It is not hard to be good when it does not cost one so much, to be generous when one has plenty to spare. I read from the book of Mark 10:17-30 about the man in the Gospel who runs to Jesus, full of enthusiasm and goodwill. Jesus looks at him with love and admiration. He sees in him a lot of potential and challenges him to aim higher. So Jesus asks the man to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and have his treasure in heaven. The rich man walks away sad from Jesus’ challenge.

I believe that Jesus is not telling us not to work and earn for our living or after the hard days work leave nothing for us. But instead Jesus cautions us about our attachment to material possessions. Money, work, earthly pleasures and possessions can possess us and imprison us. How many of us have lost our health, peace of mind, relationships, values, honor and even our very souls because of our greed and because of our insatiable pursuit for money.

To work hard and earn more money for a living is not a sin. What is a sin is when we tend to ignore things around us because of our greed and obsession for money. Money can buy us happiness but not joy. Money can buy us a house but not a home. Money can buy us a title but not honor. While it can make us happy it can also make us unhappy, stresses and sad. What we need to learn is a healthy attitude toward money, and not to be enslaved by money, and not to make money the center our lives.

The trilogy typhoons — Ondoy, Pepeng and Quedan, forced many of us to reckon with trash that we have accumulated through the years and hopefully made us realize the futility of holding on to useless, excess luggage in our journey in life. Try to think of it — What have you given up during these difficult times? Have you sacrificed something? Did you reached out? Have you gone out of your way or have you walked the extra miles?

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