Avoid toxic violence, corruption, youth told

Tagle: Jesus is with you

MANILA, Philippines — While their elders would be passing to them a world darkened by violence and corruption, the youth should not allow themselves to be swallowed by these toxicities, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said yesterday.

In his Christmas message, Tagle said the youth should remain strong and rise above the evil deeds that exist in the world.

“Jesus the Child is with you. With Him, renew humanity, society, religions and creation with love’s pure light, tenderness and gentleness. Christmas is for you,” Tagle said.

Tagle mentioned this in the year that marks the 200th anniversary of “Silent Night,” a song that captures the true message of Christmas.

“Crimes and evil deeds are often plotted and executed in the frightening silence of the night. The people who suffer and are continuously threatened and harassed live in endless silent nights,” he said.

But those silent nights are not holy nights, he added.

“The Child Jesus transformed eerie silent nights into holy nights by pouring on us love’s pure light. Pure love makes nights bright and holy because it comes from God. Only God can love authentically and absolutely,” Tagle said.

The Manila archbishop addressed his message to the young members of the Catholic faithful since the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has declared 2019 as the Year of the Youth, starting on Dec. 2 and culminating on Nov. 24, 2019.

The 2019 Year of the Youth is part of the nine-year preparation of Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the country.

“My prayer and wish for all Filipinos and for the whole of humankind, especially for our beloved young people, is for us to welcome and live the joy and peace of the Child Jesus, who is God’s pure love, tenderness and gentleness,” Tagle said.

‘Stand up’

Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas told the people to “resist the spread of vulgarity and the contagion of violence.”

“There is no Christmas hope for the cowards and the timid. Christmas demands that we stand up bravely for the Lord,” Villegas said.

The former president of the CBCP stressed that Christmas is about the courage of God to defeat evil through the power of love.

“The greater enemy to fight is cowardice and timidity. Tolerance is not a virtue. Tolerance of evil makes us accomplices. It is vulgar to laugh at vulgarity,” he added.

“We, your bishops, are called walang silbi or useless and you have been encouraged to kill us. You are admonished to stay home and not go to the Church because you will just see hypocrites at mass who worship a stupid God,” he said.

Villegas pointed out that accusations are hurled at innocent people without any basis at all. Fake news is unrelenting and the bashers against the truthful are shameless, he added.

“The infants and the sick, the handicapped and the elderly, they seem useless but they are our treasures as a nation,” he said.

“How we treat the weak shows our real character. Let us resist the culture of abuse with the mercy and tenderness of Christ. “Everything is turned into a bad joke,” Villegas said, noting the widening gap between rich and poor. “We scold children who bully their fellow children but we laugh at elderly bullies who flaunt vulgar humor.

“Christmas teaches us that the killing of people who kill people is not human. Killing is the solution offered by jungle justice, not by civilized societies. Herod wanted to kill goodness and love,” Villegas lamented.

He said Christmas invites people to return to childlike innocence and resist the erosion of good manners.

“There is joy in being innocent like the child in the manger. When we hear vulgarity, stand up and proclaim the greater power of the innocence of a child. When we hear children curse, turn them away from the bad examples they see and bring them to the child in the crib. Vulgarity is contrary to Christmas,” he added.

“Let us confront this violence against womanhood through the nobility of the Virgin Mary,” Villegas said.

“Let us stand up against vulgarity with the powerful innocence of the Christ Child. Let us defend human life by siding with Jesus and not applauding Herod. Let us stand up for womanhood best taught us by the purity of the Virgin Mary,” he said.

“The greatest story ever told must be retold with greatest courage. Stand up for life. Stand up for purity. Stand up for human dignity. We cannot find Christmas joy in timidity and cowardice. Stand up and choose the Lord,” Villegas said.

Find inspiration – Leni

Vice President Leni Robredo urged Filipinos to find inspiration in ordinary people and help each other amid these challenging times.

“As we celebrate, let’s not forget to remember the true meaning of Christmas. We can find this in the story of an ordinary man who did a wonderful thing during the first Christmas. One of them is Joseph who chose to take care of Mary and child Jesus,” Robredo said in her Christmas message, referring to Joseph and the Virgin Mary.

“Let them serve as inspiration to us as our nation faces challenging times, such as the high prices of basic commodities,” she said.

The Vice President also called on Filipinos to “be the strength of each other.”

“In these times where anger and disagreements prevail, when we are divided, let us choose what is right for the welfare of our needy countrymen. Now more than ever, they need us. Let us not leave them behind,” she said.

“We are the strength of each other. We can do the impossible because we are together,” Robredo said.

‘Exercise greater humility’

Senators called on the country’s leaders and ordinary folk to exercise greater humility while forgiving others and helping the poor this Christmas.

Sen. Nancy Binay reminded Filipinos that “even the King was born in the most humble of circumstances.”

“The spirit of Christmas is not measured by material things. Christmas becomes more meaningful because of the love, understanding and forgiveness we share,” Binay said in her Christmas message.

“The simplicity of Christ’s nativity speaks clearly of humility,” she said.

Sen. Loren Legarda said Christmas sends a universal message of hope that “we too can be like Jesus Christ whose humble birth was never a hindrance to live a meaningful life.”

“May we also think of our less fortunate brothers and sisters, the needy and the vulnerable, and may we find it in our hearts to help them in whatever way we can,” Legarda said.

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima called for prayers for Filipinos who are oppressed and burdened with problems, and for the nation that is hit with violence.

“With the different challenges we face, I pray for the continued strength, unity and compassion of all Filipinos. Despite the darkness that besieges our nation, let us hope that better things will come,” De Lima said.

“I pray for our leaders to embody the teachings of Jesus Christ who selflessly gave His life for the welfare of His flock. Let us use the mandate, trust and opportunity given to us by the people to ensure that the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society are not overlooked and neglected, but are given the chance to become equal partners in nation-building, upholding social justice and preserving our democracy and cherished freedoms,” she added.

She exhorted Filipinos to be an example to others and work hard for the betterment of their families and society.

Sen. Sonny Angara wished that charity, love and gratitude would prevail this Christmas season.

“Most of all, may the Baby in the manger continue to remind us of the value of humility, understanding and forgiveness,” Angara said.

For her part, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she hoped Christmas would unite Filipinos for peace and happiness.

“May the spirit of Christmas lift our desire to be of service to others and unite us toward the attainment of peace and happiness. Let the holidays fill your home with love and joy,” Arroyo said. – With Eva Visperas, Delon Porcalla, Helen Flores, Paolo Romero