In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.
Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
Luke 2:1-20 (NRSVUE)
Christmas season, which in the Philippines begin in September as per the Vatican council of the sy and ayala family, is a weird season for progressive groups including progressive Christians. Lalong-lalo na progressive Catholics. It is a weird, awkward, and contradictory season. Lalo na ngayon na sa mismong lugar kung saan pinanganak, nag-lakad-lakad, at nagmilagro si Hesus ay merong genocide na nangyayari.
Weird, awkward, and contradictory because there is so much celebration happening and both the religious and capitalist messaging is about gratitude and generosity. It is the time for gift giving and thanksgiving. It is time for gathering together as family and friends. Sabi sa tradisyunal nak anta… “Tayo’y mangagsiawit Habang ang mundo’y tahimik.” Ang totoo hindi tahimik ang mundo at nakakarindi ang sintunadong mga kanta ng mga nangangaroling na iisang kanta lang ang kinakanta, tapos tatlo o apat na grupo ang tatapat sa bahay niyo to sing the same song.
Another contradiction and awkwardness pag pasko for progressives is the fact that from September to December, there is so much wealth created because of consumer consumption. Ang this humongous wealth gets concentrated with the Billionaires. And a lot of the items people buy comes from labor exploitation, some of which comes from modern slavery city of Valenzuela – the city of factories and manufacturing. Kasama dyan yung contradiction na maski pa magbigay sila ng 13th pay at bonuses, almost 90% of employee salaries will go back to businesses kasi ang empleyado ay gagasta rin para sa pasko. Empleyado ng SM mamimili rin sa mismong SM. The irony of it noh? Kaya ang tunay na pinagpala pag pasko ay ang mga negosyante.
And here is the conundrum, the season of Christmas or any season for that matter is a mixture – halo-halong pag-asa at kawalan ng pag-asa. Halo-halong gratitude and generosity with selfishness and greed, both individual and systemic. Magkahalong time for family gatherings and also loneliness kasi hindi naman lahat may pamilya to celebrate it and even those na merong pamilya, maraming mga LGBT are living in terror during the holidays going to homophobic churches and mingling with homophobic relatives. Halo-halong celebration and thanksgiving for all the blessings and good things of the year that is about ti end while at the same time kasama rin dyan ang lahat ng kashitan, pagsubok, karamdaman, and relationship break-ups of the past year. And just to reiterate, the contradiction of that we celebrate the incarnation of the Prince of Peace when in the land of his birth, at this very moment, there is continuing bloodshed, a huge number of those murdered where children and mothers.
But let me ask you, was the first Christmas, whether the version of Matthew or today’s lectionary version of Luke, was it a time of perfect peace, prosperity, and celebration for everyone? It was not. It was almost exactly as we have it today. The first Christmas was also a contradiction, weird, and awkward. Kung may pagkakaiba man siguro, it was not as eventful as we have it today. It was so ordinary and unnoticed specially in the version of Luke. It was also a time of occupation, violence, and oppression by the Roman Empire. Im sure as Jesus was being born, merong mga katawang nakapako sa Krus sa kalsadang papasok sa Jerusalem and across the empire. The first Christmas, there was a lot of consumerism also lalo na nung nagpatawag ng Census ang Emperador at nag-siuwian sa kanya-kanyang mga probinsya or hometowns ang mga tao. Puno nga ang lahat ng mga “hotels” at walang matuluyan si Maria at Jose.
I’m sure, in the midst of heavy taxation, exploitation, and oppression by occupying powers, Jewish people still went to the synagogues and made pilgrimages to the temple to practice their faith, celebrate Jewish festivals, and to find something to be thankful for in the midst so much suffering, burden, and even violence. And let us not forget that the persecuted Christians of the 1st and 2nd century, were singing songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving as they were being crucified, burned alive or fed to wild animals. They themselves were a contradiction of joyful death.
The first Christmas – the Prince of Peace was born in a weird and awkward world – a mixture of many contradictions, and I am here to say to all fellow progressives who find this season very difficult. That is okay. Afterall, wala naman tayong choice. We are living, working, and struggling in such a world. We do not have to feel guilty if there is a part of us who wish to celebrate kahit konti in the face of contradiction. In the face of every shit thing we continue to fight for and struggle against. It is okay to celebrate, enjoy food, enjoy the company of friends and family even though we know na merong mga hindi makakapagcelebrate, merong walang makaen, at merong walang pamilya or worst, merong mga nawalan ng pamilya because of violence.
I am sure, despite being in the middle of so much destruction, hunger, and violence, Palestinian Catholics will try their best to still “celebrate” and gather for worship, prayer, and fellowship inside ruined church buildings or destroyed homes, sharing whatever little food they have left with each other or communion as their only food. There will still be mass celebrated in the many churches across Palestinian lands this month and next month. Next month kasi ang Eastern Orthodox Christmas. They have to celebrate. They have to gather as a people. They have to still find the smallest spark of joy and hope, the smallest ounce of faith, and to muster scraps of love for them to endure and continue.
We who are thousands of miles away, we can still celebrate despite all the contradictions. We can still celebrate for those who can’t. We have to celebrate and collect as much joy and hope we can and share as much faith and love for the same purpose of finding strength, courage, and perseverance to ENDURE the oppressive demands of this world and to continue fighting against it.
Mary and Joseph, and the peasant shepherds despite being under Roman occupation celebrated and allowed themselves to experience great joy with the birth of Jesus. And even if we go to the version of Matthew, in the face of genocidal infanticide of King Herod, the wise ones from the East allowed themselves to experience profound joy. I’m sure Mary and Joseph also felt profound joy receiving gold and other expensive gifts, bilang sila rin naman ay isang pesanteng pamilya. Magkahalong joy with the birth of Jesus and then fear because Herod is out to kill Jesus and most probably his parents, and of course to kill also the wise one who lied and ghosted Herod.
So my Christmas message for this year for all of us na mga mulat or woke at sa kung sino pang mga kaibigan natin sa movement – Do not feel guilty to celebrate this season if you are able. If you have the means to celebrate kahit konti. At kahit parang wala na dahilan o kakayanan to celebrate gawan nating ng paraan. Makicelebrate with others. Kaya importante ang community and friendships. The only difference between our celebration and those that this world would have us do, is to celebrate it with intentionality and remembrance, and not denial or distraction. The capitalist and imperial celebration is always to distract people so that they do not come to the awareness of their oppression. All the festivities and consumerism propagated by those in power are intended to exploit and distract the people. Para hindi natin maramdaman o makita ang ka-shitan ng mundong ito. Yun yung dapat na malinaw sa atin: na hindi tayo nagsasaya dahil gusto nating takasan ang mga kabwisitan sa mundong ito. Hindi tayo nagsisimba para lang magpasalamat sa ating personal na mga blessings at ipagdasal ang personal nating mga kagustuhan para sa darating na taon.
Hindi tayo nagtitipon bilang pamilya o bilang magjowang bakla or magjowang shibuli para lang sa ating mga sarili kasi okay na tayo bilang tayo. We celebrate and find reasons for joy so that we can be renewed and strengthened. We take time to rest, pray, and reflect para may panibagong lakas para sa pakikibaka, adbokasiya, at ministry sa darating na taon. Magpapahinga, kakaen, at magtatawanan para humugot ng panibagong tapang para sa mga rally at iba pang pag-oorganiza na dadaluhan sa darating na taon. Mag-aawitan tayo hindi dahil tahimik ang mundo, bagkus, mag-aawitan tayo bilang uri ng nagpapatuloy na protesta sa mga simbahan at sa lipunang complicit sa injustices and consumerism na umiiral.
Ang ating pagsamba at mga celebrasyon ay hindi para takpan o kalimutan ang mga problema ng mundong ito at maski ng ating mga personal na buhay, bagkus para meron tayong panghugutan ng lakas para patuloy na mabuhay at lumaban.
Siguro ito rin ang ating bitbitin at pag-isipan sa darating na taon. How can we continue to create moments of joy and happiness sa ating mga sari-sariling buhay at sa community na ito para pang-hugutan ng lakas at pag-asa? Sabi ng ani Pastor Carleen, MCC served as her hingahan at one point of her life. Isa sa mga mumunting espasyo na Siya, bilang aktibista, ay nakakahinga at nakakatawa kasama ang mga accla kahit sandali in contrast sa sangkatutak na karumaldumal na kaganapan na kanyang hinaharap. How can activities of joy be a source of hope and strength for you and for others? Not as coping or escaping, but as protest to a world and even to a movement that would exploit our labor and skills. Pero syempre hindi puro joy and joy na lang justifying it as source of strength. With so much joy and hope, how do we translate yung joy and hope na iyon by contributing our part sa pagkilos, sa ministry, sa advocacy? With so much joy and hope, how can we begin to remove our fear about rallies and try to attend one? With so much joy and hope, paano ka higit na makikipamuhay at makikisangkot sa community at ministry ng Open Table? Para sa matatagal na dito, paanong magkakaroon ka ng renewal sa iyong faith and advocacy sa open table at hindi tignan ang community na ito with bitterness, resentment, or to look at it as nothing more than just a burden?
With moments of joy and hope, paanong mabawas-bawasan ang pagiging triggered person mo at maging mas kalmadong titabeks?
Borrowing the wisdom of Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber – Goodnews is only Goodnews because it is delivered in the context of suffering and death.
The birth of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago, was only Goodnews because it was under Roman occupation not because God will magically eradicate the problems we ourselves have created or allowed. The uneventful birth of a child in a cruel world; a child promised to embody the presence of a loving God, is good news and worth celebrating.
Let us celebrate the good news of Christ’s birth by being intentional with our celebrations, rituals, and festivities as a source of our strength, hope, and perseverance. In the same way that the peasant shepherds under Roman oppression experienced joy by seeing the Christ child, or the Magi – the Wise Ones – after their long journey and with the threat of a murderous mad king, experienced the joy of encountering the same promised liberator, may we also continue to look for and experience the joy Jesus Christ in our relationships, communities, and advocacies; Jesus Christ who is present in the countless tears and the smallest of joys of the Palestinians experiencing genocide; Jesus Christ who is present in all the contradictions, awkwardness, and weirdness of this season, of our lives and of our world. Let us celebrate with both joy and tears mixed together.
Isang mapagpala at mapagpalayang pasko at darating na bagong taon sa ating lahat.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
