Tis the Season

Christmas is here once again. Carolers are around every night and each night beams beautiful lights of Christmas trees with serenading Christmas songs. Yeah, all this makes me sick since I got a lot of sad Christmas experiences - from my family to personal life.

But this time around, something different struck me. The priest at the confessional advised that I should be generous. Thus, setting aside emotional feelings and far from childish dreams of Santa Claus and gifts, I’m going to reflect about what it truly takes to have a Christmas full of God’s undying love.

The 3 questions that I’m about to write down here are quite simple and need I add sounded more of an examination of conscience. Simple as it seems but it has a value that outweighs its unimportance.

1. Am I already prepared in receiving Baby Jesus in my heart?
2. Do I try as much as possible to avoid sin so that I could at least give Him a clean soul as a birthday present?
3. Have I done worthy actions to merit His presence on Christmas?

Of course, I know it’s too hard to be perfect in everything. But it can never be an excuse not to give your best to Him Who subjected Himself to our wretched humanity. So now that a few days left before Christmas, I’d try to be even generous, diligent, and patient to the people around me. I should try to forget about myself and be accessible to others while at the same time without forgetting my duties towards God. It’s the best Christmas gift I could ever give to Him. In fact, the best Christmas gift I could ever long for.

As the priest rightly said at the confessional, Our Lord didn’t mind Himself being born on a lowly dwelling but thought of the people He’d redeem through His human life. Hence, with simple and insignificant deeds, I shall weave my basket of love ready to be placed next to Our Savior’s manger.

Oh Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, thou who prepared Jesus’ place on earth, assist me to have a clean and serene heart on Christmas day that Christ may be able to find in me another place to rest His tender Body! Amen.