Jesus' birthday!

The Christmas eve mass was celebrated in our chapel at 10:00 pm. They were doing it early not just so we could be with the family at midnight but also to avoid firecrackers since it is not only New Year were some people light firecrackers and there were a lot on the street and alleys we passed to.

Anyway, we got to the chapel 15 minutes before the start and as usual it was full. There was no place on the sides were we used to stand during our Misa de Gallo mass that we decided to go up to where the choir stays and one of the choir members said that even that place was full too. Well we were ready to stand but luckily one man motioned that the stack up seats at their abck was empty since the occupants found a place and did not come back anymore. So we got seats afterall. There were 4 of us but the seats were only 3 but we shared and made it through!

The service was simple but we had a chance to venerate the baby Jesus at the end of the mass. We waited till it thinned out before we came to the altar. We got home plenty of time before midnight and on our way we passed by a lot of celebrations going on... there were dancing (modern dance presentations) and in one area we found that they enclosed a certain portion of the street with coconut leaves and put chairs around a small table. The place was fullpacked and the table was just small... it was pretty obvious that they were going to have a drinking session... well actually they have already started with it. There were also lots of karaoke singing we heard as we walked even until we reached home.

Lots of celebration to celebrate Jesus' birthday! I was just thinking as I got seated on our table and we have our own celebration. Are the celebrations eveybody is doing the kind of celebration Jesus want? I am not only talking about the celebrations I saw on the road... even our own.
Well we opened with a short prayer and have our birthday cake which we lighted as we sang "happy birthday Jesus" and since there were just a few of us at home on midnight we all were seated around our table. The children who were around opened their gifts. But no Christmas carol... not even on the radio.

And as I head up to my room, i still ask, is this the kind of celebration you want?

No answer and I slept...

And in the morning we had our early visitor... well not really the people I would want to eat with the first thing in the morning BUT maybe Jesus wanted me to celebrate with them.

I think He did.

Happy birthday Jesus!

We celebrated your birthday, maybe not the best celebration that you would have wanted but I know you appreciate it nevertheless.

I love you!