Augustine Mary F. Abellana Grade 11- St.

Aloysius

My Christmas reflection

Before I went home to have my Christmas vacation, I was making plans of how will I
spend time during the Christmas season. I also made plans of spending my money with things
that I needed and wanted.

During my Christmas vacation, first that came to my mind was to attend the 9-day “missa
de gallo” so then, I, together with my family woke early every morning at dawn to attend missa
de gallo. I have the tendency sometimes to sleep during the mass so then, I slept in some parts in
the mass especially during the priest’s homily, and I was also asleep even during after offertory
and to the proceeding parts of the mass while standing but it was until communion that I wake up
to take communion. After the mass, I just realized and said to myself that my going to church for
missa de gallo was no use if I only sleep during the mass and do not listen to God’s word. From
that realization, I promised myself that I will not sleep again in the next missa de gallos so that
my going there to church for missa de gallo would give meaning to my Christmas season. From
that, I fulfilled my promise by being attentive in every missa de gallo and by listening to God’s
word, through the beautiful homilies of the priest which then changed my heart and my
understanding of Christmas. One of the things that I remembered about what the priest said in his
homily is that “We must learn how to say thank you to God for all the blessings and gifts that we
have received”. We people sometimes have the tendency in forgetting to say thank you to the
giver and even to God. So that’s why we should be thankful for the things that we have and
especially for the things that we have received no matter how big or small it is. The size of that
gift doesn’t really associate with “how did you give?” but rather, “what did you give?” So then,
the essence on giving in this season of Christmas is not about “what will you give” but on “how
will you give”