Always merry and bright

Christmas is always a season to be merry. So, regardless of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic that has infested us for nine months already, and even if we recently suffered from calamitous and deadly typhoons, this is still the season to be joyful and happy.

Christmas is merry and bright not because of the shopping sprees, the numerous Christmas parties and a variety of Christmas decorations, lanterns and colorful lights in our houses or in plazas, parks and other conspicuous places where people usually gather. It is merry because our attention is focused on the birthday Celebrant Himself, the Baby in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes under the loving care and protection of Mother Mary and St. Joseph.

We can therefore experience the true joy of Christmas by grasping and holding on to its deeper and more spiritual meaning, in the midst of all the materialistic trappings of the event. We must always remember that God sent his only Son to redeem the world and to reconcile man with Him after man’s fall at the Garden of Eden. So we should reconcile ourselves with God and love Him above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.

Let us open our whole heart to the Honoree Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let our hearts be the stable and not the inn where there is no room for the Honoree who has given us, and continues to give us, Hope, or the confident expectation that we will live forevermore; Peace, or the state of spiritual tranquility because of our redemption; Love, or the strong affection and care for God and our family, relatives, friends and other people especially those in need; and Joy or our spiritual exultation because of God’s love for us.

Indeed, the Nativity scene signifies that Christ has care and concern for the poor and the needy – the “last, the least and the lost.” This is a reminder to our Church leaders and ministers that they should perform their duties like shepherds guiding their flocks so no one will be lost; and if ever any one is lost, they should look for them and bring them back to the Lord our God. On the other hand, Magi or three Kings who knelt before Him bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh should be the exemplars of world leaders and government officials who should subject themselves to Christ and who should not be attached to the riches, powers and possessions of this world. Instead, they should use them or readily let go of them for the good of their constituents, especially the poor and the needy.

Today is really the best day to set aside a few moments of reflection to discern the real message of the occasion. Let us try to personally realize and accept that all the hardships, setbacks, frustrations, failures, calamities and tragedies that we have experienced are ingredients of rather than obstacles to our happiness and success.

The bayanihan spirit is one of the admirable facet of the Filipino character that manifests itself during this Christmas season when we are experiencing a deadly COVID-19 pandemic and devastating typhoons. Such trait is so noticeable in the subdued tone and austere manner we celebrate the “happy holidays.” So many Christmas parties planned long before were abruptly cancelled so that the money to be spent on them can be channeled to alleviate the sufferings of the victims and help them get back to their normal lives. The traditional exchange of gifts was abandoned in favor of sending those gifts, in cash and in kind, to their brethren hardest hit by the disaster. In the midst of suffering, most Filipinos are still happy because they are able to help others.

Therefore, let our reflection this Christmas Day bring out the message that despite the  many obstacles  besetting  us, there is  still  hope that we would still overcome and erase  the  bad side of the Filipino character of selfishness and  kanya kanya. But it can be done only if we show our spirit of charity, love and generosity in every occasion, whether in hard times or in good times.

SISONS GREETINGS AND A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

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