CHRISTMAS FOR ALL: SALVATION FOR EVERYONE

Every Christmas, we joyfully remember the birth of Jesus. What is the real significance of His birth?

According to the Catechism for the Filipino “The Father sent His Son as Savior of the world”

This means first, that God sent His Son as an offering for our sins. Second, he came to reveal to us God’s love, that we might have life through him. Third, he came to be our model for sanctity, so that, fourth, we could share in his divine sonship.” “Christ’s whole life constituted a redeeming process, begun at the Incarnation when he “was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.”

In the letter to the Hebrews, a canticle reminds us about the great love Jesus has for all. “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Because of his incarnation “he was truly united with us, who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” Through his incarnation, we have obtain a true model on how to be a real human person. Through his love, we are able to know more about ourselves.

The long awaited Savior had come during the first Christmas. As we remember the day Jesus came, may we receive the salvation offered to everyone; this is the greatest gift from our loving Father through our Savior Jesus with the Holy Spirit. With much joy, let us celebrate the coming of Christmas for all, give thanks for the blessings brought about by Christmas, and strive to incarnate in our lives the love, which is the true essence of Christmas, so that every day is a Christmas day.

MISSA DE GALLO

Being a Christian is considered as one of the good legacies of the Spaniards to us. It is through the Spaniards that we came to know that there is only One and True God and we learned to worship Him. It has become part of our consciousness to live according to the teachings of Jesus. The propagation of Christianity in the country was accompanied by traditions that serve to strengthen our faith in God. One of these traditions which was started by the Spanish friars is the “Dawn Mass.”

The celebration of the Dawn Masses in the Philippines started in the 1700’s. It was during that time that the friars started to celebrate novena masses in preparation for the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the mass, the friars wanted to emphasize in the hearts and minds of new members the importance of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

The Dawn Masses are also called “Missa de Gallo.” Gallo is Spanish for “rooster”. The crowing of the rooster was a signal for Filipinos to rise up and prepare for mass. Most of the Filipinos then were farmers and fishermen. By celebrating the mass before the sun rises and before the people went to work in the farm or sea, the friars allowed the people still to worship God without neglecting their livelihood. In this way, the parish priests are successful in gathering their parishioners in one mass.

The Dawn Masses are also called “Misas de Aguinaldo.” During these masses, we commemorate the giving of gifts of the three wise men to the Child Jesus in the manger.

The Dawn Mass is an important spiritual tradition that serves as a preparation for Christmas. It helps us to recall and reflect on the spirit of the first Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Can you now hear the first crow of the rooster? Let us go and attend the Dawn Mass.

THE GIFT OF SELF

Giving gifts to friends, co-workers, schoolmates, and loved ones has become a part of our celebration of Christmas. This custom originates from the Gospel story of the three wise men who came from the East and offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ received gifts during the first Christmas. This is the reason why gift-giving is very much alive during the commemoration of His birth. 

 

But if we will meditate upon this closely, who is really the receiver and giver of the gift during the first Christmas? Is it Jesus who offered his own life for us that we may be saved from sin? Or is it not us who first received the gift of Life of Jesus for our salvation? And is it not us who are tasked to share the gift of Jesus to others? And is it not us who are challenged to give ourselves as gift for others, not just during Christmas but at all times?

Giving gifts during Christmas does not pertain only to the giving of material things. More than these is the giving of oneself to the others, especially to those who are in need of companions in their loneliness, suffering and sorrow. The giving of oneself, perhaps, is the greatest gift one can offer to the other, in imitation of Jesus who offered his life for us all when he was born and crucified on the cross. This kind of gift giving-- giving oneself for the other-- is pleasing to the eyes of God and will remain with Him forever.

This coming Christmas, do not be alone or be selfish. Share to others. As the cliché goes, presence is the best present.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CELEBRATING THE CHRISTMAS VIGIL MASS

There is a great mystery that will unfold tomorrow and vigilance and preparations are needed for the coming of this day. We ordinarily call an overnight watch as vigil. The word vigil comes from the Latin word ‘vigilia’ which means ‘a watching’ or ‘keeping watch.’ In Filipino, pagmamatyag, paglalamay or pagtatanod. Thus our understanding of a vigil does not only mean to keep awake over the course of the night. It involves preparedness and watchfulness in ushering a most awaited day.

The vigil is a living tradition that originates from the early Christians, thousands of years ago. It was their custom to gather together in a church before the day of the feast which they commemorate. If we can stay awake for the things we deem important such as work, studies, even wakes for the dead, we should also keep vigil for the days significant for our faith: a vigil filled with preparedness and watchfulness.

Easter, Pentecost, Ascension at Christmas are some of the days when we hold vigils. In 380 AD, a Christian woman named Egeria went to Jerusalem. According to her, the Christians there hold a vigil that begins in the midnight in Bethlehem. The vigil is followed by a procession, with torches guiding their way to Jerusalem before the dawn. The procession ends in Jerusalem in time for the rising of the sun. Following this tradition, Pope Sixtus III promulgated the Midnight mass in a chapel in Bethlehem in 430 AD.

The present Christmas Vigil Mass that is celebrated a day before Christmas can be considered as a tradition that originated from the Christians in Jerusalem. Since then, as Christians, we continue to hold a vigil filled with preparedness and watchfulness for the coming of the day when our Lord is born. And like the early Christians, may the light of our Lord Jesus Christ remain our guide in the darkness until the new dawn breaks.

AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH

Jesus is the Word of God. He is God together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through the incarnation of Jesus, we witness a great dialogue: God gave his Word to Mary and Mary gave her answer to God. Both God and Mary have the same word – true and everlasting. Both God and Mary have the same Word – Jesus. This is the reason why Jesus is both true God and true man. He is the great reconciliation, union and communion between God and man.

When Jesus became man, he embraced our humanity. He became like us, especially the lowliest among us. Jesus lived a simple life among us. He was not glamorous, rich and powerful despite his being God. He chose to live simply with ordinary people. He even chose to be born in a stable. He lived a hidden life and like us he experienced how it was to be poor, to go hungry, to mourn and to die. He became man for our sake: that we may experience that God is very close to us, that he is with us in our difficulties and ease.

Christmas is a great celebration of so great a love God has for us. St. Athanasius once said, “God became man so that man may become god.” God shared in our life so that we may share in his life.

PREPARATION FOR THE COMING OF OUR LORD

It is Christmas! All are busy. All are preparing. People are busy in the malls buying gifts. Divisoria is also crowded with people looking for gifts for their godchildren. The Christmas tree in the house is already lit; Christmas parties are held everywhere in schools and offices; families are planning reunions. All these preparations, and the joyful atmosphere, are all because of the coming celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However, aside from preparing ourselves, our homes and other gatherings, it is better to celebrate Christmas with a clean conscience. It is not only cleaning our surroundings and our homes which brings us a happy Christmas. More than this is to live a life filled by our Lord with grace. This happens when we approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation. According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics (#1771-1772), through confession, we are forgiven our sins. If sin brings us farther from God, in confession, we are brought closer again to Him and we are able to live in his grace.

Related to our asking for forgiveness for the sins we committed is our forgiveness for those whom we have misunderstandings, those with whom we are not on speaking terms, or those with whom we are angry. The Lord himself says through a parable (Mt. 18:15-35) that we are forgiven through our reconciliation with others. If we do not forgive others, how can we ask or receive forgiveness for ourselves?

In the coming Christmas, let us approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Also, let us pray for the grace to forgive those who wronged us. Through these, we can truly have and experience a happy Christmas.

THE PEACE OF CHRISTMAS

All of us desire peace. And is this not the foremost message of Christmas? In the eve of the first Christmas, the angels sang, ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to people of good will.’ Peace or shalom in the bible, is very important. It occurs more than five-hundred times in the Bible. In the New Testament, Jesus would almost always greet His disciples ‘Peace be with you.’ But what does this peace which the angels spoke about mean?

In the entire Old Testament, the prophets often spoke about shalom, peace. This pertains to the harmonious relationship between God and man, between man and a fellow human being, and between man and his will. Because of man’s fall at the Garden of Eden, this harmony or shalom was lost. In the New Testament, genuine peace came in the person of Jesus. St. Luke said “ And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace." (Lk. 1:76-79)

How does Jesus become our peace? The gospels show various ways.

First, by embracing those neglected and rejected by society. In the gospel according to St. Luke, the angels appeared to the shepherds, who in the eyes of the Pharisees were unclean because of their inability to observe the Mosaic laws. Jesus invited the tax-collectors, who were hated for their apparent betrayal and collaboration with the Romans. Jesus mingled with Samaritans and prostitutes, with sinners. Jesus is peace, that is, he restores the relationship of us sinners to each other and to God.

Second, by his miracles. Many of the miracles performed by Jesus concern the healing of lepers and the blind. He also brought back to life the only son of a widow. The absence of a healthy body for those who are sick and the uncertainty of the lives of widows and poor people, are examples of the absence of peace. Jesus came to restore spiritual, emotional, and bodily health. That is why holiness is closely linked with wholeness. Through Jesus, we become whole; we become holy.

Third, shalom, peace means to live in accord with the will of God. Pope Leo the Great said “We wish that our friends be like us or have the same interest and desire. How can we say that God can be our friend if we keep on doing things that He hates?” At the last supper, Jesus said to his disciples “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27). Peace does not mean conformity with the ways of this world; Peace demands the denial of sins and efforts to build the Kingdom of God. The seed of peace will sprout and flourish only if we water it with obedience and perseverance.

Thus, if we long for the peace of God, which is the spirit Christmas, we have three tasks: to accept the persons rejected by society and those who have sinned against us; to give healing and security for the sick, widows, and destitute; and to aspire to follow the will of God. In this way, through God’s, the song of the angels will be fulfilled: “Peace on earth to people of good will.”