WROTE MY 50th Iorbitnewsonline column this year to celebrate my half century birthday today, 28th December, 50 for 50, which coincides with the Holy Innocents Day in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18)
** “AND THE word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
Where was Jesus born?Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Do you know the meaning of the word “Bethlehem”? Bethlehem means “House of Bread”. From the name the little town where we are told the Child Jesus will be. He was born in the House of Bread to become Bread for us in the Eucharist. There are so many symbols that we can reflect on in order to understand and appreciate the meaning of the birth of the Son of God. And we have the entire season of Christmas to do this, I emphasize the entire season of Christmas because Christmas is not just one day. It lasts all the way until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the old calendar it lasted 40 days from December 25 until February 02, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord just like Lent.
This long period of time is given to us so that one by one we may come to understand the many symbols of Christmas that these are not just symbols for nothing but they mean something very important. The “parol” or the lanterns, and the lights. That light reminds us that Jesus is the true light that guides us in darkness, the light that shows us the way, the light the wise men followed and enable them to follow the star and find the Child Jesus. Another symbol is the color red which is the color of Christmas, just like the poinsettias, we have red flowers in our homes and churches not because they are beautiful but because they symbolize the blood of Jesus. The blood with which He will wash our sins, the blood that He would shed for the forgiveness of sins of mankind.
When the Baby Jesus was born He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Many times we set aside that detail as if it happened just by accident. But what are swaddling clothes? During those days when people travel in the desert they know anything can happen to them. It was a dangerous travel oftentimes they were long travels and there were also thieves. People brought swaddling clothes with them in case they die during the trip then they were wrapped in swaddling clothes. “Ito yung ginamit na lampin” when Jesus was born. It is not because no other material was available but because the birth of Jesus tells us that this Child will die and will offer His life for us for the forgiveness of our sins.
Bethlehem, the “parol”, the red color, the swaddling clothes, these are just four of the many other symbols of Christmas that we should look at and reflect upon so that we may discover the real meaning of Christmas. Why is it we are talking about these only now? Why is it we never talked about it before during the past years, because somehow I feel Christmas this year would be simpler and quieter. My prayer is that our simple, our quiet Christmas this year 2020 will not be sad but will help us go to the real meaning and essence of Christmas, and may help us understand and appreciate the real meaning of the birth of Jesus the Son of God.