The True Meaning of Christmas

Ho! - Ho! - Ho! ­_The most familiar sound of the season from the world-famous overweight bearded man in a red suit. Yes, you guessed it right. It is the good old jolly Santa, laughing his way down the chimney. Children love him. They see him as the courier of toys from the North Pole. His picture is everywhere. Although many stories were written about him, he is still a myth that can be outgrown by the same little boys and girls who were fascinated by his magic and his flying reindeers.

No matter how the world sees it, and no matter how we define the season, there is no denying. It is Christmas! And the story behind it is real. You can gather all the Santas and build a mountain out of them, but they can never overshadow the humble infant who was born in a manger in Bethlehem.

The picture of young mother Mary and her supportive husband Joseph looking at their newborn baby Jesus is the most compelling image of Christmas. _The complete illustration of The Nativity and the fulfillment of the prophesied Saviour, the Son of God and born by a virgin mother. This image has been embedded in my head since childhood. I grew up envying the shepherds who were so blessed of being there to welcome Him.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be there in the stable, just gazing at the baby boy who was born to die for your sins? Wouldn’t it be spiritually uplifting? And what if you were given the chance of a lifetime to quantum leap to the First Christmas? Would you take some photos with your digital camera? I can bet my bottom dollar, you would. Thank God, this place has been preserved and readily accessible to anybody who is willing and could afford to travel to Bethlehem. One may not see The Holy Family, but to visit the actual site where it all took place is an experience beyond measure.

In November 2005, my wife and I experienced the next best thing. We were at the place where the bright heavenly star beamed down its ray to the stable, wherein the three wise men once stood and knelt down to give homage to The King of kings.

The birthplace of our Lord Jesus is now securely contained by the massive structure of The Church of The Nativity in Bethlehem. It was not exactly as I envisioned but the feeling was still overwhelming. In my heart I could hear the lyrics of the classic Christmas song “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” as I entered the shrine in the basement of the Church. I remember myself staring at the designated spot that the Christian scholars and historians believed was the place of the Holy Manger. The more I looked at it, the more I wondered why there are still others who miss out on the true meaning of Christmas.

The momentous visit to Bethlehem was accentuated by the Christmas mass held by Father Duffy inside the cave-chapel in the Shepherds Fields that was similar to the stable where Jesus was born. Although it was in the middle of November, it was the best Christmas ever for me and my wife. Did I take photos? Yes I did. And that goes without saying. I shot lots of photos. I used some of them in producing a slide show that is now posted in You Tube, entitled “Bethlehem 2005” under the channel, Cinebell. To those who have not visited Bethlehem yet, I would like to share with you the experience. I invite you to see it, at least once.

This December is another season to celebrate. I wish you all the Merriest of Christmas and the Happiest of New year. May the star of Christmas shine upon all of us.

The Unwelcomed Friend

   Inside the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV3), a young Canadian soldier was catering to the curiosity of the two boys who were bombarding him with rapid-fire queries. His answers were direct and well calculated but never failed to amuse the two youngsters who probably thought that war is just as fun as video games. The scenario was captured in my camcorder as I videotaped the simulated military base that was put on display by the Canadian Armed Forces at the Canadian National Exhibition.

   The forest-green camouflage made the Canadian flag emblem standout on his uniform. With the matching beret, he looked very sharp. “I have been in the service for two years and I am going to Afghanistan next month,” he said without hesitation. His voice echoed the discipline and valour of a trained soldier. His thorough knowledge of operating the armoured vehicle and its firepower was quite remarkable. But inside the uniform stood an inexperienced young man whose military training would soon be tested in a real volatile battlefield. He is only twenty three years old. Young enough to be my son. His youthful smile assured me that he was fully prepared and combat-ready. His family must be hurting to see him go, but I am confident that they are also proud of him. With a firm handshake, I looked straight into his eyes and expressed my thanks and admiration for his valuable service to the country.

   To this day, the number of fallen Canadian soldiers is still climbing to an alarming rate. It is the hefty price Canada pays for the sake of freedom. Whose freedom? Other country’s freedom! Is it even worth it? To the young soldier I have just met, it is worth risking his life. He does not have to go to Afghanistan but volunteered to join his comrades in fighting for what they believe in. He knew the consequences of his decision. Most of the people he will be fighting for will not welcome him. They will despise his presence. And yet he will still subject himself to extreme danger and constant fear of the unknown, whether he could make it back alive to his family or not.

   Is it stupidity? Or is it love for humanity? The answer depends on whom the question is directed to. The mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, spouses, friends and loved ones of these brave men and women would say a thundering NO!! to war. And to the Canadian Armed Forces it would mean the medals of honour; the salute of respect; the congratulatory applause for their heroism and sometimes Canadian flags hoisted half-mast for those who came home in boxes.

All these brave men in hostile lands who are strong believers of world peace remind me of a man who was also not welcomed by the people he served and saved. They mocked him, betrayed him and killed him. 

   His name is . . . . . . . Jesus. The son of God they crucified.

The Mystical Power Of Mothers

From the beginning of time, God knew that He needed help to bring babies to this world. So He created mothers. He blessed them with special qualities that made them distinctively different from men. The warmth of a mother’s hand can energize a discouraged child. Her tender reassuring voice can magically ease any pain. She appears soft but stands like a rock in protecting her children.

At a wedding in Cana, Jesus was persuaded by His mother to perform His first miracle ahead of time. He turned the water into wine. It was the miracle that was not supposed to happen until the time was right. But God made that day the perfect time to make a heavenly declaration. It was not about the water turning into wine. It was about the mystical power of mothers.

Truly, there is something mystical about mothers. Many men and women who have attained greatness still find themselves in a predicament wherein a motherly advice is imperative. Even kings and queens, no matter how powerful they are, their glory can not escape the fact that they all came from a woman who carried them from conception to birth. A painful task that no man is capable of. It is indisputable. They will always be sons and daughters who humble themselves to vow to their mothers

It is amazing that motherhood also extend to God’s lower creations. In the late spring of 2006, I observed and photographed the human-like behavior of a mother goose. All through out the hatching period, rain or shine, she was on her nest fulfilling her motherly obligation. She stood her ground, and maintained her guard in protecting the eggs. She also displayed her parenting skill. She taught her goslings how to survive and prepared them to their eventual long distance flight.

To everyone out there who still have mothers, when was the last time you sincerely expressed your gratitude she highly deserve? Don’t wait too long. Do it while you can, when you can. But most of all do it while she is still strong enough to raise her arms in giving you her affectionate motherly hug as she whispers to your ears: “I love you child.

Christian Life is like photography

Would any photographer shoot a wedding in total darkness? Without hearing the answer, you can easily guess that the answer is no.

No photographer is silly enough to shoot a subject that is not visible. A source of light must be present. It holds the most integral part of the equation. In other words cameras completely rely on the light. And that explains why even the most expensive and sophisticated camera lens today still uses clear glass to allow the most valuable light into the camera body. Without the light, no matter how faint it is_ photography can not exist.

The same thing applies to Christian faith. We are lost without Christ. He is the Light. He is also The Way, the Truth and the Life. We need Him in our lives. Believing in Him that He died for our sins makes a big difference in how we see the world around us. And just like photography, it is the light that brings out the details, contrast and the colors in any photograph.

The Gift Of Seeing

Have you ever imagined being in complete darkness?
Darkness_ meaning losing your eyesight?
It is indeed a scary thought. But on the brighter side, There are people like us who can read, see our way around and enjoy the freedom to see the morning light everyday. We are very fortunate. So fortunate that at times we all tend to take it for granted.

Clouds and stars have always fascinated me. I remember as a child, I would tirelessly gaze at the clouds against the deep blue sky and count as many recognizable forms I could see. And at night when the clouds were gone, I would divert my focus to the stars. Clusters of them across the universe. They all looked so far away and yet so pretty with their glittering lights. I played with them. The game that children today know as Connecting The Dots. After a few tries and to my amusement, somehow those stars appeared to reveal an interesting shape.

To those of us who are able to see, how often do we use our gift of seeing? We all have the gift but we have to be spiritually connected to the holy spirit to see beyond what is before us. God is constantly communicating to us through what we see and through our hearts.

Many years ago while attending a mass at St. Martin de Porres Church, the parish Priest introduced a group of six adults who were about to be baptized. One of them was a woman with her little boy who was about four years old. During the baptism, the woman handed her lit baptismal candle to the boy. The little child was in awe with the flame. With his eyes watching the candle light, he missed a step on the way down from the altar. He lost his balance and was about to fall but the boy hung on to the candlestick and did not let the flame out of his sight. He was so connected to the light. And before he could hit the floor, his Mom scooped him up to safety. What a beautiful sight!

That scene is still vivid in my head today. What I saw was the love of God to those who put their unshakable faith in Him. Never second guess God. He is always there for us. Open your eyes.
He is everywhere. In many forms and shapes.

I shot the above photo during a pilgrimage to The Holy Land. The silhouettes were of my fellow pilgrims from St. Thomas More Church who were gathered at the outside court of The Church Of The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. After examining the shot, I realized that I had just photographed the Gospel of Matthew 6:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

I posted a short video with the same title.
To see the video please click: artisticam presents