Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent; we are getting closer to Christmas. Unlike the previous Christmas; this year is more hopeful, considering the steady decrease of COVID 19 infections. It’s been almost two years since the start of the pandemic and some say that it couldn’t or shouldn’t last more than three years.
The past two years are trying times for sure; many lost their perspective due to loss of jobs and other livelihood; worse, many lost loved ones.
For us who remain steadfast; faithfully following protocols; being careful at all times; sacrificed not bonding face to face with family and friends remain strong and hopeful.
Yet, here we are now in suspense while scientists work hard to determine how to contain the Omicron mutated variant, hoping against hope that it won’t proliferate. Would it devastate the whole world all over again?
“OH NO!!! Not again ” , would be our cry.
I got inspired to write this blog when Sr. Tricia of the Hijas de Jesus sent me an inspiring homily of Fr. Horacio Dela Costa, a Jesuit priest who has recently completed his doctorate at Harvard University.
Let me share some excerpts of the homily.
“ Christmas is when we celebrate the unexpected; it is a festival of surprise.
This is the night when shepherds wake to the song of angels; when the earth has a star for a satellite; when wise men go on a fool’s errand, bringing gifts to a Prince they have not seen, in a country they do not know”.
“We were promised a savior, but we never dreamed God Himself would come and save us. We know that He loves us but we never dared to think that He loved us so much as to become one of us. “
“But that is the way God gives; His gifts are never what we expect, instead; it’s always something better than we hoped for. That is why our faith is a faith of the unexpected”.
“Now more than ever, living in times so troubled, facing a future so uncertain, we need such faith. We need it for ourselves and we need to give it to others”.
Lastly, Fr. Horacio said:
“We must remind the world that if Christmas comes in the depths of winter, it is that there may be an Easter in the spring”.
Isn’t it timely to reflect on this homily? I myself was so inspired and gathered so much faith by this to fully trust that eventually, in God’s time; things will be alright once again.
As we anxiously hope that the Omicron variant won’t reach our shores and create another surge, it would be good to have more faith.
