Religious of Good Shepherd
December 27, 2020
The Feast of the Holy Family
PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
SIR 3:2-6, 12-14
COL 3:12-21
LK 2:22-40
Inang nagmamahal,
Kumakalinga, nagbibigay-buhay
Araw-araw na pagsubok
Di inaalintanang pagod.
Salamat, aking ina sa pag-ibig na lubos.
Ama, larawan ng tatag
Pangarap na natupad
Pawis at pagod mong sa ‘ki’y lahad
Salamat, aking ama
Sa pag-ibig na laging dama.
Anak akong sa inyo’y di lilimot
Sa bawat damhin ng isip at kibot
Pasasalamat sa inyo, sa kapwa ko idudulot
Upang laging manahan pag-ibig n’yong handog!
Iisa lamang ang Banal na Pamilya
Jose, Hesus at Maria
Ang hamon sa atin paramihin sila
Upang bayan ng Diyos
Mamuhay ng may saya, may pagkakaisa at ganap na hustisya.
Banal na Pamilya, manatili ka sa amin.
My father died twenty-six years ago, my mother followed early this year. Though totally orphan I am not alone. I have with me seven siblings, twenty-five nephews and nieces, a congregation of nuns present in seventy-four countries and the Catholic church with more than one billion members. My family.
As I begin this reflection, I spontaneously wrote the poem above (I wrote only now) as a token of gratitude to my deceased parents. My early notion of family eventually changed as I journey through life. I realized that members of a family are not only bounded by physical or emotional intimacy and blood relation but also by sharing the same vision and faith direction, celebrating the presence of One Spirit, and depending on the Divine Power that gives nourishment and love. This is family.
Being a member of this large Christian family I want to resonate with Simeon as described in today’s Gospel. Not because Simeon had already seen the Messiah that he peacefully and gloriously exclaimed that he can go in peace, I can resonate with his long period of waiting. Though advent is already past and gone and the season of joyful singing is here, the life of our brothers and sisters in this huge family is still in such agony of waiting. Waiting for this pandemic to cease, waiting for the end of this seemingly unending terror attacks in many forms and waiting for families to get reunited because there is no more migration due to hunger and poverty. Like Simeon, I am waiting for the day when I can finally say, my wait is over because I have seen the salvation of my people.
Christmas is inviting us to gaze at the beauty of this baby – the Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace. The One who was sent by the Father so we can easily be connected to God as family – Jesus became our Brother, one like us. Though the wait is not over yet, there is a big hope in our midst because God is with us. 
Balik-Tanaw is a group blog of Promotion of Church People’s Response. The Lectionary Gospel reflection is an invitation for meditation, contemplation, and action. As we nurture our faith by committing ourselves to journey with the people, we also wish to nourish the perspective coming from the point of view of hope and struggle of the people. It is our constant longing that even as crisis intensifies, the faithful will continue to strengthen their commitment to love God and our neighbor by being one with the people in their dreams and aspirations. The Title of the Lectionary Reflection would be Balik –Tanaw , isang PAGNINILAY . It is about looking back (balik) or revisiting the narratives and stories from the Biblical text and seeing ,reading, and reflecting on these with the current context (tanaw).
