Minus Sanctity

Part na ng Christmas tradition natin ang Simbang gabi. Lagi akong nakakabuo ng 9 mornings then pero due to work the previous years, I don't get to complete na the misa de gallo. For this year, I was absent on the first night ( we have a 9pm simbang gabi and the usual 4am mass ).

This is a time for reflection for most of us as we prepare for the birth of our dear Jesus Christ. Everything is ok naman with the mass flow ( the 9pm mass is usually attended mostly by the rather aged crowd-mas maraming bagets pag madaling araw ); so I have a quieter time listening to the mass. Not until the 'sermon' part where our parish priest would play ( and sing-along ) Ereaserheads (yep,Eheads hits) as part of his HOMILY.

I dont have question over his Homily. It is usually substantial and can stand even without a song. While Im totally OK to songs being played during the Homily, I find it rather off to hear songs that are not reflective in nature. Nasa MISA pa din naman kami. Im not after a 'show'- Im there to reflect.

For the first day, he played Alapaap. On the 2nd, Overdrive. His homily is about journeying.OK na sana minus the inappropriate song. For the 3rd night, Huwag Kang Matakot- he was talking about facing fears. Thank God, it was a guest priest who officiated the Mass on the 4th night...But I was up for another ' ka-iri' 5th night as he played a 'live' TOYANG..On his Homily he said no one is 'too young' nor too old to serve God.

Ewan ko ha..Gimik ba ito para magising ang magsisimba o panibagong atake para maiba naman ang Homily? Sanay ako sa creative mass- iba't ibang gimik para maging maganda ang misa- like songs being interpreted or short skits to give announcements or to contemporarize the Gospels..But to play and sing songs that are not reflective in nature- I think it violates the essence of Mass. Misa pa din ito..Hindi ibang gathering or another Church 'activity'.I personally feel offended everytime he would play these songs. 3 years na nya ito ginagawa. Imagine the previous years he played Kamikazee's Doo Bidoo tapos may Narda pa!E di ba may ibang connotations ang mga songs na yan. Basta lang maipilit at mai-play sa Misa.. hay..

To have an idea of what Im talking about,here's a video I took when he played and sang a live version of Toyang during the 5th night.

Im not being killjoy with these types of song being played inside the Mass. It's just that there are other appropriate songs that he can pick. I personally feel violated because this is a time that I want to really pray and reflect but gets a lil out of the way because of this.

DISCLAIMER: This isnt a personal hate-entry to the priest. Just expressing how I feel.