It’s Christmas Eve, a majority of the shopping is done, people are finally taking a load off now that the Christmas weekend is here, presents are now being received at Secret Santa and White Elephant gatherings, the Christmas lights are glowing brighter than ever, yet there just so happens to be a handful of people that seem to have lost touch of the holiday spirit that many people have seem to happily have, or at least make people think they have. Yes, the media is partly to blame for commercializing such a beautiful time of year, but this season to me really puts the cliche saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” to the test. It’s a little bit of a shame to see people post on Facebook and Twitter how terrible and frustrated they feel like the ‘Christmas spirit’ is not in existence in their lives when they just so happen to be the one’s who might’ve contributed to others’ beautiful Advent experiences. Their frustration only motivated me to give them one last ditch effort to show them what makes this Advent season so special, because honestly, this Advent season has been one of the most beautiful and blessed times in my life, and I’d like for all those closest to me to share in this wonderful feeling that I’m so blessed to have.

It started weeks ago, just a couple days before Thanksgiving, when on the way home from work, my mother and I were picking up dinner at Chick-fil-A, and the girl at the drive-thru window had posed a question to us: “Do you think it’s appropriate to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving, or should it be restricted to only play after Thanksgiving?” I had answered that it should be played after because of not wanting to overlook Thanksgiving, but my mother then chimed in and answered that it was fine, that in the Philippines, people start celebrating Christmas in September, marking it the beginningof the ‘-ber’ months. I thought it was absolutely absurd, but it really got me thinking about it.

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That first Sunday of Advent, was the eye-opener for me. We had just gotten off a wonderful retreat, where God really affirmed my ministry work by guiding me through MCing that retreat, and so many people had so many kind words for something I felt so nervous for. The gospel reading had proclaimed for us to WATCH for the Kingdom of God was on it’s way (Mark 13:33-37). Through Fr. Tom’s homily, he had proclaimed that that kingdom is already here, we just have to WATCH, and that’s when it hit me: I’ve been so blind to the spirit of Christmas for so many years. After that mass, I had made it a mission my mine to really open my eyes and WATCH for the bountiful graces that God blesses us all with. 

There were so many instances from that point forward that really made this Advent the best Advent for me, and for the sake of your time and mine, I will not go and list them ALL, but there were so many people involved and so many events that contribute to this blessed feeling that I am really empowered by the moment. People like my new candidate, Janelle Bautista, comrades like Nathan, Meesa, their confirmation two class, MY confirmation one class, Marie, Alex, Kaitlyn, JSL, Alyssa, Isa, Sarah, Nikki, Morgan, Jason, Kataina, Ambar, Angelica, Alana, Clarice, Carlo, Dennis, the CrossTrainer CORE Team, the CrossTraining ministry, the youth of St. Paul, my immediate family, especially my MOM and events like Youth Day, FNL, the December retreat, the CT Christmas party, snowboarding with friends, and just the overall feeling of God’s love that showered on me as I opened my eyes and heart to all these graces really gave my Advent a new jolt of spirit and made me appreciate this season so much more.

All of God’s love embodied in all the people and events in my life really gave me the sense that I am truly blessed. Throughout all the pain and suffering I had to endure this year, God really blessed me with the best Christmas present through all of Advent: HIS LOVE. I’m so undeserving of such a wonderful gift, yet just when I felt satisfied, He only gives me more, and it is the most heart-warming experiences that I have ever felt. Which now leads me to YOU, the reader, of this awfully long and probably boring blog:

I’ve already given this challenge to some people, but for those who still might be feeling like the Christmas has died out with your childhood, or haven’t even started feeling like it’s Christmas this year, or people who actually say they hate this time of the year: Where have you witnessed Jesus in these past four weeks of Advent? Was it in a person closest to you? Was it in an event that empowered you like a retreat? Was it in something you read or saw? And for the entire duration of Advent, did you really WATCH as we were called to do in that first gospel reading of Advent? In the realization that God’s love just so happened to be abundant in your life these past couple of weeks, I guarantee that you will find that Christmas spirit had been there all along, it was just a matter of opening your eyes to the beautiful graces that had been under you nose.

Yes, today marks the last day of Advent, but it’s not too late. Let that reflection consume what’s left of this beautiful season and go and spread that love you recieved to all of the friends and family you will see for the next couple days celebrating the birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, because He IS the reason for this wonderful season. HIS LOVE has given me and YOU a MERRY Christmas, and I pray that you, my brother/sister in Christ, share in the MERRINESS that has consumed a majority of the world, because more than likely, if you are reading this, YOU have contributed to MY beautiful Advent season. So, thank you, reader. Thank you for being Christ in my life in some way, shape or form. I pray that you and your family “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I love you. 

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Fred Nisperos

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