As we journey through this first week of Advent, our hearts turn toward the birth of our Savior. Today’s readings from the Book of Isaiah and the Gospel of Matthew fill us with a beautiful promise: God is bringing light into our darkness, healing into our brokenness, and hope into our waiting hearts. Hence, let us open our minds and hearts to this message of restoration through faith.
In the first reading, prophet Isaiah painted a vivid picture of God’s transforming power. He spoke of a time when the ancient land of Lebanon (which Pope Leo has just visited this week), once wild and untamed, will become a fruitful garden.
The prophet told us that the deaf will hear the words of a book, and the blind will see clearly, free from gloom. The humble and the poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Meanwhile, the ruthless and the arrogant will vanish.
This may sound poetic but this is not just poetry. This is God’s promise to transform the sorrows of His people. Isaiah speaking to a nation weary from exile and injustice, reminded them that God will lift up the lowly and bring justice for them. It is a prophecy of renewal, where what seems barren and hopeless bursts into life, and despair gives way to joy.
This very promise finds its fulfillment in the Gospel, where two blind men cried out to Jesus, “Son of David, have pity on us!” They followed Him persistently, believing Jesus as the Messiah foretold by the prophets. And so Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
Instantly, their sight was restored. Here, Matthew showed us faith in action and not as a magic trick, but as trust that opens us to God’s healing. These men, once trapped in physical and spiritual blindness, now see the world anew. Though Jesus asked them to keep it quiet, yet their joy overflowed. This moved them to proclaim God’s goodness everywhere they go.
Together, these readings have woven one powerful message that indeed, God restores us through faith in His Son.
Isaiah’s vision of a transformed world echoed in Jesus’ miracle. This showed us now that Advent is about waiting with hope for this restoration and transformation in ourselves and in the world.
In our own very lives, we too all face blindness. Certainly, we may be blind to God’s love, to others’ needs, or to our own wounds. We too could stumble in the darkness of our worries, fears, illness, loneliness, or sin.
However, Jesus, the light of the world, invites us to cry out like those blind men. Jesus also asks us, “Do you believe that I can do this?” And our “yes” opens the grace to Jesus healing touch.
This hope moves us deeply because it is real, not an empty hope. Think of a friend who found peace and healing after loss or a community rebuilt after hardship and trauma. These are glimpses of God’s kingdom breaking in.
In Advent, we prepare not just for Christmas lights and other glittering decorations, but for the eternal light that banishes all darkness.
Remember this, God is faithful. And the Lord will turn our deserts into gardens and our tears into joy. So, let us live this hope today. Reach out to someone hurting, pray with deeper trust, and watch for God’s miracles in the ordinary. Hinaut pa.
Two years ago, on a Sunday morning meant to mark the beginning of joyful waiting, our community was shaken by darkness. Lives were taken, bodies were wounded, and many hearts, including most of you here present today, still carry unseen scars. Advent, which should have been a season of hope, became for us a moment of fear and grief. And yet, here we are, gathered again, breathing the same air of faith, standing on the same ground of hope. This alone speaks of a God who continues to hold us together.
Today’s first reading from Isaiah gives us a powerful promise, “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.” Isaiah speaks of a God who prepares a great feast, who destroys death, who removes every stain of sorrow. Indeed, this is not a distant dream. This is God’s heart revealed to us now. The Lord God does not stand far from our suffering. The Lord God bends down, touches our wounds, and wipes our tears with His own hands.
Such character of God is revealed in today’s Gospel. Jesus climbs the mountain and there, people bring to Him the lame, the blind, the mute, the sick. And upon seeing all of them, “Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them.”
This is the Jesus who sees our trauma, our memories of that painful day, our fears that revisit us in the night. He does not avoid these wounds. He sits beside them, feels them with us, and slowly transforms them not by erasing that horrifying past, but by filling it with His presence.
Moreover, Jesus also does something even deeper. The Lord feeds the crowd. After days of hunger and exhaustion, Jesus refuses to send them away empty. This is the same Jesus who now tells us: “I will not let you remain empty of courage, of peace, and of meaning.” Where violence tried to take life away, Jesus continues to give life. Where hatred tried to silence us, Jesus continues to speak His peace. And where darkness tried to dominate, Jesus becomes our light.
Certainly, many of you have carried silent pain for two years now. Perhaps others still tremble at loud sounds or crowds. Others are still carrying inside their body those splinters that pierced them. Some might have also wondered if peace will ever be possible for us.
However, hear once more the promise in the Book of Prophet Isaiah, “On this mountain, God will destroy the veil that covers all peoples.”Even the veil of fear that covers our hearts. Even the cloud of trauma that shadows our memories. God is not finished with us.
Let us remember, Advent is the season when a small light begins to shine in the dark. That light is Jesus and no bomb, no violence, no hatred can put Him out. The same Lord who fed the hungry crowds, who healed the wounded, and who wept with the broken is here with us at this very moment. And our Lord Jesus wants your heart to live again.
Tonight, as we remember that painful tragedy, we also stand before the God who wipes tears and restores life. We honor our dead (+Janin, +Riza, +Evangelin and +Junrey) and not only by remembering their pain, but by choosing to live with greater hope, deeper love, and stronger unity as a Christian Community here in Marawi. What happened two years ago does not define us. God’s promise does.
And so, I leave you now two simple invitations as we commemorate this day.
First, choose healing every day. We know that healing takes time. It takes support. And it takes grace. Allow Jesus everyday to touch your wounds as He touched the wounded in today’s Gospel. Open your heart to conversations, to prayer, to our community and anything that helps your spirit breathe again.
Second, be bearers of peace where you stand. Do not let violence have the last word. In your home, at our University-Community here at MSU-Marawi, at your workplace, and with your friends, always choose peace. Choose respect and choose compassion. These small acts rebuild what hatred tried to destroy.
Remember this,God has not abandoned us. The LORD GOD is here, and He is wiping our tears. May this anniversary not only remind us of what we lost and what was deprived from us, but lead us to discover again the God who restores, heals, and gives the fullness of life. Hinaut pa.
A mother once knocks at his son’s door and have this following Convo or exchange of words.
Mother: “Son, wake up.” But the son said: “Mom, I don’t want to get up.” Mom continued: “Son, Get up now. You have to go to the church today.” Son said, “I don’t want to go to church today”. Mom asked: “Why not?” Son replied, “I will give you three reasons: “I’m too young to go church, it’s dull and boring in the church, and people there don’t like me.” Mom persisted, “Now, I will also give you only three reasons you should go to the church. Today you have to be there, you are already 30 years old and it’s your wedding day. So, Wake up and get up now. You are already grown up – enough to just go back to sleep again.
Which is more difficult nowadays: to lay down and go asleep in the evening …or to get up and stay awake in the morning? Waking up and getting up in the morning, and staying awake the whole day have always been our daily struggle. We always want to go back to sleep. All day long there is a longing in us to go back to bed and sleep again. Even when we are up and awake, we still have bouts of daydreams and musings the whole day through. That is why we have a Filipino saying: (Mahirap gisingin ang taong gising). “It is not easy to wake up someone who is already awake”. In other words, how can you wake up someone who is already arise & awake?
We may not only be dealing here about our getting up physically in the morning and the whole day through, but this may also be true about getting up and staying awake in our whole life. This may also be about how awake and aware are we in living our lives.
As we go through our lives, there are many moments that we are more asleep than awake. Habitually we may have found ourselves already physically awake but still actually unaware, out of sync, lukewarm, numb, and out of touch of reality.
In life, we find usually ourselves in situations where we are already yet still – already awake yet still asleep. It is like, you already realize your mistake, but still doing the same mistake all over again. Same way as that son, who is already awake but still find reasons and excuses not to get up but to go back to sleep on his wedding day. Or worse, number of people have already died not only cause by natural disasters but also political & government corruption yet still making excuses, blaming & politicking.
Remember waking up and staying awake in life may be a struggle but it is also a choice. In other words, “to get up and stay awake OR to go back and remain asleep” in life is perhaps the first decision we have to struggle with and make daily in life. What is significant here is not only the action and decision taken but moreso on the awareness, realization, and choice of the present NOW in facing life. Since now you know your mistake, now you have the choice to continue the same mistake, or do something about it. Since you know NOW you are old enough to go to church today because it’s your wedding day as your special Day with your spouse before the Lord, you may get up OR to go back at bed to sleep again. Since now we are aware that corruption causes people’s lives, we rise up & voice our dissent & disgust against crooked ways of our government & leadership; OR remains asleep & silently tolerant about these social realities.
This is why on the first Sunday of Advent in preparation for the coming Christmas day, the Lord has very simple message to us: STAY AWAKE, and BE prepared.
Human as we are, the Lord knows that we rather stay asleep than awake in life. He recognizes that we are already awake yet at times mostly asleep in life. He also knows however that we do have the CHOICE NOW whether to stay awake or asleep. That is why He is particularly calling us to stay awake, be prepared, get up and go forward for He promises that there are more and better in life yet to come & happen in life. His words in our gospel today are not His warning but a wake-up call to us to brace ourselves to the New Normal Life Ahead.
To remain awake and stay aware in life, is indeed a struggle yet a choice in life. But if we continue to heed and do our part in the Lord’s invitation of staying awake and being aware now in our life, we will see more and eventually become witnesses to fullness of the New Normal life God can offer us now & the near future ahead. Same way with smartphones, new system upgrade is to happen soon. It is up to you to remain with the old slow system OR prepare for an upgraded system that make the best of your smartphones.
By the way, today on the first Sunday of Advent at the occasion of Bonifacio Day (our Philippines national hero day), the Archdiocese of Cebu calls for SUPAK, in English “Against” but a rough acronym of (Sugbuanong Pakigbisog Kontra Kurapsyon) in that would mean – People of Cebu’s struggle against Corruption. This is wake up call & constant reminder among people & faithful of Cebu Province that we choose not to remain asleep but be vigilant & ready for life-upgrade (not downgrade) soon.
Because as the Lord reminds us today and always: “Therefore, Stay awake and be prepared… for the Son of Man will come.” In other words, Hoy Gising… Wake up for I am on-the-way coming NOW & sooner than you expect.
Today we celebrate Red Wednesday, a day when we remember, honor, and stand in solidarity with Christians around the world who suffer for their faith. We remember and pray for those who are silenced, displaced, threatened, and even killed because they follow Jesus. For most communities, Red Wednesday is a solemn reminder of a suffering happening “somewhere else.” But for us, this day carries a deeper weight and meaning.
We do not remember persecution as something distant. We remember it as something you have survived. You carry scars in your minds, in your bodies, and in your hearts. These are the scars of the 2017 Marawi Siege, and more recently, the 2023 bombing, when violence interrupted our prayer, our peace, our Advent hope.
And yet, here you are. Still praying. Still gathering. Still believing. And still choosing Christ. If the color red symbolizes the blood of martyrs, then the red we wear today also symbolizes your courage, your endurance, and your unbroken faith.
Hence, we are all here because hope, no matter how wounded we are. This is what today’s theme proclaims, “Living Hope Amidst Suffering.”
In the first reading from Prophet Daniel, King Belshazzar holds a feast of arrogance and disrespect. In the middle of his pride and extravagance, a mysterious hand appears and writes on the wall, “You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.” Belshazzar used sacred things for selfish purposes. He mocked what was holy. He exalted himself instead of God.
Indeed, persecution anywhere in the world often comes from the same attitude. This is the arrogance that refuses to respect human dignity, a pride that rejects God, and a heart that worships violence more than life. And this may come politically and ideologically motivated.
But while Belshazzar was “found wanting,” you, the people of faith, the survivors, the steadfast disciples, you have been weighed in the balance and found faithful.
You did not give up your faith, even when fear tried to choke it. You did not stop praying, even when prayer became dangerous. You did not stop loving, even when hatred and suspicion tried us.
If the writing on the wall declared judgment on Belshazzar, the writing on your lives declares something else entirely that “You have stood firm in the Lord.”This is hope found alive in us, in each of you.
Moreover, in the Gospel, Jesus warns His disciples that persecution will come. Not “maybe,” not “possibly,” but certainly.
Jesus said, “They will seize you.” “They will hand you over.” “You will be hated because of my name.” Jesus does not sugarcoat discipleship. He does not hide the cost of faith. He does not pretend Christianity as a path of comfort and power.
Indeed, these words are not theoretical for you. You know their truth. Yet, Jesus is not giving this warning to frighten us. The Lord gives it to strengthen us. And so, Jesus now gives us two promises. These promises are born from His own suffering love.
The First Promise is “I will give you words and wisdom.”Jesus assures us that in difficult times, we are never alone in our fear. The Holy Spirit is with us, guiding, strengthening, whispering courage into our trembling hearts. And indeed, this community has spoken words of hope when silence seemed safer. You have shown kindness when anger felt easier. You have extended forgiveness when hatred tried to dominate. You have lived this promise.
The Second Promise is “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Perseverance, that quiet, stubborn faith that refuses to give up, is what saves us. Not the absence of suffering, not forgetting of memory, but the courage to rise again despite everything.
The siege tried to break us, but you stood. The bombing tried to silence worship, but you returned. Fear tried to isolate you, but you gathered again at the table of Christ.
This is what living hope looks like. A hope that limps but keeps walking. A hope that trembles but keeps believing. And a hope that cries but keeps loving.
Today, Red Wednesday invites us not only to remember suffering, but to remember how God works inside our own suffering.
Hope is not pretending everything is fine. This is merely optimism. Yet, hope is not about being optimistic. Hope is believing that God is working, even when nothing feels fine. Hope does not erase ours tears. It accompanies them. Hope does not deny wounds. It transforms them. And hope does not avoid danger. It gives courage to stand, to remain and be still before the presence of God.
And so, this day is more than commemoration. It is a call to deepen our faith, to widen our compassion, and to strengthen our mission as disciples of the Crucified and Risen Christ.
Because those who have suffered greatly are the very people that God sends to become witnesses of hope for the world. And you, brothers and sisters, are living proof that the Christian story is not a story of defeat, but of resurrection. Our Christian story is not a story of darkness, but of dawn. Not a story of violence, but of victory. This is the victory of love.
Now, Red Wednesday does not simply ask us to remember. It rather invites us to respond. We are asked…
How will we honor the suffering of others if we do not let our own suffering teach us compassion?
How will we carry the memory of our wounds if they do not lead us to deepen our prayer, widen our love, and strengthen our commitment to peace?
How can we claim to follow a crucified King if we refuse the path of forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope?
Indeed, suffering can make us bitter or better. It can harden our hearts or open them. It can close our hands or make them instruments of healing. Being persecuted, certainly, does not give us permission to hate. It gives us a mission to love even more dearly. Being hurt does not give us the right to close our hearts. It gives us the grace to open them wider. Being attacked does not mean our story ends in fear and trauma. It means Christ calls us towards courage, healing, unity, and peace.
We now realize that living hope amidst suffering is not passive. It is a choice. A daily, brave, exhausting, and holy choice. And so, I leave you now three takeaways to make hope alive in us.
First, pray intentionally this week for those who have hurt you. Even a simple prayer: “Lord, bless them. Heal them. Change their hearts.” This maybe a difficult prayer to make for those who have hurt us but also powerful in transforming our hearts.
Second, reach out to someone who suffers in silence. A neighbor who is afraid. A young student who is traumatized. A parent who is struggling or sick. Sit with them. Listen to them. And be a small beam of Christ’s light and love.
Third, commit one concrete act of peace-building. Repair a relationship. Start a dialogue. Help rebuild a broken community bond.
Friends, you have passed through fire, but the fire has not consumed you. Let is refine you. On this Red Wednesday, may your courage shine, your wounds speak truth, and your faith stand as a beacon of hope for a world that desperately needs it.
May this Red Wednesday remind you that you are not just survivors, you are now bearers of living hope. Hinaut pa.
Tomas loved collecting shiny things. He had always new gadgets, loud toys, and flashy decorations. His small house sparkled with many things, but nothing he owned actually ever lasted. One day, his old neighbor Nanay Cita invited him for snacks. He saw how her house was plain. Yet, something was different. It was rather filled with laughter, stories, and warmth from her family members and other neighbors. Tomas realized that her joy came not from flashy material things, but from people and moments lovingly shared.
Recently, when a typhoon hit and flooded their community, his many shiny items broke and gone. While he felt devastated, Nanay Cita and other neighbors came to help and brought hope to others. This was how Tomas finally understood that what truly lasts are relationships, kindness and simple joys.
Today, in our first reading, Prophet Daniel interpreted the vision of King Nebuchadnezzar. It was a dream of a great statue made of different materials. Yet, all of which eventually crumbled when struck by a small stone. Daniel told us that this stone represented the Kingdom of God. It seemed small and humble. Though it was unnoticed by the world, it was the only thing that lasts forever. Indeed, kingdoms rise and fall, powers come and go, but the Kingdom of God stands firm through all ages.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel, echoed this truth. While the disciples admired the beauty of the Temple, Jesus reminded them of an important lesson. Even the most impressive earthly things will one day pass away. What endures, Jesus said, is not the expensive stones of the Temple. What lasts is the steadfast trust of those who remain faithful. They stay committed in the midst of trials, challenges, and uncertainties in life.
Today these readings also speak deeply to my heart as I celebrate my 8th Anniversary of Priesthood. As I look back, I see many moments of weakness. There were many moments of unworthiness. I felt pains and hurts. There were times when I felt like that fragile statue in the king’s dream. It was easily shaken and easily broken.
And yet, by the grace of God, I remain and still finding joy. Not because of my strength, not because of my abilities and potentials but because of God’s faithfulness. The stone that never crumbles is the unwavering goodness of God to me and to everyone whom I have encountered in my journey as a priest. This has been the foundation of my priesthood.
If there is anything my eight years have taught me, it is this – God uses weak instruments. He chooses broken vessels. He works through imperfect servants so that His glory and not ours, may shine and bring life. This is what I witnessed, every time I felt tired, God renewed me. Every time I felt unworthy, God reminded me that the call is His, not mine. Every time I doubted, God remained faithful.
I realized that certainly, this is not just my story. It is the story of every believer who tries, fails, rises and hopes again, and continues to walk with God.
In fact, the world tells us that we must be strong. We must be impressive. We must be powerful like the mighty statue in the vision of the King Nebuchadnezzar. However, God tells us, “Just stand on the Rock. Stand on Me.” This is an invitation to find God as our true strength, our refuge and our security.
Now, as we near the end of the liturgical year, these readings invite us to reflect: What in our lives is temporary, and what truly lasts? Are we building a kingdom that will one day crumble? Or do we place our trust in the Kingdom of God that cannot be shaken?
Today, I thank God for eight years of priesthood, not as a journey of perfection, but a journey of God’s unwavering mercy. I ask you to continue praying for me. Please pray that I remain faithful to the Kingdom of God that lasts forever. May I always find joy in my ministry and bring life to others.
May the Lord strengthen all of us to trust not in the passing things of this world, but in the enduring goodness of God. I leave you now two simple and practical takeaways.
First, build your life on what lasts. Spend more time each day on prayer, kindness, forgiveness, and love. These are the things that remain.
Second, trust God even in your weaknesses. Whenever you feel unworthy or discouraged, whisper a simple prayer, “Lord, You are my strength. I stand on You.” Hinaut pa.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 