Christmas 2007 is my seventh year in Korea. I arrived in Korea on September 9, 2001. Since then I never went home to the Philippines to spend Christmas. Christmas spent in Korea is really very different from what I was used to in the Philippines. Let me share with you some Christmas experiences that are close to my heart.

It was in 2002 when I first spent Christmas with the Filipino community. A Filipino couple invited me to spend Christmas with them. I was very happy to accept their invitation. On Christmas Eve an unexpected event happened. The couple had a little misunderstanding to which I refused to intervene. I wanted to leave but it was already very late to travel back to Seoul. I thought I have to give them space to settle their misunderstanding and so I left. I ended up in the street looking for a place to stay for the night. Fortunately, I was accommodated by other Filipino friends.

When I was out looking for a place to stay, the thought brought me to the company of Mary and Joseph when they too were looking for a place to stay. Mary and Joseph did not expect that they will have difficulty in spite of the fact that Mary is about to give birth. But God had His own plan. He has plans for all of us. God surprises us but He makes sure that we can bear and learn from it. Christmas is full of surprises! Many were surprised when the Messiah was born in a stable in Bethlehem, a very small and unpopular town. Actually, until now many people do not understand these surprises from God. How about you? Have you understood these surprises of Christmas?

On Christmas 2003, I went “caroling” with the Filipinos singing Christmas songs from house to house of friends. We tried to feel the atmosphere of Christmas in the Philippines. We were having a good time that Korean neighbors scolding us did not dampen our spirit even if a policeman came. The policeman however was so polite to us. We were not offended. We had so much fun. My heart was actually singing with joy!

That experience brought me to the company of the shepherds who listened to the singing of angels to announce the birth of the Messiah. This is another of the surprises of Christmas. Why was the birth of the Messiah first announced to the shepherds? The shepherds are lowest members of the society. They are solitary males without children. They were the younger sons of peasant families who did not inherit any land. They were lowly and yet the privilege to see first the Messiah was given to them. Can you imagine how happy they were?

I have a unique experience in celebrating “Simbang Gabi” or “Dawn Mass” on Christmas 2004. In the Philippines “Simbang Gabi” is celebrated in the church as early as 4:00 in the morning. It is a tradition to celebrate 9 Masses as a preparation for the birth of the Savior. In Korea, I celebrated it with a group of Filipinas to married o Koreans. Nine days before Christmas this group of Filipinas took turns in having “Simbang Gabi” celebrated in their homes for most migrant workers work until 9:00 PM. So only few people could attend because of the limited space in their homes. A unique practice of Filipinos in Korea is that the owner of the excess foods are usually brought home by those who were present.

This experience brought me to the company of Jesus and his disciples during the Last Supper. The celebration of the Eucharist happened with a small number of believers only. It took years to realize the number of people that are now celebrating the Mass.

In Christmas 2005 we had for the first time the Novena Masses in the Conference Hall of Wongok Parish Church. We celebrate the Mass at 9:30 in the evening and we distribute snacks after the celebration. There are many people who come to Mass. The place is bigger and we can sing and praise God as much as we can.

No matter how Christmas is celebrated, we should remember that Christmas is in the heart. It is in the heart that Jesus lives. When God wanted to make a paradise for man, He created a garden. But when God wanted to make a paradise for Himself, He created the human heart. Every human heart is God’s paradise here on earth. It is in the heart where Christmas is born. We have to listen intently to the silence of our hearts. Listen to God’s voice so that we will understand the surprises He gives us. Listen to God’s words so that we could put them into deeds.

Christmas is a love story that we love to tell year after year. It is a story of how God so love the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Merry Christmas!