CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

Another year is almost over, and we are anticipating for the arrival of another year. Time just flew by so suddenly. We hardly had time to sit and relax, enjoy the events and memories of the past. Now a new dawn is here, before we even realized it. Yes, whether we like it or not, Christmas is here. Its joyful spirit is felt everywhere; from the songs being played in the air waves, to the grandiose Christmas decors that are visibly displayed in the malls and stores. At almost every house yard in the neighborhood you will find the display of Sta. Claus riding on his sleigh, or the child’s wonder, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, or else, you will see the glittering multicolored lights that are sneakily interwoven on top of the garden plants and/or among the trees’ branches, which keep on radiating light almost forever. Such an elaborate display of Christmas ornamentation speaks of our inner sense and great emotions as we await the arrival of our Messiah, Jesus – the Savior of mankind.

For all the Filipinos worldwide, we started celebrating the so called “Simbang Gabi” mass in our parish churches. The “Simbang Gabi” is a unique tradition that Filipinos have that has been preserved and remains an essential part of the Filipino Christmas celebration. It is popularly called “Misa de Gallo.” The “Simbang Gabi” is observed by the Filipinos to spiritually prepare for Christmas. It is a novena of advent masses for nine days starting December 16th and ends on December 24th. It dates back to the 1700s when the Spanish missionaries brought the custom from Mexico to the Philippines.

In the Philippines, these masses start at 4:00 a.m. In some towns and in the cities, they usually start at 5:00 a,m. Churches are always full to capacity. In some areas, an hour or so before the mass, a band plays traditional Christmas carols all over town and the whole village remains vigilant for the observance of “Simbang Gabi.”

These novena masses are culminated by the midnight mass on Christmas eve. After the mass, everyone goes home to spend “Noche Buena,” or Christmas dinner with their families and loved ones. This is a time of family reunion as well. Members of the family who have left “the nest” come home once again to enjoy and share the spirit of Christmas with one another.

Last night I also celebrated the “Simbang Gabi” mass in my parish church where there were about five hundred or more people in attendance. There were six priests who concelebrated with me at the mass. Our Filipino Apostolate choir sung beautifully. We sang Christmas carols to relive our most tender memories of the joyful Christmas celebration. After the mass, we had dinner and “salo-salo”, and non-stop dancing afterwards. This was our way to celebrate Christmas together as a parish family.

In a few more days we will celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord. Because of this, it forced me to reflect of what Christmas really is. One thing that is associated with Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the feast of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when everyone is sure to give and receive a present, even if only a Christmas card. People spent a lot of time and money shopping for the perfect Christmas gift. We put up Christmas trees to surprise family members with our gifts and to be surprised with theirs. Santa Claus is the perfect symbol of Christmas because Santa is the one who gives and gives and never gets tired of giving. Christmas is a feast of giving even from God’s point of view. At Christmas we celebrate the king of kings leaving his divine glory and coming to our dreary world to share with us our poverty, misery and pain. It is not a question of Jesus giving us any particular gifts or blessings, it is a question of him giving us himself. This is the big difference between Jesus and Santa Claus. Santa Claus rides in an open sleigh giving gifts to children who have been good. But Santa leaves the gifts on the Christmas tree and disappears. Christ, on the other hand, does not leave a gift and disappear. He comes to live with us. He comes to share our human condition. His very presence is the gift. At Christmas we celebrate the mystery that “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). God gives, and the people of God give, and that is Christmas.

If Christmas is the feast of giving, then the question of what to give and how to give becomes very important. After all what is worth doing is worth doing well. So the question is, how can we improve on the quality of our giving? How can we improve on the quality of our Christmas celebration?

The gospel last Sunday helps us to answer some of these questions. In the gospel we read the story of Mary Visiting Elizabeth. We are not told that Mary brought foodstuff, or anything. We are told she brought just one thing: herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. And, dear friends, this is the best and the hardest gift of all. It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive at Christmas.

I wonder how many families out there who are so busy with the everyday affairs of life (work, school, social activities, etc.), that they don’t have time to be with their families or be with their children anymore. For many people, work and material things have replaced human longing and need. In fact, for some people, they have become the most important venture. And what are the common results? We hear of families being fractured and couples separated because they didn’t have time for themselves anymore. We hear horror stories of young people who ran away from home, and who are engaged into drugs and all kinds of immoral activities, because no one loves or cares for them. Machine or toys cannot replace human love and care. Te gift of ourselves are more important than material gifts.

Following Mary’s example, we must, in addition to flowers and parcels, give of ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be with people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money.

Do you know one thing everybody needs today? Everybody needs love and encouragement. Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that come from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary’s visit did to Elizabeth. Mary’s visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth. When we visit people this Christmas, let us try to bring some inspiration into their lives, let us seek to bring them closer to God, and let us try to share with them the Spirit of God in us, the Spirit of consolation, of courage, of peace and joy.

Before I forget, may I ask you to include in your intentions this Christmas- to pray for peace in our native land. In a special way, we remember all the victims of the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao. We pray that justice be served upon them. We also pray for all the victims of the recent floods in the Philippines which affected so many people. We pray that in this Christmas season they may find some comfort and joy in this difficult time.

To one and all, I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

God bless you all.