CELEBRATE CHILDREN

Feast of the Sto. Niño

John 1:34

“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Today is the Feast of Sto. Niño. All roads will lead to either Cebu, Pandacan or Tondo. For a number of years, I have been a front seat witness to this celebration having grew up in Tondo. Streets will be closed – and tables filled with food and drinks will line up the roads. There will be games for the children (we call “palaro”). There will be processions where statuettes of the Sto. Nino are carried to church. A lot of sharing, story-telling, family reunions, laughter and merry-making.

The Feast of the Sto. Niño demonstrates the Filipino’s love and fascination with children. However, about 400,000 abortions are guesstimated to be carried out annually, thousands of children are roaming the streets, dangerously selling things or begging money to make a living at a very tender age, many live through life with very little or no formal education at all.

Many have seen the goodness of the Lord, and even testify that He is the Son of God but only a few may really willing to die for His name. After this day, people would be back to their own selfish ways, until the next feast. Perhaps, next time, we should counterbalance our celebratory religiosity with a faith that reflects on our relationship with the Lord and others, especially the children of the world.

Oh Jesus, today we pray
for the children of our church
for the children of our city
for the children of our world.

May each day bring them
enough hugs for a smile
enough friends for security
enough adults to provide guidance.

May they grow in faith
so that they walk as your children,
children of grace, joy and peace. (Carmen Schrock-Hurst)

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. ~Rabindranath Tagore