by Glen Jaboneta
"There were shepherds camping in the countryside, keeping watch over the flocks by night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, with the glory of the Lord shining around them. As they were terrified, the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid: I am here to give you Good News, great joy for all the people. Today a Savior has been born to you in David's town; he is the Messiah and the Lord. Let this be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Just then the angel was surrounded by more angels, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth for God is blessing humankind."(Luke 2:8-14)
Vincentian Hills Seminary in Angono in my time was a countryside. There was one Christmas I remembered so well in the Hill. Inside the room of Fr.Rivere were goods. Good souls, to celebrate Christmas donated the goods for us to distribute to the people. People then would mean the ones who celebrated the season without anything-without the gifts, apples to bite, cakes to slice, wines to drink. The only treasure they got was the spirit of the season.
On the 24th of that month, those of us who were in VHS that time went our way to distribute the goods. Sa mga tahanang pinagtagpi-tagping yero at plywood, sako at karton...ang tawag ay bahay. Bahay at the foot of the hill. One old woman, maybe out of surprise or too much gratitude in her heart embraced me and in tears said, "Salamat mga brod, naalala nyo na naman kami."
Maybe they were shepherds camping out of VHS. The Lukan account of the infancy is saying there were shepherds camping in the countryside. They were terrified but the Good News was given them. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger-He is the Messiah and the Lord.
Maybe we were angels then bringing them the joy of the season. I was under formation then with a goal of a life totally dedicated to the Lord in the footsteps of Vincent de Paul. There was so much joy then. Today, if I recall the encounter Monalisa's smile is a non-entity compared to my own rendition of smile. It is because it springs from a joyful heart.
Today, the first of December and more than 20 days before the Day of Christ. I feel it is a good way to remember my one Christmas in VHS. I feel that the reality of the Good News still holds. I feel that the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger is a reality that continues to confront me.
In the context of Vincent de Paul that baby will grow up and will proclaim also a Lukan account, "I have come to liberate the prisoners...and bring good tidings to the poor. Now it is fulfilled."
What then is the season trying to say to me?
I have a model in the life lived by Vincent de Paul. Redemption comes in many ways. Vincent in his life was an angel to the tired bodies of the galley-slaves. I can be an angel to you and vice-versa. Let us be an encounter of liberation, of redemption to one another.
So that at the end, "Salamat mga brod, naalala nyo na naman kami."
On this side of the globe, neither PASKO nor PAKSIW exists. They have Christmas Trees, Lights, decors and other stuff alright.. all these external manifestations add to the christmassy feeling.. all for the love of western culture. I wonder if people here suffer from indigestion due to the fact that they would devour anything that comes in a western package... Ecce commercialism!! 
