The first of the nine Misa de Gallo began on December 16, a time-honored Filipino tradition every Christmas season.
This is how the Filipino Catholics usher in the birth of Baby Jesus by attending the early morning masses in a belief that their prayers and wishes would come true. But aside from such belief is the fulfillment of an important Filipino tradition and most of us don't want to miss it.
Reverend Fr. Romeo Tumunong, Parish Priest of the Diocesan Pilgrimage Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City officiated the mass.
Catholics lit candles offered for the holy image of Baby Jesus depicted in the Nativity scene. In his Homily, he shared a good example of John the Baptist serving as a light to those suffering in darkness.
Relating it to the current times, when Leyte was struck by Yolanda where a Tsunami (storm surge) hit the place, darkness plagued each family as thousands lost their lives to a natural calamity.
He shared a story of Ralph, a son and father, who at the point of extreme danger, promised to see each other despite being separated by the killer storm.
Ralph held tightly onto a post braving the strong currents, while seeing his father swept away by the tides.
That natural calamity heavily broke his heart when only he survived the storm.
After the calm, Ralph was looking for his family members and later knew that all of them died except him. He was fragile in age to face such darkness. Until some volunteers came, who brought light to his miserable life.
He was made to live in a Catholic Church in Luzon, brought to school and now he is a Mechanical Engineer.
This is the story of someone serving as a light to someone who faces life in darkness. And that light brought back meaning to his life and was very thankful to those who were instrumental in his survival.
Also the story of a father who never ceased to search for his son who was trapped underground when a strong earthquake hit their place.
That father sends his son to school every morning. His son believed and was always saying to his father, “Father, I know that you will never leave me as long as you are alive.”
In that very moment of grief, the father was reminded of the voice of his son saying that he would never leave him no matter what.
The father used it to give him strength to search for his son. He tried to memorize the location of the school where he last left his son and for the longest hours of searching, he was able to remove debris and heard the voice of his son asking, “Is it you, Father?”
In that deepest and darkest place and situation where his son and some of his classmates were there, it gave them light, hope, and unspeakable joy that they reunited in an extremely impossible way.
The morals of these stories are, let us be the light in others' darkness this Christmas. Let us bring happiness to others. The celebration should be centered beyond the Christmas parties, the partaking of food, and the exchange of Christmas gifts.
Let's help those who suffer in darkness by serving a light to uplift their lives, he said.*