Pasko naman...

It was a long line in a fast food chain in Baclaran yesterday. The place was too crowded that people are literally waiting for others to finish eating to have their seats and eat their meals. I was reminded of the night market in Divisoria and the food court in 168 mall. Everyone seems hungry (judging by the look in their faces), but interestingly, everyone was also quietly and patiently waiting for their turn to place an order, have their seats, and eat.

I was so hungry that time since I just had a 2-hour travel from Cavite. I was in the line and the cashier was too slow and a bit dazed. She told me she’ll just deliver my food because it’s still being “assembled”. I told her I’ll just wait for it to be assembled, but she insists to just deliver (which I personally believe is impossible given the long line). So I looked for a seat and waited.

5 minutes…

10 minutes…

15 minutes…

I’m starting to get pissed off because as an ex-crew, I know that it shouldn’t last that (i.e. assembly and delivery) long. I think the others are also getting impatient as they wait for pending orders. As I was about to stand up to confront the cashier or the manager or anyone, a sudden flash of reminder stopped me…

“Pasko naman…”

So instead of bombarding them with complaints, I patiently waited while thinking about how Christmas changes perspectives; how the “spirit of Christmas” creates “random acts of kindness” patience, love, and all that positivity.

However, we also have a saying in the Philippines “hindi araw-araw, pasko”, which basically means that we cannot get all the “fun, gifts and all that” everyday.

How do we view Christmas? 

How do we understand its message? 

And how does it affect our lives.

Christmas eve and Christmas day are mere traditions that remind us of the Birth of Jesus. Scholars until today are not convinced whether December 25 is the real date of Christ’s birth. To me the date doesn’t really matter; what’s important is the fact the Jesus was born; that He was sent on Earth not just to save us but also to teach us.

The real spirit of Christmas is our ability to understand why in the world Jesus came to save us and give us life..and to understand it NOT YEARLY but on a DAILY BASIS.

I thank God for making me experience anger amid hunger because that situation made me realize a lot of things. If only we would prioritize CHRIST instead of the gifts and revelry, if only we would stop thinking that Christmas is just a yearly event, if only we would say “PASKO naman” everyday, then maybe, just maybe this world would be filled with more love, respect, and all that positivity that Jesus brought and taught.

Christmas begins tonight. Let us continue living by it everyday. 

Pacquiao's Downfall

Sunday seems to be a nightmare to the entire Filipino nation as they watch Pacquiao kiss the ring right in front of their awestruck noses. Mixed reactions immediately spread in various social media: some were in shock, some were disappointed, some were sad, while some were even angry (and I assume these are the gamblers who lost thousands, perhaps millions).

I wasn't able to watch the fight because I was heading back to Cavite from Fairview when this happened. But the moment I received the news from my good friend Luis, I immediately remembered John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.". As I read the verse from my Bible App (thanks to technology), I started to ask a number of questions. What happened? What is God's purpose for letting this happen? What is Manny's reactions? How will the Filipinos take this?

It wasn't too long when two old men at the back part of the bus were throwing curses down on Manny.

"Hindi yan mangyayari kung hindi sya nagpalit ng relihiyon..." said one (That wouldn't have happened if he didn't change religion)

"Tsaka wala na kasing bisa ang agimat nya..." said the other. (And his amulet will not work anymore...)

As I browse the net for reactions, I read the same from various people. Thankfully, there are still a lot of encouragers amid discouragers.

As the bus rolls, I reflected: Did the "changing of religion" really affect the fight?

First, I don't believe that Manny changed religion. He just re-established his faith. He just got more intimate with his relationship with God. He just got to know Jesus more than before. Something that Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, etc. can do ANYTIME THEY WANT, if they choose to.

Second, I think this precisely happened because Manny is on the process of dying to oneself. This is something very difficult for other people to understand, especially for those enjoying a luxurious life like Manny did. Why in the world will he give up his gold, girls, and guns? But you see, increasing and decreasing is in a continuum. They're binary opposites. One cannot boast that he has "faith in God" if he/she still brags about his achievements, talents, skills, wealth, etc. Manny's downfall is his death from the Manny most of us knew.

I was actually happy to realize that a lot of people saw this change. Now, everyone becomes curious (some skeptical, but that's OK) about what kind of encounter (perhaps "transfiguration??!!") Manny had.

Third, I was also happy to realize that his "agimat" (amulet) (if he really had one) is not working anymore. This means he has surrendered it to God, and nothing and no one else works in him but God alone.

Anthropologically and Psychologically speaking, humans are always in search for something concrete that would represent the abstract. We search for things that would "carry" and "give" us power. Something we can "hold" as if faith can really be held with bare hands without realizing that we can freely get this from God, if we only seek for it through prayers and devotions.

Thus, contrary to the flurry of discouragements and curses, I say "Congratulations Manny!!! As you decrease, Jesus will increase! Keep it up and may the Lord continue to bless you and the people around you."

Pacquiao's defeat and downfall is not a failure. It's victory over oneself.