Rejoicing in Christ our Lord and Savior
Published Dec 23, 2019 12:00 am
FINDING ANSWERS
By FORMER SENATOR ATTY. JOEY D. LINA
Atty. Joey D. Lina
It’s Christmas Eve and many are eager for the most joyous time of the year when the abundance of love, generosity, compassion, and reconciliation can be overwhelming.
Despite all the hardships and sufferings in the world, the message of Christmas as proclaimed in the Gospel is a message of joy. The very first Christmas “was not a condemnation of social injustice and poverty; it was an announcement of joy…Christmas is joy, religious joy, God’s joy, an inner joy of light and peace,” according to Pope Francis.
The message of profound joy in the birth of our Redeemer enthralls Christians who firmly believe salvation of mankind through Jesus is a reality and that, as the Pontiff has emphasized, “forgiveness for sins committed is possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he loves us at all times and that we were made for eternal life.”
Indeed, in such joyful message of eternal life lies the most awesome and most significant news of all time!
The Holy Bible says it clearly: “For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17).” It also proclaims: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)."
But how can one have eternal life? Jesus himself gave the answer: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)
On these two greatest commandments, therefore, lie the key to salvation. To truly love God and our neighbor as ourselves, we need to utilize our time, talent, and treasure to serve others especially as we perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
To truly love is to truly serve. Love without service means nothing. Loving and serving go hand in hand. Otherwise, love would be meaningless. And the best way to serve is through the corporal works of mercy – Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, bury the dead.
And there are also the spiritual works of mercy – Admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, pray for the living and the dead.
Christmas time is indeed an opportunity for the faithful to devote their efforts and resources to bring forth God’s Kingdom in this world, just as we aspire whenever we pray to God in the words Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.
Of course, mankind alone cannot bring forth God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. It can be very difficult to live our lives in accordance with the two greatest commandments. We may continually strive to be devout Christians and love God and our neighbor as ourselves, yet, human as we are, we also continually fail in our efforts.
“However great our limitations and dismay, we are not allowed to be sluggish and vacillating when faced with difficulty and our own weakness,” Pope Francis has said. “On the contrary, we are invited to strengthen the weak hands, to make firm the feeble knees, to be strong and to fear not because God always shows us the greatness of His mercy…He is a God who loves us so very much.”
“Our joy is Christ, his faithful and inexhaustible love.” Pope Francis said. “Therefore, when a Christian is sad, it means he has distanced himself from Jesus. But we must not leave that person alone; we must pray for him or her, and make them feel the warmth of the community.”
He also explained that if a person is unable or “in a human situation that does not allow to comprehend this joy, then one experiences this feast with a worldly joyfulness. But there is a difference between profound joy and worldly joyfulness.”
“Christian joy, like hope, is founded on God's fidelity, on the certainty that He always keeps his promises,” the Pontiff explained to pilgrims at St. Peter’s Square. “This true joy remains even amid trial, even amid suffering, for it is not a superficial joy because it permeates the depths of the person who entrusts himself to the Lord and confides in Him.”
Indeed, the greatest joy of Christmas comes from knowing that Jesus as our Messiah has come to save us and be with us in all our difficulties. Merry Christmas!
Email: [email protected]
Atty. Joey D. Lina
It’s Christmas Eve and many are eager for the most joyous time of the year when the abundance of love, generosity, compassion, and reconciliation can be overwhelming.
Despite all the hardships and sufferings in the world, the message of Christmas as proclaimed in the Gospel is a message of joy. The very first Christmas “was not a condemnation of social injustice and poverty; it was an announcement of joy…Christmas is joy, religious joy, God’s joy, an inner joy of light and peace,” according to Pope Francis.
The message of profound joy in the birth of our Redeemer enthralls Christians who firmly believe salvation of mankind through Jesus is a reality and that, as the Pontiff has emphasized, “forgiveness for sins committed is possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he loves us at all times and that we were made for eternal life.”
Indeed, in such joyful message of eternal life lies the most awesome and most significant news of all time!
The Holy Bible says it clearly: “For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17).” It also proclaims: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)."
But how can one have eternal life? Jesus himself gave the answer: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)
On these two greatest commandments, therefore, lie the key to salvation. To truly love God and our neighbor as ourselves, we need to utilize our time, talent, and treasure to serve others especially as we perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
To truly love is to truly serve. Love without service means nothing. Loving and serving go hand in hand. Otherwise, love would be meaningless. And the best way to serve is through the corporal works of mercy – Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, bury the dead.
And there are also the spiritual works of mercy – Admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, pray for the living and the dead.
Christmas time is indeed an opportunity for the faithful to devote their efforts and resources to bring forth God’s Kingdom in this world, just as we aspire whenever we pray to God in the words Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.
Of course, mankind alone cannot bring forth God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. It can be very difficult to live our lives in accordance with the two greatest commandments. We may continually strive to be devout Christians and love God and our neighbor as ourselves, yet, human as we are, we also continually fail in our efforts.
“However great our limitations and dismay, we are not allowed to be sluggish and vacillating when faced with difficulty and our own weakness,” Pope Francis has said. “On the contrary, we are invited to strengthen the weak hands, to make firm the feeble knees, to be strong and to fear not because God always shows us the greatness of His mercy…He is a God who loves us so very much.”
“Our joy is Christ, his faithful and inexhaustible love.” Pope Francis said. “Therefore, when a Christian is sad, it means he has distanced himself from Jesus. But we must not leave that person alone; we must pray for him or her, and make them feel the warmth of the community.”
He also explained that if a person is unable or “in a human situation that does not allow to comprehend this joy, then one experiences this feast with a worldly joyfulness. But there is a difference between profound joy and worldly joyfulness.”
“Christian joy, like hope, is founded on God's fidelity, on the certainty that He always keeps his promises,” the Pontiff explained to pilgrims at St. Peter’s Square. “This true joy remains even amid trial, even amid suffering, for it is not a superficial joy because it permeates the depths of the person who entrusts himself to the Lord and confides in Him.”
Indeed, the greatest joy of Christmas comes from knowing that Jesus as our Messiah has come to save us and be with us in all our difficulties. Merry Christmas!
Email: [email protected]