ABC STARS Inspires

I wonder... what if Christmas would not have been? If Mary doubted, faltered, and didn't agree To the message of the angel, unforseen By mortals --- she, who knew no man, would be The mother of the Messiah long foretold? But, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord", She said, accepting all that was to unfold "Be it done to me, according to thy word!" It is written, "Yahweh calls by name Long before we are formed in our mother's womb." Still, He needs her fiat just the same. For a woman may will her womb to be a tomb Or a tabernacle of life awaiting morn! Echoing the first Christmas when Christ was born! Christmas 1993 photo credit: Annunciation Glass - Mary via photopin (license) License: (license)

There was no room at the traveler's house           No room for Mary, heavy with child! That Joseph took his virgin spouse           To a stable for creatures meek and mild. And so, when midnight turned into morn           A star came down when all was still For Jesus, the Son of God! was born           And lay in a manger on a hill! The shepherds - who, are perhaps the least           Among the poor upon this earth - In Bethlehem, in the Middle East,           Were first to know of the Savior's birth! From angels singing hymns of glory           To God in the highest, on earth, peace Unto the just. The ageless story           Of how wars and strife may cease! Something's there in humble things So endearing to the King of kings! 6 December 1990 photo cr...

We wondered, what will Christmas be this year           When death and desolation stalk the land? Thousands lost their homes, their kin most dear           In a frenzy of floods and winds and boiling sand! And yet, still they hope! And not in vain!           Facing tomorrow from fathomless deprivation Seizing joy from sorrow, embracing pain!           Upholding life, sheer life, with jubilation! There must be something more than mortal then           Whence springs hope. And indomitable will. Faith! Fulfilled when God dwelt among men!           Born of the Virgin in a cave on a hill! God with us! Heaven's choirs sing out! Isn't this what Christmas is all about? Christmas 1991 photo credit: 果子 via photopin (license) License: (license)

Christmas is caroling all around. It is "no class"! And gifts abound! Christmas is a lot of fun! But is there Christmas for everyone? I asked my mother, and now I know How Christmas came, long, long ago. For God so loved the world, He gave us His only begotten Son to save us! One starry midnight when all stood still Jesus was born in a cave on a hill Because there was no room in the inn For Joseph and Mary and our Saviour from sin! God became man in a family. Like everyone. Like you. Like me. That's why families are holy Rich or poor, mighty or lowly. So Christmas is more, much more than fun It's God loving everyone! Loving every family! Loving teacher, and you and me! December 1994 ______________________ Signs of the times "Why did Mary and Joseph take the boy Jesus to Jerusalem with them?" asked the Sunday School teacher. "Because they couldn't get a baby-sitter?...

He chose to come as one among His own.           Be born of Mary. A helpless little babe. Whose coming was foretold yet came unknown           Save to the Magi and shepherds by a cave Who saw the angels sing their songs of praise           To God and peace on earth to men of goodwill. The humble, first to adore Him face to face!           The Savior! In a manger! On a hill! Bethlehem foreshadowing Calvary.           We still spurn Him --- Lord of all creation! This we do --- because He made us free ---           From generation unto generation All the while thirsting that strife may cease. Why not be men of goodwill? His way to peace? 4 December 1988 photo credit: _6010265 via photopin (license) License: (license) photo credit:  Lamb of God 03 via photopin (license) License: (l...

"Mary, are you tired, my love?           "Again, no room in this inn for you!" They traveled on. A Star above           Came closer. For her time was due. "Don't worry, love, all will be fine." "They told me, there's a stable near,           "Inside a cave, beyond that pine." "I'm alright, Joseph, have no fear." The Star soon hung upon that hill.           For on a manger made of hay While angels sung and all was still           The new-born Saviour, Jesus, lay. Be born in us! O Prince of Peace! May our fraternal strife soon cease! 12 December 1987 photo credit: Presepe via photopin (license) License: (license) photo credit: Cold and Desolate via photopin (license) License: (license)

Bernardita Zalazar Carpio rarely wrote. She was a frequent speaker on such themes as 'Love, courtship and marriage", "husband-wife relationship","the family, a miniature church", and the like. She never wrote down her talks. She favored familiar, person-to-person communication. She talked, not from books, but from life. For she lived her faith. As a wife and as a mother of fourteen children who, she would emphasize as planned and prayed for, had rhythm like a poem - one girl three boys, one girl three boys, one girl three boys, to complete the dozen she prayed for on her wedding day, plus "bonuses", two boys, to make the fourteen lines of a sonnet. Our love sonnnet. One day, a lady columnist in a Manila paper wrote about 'Painless childbirth: A myth" (Philippine STAR, 20 Feb 93). Bernardita wrote columnist Domini M. Torrevillas about "the other side". Domini published the letter in her column (3 April 93) saying...