IN MY column last December 2013, I visualized what Christmas in 2100 would be like. It will be dark and smoggy. People will attend Misa de Gallo wearing gas masks and then have a laboratory grown chicken and pig for noche buena. No native Pinoy delicacies because coconut trees are extinct. The main attraction will be a real Christmas tree, one of only ten surviving trees in the planet. This scenario is courtesy of mankind’s destruction of the environment.
Today, we are not wearing gas mask, but we have face mask and shield. We are in a pandemic. The Philippine economy is struggling to recover. Many jobs were lost and many businesses were closed or scaled down. Our priest mentioned in his homily that he know of some businessmen who took their own life because of what happened to their business. No festivities, no parties, no aguinaldo and no caroling. No bonuses for employees, only 13th month pay for the lucky ones. Did the coronavirus kill Christmas?
Celebrations this year may not be merry like before, but no amount of pandemic or disaster can kill Christmas. Isn’t the first Christmas also less than ideal? Judea was under Roman occupation. There was a crisis for Mary and Joseph. Mary was about to give birth but there was no room for them in the inn. Mary gave birth to baby Jesus in a stable and was placed in a manger. The place is definitely not for a King, but the heaven rejoiced! There was a great company of angels singing glory to God in the highest. It was dark but a star lighted the sky, and a baby gave light to the world.
The first Christmas reminds us that it is not the material things, elaborate decorations, gifts, new clothes, bonuses, carolings and parties that make Christmas merry. The over-commercialization of Christmas has blurred its true meaning. Only one thing matters– Jesus, the Emmanuel. He is the real star of Christmas. Not Santa Claus, Rudolph, Mr. Grinch or Frosty the Snowman.
This pandemic invites us to reflect, to pause, to shun the noise of materialism and focus only on the Savior. Pope Francis urged the faithful to recall the true meaning of Christmas — the birth of Jesus — and lend a hand to the neediest. He said: “There's no pandemic, there's no crisis that can extinguish this light."
Bishop Pablo "Ambo” David, in one of his homilies which can be viewed online, spoke of the song Whispering Hope. He said it is actually an Advent song. It is attuned with the present time. The song goes, “Soft as the voice of an angel breathing a lesson on earth, soft with that gentle persuasion, whispering comforting words. Wait till the darkness is over, wait till the tempest is gone. Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is done.’ Whispering hope, O welcome thy voice, making my heart in its sorrow rejoice!”
Yes, there is hope because there is Jesus, the real and only reason for the season. Merry Christmas to all!