Despite the disasters that rocked the country this year, the faithful must still rejoice, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said during the Christmas Eve Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
“In spite of natural calamities, today, the whole world celebrating the birth of the Lord can still say, ‘Merry Christmas,’” he said.
Celebrating an advanced midnight Mass, Palma called on the people to “take joy not because of gifts or new gadgets but a spritual joy because we celebrate the giving of the most important gift to all people—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Palma said those who are suffering, like Filipinos in armed conflict in Zamboanga, the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol and supertyphoon Yolanda, must not lose hope and shoud instead find inspiration by looking at Jesus who chose to be born under difficult situations in a manger.
“We can say, ‘Rise and walk,’ because we celebrate the fact that our God is with us,” Palma said.
Quoting Pope Francis, Palma added, “In the Baby Jesus, we can no longer pretend that we do not know God. God has a face and a name. The name of God is mercy, fidelity and love.”
The calamities prompted people from all over the world to demonstrate genuine love, he cited. Even the war-torn people of Zamboanga raised at least P200,000 for the typhoon victims, the prelate said, while parishes across Italy collected money a second time at masses one Advent Sunday to donate to the Philippines.
The faithful filled the cathedral for the mass Palma concelebrated with Msgr. Roberto Alesna and Fr. Carmelo Diola of the Dilaab movement, among other priests.
At the start of the Mass, altar boys carried banners with the emblems of the gospel’s writers. A deacon read the proclamation of Christ’s birth in a ceremony called Kalenda, recalling biblical events including the Creation, the Great Flood, the Exodus, to the first Christmas.
As churchgoers led by the choir chanted the “Gloria,” Palma lifted a white veil covering an image of the Baby Jesus at the Nativity tableau in the sanctuary, and knelt in recalling Christ’s birth while praying the Apostles’ Creed.
Before the offertory, Palma switched on the Star of Bethlehem over the “belen”. After this, a long line of the faithful offered cash gifts in envelopes.
Before giving the final blessing, the archbishop imparted a plenary indulgence for the remission of sins.
It applied to those who were present, who confessed their sins, offered Mass and prayed for the Pope’s intentions.
Palma led the veneration of the statue of the Baby Jesus after the Mass.
To accommodate the big crowd, altar boys brought out two more images of the infant Jesus for the people to kiss while a fireworks display over the churchyard took place with the choir singing the classic Cebuano carol “Kasadya.” /Jason A. Baguia