Valentine, Sweet Valentine

Every February 14, in almost all places around the world, candy, flowers and other gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did this tradition come from?

The Legend of St. Valentine

February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St.Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend says that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Caludius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, during his imprisonment, Valentine healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. And before his execution, he wrote her a letter which he signed as "Your Valentine" as a farewell.

Origin of Valentine Day: A Pagan Festival

It is believed that the Christian Church may have decided to place St. Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "Christianize" the pagan celebration of Lupercalia.  Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture.

Valentine's Day: A Day of Romance

Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity.  But it was outlawed --as it was deemed "un-Christian"-- at the end of the 15th Century. It was not until much later that the day became definitively associated with love.

Today Valentine's Day is marked by the exchange of romantic cards (Valentine), flowers and other gifts.

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Everyone! 

Sources: History.com and Wikipedia

Simbang Gabi  in the Philippines

As our Advent pilgrimage draws near to Christmas Day, Catholics in the Philippines begin their spiritual preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with novena Masses popularly called "Simbang Gabi".

Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a devotional nine-day novena in honor of the Blessed Mother in preparation for Christmas. It is a tradition with deep roots in the country's religious culture, and one of the longest and most popular among Filipino traditions in the Philippines. Simbang Gabi expresses the faith of Filipinos who hold the belief that God is ever present in human history, in the simple joys and anxieties of life's humblest activities.

This novena Mass begins on December 16 until 24. Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn at 4 or 5 in the morning, to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi Mass.

Many urban parishes now celebrate anticipated Simbang Gabi around 8 or 9 in the evening in order to accommodate the needs of people on a great variety of work schedules. Anticipated Simbang Gabi Masses start on December 15 to 23.

Origin

It is said that Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico in 1587. Here in the Philippines it originated in the early days of Spanish rule. This cherished Christmas custom eventually became a distinct feature of Philippine culture.

Christmas Celebration

The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi in the Philippines. The tradition continuous to our generation, although the celebration incorporates new ways. 

For example, there are colorful lights and lanterns that fill every street leading to the churches. Songs of the season are played to warm the hearts. Families, friends and the faithful in general go to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena Mass. And shortly after Mass families go back home to feast on various delicacies like bibingka, puto bungbong or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate.

Relevance

Simbang Gabi is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It provides a significant moment to strengthen relationship among family members. More importantly, it is a time when our faith is intensified. It is the time when we feel the presence of the Lord because it is our spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day.

The old Spanish name for the Simbang Gabi is actually "Misa de Aguinaldo". The phrase offers some insight into the meaning of Simbang Gabi. In Spanish "aguinaldo" means a gift. So Misa de Aguinaldo suggests a gift for the Child Jesus on his birthday. Because the observance of Simbang Gabi is somewhat a sacrifice of love as it requires dedication, will power and discipline to get out of bed so early while yet fulfilling all of one's daily duties and obligations.

It is good to be able to complete the nine-day novena Masses. Even if we miss some days, the blessing does not depend on the number of Mass attended. What is important is the disposition of the person who makes some sacrifice of waking up early to attend the Simbang Gabi Mass and receive the Lord's blessing.

Church Bells Ring

Let the bells of Simbang Gabi break the pre-dawn silence of the whole land. For the bells of Simbang Gabi offer a message of hope in God, especially at this crucial time when our nation has been devastated by series of calamities, both man-made and natural. 

Let us hope in God, and pray for peace on earth to people of good will.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

The Immaculate Conception
  of the Blessed Virgin Mary              

The Church celebrates on December 8 the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (But because December 8 this year falls on a Sunday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to December 9, which becomes a holiday of obligation for Catholics.)

Pope Pius IX, on December 8, 1854, has defined the dogma that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

"The subject of his immunity from original sin is the person of Mary at the moment of the creation of her soul and its infusion into her body."

This feast tells us that the Blessed Virgin Mary was created by God immaculate in nature for the sake of his Son.

The Immaculate Conception should not be confused with the perpetual virginity of Mary or the virgin birth of Jesus. Because the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary herself by her mother, Saint Anne.

The Immaculate Conception is one of the 3 Holy Days of Obligation (in addition to all Sundays) for the Catholic Church in the Philippines (the other 2 being January 1 and December 25). 

                  Prayer

Let us pray to Mary, our Mother, to be with us, to guide us, to protect us through her prayer of intercession with her Son.

Let us ask Mary to strengthen the Church in the Philippines in its resolve to protect human life, especially the life of the unborn.

Let us ask Mary to help us respond as generously to God's call as she did and to be as true Catholics and faithful a disciple of her Son as she is.

Mary, our Mother, we honor you today on your Immaculate Conception with the prayer of Hail Holy Queen, in Latin Version.



Salve, Regina, Mater  misericordiae,
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et lesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O Clemens; O Pia, O Dulcis Virgo Maria!


Mama Mary, please pray for us and our country!


Ad Jesum per Mariam!

The Advent Wreath

The Advent Season is our preparation for the big event that is Christmas. In Churches and chapels, including most homes and offices, we see a beautiful symbolism of Advent in the Advent Wreath.

The Advent Wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition, which is very much a part of our spiritual preparation for Christmas.

The Advent Wreath is made up of various evergreens in circle, signifying continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, depicts the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found only in Christ, the eternal Word of the Father.

The four candles in the Advent Wreath refer to the four weeks of Advent. According to tradition, each week represents one hundred years, to sum up to the four thousand years from the time of Adam and Eve until the birth of the Savior.

Three of the candles are color purple and one is color rose. In particular, the purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifice, and the good works the faithful undertake at this time in preparation for Christ's birth.

The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, which is also called "Gaudete Sunday", or the Sunday of rejoicing. It is so because the faithful are now at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas Day.

Some modern day adaptation of the Advent Wreath includes a while candle in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ, the Light of the World. It is lit on Christmas eve.

The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord's first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead.

Prayers for the Advent Wreath: (usually at the start of Sunday Mass)

1st Sunday of Advent:

Father, as we begin our Advent pilgrimage, we light a candle of Hope.

Grant us the courage to hope: hope for your presence, hope for your peace, hope for  your promise. Amen.

2nd Sunday of Advent:

Father, as we journey down the Advent road, we re-light the candle of Hope, and we light a candle of Peace.

Grant us the courage to make peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, and peace in our communities. Amen.

3rd Sunday of Advent:

Father, at the height of our Advent walk, we re-light the candles of Hope and Peace, and we light a candle of Joy.

Grant us the courage to experience joy in the hope of the Savior's coming: joy in the face of apathy, joy in the face of sorrow, joy in the face of uncertainty. Amen.

4th Sunday of Advent:

Father, as our Advent pilgrimage draws to a close, we re-light the candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy. And we light a candle of Love.

Grant us the courage to share your love: love for life and all creation, love for sinners and saints, love for the poor and the little ones. We thank you for the hope your Son gives us, for the peace he bestows, for the joy your Spirit pours into our hearts, and for your love that redeems us and shows us the way. Amen.

Christmas Eve: (Suggested prayer)

O God, who made this most sacred night radiant with the splendor of the true light in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries of his light on earth, may also delight in his gladness in heaven, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!