Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on Friday after Ash Wednesday, 20 Feb 2026, DBPH Chapel, Talamban

Today is a Friday of Lent and we are just on the third day of our Lenten observance. The Church strictly requires that today and on all the other Fridays of Lent we are to observe abstinence from eating meat and other meat products as part of our weekly penances in union with the sufferings of Jesus and in atonement for our sins.

There are however a few exceptions to this norm. People who are excused or exempt are children below 14 yrs old, people who are seriously ill physically and mentally, those who have chronic illnesses like diabetes, and women who are pregnant or nursing. All other Catholics who do not belong to this category are therefore strictly obliged to observe abstinence from midnight to the following midnight of today. You might ask, why do we have to do all these penances?

The gospel passage that we have heard today can enlighten us about this very Catholic tradition. Chapter 9 of Matthew’s gospel presents Jesus being questioned by his critics for not observing the customary fasting done by devout Jews. To understand this passage better we have to read it in the context of the calling of the apostle Matthew. Having heard Jesus’ call, Matthew followed the Lord immediately and then gave out a sumptuous dinner for Jesus and his disciples. Naturally the other tax collectors and sinners were also invited.

While many who were sinners found joy in the company of Jesus that evening, others, however, felt awkward and uncomfortable, if not shocked or scandalized. And so they started questioning Jesus about this seemingly inappropriate conduct particularly of his disciples who were eating and drinking to their hearts’ content. Shouldn’t they be fasting like all the other devout Jews who were also following their own Rabbi? And why did Jesus tolerate it? Why did he not correct them from such a seemingly scandalous behaviour? I guess those questions were very valid.

The good news is, Jesus gave this smart reply to his critics: “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” With these words I believe what Jesus wants to tell us is that there is a proper time for everything, a time for celebrating and a time for fasting. Being the divine “Bridegroom” his greatest joy at that moment was to see Matthew, a sinner and an outcast, finally in their company. Nakuha niya sa wakas ang LOOB ni Matthew.

Today his greatest joy is also to see us sinners turning away from sin and deciding to follow Him. In Tagalog we have a beautiful expression for this turning point: “pagbaBALIK-LOOB sa Diyos.

The period of Lent is precisely the right time for us Christians to be fasting [to eat nothing at all or to eat only one full meal particularly on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday]. During this period we feel the absence of the divine Bridegroom.

But the truth is that it was not HIM who was taken away from us; on the contrary, we were the ones who departed from his presence. For, every time we commit a sin – against God, against our neighbour, and against the environment – we break that harmonious relationship with Him, with one another and with the beautiful creation around us. And a gap or separation is created.

Every sin we commit not only creates that gap but also becomes an added burden to us, causing us to slow down along our journey of life, thus widening that gap from him whom we are trying to follow. This spiritual distancing is actually worse than the physical distancing brought about by any virus like the Covid of 2019. And the only way to restore these relationships is to embrace the cross, humbly ask for God’s pardon and make the necessary reparations. And one form of reparation or bridging that gap is by doing penance. By doing various penances, we unburden ourselves of these useless attachments, and we allow God to heal our wounds.

Although fasting and abstinence are strictly required only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, on all the other Fridays of Lent we are required to at least abstain from all meat products. The purpose of all these is not only to make atonement for our sins but also in order that we can save some amount of money to be shared with the poor and the hungry, the suffering and the needy.

During this season of Lent, we pray that we may be so empowered by the Holy Spirit to put up a good fight against every trial and temptation, and all forms of corruption in our society. With this same Spirit may we strive to become more devout in prayer, more patient in doing penances, and more compassionate in our works of mercy. May we soon become like Jesus whom we are passionately following, and so be better prepared to celebrate Easter with the greatest joy in our hearts. GiGsss!

Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.