Share with the world that Jesus is born to save us

Christmas Carols in Manhattan: an exceptional Christmas apostolate

Manhattan desde el transbordador Skyline of Manhattan from the ferry Skyline von Manhattan von der Fähre aus
La Mater, Enrique Sörös, y unos chicos cantándole a Jesús The MTA, Enrique Sörös and some children singing for Jesus Die MTA, Enrique Sörös und Kinder beim Weihnachtsliedersingen
Los chicos participan, los adultos miran con asombro The children participating, the grown-ups just looking Die Kinder machen mit, die Erwachsenen wundern sich
Jesús nace en medio de las ciudades, en medio del ajetreo, en medio de las compras... Jesus is born in the cities, amidst people running and shopping... Jesus wird geboren, in den Städten, bei den rennenden, hastenden Menschen…
Navidad 2001 en Mount Pleasant, Washington Christmas 2001 in Mount Pleasant, Washington Weihnachten 2001 in Mount Pleasant, Washington Albúm de fotos – photoalbum – Fotoalbum
Fotos: Sörös © 2005

UNITED STATES, Enrique Soros. It was December of 1998. I was going out through the escalators in the metro station of Bethesda, Greater Washington, D.C. and a man with a sax made the passengers happy playing Christmas melodies. How I dreamed of doing something similar to share the great news with the world: Jesus is born to save us!

The next year I took my guitar and I went to the Metro Center station to sing Christmas Carols. I strongly resisted doing it, because I felt it was crazy. But at the same time, that’s life…if I didn’t do it, I would feel deeply frustrated and "I would not be able to forgive myself".

So I gathered all my courage together. I sat on the floor and I sang a few songs until an employee asked me to leave. While walking on, I arrived at another exit of the Metro Center and I joined two black men who were playing the sax. They liked the idea for me to accompany them with my guitar. The money that was gathered would be for them, I told them. And they thought that it was O.K.

The passengers were going up the escalator listening to the music and when they arrived upstairs they were surprised to see that the music came from different cultures…let’s say it was "Christmas spirit".

Where Jesus has more customers

Since then, one week before Christmas I cannot keep from taking my guitar to the street. But since the year 2000, I have a sound system and I go to sing, be it at the center of Washington, or be it Mt. Pleasant, a poor neighborhood of this city or since last year in New York. Why did I choose New York? Because if Christmas is less meaningful for a busy, capitalistic society and this is reflected more in such an impersonal city. And because Jesus will have more customers here (expressed in local terminology).

Julia Brobeck accompanied me last year and this year. We exhibited a picture of the Blessed Mother and a small manger and we began to sing Christmas Carols in English, Spanish. We even shared a little bit of Christmas spirit with the people and once in while, a little "advice".

"When we go shopping for gifts, let’s not forget the most important one, which is also the most expensive one, because it cannot be bought with money. Give a gift to Jesus who wants no more and no less than our poor heart".

Sometimes we tell the passers-by how the manger has been the main Christmas symbol for us since our childhood. And before Him, we sing "Silent Night" – the song that you are hearing now – before opening the gifts…And let’s not forget the manger, which expresses the most important thing about Christmas.

Or I tell them that in my parish in Bethesda, at the end of Midnight Mass, Santa Claus arrives from the back of the church, yes, Santa Claus in church! He walks toward the altar and suddenly he kneels before the Christ Child, and it cause great emotion in all those present. Even Santa Claus, himself, kneels before the Christ Child!

When I sing I can’t say that the people do not listen, because especially in the terminal for the ferry, they are "prisoners" and poor! They do not have a choice (that is the advantage of singing there). But when I ask the children to sing Christmas carols with me, there is excitement and they express their joy. There is nothing better than children singing to Jesus!

We are celebrating Jesus’ Christmas

I asked myself…why am I publishing what I do? What is the reason?

The response motivated me to send this testimony by email to my friends. And the reactions that I know it will awaken. Some will say, "that’s good!" The fact is I can’t keep this to myself. I feel that I must share it with my friends!

But I can’t let Jesus risk it alone. We are on earth for such a short time and we shouldn’t miss the opportunity of taking risks for Jesus. Some opportunities come only once in a lifetime.

Why are we so lax? Because, if we believe, why don’t we live it deeply? Why don’t we proclaim it?

And why is it that, if we are searching, we don’t search seriously? Why do we let life pass us by?

Today we can do something for Jesus to show gratitude for what he did for us! We can share our poverty with the poor. When they say "Happy Holidays", we can say "Merry Christmas". Where there is an "end of the year" celebration, we can add a touch of Christmas singing Christmas Carols. The manger is necessary, along with a Christmas tree. We can choose Christmas cards that illustrate a manger. We can send emails with Christmas greetings along with a personal experience. But most of all we can participate in Midnight Mass. There we greet the Redeemer offer him the gift of our poor, very poor heart. We can humbly request, "Lord, I want to change! I want my poor life to be the transparency of what you want it to be! Help me!"

The poorest, the most distant, the greatest sinner will give Jesus the greatest joy in the world if he returns to Him.

Today there is not a person in the world whom he cannot forgive.

Today, God himself comes into the world! To save us!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen/TX, USA - Christi Jentz, Milwaukee/WI, USA