Love and Christmas for All

We greet you warmly a happy blessed Christmas from Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan ! In the midst of escalating number of hungry and overseas Filipinos losing their jobs in their country of destinations, we join you all in praying for the Lord's blessings for all today. May love and Christmas continue for all throughout the world beyond today!

Last December 23, we witnessed a beautiful practice at the International Catholic Church in Tsukuba: a Christmas celebration mass for and by children!

Fr. Martinus from Indonesia who officiated the mass dressed up like Santa Claus. He was assisted by Fr. Healy from America and by Brother Rolly of Davao, Philippines. The adult Japanese community shared their time and guidance to practice the Japanese children for songs and their play which took the place of the Gospel reading.

An adult and child started the Gospel with the story of the birth of our Lord. They had no fancy costumes - they used their regular pants, shirts and sneakers for most of the play participants. They just made use of old curtains, old cloth and whatever they could recycle to make the more important point that it is not the costume but the message of the play that mattered most.

It started with a young Mary visited by another young angel whose voice was unexpectedly so heavenly, her announcement to Mary moved many in the audience to tears. And soon, the children's voices filled the whole Church as they did their very best to perform their roles as the inn keepers who refused to give the Holy Family a decent room to stay in or as the shepherds or as the three kings.

After the children's rendition of the Gospel, Fr. Martinus gave a short child-friendly sermon. He gave his sermon seated on the floor together with the children in front of the altar. In his Santa Claus attire, the children must have felt this was a unique way to hear the usual sermon in church. For sure, this memorable experience would stay in their young hearts for a long time.

Being international, the Church also invited the Filipino children with Filipino and Japanese parents to present two song numbers which they all gamely performed! These children go to a regular Sunday school for migrants which we started years back to provide cultural bridges for the children who have to straddle their bicultural roots.

That was a beautiful experience, to see the children themselves actively participate in the rendition of the Gospel, at playing the organ and singing the mass songs, and doing their share for celebrating the joy of the Lord's birth in their own young way.

Christmas is certainly for all, in fact, for all of us who are God's children. On this special day, we were all given the best gift of all: God's love for us through the redemptive service of His Son, Jesus Christ. The birth of Christ confirmed the realization of God's redemptive love for us all. May God's grace of love and Christmas continue and stay forever in everyone's hearts!

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