As days pass us by, most of us wonder why it seems to be that problems and other forms of evil around are multiplying so fast! There is the global pandemic, the covid-19, and just recently we were battered by a perfect storm. Our lives were shattered to the limits of our tolerance and there seems to be nowhere else to go, at least, to hide away from all these mess. Yes, hiding from these stressful events in our life is probably the only choice that we have now.
I stopped long ago reading the headlines of the news around the world for I believe, as I have always experienced, that the world had been conquered by hopelessness and despair. The tiny ember of hope had been washed away by the deluge of evil and sin, even within the sanctity of our homes and families. Where do we go? What has gone wrong? What do we do now in other to rise up and stand again? These are questions that are in need of serious answers and we do not have that luxury and advantage to still delay those answers to these questions, lest we see the downfall even of our own children.
Some people feel so abandoned that they really think that God is nowhere to be found. For some of them, God left this world since time immemorial… the time when they started to feel the pain and the misery of being abused, unlucky, and trampled upon by other crazy and devilish individuals around them. How can we make them believe that God is still here with us, in our everyday tasks and He is with us in our daily pains and struggles? Some of these people never experienced being loved since they were born and, understandably, they are the ones who are easily carried away by the waves of deceit, abuse and selfishness.
I am so lucky to have experienced so much love not only from God, but from other significant people around me. I had a very beautiful family, my parents and my three younger darling sisters. I felt the love of my superiors and friends in my ministry and they were so supportive of me and they always would lend me a hand every time I feel down and despairing. They are my inspirations and they are the reasons why I continue to aspire to be good even if the truth is laid bare in front of everyone, that I always fall… over and over again. However, notwithstanding the fact of those countless failures. I will always continue to aspire to get back to the right track that will lead me to Him.
The whole Christian world is awaiting the birth of the promised Messiah. This annual event used to be a joyous celebration even in the secular world or those people who do not believe in Jesus Christ. This moment used to be our time for family reunions and a lot of partying with friends and associates. But this year’s celebration is dark and gloomy and there is also a lot of sickness and hunger all over the world. Can we still celebrate the coming of the Christ into this world in this present circumstances?
We may have different opinions and different point of view, but I will celebrate His coming into our human world because right now, He is the only one who can be trusted and He is the only one who can help me in my wretched situation. I will celebrate not only the commemoration of His incarnation but I will also celebrate my coming back to His loving embrace! He is the Emmanuel, the God-With-Us, and I know He never left me nor abandoned me in the darkness of my sinfulness. It was me who turned away from His love and He continued to look out for me. This is the grace of God that I really like to celebrate and announce to the whole world!
We are just humans and we were never perfect. No choice is given us but to just cling to the God who never abandoned us, even if we abandoned Him. His door is always open for our return for He is the God-With-Us in all our difficulties and misery. He is the Emmanuel, our hope in our hopeless world, our spark of light in our darkness, our constant companion in our journey to His Kingdom.
Merry Christmas everyone! May the blessings of the Babe in the manger fill our hearts with love, peace, and healing in our world. Merry Christmas Engr. Gil Balmadrid… thank you for your gift… now I am able to write again because of you…