Sayang...

The Filipino word "sayang" is one of those words that are so difficult to express in English. The English phrases I could think of like "...That's too bad...", "...It's such a shame...", and the like do not do justice to the word.

Maybe the thing that is missing is the feeling, or feelings, conveyed by the user of the word. We Filipinos usually use it, for example, when something (an event, for example) or someone (a competitor, for example) does not reach up to the standard (or to what could be possible), and we cannot do a single thing about it. "Sayang..." is the only word we could say. The word can also convey a feeling of mild frustration and/or sadness at something which could be better, and yet is not, sometimes on purpose. Again, the feeling is that I cannot do anything to change it, either because it is done, or because I am too far away.

Now this word is the only one I could say when I read in one of the forums I frequent that the parish priest of one of the posters would suggested that they sing the Song of Zion setting (?) of the Paschal Preconium (the Exultet) (because it is short), and that they use the setting of the Litany used in one of the dioceses in our country (which has five saints for each invocation).

What I cannot see is why would people settle for the least (and the easiest) that could be licitly done, when they could do more (I am thinking here of the use of the short version of the Exultet, the near universal use of Anaphora II, and the virtually-nonexistent use of the chants of the Graduale Romanum, which are actually the first option in choosing liturgical songs). The most common explanation I hear (or not hear): "The people have many more things to do after the Mass, let's not delay them".

I'm sorry, but have we really lost what it means to worship at the Holy Mass? Is the solemn worship of the One True God by his Bride just something that needs to be gotten over with? Maybe I just answered my own question...

Sometimes I cannot help but think, "Is this really a consequence of my country having a Catholic majority? That such wonderful things such as the Mass are taken for granted?" Sometimes I cannot help but feel envious for the converts to the Faith; they have such burning zeal. Without them, I do not know whether I would take the Faith as seriously as now. And sometimes I cannot help but say, "I wish all of us Catholics take as our personal motto: Zeal for your house consumes me like a fire!"

Now I am very thankful to the Lord that the situation here in the Church in the Philippines is not as bad as what I read as happening in the States. The homilies here still speak of sin, punishment, grace, and forgiveness and Church teachings. However I am afraid that, while we Filipinos are strong in doctrine, we are weak in discipline; that we do not see the connection between the teachings which have been handed to us and the things we must do as Christians, especially during the Mass; we do not see the connection between the lex credendi, on one hand, and the lex orandi, on the other. For example, holding of hands during the Lord's Prayer is practically - universal here - a gesture virtually unknown here around 20 or so years ago, according to my parish priest.

To the bishops, priests, and all those involved in Church ministries in my country: Please. Please give fidelity to Church discipline a try. Yes, we may (God forbid) lose many people to the "born-agains", with their "exciting" praise and worship bands and services, look at the gain in fervor the faithful would have. And please, do not listen to the mutterings, the whisperings of "The Mass I attended is boooorrrrriiinnnggggg! I don't get anything from it." Please go against the flow, the path involving the least resistance.