I am very grateful to have made it to #4 Simbang Gabi at Incarnation Catholic Church with Fr. Joy Lawrence Santos officiating. It is lovely to hear his baritone voice and his substantive homily. The Filipino priests are working so hard these 9 days before Christmas, travelling near and far to celebrate mass at different churches.
His homily, excerpted:Series of revelations about God’s plan by Fr. Lawrence SantosJesus, Mary, Joseph, Angel Gabriel, Elizabeth, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Holy of Holies to offer incense – these are the revelations about their lives.
Annunciation to Mary and Zekeriah, yet different results. Though Mary asked the question, why, she was favored as she was full of grace. Whereas Zekeriah asked the same human question, disbelieved, the angel made him deaf and mute until thr birth of their son, John to an advanced age Elizabeth.
Picture this – Fr. Lawrence went to a silver haired woman and said, “would you believe you would have twins? Would you believe it?
“We then understood why it would take a leap of faith to believe such forecast, such good news from Angel Gabriel.
When we pray to God, we don’t control God. It is in God’s time that God hears our prayers.
John means God is so gracious.
“The fog of illness in me, I was not coughing during the mass.