Christmas in Mendiola

The disciples of John gave him all this news. So he called two of them and sent them to the Lord with this message, “Are you the one we are expecting, or should we wait for another?” These men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you: Are you the one we are to expect, or should we wait for another?”

At that time Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses or diseases; he freed them from evil spirits and he gave sight to the blind. Then he answered the messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor are given good news. Now, listen: Fortunate are those who encounter me, but not for their downfall.”

Luke 7: 18b-23

It is my first “Simbang Gabi” in the Philippines since I left in 2006. I remember that Christmas in China. December 25, 2006 was a class day, a working day. The night before, I attended mass in one of the churches recognized by the Communist Party. It was a very different experience. The following year, Christmas was in Hong Kong, a few days after I was released from Camp Crame Custodial Unit. In 2008, Christmas was in Hong Kong again. Finally, tonight, I will celebrate my first “Simbang Gabi” in four years.

It will be a rather special Simbang Gabi. The “Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Aerial Spray” o MAAS invited me to say mass for them in Mendiola.

The mass was scheduled at 6:00 p.m. I walked by the police outpost and waited a few meters away in front of one of the entrances of Centro Escolar University. I had been standing for sometime until I decided to wait in a nearby canteen. It was almost 7:00 p.m. when I got a text from one of the organizers informing me that the farmers had arrived. I stood up and proceeded to Chino Roces bridge. I saw the farmers and a big, more than life size lantern with an anti-aerial spray message written all over. It was a huge, colorful lantern. The farmers were proud of their artwork. There were less than twelve farmers present, the others were still on their way. The other farmers were walking from Asilo to Mendiola.

Around 8:00 p.m. mats were spread on the ground, with the giant lantern standing and leaning on a bamboo pole tied to one of the barbed wire barricades used against rallyists. The police were standing a few meters from where we are, making sure that we stayed where we were. There is always a critical, if not an anti-rallyist environment in Mendiola.

Just before the mass, Mavic of IDIS took me aside and gave me bad news. “Sec. Ermita cancelled the meeting with GMA on Thursday.” The mass I was about to celebrate was supposed to be the opening of an overnight vigil that was to culminate with the meeting with the president on the following day. Now, I had to find a way of preparing the farmers for the bad news.

I decided to say the mass on a positive note. After the gospel, I asked the farmers how they have grown into better persons, citizens and Christians after almost five months of campaigning against aerial spraying in Manila. The sharing was lively and rich. Mavic was to speak at the end in order to break the sad news. When Mavic spoke and reached the unpalatable part, the animated faces of the farmers slowly blended with the darkness that has enveloped us by then. Our little group was suddenly quiet. We were even mindless of the multitude of noise coming from all directions. I felt several stabs in my chest. Each sad and teary pair of eyes looked searchingly at me. I did not have an answer. When it was my turn all I can say was how Mendiola is hallowed ground. Many have marched here and a good number have even died here. I recalled the Mendiola Massacre of January 20, 1987. I stressed the fact that our sitting and celebrating the Eucharist together was another way affirming and deepening the sacredness of this place. Rather than feel low and discouraged, we should pause, breathe deeply and take in the invisible spirit of heroism and martyrdom that literally welled up from the depths of Mendiola.

Slowly, the sad, gloomy eyes seem to change into strong and determined eyes. This discouragement is just meant to be a pause in the long struggle for justice and liberation in our land. As life began to return to those eyes, the Gospel today became most relevant: “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor are given good news. Now, listen: Fortunate are those who encounter me, but not for their downfall.”

Jesus is the Lord of hope who gives strength and enables those who are tired and discouraged to recover their vision and energy.

Lord, on this first day of “Simbang Gabi,” I thank you for the gift of being with your poor farmers. Thank you for reminding me of my calling to be with the poor. Thank you for giving them hope and strength to continue living and fighting for what is true and just. Amen.

Photo: “Ban Aerial Spraying Now!” by Dirty Bananas Campaign, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

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