True riches
An old man lay dying. In between his labored breathing, he would call out the names of his loved ones. One by one, they came to his side to whisper a tearful goodbye. Finally, when he finished his roll call, he opened his eyes, looked at all the people gathered around his deathbed and shouted “My gosh! You are all here! Who is minding the store below?”
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The search for a “treasure buried in the field” and for a “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:44-52) has led many a soul to go astray. How many persons, how many homes, how many relationships have been shattered because of money and greed? How many people have sold their principles, their bodies, and their very souls for money? Ask yourself for once: All this effort, all this frenzy in search of money and more money, where has it brought me? Where is it leading me? Is it really worth it all?
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If we neglect the spiritual in our search for the material, we end up with what Mahatma Gandhi calls “sins of the world”: wealth without work; knowledge without character; science without humanity; worship without sacrifice; politics without principles.
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The Gospel today speaks of final selection and separation of who is good and who is bad. Money can make us good or bad. Before that, let us all do our homework of separating what is good and what is bad within each one of us, with the purpose of selecting and deciding for the good. For example, money in itself is not bad, but how we acquire it and how we use it can make it good or bad. We have said it before and we say it again: Use your money for your salvation, not for your damnation. Do not become a slave to money. Do not become a prisoner of money. Do not become a victim of money. Don’t make money your god.
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All this holding on to whatever or to whoever, is it really worth it all? The secret to real peace is letting go and letting God. Why lose sleep, why lose your goodness, why lose your name, why indeed lose your very soul for the sake of earthly riches, power, and pleasures? Let us all pray that we be lifted up by God’s love and divine will so that we will be able to let go of anything or anyone in this world that imprisons us. I dread the day when I come face to face with God and He tells me: “Why did you not treasure my love over your earthly desires and loves?”
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Think about it: We spend so much time and effort, even a whole lifetime going after things that we don’t really need, which will always elude us, and which we cannot bring along with us. Detachment is a lonely road, but it is the only road that leads to peace. It is not an easy road that leads to God’s heart. If things go wrong and troublesome, it is time to consider the invitation to take the “road less traveled.”
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Papa and Mama taught us not to be business minded, but to be goodness minded, not to search for worldly gems that fade, but for real gems (God Encounter Moments) that we carry with us through life to eternity. May we not be so focused on our career, financial, and popularity journey, so as to neglect our journey to God’s heart, and to other people’s hearts.
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Last July 22, 2026 was a very sad day for the Orbos family. A fire burned down our century-old wooden ancestral home in Bani, Pangasinan. It was a simple house, with so many happy memories. It has survived natural calamities, as well as World War II. It has been a service house, half-way house, a welcome house to so many, and from it came so many public servants. We let go. We let God. Thank God there were no casualties. Life goes on. The mission to serve as instilled by our elders by their words and examples goes on.
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“The Lord has given; the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21) BTS! Believe, Trust, Surrender! In any misfortune that comes along, let us not forget the UPLOOK (to pray to God), the IN LOOK (for lessons learned); and the OUTLOOK (for mission still to be done).
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I have said it before, and I say it again: What matters in the end is not what we hold in our hands, but what we carry in our hearts. May we have no or little regrets in the end that we loved too little, too late, just because we loved ourselves too much.
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, help us to seek not the riches that fade and flee. Amen.
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momentswithfrjerry@gmail.com
