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Tag: Misa de Aguinaldo

  • Called to Shine: Young Hearts Bearing God’s Light Today

    Called to Shine: Young Hearts Bearing God’s Light Today

    December 16, 2025 – First Day of Misa Aguinaldo

    National Youth Day | Isaiah 56:1–3, 6–8 | John 5:33–36

    Maayong Good Morning! As we begin this first day of Misa Aguinaldo, the Church also celebrates National Youth Day. What a beautiful grace to begin our nine-day journey to Christmas by celebrating the hearts, dreams, and even wounds, and hopes of our young people.

    Today, we focus on one truth that even in the darkness of our times, God calls the young to shine.

    To help us enter this sacred story, we first welcome a young sharer. Her story becomes our doorway into the Word of God on this First Day of the Misa Aguinaldo. Her voice represents for us this morning the many Filipino youth who are also questioning, struggling, hoping, searching for love, and searching for God.

    And so, as a community celebrating the gift of the young to the Church, let us welcome Miss Allysa Joie Ambos.

    (Guide Questions for the Youth Sharer)

    1. As a young Catholic today, what is the biggest struggle or challenge that makes it hard for you to feel close to God? (This brings out real battles like pressures, family issues, identity, faith crisis, loneliness.)
    2. Despite these struggles, when and how have you experienced God reaching out, guiding, or comforting you?
    3. As you look forward, how do you hope to shine God’s light in your family, school, friendships, or Catholic Community despite being young and imperfect? (Invites hope, mission, and  desire to grow as a young disciple.)

    Faith Sharing of Allysa

    I grew up having few friends to spend time and play with. And this has made me feel insecure. As a child, I often wondered what was wrong with me. I felt alone and detached from people. I became guarded and judgmental. There was even a point when I accused God to be the cause of what I thought were my misfortunes in life.

    I never really liked socializing just to fit in. However, I exactly did so with the intention of being seen and accepted. I hated being ignored so much, that I was desperate to do the things that are against my will. But even when I had a lot of friends, I felt uneasy, sensing that something was amiss.

    You see, I had a very poor understanding of who God is. I’m not sure when I had recognized it. My thirst to knowing Him came from a need, a calling, a search that I thought unrealistically must be satisfied, followed and found.

    At first, I relied upon books to know Him. Later on, I switched to fishing affirmations and chasing people. Up to this point, I’m still confused.

    In the loudness and overpopulation of our modern world, I realized He is actually nowhere to be found.

    To know someone, you must be able to converse and soak in their presence. But God’s language is the hardest to learn. You have to really listen, because He speaks in silence.

    I nearly thought this treatment implies His lack of love and care. I’d often ask when praying, “Why do you hide yourself from me?” I figured I was unworthy and that if even God doesn’t love me, who will?

    It took me a couple of years to realize and admit that it was me who was in hiding. I was too focused on myself that I failed to consider what others might feel because of my dismissive words and behavior. I subjected myself to the wrong kind of introspection and censure, overemphasizing on my faults and lapses. I was worried I couldn’t keep up with the fast paced world. I felt helpless and anxious as I thought how uncertain I am of Him and even of myself. I was scared and terrified.

    But God has always been there. Whenever I secretly starve myself as punishment for my unpreparedness or poor performance at school, my family would always remind me to take care of myself. My mom and sister Janna personally cooks me delicious meals that’s hard to resist. Whenever I’m dejected and in isolation, my Kuya AJ knocks on my door, offering his weird humor and comforting presence. He is the reason why I joined CSO. Although I had the intention of avoiding house chores then, God has indeed, a way of transforming our hearts.

    Sojourning with my family and peers in CSO has taught me invaluable lessons. They taught me that faith does not mean we know all the answers; that in spite of the uncertainty, we still dare and have the courage to let our questions be asked, unafraid, to be convinced of the reliability of God. And that the service we offer in helping each other to believe may be the best and authentic service we can render.

    After listening from a young person speak, we cannot also ignore that our youth today are carrying heavy and often silent burdens. Recent youth studies in the Philippines reveal that…

    1 in 5 Filipino youth aged 15-24 wrestles with depressive symptoms, anxiety, or emotional distress.And most consider ending their lives by suicide.[1]

    Many also face family instability—broken families, long-distance parenting, financial strain, or domestic conflict.[2]

    With 8 hours and 52 minutes online per day,[3] youth battle comparison, insecurity, identity confusion, cyberbullying, and disinformation.

    Many struggle with self-worth, nomophobia[4] or smartphone addiction, pornography, or the pressure to appear “okay” even when they are breaking and hurting inside.

    A significant number feel far from the Church, saying faith seems distant from real-life problems. Yet, “Filipino youth are more and more looking for authentic expressions of faith that they would not necessarily find in conventional practices or conventional piety.[5]”

    And so countless youth worry about their future, education, safety, jobs, and mental well-being.

    These ate realities that can create darkness. Sometimes quiet and sometimes overwhelming where many young hearts would whisper, “Lord, am I enough?” “Do I still belong?” “Is there a place for me?”

    Now, allow me to bring you into our readings today and let us also realize how God invites us.

    Isaiah speaks to a wounded community who have just returned from exile but broken, unsure, and feeling unworthy. Some believed they didn’t belong in God’s house because of their status or imperfections.

    But God proclaims in the Book of Prophet Isaiah something radical and touching. God says, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples.” Yes, for all peoples not just the perfect, not just the strong, and not just the holy.

    This is God’s message to the Filipino youth and to everyone. You belong. You are welcome. You are seen. Yes, your struggles do not disqualify you. Your wounds do not push you away. And your doubts and questions do not make you unworthy.

    Isaiah’s prophecy tells us now that belonging comes before perfection. God gathers first then God heals us. This speaks powerfully to a generation longing for acceptance, for identity, for a safe place to return to, and for a home to be embraced.

    Moreover, in the Gospel, Jesus describes John the Baptist as a “burning and shining lamp.” John is not the Light but he reflects the Light he receives. Jesus affirms that God’s work in the world is shown through our real action of healing, loving, welcoming, lifting people up.

    This is the invitation for every Filipino youth now that you do not need to be perfect first to shine. Just receive God’s light and share it. Our young generation longs for authenticity. You are indeed, searching for faith that heals, not just teaches; a Church that listens, not just speaks; and a community that embraces, not just corrects.

    John the Baptist shows that shining for God is not about age, power, educational attainment or status. Bringing light is about courage, our honesty and humility, and our heart willing to love and be loved.

    Our readings today, Allysa Joie’s faith story, and the realities of our time converge into one powerful truth that God certainly, calls young people to shine not later, but now.

    And your context is there in  our families struggling with tension, in schools full of pressure, in online spaces filled with noise and disinformation, and in a society hungry for justice. These are the spaces that the youth can be God’s light.

    Remember that your compassion, your creativity, your voice for peace, your desire for truth, all these can illuminate the darkness around you. You are not the Church of tomorrow. You are the Church of today. This is what Pope Francis had told us, and now Pope Leo reminded us. God calls you now to witness, to serve, to love, to hope, and to shine.

    With all of these, I leave you now two takeaways.

    First, grow in God’s Light. You may choose one small spiritual commitment this Misa Aguinaldo. This can be a short daily prayer, or reducing online noise, in forgiving someone, or helping at home. Remember, small lights change dark rooms.

    Second, share God’s Light. You may do one act of kindness or honesty each day. You can encourage a friend, listen without judgment, stop online negativity, or say a sincere “thank you.” Be a lamp so that others can follow.

    Indeed,may this first dawn of Misa Aguinaldo awaken our young people and inspire every generation present this morning. Embrace this now that – You belong. You are loved. And You are light. Hinaut pa.

    [1] https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/news/2022/pinoy-youth-in-worse-mental-health-shape-today

    [2] Donna B. Dioquino, UNRAVELING LIVES: THE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES OF BROKEN FAMILIES, https://eprajournals.com/pdf/fm/jpanel/upload/2024/December/202412-01-019460

    [3] https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/social-media-statistics-philippines

    [4] Nomophobia is the fear of having no smartphone or losing it.  See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291120300243

    [5] From Jayeel Cornelio, see https://preda.org/young-filipinos-keep-the-faith-but-shun-conventional-piety/

  • WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE AND BEING LOVED?

    WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE AND BEING LOVED?

    December 21, 2022 – Sixth Day of the Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122122.cfm)

    Before I begin my homily for this morning. I have a short exercise that I would like you to do first. This will hopefully keep you awake and make you more inspired as you start your day today.

    So, I would like to invite those who are with their husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend to look at the eye of your beloved. Silently say, “I love you!” And for those who single and still waiting, you may close your eyes “na lang” and you may say loudly, “I love you self!” 😍

    Being said that, may I present to you this question for reflection, “What does it mean then, to love and being loved?” I am sure you have your own answers to this based on your human experiences of loving and being loved. Yet, for today may I offer you my humble reflections of loving and being loved based on the readings we have on this sixth day of the Mise de Aguinaldo. Let us also see how the Lord calls us to be truly loving and be more confident in being loved.

    Our first reading from the Book of Song of Songs wonderfully described to us the relationship between a lover and the beloved. What we have heard from the reading is that it’s filled with excitement (or kilig-moments) because of the longing to see the person being loved.

    Thus, the lover calls the beloved in these wonderful invitations. The lover said, “Arise my beloved, come!” The lover is described to be like a small deer who was so excited and in its excitement would peep to have a glimpse of the beloved. The lover also said, “my beloved, see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth.” This calls the beloved to recognize that sorrow and grief is over and to embrace life and freedom. Finally, the lover said, “Let me see you. Let me hear your voice.” This is an expression of intimacy that longs for the beloved.

    With these, I therefore conclude, how beautiful and wonderful it is to be in love! – to be filled with love, to be loved and to love! Isn’t it? But, friends, know that I am not just talking about romantic love, thought that’s part of it. Why? Because the Song of Songs by using the images of romantic love, reveals to us now that God is our lover who is more than excited to see us and to be with us. We are God’s beloved. We are the one being loved. And this beautiful Book of Song of Songs invites us to arise from sadness and embrace life. Indeed, the presence of the one who loves us brings comfort as well us life.

    In response to God our lover, our Psalm today expresses our hope and longing for God. The people waits for God’s coming whose presence is the strength of the people. In that anticipation, joy can be felt, thus, a calling to rejoice and sing praises to God. This is wonderfully captured in the last verse, “Our soul waits for the Lord who us our help and our shield; for in him our hearts rejoice.”

    This has been fulfilled and concretely manifested in today’s Gospel. We find Mary, a person who is filled with so much love, because in her womb, is love. The Gospel story today was right after the annunciation of the angel that Mary shall conceive a son and when she realized that it was indeed true. At that moment, Mary carried in her womb God’s concrete manifestation of love. And the love that Mary carried in her womb completely transformed Mary, her presence, her actions and her words.

    At this point, I will be enumerating how Mary responded in loving and in being loved. In each response of Mary, I will be giving questions that would hopefully challenge us to respond in love.

    The first response of Mary is, “she set out in haste.” Mary realized the need and assistance of her old cousin Elizabeth. This response of Mary tells us that she is a person who loves and arises for the sake of others. She is a person who loves and responds immediately to a particularly need. And she is a person who loves and moves out of the self. This is evident at how Mary travelled a long way from Nazareth to a town in the hill country of Judah. At that time, Mary possibly walked for about 130 kilometers to reach the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

    In this first response of Mary, Pope Francis said in his message to the youth of the world, “Mary did not hold back or remain indifferent. She thought more of others that of herself.” And so in our way of loving, “Do we also move in haste in order to respond to the needs around us? Do we take the risk to go out of our own comfort and concerns for the sake of others? Or do we remain unmoved, more focused on ourselves and indifferent?”

    The second response of Mary is, “she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Mary cared to enter into the life of others, bringing love. This is how we realize that the very presence of Mary in that house, brought life? How? At the greetings of Mary, the infant in the womb of Elizabeth leaped. It was a joyful reaction of the infant. Indeed, even at hat early moment, the infant John already recognized the fullness of life and love present in the womb of Mary.

    And so in our way of loving, “Do our words bring comfort and assurance of love? Or do our words rather, become forms of insults, harassment and bitterness towards others? Does our presence gives confidence and love to others or rather brings fear, trauma and pain?”

    The third response of Mary is, “Mary believed!” As to the words of Elizabeth, she said, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” This tells us that Mary’s faith brings forth life, concern and intimacy, care and gentleness. These become natural for Mary because first and foremost, her faith is motivated and inspired by love. Mary is filled with love. She is confident that the Lord loves her. Indeed, she believed! – because love has been fulfilled in her and that love is slowly taking a human form in her womb.

    And so in our way of loving, “Has our faith been inspired and motivated by our love, of being loving and being loved? Does our faith also bring life, concern, care and gentleness? Or rather motivated by fear, guilt, fanaticism or superstition?”

    As we bring to mind all these points for reflections, we may all be filled with love and be assured of that love so that like Mary, we too shall dare to move, respond and care for others. As we are about to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the love-made-flesh, may our way of loving then, be life-giving and love-fulfilling. Ok lang? Sana all.

  • We are Products of our Family Stories and of God’s Story

    We are Products of our Family Stories and of God’s Story

    December 17, 2022 – Second Day of the Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121722.cfm)

    Each of us is a product of our vast family history. It is not that we are doomed and chained by the past, but we are being enriched by a vast history. Our families have our own history of both joys and sorrows, failures and successes, of horrors and victories.

    Our family history tells us who we are and it is part of our identity. It is also very important that we become in touch with our own family history and see how God works within our stories. Besides, knowing our family history, this will be an opportunity for us to allow God to heal our broken and painful past present in our family history.

    Let me bring you now on how God works within a human family and how God reveals the Divine Plan in the family history of the whole humanity.

    The first reading from the Book of Genesis tells us how Jacob called his sons and bestowed the blessing to Judah the fourth son. The blessing also contains the prophecy of the rise of a King, in the person of David, the very lineage of Jesus claimed in the Gospel of Matthew.

    This family of Jacob was filled with guilt and shame. The lineage had stories of repeated unfaithfulness and scandalous personalities. Jesus’ lineage is not perfect and not wholesome at all.

    Thus, we find Judah who sold his own brother, Joseph for money. King David who raped Bathsheba and then later ordered to murder her husband. Rahab, who was a prostitute. King Ahaz burned his own son alive as a human sacrifice. King Joash committed idolatry against Yahweh and murdered the people in the Temple area. The once revered King Solomon who built the Temple of God but later on, turned to be unfaithful by turning to the gods and goddesses of his many wives.

    In this kind of family history, is there any good news here, when in fact, Jesus did not come from a “good” and “blameless” family?

    Despite the unfaithfulness and guilt within this family history, God never wavered His plan to make something good, wonderful and beautiful in this family. The Gospel of Matthew that has been proclaimed today, contained a long list of generations until the birth of Jesus.

    Matthew recorded the family tree of Jesus with 42 generations divided into three, that makes it 14. 14 is the equivalent of two 7. Seven is a perfect number in Jewish belief. And the repeated use of 7 means that God works in this human family in an absolutely perfect way. The family tree though not perfect but with traces of sins and unfaithfulness, God works within this human family to bring healing and life.

    The family tree and history of Jesus is God’s statement to us that God indeed journeyed with us, in all our humanity, in all our sins and unfaithfulness. Jesus, being born in a human family, tells us that God fully embraces our humanity. With our imperfection, God made it to be the very space for us to encounter him and to know him. Indeed, this also speaks to us that we are all products of our own family stories as well as of God’s story who never abandoned us or wavered his faithfulness to us.

    This calls us now to own and recognize the gift of our family. Some of us must have been traumatized and carrying deep wounds because of what happened in our family, others could have been divided because of conflict over material possessions. Many families are also struggling to live because of so much poverty. Yet even with these imperfections, God invites us today, that as we recognize our sins and failures, God also tells us to recognize how God unfolds blessings and graces in our human family.

    And so on this second day of the Misa de Aguinaldo, we pray for our own family history, we pray for peace and reconciliation, we pray for healing and freedom so that anything that holds us back, traumatizes us, or haunts us may be healed and be given peace. As for this grace, so that as we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, who has come as part of the big human family, may also bless our families. Kabay pa.

  • GOSPEL INFLUENCERS

    GOSPEL INFLUENCERS

    December 16, 2022 – Misa de Aguinaldo, National Youth Day 2022

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121622.cfm)

    Today, on this first day of Misa de Aguinaldo, the Philippine Church also dedicates this day as the National Youth Day with its theme: “Mary Arose and Went with Haste.”

    With this emphasis of the gift of the young, I would like to invite you now that we listen to personal faith story from one of our Youth Animators. He serves as an Altar Server in our Parish and a member of the Human Formation Committee of RYM-Iloilo. Let us welcome, Carl Joseph Cajaban.

    As a server and youth member of this parish for the past 6 years, there are various values that I have learned from this church community. I actually started my journey of emptiness not really knowing the significant roles and importance of being a servant of the Lord.

    I felt, that there was a time when the Lord Jesus made his way so that I get close to him. Even though I am not worthy to be a servant of our Lord, but gradually I developed my relationship with him through the people who have become significant in my faith-journey. Nanay Ledia is one of the devotees of this parish who has become significant for me as young Catholic. She is the one who initiated and encouraged me to serve Jesus Christ in my youth. She dedicated her time and presence to me to help me be enlightened and know God better.

    She once said to me, “Tanan na bagay na madako, naga umpisa sa gamay na butang.” What she said seemed to be very short and simple yet for me, he words meant a lot and filled with meaning. Through her, I realized that there is a God who guides me in the way of sending his instruments to awaken my soul. This has kept committed in the ministries I am involved now in our parish.

    However, due to some circumstances in my life, sometimes I feel that I am worthless, pity-worthy, and a useless person. Yet for these reasons as well, I joined this ministry to develop my self-confidence and to be a socially responsible person.

    Honestly, this parish community helps me a lot, which is why I continue to serve and praise our God. Moreover, this is how I also realized my relationship with our mother Mary, from whom I have experienced her caring and precious heart. This shows me a mother’s concern who continually guided me to be closer to Jesus.

    As I close this short reflection of mine, I would like to encourage other young people to join us in the ministry or in any Church ministry that will bring us closer to Jesus. May our act of service to the Lord and to the Church allow us to grow and become mature.

    What we have heard from Carl’s faith story was the wonder of having people and even recognizing ordinary events in life that have directed us towards the Lord.

    The experiences of Carl remind us of the readings we have heard today. The Book of Prophet Isaiah tells us of the presence of the foreigners. These foreigners have joined themselves to the Lord. They too have recognized the goodness of the Lord God. This tells us that the Hebrew people who have become their friends created a huge impact in their life because through them, they were led to the one True God.

    Indeed, it was the joy that they have experienced from the believers of God that they too were assisted to know God. God even promised in the Book of Isaiah that through the presence of the many peoples, there will be joy in the house of prayer, in the community.

    This is what we also find in the Gospel. Jesus recognized the person of John the Baptist, his cousin who became that person for others to know Jesus. John the Baptist led the people to recognize God in the person of Jesus by preparing their hearts and minds. This is how John had become a reflection of the True Light. John never assumed that he was the source of Light. John knew very well who the light was. That is why, through his preaching and way of life, he reflected the light that came from Jesus. John, indeed, is the burning and shining lamp for the people.

    On this first day of Misa de Gallo, we are reminded too of the person of Mary who through her, God entered in our human history physically. Through her, Jesus was born for us. Mary too is the shining lamp that leads us to Jesus. This is the reason why we have this 9-day Misa de Gallo in honor of Mary because she leads us to Jesus. She brings us closer to Jesus just as how Mary arose and went with haste to visit and help her old cousin Elizabeth.

    With that, today our liturgy is also centered on the theme, “Mary arose and went with haste.” This was after the annunciation of the angel to Mary. Even when Mary knew already that she was pregnant, that did not limit her to only look after herself. Mary saw the need of an old cousin and so she arose from her comfort and went with haste without any doubt or hesitation. What Mary brought was only love and commitment to share the fullness of heart to others.

    What Mary showed is a movement of encounter. And in every encounter we share life and stories of encounters with God and on how God manifests the divine presence in us and among us. This must be the event as well as Mary dared to encounter her cousin and her husband.

    In a way, the faith-sharing of Carl and his story tell us of his encounters with people who have become significant in his faith-journey. Those foreigners in the Book of Isaiah also were able to encounter and know God through their encounter with the Hebrews. The Jewish people who came to believe Jesus, had their first encounter with John the Baptist that also paved the way for them to encounter Jesus ultimately. Such movement of encounter now became the very opportunity for more encounters between a person and Jesus.

    This is the invitation for us today particularly to all young people. Considering the way of life of the many young people today, the internet has become a space for encounter, though virtual. In fact, our country Philippines has been branded as the Social Media Capital of the World. As of January 2022, there are about 76.01 millions of Filipinos who social media users.[1] The most active among us are those ages between 25 to 34 years old. Unsurprisingly, the Senior Citizens or those 65 years old and above are part of the 6.5 million social media users. That means, the seniors are not that far behind us!

    Again, according to the survey, out of the total population of our country, 82.4% have social media accounts or equivalent to 92.5 million. Majority of us, spend as much as 4 hours and 6 minutes on Facebook daily. But, there is a total of 10 hours and 27 minutes of time being spent by the 76.01 millions of Filipinos on the internet.

    I am sure that in this mass, there are also many of you scanning right now, at this very moment, your social media sites through your mobile phones. That only tells us that our mobile/smartphones have become part of our identity, of who we are. Our smartphone, regardless of our socio-economic status, is an extension of ourselves and our connection to the world.[2]

    Yet, let us not allow that these will be the cause of indifference among us. Let us not allow that these gadgets will prevent us to become more human and more loving. Do not allow the use of Social Media to make us bitter, pretentious, and source of disinformation and fake news in order to deceive many. Rather, let us maximize the gift of technology by bringing people closer to Jesus through the very gadget in our hands and through the media that we are very familiar with. Indeed, the Lord invites us today, especially the young to be “Gospel Influencers” (to influence through the Gospel) in our own group of friends on Facebook or Instagram or TikTok.

    Create encounters with your friends and followers by sharing your God experiences in your social media sites. This include also sharing on how God shows his goodness and generosity to you and your family. Preach to others how God changed your life. Share with others how you have experienced love and forgiveness. Share with your friends the Word of God that has struck you. Share the good news rather than your hatred and bitterness towards others, rather than fake news and misinformation.

    Thus, even as young persons, we can be an instrument of hope and love, of transformation and peace by bringing people closer to Jesus. Let us flood the Social Media with love and hope by actively preaching our Christian faith.

    But friends, may I also remind you, as we maximize the gift of technology, never forget also the gift of your presence in making physical and personal encounters with people around you, with your family and friends. With that, be a Gospel Influencer by being physically present to people around you just as Mary, our Mother, arose and went with haste to encounter her cousin and to bring the presence of the Lord through her very person.

    Lastly, I would like to invite all of you who have your phones right now, after this mass, please take a selfie or grofie with your friends in our Church and share to others the good news that you have received and please use these hashtags, #NYDPh2022  #MaryAroseAndWentWithHaste #FilipinoYouth #StClements #RYMIloilo. Ok lang? Sana all.

    [1] https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/social-media-statistics-philippines

    [2] Ibid.

  • Unboxing the Gift

    Unboxing the Gift

    December 24, 2020 – Ninth Day of Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122420.cfm)

    Homily

    Our traumatic experiences, unexpected and painful events that have happened in our life could be our heavy reasons to retreat into sadness and desperation. Sometimes, we could not help it because what has occurred to us was just too much to bear, and too overwhelming. Such experience can be likened to darkness where every gleam of the light of joy and comfort was deprived from us.

    However, there are many of us also who despite those painful, traumatic and heartbreaking experiences in their life, they persisted to hope again and too see something beyond the darkness that had befallen into their life.

    For us to have a better understanding on this and a better realization on the wonder of seeing beyond darkness and hoping beyond pain and sadness, let us rediscover God’s invitation for us today and see how the three gifts of presence, of light and of life were slowly being unboxed in today’s readings.

    In the Second Book of Samuel, the prophet proclaimed the gift of presence to be given to David. David who thought that he should build a house for God, was promised by the Lord to be given a house that will last forever.  This is the covenant so dear to the people because God will be a father.

    Besides, the Psalm also expressed a similar hope. Because of the suffering endured by the people of this time, they longed to that promise of God who shall show an everlasting kindness. What kept them hopeful was their confidence in God’s faithfulness because God is our Father. This confidence in God as Father, is the gift of the presence of God being unboxed slowly throughout the history of Israel.

    In the Gospel of Luke, what has been proclaimed to us today is the Song of Zechariah. Remember, before he was able to sing this, Zechariah was muted by God. Because of his unbelief to God’s gift to him, Zechariah was silenced. He did not listen and believe in God’s revelation.

    Remember again, Zechariah’s unbelieving response was a bitter reaction to God. Zechariah must have believed that God had forgotten him and abandoned him. The shame that he endured for being childless for many years must have brought him to hopelessness. He forgot that God was faithful. Yet, despite this reaction of Zechariah towards the gift of God, John was given to him and to his wife. The birth of John, was a gift of light. The dark shame and guilt of Zechariah was removed because of this gift of light. John was a light to him and to people who came to be baptized by John. John also led people to see the true light. John as the prophet of the Most High, himself unboxed the gift of light for people to see and be illuminated. He unboxed that gift through his preaching of the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God who was in their midst.

    This is how Zechariah recalled the covenant of God and the fulfillment of the promise of a mighty Savior. In his song, he also recounted how his eyes have seen clearly that promise being unfolded through the birth of his son. John will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. The song of Zechariah itself is the unboxing of the gift of life.

    The Song of Zechariah proclaims to us the abundance of life coming into us now and that we too, each of us, is unboxing this gift of life.

    With all of these, how do we unbox the gifts given to us by the Lord?

    We unbox the gift of presence of God by becoming confident in God’s presence. Both the Second Book of Samuel and the Psalm tell us that God is our Father. Take confidence in this. It is because that God is a Father to us, God will always be for us. We may have not so nice experiences with our earthly fathers, but God as our Father, will never hurt and will never leave us.

    We unbox the gift of light when we also accept and confront our own blindness and our own darkness. Like Zechariah, he was confronted by the Angel of his unbelief. Let us also confront ourselves and challenge ourselves not to succumb to what is dark and to what is evil. Only then, also that we will be able to confront the darkness and the evil around us when we are confident that we have unboxed the gift of light, who is Jesus.

    We also unbox the gift of life when we learn to embrace the beauty and the wonder of every form of life. God is about to be born like us, and God chooses to be born because God is life and God is for life. When we learn to show respect to all life, cherish all life and protect all life, then we unbox this gift and be gifted with eternal life.

    The gifts of presence, of light and life is Jesus himself. Remember that. Hinaut pa.