Category: Misa de Aguinaldo

December 24, 2025 – 9^th Day of Misa de Aguinaldo

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122425.cfm)

As people, we are very familiar with silence. There is the silence we keep out of respect, the silence of endurance when life is hard, and sometimes, the silence we choose because speaking feels risky, dangerous. We have learned to endure silently during calamities and man-made disasters, economic hardships, injustice, and disappointments in our relationships. Many times, we tell ourselves, “Antos lang sa,” hoping that things will really get better in time for us. Yet, there is also a silence that weighs heavily. This silence comes from fear, frustration, or the feeling that our voice no longer matters.

On this 9th and final day of the Misa de Aguinaldo, the Word of God speaks directly to that silence. It shows us that God does not want His people to remain voiceless forever. When God acts, silence is not meant to imprison us, but to prepare us for a braver and truer voice. I invite you now that we look closely at our readings and realize God’s wonderful invitations for us.

In the First Reading from the Second Book of Samuel, King David was settled and secured. He had peace, power, and a comfortable home. Seeing this, he felt the desire to do something for God. He planned to build a house for the Lord. But God interrupted him. God reminded David that from the beginning, it was never about what David could do something for God, but about what God had already done for David. God took him from being a shepherd to becoming king. God protected him from his enemies. And now, God promises something deeper. The Lord said, “I will be a father to him.”

This promise is not about buildings or a privileged status. It is about relationship and responsibility. God assured David of the Divine presence, but that presence also carries a mission for David. To belong to God is not only to be blessed, but to live in a way that reflects who God is.

The Psalm echoes this same hope. The people proclaimed God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, not because their lives were easy, but because God remained faithful even when times were dark. In moments when leaders fail and systems collapsed, what kept the people standing was the conviction that God does not abandon His covenant. God remembers and God stays with us.

This prepares us now for the Gospel, the Song of Zechariah, often called as the Benedictus. This song is not sung in comfort. It is rather sung after a long season of silence. Zechariah had been unable to speak because he doubted God’s word. Years of disappointment had closed his heart. Perhaps he believed that God’s promises no longer applied to him. That silence, however, became a space where God slowly worked wonderfully and powerfully.

When Zechariah’s mouth was finally opened, what flowed out was not anger or self-defense, but praise and truth. He blessed the Lord, not because everything suddenly became perfect for him, but because he already saw clearly and recognized that God has visited His people, that God is fulfilling His promise, and that salvation is unfolding before his eyes.

Indeed, Zechariah’s song is deeply prophetic. It speaks of God raising a mighty savior, of people being rescued from fear and terror, of hearts being turned back to God. But it also speaks of mission. Zechariah realized that his son, John, will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give people knowledge of salvation, and to lead them out of darkness into light.

This is where the Song of Zechariah becomes painfully relevant for us today.

We live in a society, a nation wounded by massive corruption, dishonesty, and insincerity in public service. Many Filipinos have grown tired of broken promises. We have seen leaders speak beautiful words but live empty lives. We have watched truth being bent, justice delayed, and the poor always forgotten. In such a climate, it is tempting to withdraw, to just stay silent, and to say, “Wala na tayong magagawa,”– as if we can do nothing at all anymore.

However, Zechariah’s song challenges this attitude of indifference. His praise is not passive. It is rather courageous because he speaks of light shining on those who dwell in darkness. He speaks of guiding feet into the path of peace. This is not poetry at all meant to entertain us.

The Benedictus is a call to conscience.

John the Baptist, whose mission Zechariah proclaimed, will grow up to become a prophet not by pleasing people and those in power and authority, but by telling the truth. John will speak against corruption, hypocrisy, and false religiosity. His integrity will disturb the comfortable and awaken the complacent. He will remind people that preparing the way of the Lord means changing how one lives, not just how one speaks.

Today, the Church invites us also to see and situate ourselves in that very mission. We may not stand in public platforms or wear camel’s hair like John, but we are called to be prophetic in our own spaces. In our offices, schools, barangays, organizations, institutions and communities, we are called to let conscience speak. Integrity must become our language then. Honesty must be our habit. And truth must guide our choices, even when it costs us comfort or approval from others.

Like Zechariah, many of us certainly, have experienced seasons of silence. We stayed silent to survive. We stayed silent to protect ourselves. Yet, Advent reminds us that silence is not the final word. God opens our mouths. And God restores our voices. Indeed, God calls ordinary people to speak light into dark places.

This is the one theme that binds everything today that God frees our voice so that we may become witnesses of truth and hope.

As we begin Christmas this evening, welcoming Christ means more than celebrating His birth. It means allowing Jesus’ light to shape our conscience. It means refusing to normalize corruption, dishonesty, and indifference in our hearts and communities. It means choosing integrity even when it is difficult.

Zechariah taught us that when we finally trust God again, our voice becomes a blessing not only for ourselves, but for the whole community. John taught us too that preparing the way of the Lord requires courage, clarity, and faithfulness.

So, may this final dawn of the Misa de Aguinaldo awaken in us a renewed conscience and a braver voice. And so, I leave you now the two concrete takeaways.

First. Practice integrity deliberately. In one specific situation this Christmas season, choose honesty over convenience, even if no one is watching.

Second. Speak truth with charity. When silence allows wrongdoing to continue, find a respectful but firm way to stand for what is right in your family, workplace, or community.

May the God who turned Zechariah’s silence into prophecy also turn our silent endurance into courageous witness, so that our nation may slowly walk again in the path of peace. Hinaut pa.

December 22, 2025 – Seventh Day of Misa de Aguinaldo

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122225.cfm)

Every Filipino knows the joy of giving gifts. When Christmas comes, even if money is tight, we try our best to prepare something like food on the table, a small present wrapped with care, an envelope with a cash, or even just our presence. We say, “Importante ang paghinumdum.” Indeed, what matters is that we remembered and we are being remembered.

In our culture, we realize that giving is never just about the price of the gift. It is about the heart behind it. It is about gratitude, relationship, and love.

Today, on the 7th Day of Misa de Aguinaldo, the readings invite us to look deeper into this familiar act of giving. They ask us two important questions. First, when God gives us a gift, how do we respond? Second, do we simply receive, or do we also learn how to return the gift to Him?

In the first reading, we have the story of Hannah. For a long time, she carried a deep pain. She could not bear a child, and again in her culture, that was a heavy burden. But Hannah did not harden her heart. She brought her longing to God. And God heard her cry. God gave her a son, Samuel.

Now here is the surprising part. When Samuel was still very young, Hannah brought him to the temple and said, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request. Therefore, I give him back to the Lord.” Imagine that moment. A mother finally receives the gift she waited for, and instead of holding on tightly, she offers him back to God. This is not easy. This is not ordinary giving. This is a heart that truly understands where the gift came from.

Through the gift of Samuel to Hannah, she realized how faithful God is to her. Through this gift, she also realized the other gift she received, through her friendship with Prophet Eli. The presence of Eli to Hannah was a reminder that there was hope. That friendship, made Hannah to be comforted when she was humiliated. Eli was Hannah’s prayer warrior. This made Hannah to be ever grateful to God.

Hannah taught us something important. Gratitude is not only saying “thank you.” Gratitude is trusting God enough to offer back what we treasure most. Hannah did not lose her son. Instead, she placed him in God’s hands. And because of that, Samuel’s life became a blessing not only for her, but for the whole people of Israel.

This is capture through Hannah’s song in the responsorial psalm. Her words were full of praise, not because her life became perfect, but because she experienced who God truly is. She proclaimed that God raises the poor, lifts the lowly, and gives hope to the weak. Hannah realized that God is a God who reverses situations, who sees the forgotten, and who gives dignity to those being pushed aside.

Moreover, the Gospel of Luke brought us into the heart of another woman, Mary. Though that joyful heart, Mary sang. This is Mary’s Magnificat. Like Hannah, Mary is a woman who received a gift she did not earn and did not fully understand. Yet, God chose her, a simple young woman from Nazareth, to carry His Son. And Mary responds not with fear or pride, but with praise, “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

Mary’s Magnificat tells us who God is and what God does. God looks upon the lowliness of His servant. God scatters the proud, lifts up the humble, fills the hungry with good things. Mary recognizes that her life has become a place where God’s wonders are revealed. She does not claim the glory for herself. She points everything back to God. That is why she says, “All generations will call me blessed.” Not because she is great on her own, but because God has done great things in her.

Here, we see the heart of today’s message. God’s gifts are never meant to end with us. They are meant to flow through us. Hannah received a son and returned him to God’s service. Mary received Christ and offered her whole life so that God’s salvation could reach the world. Both women show us the same truth that when God gives, He invites us to become part of His work.

This speaks deeply to us as Filipinos during Christmas. We receive many gifts, not only material ones, but gifts of life, family, work, education, second chances, healing, and hope after many trials. We have survived storms, sickness, loss, and hardship. Here in Marawi, you have lived out the horror of terrorism during the siege and the bombing. The fact that we are here today is already a gift. The question is: What do we do with what we have received?

Sometimes we hold on too tightly. We say, “This is mine. I earned this. I deserve this.” However, today’s Misa de Aguinaldo gently reminds us that everything we have is first a gift from God. And the greatest joy comes not from keeping, but from offering. Yet, not as a mere obligation but through a heart filled with gratitude.

This is how Mary shows us the way. She did not know all the answers. She did not have a detailed plan. But she trusted that God could do wonders through her simple yes. Because of that, God entered human history and salvation became close to us.

As Christmas draws nearer, the Church invites us to reflect not only on what we will receive, but on what we are willing to give back. Not just gifts under the tree, but gifts of time, forgiveness, attention, and compassion. In a world tired of noise, anger, and division, these are powerful offerings.

Today, let us remember this that God’s greatest gifts are meant to be returned through a grateful and generous life. Like Hannah and Mary, may we learn to say, “Lord, everything I have comes from You. Use it for Your greater purpose.”

I leave you now with two simple takeaways.

First, offer one concrete gift of yourself this Christmas season. It may be your time to listen, your skills to serve, or your presence to someone who feels forgotten. Choose one act and do it with love.

Second, learn to recognize God’s blessings in your ordinary life. Each day even when it is not Christmas, name one gift you have received and ask yourself how it can become a blessing for others.

May Mary, the woman who carried God’s greatest gift, teach us how to receive with humility and give with joy. Hinaut pa.

December 19, 2025 – Fourth Day of Misa Aguinaldo

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121925.cfm)

Let me begin with a story many Filipinos can relate to. There is a common scene in our families, especially when there is a reunion or a fiesta. A relative, most often, an auntie would ask, “Kanus-a man ka magminyo?” or “Kanus-a man mo magka-anak?” And usually, the one being asked would just laugh and reply, “Ay, wala pa man gyud,” or “Murag wala na gyud.” In this seemingly simple conversation everyone would laugh. Then, the question is brushed off.

Yet deep inside, sometimes there is also pain, longing, or a prayer that has been carried quietly for many years by those who have been asked. This is perhaps because of the expectations of people around and the pressure that one could feel from our family members.

Well, as Filipinos, we know how to laugh even at what hurts. Humor often becomes our way of surviving disappointment and frustrations. We smile, we joke, but we also hope. And this is where today’s readings meet us and invite us to discover God’s gentle calling for us on this 4^th Day of the Misa de Aguinaldo.

The story from the Book of Judges tells us about a woman who could not conceive. In that culture, childlessness was a heavy burden. It was not only personal pain but also a social shame. And yet, God saw her. An angel appeared and announced something impossible that she would bear a son. That child would be Samson, someone set apart for God even before birth. Here, God was already at work long before anyone noticed.

The Gospel gives us a similar story, but with a familiar twist. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous people. These couple followed God faithfully. They were deeply religious, always praying. But one thing was missing. They had no child. And now they were old. Very old. If they were Filipinos today, they would probably say, “Tama na, Lord. Okay na mi. Di na mi mag-expect oi.” They had learned to live with disappointment and shame.

For Elizabeth, in the culture before, she carried more shame because of the social pressure since she was barren. It was even believed that having no child was a form of God’s punishment because of sin committed.

Then suddenly, while Zechariah was doing his duty in the temple, an angel appeared to him. Gabriel announced that Elizabeth would bear a son. And his name would be John. The name John actually means “God is gracious!”

And this child would prepare the way of the Lord. It was good news, indeed. In fact, a very good news. However, Zechariah could not help it. That good news was overwhelming and too much to bear and accept. Too good to be true for that matter. And so, the old Zechariah doubted. He asked, “How shall I know this?” In other words, “Sigurado ka ani, Lord? Tigulang na mi oi.”

And because of his doubt, Zechariah was struck mute. He could not speak. There is something almost funny here. A priest of the Temple who preached the Word of God suddenly lost his voice. By muting Zechariah, God was saying, “Zechariah, enough talking. It’s time for you to listen well.” Thus, sometimes God allows silence not as punishment, but as a lesson for us.

In both readings, it tells us something very important. That, indeed, God works even when we think it is already too late. God acts even when we have stopped expecting and hoping. And God remains faithful even when we laugh in doubt.

Psalm 71 captures this beautifully. “You are my hope, O Lord.” From the womb to old age, God remains faithful to us. This psalm reminds us that our story does not begin with our success, and it does not end with our failure. God has been present all along in each of us and as a Church.

What makes these stories powerful is not just the miracle of a child being born. It is the patience of God. It is because God waited and listened to prayers whispered for years. And when the time was right, God acted and revealed His grace.

This makes us realize that Zechariah’s silence became a space for reflection. In that silence, God was working. And so, Elizabeth conceived and life began to grow quietly. We see that God did not rush and the Lord did not explain everything at once. God simply fulfilled His promise.

Now, advent teaches us this same lesson. Many of us are waiting. And we wait for many things in life. Indeed, some of us have been waiting for so long that we no longer expect anything. We just laugh it off. “Bahala na ka Lord oi.” But deep inside, our prayer is still there.

Today, the Lord remind us that He does not forget delayed prayers. The Lord does not abandon faithful hearts because God certainly, works in His time, not ours.

Like Zechariah, we will have our doubts and questions. God may even lead us into silence. But silence does not mean absence. In fact, silence is often where God works best.

As we wake up early for Misa de Aguinaldo, tired and sleepy, let us remember this: God is already at work, even when we do not see results yet. God is faithful, even when our faith is weak. God turns long waiting into unexpected joy. So, do not lose hope. Do not stop praying. Do not think it is already too late.

I leave you now two simple takeaways for today.

First, when prayers seem unanswered, do not give up. God is surely preparing something greater than you imagine.

Second, learn to be quiet before God each day. In silence, God speaks and acts. So, allow the Lord to reveal His grace, in His time. Hinaut pa.