Hot “Lugaw” Treat
Homily on Wednesday, 1st Week of Advent, 3 December 2025, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
These past days we have been watching on social media footages of Pope Leo’s visit to Turkey and Lebanon. It was his first ever pastoral visit outside Italy. I personally have been moved by almost all the short videos I have seen – such as, the awesome welcome he received from the people of both nations; his visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul during which he showed remarkable respect for Islam but at the same time strong conviction for his own faith; his impressive meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew leading to a public profession of the Nicaean Creed without the disputed phrase “filioque”; his fatherly response to the tear-jerking testimony given by a Filipina migrant worker in Lebanon; and the concluding Mass he celebrated in Beirut before a multitude of 150,000… We can really say that Pope Leo is Jesus-with-us today bringing us hope, peace and salvation.
We have just begun the season of advent, and we recall that in the beginning when God created heaven and earth, he saw that everything he created was good. Unfortunately this goodness and beauty quickly faded away. When the first man and woman committed sin, they broke away from God, and hence, brought distortion and disharmony upon all of God’s creation.
The good and amazing news, however, is this. God did not remain forever angry with what humankind has destroyed. Instead, out of his infinite love and compassion he promised a Savior; someone filled with God’s Spirit who would restore all the goodness and beauty that was destroyed by sin. The prophecy we heard today from Isaiah is at the same time a promise of what the new world would look like when the Savior comes on God’s holy mountain. People’s tears shall be wiped away, and their reproach removed. Above all, death shall be destroyed forever. Then a lavish feast of choicest food and drink shall be prepared for everyone.
An even more astonishing news is this. According to the Gospel passage we have heard today from St. Matthew, Isaiah’s prophecy had in fact become a reality when Jesus Christ, our Savior, came to dwell amongst us. As Jesus preached the good news of God’s Kingdom, the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute and many other sick people were healed, and all of them were treated to a great feast – the miraculous multiplication of the seven loaves and a few fish.
This is so similar to what I have recently seen in Don Bosco Youth Center, Pasil. I found out during my canonical visit that every Sunday, the children and youth who frequent our center enjoy a hot “lugaw” treat from a generous donor, leaving no one hungry or crying.
May the Advent Mass we celebrate on this holy table awaken in our hearts that joyful hope and prayerful vigilance for the coming of the Lord, who alone can make us whole again. He alone can wipe all our tears away and make all peoples of every nation united in one world under one God. GiGsss!
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