WORLD ALIVE Fr. Bel San Luis A businessman confides to his friend, “I’m a walking economy after the distressing Covid-19 pandemic.” “How come?” asks his friend. “My hairline is in recession; my stomach is in the state of inflation; both of these are putting me in depression!” “My situation is worse,” the friend laments. “My bank account was frozen, then liquidated, finally evaporated.” * * * Many of us have different perceptions about this year's Christmas celebration. Like the two friends, some say, “Christmas is very sad because of the severe economic crisis.” This is aggravated by the devastating super typhoon “Odette” in Surigao. Others say, “My brother died of Covid-19 Delta variant, “many people including my father was swept away by the rampaging flood of ‘Odette.’” “Tatay who’s working abroad can’t come home due to the Covid lockdown.” * * * The problem of some is that the success of Christmas is determined from a misfortune-free world and a materialistic and commercial perspective. With less gifts, less food, less parties and shopping, we think it’s not a joyful and merry Christmas. Christmas would, indeed, be a lot happier if times were far from calamities and misfortunes. * * * But Christmas this year — and every year — will always be happy. And the reason is because Christ came into our world. Imagine, from among all the planets and millions of galaxies, God the Father chose His Son to enter our planet Earth. * * * When the pessimist in us is tempted to cry out: "Look what the world has come to!" We should rather say: "Look what has come to the world!" "God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son." God didn't send an angel or a heavenly proxy but His very own Son! (Jn 3,16). * * * Consider this, too: the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, came through the backdoor of his own creation, poor and bereft of material wealth. Isn't this telling us the Christ's message that greatness and true happiness are not measured in material and worldly terms? * * * Peace, kindness, love, forgiveness — these are the unworldly things that make Christmas truly happy, merry, and meaningful. * * * Quips to ponder. “Don’t get so preoccupied in what the world has to sell that you miss what God has to give. * * * If Sta. Claus were alive today, he should think twice before scaling up into any chimney. Overweight, over forty, and carrying the load of a bulging tummy — Santa would be a candidate for heart attack. Watch out, overweights! * * * There are two kinds of Christmas shoppers – those who shop until they drop and those who can only window-shop. * * * A blessed Christmas to all!