The Filipino Migrants: Pre-Halloween Celebration

A Pre-Halloween Eve Celebration

Once upon a long, long time ago…Halloween meant a great deal for me…when the full moon would conjure broomsticks and cauldrons and pumpkins and the howling of the hounds baying at the moon, fire from the neighbors’ kitchen stove cast dancing imps.

That stage passed. Came the ‘trick or treat’ season – from house to house with a bunch of excitable kids – the ‘escape-goat age’ – meaning if your parents were so kill-joy (KJ) you’d escape to join the bunch and when you’re caught and confined to your room, you’re the ‘goat.’

That stage passed. Came the waves rolling by the seaside; bonfire with melting marshmallows and cashew nut shells’ acrid scent wafting in the air, roasting and toasting, while playing great music (noise) and howling and baying (no longer the dogs).

That stage passed. Came the costume and masks and parties – the ‘adult phase.’

And it, too, came to pass.

But what does Halloween actually remind us of? To put it bluntly: what’s its relevance to ones life other than its commercial value? Theoretically speaking, from my catholic-oriented education I learnt that All Saints’ Day ( translated into No school today!) officially the Solemnity of All Saints is also called All Hallows or Hallowmas (‘hallows’ meaning saints and ‘mas’ meaning mass) to commemorate all the saints, the famous, the popular and the unknowns. They’re the people who once inhabited this world; led exemplary lives and when they passed this realm have been conferred the beatification and canonization honors. Now they are in direct service to the Almighty in what we Catholics perceived as in Heaven. Rewarded for all the good actions (in thoughts and in words and in deeds) done here on Planet Earth and when released – PRESTO – the awards night! Commemoration mandated every November 1^st . Collective ‘in memory’ of all saints.

An annual routine, a robotic motion for me – a ‘hollow’ block.

Until last Saturday, 29^th of October. Fr. Andrew of The Nunciature caught me off-guard with his homily. His what he called a pre-Halloween eve mass. Because as he said, ‘some are already celebrating today.’

Actually, I was dozing off. The hum of the air conditioner was lulling me to sleep.

Fr. Andrew held up a piece of paper with the word T E N D boldly written on it. ‘What is written on this paper?’...’Tend.’ The congregation chorused. I sat erect and craned my neck. ‘Do you know that this word TEND came from the Latin word ‘teneo’ meaning HOLD?’

Now he has my full attention.

He flipped open the paper he’s holding: came the word E X placed beside TEND . We read: EX TEND. Reach out. Another flip: IN TEND. As EX TEND goes out, IN TEND comes in. All the intentions for one another’s (if we can’t afford for the entire humanity’s) well-being. Another flip: AT TEND; a collective sharing of whatever good we hold within ourselves.

And the final flip: the prefix – PRE beside TEND.

And what better time to PRE TEND than on the ‘Vigil or Eve of All Hallows’ commercially known as Halloween? The revelers of the flesh come vibrantly alive. This eve is the one other time to put on the mask. Life-imitating-death, the somber, the macabre, dancing into the tongues of fire with heated passion (ever heard of arson – body and soul?) Like the chameleon with its long, sticky tongue frequently and rapidly changing appearance.

However, no mask nor masking tapes can annihilate our real persona. Revelers’ subconscious point to the masks that best portray each one – the ‘rancid’ soul beneath the flesh rears its ugly head. And proudly flaunted!

As Fr. Andrew rounded up his homily: ‘…this is the time to be ourselves, the true selves fashioned in Christ image.’

No more act of charity where there is none emanating from one’s self. No more posturing of piousness where piety never entered one’s heart. No more humility where only pride thrives within. No more turn-coats flesh wise. After all it’s only people who prized the superficial value of each one. It’s only people who praise and extol each one. It’s only people for whom each one puts the ‘masks’ on.

For what? Personal gratification of all sorts. Like the ‘kadangare’ – that big colorful African lizard jumping off from the wall and upon reaching the ground proudly ‘heaving and puffing’ its chest: ‘I’M THE BEST!’

I would have loved to add this: POR TEND. Everything the flesh holds within portends what we’ll become.

http://thefilipinomigrants.blogspot.com

To One and All: a fruitful celebration. Just like the celebration last October 29 immediately after the Mass. Held at No. 1 Chari Close (Off Bobo/John Paul II Strs.) The finished project of The Filipino Migrants’ Architect Benjamin Nadado of the LUXURY PROPERTIES DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD.

Here's some pictures:

...how to pronounce that dish... coq a vin...doesn't matter now.... d e l i c i o u s!!!

Nonits, Rex, Willy, Lito, John, Gilbert, Annie, Angie and Noel...before the demolition...of the food!!!

Il Capo Nonito!...'yon nga lang, Mafiosi o Yakuza? napapaligiran ng kanyang mga hitmen (sa lengwahe ni Lito - 'eat men': si Rex, si John, si Gilbert, si Donald -