It’s Christmas Full Of Question Marks

Last night Cynthia issued a rare non-negotiation order to take her to the Cathedral for a morning Christmas Mass. Going to church is something I feel lazy to do especially when it is yet another night of less than 6 hours of sleep. However, it is also something I feel good after I have received my dosage of holiness that lasts … perhaps till the next time I do something terribly wrong. Then the cycle starts again, and again. Okay, I confess that I should have a regular dosage, something for me to work on in 2008.

I often wonder why the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore is nowhere near to the Hong Kong Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Cathedral in Hong Kong is immaculately decorated, the choir is beautiful, and the sound system is good. I have not heard any choir better than the one in Hong Kong (the Cathedral in Bangkok comes second in my favorite list). Over the years, the choir director and conductor stay the same and they have trained groups and groups of choir members and organists to deliver a performance that I think is as close to the sound of Heaven as we can get. Hymns are supposed to sound like that, in my humble opinion, in order to inspire. I think the vast difference between these two Cathedrals comes down to the location. The Cathedral in Hong Kong is located in an affluent area (mid-level to the peak) and around the Cathedral were surrounded by the Catholic schools (now only one left I think – the one I came from). That could explain the funding as well as the growth and sustainability of the community. Another difference that bothers me much is that in Hong Kong, people are allowed to dip the “host” into the wine during the Communion (hence, the body and blood of Christ) while in Singapore, the celebrant drinks the wine on behalf of all of us. Why is it so? Again, I don’t know.  I am a strong believer in sharing … erm …

Mass, and hymns, and beautiful voices aside, what does Christmas mean to people these days besides just another public holiday, gift exchange, and more reasons to shop? I don’t really know. Inside the Cathedral, I observe that many people were not active participants in the sense that we should all sing hymns together and we should all response during the prayers. Quite a number of them kept quiet throughout the Mass celebration and mechanically stand, sit, and knee as the Mass proceeded. Do they actually believe in what they are doing? Or are they doing what the tradition dictates? I also don’t know. Perhaps all of us should have a refresher course on the meaning behind the Mass once in a while.

Anyway, pardon the question marks in my head, I wish you all a Merry and Blessed Christmas. And for the faithful ones, let’s ponder why Christmas is indeed “merry” and “blessed”.

PS. Picture taken at The Venetian, Macau.