A Prayer for the World

"And the Word became flesh."

Dear God,

You are the ruler of the world

Who have given your Son on Christmas Day

Open our hearts to receive your precious Gift

Through the work of your Son among the people.

Amen.

 

The Word Became Flesh

 

Text: John 1:14

Theme: Salvation Comes to the World

Preached virtually on the 24^th of December 2020 in the last Morning Watch of Tuguegarao UMC

Good morning and Merry Christmas. I am PasDoc Neki Soriano and I bring you greetings in behalf of my family. I am thankful for the opportunity to share with you the good news this Morning Watch. In this time of pandemic, I usually bring the bad news to people telling them that they are sick, but I am happy that for a change, I can share with you the good news of the birth our savior Jesus Christ. 

We celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus. But that birth is not just a simple birth. It is very complicated that we may never truly comprehend. It has many implications to the world and in our lives.

But for many non-believers, Christmas is non-sense. They even think Christianity is a belief on something very simple, ordinary and foolish just like believing in Jesus who was born on Christmas day. The birth of Jesus may not have meaning to us especially at this time of pandemic. We do not see how God can save us through Christmas, some may not even see God at all because of the situation we experience and this weakens our faith.

But the birth of Jesus is a very complicated matter that might need more than our ordinary minds to be stretched. The birth of Jesus is something that is not as simple as we often think and we might never understand fully. That is okay because our ways are not God’s way and our mind may not fully grasp the mystery of God. Yet, we must be able to appreciate the importance of Christmas when we recognize the complicated meaning of the Gospel verse we have read today. Only if we recognize the complicated birth of Jesus can we make sense how salvation comes to the world.

Our text comes from the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John usually focuses on the common theme about the relationship between humans to God through the person of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of John is a unique Gospel that focuses on the message that Jesus is divine. The word was in Jesus and this Word became flesh and blood in Jesus.

I read in one article by Rev. Kevin De Young, he believes that the verse should look closely on the meaning of the words “only” and “dwells” to emphasize the message of the writers of John.

Why was this the message during that time?

There are rumors during that time that Jesus is just human. As the early followers of Jesus, they also have confusion on what is the person of Jesus.

False teachings make people confuse and weakens our faith in God. A misunderstanding of Christian belief can lead to unfaithfulness and other harmful actions. So the Gospel writers have to describe the origins of Jesus. In John 1:1 he says, “in the Beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…. Then in verse 14 it says, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Even among early Christians, just several years after the death of Jesus, there are rumors that God did not yet send the messiah. And that God did not come to the people in the flesh through Jesus. In verse 14, Jesus is described as having the glory of the one and only son. In the original Greek, the word “one and only” is a translation from the Greek word “monogenes.” This word was used 5 times all in the Gospel of John. The most popular verse where the Greek word “monogenes” was also used was in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his “monogenes” son.” What does the word mean?

Even among early Christians, they try to understand what the birth of Jesus means. The Arian controversy is one of the significant concerns on false teachings about Jesus being born as the Son of God. The Arian controversy discusses the relationship God the Father to God the Son. Questions are asked:

o   What kind of relationship do they have?

o   Is Jesus just a common human being or is he divine like God?

o   Are they similar or are they the same in substance?

o   Was Jesus made out of nowhere or does he exist forever?

o   Was Jesus just an adopted son of God or a real begotten son?

The Arian controversy lead us to the Nicene Creed. Most of written in the Nicene comes from the Gospel of John. That is in the Nicene Creed we emphasize the Trinity of God. We, United Methodists and other mainline Christians articulate our belief as written in the Nicene Creed. It is found in your United Methodist hymnal. We profess and declare that:

-          We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

o   There is no other Son of God. False teachers will claim that they are the Son of God.

-          eternally begotten of the Father,

o   They have a relationship of Father and Son. Jesus is called the Son because of his relationship with the Father.

-          God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

o   Jesus is true God. Jesus is divine. Not like the other group who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus.

-          begotten, not made,

o   Begotten, not made. The origin of Jesus is therefore not temporal. There was not a time that there was no Jesus. Jesus is eternally begotten from the Father.

-          of one Being with the Father;

o   Jesus has the same being as the Father. As the Father is God and Holy, so is Jesus. The Logos is the same Logos in Jesus.

-          through him all things were made.

o   The Logos when spoken created the world. When God spoke, it was created through Christ. When God said, let there be light and there was light. It was created through Christ.

-          For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

     was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.

o   If Jesus is not divine, then Jesus cannot save us from our sins. Our salvation will not happen.

o   If Jesus is not divine, he is no longer with us is that God is distant and far from us.

 

We appreciate better the message of Christmas when we have a better recognition on the meaning of Jesus as the Word becoming flesh. Jesus became human to connect us to God. We hear this often every Christmas. But I wonder if we really appreciate the importance of this verse especially at this time of pandemic.

In the text, we read that “he dwells among us.” Now, “dwelling’ in the original Greek, “skene” means pitch a tent or tabernacle. God is pitching a tent among humans. Pitching a tent in this sense is not temporary, it means staying for a long time. Israel, when they pitched the tent, their intention was to be with the presence of God everytime. So when they were wandering, they pitched tent so they could house God and be with God everytime. Then it became a temple. So pitching tent means staying forever. Pitching a tent also means closeness with one another especially with daily activities. Also, pitching a tent is becoming one of them. He is not a stranger to us. He is one of us. God dwelling among us is a very important message at this time of pandemic.

What is the most common problem and dilemma asked today?

This pandemic makes us think that God has abandoned us. Just like the early Christians whose faith was weakened by false teachings, the pandemic can weaken our faith. Our circumstances make us doubt our faith.

Or you could be like me. When I became sick with Covid, and I was in the hospital bed with the oxygen and having difficulty breathing, I was having a spiritual crisis. I was not doubting the presence of God, in fact, I was actually leaving God out at this time of pandemic. I relied on science. I relied on medicines and the health workers. People were telling me na “magpalakas ka.” “Kaya mo yan.” And so I thought that I can do it “on my own.” I do not have to be connected with God.

This pandemic has made us disconnected with God in either way. Either we think that he abandoned us or we think that we do not need God. Either way, we do not recognize that God is with us. God is someone distant. God do not understand us. God is somebody different from us. We do not recognize God among us.

But the Good News my dear brothers and sisters: is that God became incarnate and became human born as a baby on Christmas day so that God can dwell among us humans. God wants to be in our ordinary lives, in our daily activities, in our everyday struggle, in the midst of all our busy lives, God is with us.

That is reason enough for all of us to be thankful even at this time of pandemic, suffering and chaos. That is enough reason for us to be grateful to God.

If we recognize the significance of the Word becoming flesh, of how a God that is divine will choose to become human in Jesus so that we can restore our broken relationship with God the Father as his children, we are able to appreciate and be thankful to God.

Is there something we can be thankful about at this time of pandemic? God became flesh and stayed home with us. That is something we should be grateful because we are not alone. God has lived and dwelled among the unholy and broken world.

Salvation came into this world on Christmas day when the Word became flesh. That is reason for us to celebrate, worship God and invite everyone to "come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him, Born the King of Angels: O come, let us adore Him, (3×). Christ the Lord."

Two Important Things to Know on the Advent Schedule in Santiago UMC

There are 2 things you need to remember during the Advent Season when you are in Santiago City, Isabela. Here are the 2 things:

1. The Santiago Central UMC has usually 2 services during the Advent Season. It has a Simbang Gabi which is usually 6PM and then the Morning Watch which is usually at 5:30 AM. 

2. The last Simbang Gabi on the 24th of December is usually a family service. They encourage every family to have their own family devotion. A liturgy guide is usually given.

This year, I was tasked to be the speaker in one of the Morning Watch. The theme assigned to me was "In the depth of brokeness, pardon and reconciliation."

Below is a very short excerpt of the sermon.

"The Gospel Text is from Luke 2. The theme ofr this year's Simbang Gabi is "In the depth of brokenness, pardon and reconciliation." The title of this sermon is "More than forgiveness, reconcile."

I am a medical doctor and I usually bring bad news to my patients. But today, I am happy to share with you the good news of Jesus.

The Gospel of Luke we read is focused on Christ as the Savior. This is a unique message in this book.

Luke was written to include the Gentiles. It tells them about this reconciling God.

Who is this reconciling God?

 -   In the Luasanne Document on Reconciliation from Duke Divinity School, the Jewish concept of reconciliation encompasses two intersectional expressions: a vertical reconciliation with God and a horizontal reconciliation with other people.

o   The dichotomy between the sacred and the profane created a gulf which separated humanity from God.

o   Rituals such as offerings for atonement, through which the profanity was removed, played an important part in restoring the relationship between God and Israel.

o   In the prophetic tradition listening to the voice of God, as revealed by the prophets, became the means through which Israel could reconcile with God. 

o   If we look at the Greco-Roman and the Old Testament understandings of reconciliation it was ascertained that actions like prayers, healings, giving sacrifices, sharing meals and exchanges occurred in both. The Gospel of Luke uses these images to illustrate the reconciliation between God and men.

§  In the Jewish world priests and prophets were mediating agents on behalf of the people, whereas in the Greco-Roman world the mediating agents were primarily the priests.

§  In Greco-Roman society, the gods themselves acted as mediating agents. The motivations for reconciliation were also similar.

o   Luke speaks about reconciliation even though he does not use the common Greek terms for reconciliation. The chapter also focused on Jesus’ enactments of reconciliation through the healing of those with leprosy.

o   Mission reconcilatio is the mission of God.

o   God’s reconciling mission does not happen in a separate vacuum or in the spiritual domain only. It is ingrained in the world we live and the people we live with. It is present in our homes, in our workplace, in school, in our church, in the society, in the government, in this world.

o   Relationships are not just defined by the present situation but also by the history of the past. The hurt and the trauma that led to conflict and war must be remembered in memory.

o   When Christians are passive bystanders and refuse to become constructive agents of reconciliation amidst such divisions and destructive conflicts, we are guilty of withholding love to a neighbor, the love of God is not manifested in our lives, and we give life to a defective gospel.

o   Every act seeking reconciliation, no matter how small, matters greatly to God. The scope of reconciliation runs from healing in one person’s life, to two individuals overcoming animosities, to nations and long-divided peoples seeking to do so.

o   Christ calls for far more than admitting guilt, but deep contrition, and a costliness and depth to healing broken relationships which goes far beyond tolerance or peaceful coexistence. This witness begins at home.

o   For the church to make peace, she herself must embody God’s peace as a living sign of God’s reconciled community. Baptism identifies believers as one church family, the body of Christ. Within their families, local churches, and the larger Christian family and our tragic divisions, Christians are called to a special witness of fidelity, sacrificial love, boundary crossing, and common prayer, seeking to heal conflicts following our Lord’s words in Matthew 18:15-20.

o   Biblical reconciliation also leads Christians beyond church circles to vigorously analyze, engage, and influence our local communities, nations, and world as witnesses for reconciliation and just community. Without sacrificing our Christian convictions, we should seek to partner creatively with people of good will to promote peace, including with people of other faiths. At the heart of the church’s public engagement is a prophetic responsibility to call political authorities to account.

Reconcile with who?

-          - Reconcile with God, self, others and nature

-          - John Wesley approached a holistic salvation in the work of Christ. God is reconciling the world in a holistic way.

Who is this forgiving God?

-        - In the essay “Forgiveness in the Gospel of Luke” written in 2009 (retrieved essaytown.com) Luke tells of 28 stories about forgiveness. It also emphasized that “Forgiveness is God’s action through Jesus of Nazareth.” It said that this is a scandal in Luke’s gospel. When Jesus forgives a paralyzed man, Jesus’ detractors accuse him of blasphemy for daring to assume the prerogative of God (Luke 5:21). His banquet companions are dismayed by his evident presumption: “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49).

-     - Forgiveness is God’s gift to all humankind. God offers forgiveness without restriction to the entire human family. Luke’s story of God’s forgiveness begins in Jerusalem (see Luke 1 and Acts 2) with Jewish people. Even here, however, the picture is a universal one, since the Jews gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost come “from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). It is back to these nations, the Gentiles, that the word of God’s forgiveness is ultimately destined in Luke/Acts."

In   

   The sermon message was very intentional to encourage the listeners that this Advent season, we must not only forgive but reconcile with those we have quarrel with. The example of God, who did not only forgave us but also reconciled humanity to Him, was to be followed.

W  Whenever, you are in Santiago City dring the Advent season. Choose a time, when to worship with the people called United Methodists.

Hospitality on Christmas

We went to a non-Christian country during the holiday season. There was a holiday spirit but not necessarily a Christmas celebration. People were coming from different places to have a vacation. We looked for a place where we feel welcome as visitors. But no one bothered. Everybody was too busy with their own stuff. Everybody was settled in their own comfortable places. We stayed in a backpackers inn as there were no more available hotels during this time.

It was quite an experience going to our inn. We had to walk for almost a kilometer from the nearest train station before we could reach the place. We walked carrying four big luggage plus our backpacks while tagging along 3 kids and walking on sore foot and broken ankle. When we reached the inn, the inn was full. We had to wait until late in the afternoon because the room still needs cleaning and the previous room occupant has not yet checked out. So we had to wait in the crowded lobby - standing. It was really a tiring but learning experience for me.

Our Christmas vacation made me reflect on the story of Mary and Joseph as they were traveling to Bethlehem and were looking for an inn that night. All the inn was full. Maybe they were as tired as we were, NO, much more tired as they had to walk and ride the donkey while we rode the bus and train. They had to walk for several kilometers while we only did one. We were fortunate to find an inn, although we needed to wait before we could settle in, but Mary and Joseph had no room for an inn. And so they settled for the manger. Our Christmas story this year was quite an experience that will change my perspective of the merry making holidays. Hospitality takes on a whole new meaning. The Christmas story of Mary and Joseph and the unborn baby changed the world. Do we have a room for them in our hearts?

Advent and Christmas

It's not yet Christmas. It is December. But it is still Advent.

December 25 is Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Below is an Advent Sermon I delivered during the Simbang Gabi on December 20 in Kamuning UMC leading to the Christmas Season.

Advent: Waiting for the coming

Luke 1:26-38

Who among you already had their Christmas party? How many of you opened their gifts already? How many of you have their gifts still wrapped? We are teaching our kids to also wait until Christmas. We already gave Christmas gifts to our kids as early as November, but they are not yet opened until now.  This will be the message for us this early morning.

We are on the third week of Advent. Advent is a season of waiting – hopeful waiting. I hate to break the bad news, but in the Christian calendar, it is not yet Christmas. It is still advent, the season of waiting – a time of anticipation and expectation… expecting for the coming of Jesus and anticipating for that day to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas day, and hopeful waiting for the second coming of our Lord.

Our story this morning is about that anticipation period. The time before Mary gave birth. This is the time when Mary became pregnant and had to wait for that first Christmas.  This was about a little teenager girl. Imagine a girl – in a patriarchal society, she is considered a second class citizen. This is a child – in a society, she is innocent and without experience. She was given a task by God and the task is big – to bear a king.

Let us focus as our story tells us that Mary will be pregnant. She will be expecting. She will be waiting for nine months until the boy whom Israel has been waiting to be their messiah will be born. I remember princess Kate and prince William when she got pregnant with her baby two years ago. It was all over the news, people were excited, not only English people. People were waiting and anticipating, they even camped outside the palace and the hospital during the due month. She will be the mother of a future king. People asked, “is it going to be a boy? lalaki kaya? Healthy ba yung baby paglabas? Guapo ba?” How did the Princess feel? Ano kaya yung iniisip niya? Ano kaya yung pressure sa kanya to be expecting a baby king? But that’s for a princess. How about the commoner? Yung ordinary pregnant women?

What is it like to be expecting a baby and waiting for it to be born? I had a patient who became my friend (Gina) who wanted to get pregnant. They were expecting to get pregnant for years. They waited for the baby to be born. They got pregnant after more than 7 years of waiting. While they were waiting, they were also preparing. While waiting for the baby to be born, there needs to be preparation. As doctors, we help the family, the father, especially the mother to prepare for the coming of the newborn baby.  

Pregnancy is a time of preparation. “Nine months of preparation yan.” You need pre-natal care. We make sure the mother is healthy. Regular check up is needed to make sure no infection that will jeopardize the pregnancy. We need to provide nutritious food and vitamins to the mother. Also given is vaccine to the mother to make sure no  infection happens. Then we need to monitor the baby inside that it is healthy. We do an ultrasound. We check the movement of the baby and the position of the baby. We also tell the family to prepare a baby bag ready to be brought during the due date. We ask the mothers to prepare a duster during that day. We ask the father to prepare diapers, ready some medicines that will be necessary during the birth.

Pero hindi ko pa rin maintindihan hanggang ngayon, kapag may nanganganak at dinala sa ospital yung tatay wala pa ring tsinelas. Kapag hiningi mo yung lampin, yung mga gamit, dextrose, gamut wala daw. Wala din daw dalang pera pambili ng gamut sa botika. Emergency daw kasi kaya nakalimutan. Nine months siyang nagbuntis, they were expecting for this day for nine months pero wala pa rin preparation. Emergency pa rin. Hindi napaghandaan.

The Advent season is a time for us to prepare ourselves as we wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Most of us are unprepared for that coming of Jesus. As Christians we are like Mary, we are made pregnant by the Holy Spirit. That is the good news. The Holy Spirit has filled us. Within us, we bear the image of Christ. But many of us are not ready to give birth to the image of Christ.

We fear and doubt that great things will be accomplished. We cannot do it because we are too small, we are too weak. We are just simple people. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 winner is the youngest winner. She is a little girl. She is only a teenager, 17 years old. She is Malala Yousafzai. She is a Pakistani. She is advocating for women to be educated. She wrote a blog for this advocacy because the Taliban ban the education of girls in their country. When she became famous because of this advocacy, the Taliban tried to silence her and shoot her in the head. She survived it.

Educating little children and forming them in Christian values is a preparation for these children to become willing instruments of Gods plan. We need to prepare them early and properly to become willing instruments of God. The world will experience the saving grace of Jesus in feeding the hungry, healing the sick, pulling down the wicked, finding the lost, through the body of Christ today.

We join the anticipation of the pregnant Mary. She anticipate the birth of a child who will deliver Israel. Mary was told that his son will be the king who will reign over the house of Jacob forever. We anticipate that day when the hungry will be filled, the rich are sent empty, the sick healed, the humbled lifted. As Christians, we are made pregnant by the Holy Spirit with the image of Christ. We wait with hope, we wait with joy, we wait in solidarity with all who suffer. We wait knowing that it will come. As we wait, we know that God is with us as all of us are pregnant and filled by the Holy Spirit. The challenge for us, are we ready and willing to give birth to Jesus Christ in our life?

Sinmbang Gabi

A Sermon on the Gospel of Mark 5:25-34 preached in Davao City, Cathedral United Methodist Church.

A Future with Hope is Coming

By Neki Soriano, MD

It is nice to be back here in Central UMC. It is always nice to be back here in Davao City. I always have to wait for one year before I can have a reason to come back home. Waiting for that one year is almost forever. But I always anticipate this moment. I always wait for this one moment in time when I can be together with my family and friends. Despite waiting for one year, I am always hopeful that this time will come and it will be a joyful occasion Advent is like that. We anticipate – we wait for the coming of the king, we wait to see our Lord and Master and be in his presence and we hope that when that time comes it will be a wonderful event. We wait and hope for the best. This is the same hopeful waiting that the woman in our Gospel text experienced.

We read about a woman who has been bleeding for a long time. She is bleeding. “Dinudugo siya!” Eh di may regla. That is common among women. So it should be nothing unusual for her. But this is not menstruation. This is not a usual problem for her. But she had been bleeding for years. Hindi naman sinabi kung saan ang pagdurugo niya. And so the doctor in me naturally thought that this was a case of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. Most probably this was cancer and it was probably at the end stage. But the woman is not just suffering from cancer. She was suffering more than that. During those times, bleeding was a sign of uncleanliness. So the bleeding woman is reckoned to be unclean. And she knows it. People think it too. The woman who is bleeding is unclean, and unclean people should be shunned away by the society, rejected, and discriminated. People look at her in an indifferent way. More than the physical pain she was suffering, she could be hurting inside her heart. People hate her. People don’t like her. And people say all the bad things about her behind her back.

I remembered one friend of mine from college who became very sick. He was very thin, he was weak and he was sickly. For almost two years, he goes in and out in the hospital for treatment of different kind of infections. He was bisexual but he was a decent man and he continued to go to work in one of the offices here in Davao despite being sickly. But two months ago, he became very ill. He was immunocompromised and people are having opinions on why he was immunocompromised. His officemates began to distance themselves from him. People did not want to associate with him. Even his family wanted him out of their house. So he went to Manila to seek help and he was admitted in one of the hospitals there. He eventually died of complications of a rare form of pneumonia. This was the same treatment that this woman was experiencing. She was being rejected.

And so what the bleeding woman did was do everything possible in her human effort to find a solution to her problem. She did it her own way. So she consulted every doctor she knew. The gospel text said that she spent all her money and properties just so she can cure her illness. But obviously it did not treat the problem. In fact her condition worsened.

I was trying to imagine and understand her situation. I thought she could be like my friend who wanted to be rich. He was a proud man. He wanted to do things on his own. So he borrowed some money from his father to start his own internet business. He had a sister who was a business degree and wanted to help him in his business. But he thought he can do it on his own. His sister got upset and so was their parents that their family relationship suffered. Aside from that, my friend did not also want his wife to be working nor be involved in any of his business. His wife was so hurt to not trust her in matters that affect their family that she left him. In short, he was his own boss. Because his argument was that, he was a lucky man and with his luck and his own efforts he can succed. He can do everything on his own. Because he was self-centered his business did not click. He is now bankrupt, his family is angry at him and his wife left him. He lost everything all because he put his trust in the wrong places. Just like the woman in our story.

So for twelve years, she has been miserable. This is a common human response. Whenever we are faced with a problem, we immediately try to find a solution – on our own efforts. We try to spend all our efforts and resources in finding a solution. But we never ever ask for God’s help. We are too proud for that. We think we can do it on our own.

In the hospital, many people go to the doctors to seek help. The doctors are very willing to help them of course. The patient goes to the doctor and they say, “gawin nyo po ang lahat ng makakaya ninyo para pagalinging ako.” Gawin nyo lahat ng makakaya ninyo – lahat ng makakaya ng doctor. Of course, the arrogant doctor will say, I will do all that I can. But that is just human effort. The doctor will do everything he can but that will just be human effort. But a greater healing will happen if God is at work. But we all know that medicine, the doctors, the nurses are nothing but God’s instrument of healing. They are not the ones who will treat the disease. It is God who does the work. And so the doctors were not able to cure her. And for twelve long years, she suffered.

I want you to experience her suffering, her suffering for twelve long years. She did not only suffer physical discomfort, she also suffered mental anguish and emotional pain, does she have family? Where are they? If she had a family, they must have abandoned her because she was unclean – she is sinful. A woman who is already suffering physically gets more insult to he injury by being rejected by her family and the society giving her psychoemotional pain.

And it did not last for one day, not even one week, it was more than a month, matatapos din yan… it was more than a year, imagine a chile growing a year older… but the pain and anguish is still there… for twelve years… graduate na ng elementary and highschool yung bata… you are still being rejected and discriminated. Ganun katagal. This is her condition. This is the moment when she was desperate to find any means to end her suffering. And then she heard about Jesus.

Jesus was coming to town. And so she thought. This Jesus is known to make miracles happen. In a desperate move, she thinks that this Jesus can help her. So she said, I will go and touch his garment. Because even touching it will heal me. She had so much faith that Jesus can heal her. She was full of hope that finally, she will be cured from all her diseases.

This is our hope this advent season – we will be made whole when Jesus comes. And Jesus is coming. Jesus is our hope. Hope is coming. Our future is with Hope.

The good news my dear brothers and sisters is Jesus is coming to town. Yes, Jesus is coming to town, that is the meaning of Advent. When he comes, we can touch him and we will be made whole again.

Sometimes we may be like the crowd who are near Jesus, they may be even rubbing elbows with him, but we need to touch him and through faith receive his power to be made whole again. We need to touch him, attach with him, join him and be with him that we may be made whole. To touch Jesus means to be like him. To be attach with Jesus is to be Christ-like in everything aspect of our life. To join Jesus and be with him is to walk in Christian perfection. The challenge for us this advent season, are we touching Jesus? Are we walking toward Christ-likeness? Are we moving towards Christian perfection in what we think, say and do? Jesus is coming to town and like the woman, let us have the desire to touch and attach with Jesus – to walk in Christ-likeness towards wholeness and Christian perfection. When Jesus comes, when Hope is here, it will be a joyful and glorious occasion. In the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Simbang Gabi: Ninth

Save the best for last. The last morning watch today was very artistic and symbolic. The theme centered on the light of the world - Jesus. The songs focused on Jesus being the light. The sermon centered on how Jesus brings light to our lives. The whole service was then highlighted by a very meaningful candle-lighting ceremony. This for me was very symbolic. The whole place was enveloped with darkness with the turning off of the lights. Add to this the fact that it was still dark outside. Only the Christ candle was the light on. The Reverend Boni then lighted a candle from the Christ candle. Then he lighted another persons candle, and another and another and another. And the lighted candles lighted another and another and another until the whole church was bright with candle lights. The candle lights were our only lights throughout the service. It kept the place bright until the Son (sun) was shining light to the whole world. It was already morning when the service ended and the darkness of the night was now replaced with brightness. Jesus has now given light to the world. Christmas is here. Merry Christmas!

Simbang Gabi: Eight

Today is probably the most humbling message that I have heard. Putting the delivery aside, I was so blessed by the content of the morning devotion today. The theological assertions were so sound and were very challenging too. One of the point is the intentionality of humility. The other point that really made me pause was the kind of humility we know and the kind that God demands.
Christian humility is different from being humble. Much more, our humility does not come from us but a humility that comes from God. This I guess, and rightly so, distinguishes human from Christian humility. This is the humility that Abraham, David and Mary exhibited when God demanded their obedience. I pray for such humility that I may serve and obey God rightly.

Simbang Gabi: Seventh

It was a quick and short one. The sermon that is. Time flew without me noticing it. Two more worships and the Simbang Gabi will be over too. I don't want it to be over. I'm getting used to this. I could do this forever, waking up early and worshiping God the whole time. Well, that seems like what angels do in heaven. I guess I'll have my time to do that someday. But for now, everything seems to happen so fast. Sometimes, even life is like that. We think we have a lot more years ahead and tomorrow is eternity. But when we pause and look back, it was too short a time. Time passed without us knowing it. And we haven't done a thing. But what are we supposed to do? A lot. I'm rambling here. I'm overwhelmed. It's just ironic, when everything happens fast, the sermon message begs us to slow down and be patient.

Simbang Gabi: Sixth

I can get used to this. Waking up early when everyone is asleep and getting ready ahead of everybody. The Simbang Gabi as a worship service is a good morning meal for the spirit.
It was not that I had a full stomach from the breakfast served by the Abrahams, the worship services were such blessings. The words of God and the songs awakened my soul. I went out of the church energized and renewed. Despite my handicap, I felt healthy and strong. This is what a worship does to our spirits. It gives us renewed strength to face the challenges and stresses of everyday life. We usually enter the church enveloped by a dark world but after each worship, we go out and see the light. The word of God gives light in this dark world and hope in this desperate times. It is our food for our souls. It keeps our spirits healthy and strong as we battle temptations everyday. The more we face battles, the more we need food. When one is hungry, one ask for more. And I am, so I will look forward to more food for my soul.

Simbang Gabi: Fifth

The youth were leading today. I remember when I was a UMYF, how I used to see things differently. I loved being involved in the church.
I was preoccupied with the thought that after the morning watch there will still be the regular Sunday service. The morning watch ends at 6 and the first regular service is at 7am. I wondered if there was going to be anybody who would take the marathon service. I mean, I could have stayed and check it myself but I was already tired. But I did came back for the 10am service. Its not that I am bragging that I went to two services today, the worship leaders had to be in all five services, that's more amazing. But that's not my point. The thing is, although there are those who are lazy to even go to church, there are also people who are tireless in going to one. The youth exemplified such faith today. They were up early and they would stay until the Contemporary service late in the afternoon today. I could only pray that many more Christians would find similar convictions.

Simbang Gabi: Fourth

Fourth Simbang Gabi. I finally had some company. We weren't late too. A pastor was preaching, so we were not subjected to testimonies and speeches (no offense but I have a strong theology about homiletics). The preacher opened with a complaint about not having the luxury to choose the text and the focus of the message. Although it was more of an opening line than a real complaint, it made me reflect back on the significance of Simbang Gabi. I tend to simplify things, so indulge me if I say, Simbang Gabi is but watchful waiting for the coming and birth of Jesus. The question leads to another, how do we wait for Jesus through a worship service? I remembered the time when we were waiting for my first son to be born. We were all waiting but there was no real activity designed for the waiting. We talked about how to take care of the baby. How to become good parents. How Nea will behave as a big sister. When he was about to be born, I was at bedside watching for the signs that he is coming. On the other hand, my daughter and family were outside waiting too. While waiting, my daughter entertained them. We were ready for the new baby but we are still waiting until he comes. We were anticipating and we were hopeful. The same goes while waiting for Christmas. If Christmas is the time where hope, peace, joy and love comes to reign then we prepare for it by practicing how to do it. We give hope, share peace, bring joy and love others even as we await Christmas.

Simbang Gabi: Third

Third day ng Simbang Gabi. I am starting to feel the Christmas spirit. Indeed, the lights, the decors, the cold air, the early morning service and the traditional church breakfast sets the tone for me that it is Christmas time. That is not to say that these things define Christmas. But we must acknowledge that for us humans who use our human senses, it is important for us to see, hear, feel, smell and even taste Christmas. Christmas in our hearts are prepared and also intensified by the things, events and people around us. For example, when we did not have any Christmas decor in our house last week, I panicked. We have forgotten to do our traditional Christmas tree decorations. Now, the tree serves as reminder that it is Christmas and it is the season of life, hope and love. My 3year old daughter was asking me where is our Christmas tree and why she did not get to hang decors if is is Christmas. These material things serves as reminders to us. That is why it is important for us to give importance to these symbolic things. Such could be Simbang Gabi and as the days go by, may we feel Christmas more in our hearts.

Simbang Gabi: Second

This is the second day of Simbang Gabi. Let me share what 'typically' happens. Since I was late yesterday, I vowed I will be early today. So I set the alarm, to 430 am last night. Of course it alarmed but I slept it off until 511am. I have to rush my preparation, washing up and dressing all in 30 seconds. Yup. Then I have to drive up to church with a blurry windshield. I have to zoom the car to get a 15 minute travel down to 5. I was able to arrive right at the end of scripture reading. At least I got to hear the sermon, the "most important" part for us protestants (you know what I mean). However, it did not really matter if I arrived before or after the sermon. I wasn't listening. Although I heard the preacher talk about the three trees and something about Jesus ignoring the bad news of Jairos daughter's death, I wasn't listening to God's word. Probably because I was late again. I did not want to have a partial worship. I want to go the whole nine yard. So I said, tomorrow will be another chance. I just sat at the back and went through the rhythm. I just resigned myself to that thought and instead enjoyed the fellowship with other churchgoers. The breakfast was a hot arroz caldo. It was so good I had to ask for seconds. My tummy was satisfied. The meal was the highlight of my Simbang Gabi. Hopefully tomorrow the highlight will be the meal for my soul.

Simbang Gabi: First

I was on the first night of simbang gabi. The first question that popped in my mind was what was the theological significance of it. I searched it over some old books and over the internet. The most common answer is usually historical. They claim the practice began during the Spanish era when people went to hear early mass before they went to their farms. This was done for nine straight days as a novena. It eventually became a superstitious belief that completing it would give the devotee their wish. But I thought the theological significance lies on the drama of the worship hour. The mass was a morning watch to anticipate the birth of Christ on Christmas. The birth is said to be signaled by the roosters crow thus called Misa de Gallo. Worship was done to await the birth of Christ. I like the theological meaning of watchful waiting. And the mass done at dawn break was symbolic of the hope that the Christ brings, a light to this dark world. That was something to reflect for this season.