HALT THE WORRY.
HARK, BE MERRY
Leonard Joseph M. Ruiz, II
Holy Spirit Academy of Laoag
For the past three years, the world has been confronted by a pandemic that has caused
widespread fear and anxiety. It was a gloomy era of people hoping for help and a savior to
eliminate the current adversary, and it may have made us see a blind side of the future. The
emergence of a pandemic appears to have created a new type of advent, causing us to loosen our
grip on what the birth of Jesus Christ truly means. This new era has instilled in the people of
Earth a new message in which hope was called into question, peace was tested, love was
nowhere to be found, and joy was nearly impossible to find. Most people appear to have
forgotten about the nativity of Jesus Christ.
After two years of intermittent lockdowns, a widespread toll of infections and deaths, and the
shift from in-person gatherings to online meet-ups, the world through its looking glass appears to
have a clearer vision of the future. People are returning to their normal lives with some health
precautions, and operations in various fields of work have also returned to their normal services:
businesses, schools, and yes, religious groups. Gone were the days where physical presence and
interaction were limited, but the question is, "Was faith also limited when we were hit by the
global pandemic that has caused people to lose contact with the Church up to the present?”.
What has changed people’s perspective to their faith?
The things we have in mind that have hijacked the things we should have in heart are still leading
us astray. What can we do when the anxieties that dominated our lives during the pandemic, as
well as the aftermath of various adversaries, remain fresh and palpable? Where do we begin to
live, love, and hope again? Our Savior invites us to rediscover the meaning of life, love, and
glory. Let us join our hearts in a journey to reawaken the true essence of Jesus Christ's birth,
death, and resurrection. Listen to the voices of the angels that come from our hearts, lifting our
spirits to be still and reflect on what God truly wants to tell us when difficulties arise. In that
way, we will be led back to the path of hope, peace, love, and joy, just as the star in Bethlehem
which led the three wise men to Jesus Christ.
The Synod in Synodality has become the church's way of inviting people back to the way of
salvation that the Lord has planned for us. Through this journey, the pope has provided an
opportunity for all people from all walks of life to be heard. It has also served as a place for
everyone to listen to their fellow people's concerns, sufferings, and perspectives, particularly
those who have been greatly challenged by a variety of adversaries, not to mention the pandemic,
wars, famine, political indifference, and natural disasters. It is truly the time to assess how our
actions affect others and to share things that will make the entire world a place of genuine peace
and love. We must all work together to make the world that God created a better place for all of
us. A place where every person's voice is heard, every story is understood, and every sentiment is
valued. The time has come to embrace what the crises have taught us. We are all being called to
witness just how truly amazing God's plan is for us. From the time Jesus was born to this time
where the earth is filled with a lot of confusion, halt the worry. hark, be merry. That even when
hope appears to be fading, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to Christ's way, he will
never abandon us. Even when people judge us based on our faith and may even sentence us to
death, be still, for our reward awaits us in his kingdom. And even when we encounter evil and
are tempted by worldly things, we must keep our focus on the Lord, who is the light that shines
in the darkness. Halt the worry, hark, be merry; the nativity of Jesus Christ is the advent of hope,
peace, love, and joy. Let us give our lives to the call to communion, participation, and mission.
Halt the worry, hark, be merry; may we spread hope over fear, peace over hatred, joy over
depression, and kindness over inequality, reminding each other of God's love for us and that we
are a blessing to each other.
To culminate this, may the true meaning of Christmas be restored through everyone's sincere
commitment to keeping God in each of our lives. May people keep on remembering what
remains and not those we might have lost along the way. May we nurture one another with true
love in order to keep the world at peace, and may we value the true meaning of Christ's journey
to earth as the messenger of God's teachings and as the one who has saved us from the penalty of
sin. May we transform the world we live in into a safer place from the result of the
environmental abuses we have committed. May we get back to life’s simple meaning of joy.
May we always be reminded that there is no place in heaven for riches and fame, all we have
there are the good deeds that we shared with other people and the memories we have left in the
living world. May we see the good in every situation, the true call of the times, and the true
message of the difficulties we face. May we refrain from giving in to temptation, to worries and
anxieties, and to sin. Darkness is not real, it is merely the absence of light therefore evil is non-
existent if God is present in each of our lives. May we remain proud of our faith and be an active
participant to spreading Lord God’s message to all of us. May this be our mission on Earth: to
live and love and to live in love. May we always have an open ear going straight to our hearts to
listen and understand what everyone is going through in life. May we never stop listening to
merrymaking despite the attacks and blows that life bring us. May we never stop listening to our
conscience, to do what is right, to do what is just, and to do what is necessary. May we never
stop listening to the each other and be one in journey in communion, participation, and mission.
