Finding Christ on Christmas

Five days before Christmas Day this week, we discharged a patient with severe heart failure who has defied medical science with her resiliency.

Although she has been in and out of the hospital for the same problem, her recovery each time continues to amaze us, and humbles us, knowing fully well that her medical condition improved not because of the medicines we gave her, but because of some unseen intervention which is beyond the realm of a finite medical science.

More than 15 years ago, she was diagnosed to have a severe case of cardiomyopathy, a condition which weakens the heart so much that it is literally transformed into a flabby mass of muscle. Her condition progressively worsened such that doctors attending to her including myself forewarned the husband that she would likely not survive beyond five years from the time we diagnosed her.

After her fifth year, we modified our advisory to the family that she was being improved with medical treatment but that anytime she could go. Yet 15 years after our grim prognostication, she remains alive, able to walk and do simple activities of daily living. When doctors not familiar with her case see her chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, 2D-echocardiogram and other laboratory tests, they think it’s a dead patient we’re discussing and are pleasantly astonished as we are upon learning that the patient is still alive and enjoying her God-given life extension.

Her mission on earth

Since a few years ago, we have desisted from charging her professional fees because we felt we do not deserve to be compensated for her astounding recovery each time she goes back into heart failure. It is quite clear to us that she remains alive not because of our medical competence, but because God wants her to remain alive. “Try to find out what God still wants you to do here on earth,” we tell her each time she dramatically recovers from her illness.

We have used the same medicines and other interventions to many patients with the same condition she has, but they eventually die as the pool of scientific evidence has established they would. This particular patient however has defied the statistics.

She wanted to be home with her family this Christmas. When we readmitted her to the hospital, we were not so optimistic that she would get her wish but she did, and even had five extra days before Christmas day to enjoy being with her family.

True meaning of Christmas

She reminded us the true meaning of Christmas. Christ was born on earth so we all could live from the sure death which our original sin has grimly condemned us to have. And through Christ’s birth and death, our sins were washed away so we could live again.

It is unfortunate that many, myself included, sometimes lose focus on what the real meaning of Christmas is. Our Christmas carols have been transformed in modern times from songs reflecting on Christ’s birth and life, to love and romantic songs, or even rap music detailing the booze and fun get-togethers during the holiday season.

A supposedly Christmas Mass celebrated at the Supreme Court by no less than the Manila archbishop had a giant picture of the Chief Justice behind the altar, giving one the uncanny impression that he was the object of worship of those who participated in the gathering. Although we’re sure it was intended as a show of support to the beleaguered Chief Justice and not meant to show disrespect for God, it somehow reflected human tendency to easily get distracted by mundane and personal issues and lose grasp of what the season means and whatever rituals of worship we do to honor the true and deserving celebrant of the season.

Religious significance

There is definitely nothing wrong with the popular custom and tradition with which we celebrate the season such as the exchange gifts and greeting cards, simbang gabi and other Church celebration, Christmas parties, and decorating the Christmas trees. It would be nicer though if we could have programs including those in the broadcast media that emphasize more the religious significance of Christmas.

Family get-togethers can include reading of the story of Christ’s birth from the Bible. This can make a wonderful family tradition that can inculcate on the children the true meaning of Christmas.

As one Christian Christmas song goes: “It’s not Christmas, ‘till we find its true meaning, the birth of Christ, to bring love and peace on earth.”

Christmas is also a good occasion to share with people in need. The recent calamity in Mindanao somewhat jolted us and made us wonder why disasters like it could happen a week before Christmas. But the silver lining to it is that many people rose up to the occasion to help their brethren in dire need. Many canceled their Christmas parties to donate the money to the typhoon victims. These acts of kindness echo the sacrifice, humility and love for fellow men—the very same elements in the original Christmas message which Jesus Christ has conveyed with his birth on earth.

We wish everyone a truly meaningful, Christful Christmas.