closer to the original Latin text. In 2001, he authorized the ICEL to translate the 3^rd edition of the Latin Roman Missal. The Liturgiam Authenticam served as their guide in making the translation. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI approved the revised English translation.

Here in our country, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) approved the adoption of the new translation in January 2011. After a year of preparation, the gradual implementation of the new translation has been put into effect.

The question now is what should we do? Since it is but natural to have the desire to understand what we don’t know, we encourage everyone to make themselves familiar with the changes. Catechesis will be given to enlighten us parishioners on this milestone in our history of our mass celebration. The internet is also a valuable source of information on the changes in the translation. Bookstores also provide a number of leaflets, books, and other materials that are helpful in understanding the change we are experiencing.

Let us keep ourselves prepared for these changes. Hopefully, these changes will make us more curious about our faith and lead us to have a deeper and closer relationship with God.

-Kristine Turado

The Contract of Lease between the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao was finalized and signed by Most Rev Honesto F. Ongtioco, Bishop of Cubao and Dr. Caesar A. Saloma, Chancellor, UP Diliman on 17 May 2012. The contract was signed in the presence of President Alfredo E. Pascual of the UP System.

During the exchange of messages, Bishop Ongtioco thanked the University officials, led by President Pascual, for receiving him and his party warmly. He also thanked Chancellor Saloma for facilitating the contract finalization. Bishop Ongtioco was grateful for the easier terms provided in the contract and for the UP leadership’s appreciation of the church’s contribution to the student body and the UP community. The bishop observed that while the Church and the University are separate entities they can be united as one in the pursuit of a common direction.

Chancellor Saloma said that upon his assumption to office in March 2011, he noted that the contract of lease which expired in 2005 had not been renewed. Thus, he worked for a draft that would put things in proper order, i.e. satisfying the requirements of the Commission on Audit and reviewing the relations between UP Diliman and the Diocese.  The review process sorted out activities pursuant to, among others, running a school, maintaining the roads around the Parish Church, and providing security to the throngs who are attracted to the Church on Sundays and other occasions. He said the process for negotiating the contract renewal helped his administration to come up with a “harmonized” program pertaining to other preparatory schools around the campus.

President Pascual said that the UP Chapel or the Church of the Holy Sacrifice was “memorable” because it was where he and his wife, Merchu, were wed, a significant part of their lives. While they were students, the chapel also provided spiritual refuge. In candor, he admitted that the lease contract for the parish and its pre-school was difficult to decide on. Even when he was UPAA President, he tried to mediate a solution that could be acceptable to everyone. Being a secular organization, UP cannot give special treatment to religious groups. A decision must be based on consistent and acceptable principles. After research-based information showed that the parish pre-school along with other similar schools were providing service to the community, the years of impasse was broken. The contract now  assures that the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice can maintain its presence witout worrying about  its renewal. It recognizes the impact of the program on parents’ ability to send their children to school. The University leadership, in partnership with theBisop of Cubao may endeavor towards quality and excellent service to the children of parishioners in the UP community.

UP Diliman officials who witnessed the contract signing were Dr. Ronald S. Banzon, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Prof. Virginia C. Yap, Vice-Chancellor for Administration; Dr. Raquel B. Florendo, Director, Business Concessions Office, and Dr. Kristine DLR Villagonzalo, Director, Office of Extension Coordination.

The witnesses for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao were Rev. Fr. Henry Ferreras, Parish Priest of the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice; and Dr. Nestor N. Pilar, PPC Lay Coordinator. Former parish priest  Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph L. Arre was unable to attend.

-Nestor Pilar

We now find ourselves caught in the middle of our memory of Easter and of our anticipation of our Parish Fiesta, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. It seems natural to let the message of Easter flow into our celebration of Corpus Christi especially because our festivities are centered on “The Eucharist: Source and Fountain and Life.” This theme brings together life and the Eucharist into a singular point of reflection that reveals a beautiful and purposeful design behind the continuum of the Church’s liturgical celebrations. As we seek to draw inspiration and encouragement from the melded meanings of the celebrations of Easter and Corpus Christi, allow me to share with you the song “We Will Rise” which plainly, yet beautifully, sings of the intimate oneness of our lives and the Eucharist.

We Will Rise

Music and lyrics by Noel Miranda
Additional lyrics by Bok Arandia

From Bukas Palad Music Ministry’s 25^th Anniversary album-offering, Sing Forever

As we gather ‘round the table, at the banquet of our King,

we lay down upon Your altar all our hungers deep within.

Now we pray that in Your goodness, You may take all that we give.

Use our every strength or weakness so that all the world may live.

ref

When we eat this bread and in You believe,

we become Whom we receive.

And from death and strife, we will rise!

Be the food for all our hungers. Fill us now with love and grace,

as we strive to be Your presence that Your life we may embrace.

To be bread and wine for others, to reflect Your life and worth:

Make us all Your sons and daughters, one in faith in You, O Lord. (ref)

bridge

We will rise!

Not death, not life, none on earth or above

will ever separate us from Your love!

May we taste and see Your goodness in the breaking of the bread:

Pledge of future hope and glory, of our rising from the dead. (ref)

“When we eat this bread”

In the Eucharist, Christ offers His body as the bread for our souls, as the food for our deepest hungers. To partake of the bread is to accept Christ’s invitation to live in and through us.

“And in You believe”

The Eucharist is not merely an outwardly sign of receiving Christ. It is an expression of faith. It is an expression of our belief that the bread we eat is truly Christ’s body, and the wine we drink is His blood. It is for this reason that we revere consecrated bread and wine as Christ’s living presence. In communion, it not bread nor wine that we receive. It is Christ himself.

“We become whom we receive”

We frequently say, “You are what you eat.” Indeed, the more we receive Christ, the more we become Christ. For this is the desire of our Lord: that we make Him present to the world by becoming His very presence to the world. By receiving Jesus, we allow Him to inspire the whole of our lives. By becoming Jesus, we allow Him to become the source, meaning, and purpose of our lives.

“And from death and strife, we will rise!”

Jesus desires that we share His glory. He constantly invites us to seek eternity with Him. In the midst of the troubles of this world, in spite of our human frailties, God calls us to live a life of glory. While death and strife burden our souls weary, we remember Christ’s Easter victory. And as we celebrate Corpus Christi, let us bring to mind how we receive Jesus, his real body and blood, into our beings. For this is the essence of holy communion: that we and Jesus be intimately, genuinely, and eternally united. We are so loved by our God that He has found no better way to be with us than to be in us. From our suffering and pain, from troubles and trials, with Jesus, we can and will rise.

Because of our human frailties and limitations, we suffer. Yet Christ revealed that there is glory in His suffering. By our participation in the Holy Eucharist, our lives and Christ’s find communion and His suffering becomes ours, our suffering becomes His. By this communion, our own sufferings, too, may find glory with Christ. Indeed, We Will Rise proclaims this beautiful invitation from our Lord to be united with Him. Let this song be our prayer. As St. Augustine of Hippo said, he who sings well prays twice. May this hymn lead us closer to the reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.

- Kiboy Tabada

The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice began practicing a corporate approach to planning and implementing parish programs in the year 2007 when its parish priest Fr. Raymond Arre gathered the then ministry heads and the top 2 officers of each organization for an evaluation and planning workshop. Together, they formulated the parish goals. These goals set the direction as to where the parish, through the leadership of its ministry and organization heads, is going.

Programs were then created to make concrete the formulated parish goals. Each year, these programs are evaluated for fine tuning if the program remains relevant to the parishioners’ needs or for dismissal if otherwise.

In the year 2009, through another evaluation and planning workshop participated in by the ministry and organization heads, the parish aligned its goals to the Diocese of Cubao’s Five-Point Priority Agenda and thus, the parish goals were reformulated in such a way that at its heart is the Diocesan 5-Point Priority Agenda and the PHS’ mission-vision.

The existing parish programs were again evaluated if they serve the then newly formulated parish goals. After the evaluation comes the planning phase where programs are re-formulated to make it more attainable if it was difficult to achieve the previous year, to make it target more beneficiaries if it was a success the previous year. Simply put, the planning makes better each of the programs by refining the objective itself, by detailing all the necessary steps and activities to make the program a success and by scheduling each of these steps.

It is necessary that goals and accompanying concrete programs are available to make the church as engaging and inspiring to its parishioners, so as ultimately, parishioners will be moved to better service for the Lord. This service may be in the form of attending mass regularly, volunteering in parish programs, or serving in one of the parish organizations. This year, the parish servant leaders headed to Capuchin Retreat Center at Lipa City, Batangas on August 19 to conduct its 5th parish evaluation and planning workshop.

This year’s highlight is in the planning of the action plans for the third and final year of the 3-year pastoral goal which was initiated in 2009. Initial evaluation activities were done at the Delaney Hall last August 14.

On August 20, the workshop was concluded by a Holy Mass and an official announcement of the newly elected members of the parish council. The list goes as follows:

PPC Coordinator: Nes Pilar

PPC Secretary: Tere Torres

Ministry Heads

Worship: Boots Concepcion

Campus: Fr. Mike Ty

Public Affairs: Deming Landrito

Family & Life: Noel & Chie Lumbre

Formation: Vilma Resuma Youth: Nanette Pelaez

Social Services: Seving Arias

Catechetical & Vocation: Boy Lumbreras

BEC Coordinator: Alan Navida

-Kristine Turado

Reflection

The book “The Road Less Traveled”, written by M. Scott Peck, begins with a thoughtful and wise statement: “Life is difficult.” Short as it is, it captures a truth and a wisdom that can save us from many unnecessary worries, vexatious whining and unending complaints about the most inconsequential inconveniences. He says further: “It is a great truth because once we really see this truth we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult, once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult … the fact that life is difficult doesn’t really matter.”

We can paraphrase the quote above and apply it to Christian life and say: “Discipleship is difficult.” And it seems that the impulsive disciple Peter lost it again. Last week, he got the right answer to the question of Jesus, “Who do you say I am” when he proclaimed the identity of Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God. But he did not yet understand what it entailed to confess that Jesus is Lord and savior. In the words of Jesus, it meant: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” When he heard Jesus say that he had to undergo the difficult process of suffering death, Peter, with all his good intentions, remonstrated with Jesus, telling him: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Once more, Peter was looking at things from the limited understanding of human reason and worldly thinking. He did see Jesus as his Lord and savior. And so, he thought they all should be exempted from any form of hardship and difficulty, much more, death on the cross. It’s part of the perks of the position of being the Messiah, the Son of God, or so Peter thought. What was Jesus response to his inaccurate idea? “Get behind me Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do.” We can get stuck with Jesus calling Peter “Satan” and forget that he asked him to “get behind me.” It is an invitation, not a rejection of Peter, to confess Jesus as Lord not only when things are going right but also to follow more closely, even cling to him, in trying times. We need to stop thinking that it is alright for others to have difficulties in life while we should be exempt from it. To get behind Jesus is to accept that discipleship is difficult.

Response

This doesn’t mean we have to look for suffering. That’s not discipleship. It’s masochism. Jesus himself requested that the cup of suffering be taken away from him, if possible. The point of carrying our crosses is not about us dying. Jesus has done that for us. For us, it is about having life to the fullest. Peter, who died by crucifixion himself, understood in the end what Jesus meant when he said: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds we have been healed.”

One Saturday morning, I met with my cousin to fulfill a promise of helping her for a requirement in one of her classes in the university. I was concentrating on the work when out of the blue, she asked me “Nico, anong stand mo doon sa gawa ni Mideo? Na-offend ka ba?” She posed the question in such a manner that I knew right away the answer she was expecting. Well, her expectation was right.

Just when debates over the controversial RH Bill are intensely searing their way up in the public spheres, here comes another polemic issue that, just as expected, stirred up contentions under the national spotlight. These contentions sprang from religious beliefs, but are nonetheless supported by legal mandates. Catholic groups have cited Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code to argue that this is an issue of upholding public morals and societal order.

Here is a backgrounder: Last June, the Cultural Center of the Philippines launched an art exhibit entitled Kulo, wherein one of the displays, a work called “Poletiesmo” done by a certain artist named Mideo Cruz, suffered the “hot seat” from offended Catholics and many other Christian denominations across the country due to its sacrilegious portrayals of the Lord and our Lady.

I grinned at my cousin’s asking, as if to give her a hint that her guess was right. “Honestly, oo. Na-offend ako.”  To some people, especially artists, the work was merely one’s expression of artistic views and a pure exercise of freedom of expression; thus, it wasn’t really blasphemy for them. It seems that their view of the matter is that they are not the villains in the story but the victims. They argued that the closing down of the exhibit in CCP was a violation of their freedom of expression. And the old debate on freedom of expression versus censorship was again brought to life. However, one national artist by the name of F. Sionil Jose requested that artists should “stop claiming freedom of expression all the time when they are criticized”. But that debate is for another time.

To us Catholics, on the other hand, the art work was a pure disgrace of our Faith, of our Lord and the Blessed Mother and more so, of our being Filipinos.

We cannot simply dismiss the art work as just a personal expression of art. Its being an art is even contentious, in that, as National Artist F. Sionil Cruz puts it, it “lacks the use of imagination, craftsmanship and originality.”

Contrary to the mission-vision of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Cruz’ art does not “nurture and promote artistic excellence” when it lacked craftsmanship and originality. Where is excellence in mere copies? It does not “nurture and promote Filipino aesthetics and identity and a positive cultural values towards a humanistic global society” when all it brought was uproar, anger and division among the people. I cannot claim mastery of CCP’s definition of a “humanistic global society” but perhaps, it is safe to infer that this humanistic society is one where mutual respect is promoted. And certainly, respect is lacking in the exhibit of Cruz’ art. Yes, it made the people respond and react. Yes, it awakened impassioned spirits. Yes, it triggered intellectual debate. And yes, it certainly put art on the spotlight. But it did all those at the expense of offending Filipino Catholics, and perhaps even Catholics from other countries. Looking at online discussions, it is not surprising that even some non-believers are against the exhibit. For this is more than just an issue of protecting the freedom of artists from censorship or from pressure of powerful religious views. It is also more than an issue of religious rights violated by the abuse of democracy. It is more than an issue of what art is and what art is for. Rather, this is a fight for respect.

According to Cruz, it was his way of twitching the mind and that his work’s prime objective was to mirror the Filipino society. He even said that if we look at his work and close our eyes, there’s more to see than what is perceived by the naked eye. On this, I beg to disagree. For nowhere in his work did I find anything significant to our society except, perhaps, the growing immorality in the country (and his “art” attests to this).

Is it a Filipino value to bash other people’s religion or their beliefs? Does disrespect form part of our distinct Filipino culture and identity? I don’t think so. Yet, how come the CCP, a national institution mandated by the law to showcase the best of Philippine culture, allowed for its installation? This is yet to be answered and is something for which the CCP should be held seriously liable.

From the view of the Church, what the artist did was a grave misconduct against God and a stern insult against the Catholic faithful. If you identify yourself with any organization or group, (perhaps you are a supporter of an intellectual politician, a member of a celebrity fans’ club, a child of a father), would you not feel offended when the image of that person you put in a pedestal is stained, mocked and dishonored? Now, how much more would you react if it were your God who is being dishonored?

Indeed, it is so much pain for a Catholic to see the images of his Lord, of his life and all—desecrated, mocked and dishonored. But it is also agonizing for a Catholic to see his fellow human being blinded by worldly convictions and beliefs. It may be true that in some parts of the world, some priests have fathered a child, some priests are enjoying a hearty meal, and it may be true as well that some lay Catholics engage in pre-marital sex, some slave at work for their desire for more money, some engage in under the table transactions to rise to higher power, but these does not make Catholicism imperfect. It’s the people who are imperfect. It does not make the belief wrong. It does not make the Lord less of a God. And so whatever emotion the art provoked on its audience, it does not make the art serve the society or its common good.

If Mideo Cruz thinks that his art would tell us Catholics of our imperfections and all that we lack as Catholics, Christians and Filipinos, he may be correct. But we don’t need to invent cruel images to reflect the negative side of humanity; for if there’s anything that would remind Catholics of human imperfection, I believe it is ultimately captured in none other than the Cross. The cross is enough to remind us of our wretchedness and frailties. And, only such symbol can powerfully turn these infirmities into a pure and lively faith.

Undeniably, Cruz’ work was a complete assault on our Faith. But never did he realize that such work of his own has much more to impact on his being. For no matter how much we debate whether it’s art or not, one thing will always be certain: the work of an artist reflects the artist. With this said, isn’t it so much of a pity for somebody to represent himself in so bad a work? Do we not deserve to give ourselves a much better image? The logic is simple: What we create is what we are, and, what we think we are is a great accountability to the One who created us. Isn’t it so much a shame then to represent ourselves into something God is not? This we must consider as our battleground for life. That is, to mirror God in all our endeavors, in our lives, in our very being.

- Nico Lorenz Panlican

With Christmas songs playing the airwaves as early as September and the yuletide decorations up before you can even blink your eyes, you would think it’s already Christmas. And we don’t mind at all. Not a few of us want to be reminded about the festive and joyous season of Christmas as early as possible. Such constant barrage on our consciousness of the coming of Christmas really is more to convince us about shopping early and finding the best bargain, instead of reminding us of the real reason why we should anticipate for Christmas!
Not wanting to sound like a Scrooge, one has to be reminded that the build up and preparation for Christmas can be something more. Before the commercial Christmas steals the child in the manger and the “Happy holidays” greeting replaces “Merry Christmas,” let’s place things in their proper order.

The celebration of Christmas is a celebration of a faith community. It’s our way of saying our God is so near to us we can feel his breath! That’s why Jesus, born in Bethlehem, is Emmanuel, God-with-us. For us to breathe the hope-filled air of Christmas, we have to acclimatize ourselves first in the ambiance of Advent.

Unfortunately, Advent, as a season of preparation, has been a perennial casualty in the battle for our time and attention during this time of the year that is meant to truly prepare us for a Christmas celebration that is meaningful—one that is beyond the usual secular Christmas. What does Advent offer us?

This year, 2010, Advent gives us 27 days, from November 28 to December 24. Usually, it has four Sundays in a four week period. The novena masses of Simbang Gabi fall within this time. The whole spirit of Advent is to invite the Lord to come to us and for us to be ready to welcome him in our lives. There is a certainty that the Lord comes to us. It is the same certainty of God coming to Mary and Joseph despite their situation in life and amidst their personal doubts and uncertainties. It is the same certainty of God allowing himself to be born in a humble situation of a stable with all the filthy animals and other unsavory characters. But are we ready to welcome and embrace him when he does come? To welcome and embrace God is the first thing we need to do during the first week of Advent. So, we need not make ourselves clean first before God can come to us. We just have to welcome the saving gift he brings to us at his coming.

Next, we have to realize our present situation. If God entered our humanity where it was, amidst its darkness and sinfulness, and not where he wants it to be, we need to do the same at Advent time. Are we at the height of our selfishness? Are we at the lowest of lustful desires? Are we at the apex of our arrogance and egoistic pride? That’s where your Advent must start. That’s where God wants to come into your life and save you. So, if God started where his saving love was needed the most, we who are in need of that saving love should begin within. Where we are weakest, where it is most dark, where we resist and struggle the most, that’s where our Advent season should begin.

When we have done this, it’s time to be quiet and listen. If the Lord is to come to us, his word proclaimed in the Eucharist is a sure way that we can experience his presence. The readings during the Masses of the four weeks of Advent will not only remind us of God’s saving love but will enlighten our mind and guide our steps where we need to go and what we have to do. It will show us that the Lord who comes to us has chosen the best way to be among us: to be one like us in our struggles, to be at our darkest place and yet bring his own light to it. That’s the first Christmas, God being born, taking on our humanity. Needless to say, such quiet listening is prayer. This Advent, the only mantra we have to repeat is: Halina, Hesus halina.” First, Advent. Then, Christmas.