Who is my neighbour?

...Monday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time

My sister's 7 year old god-daughther, Nicole, told me recently that she's making her Christmas list to Santa and she'll be posting out her list soon. And I asked her, "So Nikki are you going to have your own Christmas list? You list down all the people you want to give presents to." Nikki looked at me thoughtfully and with great love in her heart for all the people she knows, Nikki said, "Yes I will make a list and prepare presents for everyone!" Then reality set in and a frown appeared, "But Aunty Sherlyn I don't have money to buy presents for everyone!"

"Well, Nikki, you don't have to buy. How about making something for everyone? What can you make? What are you good at?" Nikki looked at me excitedly, "Stars! I can make stars for everyone!" So this Christmas if you know who Nikki is, you'll probably be receiving stars from her as a Christmas present.

October has arrived and in weeks to come, Advent will be here. I'm thinking now about my own Christmas list. In the past few years since volunteering at Galilee, I realise that there are poor people around me. Down the street where I live, in my parish and youths whom I know. I know now that the poor is present when I choose to look closer and see them with my eyes opened and heart opened too. The poor do not exist when I choose not to see them.

Since opening my eyes and heart, I know youths who have rice and hotdog or ikan bilis for lunch and dinner everyday. I know youths who have had scabies. I know youths who can't afford the bus fare to school. They wear their school uniform to the shops and even to church because that's all they have. One boy used to attend Mass in slippers. After getting to know him, I realised he did not mean to be sloppily dressed for mass. He just didn't own a pair of shoes and this pair of slippers was his only footwear.

So this Advent I'd like to do the same thing that Nikki is doing. But I'm lousy at making stars. But I do know how to wrap hampers and I do know how to buy canned food and cookies. I also know how to ask my friends for canned food and cookies... haha
If you know of three people or more who are in a bad shape this year (I don't mean body size... I mean financially) and you know 3 other people who can give something... why don't make a list like Nikki and I are doing? make a list of people you want to help this Christmas... and the rest is easy... use your talents and gifts..

The people whom you and I are thinking of.. people who could do with a bit of encouragement... let us be a neighbour to them.. Not physical neighbour.. don't shift nextdoor to them.. But let us be a Christian neighbour to them.. when we give there should be no "whys" and no "Should I?" but only "freely i have received, freely I give".