6th Day of Simbang Gabi – Mary Visits Elizabeth

Passing the Light

Introduction

- Conversation between a priest and the catechism students (for students December is a month of shopping and gift giving. For them it is a month when the Santa Claus comes with gifts from icy mountains in a cart by the rain dears. They forgot the coming of Jesus from God the Father, through Virgin Mary)

- Christmas is a season to pass the light of tradition to next generation.

Content

- Why the Santa Claus is getting more importance than Child Jesus? It is an output of the consumerist culture. The shopping malls want Santa Claus to be in front of their malls because child Jesus who is simple and humble, born in a poor situation is not the right person to promote their business. It can even badly affect the sales. Instead, the image of Santa Claus who is in good dress, fat enough and with full of gifts would improve their sales. There is nothing wrong in shopping during Christmas and exchanging the gifts. But the import element of Christmas is the coming of Jesus who is simple and humble and was born in a manger as a son of poor family.

- The present situation should be critically analyzed to see the motivations behind the Christmas celebrations.

- We, the grownups are the one who has to show the right spirit of tradition to the next generation.

- In the OT community, they had a table fellowship at every major feast where the eldest of the family explained the tradition and the saving power of God to the younger generation. That is how they passed their tradition.

- We have many rich traditions in relation to Christmas like Simbang Gabi, Aguinaldo Mass, Mesa De Gallo, Noche Buena, etc. These are the good traditions passed to us by our forefathers in order to give to the next generation.

- How to pass these good traditions to next generation.

1. Living the good traditions

2. Being faithful to the essence of tradition

3. Passing it to the next generation by motivating them to follow it.

Conclusion

- Bring our children to the Light of God is our duty.

- Mary shared the Light that was given to her to Elizabeth and John. It removed their darkness and filled them with Holy Spirit.

- Let us pass the light that is entrusted to us by our forefathers.