Let Us Have A Meaningful Christmas

          It's Christmas morning! And many people in this side of the world are still sleeping at 8:09 am. I woke up with the priest's words during the Christmas eve mass still ringing in my ears. His main message centered on the theme: "Can we see Jesus who was born in lowliness and in poverty?" 

          In our culture, the long Christmas celebration which starts in October until January, focuses on the material aspects -- food, parties, new clothes and gadgets. If not for Yolanda, people would still have those annual big and pompous celebration. I believe that calamities do happen before Christmas to give us a message -- TO SIMPLIFY. 

          I remember last year, when I introduced a gift-less Christmas to my family in respect to the Pablo victims and survivors. It was done but was not well received. Nakasanayan na kasi eh (It has been a tradition.) . And worse, I heard "Si Tito Nel kasi eh...(It's because of Tito Nel....) "Ano ba talaga ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko (What's the true essence of Christmas)? Yun ba yung magagandang damit at gadgets, inuman hanggang malasing at katakot-takot na tawanan (Does it translate to the latest gadgets nowadays or the drink up to the last drop sessions)? Are we just using this holy celebration as an excuse to shop til we drop? 

          I was talking to a Ob-Gyne specialist last weekend and he said he is so sad that his financial capacity this time of the year is so bad that he can't even give his clinic staff cash gifts. Looking at him, he is not just sad, he is depressed. Here is an example of a person feeling sad because he cannot cope with the wrong demands of the season.Yes, Christmas is sharing. In our own little way, we give. Even children and teenagers are encouraged to give -- LOVE. I am not saying that we spend all our hard-earned money and  endlessly swipe our credit cards. 

          What I am saying here is to truly recognize that Jesus is the reason for the season. A God-king who in his humility came down to be among us. Let us also try to come down from our high and mighty lifestyle to be among the suffering, the lonely and the poor today. It comes but once a year! Let us make it special. Let us do it for the birthday of the King... :)MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL 

Guest writer: Dr. Nelson De Castro Magnaye

                    Writer, Dentist, Recollection

                      and Team Building Facilitator

                Manila, Philippines

                                                 

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS

          How would you perceive the image of the cross? Is it a sign of a victory or a defeat? Is it a sign of hope or a sign of failure? These are but some of the questions we can raise in our mind in relation to today's complex world.

          Personally, I would claim that we should always be grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for His preparedness to sacrifice even His own life to merit our salvation. With this in mind and in heart, I unceasingly put my prayer that may our minds be enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit, the source of truth, so that any decision that we will make about other people may be all honest and sincere. if we can live by the principles of truth the we will contribute to the peace and harmony in our society no matter where we are in. 

          Consequently the image of the cross for me is a paradox of what it meant to be for others. The cross where Jesus died is a complete manifestation of His triumph over our sins. When humanity suffers insults and rejection because of the desire to follow Christ, there comes the influence of Mary in our life being the spiritual mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who while witnessing the humiliation of her son, pleaded to God the Father for the forgiveness of His executioners and also for our conversion as sinners. 

          Thus, the cross at this time wherein our world is so overwhelmed at times by sufferings, humiliations, corruptions, becomes a symbol of good being triumphant over evil. May we then continue to imitate all these examples in our life in spite of all the odds out there, witnessing and believing in the concrete sacrificial act done by our Lord Jesus Christ.