Ni LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO

Kahit na naging tradisyon na ng marami ang mabigay ng regalo sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay tuwing Pasko, sinabi ng mga lider ng Simbahan na hindi tungkol sa regalo ang kahulugan ng pagdiriwang.

Ayon kay Radio Veritas President Rev. Fr. Anton C.T. Pascual, ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko ay hindi tungkol sa pagbibigayan ng regalo, dahil ang totoong mensahe ng okasyon ay tungkol sa pagbabahagian at pagbibigay-saya sa kapwa.

Pinaalalahanan ni Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos ang mga mananampalataya na kahit ang Pasko ay tungkol sa pagbibigayan, hindi kailangan na palaging materyal ang ireregalo.

“Christmas is to give. God the Father gives us His only Son, Jesus. The Blessed Virgin Mary gives her ‘fiat’ to God. Joseph gives his time, sustenance and all provisions to Mary and Jesus. The three Kings give their gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense to Jesus,” aniya.

“This Christmas let us give our contrition and our very sevens to God. Let us give: as children our respect and obedience to our parents; as husbands and wives fidelity and undivided love; as employees honesty and dedicated works; as employers fairness and just recompense; and as leaders transparency and sincerity with our duties,” dagdag ni Santos sa kanyang mensahe sa Pasko.

Ngunit ang Pasko, aniya, ay tungkol din sa pagbabalik-loob sa Diyos.

“Christmas is to go. Jesus goes to us. From Heaven Jesus came down. He was born. Jesus is with us. All the Christmas characters went on their own to perform and to protect, to offer and to obey. The Blessed Virgin consented and cooperated to the message of the archangel Gabriel. Joseph accepted Mary and with her obeyed and went to Bethlehem, and again to protect the baby Jesus fled to Egypt. The three Kings went, travelled to find Jesus. The shepherds went to pay homage to baby Jesus in the manger,” ani Santos.

Hinikayat niya ang mga Pinoy na lumingon sa pinanggalingan at pagbutihin ang kinabukasan.

“Christmas is to go. Let us go to God, go back to God. Let us go, return to our family, be home to our parents. Let go back to roots, as our roots being Filipinos are being hardworking, being honest with our works and being helpful to one another. This Christmas season let us go, going up to improve our life, to make their lives safe, successful and very much alive,” dagdag ng obispo.

Kaya naman ngayong Pasko, hinimok ni Bishop Santos ang lahat na “go forward and give the best” upang ang bansa ay magkaroon ng pinakamagandang handog mula sa mga Pilipino.