4th Day of Simbang Gabi December 19, 2014

A man saw an old lady who was pushing her cart hardly. He assisted her. He also saw a mother with her daughter begging some alms; he gave them money. He saw a dog suffering from hunger; he gave it food. The list of his good deeds extended day after day. But what did he get in doing good? He was never famous. He never appeared on television. Well, it was the emotions of those people he helped which captured him to do more goodness. The said man was a living testament of happiness. He was happy making people happy. My dear friends in Christ, a person who is happy with his/her life shares his/her happiness with others. Such a person has learned that happiness is rooted in doing something for the good of others with less expectations of any return. Charles H. Burr described this kind of happiness stating –Getters generally don’t get happiness; givers get it. You simply give to others a bit of yourself –a thoughtful act, a helpful idea, a word of appreciation, a lift over a rough spot, a sense of understanding, a timely suggestion. You take something out of your mind, garnished in kindness out of your heart, and put it into the other fellow’s mind and heart. My dear friends in Christ, our Gospel for today, Luke 1: 5-25, unfolds to us that we have a happy God. In the said Gospel, God sent His angel to Zechariah whose wife Elizabeth was barren. The said angel announced that Zechariah’s prayer has been heard by God. God blessed them with a son. But the angel did not stop speaking after he announced the birth of John the Baptizer to his father Zechariah. He said in addition, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” These words reveal the will of God who sent His angel to Zechariah: God wants to bless those who believe Him. God listens and brings favour to those who pray to Him. He is a happy God who shares His life to us that we may realize He does not want us to suffer here on earth. He gives us His blessings because He is a happy God. My dear friends in Christ, if we have one reason to celebrate this Christmas, it must be our recognition of God’s blessings for us through Jesus. Amen.