Scraps

The story is told about a boy who put a $1 bill into the collection basket. Just then the man behind him tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a $20 bill, which the boy promptly dropped into the collection basket.  Looking back, the boy said: “You’re generous man, sir.” The man answered: “Son, that was your $20. It fell out of your pocket.”

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In today’s Gospel (Mt. 15, 21-28) we hear of the Canaanite woman who begged for Jesus’ help for her daughter who was being tormented by a demon. Though unworthy, she persisted in her plea, “for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Such humility! Such faith! Such gratitude!

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How compassionate the Lord is!  His love goes beyond racial and religious barriers. His compassion is for all, including strangers and outcasts. Most of us limit our loving and giving only to those who are deserving, and to those who do not disturb too much our comfort zones. At it were, we give scraps, and say a lot of crap besides.

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Speaking of scraps, I can’t help but shake my head in anger and disgust whenever I listen to congressional hearings, realizing how much money have been and are being stolen from our people! Why? How much money does one need in this life? It saddens me to know that we are like dogs, waiting for scraps to fall from the table of our masters. Shame on you who lie, cheat and steal from our people!

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There’s a lot of talk about “second hands” these days, like second-hand choppers, second-hand smoke, second-hand rumors. These are all garbage. But what always makes my heart bleed is whenever I see people, especially little children, going through the garbage looking for second-hand food. If only our national thieves did not steal from them!

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As a little boy, I never had much privilege of buying or owning brand-new stuff. I was always a “second-hand” boy, waiting for hand-me-downs. Frankly, it was not a baggage for me at all. I took it all in stride, but I know the feeling of littleness whenever I see luxury being flaunted, or whenever I see poor people being abused or disregarded.  The Lord teaches us today to be sensitive to the needs—said or unsaid—of people around us. May we not become callous and uncaring, and may we not take refuge in our rationalizations and justifications.

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As the disciples wanted to get rid of the bothersome Canaanite woman, we too have our own way of sending away people who disturb us. The fact is that people who encroach on our time and money are often treated as a threat, so we often dismiss them, avoid them or put them in their proper place.

How many times have we turned our backs or pushed away people who cross the line?

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How much are we giving back to God? All too often we give to God so little of our time, talents and treasures. May we not be filled with regrets towards the end of our lives that we gave so little and so late to God, and realize that we have given Him only scraps.

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Fr. Gregorio Fabia, SVD, spent the last 17 years of his life, wheelchair-bound, in our retirement house after he suffered a stroke in 1994. He died at the age of 67 last Aug. 9, 2011. What he gave to God these 17 years was by no means scraps. He offered his sufferings, and continued to do an important work for our Society by faithfully saying Mass daily for the intentions of our Mission Mass League members (Mass cards). Even in his pain and loneliness, he continued to cheer up our confreres and co-workers.

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Maria Corazon “Coy” Chang has gone back to the Creator at the age of 46. This was a woman who was so full of life, and who loved much. Her passing away reminds us that life is short, and that we should not postpone our conversion to God – and our loving. Let’s go not so much for quantity but for quality in life.

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Tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption. Mama Mary reminds us that we too must rise above our cares and burdens and give our best, not our scraps, to God.

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“Do your best, and to God you leave the rest.”  All that is expected of us is not to give up trying. Let us not stop in our pursuit for excellence, goodness and truth. May we never give up on people, and on ourselves.  People will never know, but in the end, we ourselves, and God Himself will know if we have given our best, or our scraps.

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Calling on all alumni of Christ the King Mission Seminary for our homecoming on Aug. 20, 2011. The celebration will start at 1 p.m., with games. At 6 p.m., there will be a Mass, and this will be followed by a dinner program.  This year’s theme is “Tara Na’t Bumalik sa CKMS Para sa Daang Matuwid.” See you!

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me to give my best, not my scraps, to you and to your people.  Amen.