Selfishness and greed
The story is told about a bus driver who was offered a handful of peanuts by an old lady seated at the choice seat behind him. He gratefully accepts and munches on them. Soon after, the old lady gives him another handful of peanuts. The third time she does this, the driver finally asks her why she keeps giving him peanuts. The lady’s reply: “That’s because I have no teeth, and I just love the chocolates around the peanuts.”
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In today’s Gospel (Lk. 14, 7-14) Jesus teaches His disciples about humility and generosity. Let us avoid the temptation and the desire to have the “choice seats” as we go through life and learn to be humble instead. Also let us learn to let go of “choice cuts” and learn to be truly generous to others instead of giving only the “peanuts” and the crumbs to them.
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“Ang taong mapagkumbaba ay pinagpapala (A humble person is blessed).” “Ang taong mayabang ay tinatamaan (A proud person gets hit).” How true. History and current events have attested to the simple truth that it pays to be humble and lowly. It does not pay to be proud and greedy.
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A lot of our problems and troubles could be avoided if we learn to be humble to God and to others. When we sin, we disobey God’s will because of our pride, believing that we can do without Him. When we are proud, we cut our dependence on and need for God. The road back toward God’s heart is humility. Unless and until we take this road, we will not have true peace.
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A lot of our problems and troubles can be healed only with humility. When we accept our failures in humility, reach out to God and to others in humility, forgive others in humility and forgive even ourselves in humility, then we are healed and we are free. As someone put it beautifully, the best calming tea is humility.
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Another highly recommended tea is generosity. The greater the generosity, the deeper the serenity. Generosity, when given truly and abundantly does wonders to the peace and well-being of a person. Happy are the generous. Blessed are the generous!
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The recent flood control scandal involving contractors and government officials could have been avoided had they taken the road of humility and generosity. Sin makes us believe in our own powers and influence. Humility could have made them obey God’s commandment not to steal, not to lie and not to be greedy. Indeed, how much money does one need in this life to be happy? Is it worth it all? What does it profit one to have the whole world and in the process, lose his/her good name and in the end lose his/her soul?
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If we take the road of humility and being hidden, we don’t need to seek the limelight. Rather, we seek the true light. A person who has seen the light does not need an audience, a stage, a forum, an event, or a venue to feel his or her self-worth. Our true worth is what God says, not what other people say; what God wants, not what we want. True validation comes from God alone.
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“As we grow older, our main goal in life is not happiness but Godliness, not reputation but character, not wealth but virtue, not fame but faith, not the approval of people but the approval of God.” This text message says a lot. In fact, this text message I received says it all.
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For people who are obsessed to go up the ladder, our advice is: Go further. Aim high. Aim beyond the ladder. Aim for heaven! The worldly ladder can bring us to the top, above the rest, but it can be lonely up there especially when you stepped on others just to get there. Instead of climbing up the worldly ladder, try the stairway to heaven.
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Think about this: What is a “social climber”? A person who climbs up the ladder using other people. And what is a “cliffhanger”? A person who tenaciously holds on to anything or any person so as not to fall. Suggestion: Why not be a God-climber or a God-hanger instead?
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“Trouble to the one who builds wealth through corruption, who makes people work but cheats them of their pay. Your heart only chases money, violence, and abuse. Because of this, God will judge you.”– Jeremiah 22: 13, 17
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, deliver us from selfishness and greed. Amen.
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momentswithfrjerry@gmail.com
