Saradong Katoliko

By Virginia Pasalo

 

THIS morning, I accompanied my niece Hazel to attend the first day of the Simbang Gabi (Midnight Mass) at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Church, the nearest church we can get to, within walking distance from where we live. Simbang Gabi is a Filipino Christmas tradition and consists of a series of nine (9) dawn masses starting early at 4:00 a.m. It begins on December 16 and ends with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve, on the 24th of December.

Because Simbang Gabi traditionally starts at 4:00 a.m., we had to wake up at 3:00 a.m., drink coffee, and after that, get out of the house, walk in the drizzle, with the only umbrella that has not been damaged by our hands, or the weather, the white umbrella given away by Mercury Drug last year.

Hazel told me that she has gone to Simbang Gabi several times in the past years, but never finished the nine dawn masses.

“Tita, have you attended Simbang Gabi in your life?”

“This is my first time.”

“Not even when you were at St. Louis Girls’ High?”

“No, and if I ever did, i was sleepwalking to it. Only my friends who are Saradong Katoliko religiously attended the masses.”

“What is Saradong Katoliko?”

“Saradong Katoliko is a term used for Catholics who strictly follow the Catholic faith. Some of them believe that they are the only ones who will go to heaven, as the other faiths also believe that their religion is the only true way to God.”

“So you are not Saradong Katoliko?”

“No, I am not. I believe that all religions are attempts by human beings to approximate their spiritual life. I am comfortable with other faiths.”

“So you are an ordinary Catholic?”

“What is an ordinary Catholic?”

“One who goes to church regularly and breaks some rules?”

“My parents baptised me a Catholic. I converted into Baptist for two years in college, and then practiced Buddhism, and then now, I see God in every human being, and in every tree, and I see God in the clouds too, and in the rain.”

“Huh? So what does that make you?”

“Let us just say that I am on a journey to make myself one with God.”

I have the feeling she understood.

My grandfather, Laki Ilot did not attend Simbang Gabi, he was not a Catholic. He was an herbalist, who keeps invoking “Maestro Hesus, Maestra Hesas!” during his healing sessions. He made specific instructions that upon his death, he would not be embalmed and should be directly buried in a day in the cemetery with very simple prayers. His children chose otherwise. While he was about to be embalmed, he rose and asked for water, and everyone scampered away from his body. He lived for another 40 years. On his second death, he was truly dead. His instructions for his burial were not followed again. He was given last rites in a Catholic Church, based on the collective decision of his children who were Catholics, except for one aunt, who was a Jehovah’s witness.

I do not know if he belongs to any religion, but I have no doubt that he was more spiritually-connected to God. His house was full of strange people sleeping for the night, and some stayed forever till his second death. He was more prepared than anyone else to meet his maker, outside of any religion, within any religion. I can see him passing through between the two huge mountains which, according to him, did not allow him to pass during his first death. “Hineni, Hineni!”

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