18/12/2025
When Love Draws Near
by JT Alunan
Something in the air tells us that Christmas is drawing closer. The gentle cold of December settles in, and the world comes alive with the promise of the season. Even the static wave of your grandmother’s old radio carries Jose Mari Chan's songs, quietly reminding us that, even after everything, gratitude persists in the most fractured corners of our lives.
At its heart, Christmas isn’t about the presents we give or the things we accumulate. It’s about something far greater: God Himself coming down to live among us, to understand our lives and struggles firsthand. The Father stooped low, not out of necessity but out of love that surpasses words, choosing to dwell among us, to experience the bitterness of our sorrows, and to bear the vulnerability of our condition.
Imagine the immense nature of such humility: the One who set the stars in the heavens willingly embraced hunger, weariness, and tears. He understood the full spectrum of human suffering far more than we do, yet responded not with frustration, but with grace that exceeds all else. Through His passion and sacrifice, He paid the price for our transgressions so that we might walk in the freedom of redeemed lives.
Thus, we are compelled to ask: How should we live with a Christlike love and kindness? The true spirit of Christmas is not confined to the twenty-fifth of December; it is made manifest whenever we extend love to our neighbors. Let us not forget those whom society has neglected: the incarcerated, the forgotten, the isolated, and those who dwell in the margins of compassion. How would Christ approach those deprived of their earthly liberty? I believe He would do so with the same gentleness that marked every step of His life on earth. He would not turn away from their brokenness; He would listen to the quiet heartbeat of their wounded hearts and speak dignity and hope into their suffering.
This is what Christmas truly is: God drawing near to us in our struggles, a love that reaches into the depths of our pain, and a kindness that listens, comforts, and restores. May we let that love grow within us so that it bears the fruits of compassion, generosity, and hope in the lives of those around us. May the light of Christ shine through our words and actions, bringing renewal, healing, and joy to every person we encounter, and may the spirit of Christmas always dwell in our hearts.
