What are you living for?

When I went on my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I was surprised when the head waiter of the hotel where we were staying asked me: “Father Orbos, do Filipinos eat the shell of boiled eggs?” I said, “No,” and asked him why. His response was: “I see many get boiled eggs for breakfast, but I see no egg shells on their plates.” (Dear reader, can you guess why?)

In today’s Gospel (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus told His disciples how to go about their mission and their provisions for their journey. He instructed them to go out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. His first and foremost instruction was: “Take nothing for the journey.” They were to travel light, and not to be burdened by the provisions for their journey. He was instructing them not to worry, but to trust more in God’s presence and generosity. God will provide!

This week, a woman came for counseling. She had many fears and insecurities about her future, and many regrets about her past. She had many blessings and possibilities, but she was burdened by doubts, worries, hurts, and too much analysis and prognosis about her life. In her effort to solve the problems of life, she has forgotten to celebrate life. Too focused on her load, she has forgotten the joy, the peace, and the assurance that comes from the Lord. Too anxious about the provisions for her journey, she has become stagnant, insecure, and hesitant. May we all learn to trust God more, and worry less about our provisions as we journey on!

Last week, I also counseled a woman who had such a strong faith. Actually, I felt counseled by her simple and childlike trust in God and God’s providence and generosity. Against all odds, she ventured to seek employment in Europe, a feat that was almost impossible, considering her qualifications and resources, but she worked hard and trusted hard, and lo, she told me her application was approved. She had a heavy load, but she focused on the Lord. She said that she was making a sacrifice for the future of her only child. May we focus more on our mission, and less on the provisions. Let it not be so that too focused on the provisions for our journey, we forget our mission in life.

Provisions are needed in life, but if we get so engrossed in looking and hoarding provisions for provisions’ sake, then we miss out on an important matter in our life, i.e., mission for God, and service to others.

Someone said that there are five balls that we juggle in life, namely: family, friends, work, health, and God. We are reminded that, of the five balls, only work is made of rubber, i.e., if it is dropped it can bounce back. But, the rest—family, friends, health, and God—are made of glass, i.e., if we drop them, they can be shattered and lost. To paraphrase a biblical line: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses in the process, his family, friends, health, and God?”

Those who do well and become rich and famous are impressive people, but those who are rich and famous, and generously share the blessings to others are inspiring and edifying people.

When we come before the Lord at the end of our lives and He asks us what we carry in our bags at the end of our journey, what a shame it would be if we show Him all the worldly provisions that we hoarded, which we never used or shared with others. Dirty money and unshared money will be the biggest liability in our entry to eternity.

If you want to be rich, go ahead, but be rich with dignity and purity. Be rich not only for your family but be rich for a mission and distribution. Don’t be filthy rich; don’t be greedy rich; don’t be bloody rich; don’t be arrogantly rich.

Think about this: May we learn, that it is not what we have, but who we have in life that can make us truly happy.

A moment with the Lord.Lord, remind us to live not just for the money or for the show, but for a mission for people and for the love of You. Amen.

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