COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS



As this article is being written Bro. Deo Macalma has just aired on the DZRH radio announcing it is now but twenty-one days to Christmas, but so far as the lion tamer is concerned, it will occur no more than a score later as the plan of the missus is to celebrate it on the 23rd of December.

Of course this is understandable. The priest who will officiate the event at our backyard cannot possibly do it on Christmas Eve as he is obligated to perform it in his parish, hence the advanced celebration. Consequently the awaited affair had to be advanced one day earlier and therefore, to the missus and to all those who were engaged in its planning, the advanced date no longer mattered. What is of utmost importance is that for the first time in recorded history, a mass will be held at the specific spot where she willed it!

Which makes the lion silently feel contented. The event has not yet transpired and so far, four brothers have already sent in the best wishes. Among them are:

Bro. Earl Albert Hart, an American Mason who has recently established residence in Tuscany in Italy. A new-found e-mail brother of this writer, he is husband to Estelle de Lara, a Filipina whose father’s mortal remains she found in a Masonic cemetery in Bohol. What transpired was a healthy exchange of e-mail correspondences between this writer and Bro. Earl trying to piece out the puzzle why Norman de Lara’s grave was found in that cemetery. But let us leave Norman ‘s bones where it is now lest we digress too far from our present topic. Bro. Earl, by the way, signed in at the Glphils Website Guestbook twice. For those interested to know what he wrote, readers are encouraged to open http://free.guestpage.com/home/view.rc?LoginName=glphilsAnd let us also ignore the word Tuscany, else we may be waylaid into the boring lecture of the second degree!

Bro. Jose Sal Tan of Laong Laan Lodge No. 185 and president of Cebu State College of Science and Technology in Cebu City. He likewise extended his best wishes, but from this writer’s end of it, could not forget that the former still owes the lion one healthy lunch, if only he could set his foot again to the famed Queen City of the South.

Mr. Tante Pacis, a family friend and although not a fraternal brother, has indirect links with the Fraternity since his biological father and father by affinity are both members of the Craft. Tante has already seen the twin electric lights that were installed at our backyard when he last visited Guindulman town last October and being a painter, could pretty visualize what the place would look like when the Christmas lights or “series” are finally installed.

WB Dave Dacanay who is now based in Saipan, (except for the notion that Saipan is out there where the tropical depressions that batter the Philippine Archipelago originate, this writer could but wonder where the heck that place is), has just sent in his fraternal regards for the success of the Christmas celebration that the missus has placed on her trestleboard. And ha!! He could not remember the User ID and passwords of the pages called “For Members Only” in our Website. Ha, ha, hah!!

But to those who have already read the article “LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS”, they may want to have an update of the planned event. Here it is .

The Christmas lights consisting of six (6) colorful “series” of 100 bulbs now adorn the beachhead and at the middle of the twin electric lights was the Christmas lantern shaped like a star with a 25-watt bulb at the middle and another set of “series” wrapped around it circle-like looking like a halo. What a beautiful sight to see when you are afloat on the middle of the ocean, the homecoming fishermen are wont to say. There is one minor problem though- even at this early stage, the bulbs of the cheaply-produced Christmas lights start getting busted. Which made the missus worriedly remark: “What do we do?” And the lion said: “Don’t worry, well just replace the busted sets if we need to!”

The missus has also finally firmed up arrangement with the parish priest that the mass will be held at our backyard at eight in the morning. To make the mass more solemn, he instructed the missus to inform the celebrants that a confession will be held at about an hour earlier. Also, he intimated that even the residents of the adjacent sitio named “Punta” where more fishing villagers reside also be invited to hear mass. To the approving delight of the light of the lion’s life!

Several committees were organized. The Grounds Committee, headed by know-it-all Goody Bernaldez, the Mass Committee led by cousin Lilia, the Food Committee, the Programs Committee, the General Services Committee and even the Drinks Committee- the group of old fogies who will insure that drinks will flow freely.

But there are minor snags. In this provincial and Catholic atmosphere where age-old traditions are scrupulously still being practiced, will the priest allow a live-in couple and a couple who are members of Bro. Gregorio Aglipay’s church to confess?? The lion can but amusedly chuckle. Let the priest worry about that later!!

The fishermen for their part agreed they will no longer venture to the sea on the 23rd. Since mass will be celebrated in the morning while the festivities composed of children’s dances, games and partaking of the food will be held later in the day, the males, under the able leadership of the missus’ elderly male cousin will contentedly watch members of their respective families enjoy the occasion partaking the wage of a fellowcraft involving several bottles of “long necks” called Tanduay Rhum and while the time away.

But remember, now is only twenty days before Christmas!!