Chinese New Year

Has anyone like hopia than chocolates? If so, then we’re the same! I had long said goodbye to chocolates since I get allergies and had already taken great delights on other sweet delicacies. Among them is the hopia and although I prefer the original mongo-flavored, any flavor would be fine with me so long as it’s vegan. Well, it’s Chinese New Year yesterday and that means hopia and tikoy would be anywhere in any Chinese community. Yummy!

“Kung Hey Fat Choi!” you may hear people say. As a Chinese, I grew up with a lot of its pamahiins (superstitions) but it never really created a big impact on me as my family, thanks to my Mom, are devout Catholics. I do enjoy feasting on Chinese cuisines but I always shrug off the “lucky charms” here or there. Sure, there’s no problem giving/accepting the red envelope called “ampao” so long as people don’t take it as something “good luck”.

Exactly, it’s just a matter of celebrating since we’re Chinese. If I was born Indian, then I’d celebrate their festivities and the same goes on whatever nationality it may be, but always minus those that are against the Catholic faith. Personally, I don’t see any harm on rejoicing since it was God after all Who created different races. It’s merely a matter of being distinct and every person should be grateful on his/her ethnicity. I’m indeed glad to have Chinese blood running in my veins, but I’m a lot gladder that I was born Catholic.

Perhaps most Chinese would disagree with me here. But then again, if one looks very sensibly, it’s truly God Who holds fortune. And it’s not just money that people are born for. True happiness consists of having inner peace with God in the Catholic faith and it is felt deeper in the soul than in the body. It’s about getting over with whatever materialism can buy and looking beyond on spiritual riches that never gets bankrupt or lost for it’s managed by the One Who is our everything!

“Kung Hey Fat Choi!” but hey, always without those attached superstitions! I pray that all of us would look forward in serving the true Master for we can be assured of unlimited ecstasy more than this world could ever give!

Oh Blessed Virgin, enlighten those who are blinded still by paganism and strengthen those who are converted to the Faith through thy grace and the prayers of the faithful! Amen.