Healing on Christmas

Today, December 25, 2012, I celebrate another Christmas day. Amid gatherings, parties, and mall festivities, I move for awhile to go inside my study room. With a cup of coffee on hand, I choose to spend a bit of time reflecting and praying in the quiet.

As I ponder on the reason for the season, I'm reminded of OFWs I was with in Seoul, Korea years back. Around this season, I felt their loneliness and longing to be home. To pass the time, a number of them went to private clubs where women were available to keep company, where they drank and binged on food, shouted, cursed, and sang their hearts out. What a strange way to celebrate the Christmas season.

Just a few hours ago, I watched news on television and witnessed similar types of "merriment." People are so busy shopping, drinking, eating together, and even throwing firecrackers around. Children are busily preoccupied with material gifts and "aginaldos." Families go to beaches and parks or travel to other countries to spend the holidays. Strangely, there was not even a single mention of the celebrant in their birthday celebrations.

Over 2000 years ago, the Christ-child was born in a manger in Bethlehem. That time, people also did not recognize who He was. They didn't realize He had come to heal and save us from our sins and wounds. Eyes were blind, like most today. They couldn't see or would ignore Him. He was invisible, a nonentity.

Every year gives you and I an opportunity to look again at the true meaning of Christmas with new eyes of understanding. There is healing on Christmas. Will you recognize and accept it? Will you receive and honor the Jesus of Christmas as your personal Savior and King in your life?

The key to life recovery and salvation hinges on the door of an inn into a manger in Bethlehem.