The Advent season is a special time in our Christian community and a perfect time to preparation to celebrate for the birthday of Christ. As we once again prepare to celebrate the feast of Christmas we are reminded of God’s great love for us. More importantly, the feast of Christmas is a very special occasion and a time for us not only to reflect on Jesus’ love for us but also to respond to his love by demonstrating love for our fellow men and women. May the expressions of goodwill and the gifts that we exchange be the outward manifestation of that love.
Christmas is and has always been an extraordinary time for sharing and giving. It is also a time for peace, love and goodwill among human kind. It is the season for celebration and for renewal. It is a time for us to forget the things that have divided us during the course of the year and to celebrate the things that binds us together as a community and people. May this holiday season come to represent an oasis of warmth. Let it be a time for hope and renewed promise, of joyful expectation for young and old alike, a time for the giving and receiving of gifts, especially the greatest gifts of love and friendship.
Just as the first Christmas heralded a new beginning, like every other Christmas since then, may this Christmas offer a new opportunity for thoughtful reflections of the year just ended, and strengthen our resolve for the year ahead. This year, as we gather with family, friends and loved ones to enjoy the season, we must look back on the year, the promises it held and the promises yet unfulfilled.
It is also important for us to reflect on our good fortune and be thankful that our lives have been spared and saved the ravages of any major political disasters and human calamity. As we prepare to face the challenges of a new year, we must pray that the almighty God will continue to keep a watchful eye over our community and protect us from political harm and misfortune.
As we reflect on our collective good fortune as a community, it is also important that we reflect on the true and eternal spirit of the season. It is only by doing this can we will strive to make the holidays a time of celebration for all, especially those less fortunate because of political corruptions.
Although Christmas should bring joy to everyone, the sad reality is that Christmas can bring pain and sadness to some among us. There are always those in our community of who will face a lonely Christmas - the recently bereaved family, relatives, friends and supporters of late Atty. Danilo Parilla. The homebound and in particular those who live alone; the homeless; those who have become isolated from their family and friends because of an addiction to alcohol, drugs or imprisonment and those who have been hospitalized because of illness and especially the worsening economic situation in our country.
We must see to it that this festive season not only to spare a thought for those least fortunate, those most in need but to share with them in some tangible and meaningful way the warmth of the Christmas season. Show them the generosity, the kindness of heart, the mercy, the care and love that is consistent with the message of the Christ Child. Invite the hungry to break bread with you. Visit the sick whether at home or in the hospitals – bring them a measure of comfort, hope but more importantly console them. Do not forget the aged and the elderly, help them reminisce about Christmases past but also help them find joy in the Christmas that we celebrate.
But let us remember what it is that we are celebrating. Let us do what we can to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We must never forget the example of the Christ child. Let his deeds and actions remind us all that providing service to others is a central component of our lives and mission on earth. Equally, sacrifice and unconditional love for one another must be the guiding force that inspires us to lead lives of compassion, mercy and justice. The true spirit of Christmas dictates that there is reward in giving, in helping those in need, in giving hope to the despair and to spreading peace, goodwill, joy and happiness to all that we come into contact with.
How we wish that the outpouring of generosity, goodwill, love and fellowship that is in abundance during the festive season become a permanent fixture in our lives not only during the Christmas season but also throughout the year. In the words of Charles Dickens, "May we keep Christmas every day of the year."
Christmas is also a time for community. Hence, this Christmas season presents a unique opportunity to come together in peace and harmony, to rekindle bonds of community, to build and rebuild the kind of respect for each other that can only help us to grow stronger. Let us all work together to rediscover the communal spirit, the unity and strength of purpose to overcome the many challenges that confront us every day and the community spirit so vital to enhancing for the benefit of all its residents.
As another year draws to a close, we need to once again thank the people of Biliran for the opportunity and the privilege that they have afforded to our new mayor of Naval Susan Parilla and Rep. Atty. Glenn Chong to serve as our representative of our lone district. We know that these new political leaders have brought satisfaction to many but displeasure or disappointment to others especially those who wish to control our political system. Our hope that one’s pledge to our people made by these new elected leaders will continue to provide loyal, committed and dedicated service to our people of Biliran.
Throughout 2007, as a community we faced and overcame many challenges. We had many notable achievements i.e. the landslide victory of mayor Susan Parilla and our Rep. Atty. Glenn Chong. However, we have also periods of incredible frustration as we noticed the political chaos brought about by the personal interest of ambitious politician. Through it all we have remained steadfast in our determination to work together to improve lives and the standard of living for many of the residents of Biliran through the support of Biliranon communities abroad. As we look forward to the New Year, we must remain hopeful and confident that our commitment to building and developing the community remains undiminished. We must continue to support our new political leaders work to extend economic opportunities and prosperity to everybody. Next year will be the accomplishment work which was started this year by our active and energetic congressman like road concreting, school buildings, etc. We must also recommit ourselves to the ideals of peaceful co-existence, tolerance and respect for life and property. Moreover, we must continue to work to alleviate poverty and to lend assistance to the aged and other vulnerable sectors within our communities.
In parting, we must once again take this opportunity to express our thanks to the almighty God for all the graces we have enjoyed throughout the year. Our prayers and support to one another would have been for us a source of great comfort and encouragement. Our wish that each and every one of us will have a Christmas filled with happiness, good cheer, God’s grace, togetherness, peace and above all love for one another and hope you and yours a prosperous and happy New Year.
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