Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Christmas Season

  • Mary With Us isHope That Moves Us Forward

    Mary With Us isHope That Moves Us Forward

    January 1, 2026 – Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, New Year’s Eve Mass

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010126.cfm)

    As we have gathered together on this New Year’s Eve, with hearts brimming with gratitude for the year gone by and excitedly anticipating the year that is about to dawn, we pause to reflect not only on our blessings but also on the realities that surround us as a people. There are at least two pressing realities that I invite you to also recognize.

    First, for many Filipino families, this past year has been one of perseverance. Many worked harder yet still felt the squeeze of rising prices, while others waited anxiously for better opportunities. However, according to international research and analysis agencies, the Philippine economy is expected to grow, but at a slower pace than hoped, below our government targets until 2026.[1] Thus, it brings pressures on jobs, investment, and public confidence in institutions.

    Second, our nation continues to grapple with the harsh realities of climate change. 97% of Filipino children live in areas exposed to multiple hazards like typhoons, floods, heatwaves, and droughts.[2] These harsh realities affect their schooling, health, and safety. These are not distant challenges because they touch our communities, our children, and very our lives.

    Tonight, as we gather in prayer and hope, the Holy Spirit invites us to look beyond statistics and crises, to hear once again the Word of God, and to awaken in us a deeper courage.

    My reflection tonight on the eve of 2026 draws its strength from one profound truth that God is with us, and in Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, we find a model of hope that moves us forward.

    And so, as a people of faith, let us also explore the Lord’s invitations for us through the Scriptures, woven together into a tapestry of promise, blessing, and identity.

    In the first reading from the Book of Numbers, God instructs Moses to bless the people: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you… and give you peace.” This ancient blessing was not a ritual word of comfort alone but a declaration of God’s steadfast presence with His people, regardless of what they faced. Indeed, God’s blessing comes before our success, before our achievements, before the turning of the calendar. This means that God’s blessing precedes us. It reminds us also that our identity is rooted not in worldly measures but in divine favor and care.

    This echoes in the Responsorial Psalm: “May God bless us in his mercy… Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” Here, blessing is not exclusive. Rather, it is generous and meant for all peoples. Even as we confront uncertainties, whether in the marketplace, the environment, or our families and communities, God’s mercy draws us into a communion of hope that stretches beyond our individual lives into the life of our community.

    Moreover, St. Paul, in his Letter to the Galatians, brings this mystery into sharper focus. Paul writes, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son… so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters.” Because of Jesus, we are not distant observers but children of God. Thus, we have the right to call God, Abba, Father. This adoption is not theoretical. Instead, it affects how we live, how we hope, how we act with courage even when circumstances are intimidating and very challenging for us. This gives us the confidence that God is indeed, our Father.

    And then we come to the Gospel of Luke.The shepherds went with haste to see the Child lying in a manger. They saw, they encountered, and they returned glorifying and praising God. But there is one figure who stands at the center. It was Mary. Scripture says, Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

    What does this reflection mean for us tonight, as we welcome the New Year 2026?

    Friends, remember, Mary did not wait for perfect conditions. Mary, our Mother, did not wait for clarity before saying “yes” to God. She lived the divine promise in the middle of uncertainties. We find that in the difficult journey to Bethlehem, in the simplicity of a stable, in the risk of becoming a refugee in Egypt, and the uncertainty of a future she could not fully understand. And yet, she kept these things in her heart. This is a heart rooted in prayer, trust, and unwavering faith.

    Indeed, Mary witnessed the fulfillment of God’s promise, held it close, and allowed it to shape her life. From her womb came the Savior and from her life comes a model of faithful discipleship for every Filipino mother, father, youth, and elder.

    From all of these, this reminds us and calls us to truly hope! And this hope that moves us forward flows from a heart that trusts in God’s presence and blessing, just as Mary trusted and hoped. Thus, it is a hope that does not deny challenges but faces them with faith, courage, and love.

    Definitely, many will face challenges in 2026. We have an economy that grows more slowly than we hoped, pressures on jobs and investment, unaccounted government funds being squandered by corrupt officials, and the intensifying realities of climate change that affect our children and communities. These challenges are real, but God’s blessing is real too, and Mary shows us how to carry it forward.

    We realize that, in fact, Mary is not a distant figure because as a Mother of God, she is also our Mother. As a mother, Mary is present with us, guiding us, and interceding for us. At Cana, she brought the needs of others to Jesus. At the foot of the cross, she stood in solidarity with suffering humanity. In her faith-filled yes, she teaches us that to hope is to act. This means that we too have to look at reality not through the lens of fear and insecurity or merely on being optimistic, but through the gaze of faith.

    And so, as we usher in the year 2026, may our hearts be like Mary that is open to God’s blessing, reflective in prayer, and courageous in action.

    In this spirit of hope, let me leave you with three simple but powerful takeaways, practical actions that will help us live this year rooted in faith.

    First. Begin and end each day with a moment of gratitude and prayer, inviting God into every challenge whether big or small.

    Second. Act justly in your daily life. You can do this by choosing to help a neighbor, supporting the vulnerable, protecting creation, and speaking truth with compassion.

    Third. Stay anchored in community. We are called to build ties of kindness, forgiveness, and service in your family and our neighborhood.

    May Mary, the Mother of God, intercede for us that we may live this new year with hearts full of hope, eyes fixed on Christ, and hands ready to serve. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/11/25/2489603/economy-slow-down-until-2026

    [2] https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2025/11/24/714334/children-in-phl-facing-elevated-risk-from-climate-change-report/

  • Holding on to the Light

    Holding on to the Light

    December 31, 2025 – Wednesday, 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123125.cfm)

    As this year comes to its final hours, many of us may be standing quietly between gratitude and uncertainty. Others are thankful that they survived another year filled with challenges. Others feel tired, wounded, or unsure of what lies ahead. Surveys and conversations tell us the same story that many people enter the new year carrying fear. There is the fear of instability, fear of failure, fear that things may not change for the better. In fact in the recent year-end survey by PAHAYAG, it showed that 58% of Filipino voters are pessimistic of the coming new year 2026.[1]

    Yet, on this final day of the year 2025, the Church does not ignore these feelings. Instead, our liturgy on this last day of the year gently places before us the Word of God and asks us a deeper question. The question is, “In a world full of confusion and shifting voices, what truth will we hold on to as we begin a new year 2026?”

    The first reading from the First Letter of John speaks with honesty and urgency. John tells the community that many voices have appeared, voices that confuse, divide, and lead people away from the truth. He speaks of those who left the community because they no longer remained rooted in what they had received from the beginning.

    This is not just about false teachers long ago. It speaks to our present situation. Today, we are surrounded by many voices. We have the social media, opinions, ideologies, promises of quick solutions, propaganda filled with disinformation. And we realize that not all of them lead to life. Not all of them speak truth. Others even hide and bury the truth with their own narratives in order to advance their own political agenda at the expense of the powerless in our community and the common good.

    John reminds us of something essential that we have been anointed by the Holy One, and we know the truth. This truth is not merely information. It is, rather, a relationship. It is the truth that we belong to God, and that God remains faithful even when the world feels unstable. As we close the year, this reminder matters because what we cling to shapes who we become.

    Now, the Gospel brings us back to the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word,” John tells us.  These words are familiar, but today they sound different. As one year ends and another begins, the Gospel tells us that before our plans, before our fears, before our successes and failures, the Word already existed. And this Word did not remain distant from us. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

    This is the heart of our faith and of what we celebrate in the Season of Christmas. God chose not to watch humanity from afar. God entered our history, our struggles, and our darkness. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. This is not a poetic line meant only for Christmas morning. It is a promise meant for moments like when we stand at the edge of a new year or unsure of what awaits us.

    Indeed, as Filipinos, we have seen families strained by hardship, young people discouraged by uncertainty, communities wounded by division and dishonesty. We have also seen how easy it is to grow numb, to lose hope, or to settle for half-truths that make life more convenient. But today, the Gospel gently but firmly calls us back to the light.

    Hence, as we enter a new year, we are called to remain in the truth by choosing to walk in the light of Christ. Remaining is not passive. It is a daily decision. It means refusing to let fear define us. It also means not allowing lies, hatred, or indifference to shape our hearts.

    This means as well that John’s warning is also an invitation. If there are voices we have followed that have made us more bitter, more divided, or less compassionate, this is the moment to let them go. If there are habits we have carried this year that dimmed our conscience, this is the moment to leave them behind. The new year does not begin with fireworks alone. It begins with clarity of heart and of our mind.

    The Word became flesh so that truth would no longer be abstract. Truth now has a face, the face of Jesus. Truth now has a way of living through love, honesty, humility, and courage. When we choose these, we walk in the light of Christ.

    As we prepare to cross into a new year, may we do so not with loud promises, but with quiet resolve. Let us carry with us what truly lasts. The light has already come and the question now is whether we will walk by it.

    May Christ, the Word made flesh, be the truth we hold on to, the light we follow, and the hope that leads us forward into the year ahead. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2025/12/29/721544/nearly-60-pessimistic-about-2026-survey/

  • Maturing in faith through time

    Maturing in faith through time

    December 30, 2025 – Tuesday, 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123025.cfm)

    As the days of Christmas pass, the noise slowly fades. The lights remain, but the excitement becomes quieter as most of you might have observed. Yet, it invites us to notice something important that Christmas is not meant to rush us, but to deepen us.

    The Church, on this 6th Day of the Octave of Christmas, gently reminds us to slow down. We should ask ourselves what kind of people we are becoming. This reflection calls for our growth not only in age, but in faith, wisdom, and love. As Christ was born for us, Christmas calls us now how our hearts should be formed over time to recognize what truly lasts.

    This is why the Gospel today brings us to Anna, the prophetess, a woman whose life had been quietly shaped by years of faithfulness. She did not rush through life, and she did not allow loss or loneliness to harden her heart. Her many years in the temple were not empty waiting but faithful presence before God. And so, when the child Jesus was brought to the temple, Anna immediately recognized Him. While others may have seen only an ordinary child, she saw hope being fulfilled. Her long journey of trust had trained her heart to see what truly mattered.

    Anna showed us that faith deepens when we stay rooted, grounded. She waited long, but her waiting did not turn into bitterness. Her years did not make her cynical. Instead, they sharpened her vision and her spirit more attuned to God’s coming presence. Thus, she could see hope because she had learned how to trust God through many seasons of loss and silence.

    Moreover, the first reading from the First Letter of John speaks to different stages of life. John addresses children, young people, and fathers. He recognizes that faith looks different at each stage of our life. Children know forgiveness. Young people are strong and have overcome evil. Elders know God deeply because they have walked with Him for a long time.

    However, John also gives us a serious warning. He said, “Do not love the world or the things of the world.” He is not saying that the world is bad. John, rather, reminds us not to build our lives on what does not last such as power, pleasure, possessions, and pride. Though these things promise satisfaction, but they fade quickly and leave hearts empty.

    Hence, this message is very relevant today. We live in a time when many are pressured to prove their worth through success, appearance, or status. Even during Christmas, many could have felt that pressure to have the best food, the nicest gifts, or the happiest photos we can post of our social media platforms. Yet Anna’s life quietly tells us another truth that certainly, a meaningful life is not measured by what we accumulate or show of to others, but by who we become.

    Hence, true maturity in faith is learning to long and desire what lasts. Anna desired God above all else. That is why, when salvation stood before her, she recognized it.

    For us today, this is an invitation to examine our hearts. We ask ourselves. What are we holding on to? What consumes our energy and attention? Are we forming our children only to succeed, or also to love and serve? Are we using our strength as young adults only for ourselves, or also for what is good and just? Are we allowing our elders to be teachers of wisdom, or have we forgotten to listen to them?

    Remember, Anna did not keep the good news to herself. She spoke about the child to others. Faith that matures always becomes generous. It shares hope.

    As Christmas continues, we are reminded that Christ is still growing among us. And like Anna, we are called not only to see Him, but to point Him out to others through our lives shaped by patience, simplicity, and trust.

    May this Christmas season teach us not just to celebrate, but to mature in love, so that when Christ passes by our lives, we will recognize Him and rejoice. Hinaut pa.

  • Learning to See the Light

    Learning to See the Light

    December 29, 2025 – Monday, 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122925.cfm)

    After the joy of Christmas Day, after the lights and songs, the Church gently asks us today an important question. Do we still know how to see the light, and are we willing to live by it?

    In the Gospel, we met Simeon, an old man who had waited his whole life for this moment. He carried no title, no power and no influence. What he had was patience, faith, and a heart trained to recognize God’s presence. When Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to the temple, Simeon saw what many others did not. He saw salvation and the light. And holding the child, he said, “My eyes have seen your salvation, a light for revelation.”

    Simeon teaches us something important. Seeing the light is not about having sharp eyes, but about having a faithful heart. Many people were in the temple that day. Only Simeon recognized the Messiah. Why? Because he waited, listened, and remained open to God even when the years were long, boring and quiet.

    However, Simeon also spoke words that were hard to hear. He told Mary that this child will be a sign of contradiction, and that a sword will pierce her heart. Indeed, Christmas joy is real, but it is not shallow. The light that comes into the world will reveal what is true in every heart. Hence, as light brings comfort to us, but it also exposes. As light gives warmth, but it also demands a response from us.

    This is where the first reading from the First Letter of John speaks clearly to us. John told us that knowing God is not just about words or feelings. “Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments, is a liar.” These are strong words, but they are honest. Thus, faith that remains only in speech is incomplete. And love that is not lived becomes empty.

    Now, John even went further. He said that those who walk in the light do not hate their brother or sister. It is when we linger to hatred, resentment, jealousy, and indifference that we belong to darkness. Because they blind us and make us stumble without even realizing it. This is very close to our daily lives. We may celebrate Christmas, attend Mass, and speak about love, yet still carry anger, silent grudges, or coldness toward others.

    Hence, the message of today is simple but challenging. We are reminded that to see the light of Christ is to choose to walk in love. This tells us that light is not just something we admire from a distance. It is something we follow.

    Like Simeon, we know what it means to wait. Waiting can make us tired. Sometimes it can harden our hearts. But Simeon showed us that waiting with faith sharpens our vision. It teaches us to recognize God even in small and ordinary moments.

    Today, Jesus is still presented to us not only in the temple or in our Churches, but in people. Jesus comes to us in those who are difficult to love, in those who test our patience, in those who need forgiveness. How we respond to them reveals whether we are walking in light or still choosing darkness to linger in our hearts.

    As we continue the Octave of Christmas, let us ask ourselves honestly, “Do my actions reflect the light I claim to see? Do my relationships show that I am walking in love?”

    May Simeon teach us patience. May John teach us integrity. And may Christ teach us how to live as children of the light not just in season, but every day in our ordinary lives. Hinaut pa.

  • Called to Stay, Called to Love

    Called to Stay, Called to Love

    December 28, 2025 – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122825.cfm)

    In this Christmas Season, we always long to be with our family. We try our very best to spend a quality time that includes good food shared together and family vacations. Indeed, in our culture, family matters. When we gather we tease, we argue, we make each other wait, but at the end of the day, we show up. And Christmas, above all, is a season when our presence matters most.

    Today’s celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family invites us to reflect on that same truth that God wants to dwell with us, and family is where love stays alive. But before we dig into the readings, let us be honest and see the challenges our families face today.

    First, according to the recent survey of SWS as of September of 2025, it shows that half of Filipino families describe themselves as poor.[1] This is a reality that affects how homes function and how dreams are lived out. Many feel the pressure of financial insecurity in providing not just food on the table, but education, health, and a future for their children. Families worry about making ends meet, and that daily strain can create stress, misunderstandings, and fatigue that hurt family relationships.

    Second, many Filipino families experience conflicts that remain unresolved, sometimes staying silent because of pride, fear, or the belief that they should handle everything on their own. Because of this, the inability to seek healthy closure when relationships become harmful can trap families in cycles of pain and even violence.[2] These realities challenge the very heart of what a home should be.

    Into this context of our families that we also find God speaking to us through the Word.

    In the first reading from the Book of Sirach, we are reminded that honoring our parents, being steadfast in family relationships, and caring for one another brings healing and blessing. “Those who honor their father atone for sins,” the text says. Indeed, family life with its joys, tensions, wounds, and reconciliations, is not something accidental. It is central to how God chooses to teach us about love. When we value one another, we not only strengthen each other’s lives; we participate in God’s work of healing.

    The Psalm echoes this blessing for those who walk in love and obedience. The image of a fruitful vine, a household thriving and secure, is not simply about comfort. It is God’s promise that when a family commits to love through respect, patience, and perseverance, they reflect God’s own faithful care.

    In the Letter to the Colossians, Paul speaks directly into the life of the Christian household. He speaks not only about virtues like compassion, kindness, and forgiveness, but about allowing Christ to rule in our hearts. Families are called to welcome one another, not just in physical presence during Christmas gatherings, but in the everyday choices that shape a home manifested in our listening, understanding, affirming, and forgiving. Paul’s words remind us that family becomes a school of love when Christ is at the center.

    Finally, the Gospel presents the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt. This may sound far from our Christmas parties and bright lights, but it is deeply human. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were strangers in a foreign land, living with uncertainty and loss. Yet, they stayed faithful to God’s call. They did not abandon one another. In the midst of fear and displacement, they lived out trust and care. This shows us that family is not defined by comfort or security, but by commitment and love in difficult times.

    Today, we celebrate the Holy Family because their journey resembles ours not in perfection but in our struggles. Joseph, Mary and Jesus knew fear, uncertainty, and sacrifice. They knew the heaviness of responsibility and the challenge of staying together. And yet, they trusted God fully because God is indeed with them.

    Thus, this Feast of the Holy Family invites us to take a hard, honest look at our own families. In a country where economic hardship often burdens homes, where communication sometimes breaks down, and where love is tested by struggles we did not choose, God calls us to grow in deeper fidelity, presence, and care. The Holy Family teaches us that love is not a feeling that waits for perfect conditions. Rather, it is a choice that stands firm amid difficulties.

    We are reminded today that family is a gift and a mission. It is where God calls us to stay, to love, and to build life together with courage.

    And so, how do we live this out this Christmas season, not just as a fleeting celebration, but as real transformation? With this question, I also leave you now two simple, concrete invitations:

    First. Choose intentional presence. Go beyond being physically at the table. Turn off the phone to be able to listen deeply. Share not only food, but concerns, dreams, and fears. Let your home become a place where hearts are heard and valued.

    Second. Rebuild trust and communication. When there is hurt, take the first step and say, “I am sorry.” Ask, “How are you really?” and mean it. Commit to one regular family ritual even just a weekly conversation time where everyone can speak and be heard without judgment.

    Remember, our families are the first school of love in our society. If love thrives in our homes, it will shape our communities, our nation, and our future.

    May the Holy Family intercede for us, especially in this Christmas season, that our homes may become places of peace, endurance, personal growth and love, where we are truly present to one another, and where God continues to dwell. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/964345/50-of-filipino-families-consider-themselves-poor-sws-survey/story/

    [2] https://igg-geo.org/en/2023/06/27/divorce-prohibition-in-the-philippines-a-system-serving-the-patriarchy/