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.

First Sunday of Advent – Darkness and the Light

First Sunday of Advent – Darkness and the Light

Introduction

- Tension between North and South Korea is mounting. We pray for a peaceful solution in that archipelago. The tensions related to Magiuindanao massacre and its painful memories are not yet healed. The terror attack threats and its impacts on tourism in Philippines still holds the front pages of the Philippine news papers. The power of darkness shows its presence in different ways in today’s world.

- In this context where we see the darkness everywhere and in all realms we wait with hope in this advent season and pray to the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. We wait for His second coming.

Body

- Jesus has already come before 2000 years and showed us a spark of light. He told the disciples to spread the light all over the world. We are partaking in that mission, the mission of light that dispels the darkness.

- Jesus will come once again with the complete light. We are waiting for that coming of our King. Then there will be no more darkness in the world. It is the perfect establishing of the kingdom of God.

- Where is the darkness? Is it in North Korea? Is it in the Middle East? First of all the darkness is in the human heart. From there it spreads to others, the communities and the nations.

- Advent wreath symbolizes the self. We light the candle in each week of the advent in each corner as a preparation for Christmas. Our preparation must remove our darkness from us.

- The darkness can be of hatred, anger, frustration, unforgiveness, jealous etc.

- As St. Paul says in today’s second reading, let us put on Jesus, the light. Let us become the children of light.

- I have heard the story of a wise old Rabbi who instructed his students by asking questions. He asked, "How can a person tell when the darkness ends and the day begins?" After thinking for a moment, one student replied, "It is when there is enough light to see an animal in the distance and be able to tell if it is a sheep or a goat." Another student ventured, "It is when there is enough light to see a tree, and tell if it is a fig or an oak tree."The old Rabbi gently said, "No. It is when you can look into a man's face and recognize him as your brother. For if you cannot recognize in another's face the face of your brother, the darkness has not yet begun to lift, and the light has not yet come."

Conclusion

- If we have light in us we have no more enemies, we do not feel jealous over others growth, we do not hate each other, we are able to forgive.

- Let us pray that Light may come in to our self and make us shine.