A soldier and his wife were preparing for the baptismal party of their baby girl when the chaplain arrived for the Baptism. 

Taking the father aside, the priest asked, “Are you prepared spiritually for this religious event?”

“Well, I don’t know, Father,”  said the soldier thoughtfully.  “But would two bottles of whiskey and two cases of beer be enough?”

* * *

Those were different “spirits,” of course. The chaplain was telling the soldier that the sacrament of Baptism is not just a drinking party but a religious occasion.

That applies also to the celebration of Christmas. While it is true that we celebrate the birth of the Lord with festivities and merry making, we should remember that Christmas is, first and foremost, a religious event.

The trouble is that our modern society has commercialized Christmas so much that we have mistaken the icing from the cake and the accident from the substance.

* * *                 

John the Baptist in this second Sunday gospel, exhorts us: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” He is not referring to road repairs although that’s a reminder for our Department of Public Works and Highways to fix our rough and potholed roads! Rather, the Baptist means fix our pride, disunity, greed. abrasive tongue, selfishness, infidelities and disrespect in families.

* * *

In the spirit of love and compassion which moved God to send His Son to save us, let us share our resources with the less fortunate. For instance, there are numerous people who do not enjoy receiving a 13th month salary and Christmas bonus since they are not employed. No wonder, some resort to stealing, kidnapping, and other kinds of crime.

* * *

If we do prepare ourselves internally and spiritually, then we will be doing the right thing, that is, celebrating what Christmas really means.

* * *

Feast of Immaculate Conception Dec. 8, 2025

A  famous  artist  once held an exhibition of  all  his  choice paintings.  One painting which bore the face of a woman  was  extraordinarily beautiful.

"Who's  this?"  spectators ask. "Is  she  your  girlfriend?" "That,"  the artist replied smiling, "is the portrait of  my mother when she was younger. "You know how it is. One has to give the best for his  mother."

* * *

We can say the same of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, whose feast  we celebrate today. Incidentally,  the Immaculate Conception was chosen as the principal patroness of the Philippines.

As  the artist of that beautiful painting  put it, "One has to give his best for a mother."  That is what God had bestowed on Jesus’ mother--that special honor and privilege to be conceived WITHOUT the stain of Original Sin.

* * *

The dogma (Church’s official teaching) of  the Immaculate Conception means everyone born in this world starts life in a state of  dis-grace  before God.

We  lack  the friendship of God or so-called sanctifying grace.  However,  God made  an exception of all humanity and that was Mary. She is "our untainted nature's solitary boast!"

We may not be able to reach Mary’s level of sanctity but it gives us a hint of how we can prepare for the coming  of Christmas.

* * *

Give Love To Seminarians. This Christmas, let’s help our seminarians by donating through our “Adopt a Seminarian” scholarship program? Donate any amount or sponsor a seminarian's schooling good for one school year.

For inquiry, e-mail me at: [email protected].