The story is told about a flight stewardess who informed a little old lady that the ladies? room was at the front of the aircraft. She followed the directions obediently and too literally that she walked all the way to the front, opened the cockpit door, and saw the crew at the controls. She closed the door immediately, returned to the aisle confused, and told the stewardess: ?I?m not going in there. There are four men in the ladies? room watching television!?

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In today?s Gospel (Lk. 1, 39-45) we hear of Mary going out of her way to visit her cousin Elizabeth. It was a difficult journey for a pregnant woman, but Mary went the ?extra mile? to do God?s will. She obeyed God and believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.

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What if?just what if?Mary had refused to obey? What if she had quit along the way? What if she had insisted on her own terms, and on her own way? Or Joseph, for that matter?what if he had refused to take Mary as his wife? As it is, the divine plan unfolded and was carried out by creatures, like Mary and Joseph, and today by frail creatures like you and me.

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Mary obeyed and took the difficult 110-kilometer journey to Ein Karem. She brought joy to Elizabeth, but in doing so, she too was cleared of her confusion and doubts, and was affirmed of her mission. Elizabeth confirmed that indeed she was most blessed among women. Along with obedience come joy, freedom and untold blessings. As someone said it: obey and you will be OK; disobey and you will have regrets all the way.

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Doing God?s will, difficult as it often is, gives us inner peace. The parties, gifts received and Christmas decorations gave me joy these past weeks, but what warmed my heart was the thought that I did some difficult things, for love, like going to a sick call at midnight and, after that, still doing a 4 a.m. dawn Mass, or going on a one-and-a-half-hour trip in a poorly ventilated car to say noon Mass for laborers in an equally poorly ventilated warehouse. Believe me, it was not easy to obey and do God?s will during those times, but, by God?s grace, I did and, by God?s grace, I am glad I did.

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A lot of people are sad or cold this Christmas because they focus on what is lacking, and not on the blessings. Well, these are hard times and so, money is lacking, gifts are lacking, decorations are lacking, etc. Christmas hardly happens when you focus on material blessings. Please count your other blessings!

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The other reason why Christmas isn?t felt is because people focus more on receiving than on giving. When we expect to receive, we often end up disappointed. When we focus on giving and really give no matter what and no matter how little, then there is happiness, there is peace. Focus on your blessings and share your blessings especially this Christmas.

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Funny how people have taken away or are trying to take away Christ from Christmas. Instead of ?Merry Christmas,? the greetings used now are ?Season?s Greetings? or ?Happy Holidays.? Worse is when government officials are even prohibited to say ?Merry Christmas? to people because it connotes solicitation. We have to bring back Christ to Christmas, again.

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Two-year-old grandnephew Mateo Orbos-Guevara lights up and smiles whenever he sees the Nativity Scene and exclaims: ?Christmas! Birthday Jesus! Angel up!? Little children remind us not to lose the essence, the wonder and the joy of Christmas. Let us recapture the true Christmas spirit. Let us relive the Christmas message of joy and love, simplicity and hope.

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It is very inspiring to see so many young people in Simbang Gabi Masses. While it is good to remind them that they should go there for ?worship not courtship,? I still see this as something positive that should be encouraged. The Church must go out of its way for the youth, to be there where they are, otherwise we may soon become irrelevant. Wasn?t that what the Incarnation was all about? Wasn?t that what Mary?s Visitation was all about? Going out of one?s way, going the ?extra mile? is a journey we all must take, especially during Christmas.

Don?t stay ?neutral? this Christmas. Worse, don?t go on ?reverse.? It?s the time of the year to go to first, second, or third gear, and make the forward motion to reach out to God and to people, especially the poor, the lonely, the suffering.

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Thanks to Liza Nario who went full speed in sending balikbayan boxes from different parishes and organizations in San Francisco, USA to help our kababayans. Thanks to Dan Concepcion of Alpha Cargo who transported the boxes free of charge. May God bless and reward you all!

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Remember, it is when you go the extra mile that grace really abounds, and when life?s miles are filled with smiles. Wishing you all a truly blessed and Merry Christmas filled with smiles!

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, especially this Christmas, help me to go out of my way, and go the ?extra mile.? Amen.