Have you ever stopped to think that you are not really a giver? That you have never really given anything in life? That are in fact, only and constantly a receiver, never a giver?

    If you took stock of what you think to have, is there anything at all you can call your own? If you made a list, because all else depends on whether you are alive or not, right? So, why do you keep saying, “I will give this,” or “I will give that,” when you don’t own anything? If your very life is not really yours, then it is just borrowed for a while: the house you live in temporarily during your brief sojourn on this planet; the vehicles you use to travel from point A to point B; your trophies and certificates to show that you excel, somehow; the children you sacrifice everything for until they and so you can buy the things you need—even the things you really don’t need; and so on and so forth. You may have a long list that stretches all the way to China, but it would still be a list of things entrusted to, not owned by you. And even of you’d shout, “I earned them with the sweat of my brow,”

    Therefore, the word “ share” not “give”, would be a more precise word to use when you part with anything, because you are only sharing out of what has been entrusted to you by the One who owns everything from eternity to eternity. The word “apportion” would even be more precise, because it signifies some kind of planning that goes into it. One would say, “This portion will go to my children’s education,” or “Here’s a portion for those who go to preach and win souls for Christ, since I myself am not able to go to the mission field.” That is the mark of a good steward. He knows how to apportion what is entrusted to him for a while.

    So you see, you and I have never, ever really given anything, since we have never owned anything. We have always been receivers from God’s loving hands. The question now is, have we appointed properly every precious gifts entrusted to us by God, gifts such as time, talent, position in society, skill, money, etc.? Think well, because this is perhaps one reason why there is still so much darkness in this world, so much sin, so much rebellion against God: perhaps, we have apportioned more for ourselves, for pleasure and comforts that are fleeting, things that perish, not for the salvation of souls, even if we already know that all things will pass away— and only what’s done for Christ will last!

BISHOP MECHAEL M. CABAHUG

SECRETARY GENERAL-QCPM