Peace on earth to men of good will

Archbishop Fernando Robles Capalla, the new President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, believes with all his heart that reconciliation, unity and peace are the crying needs of our world, right now. This can not be achieved without forgiveness. And he feels that the time for reconciliation in the Philippines is now. Many of our national leaders are destroying each other, at close range, causing chaos and confusion throughout the nation.

Archbishop Capalla is making a strong plea to our politicians to reach out to each other, to forgive each other, to be friends. It began with his address to the Cabinet. It will continue for the next few years. His Presidency of the CBCP will be a constant campaign for peace. The angels sang this to the shepherds on the hillside of Bethlehem, when Christ Our Lord was born. Archbishop Capalla echoes that beautiful song of the angels: "Peace on earth, to men of good will." This is his Christmas Message to the Bishops, to the clergy, and to the children of God in the Philippines.

"In spite of the grinding poverty, economic instability, social unrest, and political turmoil, we Christian Filipinos still celebrate. We have to, it is part of our culture.

"We have to celebrate even if these social ills have already shattered the moral order and created deep wounds in the Filipino spirit. This moral decay and woundedness is shared by both rich and poor, by the weak and the powerful, by the religious and the irreligious, by everyone.

"We see the effects in mutual hatred, revenge, killings, addictions, promiscuity and all sorts of violence on the spirit, soul and body of the Filipino. These in turn create fragmentation, factionalism, division, disunity in all sectors of society and even in our churches.

"But we must celebrate. How can we do this so that the wounds can begin to heal and restore broken relationships with God and with one another? How can our Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi become moments of reconciliation? How can we celebrate them in such a way that they effect forgiveness and healing in individuals, groups, and communities?

"We know that the core meaning and message of these festive moments points to God becoming man in Jesus Christ, to show us how to be human and consequently how to be brothers and sisters to one another, children of God Our Father. This is how God reconciles us with Him and with one another in Christ.

"All these celebrations contain and focus on the sacramental way we make present the reconciling sacrifice of Jesus Christ called the Holy Mass. It is a celebration where forgiveness is offered and accepted through rituals, and where the Sacred Body and Blood of Jesus is expected to heal, to unify, and to effect communion with God and with the community. There is another private way for Catholics — the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

"This is the reason why, although festive in the way they are celebrated, Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi have a penitential content. The advent wreath, the purple colors, the hymns all point to the need for repentance as a preparation for Christmas. This is the only way to true and lasting peace for us Christians, for men and women of good will. And the time is now. It is God’s time.

"When celebrated this way, Misa de Gallo and Simbang Gabi should trigger the emergence of reconciliation outside our churches — in our families, in our basic ecclesial communities, in our parishes, in our schools, in our places of work.

"Our Holy Father called us to do this before, during, and after the celebration of the two thousandth birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Jubilee of Redemption. He went around asking forgiveness from the Jews, from the Muslims, from Protestants, and from Indigenous Peoples. He even went to jail to embrace and forgive his assailant. We leaders of our Church and our society must follow Pope John Paul II on the path to national reconciliation, unity and peace, with humility and with courageous hope.

"To all, I wish a Christmas filled with the grace of God, with peace, with friendship, and with love!"

Many are afraid that it will not be a merry Christmas. . . . . . . .

• Because of the economic recession. We have no money.

• Because our national leaders are at each other’s throats, leading the people into mutual hatred and chaos, rather than to peace and friendship and joy.

• Because we are surrounded by violence. We have a war in Mindanao, and a tidal wave of crime in Manila.

• Because of the Brain Drain. Everyone seems to be trying to get out of the Philippines.

But when Our Lord was born in Bethlehem it was much the same.

• He was born in a stable, and laid in a manger, on the straw. When he was brought to the temple, to be consecrated to God, Joseph and Mary gave the offering of the poor – two turtle doves.

• The national leaders were Herod, Tetrarch of Galilee; Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judea; Annas and Caiaphas, heads of the Jewish Church – all of them eaten up by ambition and greed.

• He was born in an occupied country. The Jews were bowing to the Roman Soldiers on every street corner.

And Herod sent his palace guards to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem. Joseph rose in the might, to rescue the Virgin Mary and the Child from danger. They fled into Egypt.

• In our Brain Drain we are losing our nurses, our teachers, our brilliant professionals. But the Hebrews lost their God!

But still the angels sang to the shepherds on the hillside: "Good news for all the people! Today is born to you a Savior!" And the glory of God shone around them. And the shepherds went, in the middle of the night, to find the Baby in the stable. And they knelt to adore him.

Still the Wise Men followed the star, and found the Child with Mary his mother, and knelt to adore him.

Still the tale of what happened on that dark night is the most beautiful story ever told. Still the Baby in the manger, reaching out to all the world, is the most beautiful scene the world has ever known.

We have trouble, but we have the star in every street, in every home. It is a paper star, because we are poor. But we are rich in children, rich in life and in love, rich in laughter. We pray, and with the prayer comes peace.

We don’t have any money. But we have each other. And we have God.

It will be a merry Christmas.