January
15, 2017
Feast
of the Sto. Niño
Isaiah
9:1-6; Psalm 98; Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18; Matthew 18:1-5, 10
The story is
told about a little boy who was asked by his teacher: “Where are you
from?” The boy responded: “From Manila,
Ma’am” “And where is Manila?” “In the Philippines, Ma’am!” “And where is the
Philippines?” “In the world, Ma’am.” “And where is the world?” The boy
responded, “In the hand of the Santo Niño, Ma’am!”
Today the
Philippine Church celebrates the feast of the Sto. Niño. If we look closely at the
image of the Sto. Niño, we will see the boy Jesus holding the world and a
scepter in his hands. What does this image tell us? Why is it that the Jesus we
find in the manger is dressed differently from the Sto. Niño?
Let us reflect on the readings for today in three points:
THE
FEAST OF THE STO. NIÑO
REVEALS THE IDENTITY OF THE CHILD JESUS AS KING. This is precisely the vision of
Isaiah in the first reading. Isaiah
depicts a situation where people have become weary because of war,
violence and darkness. But there is hope because Isaiah speaks of a
time when peace and joy would reign. How will this moment come about? According
to the vision of Isaiah, peace and joy will start to reign when a child is
born to them. But
how can a mere child solve all these conflicts and problems? This child will
be special. The child will be called: Wonder Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever and Prince of Peace. This child will come as king. This is what
we see in the image of the Sto. Niño. A
child dressed like a king wearing a crown and holding
the world and the scepter in his hands. He is a king who will come to
bring peace. But what kind of king will this child be?
THE
FEAST OF THE STO. NIÑO
PRESENTS TO US A HUMBLE KING. Jesus
who is king, showed his humility by being subject to human parents. Mary
and Joseph were definitely lower than Him in rank and standing. Jesus
is God. He is King. But still, He submitted himself to Mary and Joseph. Paul
tells us in the second reading that humility is a mark of a childlike person.
Jesus remained to be an obedient son of Mary and Joseph. I remember when I was about
to be ordained priest, my family asked me: “So how will we address you
now? Will
we always call you Father Jonathan?” I told them, “I may be a priest.
But before my family, I
remain to be a child of my parents and a brother to my siblings.” So whenever
we are on our own, they would call me “Jun” - my nickname in the family. My
younger siblings would still call me “kuya.” Honestly I feel awkward when my
family would call me “Father.” Sometimes too much emphasis on the title makes
us proud. To remain humble like a child is the invitation of the Sto. Niño.
Being childlike is different from being childish. How are we going to be childlike?
WE
LOOK AT THE STO. NIÑO
AS THE MODEL OF BEING CHILDLIKE. We
don’t have to apply anti-aging facial wash and anti-aging treatments to
become childlike. Jesus in today’s gospel invites us to become
childlike by having a heart of a child of God: A heart that sincerely trusts in the
Lord. A heart
that acknowledges one’s dependence and need for the Lord. A heart that is
obedient to the will of the Father. This is something consistent all throughout
the life of Jesus. Even if He
reached 33 years old, even if he can no longer be
considered a child with his age, He still remained to be that humble
and obedient child of God.
A person filled
with pride will say, “I am already mature. I don’t need God anymore. I don’t
need the guidance of anyone anymore. I am old
enough to decide on my own.” But a person with childlike humility will say,
“I need God in my life. I need His guidance to give me direction. I
need to listen to the words of wisdom of my parents, grandparents and superiors.” To be childlike
and not childish – that is the Lord’s invitation for us. Today’s feast of the Sto. Niño
reminds us of the identity of Jesus as king – a
humble and obedient king and son of the Father. Let us pray in this mass that
our devotion to the Sto. Niño may lead us to possess these childlike
qualities. Amen.
