Christmas is coming...handa ka na ba?

Simbang Gabi at St. Peter's Parish

Hoppers Crossing
5:00 am, December 18, 2006
Matthew 1:18-25

In the last two of weeks the Church had been reflecting on the life and mission of John the Baptist. We have been hearing in the past few days the words of John the Baptist “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

It is very obvious today that we are all trying are best to follow the instructions of John the Baptist - prepare the way of the Lord. If not, you will not get up so early this morning! Your presence here today is your “Amen” to Jesus. (Last Saturday, I could hear your loud “Amen” with Fr. Wahid at Werribee.)

Starting yesterday we entered a new episode of our advent journey. Yesterday was Gaudete Sunday, Sunday of Joy, we lighted the pink candle of our advent wreath as a sign of our joyful anticipation to the birth of our Lord. As our advent wreath is much brighter, we are getting more excited about the coming of Christ.

The Church now invites us these coming days before Christmas to meditate on the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We reflect most especially with Mary’s fiat, her big “Yes” to angel Gabriel’s invitation to be the mother of God. Through Mary’s obedience and willingness to participate with the plan of God despite her doubt and uncertainty the first Christmas became a joyful reality, which means our salvation became possible for us.

Does that mean that because Mary said yes we are saved? Does that mean that it is Mary who saves us? The answer is no.

It simply means that salvation is not only God’s gift to us, it is also our response to God’s invitation. Salvation is actually God’s initiative, God’s gift to us, and then our response to God’s initiative. Mary was free to say no or say yes. Because she said yes, salvation became possible to us.

Like Mary we are free to say yes or no to God’s invitation.

This morning you and I accepted the challenge to say “yes, I will get up 4 o’clock in the morning to attend Dawn Mass at St. Peters, Hoppers Crossing.”

I am interested to know who among you here haven’t missed Dawn Mass yet since last Saturday. Who are the second timers? And who come here today for the first time? Who come here this morning for free food? I do, I come here for free Food of Life (Holy Communion), and of course for free breakfast.

Last Saturday, I said Dawn Mass at St. Francis Xavier in Corio. I said to the parishioners that it was my first time to celebrate Dawn Mass as a priest. We congratulated each other because this year is their second time to celebrate Novena Mass.

But I said to them, and I would like to say this to you as well, especially to my fellow Filipinos, we celebrate Dawn Mass here in Australia not merely because it is a beautiful tradition we want to continue or that we need to do. However, we celebrate Dawn Mass, not only as Filipinos but as whole Christian community, because it is a special time where our faith as one Christian family is intensified.

Dawn Mass is the time when we mostly feel our need to prepare with great joy and hopeful expectation about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is what God the Father is offering us to be our Salvation. With joyful heart we say “yes.” We want Jesus to be born in our hearts.

So we thank God today for His offer of salvation. At the same time, we acknowledge our failure, our laziness, our fear, doubt and uncertainty to accept that offer.

We heard in the Gospel how Joseph, Mary’s husband, overcomes his fear and doubt and uncertainty though the appearance of the angel of the Lord in his dream. The angel said to him “Joseph…do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived… “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus…” In fulfillment of the prophet, “They shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

We already received the Good News of our salvation – God-is with us.

So each time we talk, each time we plan, each time we act let us continue to accept the offer of God’s salvation. Amen.