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? 

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.