More than just a "Celebration" (but a "Reaffirmation")

More than just a "Celebration" (but a "Reaffirmation")

A Yuletide message in a reality full of unjust and chaos

At first, this person is ought to greet everyone a pleasant holiday to all.

However, that holiday is more than just gifts and of hearing their pleasant wishes, but also a desire to see promising hopes, especially in a problem-marred world.

For as this world, particularly in a goddamn third world society, life is marred by its bad news. And with all its various forms, isn't it that concerning to see the fact that even in a holiday such as Christmas everyone is still marred by bad news be it extrajudicial killing to those of rampant poverty and corruption?

Anyway, this recalls a time when this person visited Hong Kong. That, when he heard HongKongers singing "Silent Night" in its solemn tones, this person felt compelling to softly sing "Payapang Daigdig" for a medley.

And in it somehow made a few heard him singing. One of them even asked if how come he sung that song? Only to hear that person saying that he missed his family and he worked hard despite meager pay enough to meet some demands and saving for a Christmas gift back home.

And like that carol, it was a truly cold and peaceful that night. And for Filipinos, hearing a Tagalog, or rather say a Filipino song alongside a English one be like "from the bottom of their hearts they truly missed their homes, their families, their love and affection that is, millions of miles away."

And in it somehow made this person thatwhat if they joined in singing Lucio Sam Pedro's work alongside Silent Night? Especially in a different land such as Hong Kong? For sure like that carol everyone from all walks of life truly desired for a Peaceful and a Just society, not just for that Yuletide event but a lasting one as envisioned by the Almighty.

Also to think that with such nonsense brought by these inconvenient truths has made everyone really seeking for a deliverer; but in it seriously requires unity, perseverance, and struggle as a community, as a family in order to realise such lofty goals driven by promising hopes. That faith has to be tempered by work not because of wealth but also of character that is, to be cultivated especially in this times of turmoil.

Such call for action is more than just waiting for mere wishes especially in a season desiring for gifts and listening to carols. Christmas is not all about celebrating but a reaffirmation knowing that the saviour who was born in a manger and be given gifts is also the one who said "blessed are the oppressed for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"; and in it perhaps one would ask that if everyone desired for justice and peace in times of unfairness and despair, then why not assert to the extent of sacrifice?

Hope that in this season it is more than just a mere celebration. For the concerned knows that Christmas is more than just that.