Friday, January 25, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Losing and Finding Jesus in the Father's Houses
Feast of the Santo Nino
Reflections on Isaiah 9:1-6 / Ephesians 1:3-6 / Luke 2:41-52
Losing and Finding Jesus in the Father's Houses
by Frank D.B. Savadera, SJ
Friends, today is the feast of the Santo Nino ... a great festival being
observed not only in Cebu (Pit Senyor/ Sinulog) and in Tondo, Manila ... but
all around the country. This is such a
special celebration in the Philippines ... such that the Vatican had allowed
the Philippine church the use of Santo Nino readings for today.
Our devotion to the Santo Nino I guess, can among others ... be understood
given the way we dress, adorn and present for adoration the image of the Christ
child. How many of us had seen a Santo
Nino dressed as a BUMBERO (a fireman),
a POLICEMAN, a FARMER, a DOCTOR, a MAILMAN, a FISHERMAN, etc. ? In a seminary I visited last Christmas, I got
the biggest surprise of my life ... to see ... right there and then amongst the
many characters of the Christmas Belen ... there lying in a MANGER ...
naturally was ... the Christ child ... wearing what kind of GARB (would you
care to know)? A Christ Child lying in a
manger dressed as Santa Claus. We can
... of course push our practices to the extreme ... to reflect some of our
suppressed tribal and animistic cultures ... or ... even perhaps project onto
our religious images our experiences of the contemporary world. I had not seen ... but would nevertheless be NOT
surprised to see a Santo Nino dressed as
a Call Center Agent, an OFW (meron na ba) or a computer technician. Oh ... by the way ... would you know the big
difference between a Santo Nino dressed in RED and the one dressed in
GREEN? Apparently, the one in red ... is
what you keep in your homes (to assure Joyful relations among family
members). And the GREEN? In business establishments ... WHY? Green ... an allusion some people say to the
US dollars ... which in the past had become a symbol of prosperity. Again, we can push our
practices to the extreme. We do not say
of course that the Church encourages such other unique practices.
Of course, the most popular image we see of the Santo Nino is that
wearing a HUGE CROWN on its head,
holding what seems like the GLOBE on one hand and gesturing to bless the
faithful with the other hand. His richly
decorated vestments replicate those of royalties in Europe and some Asian cultures. Why such rich adornments ... you may ask for
someone ... a God who chose to be born poor, in cognito ... in a humble stable?
More than the many external embellishments we attach to our images of God
and the saints, I think the more
important thing to establish is WHO THEY ARE REALLY as we relate to them? Who is the Santo Nino ... the Christ Child
as we relate and pray to him?
Who is the Christ child as we relate to him? He is one ... on whose shoulders rest the
life and future of any government ... and He has many names ... Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. REMEMBER that he carries the GLOBE in his hand
and blesses us all with his other hand.
To him, therefore, we can consecrate all our worldly efforts ... our
work and our studies ... our projects ... for he counsels us and guides us and
brings us peace. Isn’t it that given
the way our lives had become too complicated ... we can learn from the simple and less
complex thinking of a child? (I remember
the story of an Aeta boy ... who after hearing the story of CREATION ... of God
breathing his breathe unto clay and creating man and woman ... this child makes
a profound reflection: AH ... importante
pala ang buhay ko ... kasi ang hininga ko pala ay galing sa Diyos. My LIFE is
important because my very breathe comes from God. This Christ child is not only the source of
LIGHT but as well the one who carries the world in his hand ... he who knows
the workings of the world and we can easily find consolation in the way he guides
us.
Lastly, we would like to draw inspiration from the thought that Jesus
seemingly got lost. His parents were
looking for Him ... and after three days found Him in the temple speaking to
the elders ... and all who heard Him
were amazed at His understanding and His answers. Can it be quite perplexing also observing how
Jesus may have answered back his parent by saying: "Why is it that you were looking for Me?
Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" FRIENDS, do we really lose JESUS? OR ... is it us that get LOST? If our lives are sometimes filled and gripped
with worries and anxieties (as the experience of Mary and Joseph ... who
thought they lost the Lord) ... can we actually think of ourselves as the ones
who can get lost ... that in reality ... we do not really lose him ... that in
reality, we know exactly where we can find him.
Friends, let’s continue to find Jesus in the Father’s temple ...
where? IN OUR HEARTS! Let’s continue to hear him and listen to him
and be amazed at his understanding and his answers to our many questions.
Friends, today is the feast of the Santo Nino ... a great festival being
observed not only in Cebu (Pit Senyor/ Sinulog) and in Tondo, Manila ... but
all around the country. This is such a
special celebration in the Philippines ... such that the Vatican had allowed
the Philippine church the use of Santo Nino readings for today.
Our devotion to the Santo Nino I guess, can among others ... be understood
given the way we dress, adorn and present for adoration the image of the Christ
child. How many of us had seen a Santo
Nino dressed as a BUMBERO (a fireman),
a POLICEMAN, a FARMER, a DOCTOR, a MAILMAN, a FISHERMAN, etc. ? In a seminary I visited last Christmas, I got
the biggest surprise of my life ... to see ... right there and then amongst the
many characters of the Christmas Belen ... there lying in a MANGER ...
naturally was ... the Christ child ... wearing what kind of GARB (would you
care to know)? A Christ Child lying in a
manger dressed as Santa Claus. We can
... of course push our practices to the extreme ... to reflect some of our
suppressed tribal and animistic cultures ... or ... even perhaps project onto
our religious images our experiences of the contemporary world. I had not seen ... but would nevertheless be NOT
surprised to see a Santo Nino dressed as
a Call Center Agent, an OFW (meron na ba) or a computer technician. Oh ... by the way ... would you know the big
difference between a Santo Nino dressed in RED and the one dressed in
GREEN? Apparently, the one in red ... is
what you keep in your homes (to assure Joyful relations among family
members). And the GREEN? In business establishments ... WHY? Green ... an allusion some people say to the
US dollars ... which in the past had become a symbol of prosperity. Again, we can push our
practices to the extreme. We do not say
of course that the Church encourages such other unique practices.
Of course, the most popular image we see of the Santo Nino is that
wearing a HUGE CROWN on its head,
holding what seems like the GLOBE on one hand and gesturing to bless the
faithful with the other hand. His richly
decorated vestments replicate those of royalties in Europe and some Asian cultures. Why such rich adornments ... you may ask for
someone ... a God who chose to be born poor, in cognito ... in a humble stable?
More than the many external embellishments we attach to our images of God
and the saints, I think the more
important thing to establish is WHO THEY ARE REALLY as we relate to them? Who is the Santo Nino ... the Christ Child
as we relate and pray to him?
Our readings today, make our reflections even deeper. Who is the Christ child as we relate to him? To this seemingly helpless, powerless and frail child ... we attribute the qualities of God (because HE IS GOD) ... He ... according to the Book of Isaiah is the LIGHT that dispels all forms of darkness ... the light that shines brightly and gives us hope. (Isn’t it true that we experience a certain LIGHTNESS ... if we are with children. Their spontaneous laughter and strange inquiries can always leave a smile on our faces). The Christ child indeed is LIGHT amongst our experiences of darkness.
Who is the Christ child as we relate to him? He is one ... on whose shoulders rest the
life and future of any government ... and He has many names ... Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. REMEMBER that he carries the GLOBE in his hand
and blesses us all with his other hand.
To him, therefore, we can consecrate all our worldly efforts ... our
work and our studies ... our projects ... for he counsels us and guides us and
brings us peace. Isn’t it that given
the way our lives had become too complicated ... we can learn from the simple and less
complex thinking of a child? (I remember
the story of an Aeta boy ... who after hearing the story of CREATION ... of God
breathing his breathe unto clay and creating man and woman ... this child makes
a profound reflection: AH ... importante
pala ang buhay ko ... kasi ang hininga ko pala ay galing sa Diyos. My LIFE is
important because my very breathe comes from God. This Christ child is not only the source of
LIGHT but as well the one who carries the world in his hand ... he who knows
the workings of the world and we can easily find consolation in the way he guides
us.
Lastly, we would like to draw inspiration from the thought that Jesus
seemingly got lost. His parents were
looking for Him ... and after three days found Him in the temple speaking to
the elders ... and all who heard Him
were amazed at His understanding and His answers. Can it be quite perplexing also observing how
Jesus may have answered back his parent by saying: "Why is it that you were looking for Me?
Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" FRIENDS, do we really lose JESUS? OR ... is it us that get LOST? If our lives are sometimes filled and gripped
with worries and anxieties (as the experience of Mary and Joseph ... who
thought they lost the Lord) ... can we actually think of ourselves as the ones
who can get lost ... that in reality ... we do not really lose him ... that in
reality, we know exactly where we can find him.
Friends, let’s continue to find Jesus in the Father’s temple ...
where? IN OUR HEARTS! Let’s continue to hear him and listen to him
and be amazed at his understanding and his answers to our many questions.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
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