EDITORIAL - Celebration

News organizations happily announced that the Mayan calendar ended on Dec. 21; the world did not. In fact the Mayans in Guatemala and Mexico repeatedly clarified that they weren’t expecting doomsday at the end of their ancient calendar, but waiting for apocalypse was just too much fun for many people to give up. With Dec. 21 over, surviving the end of the world provided an excuse for intensified celebration coinciding with Christianity’s most joyous event.

In this festive season, people also take time out to comfort victims of tragedies. The military has announced there will be no break in the search for victims of typhoon “Pablo” in Mindanao. Survivors, most of them facing a bleak new year with the destruction of banana plantations and other farms, have said they will mark Christmas simply by giving thanks that their families are intact.

Elsewhere, the world has reached out to the grieving residents of Newtown, Connecticut following the killing of 20 children and six adults by a young man who also murdered his mother and later killed himself. Around the world, people continue to suffer from violent conflicts. Christmas prayers are dedicated to them by those fortunate enough to be able to celebrate the season.

The Mayans have emphasized that as they mark the end of their calendar, they are also welcoming the start of a new cycle – the dawn of a new age. Today Christendom also celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, with all the hope and joy that the event brings. It is a day for contemplating one’s faith, sharing one’s blessings and enjoying family togetherness. A blessed, joyous Christmas to everyone!