Dawn Mass: A confession of a Call Center Agent!

by: Silver Cepeda

The Christmas season started here in the Philippines since September. People would start counting as to how many days are left before that mythical date, December 25! But tomorrow the whole Catholic church would formally start it with the Simbang Gabi (Dawn Masses). 

When I was in the seminary dawn masses marked the beginning of my agony since I have to wake up earlier than the usual 5am.  Adding insult to injury the whole ordeal takes nine days. So I have to wake up early like four in the morning. I dreaded it! No one actually had a choice, it was either the chapel or the prefect of discipline's office. So it was the chapel. The prefect's office was not a good place to be. But then, the laziness that I felt that time would somehow disappear seeing people from the outside world. We would normally invite them for our dawn masses. Considering that they have to walk and wake up earlier than me, I would just suck it up and attentively attend mass. Our former rector would then tell us the reason why we have the dawn masses. I would say  for my four years of high school in the seminary I have memorized the explanation behind. According to him, "We celebrate the dawn masses as a symbol of waiting in the darkness. For the world was in darkness before Christ came into the world". Thus, when he came we were saved. We basked in the light of God's salvation. This is further symbolized by the sun rising up at the end of the mass. Perfect timing!

Now those days are over. I am in a call center or have been in a call center for the past five years. I have never attended a single dawn mass. There was one time when my former company held that. There were people who attended it. But I stayed a little bit far from them and just went up. I had choice this time. Thinking of it right now, I might admit that it was not a good decision. So for those Catholic call center agents. I am not endorsing the said practice. I am not that religious also. It's all up to you! Nevertheless, an idea crossed my mind right now. 

We work and sacrifice for those people that we love. I mean working at night is something, right? Something very hard to do! That is why we are paid higher compared to others. WE do this all for the sake of the people we love. There is a similar person who sacrificed for us two thousand and eleven years ago. He is Christ! He became man and lived among us. He saved us by dying on the cross. He died but lived again! So on this Christmas Season, I think it would also be appropriate to sacrifice for him by dragging our feet towards the church's doors. I know that I will!