Significance of the Insignificant

Opening the facebook last December 6, 2011 impressed me with the message from my natural and organic farming friend, Rev. Fr. Domingo Saladaga, OAR. It is about "blessing and missing".  Accordingly, we should have a big and open heart to appreciate the blessings to celebrate life and eyes to see what are missing.  Sorry, I miss the whole quotation.  Anyway, I responded with, "The message is rhythmic, poetic and realistic that makes you an effective pastoral poet. Certainly, I am applying it in my daily living". In fact, I have posted last December 2007 the following article with a parallel message.


When I was still connected with an agricultural state college, I was involved in a trilogy of functions.  I was engaged in 50% instruction, 30% research and 20% extension.

Using an appropriate experimental design, we conducted agricultural researches or field trials as part of my research activities.  I did these projects together with my research assistants.  Data gathered were analyzed following the procedure of the analysis of variance (ANOVA).  Test results varied.  One could be not significant (ns) or insignificant.  Sometimes, variations were significant at 5% level of significance or simply significant (with a single asterisk*) or significant at 1% level of significance meaning highly significant (with a double asterisk**).  As the results and discussion were documented and presented, we were obliged to support, explain and point out implications and reasons of the insignificance or significance of the outcome.  These explanations and discussion eventually supported our conclusions and recommendations.

That was in the academe and research institution.  Now, with a different perspective and dealing with the realities of life, I find “significance of the insignificant” striking and thought-provoking.  This is a section of Chapter 7, “Mary’s little lamb” in the book, “Growing Deep in the Christian Life: Essential Truths for Becoming Strong in the Faith” by Charles Swindoll (pp. 121-133).

I find it most appropriate and fitting to stress the “significance of the insignificant” this Christmas season.  Are we aware that, “every Christmas season, the significant seems to get lost among the insignificant?”  We can cite situations as presented by Kuya Benson Tompong in his talk on the “Christian Personal Relationships” last December 7, 2007 teaching night.  Technological advancements, the quest for comfortable, easy and entertained lives associated with a lifestyle of vanity are among the many factors that lead us to selfish motives.  Being selfish and self-centered blind us that the non-essentials or insignificant things in life are given priority.  I agree that indeed, “our world continues to be caught in the web of insignificant things like busy commerce, the profit-and-loss issues of life”.

Are we wise enough to see the significant in the midst of the insignificant?  Let us ask the grace of aiming for God’s wisdom (1 Kings 3:28) in this age of materialism.

During the time of Augustus Ceasar, tax collection was considered a significant event when he ordered a census to strengthen his Roman Empire.  However, “the most significant thing happened in a manger” in Bethlehem (Bethlehem meaning the “house of bread” in Hebrew).

Have we asked Jesus Christ to be born and occupy our insignificant manger, our respective hearts? Let us give Him the first place of honor and authority in our lives!.

St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775), founder of the Passionists, strongly encourages us to “celebrate the feast of Christmas everyday, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ” (Misyon, Nov-Dec, 2007). nmg

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[1] Featured in SIDLAK, BCBP Consolacion Quarterly Magazine, Oct – Dec 2007.