Days after Christmas

News programs showed many of our people who flocked to public parks to enjoy Christmas with their loved ones. From faraway provinces, a number planned to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in Manila’s Luneta Park where space was free and safe, where the dancing fountains entertained them, and where the Christmas spirit of togetherness palpable.

During this season, we are also reminded of sad stories of families who could not spend noche buena due to poverty or because of separation due to migration. The Riyadh drama we wrote about is still ongoing but with a glimmer of hope provided them before Christmas -- that the local and Middle East agencies are required to pay for the return fare of the affected Filipino worker. Will the agencies comply and will this particular family be reunited soon? This drama continues to unfold.

Before Christmas, Pope Francis reminded the faithful to let go of “the greed, hoarding and materialism of Christmas and to focus instead on its message of simplicity, charity and love.” In his words, “an insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when paradoxically a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive.”

A significant number in the world are still dreaming and hoping that Christmas and the days after will be better for them -- the hungry dreams and long for food, the homeless, shelter, the grieving, comfort, the sick, healing, the separated, togetherness,  those caught in war and conflict areas, peace, and the unloved, love.

Our neighbor, Indonesia, was hit by a tsunami with the number of injured and dead still rising. Our prayers to our brothers and sisters over there. In the midst of their grief and trials, may they find comfort and strength through the days and years to come.

Elsewhere, after Christmas, there are those who resume their regular routines, prepare, and set out for work. Others still visit malls.

 Fewer parties but the festive celebrations have also not yet ended for family, friends, co-workers, past and present classmates. Villages may still be holding their post-Christmas get-togethers.

Many are in their home, sweet home, enjoying with family members and savoring the precious moments of reunion. A number are out travelling, here or abroad. Others are enjoying their much-needed long hours of sleep and rest.

Those in the path of “Usman”, a tropical depression expected to pass through and intensify into a storm, however, need our prayers that no harm or destruction would come their way.

The reminder for all to manage their waste responsibly made before and during Christmas still continues to be raised for all to hear and comply with.

While attending a Mass last Christmas, we were pleasantly surprised to hear a reminder from the Mandaue local government for all to keep the church and their community clean by responsibly managing their waste. Decades back, we requested Cardinal Vidal to include in all Masses the important message for all to remember to responsibly manage their own waste in churches, in their communities, everywhere.

This recent Church and the local government partnership for keeping the environment clean is a welcome, positive step which we hope will continue beyond Christmas and through days and years to come.

Pope Francis, in Laudato Si, reminded us all to care for our common home, for “Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us” and to pray for God to “bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.”