When Christmas comes around, you would always see colorful decorations in malls, streets, and even in your neighbors’ house. People are busy preparing foods for ’Noche Buena’ and wrapping items for gift-giving party. You would hear too children knocking in your door and singing a Christmas carol. As I reflected our way of celebrating Christmas today, I mused: Where is the Christ in Christmas?
One day I went to a shopping mall and was greeted by a big Christmas tree with colorful decorations beside a pile of gifts and a life size image of talking Santa. As I observed shoppers, including me, felt the spirit of Christmas. After a moment, I was looking for a Belen but found none. This is the reason why, now a days, I feel Christmas is turning into “decorationmas” or “Clausmas” or “foodmas”. There is nothing wrong in doing and preparing these stuff that we think it is a symbol of Christmas. It is just that sometimes we are more focus on the material symbolism in celebrating Christmas instead of the real spirit of the celebration.
One day I went to a shopping mall and was greeted by a big Christmas tree with colorful decorations beside a pile of gifts and a life size image of talking Santa. As I observed shoppers, including me, felt the spirit of Christmas. After a moment, I was looking for a Belen but found none. This is the reason why, now a days, I feel Christmas is turning into “decorationmas” or “Clausmas” or “foodmas”. There is nothing wrong in doing and preparing these stuff that we think it is a symbol of Christmas. It is just that sometimes we are more focus on the material symbolism in celebrating Christmas instead of the real spirit of the celebration.
Witnessing the modern ways of celebrating Christmas I pondered the question of ‘where is the Christ in Christmas? I groped for answers.
I vividly remember the time I was invited for gift-giving party by a charismatic group of our parish, held in a home for the aged. The group leader instructed us to bring some food to share during the meal and some gift items for the residents.
The day for party celebration arrived, and I prepared the food and the gifts for the “lolos” and “lolas”. As I am about to leave the house, the group leader texted me: “Chris, please wear something green or blue, so the photos will look good”. I murmured, “Are we going there just for the picture taking or for the aged? Despite of my desperation, I still follow.
During the celebration I met a “lola” who had Tuberculosis and was not visited by her family since she arrived on that institution. While other old people were dancing and laughing, she was saddled to her place. She was very timid and it was very difficult getting her to smile, maybe because of her illness. But despite the pain in her face she manage to speak and uttered words of thanks-giving to me. After a moment she cried and hugged me. I was moved by that warmed expression of joy.
True enough, the answers to my question lies everywhere. The old woman’s name is Patricia. The answer was there all along, clear and well answered by the experience.
Christ is in each one of us—in the aged people we care of; In the sick people we visit in hospital and home; In the rejected and abandoned people of societies whom we serve for; in poor workers and people unjustly treated by the high class societies; In our community who are always there; In a family who love and cares.
Truly, joy doesn’t comes in colored decorations in the Christmas trees and from beautiful packages as ‘gifts’ from someone. It comes from the abyss of our self. It is from within us. These answers, when we uncover, untie, and unwrap the gifts we have and used it in service to others. It is when we do simple things for others out of love to the Jesus who is to come.
Together as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ—we uncover the inner gifts we receive from Him and share it to others.
Share your joy.
Share love.
Bring back the real spirit of Christmas.
That’s the Sons of Charity’s Christmas spirit!
Merry Christmas to all!
Sem Christopher Labrador
I vividly remember the time I was invited for gift-giving party by a charismatic group of our parish, held in a home for the aged. The group leader instructed us to bring some food to share during the meal and some gift items for the residents.
The day for party celebration arrived, and I prepared the food and the gifts for the “lolos” and “lolas”. As I am about to leave the house, the group leader texted me: “Chris, please wear something green or blue, so the photos will look good”. I murmured, “Are we going there just for the picture taking or for the aged? Despite of my desperation, I still follow.
During the celebration I met a “lola” who had Tuberculosis and was not visited by her family since she arrived on that institution. While other old people were dancing and laughing, she was saddled to her place. She was very timid and it was very difficult getting her to smile, maybe because of her illness. But despite the pain in her face she manage to speak and uttered words of thanks-giving to me. After a moment she cried and hugged me. I was moved by that warmed expression of joy.
True enough, the answers to my question lies everywhere. The old woman’s name is Patricia. The answer was there all along, clear and well answered by the experience.
Christ is in each one of us—in the aged people we care of; In the sick people we visit in hospital and home; In the rejected and abandoned people of societies whom we serve for; in poor workers and people unjustly treated by the high class societies; In our community who are always there; In a family who love and cares.
Truly, joy doesn’t comes in colored decorations in the Christmas trees and from beautiful packages as ‘gifts’ from someone. It comes from the abyss of our self. It is from within us. These answers, when we uncover, untie, and unwrap the gifts we have and used it in service to others. It is when we do simple things for others out of love to the Jesus who is to come.
Together as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ—we uncover the inner gifts we receive from Him and share it to others.
Share your joy.
Share love.
Bring back the real spirit of Christmas.
That’s the Sons of Charity’s Christmas spirit!
Merry Christmas to all!
Sem Christopher Labrador