Monday, December 21, 2020
What Mary And Joseph Knew
And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7
Childbirth is surely one of the most uncomfortable times in any woman's life. It's a time when a husband, at a loss to help with the actual birthing process, would want to provide the most comfortable environment for his laboring wife. But the Christmas Story, the accounts given us in the four Gospels, indicate that few comforts were Mary and Joseph's as they stopped in Bethlehem at a very vulnerable and physically uncomfortable time.
Joseph could probably do nothing more than find clean straw for Mary to rest upon and scoop the remnants of feed out of an animal trough for her newborn. And Mary, without her mother or midwife familiar to her, endured the agony of labor with the scent of manure hanging in the air. We could easily imagine them filled with fear and anxiety. "There was nowhere to lean," observed missionary and author, Elisabeth Elliot, except the Everlasting Arms. They had God's word, specially delivered by the angel Gabriel."
But was this the way the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind was to come? Had they misunderstood? Where was the angel now? Where was God? "Weak things, lowly things, painful things, silent things—the instinct of their faith told them God was in all of them…God had given them His Word. Therefore, they moved trustfully, quietly through each moment, God being in charge, God being in that moment," wrote Elliot in her book Secure in the Everlasting Arms.
Would we have trusted at a moment like that? "But, Mary and Joseph had an angel speak to them!" you might say. Yes. God sent an angel with his Word. But He sent His only Son, to you and me. He's given us His written Word. And He sent his very Spirit, come alongside, to comfort and guide each one of those who accept Him, whom He adopts as His very own.
Has there been a time in your life when you thought you had heard God's voice loud and clear? You thought you knew how He would work, or should work in your life, to answer your prayers. You had His promises of provision. But you found yourself in a lonely, dark place, in unthinkable circumstances, in great confusion. Are you, or is someone you love, there now?
The shockingly humble beginning of Jesus' life here on earth wasn't what we would expect for the birth of the King of Kings. Yet here we find great hope! Elisabeth Elliot explained it:
So it may be for us when God's order is the reverse of what we would expect. He is in each moment, in us, with us, as He is with the Holy Couple on their wearisome journey over the dusty roads and in the raw cattle shed. Should we expect to see how things are working together for our good? No, not yet. We see not yet. We only know.[1]
The Christmas Story reminds us, when we cannot see, we go back to what we know: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). We know from Numbers 23:19 that he is not a man and he cannot lie. Psalms 136:1 assures us that His love never ends. He will be our refuge and comfort Nahum 1:7 declares. And you could sit with your Bible and go on and on, remembering what we know about Him, revealed to the man or woman who will read it.
When life doesn't bring what we expect, He is Immanuel, God with us and with each Christ follower in every moment. May what we know bring real joy this Christmas.
Resource reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
[1] Elliot, Elisabeth. Secure in the Everlasting Arms. Ann Arbor, MI: Vine, 2002. Print.
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/what-mary-and-joseph-knew/
'Together as One in 2021': Here are ABS-CBN's upcoming shows, offerings
ABS-CBN has revealed its lineup of TV programs, movies, and streaming platform releases for the coming year, including the teleserye comeback of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, and a big-screen reunion of Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz.
Over a dozen new titles were introduced in the trailer dubbed “Together As One sa 2021,” from television series and Star Cinema films to iWant originals.
Among the new TV offerings are “Darna: The TV Series” starring Jane de Leon; “Huwag Kang Mangamba” starring Francine Diaz, Andrea Brillantes, Kyle Echarri and Seth Fidelin; “Init sa Magdamag” starring Yam Concepcion, Gerald Anderson and JM de Guzman; “La Vida Lena” starring Erich Gonzales, Carlo Aquino, Kit Thompson and JC de Vera; and “Almost Paradise” starring American actor Christian Kane and an ensemble of veteran Filipino actors.
It was also revealed that the still-untitled TV project of Bernardo and Padilla will be a romantic series about experiencing timeless love.
“Your Face Sounds Familiar” will also return for another season hosted by Luis Manzano.
Meanwhile, avid Kapamilya fans will definitely be excited about the upcoming movies for 2021.
Among the movie projects announced are those starring Bernado and Padilla; Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil; Kim Chiu; Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano; and Vice Ganda.
But the most exciting one is probably the big-screen reunion of Cruz and Alonzo, “No Goodbyes,” directed by Cathy Garcia Molina.
In addition to these, the other movies to come this 2021 are “Princess Dayareese” starring Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber; “Hello Stranger The Movie” starring Tony Labrusca and JC Alcantara; “Love or Money” starring Angelica Panganiban and Coco Martin; “Soul Sistahs” starring Karla Estrada, Melai Cantiveros and Jolina Magdangal; “Keys to the Hearts starring Zaijan Jaranilla and Sharon Cuneta; and “Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan” starring Joshua Garcia.
Over at iWantTFC, there will be more series and movies including “Count Your Lucky Stars” starring Jerry Yan and Shen Yue; “Tenement 66” starring Francine Diaz and Francis Magundayao; “Hoy… I Love You” starring Jorross Gamboa and Roxanne Guinoo; the Thai series “A Tale of a Thousand Stars;” and “Unloving U” starring Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte.
ABS-CBN also announced the digital relaunching of MYX and MOR Philippines, as well as the upcoming digital concerts of Regine Velasquez, Piolo Pascual and Moira dela Torre.
Watch the video below to see the complete list of Kapamilya offerings for 2021. This clip aired during the ABS-CBN Christmas Special on Sunday.
'Vicky' leaves 3 dead, 2 missing in Surigao del Sur
Three people drowned while 2 remain missing in Surigao del Sur after Tropical depression Vicky's onslaught over the weekend, its governor said Monday.
All 17 towns and cities in the province were inundated, Governor Alexander Pimentel said. Flood in some towns have subsided and 5,000 families who evacuated have begun to return to their homes, he added.
The towns of Madrid and Hinatuan were the hardest hit as these were the closest to Baganga, Davao Oriental where Vicky made its first landfall last Friday.
"Ngayon lang talaga, ngayon lang bagyo na to yung grabe. Masyado malakas ang ulan at alam mo naman dito sa probinsiya ang Surigao del Sur ay coastal area, 17 municipalities and cities nandito sa harap ng Pacific Ocean.. dun sa San Miguel baha pa rin," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(This happened to us only now. The rain was too strong and you know the province of Surigao del Sur is a coastal area, 17 municipalities and cities face the Pacific Ocean. Only one town, San Miguel, is on the inner part but its still flooded.)
The governor also attributed the severe flooding due to illegal mining.
"Sa Barobo kung saan maraming illegal miners, na inisyuhan ko last year pa ng cease and desist order kasi meron silang illegal gold mining diyan, mga bahay diyan along the riverside, 30 kabahayan ang na-washout," he said.
(In Borobo, where there are a lot of illegal miners I have issued a cease and desist order last year, 30 houses along the riverside were washed out.)
The storm left some P20 million worth of damage in infrastructure and in the province, Pimentel said.
The declaration of a state of calamity will depend on the recommendation of the provincial disaster office, he added.
At least 6 others were reported dead Sunday in Agusan del Sur and Leyte following Vicky's devastation.
The tropical depression left the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday afternoon after lashing large swaths of Mindanao and some parts of Visayas and Luzon.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/21/20/vicky-leaves-3-dead-2-missing-in-surigao-del-sur
Mag-ina patay sa pamamaril ng pulis sa Paniqui, Tarlac
Patay ang mag-ina matapos barilin ng isang pulis sa bayan ng Paniqui, Tarlac nitong Linggo ng hapon, ayon sa inisyal na ulat ng pulisya.
Nakasagutan ng mga biktimang sina Sonya Gregorio, 52 at Frank Anthony Gregorio, 25, ang suspek na si Police Senior Master Sgt. Jonel Nuezca at anak nito, na humantong sa pagpaslang.
Si Nuezca ay naka-destino sa Parañaque City Crime laboratory unit at nakatira sa Barangay Cabayaoasan, Paniqui.
Sinita umano ng pulis ang mga biktimang kapitbahay nito sa pagpapaputok ng boga, ayon kay Lt. Col. Noriel Rombaoa, hepe ng Paniqui Police.
"Parang nainsulto siguro hanggang nagkasguatuan ang anak niya at ang matandang biktima. Siguro nawindang ang isip niya, dun niya pinaputukan ang mga biktima," aniya.
Makikita naman sa video, na viral na ngayon sa internet, na binaril ng pulis ang mag-ina matapos magmalaki ng batang anak nito na pulis ang kaniyang tatay, na sinagot naman ng "I don't care," ni Sonya.
Dati nang nagkagirian ang magkapitbahay dahil sa usapin ng right of way ngunit naayos na umano ito sa barangay, ani Rombaoa.
Iniulat ng Rosales Municipal Police sa Pangasinan na sumuko ang suspek sa kanila bandang alas-6:19 ng gabi.
Agad inilipat ang suspek sa Paniqui Municipal Police. Patuloy ang imbestigasyon ng mga awtoridad.
Kinondena ni Interior Secretary Eduardo Año ang pagpatay sa mag-ina bilang "blood murder."
"Kitang-kita naman natin ito, ito ay isang blood murder. Kitang-kita sa video, hindi lumalaban 'yong biktima. Hindi naman armado ang mag-ina. Talagang murder ito," aniya.
Dagdag ni Año, sisiguraduhin niyang matatanggal sa serbisyo ang suspek.
"We don't need this kind of policeman. Napakasimpleng bagay lang 'yan para gamitan mo ng armas. Walang justification para barilin mo in cold blood. Talagang point-blank pa 'yong distansiya. Talagang kailangan bigyan natin ng hustisya [ang mga biktima]," aniya.
Hinahanda na ng Paniqui Police ang kasong kriminal laban sa suspek at mahaharap din ito sa administratibong kaso, ayon kay Rombaoa.
Paalala niya, dapat pinaiiral ng pulisya ang maximum tolerance.
"Sa mga kasamahan po natin sa pulisya dapat self-control kasi nga maximum tolerance tayo, tayo ang may armas. Kung merong umaagrabiyado sa atin merong right forum po riyan, puwede nating kasuhan, not to the point na gagamitin natin ang baril natin," aniya.
-- May ulat ni Trisha Mostoles
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/21/20/mag-ina-patay-sa-pamamaril-ng-pulis-sa-paniqui-tarlac
'Vicky' intensifies outside PAR; Signal no. 2 up in Kalayaan Islands
Weather disturbance "Vicky" (international name: Krovanh), which is now a tropical storm, is still affecting parts of the country even after it exited the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said Sunday.
In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin Sunday, PAGASA said strong winds brought by the storm and the surge of the northeast monsoon will bring gale-force winds in Kalayaan Islands, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern portions of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.
Vicky was last spotted 85 kilometers south southwest of Kalayaan, Palawan as of 10 p.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center, and gusts of up to 80 kph.
Storm signal no. 2 is now hoisted over Kalayaan Islands, where 61 to 120 kph winds could totally unroof nipa and cogon huts, damage rice and corn crops and down banana plants and mango trees.
PAGASA said Kalayaan Island, the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan Valley, Aurora and the northern portion of Quezon will experience moderate to heavy rains until Monday, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains may persist over the rest of mainland Cagayan Valley, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and the rest of Quezon.
Flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas highly susceptible to these hazards and those that received heavy rainfall recently, it added.
At least 1 more storm is forecast to enter the country before the year ends, PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez earlier said.
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