Father Horacio de la Costa, S.J. loved the Philippines.
He loved the people; he lo ved the traffic cops;
He loved the Chinese bottle-buyers; he loved the cocheros.
His was a patriotism that was simple, warm, absolutely honest.
It came straight from the heart.
He was proud of his country, of all the little, simple everyday things that made the Philippines what it is.
This showed in every word he said, in every line he wrote, in everything he did.
For instance, his portrait of the Three Kings... This is what he wrote:
I do not think the Three Wise Men were Persian Kings at all.
I think it much more likely they set sail from out Manila Bay
in answer to the call.
And if you ask why I affirm
That Melchor was King of Tondo
While Gaspar ruled Sampaloc
And Baltazar Binondo –
We will not argue. We will walk the streets on Christmas Eve
And I will show you the poor man’s rafter where hangs the star
The Three Kings sought after –
High above Christian prayer and laughter –
You will see it and believe.
For when they crossed the sea again,
From Bethlehem afar –
They lost their camels in the sea –
And they forgot the Christmas Tree,
But they brought back to you and me
The secret of the STAR.
Ah, we have lost the sign of the Kings
To whom Christmas is merely a Feast
And only a time
To dance and dine
With Western music and western wine –
Because a gigantic neon sign
Has blotted the STAR in the East.