Properly Celebrating Simbang Gabi in the Philippines

Church bells will not peal as loudly from the belfries of Catholic churches in the Philippines this year. In the midst of a pandemic, Christmas music will not blare as thunderously from loudspeakers in church patios, but the Filipino faithful will continue to observe a centuries-old tradition unique to the Philippines:  the simbang gabi, the nine-day novena of dawn or night Masses from December 16^th to 24^th.

Literally meaning “night Mass” or “night worship” (also known as misa de gallo or misa de aguinaldo), simbang gabi is celebrated at different hours and in different venues all around the country. Many parishes have moved the celebration of the Mass from dawn to early morning or early evening (as anticipated Masses) to draw greater participation of the faithful. (The dawn has been taken out of the dawn Masses, says one religious writer.)

Also, the Mass is no longer held only in parish churches but also in the open air, on canopied stages, auditoriums, or malls.

Same Intentions

One reason for these changes, says a parish priest who is also a noted newspaper columnist in the country, is that many parishioners find it difficult to get up at dawn. He says, rather unconvincingly,

We want them to take part in the traditional religious preparation for Christmas, although the number of people who would like to hear Mass has been halved owing to the requirement of authorities to observe social distancing. But from their places of work, the faithful can go home, take their supper, and go to church. Then they can go back home and rest a little. After all, the Mass is the same, the intentions are the same: peace and perseverance in faith.

This reminds me of St. Ignatius’ take on non-spiritual consolation (that is, resting, which is a good thing) to enable one to take part in and prepare oneself for a spiritual consolation (that is, attending Mass). But moralists would have none of that. They have observed that Christian endurance in the midst of sacrifice – that is, getting up at dawn for nine days – has softened remarkably.

Sacred Place or Marketplace

But what really motivates most Filipino Catholics to attend simbang gabi? Certainly, it shouldn’t be puto bumbong or bibingka (traditional rice cakes peddled near churches).  Among male teenagers and young adults, it shouldn’t be their trysts with their inamorata or the girls they’re courting. It shouldn’t be the church or chapel’s air-conditioning! It shouldn’t be the nippy air, and it shouldn’t be the popular belief – bordering on superstitious – that completing the nine Masses will grant a devotee’s special wish. (Having the chance to listen to a favorite homilist or popular preacher isn’t a bad motivator, but it shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all of Mass attendance.)

The sad thing, however, is the lack of decorum that takes place in many local churches, especially those in far-flung areas in the country. Take a look at these all-too-common scenes in many churches in the Philippines during the entire Mass:

• The supposed parish leaders can’t stop talking – they argue on just about everything: who’s going to hold the cruets or the host in the offertory march, or who’s going to take charge of the second collection, who’s going to light the Advent candles, etc.
• The rowdy teenagers at the church entrance can’t keep their mouths shut either – simbang gabi happens to be a most “opportune” time for courting and flirting.
• Toddlers roam all corners of the church, shout, cry or throw tantrums (and often their young parents couldn’t care less).
• The few men who make it to church are content with staying in the church plaza keeping an eye on their new Honda Civic. And young girls and women dressed in shorts and blouses with spaghetti straps chat endlessly — even during the consecration!

The Mass has become a marketplace of sorts, a cacophony of discordant sounds, a place where chatty churchgoers congregate. If Christ were physically inside the church, I imagine He would yell,

“Be quiet! My house shall be a house of prayer!”

This writer has been around long enough to observe how members of our laity conduct themselves at Mass. Quite a number of Filipino Catholics have not taken to heart the responses of the faithful during Mass. They don’t know when to sit, stand, or kneel. They don’t know the meaning of kneeling during the consecration. They slouch on the pews, cross their legs, doze off, gaze in different directions, check their cell phones, and push and shove one another at the communion line. They rush to the church exit after the final blessing, the better to take advantage of a Christmas sale at a popular mall. And the greatest shame of all: they chew the host – the Body, Blood, soul, and divinity of Christ – as if it were bubble gum.  Yes, yes, we Filipinos are an extremely undisciplined and irreverent lot!

And how do most of us Filipinos go to church? Do we walk or commute? No! We ride comfortably in our air-conditioned vans or luxury cars. My late father used to ask: Is this what we call the holy sacrifice of the Mass? We should all plead guilty.

Christ Coming Into This World

It’s true: the time-honored tradition of attending simbang gabi is a joyous act of thanksgiving. The chants are festive and the church interiors bright and decked with dazzling Christmas décor. But, the pre-Christmas novena calls for a subdued ritual (as evidenced by the purple vestments worn by the priest) to signify the penitential nature that should accompany one’s anticipation of the birth of the Savior.

Penance, living our faith, performing good works, hope, and, most important of all, the coming of Christ, the Word Incarnate, and the light of the world – these should be the main motivators for our attendance at simbang gabi.