Saturday, December 17, 2011

A quiet morning

I woke up early to go to the Simbang Gabi Mass at Immaculate Conception Church this morning (it was at 5:30 am. A summing-up post will follow shortly.)

It was a very quiet, peaceful morning. The silence really struck me. It seemed like the world was still asleep at 5:15 am. It was still dark outside; the sun wouldn't rise for at least another two hours. I didn't hear any signs of life: no crickets chirping, no birds singing. Just silence.

It was almost appropriate, I think. In this season of Advent, it's nice to have the reminder to slow down and reflect in the days leading up to Christmas.

I'll end this post with the Collect for the Second Day of Simbang Gabi. This comes from the Society of St. Paul in the Philippines.

Father, creator and redeemer of mankind, you decreed, and your Word became man, born of the Virgin Mary. May we come to share the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share our human nature, for it was your holy will that your Word should take flesh in the womb of the ever-virgin Mary. Look with kindness on our prayers and grant that your only Son, who came to share our human nature, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

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