SIMBANG GABI

As a child what I remember of Simbang Gabi were puto bungbong, bibingka, tsaa and salabat. Even today I would not consider my Christmas complete without having tasted puto bungbong and bibingka (and also castanas).

When I was in elementary, I used to go to the Parish of the Sacred Heart (Sta. Mesa) for Simbang Gabi. One early morning on my way to church, I saw a man who I thought was making “wee-wee” against the wall of Burgos Elementary School. As I was passing by him, I heard him muttering to himself but loud enough for me to hear him how sorry he was for having been an irresponsible husband and father to his wife and children and how he was going to change. I was sure he was drunk.

When I was a student of theology, I accompanied one of our new priests to celebrate Simbang Gabi in Lower Bicutan. We were riding in an “owner-type” jeep. As we drew near the chapel, fire crackers were set off. They were too near. Back at the seminary after the Mass, I took off my cassock and saw some small burnt marks at the back. Of course, I was upset!

Simbang Gabi is known also as Misa de Gallo and Misa de Aguinaldo. Alejandro Roces states that the correct name for the Christmas novena Masses was Misa de Aguinaldo. It was called thus because the novena Masses served as the people’s gift to Jesus and Mary for Christmas. Misa de Gallo would really be the Christmas Midnight Mass. But today we prefer to use Simbang Gabi for both the dawn Masses and the “anticipated” evening novena Masses.

In times past in rural areas a brass band would go around to wake up the people for the Mass. They do the same in some city parishes. I was told it happened once upon a time at Better Living, Paranaque. In most places, the parish loudspeakers would do the job. This may prove an irritant for some. At St. John Bosco Parish, an expat from Holland who was living at San Lorenzo Village complained to the parish priest (who happened to be from Holland, too) about the music coming from the loudspeakers of the Parish. The parish priest calmly told him that this was the Philippines. And during the nine days before Christmas he should expect this to happen.

The Ordo, the booklet containing “The Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours and Celebration of the Eucharist For the Dioceses of the Philippines” in a note for December 16 states: “Tomorrow begins the Aguinaldo Masses (white) in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to be celebrated on the nine days before Christmas for the perseverance of the nation in faith.”

Especially in view of the fact that we are in the Year of Faith the Simbang Gabi Masses should become a help and an impetus to strengthen our faith in Christ.