No matter what happens…
I heard this story from our Irish (very much Filipino!) confrere, Fr. John O’Mahony, SVD, about a mother superior of a small congregation who was dying in a remote village. She would not eat and would not even drink milk. One of the nuns saw an Irish whiskey in the kitchen, and she poured a generous amount into the milk. When the mother superior tasted it, she took one sip, and then one more, until she finished the whole glass—to the joy of her nuns. After she said her goodbye and gave her last-minute instructions, she closed her eyes. Then suddenly, she opened them again, and said: “Oh, one more thing. No matter what happens, don’t sell that cow!” And she expired, with a smile.
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The Gospel today (Matthew 15:21-28) tells the story of a Canaanite woman who held on to the Lord with a lot of tenacity. All that mattered to her was the healing of her daughter, by any means, and no matter what happened. It was precisely her humble and persevering faith that made Jesus notice her, give in to her request, and even praise her. The problem with many of us is that when we ask, we have doubts and reservations. Her faith was total and unconditional.
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How do we deal with people who come to us begging? How do we handle requests? The easy thing to do is to dismiss them, and reason out that they are just parasites and opportunists. The other easy thing to do is just to give a dole-out right away to feel good about it. Jesus responds neither with outright refusal nor outright dole-out. He listens. He allows the woman to express her request. He makes the woman “work” for her request, to give her some self-respect and dignity in an otherwise shameful situation.
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I wonder how beggars or people with requests feel after they encounter us. Oh yes, they have feelings! Begging is a shameful experience enough. Do we shame them further? Do they end up grateful? Do they leave cursing us? Do we encourage them to continue begging? Do we make them feel empowered? No matter what, remember that it is not so much what we give or do not give, but how we give or do not give that also matters.
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The Canaanite woman teaches us the value of persistent prayer. We must pray much, pray well, pray always, pray on. A text message said it so well: “When God doesn’t seem to answer your prayers, don’t hang up. Hang on!” The value of persistent prayer is not that God will hear us, but that we will finally hear God!
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Years ago, I experienced watching a show on a battery-operated television set whose picture became smaller and smaller as the battery supply got drained slowly. There was no instant blackout, but a gradual diminishing of the big picture. This is what happens to a person who is not plugged in God in prayer. Sooner or later, that person’s world becomes so focused on his little personal concerns, and in no time at all, other people and even God are left out of the picture.
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Truth is dangerously becoming a scarce commodity in our country these days. Lying, cheating, and corruption are beginning to be almost a given in our Filipino culture. This is the sad legacy of a very greedy few who amass wealth and hold on to power by all means. We all hurt people in one way or another, but to hurt a whole nation and the coming generation with our selfishness and greed, and rob them of their hope and dreams are things that we should not allow in our beloved land. Lord, have pity on us! Lord, help us!
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Losing our ancestral home in Bani, Pangasinan because of fire last July 22, 2026 was not easy for us. The memories are still there, but the house is gone. However, we are grateful that there were no casualties, and no other nearby homes get burned. It was a very consoling and heartwarming moment for us when some commented that, typical of the Orbos family, public servants, who help other people, they do not spread damage or hurts to others, nor make others suffer. In humility, we say Lord, we are your servants. Thank you for the opportunity You have given to us to serve, and to spread hope and love. Amen.
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, no matter what happens, help us to come closer to You, hold on to You, and stay with You. Amen.
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