Las Posadas in Mexico (and Spain) and Simbang Gabi in the
Philippines are forms of Advent novena, which starts during the week of Gaudete
Sunday – during the third week of Advent. Because these novenas take up the
last 9 days of Advent, they also coincide pretty much with the Late Weekdays of
Advent, the 8 days leading up to Christmas. These are, in a way, symmetrical to
the Octave of Christmas, the first 8 days of the Christmastide, from Christmas
to the Feast of the Theotokos, also on the day of Jesus’ circumcision and the
way when he was named as “Jesus”, which, in Hebrew, means “the Lord saves” or
“Joshua”.
Advent has four weeks to prepare for the coming of the Lord
as the Word incarnated and as the fruit of Mary’s immaculate womb. To wrap up Advent
as our spiritual work of “making the straight way of the Lord”(Isaiah 40:3;
Mathew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23) to arrive, we make more concentrated
and focused efforts through Christmas novenas, such as Las Posadas and
Simbang Gabi.
Novena, a 9-day prayer devotion, to prepare for a feast,
trances its origin to Jesus’ instruction to his disciples to stay in the Upper
Room during the time between the Ascension and the Pentecost (Acts 1:1-11).
There were 9 days between Ascension and Pentecost, and it was a very critical
period before the birth of the Church, the post-Ascension Body of Christ,
composed of us (1 Corinthians 12:27), upon the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts
2:1-13) sent down by the Father in the name of the Son (John 14:26) to give
birth to the Church and to baptize the Apostles (the foundation of the Church)
with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3;11, Acts 1:5, 2:3).
During this Late Advent Weekdays, as Christmas novenas, such
as Las Posadas and Simbang Gabi, are in full swing, given the origin of novena
in Jesus’ instruction to the disciples to prepare for the birth of the Church,
namely, the Pentecost, in Acts 1:1-11 and his promise of the Holy Spirit as
Advocate (parakletos, rather than pneuma) in John 14:26, we can draw a parallel
between Christmas and Pentecost. and to baptize the disciples anew (Acts 1:5,
echoing the prophesy of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11).
Paralleling between Christmas and Pentecost?
These two feasts do not seem to be related on the surface.
However, they are, indeed. Therefore, we can appreciate Christmas novenas, such
as Las Posadas and Simbang Gabi, in juxtaposition to the novena for Pentecost,
as both Christmas and Pentecost are about birth. While Christmas is the birth
of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as the Word, which is God (John 1:1), incarnating to
dwell among us (John 1:14), Pentecost is the birth of the Church, as the new “Body
of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Romans 12:5), upon the Ascension of the
Body of Christ, the Word incarnated, which was born on Christmas. For both the birth of the original body of
Christ – Christmas, and for the birth of the new body of Christ, which is the
Church – Pentecost, it is the Holy Spirit that is behind.
What puts Christmas and Pentecost in juxtaposition is the
fact that both of these are the births of the Body of Christ (Corpus Christi),
enabled by the Holy Spirit sent by God the Father. The first birth of the Body of Christ, as the
Word incarnating, is Christmas, for which we prepare through Advent and its
finalization through Christmas novenas, such as Las Posadas and Simbang Gabi.
The second birth of the Body of Christ, as the Church, which each of us, the
faithful, make up, is the Pentecost.
Because the original Body of Christ came to this world, as
the Word incarnated, died, resurrected, and ascended, our Christmas novenas,
such as Las Posadas and Simbang Gabi, should be practiced also in light of
renewing the current Body of Christ, the Church, which are as we love one
another, by the Holy Spirit.
As we practice Christmas novenas, let us renew ourselves, as
the post-Ascension Body of Christ, the Church, which was born on Pentecost, by
letting the Holy Spirit, once again, to baptize us, given the pre-Pentecostal
origin of novena. How can we make the way of the Lord straight without the Holy
Spirit, after all?
Veni, veni, Emmanuel…… Veni, veni, Sancte Spiritus! These
are in juxtaposition to each other, as we consummate Advent preparation with
Christmas novenas, Las Posadas and Simbang Gabi, into the Late Advent Weekdays.
“Veni, veni , Sancte Spiritus” is the spirit of novenas both
Christmas, as the spirit of the novena for the Pentecost is so.
Sancte Spiritus brings new life to give birth!
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