5th day of Simbang Gabi
Dec. 20, 2023
Fr. Danilo Guinto
It was raining cats and dogs. Somehow, I made it. Driving in the rain after is quite difficult given the slick roads and very dim street lights in LA. But, no encampments that hurt my heart and yours. Mayor Karen Bass kept her promise, first year in office, and no encampments on the roads I drove at. I will offer more prayers for her to succeed in catalyzing these formerly unhoused folks to take charge and design their self reliant lives, after getting temporary housing.
I came early and got to observe the choir practice an hour before mass.
Our officiant today is Fr. Danilo Guinto. His homily connected it with prior revelations and anunciations to Mary and Zekeriah and Elizabeth. His homily centered on the Anunciation to Mary, using linguistic linkages. What an excellent homily – Grace before I go out in the rains, again.
“We have Simbang Gabi because you are all here, keeping the tradition alive for the next generation.
Teenage encounter with an angel knowing she’s pregnant, that must have been scary for her and even the parents. Scarier message from the angel that Mary was greatly troubled.
Embarasada – I thought it meant embarrassed. So, I said I am embarasada. Folks laughed as the word means pregnant. It is not possible to be half pregnant, you can only be pregnant or not. Either you are or not. Hence, the better term, is nagdadalang tao in Tagalog.
Teotopus – means God bearer in Greece…
‘Ang buntis,’ meaning nagdadalang tao, buntis sa Diyos, a God bearer as in Greek language.
What is true for Mary, is true for us, we are God bearers, we have Jesus in our hearts, nagdadalang diyos tayo, with and when the Holy Spirit overpowers us.
We can be God bearers. It means Emmanuel, God bearer means God is with us, favoring us as God bearers, journeys with us, as God does not want us to fail. We carry Jesus in our hearts and minds, we give birth to God through our words and actions.
We are most happy during Christmas and for that one day, we give birth to Christ.
Remember, we have Simbang Gabi because you are all here keeping the tradition alive for the next generation.” – Fr. Danilo Guinto
Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas called attention to the couple seated in the first row, driving all the way from Beaumont in San Bernardino, 87 miles, one way, a 2 hour drive. Imagine the sacrifice they make to get to Incarnation Catholic Church every night for 9 days.
As a note, I first attended Simbang Gabi when I was a teenager in Manila at 5am with my dad, Eleazar. Later, a bag snatching kept me from attending. I became a lapsed Catholic.
Fast forward, I started attending Simbang Gabi mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, welcomed by then Pastor Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas in 2008. Fast forward to now, this practice has been 15 years now. During the pandemic, I attended online masses. 2023 is hybrid of online and in person.
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Who is Fr. Danilo Guinto?
“At 57, Deacon Danilo Guinto is the oldest member of the Class of 2018. He thanked the “God of Surprises” for calling him to the priesthood.
One of the “stepping stones” that led him to discern his vocation was time spent feeding the homeless with the Missionaries of Charity.
“I never thought that committing myself to this ministry would eventually lead me to reflect on being called to the priesthood,” said Guinto, who is originally from Manila, the Philippines.
He also credited his special devotion to his guardian angel for helping him answer that call to minister in the City of Angels.
Come June 2, he said he looks forward to serving as “an instrument of mercy.”
“Pope Francis told us that ‘mercy is real; it is the first attribute of God,’ ” Guinto said. “As a priest, I look forward in making mercy real, palpable and present in the lives of the people that I am called to serve.”-Angelus News, 2018
He is now the administrator at St Cyrene. Formerly, a student of Fr Rodel in homiletics at St. John Seminary, he had straight A’s.
True enough, one of the most memorable, meaningful homilies making us relate in English, Tagalog and Greek languages, as well as being proud of our Filipino American community’s consistent 16th year of Pilipino celebration of our culture, centered on faith and 9 days of novena masses before Christmas, called Simbang Gabi.
Lord, I am truly grateful for my kababayan, especialy this beautiful choir and flute playing by Robert Shroder. Maraming Salamat po! Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, 2023