Merry Christmas, Peace and Goodwill to All!

The phrase peace and goodwill to men (humanity) has always been wished upon during the Christmas season. Upon the birth of Christ, in Luke 2:14, the angels sung, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” This was the origin of the phrase that associated Christmas with a message of peace and goodwill.

The angels welcomed to the world the Prince of Peace.

During this time as the region where Jesus was born and lived is beleaguered with war and death, as well as the fact that Jesus was a native Palestinian Jew, millions of people around the world celebrating this Christmas find this message of peace and goodwill acutely relevant and meaningful, more so this year than most.

Our Filipino community is no exception and join the world community in calling for an end to war in that region and in Europe.

It’s also appropriate that during this special time of caring not only for ourselves and our own families but also others in need that we feel empathy for those suffering. It is what Jesus would have wanted.

Remember in Mark 22:39, Jesus mentioned one of the two greatest commandments. He said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The other being, “Love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

When we say peace and goodwill to each other (our neighbor) during Christmas it really is an extension of the love we have within us for ourselves.

The message of peace and goodwill expresses our love for our fellow human beings. It’s a message of compassion and kindness that crosses all boundaries of race or religion.

Jesus did not say to love people who are like us, but to love our neighbor, which makes the current war between neighbors in the Middle East even more disheartening.

There are many reasons why Christmas is special. Of course, the obvious one is our gratitude and joy for Jesus coming to man (humanity) to share the message of salvation and the kingdom of heaven.

Another reason why Christmas is special lies in an almost universal embrace of goodness during this time. We have this reservoir of love that overflows and spills onto to everyone around us, our family and friends, to strangers, to the people far away like in Palestine, Israel and Ukraine, even Russia.

It is a special time that we reconnect to goodness, and the source of all goodness, to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to decorate our surroundings as a reflection of how we feel inside. We string colorful bright lights on our homes. We put up an illuminating parol. We hang shiny and glittering ornaments on a tree that’s symbolic of life. We also hang a mistletoe, stand under it, to give or receive a kiss from a loved one. We build gingerbread houses that remind us of our youth and childhood – a time of innocence and purity. All of these are meant to reflect the joy we have during this special time.

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to gather with those who are special in our lives, enjoy our favorite food, partake in fun activities, share hugs and good tidings.

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to share gifts with each other. And when financially possible we share gifts with those we don’t know, to the less fortunate by volunteering our time or donating to charitable organizations.

Merry Christmas to the people of Maui, especially those in Lahaina who’ve lost their homes, businesses and people they loved due to the wildfires. May God bless you in your journey to rebuild and cope from your losses.

Merry Christmas to our fellow kababayans in the Philippines. We admire the progress the country is making and send love to our families and friends there.

Merry Christmas to the diaspora of Filipino communities around the world, including the mainland and Hawaii. We know your dreams, your struggles and stories of immigration. Keep moving forward.

Merry Christmas to the people in worn-torn regions of the world. Know that the world is watching and praying for your safety and freedom from the shackles of violence. Let there be peace and goodwill in your communities.

Merry Christmas and thank you to all our readers, advertisers and the Hawaii community for all your support these years.

Merry Christmas to all. Jesus Christ is born.