On symbols

Do you know why I can't see any stars tonight ? Because you outshine them.

Do you like bananas or blueberries? I want to know what kind of pancakes to make in the morning.

Do you know you're like my blood? Because you're A+ and you're always in my heart.

Did you just fart? Because you blew me away!

***

Pick up lines have been in the limelight of late. I’d like to think that they are so because of our attachment to symbols.

The bananas or blueberries, the the stars in the night, the blood, and yes, even the fart could be stretched a little further to symbolize how they remind us of the person whom we consider significant to us.

Or if there is no connection at all, we’ll try to find one.

A grade six student from Albay in the name of Janela Lelis, must have found that strong connection between the Philippine flag and the country it represents when she braved through the floodwater as she tightly held the Philippine flag in a heroic act to save the national symbol from being swept away by the raging water on that stormy day on July 26.

To recognize her act of bravery, a little Philippine flag was pinned on the left collar of her uniform. She was also given P 20,000 in cash for this selfless act.

More than two thousand years ago, a group of wise men found a connection between a star and the coming of the Great King who would rule them all.

That star, in my opinion, could just be any random stars in the sky if it did not lead the magi to their supposed destination: the infant Jesus.

But it did what it ought to do. That explains why every year we take pains in thinking of what type of star to crown our Christmas
tree.

Symbols are fundamentally important not because of what they are, but because of what they stand for.

In that first Christmas night, the star was there to symbolize the coming of God and to announce the reign of His Kingdom.

May we, who also seek to discover God's will for us, may become ourselves an
outstanding sign of God’s loving compassion.

So that when people--when our companions, when the young people we relate with--see us, they will be reminded that Christmas is not an event which only happens once a year. For with our witnessing, it goes on. Daily.

Merry Christmas. God bless. Good evening.