WORD ALIVE
There’s a true story of an elderly American couple, Larry and Betty Bartells.
They had six children, a nice home, and lived a relatively comfortable life owing to Larry’s high-paying job.
They could have coasted for the rest of their lives, looking forward to getting that last child through school, and enjoying their retirement traveling around the world.
But that was not to be the case.
Moved by reports about hundreds of children in Lima, Peru living in misery “for whom each day is a nightmare of hunger and danger.” Larry and Betty took off for Peru to learn about the children’s conditions there.
At an age when many people were worrying about their investment portfolios and retirement accounts, the couple used their personal funds, convinced they had to start an orphanage for those homeless children.
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We can’t all do what the Bartells did. But in whatever capacity and situations we are in, we too should reach out to our needy fellowmen.
The couple’s uplifting story illustrates how one can exemplify the gospel of the feast of All Souls’ Day. The gospel, which is Jesus’ parable of the Last Judgment, reminds us of the last things in life: death, our soul’s immortality, and last judgment or making an account of our life before the Lord.
If you read the parable carefully (Mt. 25, 31-46), you will notice that our judgment will not depend on our intelligence, our good looks, our fame or riches. We shall be asked on one single question: “How much have you done or not done for people in need?”
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The Tulfo brothers and sister: Sen. Raffy, Rep. Erwin, and Jocelyn have shown acts of charity, like immediately donating ₱8 million to the suffering victims devastated by “Kristine” in Bicol, particularly Naga.
Congressman Erwin Tulfo together with the ACT-CIS party list donated ₱1 million in cash and over 2,000 sacks of rice which was handed over to the Angat Buhay Foundation headed by the former vice-president Leni Robredo.
Another charitable and a well-known TV personality is Willie Revillame. Touched by the miserable condition of the poor victims, he contributed a check of ₱3 million directly to Leni Robredo. By the way, when Willie handed the check, he said, “Don’t bother to give a receipt anymore.” To which Leni replied, “No, that’s against our policy.”
There are some other charitable and honest people. May other politicians, business people, and many others emulate what the Tulfos and Willie Revillame have done.
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Jesus as King will become visible in the Last Judgment but, according to the parable, he is already present among us – although hidden in the face of the poor, the hungry, the sick, the suffering.
Christ, who “went about doing good,” is our model for living.
The parable of the Last Judgment is a dreadful scene. But for those who are faithful to Jesus’ teachings and put them into practice, it will be a day of glory.
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Rosary bracelet for a cause. Please support our seminarians by buying the magnetic rosary bracelets. The proceeds will go to our Adopt-A-Seminarian scholarship program of Christ the King Mission Seminary at E. Rodrguez Blvd., Quezon City.
The magnetic rosary is not only a prayer article but also helps a normal blood circulation.
E-mail Alvin Espiritu at [email protected].