Inside Philippine politics & beyond

A Blessed Christmas to all my readers

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Thank you.

Thank you for dropping by my blog and taking part in the discussions.

Thank you for taking the time to point out my typo errors and my mental lapses.

It’s been a wonderful, sometimes painful and gruelling adventure with you all.

I’m here for the long haul, don’t worry. And I know you’ll be joining me, too, every step of the way.

To celebrate Christmas and as a way of thanking you, I’d like to share two photos I took some years back and one of my favorite poems.

The first photo is a wall fresco showing Christ in the manger. It was painted around the 1400s, long before that Portuguese adventurer landed on our shores and planted the cross.

The picture isn’t that sharp since it was very dim inside the Church and camera flash was forbidden. Amazing how the fresco has endured time.

In contrast, we have so little left of our history from that era.

Christmas-Nativity-Dec-24-1

The second is a very intimate moment in the life of Christ and his mother Mary.

Christmas-Christ-being-fed-

As for the poem, it is one that has given me much strength to go beyond personal and national tragedies and keep on living as a human being and writing as a journalist, never losing hope. It was written by a Spanish mystic nun who was born a few years before that Portuguese adventruer stumbled on our shores.

Here is Santa Teresa de Avila’s little poem that reaches out from across several centuries:

Nada te turbe;
nada te espante;
todo se pasa;
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia
todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene,
nada le falta.
Solo Dios basta.

Let nothing upset you,
let nothing startle you.
All things pass;
God does not change.
Patience wins
all it seeks.
Whoever has God
lacks nothing:
God alone is enough

Maligayang Pasko!
Raissa

Comments

  1. Ms. Raissa, merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! I’m one of your avid reader. I find your comments very interesting and relevant to what’s going on in our country. I hope and pray that you and your family will always be safe. For me, you are the best journalist I ever knew. You remind me of the late Ka Louie Beltran.

    • Thank you, Clementine, for your vote of confidence.

      I ‘m glad, in some small way, I’ve touched you.

      Raissa

  2. Dear maam Raissa,

    We are your no. 1 fan here in Washington. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. We pray for your safety and good health always. Proud to be a Robles. God bless and more power to you.

  3. Raissa, thank you for being firm and strong in you beliefs. At least in my lifetime I found a kababayaan who is not afraid to talk and does not compromised her opinion. Keep writing for the sake of the future generations. You have sincere follower here in this part of Canada.

  4. happy xmas Ms Raissa at sa buong family mo :)

    we are looking forward for more interesting blog next year

    all the best this coming 2012!!!!

  5. Pick up line—– lahi ka ba ni jose rizal?…… bakit?….. kasi kung mag sulat ka,,para ka kasing si jose raissa-l. (Ganun?):-)

  6. Merry Christmas, Ms. Raissa! May God protect you and your family in the year to come and always!

    bessie

  7. Raissa,

    Belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.

    As an English speaker I have enjoyed your blog, for the accuracy and thoroughness of your investigations and for the excellent manner in which they are presented.

    Keep up the good work in 2012.

    Have you ever done or considered doing an investigation into the relationship between large scale developers and those in HLURB they are forced to deal with and obtain approval from?

    Best wishes for 2012

  8. I like the way you think and write. From an emotional article to a happy story telling, your work is definitely worth reading. You are one of the few elite (true blue) journalists. I (accidentally)discovered your blogsite through abs-cbnnews.com. It was when our network operations team blocked gmanetwork.com/news.:) I switched for abs-cbn for my daily dose of news and I happen to click your link and after a few read, voila, raissarobles fan is born. Through your writings, you instilled in me a deep passion to participate in our nation’s affairs. Thanks a million.

    Blogs and personal sites are also blocked in our office. Not sure why but yours is not. (maybe because your blogsite don’t have “www.”). Any way, belated merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Your site IS the number one blogsite.

  9. the nativity picture is not realistic because the characters/personages appear so clean and well-dressed. their complexion seem to be of the affluent of their time. Nevertheless, the message is the same, and I too share it: Peace on Earth, the Redeemer is born!

    The poem of St. Therese of Avila is a powerful guidepost in life. I have not stopped marveling about its validity each time I see it.

    Keep on writing to make a better world; I pray you do not lose your balance and objectivity, always a steady and sure mirror of what goes around, with implicit nuggets of what can be done.

    • And they look so European, eh. NOt middle eastern

      But still, there’s something so still about it.

      Thank you for your encouragement.

      I wil.

  10. Dear Ma’aam Raissa,
    It was a blessing that I was able to access your blog site. You certainly make my eyes open wider to what is happening in our country. I thank God for your “pen is mightier than the sword”.

    Thank you for the pictures and for the poem.

    Merry Christmas to you and the family.

    An avid silent fan,
    NanayGirlie

    • Thank you, NanayGirlie.

      I appreciate your note.

      Do join in the discussions.

      You might find it fun.

  11. After reading this wonderful Christmas piece, I read each and every comment posted. And they are phenomenal, truly amazing, and, best of all, genuine. I wholeheartedly echo all the sentiments expressed by your readers. Congratulations to you and your family.

  12. The Philippines is a fine place and worth fighting for. I agree with the second part.

    (This was a modification of what Morgan Freeman said as he quoted Ernest Hemingway.)

    Fight on, Ma’am Raissa, the country needs people of your caliber.

    Happy holidays!

  13. A very happy holiday to you ms. Raissa,may the lord bless you more with intelligent and guts on what you do best,reporting an informative,unbiased,truthful,and factual article, may he also protect you and your family from harm due to your honest reporting.i have to admit that i learn more from your writing than what i had in my short stray of political science,perhaps if my professor was like you i would probably have finished my studies,i do enjoy reading all your articles,not a day had gone that i don’t check PH news.please don’t stop.you write,i will read,thanks.

  14. Discovering your blog is like a wonderful gift, that everytime I open into your new artilce, it tickles with delight or shocking me, savoring every word of your article – nice and tasty ( PNoy herculean tasks in making public officials accountable) and bitter ( Arroyo and Corona). May your tribe increase. May the Holy Spirit be your guiding light in bringing forth to your readers a very truthful and enlightening article. May God’s blessing be with you and your family today ( Christmas Day) and always. Happy happy Christmas. Happy happy Christmas to you all in the family.

    • Dear Letlet,

      Thank you for your kind words.

      I will try to give you and others a wonderful experience of discovery next year.

      Raissa

  15. Ms. Raissa,

    Thank you for this blog. Discovering this blog is the best gift I received this season. I enjoy immensely your brilliant insights and the comments of your countless viewers. You provide inside information which are not usually available from news outlets. You provided me a venue to share my views on different topics, whatever their worth.

    May the Good Lord continue to bless you and your family with all your needs, with good health , peace of mind, and security and protection from evil. May love, peace and joy forever reign in your heart. Happy New Year!

    • Thank you.

      I appreciate your words and those of other readers.

      I am blessed.

      Pls. continue reading and sharing your insights.

      It’s the only way a democracy can work.

      Raissa