A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS THOUGHT

If only thoughts could be expressed without necessarily bringing it into words, or conveying it through actions, probably there would be much love and tranquility in the world.

Words oftentimes offend, despite it is never meant to do harm when one interpreted it otherwise.  

Sometimes a good deed done by one might be mistakenly considered as an act of egocentricity, arrogance, stupidity, and neither could be believed as having been done out of compassion.  

As if today the world losses its sense of appreciation, trust, thoughtfulness; it is seemingly a field so barren with coolness in spirit, distrust, greed, and individualism due to intense competitiveness of life. Everyone desires to be on top of anyone and if possible, to gain everything all for himself; mindless of others as long as he gets what he wants.

How would Christmas be ever celebrated in a truly Christian essence, in an atmosphere of self-mindedness? Can we say “Merry Christmas” when others are never merry? Is it not that early Christian communities even sold their own personal and real properties so they could take care of the needy poor widows, orphans, and beggars? In the early times, these had been happening, but in the present times this does not exist anymore even in principle. There is no reason why a good deed such as those practiced by early Christians could not be done now similarly. Doing so, does not of course, categorically mean one should sell or dispose his property, but maybe sharing one’s ability, capacity, and resources could be done, so at least others may be happy during the season even for a short while.

Sadly today’s world is entirely different than it was before, as if now everyone is pushing hard to get on top never counting those he had stepped behind. It is the reality, and it is happening not only in one specific situation, it exists everywhere, in a workplace, in businesses or even at one’s home. In this life’s rat race survival pace, the less privileged, poor, weak and the ignorant oftentimes end up as the pitiful ones.

Probably for the achievers and successful ones, not all of course; the end is always justified though how crook maybe it was, yet it had to be done no matter what may come later, just only to attain success. Thomas Aquinas’s principle in Ethics does not anymore apply, “The end does not justify the means,” because to them what is necessary is that I ought to be there; though how immoral it was or would it be, no regrets of doings it because there is something important to achieve.

In this Yuletide Season, perhaps it is best to ask or evaluate ourselves if had we been on that path. If we have been there, perhaps it is not this late; we could move a little closer to righteousness.

There are lots of men and who are not yet saints, whose lives are like ours, but they have changed to something better. From being once a self-centered guy - selfish, and so on, he can now love and ready to do a few sacrifices and help for others.

With their examples, hopefully many more would come and stand out; and be men for others. Living a pitiful life is never too bad at all than a life in riches and luxury, but never has known truly what Christmas is all about. Lucky even are those, who do not have on their dinner tables queso de bola, ham, red wine, oven-baked spaghetti, and so on during the noche of buena than those who feasted in abundance, but never at all even thought if others have something to eat. And there are lots of people who have never anymore felt what a full-stomach feels.

The bitterest part in life is not because one is poor, because one could even be richer in other respects – in friends, in honor, in principles, and so on; and surely one could still be happy. But to live a life in a camouflage is the hardest thing; deceiving others through pretensions as virtuous, despite inwardly one is not. Yes, people can be fooled sometimes, but they never could be fooled all the time. What others may not have seen in them would later radiate; and their true colors would someday glare beneath the shadow of a chameleon.

Man could never fool his own conscience. Acting generously to gain praises from others is tracing the footprints of a hypocrite, in fact, is one typical form of a modern day Pharisee.

Supposedly, a virtuous one should not let his left hand know what the right has been doing, a parable says. Generosity is always good, but the moment it is motivated by egocentricity, the act of generosity losses its value; and its virtuous deed diminish.

Definitely to live a life just to meet the general expectation of others, and enjoy their praises is an idiocy. It is really fooling one’s self, an act of admission of self righteousness, and believing or assuming to be virtuous though indeed not.   

Let us welcome Christmas with open hearts and minds more so for the needy; and if our adversaries would say “Hi!” remember it is naively hypocrisy to return the compliment if inwardly one has still that reservation to forgive.

“Give until it hurts,” Mother Theresa of Calcutta says, and what she said reverberated throughout those whose hearts are open to love. Share, forgive, and forget, there you shall see and feel the true essence of Christmas. Do give it a try, and tell me later if you know the result that I was wrong.

After all, it is so written in the Gospels by St. Matthew, that “whatever you do to least of thy brethren, you have done it to me,” the Lord says.

It is this Simple Christmas Thought that I would like to think of this season. Could Christmas be really Merry for the poor People of the World? What it would be depends on how we wish it to happen.  

Merry Christmas World at this early!

                                                                    ooo