Misa de Gallo

When my mother-in-law and I got widowed, we traveled overland during summer and Christmas vacations to and from Manila. It was cheaper, given that we were 6 people in the van, plus the “uwi-probinsya-kadami” luggages and food “baons”!

Except for one time when the barges were unsafe and we were stranded in Samar, with 2 drivers, it usually takes only 3-4 days, one way, easy pace, no stop overs.

Daily mass-goers, it bothered us that we cannot complete the 9 Misas-de-gallo.

With those thoughts, we left Davao City past 3am December 16. Just before Lasang, there was a Holy Mass which was about to start. PRAISE JESUS FOR THE HOLY MASS!

December 17, we parked & rested by a light post at a Samar street. About to doze off, we heard people chattering in an unfamiliar dialect. I asked where they were going and were given directions. Yes, PRAISE JESUS FOR THE HOLY MASS! We hummed the mass songs sung with the same tune, but in Waray!

After our December 18 breakfast in Naga, we were stopped by a lady who asked if we were passing the main highway. As we will, she requested to be dropped off in the church along the way. Truly, PRAISE JESUS FOR THE HOLY MASS! The nuns even invited us to sleep a few hours before continuing on our trip. We declined as we wanted to sleep on our beds soonest!

The record-breaking Manila traffic delayed our trip. At Bacoor Cavite December 19, the Five Wounds of JESUS Church celebrated a second Christmas mass to accommodate the many parishioners which cannot fit in their small church. PRAISE JESUS FOR THE HOLY MASS! With Holy Mass for that day, GOD gifted us with undisturbed sleep once home!

JESUS cut short our advent-wait. HE fixed the schedule, routed our trip, made us well and the highways safe, all the way to Manila. HE kept us company the whole trip!

As always, we received from GOD more than what we gave. To HIM be all glory! (Bella A. Sarenas)