Christ-mas Present
The Season Holidays are here once again.
All the hustle and bustle
All the parties and gatherings
Do we even pause for a moment to reflect on what this is all about?
Dei Gloriam had just organised a little christmas party for C.A.R.E (Catholic Aids Response Efforts) for a group of HIV patients. It was truly an enjoyable and meaningful event.
I arrived early that day to bring in some food and was warmly greeted by Bernard, he was dressed in his best, ironed shirt and pants, with a neat coiffed hair, ready for the party.
As the people started streaming in, more food was placed on the table and everyone just couldn't wait. The Sisters were there, some volunteers, social workers were present too.
Dinner begun after a thanksgiving grace by Michael and we all tucked into the wonderful spread. We had a Christmas Caroling session after dinner and Angelo made all the patients come up to be involved in leading the songs. Everyone of them had a chance to be in the limelight.
It was really nice to see big smiles on them as they sportingly participated in the whole celebration, more like a praise and worship session. Though some are not believers, I believe that they are in their own right.
As we went round wishing everyone in the room, i came to Bernard, i shook his hand and saw tears, tears of joy welling up in his eyes, he tried to hold it back but i guess it was too immense that it flowed. It was then that i knew what christmas meant.
These patients are abandoned by their families, their loved ones, society and everyone shuns away from them because of their state. They live on the streets and bustops and have nowhere to go nor anyone to turn to. Its really a blessing that they have found home, a place where they can spend the last days of their life and where people do care for them. Its really a blessing for us to be given this opportunity to be with them as well, to talk to them and eat with them.
I have come to realise that Christmas is not all about giving Christmas Presents but giving Christ to them. Christ-is-Present
We are all Christ's Christmas presents,
The gift of ourselves, our time, our talents ,our being to others.
What type of gifts do we want to be?
What type of gifts are we to our families, to our friends?
I hope that all of us out there who are preparing and celebrating christmas do take some time to reflect on the true meaning of it and to do what God really wants us to.
All the hustle and bustle
All the parties and gatherings
Do we even pause for a moment to reflect on what this is all about?
Dei Gloriam had just organised a little christmas party for C.A.R.E (Catholic Aids Response Efforts) for a group of HIV patients. It was truly an enjoyable and meaningful event.
I arrived early that day to bring in some food and was warmly greeted by Bernard, he was dressed in his best, ironed shirt and pants, with a neat coiffed hair, ready for the party.
As the people started streaming in, more food was placed on the table and everyone just couldn't wait. The Sisters were there, some volunteers, social workers were present too.
Dinner begun after a thanksgiving grace by Michael and we all tucked into the wonderful spread. We had a Christmas Caroling session after dinner and Angelo made all the patients come up to be involved in leading the songs. Everyone of them had a chance to be in the limelight.
It was really nice to see big smiles on them as they sportingly participated in the whole celebration, more like a praise and worship session. Though some are not believers, I believe that they are in their own right.
As we went round wishing everyone in the room, i came to Bernard, i shook his hand and saw tears, tears of joy welling up in his eyes, he tried to hold it back but i guess it was too immense that it flowed. It was then that i knew what christmas meant.
These patients are abandoned by their families, their loved ones, society and everyone shuns away from them because of their state. They live on the streets and bustops and have nowhere to go nor anyone to turn to. Its really a blessing that they have found home, a place where they can spend the last days of their life and where people do care for them. Its really a blessing for us to be given this opportunity to be with them as well, to talk to them and eat with them.
I have come to realise that Christmas is not all about giving Christmas Presents but giving Christ to them. Christ-is-Present
We are all Christ's Christmas presents,
The gift of ourselves, our time, our talents ,our being to others.
What type of gifts do we want to be?
What type of gifts are we to our families, to our friends?
I hope that all of us out there who are preparing and celebrating christmas do take some time to reflect on the true meaning of it and to do what God really wants us to.
