Magandang umaga po. We are on the 8th day of our Novena. Tomorrow, the Misa de Gallo ends. Today, our guide words are Naming, Neighbor, and ...
Magandang umaga po. We are on the 8th day of our Novena. Tomorrow, the Misa de Gallo ends. Today, our guide words are Naming, Neighbor, and Newness.
First, Naming. In the Gospel, there is a great debate about what to name the child. Relatives want "Zechariah," but Elizabeth and Zechariah insist: "He will be called John." "John" means God is gracious. Naming is powerful. It defines identity. This Christmas, what name do you give your situation? Do you name your life "Burden"? "Stress"? "Lack"? Or, like Zechariah, can you look at your life, even the hard parts, and name it "Grace"?
Second, Neighbor. The Gospel tells us that "neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy... and they rejoiced." Joy is communal. In the Philippines, bayanihan is in our blood. But sometimes during the holidays, we become islands—focused only on our Noche Buena, our family. The birth of John brought neighbors together. Let your Christmas celebration open your door, not close it.
Third, Newness. Zechariah’s mute tongue was loosened, and he spoke. The people asked, "What then will this child be?" There was a sense of something new happening. Malachi, in the first reading, speaks of a "refiner’s fire"—cleaning out the old to make way for the new. Confession is that fire. If you haven't been to confession yet, go. Don't drag the old grudges of 2025 into the new year. Let God do a new thing in you.
Action: Reach out to a neighbor or a relative you haven't spoken to in a while. Be the one to bridge the gap.
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