Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on Midnight Mass for Christmas, 24 Dec 2024, FSpIF Chapel, Talamban

After four Sundays of Advent and nine days of Misa de Gallo, by God’s amazing grace here we are now in front of the Belen to celebrate Christmas together as God’s beloved family. Our Advent waiting is finally over. Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope we can all say this Christmas is truly worth the wait.

What is the gift you have been expecting for Christmas? Was it something material, like a new shirt, a new pair of shoes, or a new I-phone? Or is it something immaterial, like the healing of a sick friend, or or the health of everyone in the family. Some perhaps had been praying for their “Prince Charming” to finally come, while others might be praying for an end to conflicts and problems in the family. And you? What is the gift you had been wishing for?

The gospel passage we have heard tonight brings us all back to the first ever Christmas that took place in the humble stable at the outskirts of Bethlehem. Year after year we actually hear the same Scripture passage proclaimed on Christmas Eve. This is so because I believe Mother Church wants us all to remember and make present what happened two thousand and twenty-four years ago. And by recalling this joyful event we are lead to reflect more deeply on this mystery of our faith which we consider as the greatest event in Salvation history.

Some of you might have already tried watching the currently running teleserye entitled “The Chosen.” It is the latest film story of the life of Jesus presented from the point of view of his chosen disciples. When I began to watch some of its episodes, I was often times moved to tears if not inspired or simply impressed. All the eight episodes of season one frequently got me thinking and reflecting on the life of Jesus. When I watched the Christmas Special Edition of the same teleserye, I was blown away. It was really beautiful and inspiring. So allow me just to share with you some points that struck me for our reflection tonight.

The film presents the birth of Jesus from the point of view of the shepherds who came to visit the manger that Holy Night. The opening scene focuses on a limping shepherd who was selling in the market place an unblemished lamb intended for temple sacrifice. Unfortunately he made one buyer who was an acclaimed Pharisee so mad after noticing that the lamb he just bought from the shepherd was not unblemished at all.

Then, the next scene (after that) shows how much the Jews, especially the poor, the disabled, and the outcasts had been suffering from the tyranic rule of the Romans… The most pitiful of all were the outcasts who could no longer worship God together with the community. Because of their sins which made them ritually unclean, they have been deprived of their worship rights by the self-righteous Pharisees who excluded them from the study of the Torah and their synagogue worship. It is only within this context, therefore, that we will truly understand the Jews’ deep longing for a Savior, the promised Messiah.

And so, that very night after the market day when the limping shepherd returned to the field where the rest of his flock was grazing, he and his friends saw a bright light coming from an angel announcing to them the birth of the Savior. This extraordinary vision made them run quickly towards the place where the baby Jesus was born. They were the privileged ones who first heard the baby’s cry that broke the silence of God for 400 years. Then upon entering the light-filled stable, they finally saw for themselves the fulfillment of God’s promises. They beheld the new born baby, the Emmanuel and Savior of the world. So, still overflowing with joy, they said to one another that the people must immediately know about everything they have seen. And since there were no cellphones and social media yet for posting at that time, they had to hurry back to the city to tell everyone about the good news. O what a gift!

My dear brothers and sisters, we as a people have been suffering long enough for many years. We still can’t forget the ordeal we had to go through during the lockdown caused by the pandemic. Worst of all we recall how hard hit we were by super-typhoon Odette. If we look at the world beyond the confines of Cebu and our country we will be saddened by the thought that after two thousand years of Christanity there is still so much violence, conflict and division everywhere. When will we ever see the end of the war in Ukraine, in Gaza, in Myanmar and in other parts of the world? When will bombings, shootings and killings ever cease? When will dirty politics ever be made clean again? When will all our trials, tragedies and tribulations be finally over? We feel more and more that the world still needs a powerful but gentle Savior to grant us true peace and happiness that never fades away.

The good news is that tonight Jesus our longed-for Savior of the world is born for us much like on the first Christmas night. He is the gift; the true light that brightens our Christmas much like the way he brightened up the manger for Joseph and Mary. He is the HOPE personified whom Pope Francis wants us to welcome as he opens the Jubilee Year a few hours from now at St Peter’s Basilica.

We have to realize however that Christmas has actually been happening everyday in the midst of all these sufferings. While many people had been losing their homes, their livelihood, and most of all their loved ones to various calamities, natural or man-made, God has always been there for the victims. Through the selfless services and sacrifices of many volunteers and kind-hearted people, including relatives, neighbors, and friends, the God-with-us continues to be made really present for the poor, the sick, the afflicted and the suffering. As long as we care for each other from the heart, those who lose loved ones, jobs, livelihood, finances will soon experience the spirit of Christmas so alive even today.

Christmas has been happening all these years, all this time. Jesus is still being born in the hearts of people who are either giving or receiving help. Try to look back at this past year 2024. If you see yourself among those who have tried to reach out in one way or another to those in need, then you have so much reason to celebrate this Christmas with true joy and gladness, for Christ has already been born in your heart long before the coming of this holy night. However if you realize that you have been busy attending only to yourself and your little world, Jesus is offering you this wonderful opportunity at this very moment to come to the Belen and open your heart to his divine love. Allow him to be born there tonight so that every day from this night onwards you may also be called Emmanuel, the God-with-us. With your family and community to support you, you can be a little Jesus for people still longing for a Savior.

Allow me to end with another amazing story. Two years ago a little boy named Ali (not his real name) celebrated his tenth birthday. But instead of asking a gift from his parents, he chose to be the one to give gifts to poor children. And so he took out all his toys from his cabinet, and picked up several items which were still in good condition. Then together with his parents he went to Don Bosco Boys Home sa Liloan bringing along his gifts for distribution. Parlor games were also organized and he gave out prizes for the winners. He also brought along boxes of Jolly meal packs as a dinner treat for all of them.

The kids of Boys Home were so happy that towards the end they expressed their sincerest gratitude through a program show-casing their talents. They also sang for him a beautiful “Thank You” song. So far that birthday treat has been the happiest moment in Ali’s life. He realized that there is greater joy in giving than in receiving.

And you might not believe this, but last September Ali did it again this time wuth the orphans in Asilo, Cebu City. Isn’t this what Christmas is really all about, not so much about receiving but rather of giving selflessly for the good of someone we love or someone in need? There is really HOPE amidst the darkness of sufferings.

In this Mass may Jesus truly be born in each one’s heart and grant us all a fruitful, joyful and meaningful celebration of Christmas and the Jubilee Year 2025. GiGsss!

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