26th Sunday, Ordinary Time
What was wrong with the rich man in the gospel today? Why was he sent to the netherworld where he was in torment? What was his sin? Is it a sin to be rich? Is it a sin to be wealthy?
We all know that wealth per se is not bad. It is not a sin to be rich. But to be blind to the poverty of others because one is rich, to be blind to the misery of a neighbor because one is comfortable, to be blind to the deprivation of others because one is abundant that is a sin. Riches, comfort and abundance can make one self-centered and unconcerned. Dahil masagana, mayaman at komportable, wala nang pakialam sa kapos, sa mahirap at sa nangangailangan. Pero hindi lang mayaman ang puedeng maging bulag. Lahat tayo, mayaman o mahirap, kailangan nating magbantay baka manhid na tayo sa pangangailangan ng ating kapwa, baka wala na tayong pakialam.
Today is the anniversary of the sad tragedy that the typhoon “Ondoy” brought to us. Many lives have been devastated by this tragedy that until today, one year after the disaster, many are still striving to build their lives. If there is one lesson that we should learn from “Ondoy” that is indifference to nature means destruction to all of us. It is our tragedy not to be concerned and considerate of our environment. We have to be convinced that to take care of the environment is to take care of ourselves. If this is true in terms of the environment, so much more when talk about out relationship with our neighbor: to take care of the weak, to take care of the miserable, to take care of the needy around us is to take care of ourselves. This is the message of the gospel today. Kailangan nating matutunan na ang kawalan ng pakialam sa mga kapos, sa mahirap at nangangailangan ay trahedya para sa ating pananampalataya, isang trahedya para sa ating pagiging tunay na Kristiyano.
Let us not be indifferent. Let us not be unconcerned. Let us not be apathetic to the needs that exist around us because to do so is to invite our ruinous denouement.
