Love without limit
“Every promise of God comes with His personal guarantee” is a message from a meditational booklet that got me pondering on the real meaning of Christmas. God indeed kept His promise; Emmanuel means “God is with us.” He is with us through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
This is what gives me hope no matter the atrocities of life. Bleak may be the news reports from our broadcast networks. No matter what calamities hit us, no matter the inconsistencies of government, God is with us.
God uses our modern day heroes like Efren Peñalosa who was featured in CNN. The young lad teaches less fortunate children in depressed barangays to read and write. He cannot afford to rent a space so he pushes his “kariton” that are full of books and teaching aids and proceeds with his mission wherever the Holy Spirit may lead him.
God is with us through the doctors and dentists who volunteer and participate in medical and dental missions in order for our poor brothers and sisters to get free consultation and aid.
Other guarantees in this mundane world comes with a condition… as long as you keep paying the monthly amortization, you will have a home. You can keep your car provided you keep paying for the monthly installment. Keep saving for the college plan of your children? College education is guaranteed.
God’s promise does not have a condition; in fact he gives us unconditional love. It is a falsity to believe that God loves us only when we are good. God loves even the worst criminals. Was He not around sinners during his life on earth? This is the very reason why no human being should act as judge, as an executioner and decide whose life he should cut short. In God’s mercy and compassion, nobody is beyond redemption.
Last Dec. 16, the Catholic faithful started attending either the Simbang
Gabi or the Misa de Gallo for the novena honoring the Blessed Virgin Mother who is the precursor of God’s promise of redemption. In the nine days of being one with the community that share the same belief of God’s promise, I pray that the move to revive the death penalty will fail… that the legislators will be enlightened and decide against the passage of the bill. Should this happen, those who share my thoughts will rejoice and have a merry Christmas and approach the New Year with some degree of optimism.