December 20, 2014, 11:30 AM
Today we celebrate the 1-year old birthday of Matteo, son of Karina Wong and Roby Moggia, and grandson of Dick and Anna Quan Wong. Drawing from the heritages of two cultures from two countries, Matteo represents the best of both worlds.
We have all heard about how the Chinese and Italians have much in common. In three of the cities that we have lived in: Boston, New York and San Francisco, the Chinese and Italian neighborhoods are next to each other. In Boston, it’s Chinatown and the North End. In New York, it’s Chinatown and Little Italy. And in San Francisco, it’s Chinatown and North Beach. There seems to be a natural attraction between Chinese and Italians to be together.
It may be fact or fiction but it’s been said that in 1271, the Venetian explorer Marco Polo spent 17 years in northeast China and most likely ate pasta and spaghetti with Kublai Khan and eventually introduced spaghetti to Italy. A coil of dry noodles was discovered in China dating back 4000 years ago. Both in the past and up to today, Chinese and Italians have much in common.
We know that Roby’s family runs an Italian restaurant where Karina and Roby first met. Here we are at a Chinese restaurant celebrating their son’s first birthday being both Chinese and Italian, the best of two worlds.
Food is essential to life. We need to eat to survive. We eat for enjoyment and fellowship. We eat today to celebrate the miracle of life in Matteo. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us that he is the “Bread of Life” and whoever eats of this living bread will not perish but will have everlasting life. Today we can say that Jesus is the “Rice of Life” and the “Spaghetti of Life.” Matteo is a child, the result of love, the best of both worlds!
On this special day, we thank God for blessing Karina and Roby with their son, Matteo who is the best of two worlds and whose life is a blessing from God who brings joy and happiness to us all.
Let us pray.
Thank you, O Lord for the blessings of life and the wonderful opportunity to raise a child like Karina and Roby are doing in Matteo. Bless them with your immeasurable mercies and gifts. We pray that in as much as Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life in our spiritual life, we pray that this food would sustain us and grants us good health and the joy of living every day. Thank you, dear God for the abundance that we are blessed with and the joy of Christmas that is in the air. In Christ, we pray. Amen.