Good evening to you all. Here in Mangal, the air gets a little colder this time of year. As we gather in our chapel tonight, maybe you can s...
Good evening to you all.
Here in Mangal, the air gets a little colder this time of year. As we gather in our chapel tonight, maybe you can smell the faint scent of the rubber trees outside, or maybe you are tired from a long day of work in the coop or the farm. But you are here. We are here. Because tonight is different.
My dear brothers and sisters, if you listened closely to our Gospel tonight from Saint Matthew, you might have felt a little sleepy. It was a long list of names. Abraham nanganak kang Isaac, Isaac nanganak kang Jacob... and on and on. It sounds like a census roll.
We might ask: "Father, why do we read a phone book of dead people on Christmas Eve? Where are the angels? Where is the star?"
But this list of names is actually the most beautiful message for us here in Sumisip. It tells us the secret of Christmas using three Cebuano words starting with K: Kaliwat, Kasaligan, and Kauban.
KALIWAT (Lineage). The first word is Kaliwat.
In Basilan, we know how important family names are. When you meet a stranger on the road, often the first question isn't "What is your job?" but "Kinsa imong tatay?" (Who is your father?) or "Taga-asa imong kaliwat?" (Where is your clan from?). We want to know where people belong.
The Gospel tonight tells us Jesus’s Kaliwat.
Matthew lists 42 generations. And if you look closely, it is not a list of perfect people. It includes King David, who was a great hero but also a sinner who made a terrible mistake with Bathsheba. It includes Ruth, who was a foreigner. It includes rich people and poor refugees.
Why does this matter to us in Mangal? Because it means God did not choose a "fake" family. He didn't come down from the sky like a superhero in a movie, untouched by dirt. He was born into a real family, with real problems, and a real history.
God knows what it’s like to have a family that struggles. He knows the worry of a father trying to put food on the table. He knows the anxiety of a mother protecting her child. By choosing a human kaliwat, Jesus is saying: "I am not a stranger. I am one of you."
KASALIGAN (Trustworthy). The second word is Kasaligan. In the second part of the Gospel, the camera shifts to St. Joseph. Imagine Joseph's heart. He discovers Mary is pregnant, and he knows he is not the father. In those days, this was a scandal. He could have been angry. He could have been bitter.
But the angel whispers to him in a dream: "Do not be afraid, Joseph."
Joseph woke up and did exactly what God asked. Why? Because he knew God is Kasaligan.
Living here in Sumisip, we know that life is not always easy. We have faced years of conflict, years of uncertainty. Sometimes, like Joseph, we get confused. We ask, "Lord, why is this happening? Is it safe to go to the farm tomorrow? Will the harvest be good?"
Christmas Eve invites us to have the heart of Joseph. Even when we don't understand the full plan, we trust that God is Kasaligan. He kept his promise to Abraham, He kept his promise to David, and tonight, in the birth of this child, He keeps his promise to you. The dark nights do not last forever. The sun always rises. God can be trusted.
KAUBAN (Companion) And finally, the most important word for tonight: Kauban. The Gospel ends with a powerful name. The angel says this child shall be called Emmanuel. And Matthew translates it for us: "Emmanuel means: God is with us."
In Cebuano, we say Kauban. God is not just a boss watching from a CCTV camera in heaven. He is our Kauban.
* When you are tapping rubber at 4:00 AM in the darkness and it’s cold—God is your Kauban.
* When you are walking home and the road is muddy and difficult—He is your Kauban.
* When you feel alone or forgotten by the government or the big cities—God is your Kauban.
I remember a story of a farmer here in Basilan who once told me, "Father, when I walk through the fields alone, I used to be afraid. But now, I talk to Jesus. I tell Him about the coconuts, I tell Him about my children. I realized He is the only one who walks with me everyday."
That is the mystery of Christmas. The God who created the stars became a baby so He could hold your hand.
So, my dear friends in Mangal, as we go home tonight to our Noche Buena—whether it is a big feast or just simple bread and coffee—remember these three Ks.
Jesus is our Kaliwat—He is family; He understands our life.
God is Kasaligan—we can trust Him even in uncertain times.
And most of all, He is Emmanuel, our Kauban.
You are never alone. The God of heaven has pitched His tent right here in Sumisip, in your hearts.
Malipayong Pasko kaninyong tanan!
No comments