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| MANO PO, NINONG. A gesture of respect to elders in the Philippines. Image grabbed from memorykill.tumblr.com |
Christmas day is fast approaching. No less than a hundred days, and we’ll all be celebrating Christmas again! It is the time of the year where exchange gifts and gift-giving are usual- the happiest holiday around the year. More than us adults, kids are much more than excited for Christmas. Apart from a long Christmas vacation, kids are fond of gifts and visits to their godmothers and godfathers.
Gift-giving on Christmas day
Manila Archbishop Luis Tagle made remarks about the role of godparents during the Christmas season. “Pamamasko” has been a Filipino tradition where kids pay visits to their godparents who, in return, send their “pamasko” to their godchild. May it be in monetary form or in kind such as toys or clothes.
A deeper perspective
It is quite a perspective to most of us that godparents are bound to give Christmas gifts to their godchild. However, the notion is now being changed and church defines the role of our godparents in a deeper sense. Bishop Tagle lectures and reminds the church goers as to what really is the role of godparents to their godchild.
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| Archbishop Tagle / Image from CBCP News/Roy Lagarde |
Godparents are considered as our second parent. They are bound to be our parent’s partner in raising us to be devoted Christians and well-rounded individuals.
Bishop Tagle also insists that godparents should be the role model to their godchild, where money should not be an issue. He also sends a message to parents not to base their treatment to godparents as to how much they gave for baptismal sponsorship. Instead, think of how they have been a good role model to their godchild. He lectures,
“Kumustahin nyo inaanak nyo, bisitahin nyo, magbigay kayo ng mabuting halimbawa para masabi ng mga bata ‘ah yung ninong at ninang ko mabuting Pilipino, mabuting Kristyano”
Right after the homily, the archbishop baptised 450 street children in Manila Cathedral who are being nurtured by Tulay Ng Kabataan (TNK) Foundation
Source: RMN
