Such Love and Some Gifts to Share this Christmas

Paskwa sa Banwa. It's Christmas time in Balete. And every morning starting last Monday, people wake up early for the Dawn Mass at the parish church. It is a panaad, a personal devotion and a pledge to fulfill with the hope of getting something in return come Christmas Day when such sacrifice finds its culmination.

It has been ingrained in us. Gifts to receive on Christmas Day or during its long season. We expect to at least receive one from our one of our elusive godparents. This expectation is extended to our doing the Misa de Gallo and the Aguinaldo Mass. It is us and our loved ones that should receive Christmas presents.

We often forget that Christmas Day is the birthday of our Lord, or at least, the day we commemorate his "pitching his tent to dwell among us".
We often appropriate to ourselves the attention that is rightfully of the Lord laying on the manger. It is us that should receive comfort this Christmas while Jesus remains languishing in cold and dirt in some obscure pigsty in the periphery of our communities. Since when did we greet Him "Happy Birthday, my Lord?". Since when did we manage to bring him gifts on his birthday?

Despite that, he continues to love us. He love us notwithstanding our selfishness and flaws. Such love that does not end in his taking our human form and experiencing our poverty. His love absorbs our betrayals and unfaithfulness. His love endures every temptation. He loves us even to the point of dying on the cross and experiencing and conquering hell to bring us up back into the bosom of his merciful Father.

He showed us the example. Let us not forget it. He loves us. We must return such love to him through our neighbors. Christmas is the perfect occasion to start that off. We have the choice. Mine is the little way.

Over the years, and considering the limited resources available vis-a-vis the values I find in them. I have endeavored to sharing the spirit of Christmas through simple gifts to my circle of friends and loved ones:

Steere's Pitta, Photo courtesy of Nicky Icarangal @ www.birdingphilippines.com 

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