A time of thanksgiving

To many of us, Christmas is associated with gift-giving and/or receiving, sumptuous food preparation, parties with relatives and friends, midnight observance of mass and other related activities people do during Christmas time. However, one could not totally grasp the real meaning of Christmas without bringing into mind an episode in the history of mankind when our fore-parents Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden because of sin. As a consequence of what they did, heaven's door was closed.

Man lost the privilege of being heir to paradise and relegated to toil the soil in order to live. Without God's blessings and guidance, he continued in his evil ways committing all kinds of inequities. Mankind was like a ship without a rudder, doomed to perdition.

However, God, in his infinite wisdom, took pity on his wayward children and decided to save mankind from eternal damnation and promised to send a redeemer. Thus through the patriarchs and the prophets, He notified mankind that the Promised One would be born in a virgin. This come to reality with Christ’s birth in manger in Bethlehem.

In his eventual death and resurrection, heaven's door is once again open, giving mankind a chance to become heirs of heaven and enjoy eternal life.

More than everything else, Christmas is therefore a time to meditate and ponder on God's immeasurable love for us, a time of thanksgiving through joyful celebrations.

Jose Goc-ong Hortelano

Biasong, Balamban, Cebu