What’s Different About Lent? (by Chris Orf)

 

What’s Different About Lent?

 

For many of us, Lent is the season we remember from our childhood as the season when we give up something, or the season of Friday Fish Fry.  I remember that my elementary school served grilled cheese and tomato soup for our Friday Lenten lunch.  One thing was certain, Lent was different from those other seasons.

 

A few things occur during Lent.  The catechumens enter the final stages of preparation for full membership into our faith.  This is a big step for them.  It is a time when they make the decision to become full members of the Catholic Church.  They take this step in front of the St. Michael community so that we may support them and celebrate with them.  Lent is also a time when we prepare ourselves to celebrate the paschal mystery.  It’s also a season that we concentrate on our core beliefs – those things that are really important to us.  It’s the time when we are told to turn away from sin and return to God.  This is a season of cleansing.

 

It is tradition for some parishes to remove the water from the Baptismal Font during Lent.  Some churches even incorporate sand and cactus plants to give the sense of the desert.  However, in the readings on the First Sunday of Lent this year, we hear of the flood waters that destroyed all on earth and cleansed it in preparation for its new beginning.  The presence of the baptismal water is also a constant reminder of our unity with every baptized person. As we dip into the waters and bless ourselves we not only remember our own baptism, but are in union with each other.  These simple waters connect us to our heritage in the faith – not only those cleansing waters of the great flood, but those waters of the River Jordan in which Jesus was baptized.  It is also appropriate for infant baptisms to wait until the Easter season to turn our focus to the catechumens’ preparation for initiation.  This has been a tradition at St. Michael Church for years with the exception of emergency baptism, of course.

 

During Lent, we do give up couple of liturgical things.  We stop singing “Alleluia” until Easter.  The “Glory to God” is omitted from the Mass except for a couple big feasts.  The décor is sparse.  Musically, all preludes and postludes will be omitted for the season.  Since Lent is also a season of repentance and returning to God, we’ll sing the “Kyrie” (the Penitential Rite) bringing more emphasis to that part of the Mass.  When the “Glory to God” “Alleluia” and décor do return to our liturgies, they bring with them the celebration of the Resurrection at the great Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

 

So, there are a few very simple things that are different about this season of Lent.

 

Enjoy the season!

 

Christopher Orf

Director of Music and Liturgy

St. Michael Church

 

 

SIMBANG GABI

 

Advent 2007, the first Simbang Gabi at Saint Michael Church

 

SIMBANG GABI (seem-BAHNG gah-BEE) is one of the longest and most popular among the Filipino traditions in the country. It is when Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi mass.

Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. The novena begins December 16 as early as 4 in the morning and culminates with the “Misa de Gallo” on Christmas Eve to welcome the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace.

ORIGIN

Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico when, in 1587, the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas mass outdoors because the Church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening mass.

During the old times, the pre-dawn mass is announced by the ringing of the church bells. In some rural areas, an hour before the start of Simbang Gabi, a brass band plays Christmas music all over the town. It is also believed that parish priests would go far knocking on doors to wake and gather the faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Farmers as well as fishermen wake up early to hear the Gospel before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest.

SIMBANG GABI NOW AND THEN

The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi although it is celebrated in new ways. Still, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues. Part of it are the colorful lights and lanterns that fill every streets. Beautiful parols are hung in every window. Songs of the season are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends and even individuals find its way going to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena. Shortly after the misa de gallo, families gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feasted on various delicacies like queso de bola, bibingka, puto bungbong, or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate.

SIGNIFICANCE

Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. But it is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of mass attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.

(Source: The Official Homepage of the Archdiocese of Manila, Philippines)

  

Below is the schedule of this year’s Simbang Gabi Western cluster of the Diocese of Joliet.  Saint MIchael Church will hold the final night of the masses this year.  

 

JOLIET DIOCESAN SIMBANG GABI 2008 WESTERN CLUSTER SCHEDULE DECEMBER 15, MONDAY: ST. MARGARET MARY, 7:30 PM 1450 Green Trails Road Naperville, IL 60540  (630) 369-0777 DECEMBER 16, TUESDAY:  ST. SCHOLASTICA, 7:30 PM 7800 Janes Avenue Woodridge, IL 60517  (630) 985-2351        DECEMBER 17, WEDNESDAY: ST. ELIZABETH SETON, 7:30 PM 2220 Lisson Road, Naperville, IL 60565  (630) 416-3325                 DECEMBER 18, THURSDAY:  ST. MARY OF GOSTYN, 7:30 PM 445 Prairie Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515  (630) 969-1063   DECEMBER 19, FRIDAY:  ST. RAPHAEL, 7:30 PM 1215 Modaff Road, Naperville, IL 60540  (630) 355-4545        DECEMBER 20, SATURDAY:  ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE, 4:30 PM 1500 North Brookdale Road, Naperville, IL 60563  (630) 355-8980   DECEMBER 21, SUNDAY:  CHRIST THE SERVANT, 5:00 PM 8700 Havens Drive, Woodridge, IL 60517  (630) 910-0770 DECEMBER 22, MONDAY:  HOLY SPIRIT, 7:30 PM 2003 South Hassert Blvd. (111th St.), Naperville, IL 60564  (630) 922-0081        DECEMBER 23, TUESDAY:  ST. MICHAEL CHURCH, 7:00PM      COMBINED CELEBRATION WITH BISHOP J. PETER SARTAIN 310 South Wheaton Avenue, Wheaton, IL 60187  (630) 665-2250