Christmas: Unwrapping Peace

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord... 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'" (Luke 2:11, 14)

After I've taught the standard prayers to Edward and Alison when they were preschoolers, I taught them how to thank Jesus everyday. The night after Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States, I wanted to pray for peace, for a smooth transition of office in our country. That night, I decided to teach Edward and Alison how to pray for our needs.

"Let's tell Jesus what we really, really want. Edward?" I nudged him gently.

"Chocolates." (I wanted to laugh out loud, but didn't want to discourage their prayers.)

"Okay, " I smiled instead. "How about you Alison?" I encouraged the little one.

"Ummm... toys." (Oh, children's prayers...)

"Okay. Now it's Mommy's turn." I closed my eyes and fervently asked, "Jesus, I pray for peace..." when suddenly, I heard the two snickering.

Alison then burst out laughing, "Mommy wants peas!"

Edward was laughing hard now too, "Why do you want green peas, Mommy?"

"I said PEACE!" I laughed with them and didn't even get to finish my prayer... But I instantly got what I had asked the Prince of Peace - for but one magic moment in my often hectic life as a working mom and wife, I experienced pure serenity: I abandoned all my worries and let myself bathe in my children's laughter.

Once upon a time, I was a child whose worries revolved around summer adventures... whose fervent wish was for Christmas to be everyday.

Anyone who knows me knows that Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year! My childhood memories of Christmas caroling, Misa de Gallo, my Lola Nanay's hot chocolate, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus at Noche Buena, and Christmas Day rituals permanently established my sense of utter bliss just thinking about this season.

I get all warm inside when, every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, I see the same joy and excitement in Edward and Alison as we put up our Christmas tree and decorations... There's got to be a way for me to give them what I've always wished for as a child: Christmas. Everyday.

And then I got it! Amidst all the merriment of decorating our house, I was inspired by the dove perched on top of our Christmas tree and by the nativity scene nestled at its foot...

We can make Christmas last all year long by unwrapping the gift of peace everyday!


Peace.

My mom's youngest brother, Tito Bong, is in Iraq this Christmas. Heaven knows how much he is always in our thoughts and prayers. One time, my sister and I were discussing the enormity and horror that the war has become... the sorrow, the heartache - how many more years, how many more Christmases will our uncle be away and not be safe home with the family...

What is this war? Why do we have this war? When will all the nations finally be at peace? These were among several questions that were swirling in our minds.

And then I asked her, "Why are we not in peace with Reuben?" He was a friend with whom we had a falling out earlier this year. We recently made up with him. But that simple question made us realize that peace begins with us. How can we possibly expect nations with different values and ideologies to see eye to eye, if we ourselves - in our own families, in our own circle of friends, in our own communities - cannot forgive one another?


Peace.

To realize that "the confusions around are mere reflections of what's within." Peace shall begin with me. Today.


Peace.

To open our hearts and celebrate service each day: As I wrote to my fellow parents in Alison's class, "We are called to 'summon a new spirit of service and responsiblity' by our President-elect Barack Obama. I hope that you have been inspired as much as I have been, to renew this commitment to our local communities, especially to Holy Angels."


Peace.

To embrace the lessons of these difficult economic times and realize what is truly important to us: "When Jesus is all we have, we realize that Jesus is all we need!"


Peace.

God's gift to mankind when He humbly sent His own Son to be with us, to become one of us, so that sin will never separate God and man ever again.

Peace is a gift that's woven in our being as God's children. And it's up to us to seek it, unwrap it, and share it with everyone, making Christmas alive in our hearts... every day, every chance we get.

I will teach Edward and Alison how we can make Christmas last all year - long after the last gift had been opened... long after the Christmas songs fade from the air waves... long after the decorations had been tucked away back to storage... I will just have to make sure that they know that we are unwrapping PEACE... not PEAS! ;)

From our family to yours, a blessed Christmas and a peaceful 2009!

Happy Birthday, Jesus! My gift for you is to unwrap our Father's gift of peace everyday. "Let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth. And let it begin with me."