Peace! Kalilintad! Shalom!

Category: Christmas Season

  • THE MOST PRECIOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT!

    THE MOST PRECIOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT!

    For those who have the means, one cause of stress during the Christmas season is what gifts to give to one’s loved ones? This is especially so if they seem to have all that they need and are not wanting for anything else. We do not want to give gifts that will only end up in the cupboards or recycled as gifts to others.

                Godparents get perplexed when having to think of the appropriate gifts to their godchildren who do expect something from them during the Christmas season. It is easy enough when they were kids, as there is a variety of toys to choose from. And kids love any toy that they receive especially the ones popular at the moment.  But when they reach adolescent or early adulthood, one wonders what gift they would appreciate. To be safe, godparents resort to just giving gift cards of superstores or outright cash.

                OFW parents are even more pressured if they are not at home for Christmas. To compensate for their absence during this season, they spoil their kids and it could turn out to be expensive as kids demand gadgets that could cost a fraction of their salaries. But it is not just their children expecting gifts but the whole clan which explains the phenomenon of those big Balikbayan boxes that flood our airports at this time of year.

                And additional source of anxiety these days is the impact of inflation and the ensuing  high prices of commodities on one hand, while salaries have no correspondingly increased. Some companies even could no yet afford to give a 13th month bonus. Considering the high costs of Christmas with demands for a delicious noche buenas and other expenses, there is hardly left to buy gifts.

                On the other hand, there is also an interesting development in terms of undermining the crash commercialism that has characterized the Christmas holiday season. To make sure that they are not held captive by the pressure to go to the malls and shop till they drop, they refuse to even buy anything. Instead the more altruistic ones would rather distribute goods to the needy or give their money to charitable institutions or cause-oriented groups.  We can only hope that this kind of movement would expand and more people are involved in spreading Christmas cheer among our less fortunate sisters and brothers.

                If there is someone out there who wonders how best to respond to the question – what gifts to give to loved ones? –  let me offer this reflection. At a most recent time when I thought I was already destined to depart from this earth, I asked myself what was it that I would miss most? Or what would I have no difficulty letting go?  I realized I could let go of:

    –         Ice cream, halo-halo and all those wonderful pastries in bakeshops

    –         A really delicious meal in a fancy Vietnamese restaurant

    –         Bagel, croissant, pretzel and those freshly-baked bread

    –         A swim in the warm waters around the islets of El Nido, Palawan or in a lagoon underneath a waterfalls

    –         A fabulous sunrise or a gorgeous sunset with the wind caressing the coconut trees

    –         A climb up the mountain and then viewing a sea of clouds

    –         Travels to Baguio and Bali, Paris, New York or Rio de Janiero

    –         Films of Kurosawa and Trauffaut, concertos of Mozart and Bach

    –         The best of Filipiniana films, music, art and literature

    –         Songs of Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra

    –         Gardening, reading Booker prize-winning novels, writing fiction

    –         And a few more favorite things to do

    Photo by Sandino Madelo, Christmas 2021

    It goes without saying that I would not let go of my faith in the Triune God and of God’s plan of salvation that continues to unfold. To have been gifted with this faith has led many to a meaningful life allowing me a glimpse of what is God’s promise for humanity. It has also brought me to many communities where I could inter-act with peoples of great charm and generosity. It allowed me to experience moments of peace and great joy. And it brought into my life many co-believers to be able to constitute communities of mutual support, deep affection and compassion for each other.

    Then I realized there was one thing I would not let go for I would miss this very much. And it is this: the love and affection of family, confreres and the closest friends especially those whose friendships have lasted a lifetime. Who I am today and what I have accomplished in my life may be due to their support, encouragement and prayers.  The wonderful moments I have enjoyed through my life – especially at certain special occasions – were in their company. There was utter happiness that could only arise in their presence.  If there are memories to keep in my heart, their faces would appear.

    Indeed, the gifts of kinship, confrereship and friendship are the most precious gifts for me. And these are gifts given from Christmas season to Christmas season as well as throughout the years. These need not be wrapped in fancy paper and silk ribbons for these are offered from the heart. Every Christmas, I have always felt blessed because I knew I continue to receive these precious gifts. If I have these gifts, really what else do I need?

    So, dear reader, do not worry what gift to give your loved ones.  By embracing them in  your heart, wishing and praying for their well-being, assisting them in their times of need and loving them in a manner that makes them feel deeply appreciative – you would have given the most precious of gifts!

    And it is a gift that goes beyond Christmas!

    A blessed Christmas to one and all!

  • Lord’s Baptism

    Lord’s Baptism

    January 9, 2022 – Feast of the Lord’s Baptism

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010922.cfm)

    I AM As God’s Beloved (not what people say, I do & have)

    Who are you? How do people describe you? How do YOU define yourself?

    Henri Nouwen, a known pastoral theologian and spiritual teacher once said: “We are not what we do. We are not what we have. We are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth that… I am the beloved Child of the Creator.”

    True indeed, we do tend to define our life by what we do, what we have & what others say about us. In defining ourselves, we do tend to claim & know ourselves & others by our talents, abilities, successes as well as our failures & mistakes. We do tend to see ourselves & others by our backgrounds, possessions, privileges, properties, friends, influences, power, as well as limitations, poverty, and misfortunes. We do tend to characterize ourselves & others by the praises, awards, titles, honor, as well as by the insults, gossips, & comments people say about us. We do tend to name our identity, dignity, reputations, & life-purpose by what we do & not do, what we have & we have not, and what other say & not say about us.

    Though much effort & time we have spent in life to identify ourselves & others by our actions, possessions & feedbacks, we do know deep inside that these standards are limited & limiting. These self-classifications are degrading (ka-menos) to our very person & not who we really are. Eventually we have to claim that we are more than and better than what we do, what we have, & what people say about us. Eventually we need to believe & come home to the reality that we (you & I) are God’s beloved. We need to claim & name ourselves as essentially God’s beloved Child.  

    The chance of claiming & naming ourselves as God’s beloved Child is perhaps the most profound realization & blessing we can give to God & ourselves in life. Even Jesus Himself also have to experience and went through the process of claiming & naming Himself as God’s beloved Child.

    Before launching to His mission of evangelization in sharing to the world the Gospel of Salvation, Jesus must have first gone through a lot of soul-searching as to what is His very identity, dignity, reputation & purpose. Human like us, Jesus also grappled with the basic human question: “Who am I?” and reflected with our tendency to define ourselves by our actions, possessions & feedback.

    And on His baptism by the river Jordan, Jesus came to realize & experience who He really is – God’s beloved Child. Jesus needs to hear the words of confirmation from the Father, himself saying, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” Such words emphasize His very spiritual identity before God and the vision of God’s kingdom.  Here, He is reminded in a very deep way of who he really is, of his very being before God and people – that among anything else, He is God’s beloved Son. This is the very affirmation and confirmation of His being before God.  That beyond what he can do, what he can have, & what people would say about him, Jesus has to listen & honor, and claim & name for Himself that He is God’s beloved son, whom God is well pleased.

    Claiming & naming His being God’s beloved child did not only empower Jesus to now & always proclaim God’s grace of salvation to all in our world, but also serve as the content, process & spirit of His mission. As He claimed & named His very identity before God, Jesus also preached, taught & guided us the Good News that beyond what we do, what we have, & what others say about us in life, we are also essentially God’s beloved children – and that is how valuable & significant we are before God.

    And same way with Jesus, we only realize & come to term with this reality by our soul-searching, claiming & naming, affirming & confirming, and until be at home & at rest with our True identity as God’s beloved Children. And only then, we can find more meaning & purpose in life when we regard ourselves & others as ultimately God’s children. 

    Today on the Feast Day of the Lord’s baptism, we are reminded of who we are & how significant we really are before God & others, as God’s beloved Children. And we are also reminded on the very day of our baptism when we ourselves are consecrated, affirmed & confirmed to be always God’s beloved Child.

    Last year 2021 was also a very important year for the Philippine Church. It marked not only 500 years of Magellan’s discovery of the Philippine Islands in March 16, 1521 but moreso of the first baptism happened in our land and the 500 years – five decades of Filipino Catholic faith. Although for more than three decades we have been colonized by Spanish rules, upon our independence, we did not abandon our Catholic faith but rather remain faithful to our Filipino faith that provides us the cultural values and principles that made us Filipinos as one nation and heritage, and as the only Christian nation in Asia with 86 % Catholic among more than 100 million Filipino people all over the world. In other words, as Filipino nation & society, since then & until now, we identify, define & claim ourselves with our Lord Jesus as baptized Christians – beloved Children of God.  

    Perhaps as we begin this New Year 2022 amidst pandemic times, the best Message we as Filipino Catholics, may hear today is to always proclaim to ourselves & other that:

    We are God’s beloved children – a valued, valuing, & valuable people whom God’s favor rest & God loves now & forever.

    For that is who we are, who you are, & who I am in God’s heart & mind. We are blessed & gifted to be God’s Filipino children of today.

    Amen.

  • New Normal

    New Normal

    January 2, 2022 – Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://catholicreadings.org/the-epiphany-of-the-lord/)

    A man once asked a wise priest: “Father, how come unlike before God seems to be not talking or speaking to us anymore?” The priest replied: “It is not that God is not anymore talking or speaking to us. But rather it is that nowadays nobody is humble enough to stoop down to listen to Him. Nobody… nowadays… are humble enough… to stoop down … to listen to Him. Bihira nalang ang mga tao ngayong panahon na lumalapit sa Kanya na may pagpakumbaba upang marinig Siya at makinig sa Kanya.

    True enough that there are times in our lives that God seems to be silent and absent to us. But during those moments of our frustrations and hopelessness with God, perhaps it is better to consider not His seeming absence or silence, but rather perhaps that we have reach already too far and high in life that we don’t anymore get near and low to listen to Him. Siguro napakataas at napalayo na ng ating narating na hindi na tayo lumalapit at may pakumbabang marinig Siya at makinig sa Kanya.

    For the past Sundays, during Advent and these Christmas Seasons, we came to know several people who became involved in the birth story of Jesus and happened to encounter God and begun to know God’s will for them in life. Mary met God through angel Gabriel and became the mother of Jesus. Through a dream, Joseph became responsible poster-father of Jesus. Zacharias became the father of John, after meeting an angel in his old age. Elizabeth became pregnant with John in her old age after her husband’s encounter with the angel. Shepherds saw and learned from an angel that God’s gift to all has been borne in Bethlehem and they became witnesses (godfathers’ or ninong) of baby Jesus. And now in our gospel, the three kings come to know where baby Jesus, God-promised they have been searching, is through a bright-guiding star.

    All these people and their experiences are telling us that God had made Himself and His will know to them, and God will always continue to make manifest Himself and His will to us until now. Same way as before, we might experience once again God and His will for us now, if and when we honor our dreams, listen and witness God’s word and actions in us shown to us by his angels or messengers. God still continues to manifest or reveal Himself to us in many ways through the faith and actions of our community and church as we share each other God’s word, good advice, kind and loving service with others, and responsible guidance and parenthood of our elders and leaders. Even in a special way for us Filipino Catholic, we sense God through our kalooban and pangdama. Kilala ko siya dahil dama ko siya. Malapit ang loob ko sa kanyang salita at galaw.

    Today, in the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, marks the end of Christmas Season. Today is to remind us that more than about the three Kings, God is still making Himself and His will know to us. He is still reaching out and communicating to us many many ways. He is still talking and speaking to us, like before. All we need to do is to be humble enough to stoop down to listen and be sensitive to Him and His ways of revealing Himself to us.

    Moreover, Epiphany also reminds us that once we become humble enough to sense, hear, and honor God and His will to us now, we must change our ways.

    In our gospel today, we are reminded us of what happened when the three kings found the child Jesus lying in the manger in Bethlehem. Guided by the star, in great joy, they saw the child Jesus and they did him homage. Their encounter of Jesus and the Holy Family in Bethlehem brought the three kings great joy for they have finally found what they are looking for. With this, they offered their gifts in homage and thanksgiving to God’s greatest gift to all.

    But let us not forget that after they have witnessed the Son of God, they returned by another different way. This is not because they were afraid of Herod, but their encounter with Jesus has also changed their lives. Because of their experience with the baby Jesus, their lives were never the same again. They did not follow the usual path, but they now tread a different way, perspective, and attitude to life. Like our experience with a newly born baby, after they have recognized God in the child Jesus, the lives of the three kings were never the same again. The child Jesus brought them great joy as well as great changes in their way of life. 

    In the same way, the moment we recognize and accept the Lord, life will never be the same again. This would mean that once we listen and honor God’s will for us, life will never be the same again, for it has to change for the better. As God comes into our lives, New Normal life should be.

    As we say goodbye to Christmas season & start a New Year of pandemic realities may we be more sensitive to God’s continuing manifestations to us (His ways of making Himself and His will know to us) and be more open to be change and be responsible for the gift of life God is offering us always. Amen.

  • Parenting 101

    Parenting 101

    Decemember 26, 2021 – Feast of the Holy Family

    In our Wednesday novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, one intention we pray is that we may learn to adapt to our growing children. Parenthood, as we all know, is not only about raising children but also adjusting to our growing children. Thus, to parent a child is more than just caring for the growth of the children; it is also learning in the process, as children grow in maturity and age.

    Being Redemptorist missionary involved in parish, retreat, missions, and migrant ministry for many years, I became aware of the difficulties of parenthood. Difficult it is to adapt with life-changes, how much more adapting to growing children. In confessions and counseling sessions with faithful people, I become conscious of the hurts & pains suffered by both parents and children in their difficulties with parenthood. Parents hurt by their children’s disobedience, i.e., going against their will; children blaming their parents for their misfortunes in life. Sipmply because of our limitations in parenthood. Parenthood indeed is not an easy task, & rightly so that we pray to OMPH that we may learn from our experiences of adapting to the growth of our growing children.

    Today, we honor the Holy Family, the family who parent the child Jesus. Our gospel tells us that like any other family, the Holy Family also experienced the difficulties of parenthood. As parent, Joseph and Mary followed the proper traditions of raising the child Jesus. They did their best. But as we all know, they also experience how Jesus became disobedient to them, going against their will.

    Surely parents here could resonate with the hurts, pains, and anxieties they experience when children start to grow up and be on their own. Like my mother would even say, when we, her children started to have our live our own, “Kung puede palang ibalik sa tiyan.” (If I could only bring you back in my womb…) It is the same way with the experience of a hen that raises ducks as her chicks. When the duck-chicks, which by nature a swimmer, start to swim and float on a fond, the mother hen – because she cannot swim would be extremely worried and anxious that her chicks-ducks might get drowned. This is also what and how Joseph and Mary experienced parenting Jesus. When the child Jesus began to grow up in age & maturity, his parents also experienced the difficulties of parenthood.

    However, the Holy Family’s experience might teach us more about parenting and parenthood, especially in terms of adapting to our growing children.

    First, Parenthood is a whole family matter – not only of parents but also of children. To parent a family is not only about the husband-and-wife tandem in raising their children but it is more on the dynamic teamwork between parents and children. If it was difficult for Mary and Joseph to raise and adjust with Jesus, it was also difficult for Jesus to grow up in his own family. In as much as being parent is difficult, we also know that growing up maturely (to be on our own) is difficult. If Jesus only obey his parents’ will, I wonder would we able to benefit from and share with the salvation God has given us through Jesus, who did not remain a child of Mary and Joseph but become our Christ, our Savior? As the parent adjust, children also adjust.

    Second, Parenthood is also about trusting in God’s way of parenting us – of raising and forming us His children. Inasmuch as we are tasked to parent our little ones – raising and adapting to their growth, we must never forget that ultimately God is our Father, our ultimate parent; and we are all His children. If we do want the best for our children, God also knows, wants, and does what is best for each one of us. God knows what was best for us when we were children, surely, he knows what is best for us when we become mature adult parent to His little ones. If we do want our children to obey us, we also are to obey God our father who knows best & better than what we want. So, trust and have faith in God’s will, in God’s way of parenting us.

    To parent a child is to work together then with one another as family of parent and children as well as to work with and in deep faith and trust of God’s way of parenting us.

    Christmas challenges us Christian to be responsible parents of Jesus in our lives today. Parenting our growing children is also our way of being responsible to the child and adult Jesus – God’s word made flesh, into our very lives now, according to God’s will & not our own ways.

    As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, we pray that the Holy Family will continue to inspire all Christian families and communities in parenting our growing children for God’s glory, not ours. Amen.

  • God’s Beloved: I am & we are

    God’s Beloved: I am & we are

    January 10, 2021 – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011021.cfm)

    Who are you? How do people define yourself? How do you define yourself?

    Henri Nouwen, a known pastoral theologian and spiritual teacher once said: “We are not what we do. We are not what we have. We are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth that… I am the beloved Child of the Creator.”

    True indeed, we do tend to define our life by what we do, what we have & what others say about us. In defining ourselves, we do tend to claim & know ourselves & others by our talents, abilities, successes as well as our failures & mistakes. We do tend to see ourselves & others by our backgrounds, possessions, privileges, properties, friends, influences, power, as well as limitations, poverty, and misfortunes. We do tend to characterize ourselves & others by the praises, awards, titles, honor, as well as by the insults, gossips, & comments people say about us. We do tend to name our identity, dignity, reputations, & life-purpose by what we do & not do, what we have & we have not, and what other say & not say about us.

    Though much effort & time we have spent in life to identify ourselves & others by our actions, possessions & feedbacks, we do know deep inside that these standards are limited & limiting. These self-classifications are degrading (ka-menos) to our very person & not who we really are. Eventually we have to claim that we are more than and better than what we do, what we have, & what people say about us. Eventually we need to believe & come home to the reality that we (you & I) are God’s beloved. We need to claim & name ourselves as essentially God’s beloved Child.   

    The chance of claiming & naming ourselves as God’s beloved Child is perhaps the most profound realization & blessing we can give to God & ourselves in life. Even Jesus Himself also have to experience and went through the process of claiming & naming Himself as God’s beloved Child.

    Before launching to His mission of evangelization in sharing to the world the Gospel of Salvation, Jesus must have first gone through a lot of soul-searching as to what is His very identity, dignity, reputation & purpose. Human like us, Jesus also grappled with the basic human question: “Who am I?” and reflected with our tendency to define ourselves by our actions, possessions & feedback.

    And on His baptism by the river Jordan, Jesus came to realize & experience who He really is – God’s beloved Child. Jesus needs to hear the words of confirmation from the Father, himself saying, “You are my beloved on whom my favor rests”. Such words emphasize His very spiritual identity before God and the vision of God’s kingdom.  Here, He is reminded in a very deep way of who he really is, of his very being before God and people – that among anything else, He is God’s beloved Son. This is the very affirmation and confirmation of His being before God.  That beyond what he can do, what he can have, & what people would say about him, Jesus has to listen & honor, and claim & name for Himself that He is God’s beloved son, whom God is well pleased.

    Claiming & naming His being God’s beloved child did not only empower Jesus to now & always proclaim God’s grace of salvation to all in our world, but also serve as the content, process & spirit of His mission. As He claimed & named His very identity before God, Jesus also preached, taught & guided us the Good News that beyond what we do, what we have, & what others say about us in life, we are also essentially God’s beloved children – and that is how valuable & significant we are before God.  And same way with Jesus, we only realize & come to term with this reality by our soul-searching, claiming & naming, affirming & confirming, and until be at home & at rest with our True identity as God’s beloved Children. And only then, we can find more meaning & purpose in life when we regard ourselves & others as ultimately God’s children.

    Today on the Feast Day of the Lord’s baptism, we are reminded of who we are & how significant we really are before God & others, as God’s beloved Children. And we are also reminded on the very day of our baptism when we ourselves are consecrated, affirmed & confirmed to be always God’s beloved Child.

    This year 2021 is also a very important year for the Philippine Church. It marks not only 500 years of Magellan’s discovery of the Philippine Islands in March 16, 1521 but moreso of the first baptism happened in our land and the 500 years – five decades of Filipino Catholic faith. Although for more than three decades we have been colonized by Spanish rules, upon our independence, we did not abandon our Catholic faith but rather remain faithful to our Filipino faith that provides us the cultural values and principles that made us Filipinos as one nation and heritage, and as the only Christian nation in Asia with 86 % Catholic among more than 100 million Filipino people all over the world. In other words, as Filipino nation & society, since then & until now, we identify, define & claim ourselves as baptized Christians, beloved Children of God.

    Perhaps as we begin this New Year amidst pandemic times, the best Message you may hear today is to proclaim to yourself & other that :

    I am God’s beloved – a valued, valuing, & valuable person whom God’s favor rest & God loves now & forever.

    And as Filipino Christians, we proclaim to ourselves & others that:

    We are God’s beloved – a valued, valuing, & valuable people whom God’s favor rest & God loves now & forever. For that is who we are, who you are, & who I am. Amen.