Misa de Gallo / Christmas Novena - Fifth Day

The first reading is from Isaiah 7:10-14 speaks on the Immanuel prophecy pronounced by prophet Isaiah in the Kingdom of Judah. That  the prophecy  talked on the birth of Jesus Christ by the virgin Mary. It was also relayed  quite similar with the reading on the fourth day of Novena Mass.

 The gospel is of  St. Luke,  this time on the Annunciation marks the beginning of the fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah.  It was in the sixth month when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. This gospel is very improtant for the Catholics as we got from this our Hail Mary prayer. This is also in our Angelus that we pray at six in the evening. And more importantly, the message  "Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God".

If the situation of Mary happened this time, I think it wouldn't be easy to manage or maybe handle things in some way.  She was a virgin and would bear a son.  But then the angel assured her that she didn't need to be scared and that she was in the will of God. This was also the time when Mary was told about her cousin Elizabeth will conceive a son despite her old age. It was also her sixth month. It was a miracle, too as she was even called barren for having no capability of bearing a child. And what so special about Mary in the Gospel, was her response saying "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. may it be done to me according  to your word. "

I was personally touched on the homily Father Tamayo shared on couples who had had  babies but just surprisingly died. The first couple was even active in a helping community and for once in their lives they couldn't believe that such  trials could happen to them. And so the second couple almost lost hope on the pains they've been through of losing their babies.  Such things that may appear very undesirable for us let us down and sometimes make us question about God's existence; however, if we believe in His blessings, plan and will, we  see the brighter perspective and even be grateful on things that we find catastrophies.

God has his own plan, we just have to surrender and offer our ambitions, dreams and goals to Him and He will lead us to a better way. It's taking away fears in us and just have faith in our dealings. Nothing indeed will be impossible for God.