Philippine Asian News Today Vol 20 No 24 | Page 24

RELIGIOUS
24
Wisdom from
the Word
Ben Berto
“Keep your Creator in mind while
you are young! In years to come, you
will be burdened down with troubles
and say, “I don’t enjoy life anymore.”
Ecclesiastes 12: 1 NKJV
All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for
[c]instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16,
17 NKJV
First of all, let me greet you a
blessed Christmas and a joyous New
Year.
All years have an ending and
therefore a beginning. Each year,
pages are filled with a plethora advice
from sages of what to do with life:
how to be successful in business,
in marriage, in love life, and in any
venture one may want to do in life.
Year 2018 is quickly fading out and
2019 is looming very big in the very
near future.
I like to share this foreword from
the English Contemporary Version
about the topic I want to share with
you all. It says, “You have in your
hands one of the most precious
books the world has ever seen. It is
a book full of profound wisdom and
insight about human nature and the
character and purpose of God who
created all things. Throughout the
centuries people from many lands
Moments
Fr. Jerry M. Orbos, SVD
How did Adam greet Eve on the
day before Christmas? He said: “It’s
Christmas Eve.”
In today’s gospel (Lk. 1, 39-45),
we hear that when Mary greeted her
cousin Elizabeth, the infant leapt in
her womb, and filled with the power
of the Holy Spirit made her exclaim:
“Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
Greetings are powerful!
Below are some modern-day
Christmas greetings that have, sad
to say, taken out the power and the
meaning of Christmas. Which one do
you use?
“Merry X’mas!” This totally negates
Christ, the real reason for Christmas.
Christ is not some X person, unknown,
and insignificant. He was a historical
person, a God-made-man who walked
the earth and dwelt among us, and
has affected our human lives and
history, forever. All too often, because
of the rush, we remove Christ from
Christmas.
“Happy Holidays!” This is a very
secular greeting that emphasizes
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY December 16 - 31, 2018
KING SOLOMON’S TIMELESS ADVICE
FOR THE NEW YEAR
have opened this book and read it in
their own languages. Here they have
learned about God’s love and justice.
Great leaders and thinkers have
searched its pages and explored its
truths, looking for answers to life’s
problems and challenges.”
In this book, penned by forty hands
under inspiration of God, written in
a space of 1400 years, by prophets,
kings, shepherds, farmers, fishermen,
a Pharisee-turned- follower of Jesus,
and even a chapter from King
Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian
Empire, is found the true path to
God. Read it prayerfully, and God
will lead you to life everlasting. In this
space, we find KING SOLOMON’S
TIMELESS ADVICE FOR THE NEW
YEAR.
“Keep your Creator in mind while
you are young! In years to come, you
will be burdened down with troubles
and say, “I don’t enjoy life anymore.”
2 Someday the light of the sun and
the moon and the stars will all seem
dim to you. Rain clouds will remain
over your head. 3 Your body will
grow feeble, your teeth will decay,
and your eyesight fail. 4 The noisy
grinding of grain will be shut out by
your deaf ears, but even the song of
a bird will keep you awake.5 You will
be afraid to climb up a hill or walk
down a road. Your hair will turn as
white as almond blossoms. You will
feel lifeless and drag along like an
old grasshopper.
We each go to our eternal home,
and the streets are filled with those
who mourn. 6 The silver cord snaps,
the golden bowl breaks; the water
pitcher is smashed, and the pulley
at the well is shattered. 7 So our
bodies return to the earth, and the
life-giving breath[a] returns to God.
8 Nothing makes sense.I have seen
it all—nothing makes sense.
9 I was a wise teacher with much
understanding, and I collected
a number of proverbs that I had
carefully studied. 10 Then I tried to
explain these things in the best and
most accurate way. 11 Words of
wisdom are like the stick a farmer
uses to make animals move. These
sayings come from God, our only
shepherd, and they are like nails
that fasten things together.[b] 12 My
child, I warn you to stay away from
any teachings except these.
There is no end to books, and too
much study will wear you out.
13 Everything you were taught can
be put into a few words: Respect and
obey God!
This is what life is all about. 14
God will judge everything we do,
even what is done in secret, whether
good or bad.”
Ecclesiastes
12 Contemporary English Version
King David said that the Word of
God is a lamp unto his feet and a light
to his path. Psalm119:105. With that
light shining on our path, we will not
stumble, or hit our feet against the
stones on the road. So it pays a lot
of good when we immerse ourselves
in the Bible. Pray while you read it
and God will give you guidance while
walking in this world. Satan will try
to distract our attention from reading
Gods Word, or the Bible, but when we
put God ahead of us, He will be able
to drive Satan away. The last verse of
Ecclesiastes 12 says, 13 Everything
you were taught can be put into a few
words: Respect and obey God! This
is what life is all about. 14 God will
judge everything we do, even what
is done in secret, whether good or
bad.” When exalt God, He will judge
us as good. The bible should be in
the best place of our library where it
is well used and not to gather dust.
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND
KEEP YOU. THE LORD MAKE HIS
FACE TO AHINE UPON YOU AND
GIVE YOU PLEACE NOW AND
FOREVER MORE.
For questions and Bible Studies,
call, Ben at 604 581 1278, Junjun at
778-927- 8040, and Pastor Leomar
Macaraig at 604 928 3579. The
Abundant Life Fil-Can Seventh-day
Adventist Church meets at the City
Center Church on 13062 104th
Avenue, Surrey on Saturdays. All are
welcome to attend.
The power of greetings
Christmas as one big cozy vacation
and holiday, leaving out the essence
of Christmas as a holy day, a real
encounter with the Divine.
“Season’s Greetings!” This greeting
is all about celebrating a time, a
season, the “most wonderful time
of the year,” without any reason for
doing so. Christmas is not just about
a season, but about a God and Three
Persons who got involved with us. (We
have a joke among Pangasineses that
the Sison families of Pangasinan do
not need to write Christmas greetings
ever because all over the place are
written “Sisons’ Greetings!” during
this time of the year.)
“Merry Christmas!” This is the
most used greeting by so many. But
it could be misused when people,
especially government people, subtly
use it to get some material favors
and gifts. Christmas is definitely not
just about outward happenings and
merrymaking.
I propose the greeting “Mary
Christmas!” The first Christmas was
Mama Mary’s Christmas. It was quiet,
simple, poor, but so powerful and
meaningful. Mary and Joseph were
focused not on the surroundings, or
the gifts, but on the Baby Jesus.
I also like “Blessed Christmas!”
It reminds us that we have been
blessed by the birth of our Savior, and
that we should continue to share our
blessings with others, especially at
Christmas.
“Joyful Christmas!” More than
happiness and happenings around
us, may we have Christ in our hearts.
And may we give true joy to people
around us, starting with our families
and loved ones, and spreading this
joy to as many as we can.
“Light Christmas!” This is the
Christmas greeting I use this year.
Why? Because from 215 lb, I am now
about 180 lb, after my chemotherapy.
Light, too, because my schedule has
become light and less toxic, and also
because I have shed a lot of excess
baggage physically, emotionally, and
spiritually.
Christmas should not be heavy and
burdensome. It is a time for humble
celebration and deep gratitude, a time
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
for forgiveness and reconciliation.
Yes, let us keep Christmas light
and bright. May Christ, the light of
all nations, remove darkness from
our hearts, our homes, our country,
and from the world. Let us all live as
children of the light.
Join me in the Christmas Eve TV
Mass on Dec. 24, Channel 2 at 11:30
p.m. Let us all together give thanks
to the Lord for giving meaning and
hope to our lives.
LIGHT Christmas everyone!
A moment with the Lord:
Lord, may this Christmas, and all
our remaining Christmases, be light
and bright. Amen.
( Fr. Jerry M. Orbos SVD - @
inquirerdotnet)