Matuninong na kinaban sa fiesta navidenya

“Tuninong na Kinaban”

Ang banggui tuninong,
Gabos mayong guirong
Maski an mga bitu’on, sa azul na langit

An malumoy na huyop-huyop may pagka-moot
Sa katuninongan kan kinaban.

Katuninongan nin panahon
Mensaje nin buhay
Biyaya kan Diyos para sa tao

Ang banggui tuninong,
Gabos mayong guirong
Maski an mga bitu’on sa azul na langit.”
—F. de Leon, L. San Pedro
(Bicol trans. by mesiamd)

Maogma an aldaw na Deciembre 8, 2008 ta habang kita naghahalat kan pagkamundag ni Jesus, an fiesta kan Immaculada Concepcion satuyang pigce-celebrar. Mas maogma ining pag-guiromdom kan banal na Ina. Pigtutubudan tang pinag-mundag siya na mayong dungis nin kasalan arog kan aki niyang si Jesus.

Ining tukdong ini kan Simbahan Catoliko lalong may kahulugan. Sa satuyang mga buhay kadakul kitang nano’dan. Padagos an pag-sustento kan satuyang pagtubod maski palibot kita nin pag-duda sagkod mga problema.

Ngonian na fiesta navidenya, nahiling ta an karahayan kan kinaban. Pero apektado na kita kan mga problema digdi sa satuyang rogaring. Apektado na kita nin secularismo. Liberalismo. Relatibismo. Lataw na an pagka-commercial kan satuyang celebrasyones. Padagos an pagkawara kan satuyang mga tradisyones religiosos. Nalilipat na kita kan kaogmahan pag Christmas ang pig-oolayan.

Totoong maribong na ang satuyang kinaban. Yaon diyan an iriwal—an pag-suporta sa aborsiyon, terorismo, an korupsiyon. Uya an pagprotesta laban sa pag-guibo nin Belen. An pagsayuma sa sampulong tugon. Pag-negar kan pag-karol, an paghabo sa Christmas tree sa publiko— Gabos ini, maski kaogmahan kan satuyang mga ka-aki’an, jovenes, sagkod gurang.

Da’e ta manigaran si birheng Maria sagkod si Jesus—sinda ang nakatabang sa pagbilog kan satuyang mga ugali. An satong pagka-tao. An pag-tubod ta komo Christiano nag-taong dalan sa pag-buhay-buhay. Nakatabang sa pag-atubang kan mga sentir, kinakatakutan, pig-dudulagan.

Auotpa man lugod na ngonian na mga aldaw, maparani guiraray kita sa pagkamo’ot ni Jesu Kristo, Maria, sagkod ang satong Kagurangnan. Feliz Navidad habang kita naghahalat kan pag-abot kan satuyang paratubos! (Photo Credits: SymonmReynolds; Keith Maguire; Pianoforte)=0=

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Halloween Hangover

For most of us, the celebration of Halloween almost always means fun. The tradition of trick-a-treat, witches, kapre, goblins, ti-anak, jack o’ lantern, bonfires, costume parties, horror movies, and parades has become ever more popular. For the most part, the merriment goes without a hitch.

For Alex Woinksi however, this year’s holiday is different. Donning a crown of thorns and a costume to simulate Jesus Christ, the teenager was forced to go home early from the West Brook Middle School Halloween Celebration in Paramus, New Jersey. That’s upon the advice of his school principal.

It’s the old familiar question about freedom of expression versus the sensitivity and respect towards religion. Liberal society doesn’t see anything wrong with Jesus being impersonated in a pagan celebration like Halloween.

Many accept to see the holy Messiah reviled. He has been depicted as a frog pinned on the cross, prostitute-lover, a homosexual, and a loser immersed in bottle of urine, His mother Mary was “artistically” painted with horse dung—far outrageous than Woinski’s bland JC costume. Liberals and free thinkers justify these indignities as legitimate artsy self-expressions in synch with democratic rights in a modern society.

But those who don’t agree ask about respect over religious beliefs. They know some members of society recklessly push aside sensibility. Can anyone forget the rampage of killings provoked by depicting prophet Mohammed in cartoons published in a Danish newspaper? Does anyone notice how westerners are cowed to repeat the same “sacrilege” towards Islam?

The liberal-secularist point of view seems to play here again. About 75% of respondents in an informal AOL online survey opined it was OK for Woinski to wear the Jesus attire. Many didn’t believe that the costume was offensive to some students. The double-standard people have towards religion and the inconsistency of exercising political correctness make what is right or wrong, relative and contentious. (Photo Credits: Wonksi Family-AOL; pioscor; bcompetent; SD; rewritable) =0=