Give. Share. Repent.

Photo credit to Bro. Nicer Natulla, CMF If you were part of the plant kingdom, what would you like to be? Barren Bush or a Tree? Accord...

Photo credit to Bro. Nicer Natulla, CMF

If you were part of the plant kingdom, what would you like to be? Barren Bush or a Tree? According to Jeremiah, one is like a barren bush not when one shows to be napaka antipatiko kundi that’s when he puts his confidence or trust in human beings. Like a bush because he / she is condemned to live in the desert. On the contrary, one is like a tree when he/she trusts in the Lord and puts his confidence in the Lord… coz its just like ur planting near a water fountain or spring that when dry seasons come, it continues to live and bear fruit coz may tubig nga.

I believe that we are living in a culture of a bush. Our technology is now advanced, our way of living is advanced, but we tend to be too proud to be auto sufficient, only confides in one’s own force. That’s why it doesn’t last most of the time. We live in a permanent paradox or contradictions: we achieve many things in technology but fails in humanity. Humanity still the same. Naiba lang ang level. Today we are not better than those who have lived twenty years or forty years ago. We have the same problems in the society and it continues to get worst.

The parable of Lazarus and of the rich man is one of the keys in understanding our society today.

Why conflicts arise in our world? Because we have built a humanity in which the strongest, prey on the weak, in which we have not taken seriously our status as children of God and brothers! This is our society. This is what we are. This is how we are. Or this is the way we let our lives be which is something different.

We have built a humanity in which the strongest prey on the weak, in which we have not taken seriously our status as children of God and brothers! The rich become richer. The poor become poorer. It’s not the money that is the problem, it’s not the money that makes one poor or rich. It’s the attitude that makes one rich or poor. If you gain money and you turn to be like a barren bush: mangagantso, magnanakaw, manloloko, kuripot, mata pobre you will be condemned to live in the desert. Mag iisa ka sa buhay mo. But if you turn yourself to a tree, bearing fruits, for sure, you’ll be rich and at the same time happy and contented in life hangang sa tumanda na ng lubusan.

Children of God? Well if we say we are all children of God, you are a child of God, he or she is a child of God, therefore we are all brothers and sisters. Then therefore we must be treating well each other. Kahit na alila mo yan, kapatid mo pa rin yan. Kahit na maid mo lang yan o hardinero mo, kapatid mo pa rin yan. Kahit na utusan lang yan kapatid mo pa rin yan. Kahit na amoy basura yan, pangit, nanganagamoy at ikaw ay mabango, maganda, malinis… kapatid mo pa rin yan. Bat mo tinataasan ng kilay. Why give the same treatment that the rich man gave to Lazarus.

I am reminded now by a book that I read in Philosophy, the leviathan. If a man becomes not a brother to his fellowmen, he will surely turn into a leviathan. A wolf that would eat everything just to be contented. A wolf that would eat all the sheep as long as he wants.

In this season of lent, we are asked to look at our lives… how’s our greediness? How do we treat our fellowmen? How do you treat those who have less than what you have? Are we like barren bushes, or are we like trees that bears fruits. Are you contented in life? Are you not contented of what you have? You have many? Give. Share. Repent.