13 March 2019

Overcoming fear with the peace of Jesus

During my tertianship, I was assigned to help in the Aguinaldo (Christmas novena) Masses at Tinglayan Parish, Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk in Kalinga, Philippines. I found the assignment to be a confirming experience. I really felt the true peace of Christmas during the last day of the Aguinaldo Masses, on Christmas eve itself. After nine days of journeying together intensely with the parishioners of the different barangays (villages), we had to celebrate Christmas eve in a situation of terror, worry and fear.

Right before Christmas eve, the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels attacked the nearby military headquarters and killed one officer. There was news circulating that they would continue to attack Tinglayan on Christmas eve. This put the area on high alert. Before and even during the Christmas eve Mass, we could hear through the loud speakers a warning from the police station telling us to stay calm, not to engage in confrontation with the NPA, and to stay home. This created a tense atmosphere which loomed over the area in the evening before the celebration, particularly because there were also rumours that an NPA sniper might have already scouted the area beforehand. With all of these fear and suspicion in the air, I thought there would be a small number of people coming in for Mass that night.

At first, only the choir members came early to church for practice. But then, little by little, people started coming in for the midnight Mass. Until eventually, the church was overflowing with people (and their pets). They came with enthusiasm for Christmas celebration, smiling and greeting each other, “Merry Christmas”, regardless of the warning from the loud speaker. I said to myself, “The infant Jesus won over the fear of this world.”

Peace can prevail in people’s hearts even when the outside world cannot maintain peace. We celebrated the Christmas eve Mass in this spirit. And more to my surprise, the celebration continued after the Mass, until around 2:30 am. They feasted. They sang songs. They shared the spirit of peace brought that night by the infant Jesus. They did not let the fear and terror of this world occupy their heart. The Aguinaldo Masses gave them the power to welcome the peace brought by the infant Jesus!

Tertianship is the final period of formal religious formation for Jesuit priests and brothers, during which the Jesuit makes the full Spiritual Exercises again.