December 19, 2014
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Gospel Lk 1:5-25
Change
Christmas tells the same wonderful story every year. This story reminds us always to prepare for the coming of our savior.Every year during Christmas season, I do the same preparation, and this has become a routine. It has never changed.
For the past few days, I have been experiencing challenges in life. Problems just come and go every day, and these problems diminish my hope. At first, I was uncertain about what God wants me to realize and to understand. One day, I woke up and just realized that I am already away from Him. What will I do? Later, I realized that I need to be back on track. I know that I need God so much in my life. He will always be my invisible protector. With this realization, I prayed to Him in silence. I felt His answer through His warm embrace reassuring me that He will not leave me in this battle. I believe that God does not give challenges that I cannot manage.
Where am I today? How am I today? As the year ends, I realize that I should accept the reality that we are changing. Our relationships, our circumstances and even our attitudes do change, and God also deserves my change: to change my relationship with Him and to make Him closer to me.
In this season, why not take this opportunity for us to make self-examination about our relationship with God, about faith, about Jesus Christ? In doing so, we will realize that everything that is happening begins to make sense.
More than the material gifts we exchange at Christmas, what is important is how we live that reality of Jesus Christ as our living God and how He has changed our life. Change is constant, so as early as now let us make this change.
Modesto M. Vinluan III
Staff, Alumni Office
