What Matters Most

            “What matters most is not what I hold in my hands, but what I carry in my heart.”  This is a quotation from one of the books of Rev. Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, entitled “Meaningful Moments”.

            Fr. Orbos made that statement  after reading the last will and testament of Don Alfredo Gothong, patriarch and chairman of the Board of the Gothong Group of Companies, who was buried in Cebu last Jan. 15, 2008, which reads as follows:

“I have lived in this world a long time.  Yet  life is brief and fleeting.

To all my loved ones, I want you to instill in your hearts that the best,

the most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even touched,

but must be felt with the heart.”

               Fr. Orbos then reflected: “ That is quite a statement coming from a man who left a fortune to his family through honest and hard work.  Indeed, “if through one person, a little more love and goodness have come to this world, then, that person’s life has had meaning.”

            For the past few days, this reflection of Fr. Orbos has  lingered in my mind and made me ponder on what I could best bequeath to this world when I shall pass away.  I humbly acknowledge that materially I do not have much to give.  Definitely however, I believe God has blessed me with a BIG HEART and HELPFUL HANDS.  These are what I could  leave to this world  which may not be seen but I hope will dwell in the hearts and minds of all those I have served with love. 

            “To serve with love” – is, therefore, the best that I could bequeath to this world during my lifetime.  Hence, everyday as I pay a visit to our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, I pray: “Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will.  What is it that You want me to do to serve You in the people I meet today.” 

            Every day has its own challenges.  Some are easy, others are difficult.  What gives me courage to tackle any task  is the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Talking to our LORD JESUS CHRIST, I pray:  “When it comes to serving You LORD, I give all I have got.”  I then do whatever I could possibly do in the best way I can  and lift up everything to the LORD for His honor and glory.

            What matters most for me then, is  to manifest the love of God as I go about doing whatever I could possibly do under the concrete circumstances of my life with the hope that somehow each day I shall have touched the hearts of those I encounter.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

Dec. 16, 2012