Most Filipino Christians are celebrating special occasions once in the year most especially the popular Christmas and New Year’s days. Everybody who believed these celebrations have significance in their lives, in communities and even in public service. But what are the essences of these occasions in humanity that need to integrate in public service?
December 25 in Gregorian or Christian calendar is very significant day for some professing Christians in commemoration of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth known as Christmas Day while others in parts of the world celebrate it on January 7 who used Julian or Roman calendar. Other Christians believed that Christ was born as revealed in the gospel but not exactly on that famous day while others alleged that date of celebration should not be celebrated for it is of pagan origin. Whatever the beliefs about the Christmas origin of celebration, many Christians celebrate it on the spirit of love and sharing.
January 1 too is exceptionally celebrated for most Christians as New Year’s Day being the first day of the year in Gregorian calendar. By tradition, the celebration has been observed as a religious festival, but in modern times it is celebrated with full of joy, bountiful wishes, and personal resolutions.
These famous holidays or holidays have significant bearings to most people in all walks of life especially those who believed the essences and aspirations of its celebrations while it is celebrated once in the year. But there is another simple but significant occasion that every people worth to celebrate or observe not only once annually but everyday and this is called the Public Service Days.
If holidays or holidays are celebrated in a particular day, the public service days, on the other hand have been celebrated or observed 24/7, everyday. Nevertheless in public service, Christmas, New Year and every holidays or holidays must be celebrated everyday in the performance of its essential services to the general public. Upholding and sustaining the spirit of love and sharing, and personal resolutions, commitment and support to the general public who need most must be the main essence of the public service that must be done not only in a particular day or days, and not only in a special holiday or holyday but must be everyday.
Everyday should be special occasion to celebrate in the public services. Everyday should have a better way to love, to serve and to give public services not only for Christianity but all humanity of whatever religion, nationality, race, age, gender or status in life. Everyday should have renewal of commitment and support for public interest. Everyday and everyone should celebrate public service days.
The main essence of theses holidays or holidays is not to receive gifts, nor to show conceited love, neither to seek to be served but to share or give sincerely, to demonstrate outgoing concern and love for others and to be dignified servant who provide noble services most especially to those who are in need. Our Lord Jesus Christ once reminds to our public servants with his words saying “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
May the real and godly meanings in the celebration of the Christmas, New Year, and each holidays and holydays must be mainstreamed in the actual, effective and efficient delivery of Public Service while celebrating everyday the public service days. Merry Christmas, Happy Prosperous New Year, and Blissful Everyday to every Alegriahanons and to all humanity! ☻
