March 22, 2009
4th Sunday Of Lent
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
Ps 137
Eph 2:4-10
Jn 3:14-21

“And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, to prevent his actions from being shown up; but whoever does the truth comes out into the light, so that what he is doing may plainly appear as done in God.'
- Jn 3:20-21

If you go to our house in Pampanga in a typical day (a typical day is probably one when you are not expected to visit), you might think that we don’t feel the current global financial crisis. Or that money is super abundant at home. I am not saying that “money is really not a problem” (although, friends know me by that phrase), but you will see a P100-bill on the dining table, coins on top of the fridge, and another P50 bill inserted in a notebook on a coffee centerpiece. “Mga salaula” you might say. Not really. The bills and coins on the tables are usually payment for celphone load (which is a sideline at home...see we feel the crisis). Usually, if anyone of us other than my Ate Suzette, the owner of the e-load biz, answers the e-load customers, we usually just leave the fee anywhere visible and tell her later about it or probably leave a note. The story is actually not about us being disorganized or “salaula”. Rather it is about my ten nephews and nieces, aged 1 to 17, who come in and out our house every single day. Despite how equally challenging life is for all of us, and despite all the temptation of these money scattered around the house, never did we encounter a single coin missing at home. My bedroom is open to these Ten Little Indians because the desktop PC is in there but, hey, my wallet is just next to the PC yet I do not worry about it at all.

This might not be a big deal but I am really proud of my nephews and nieces for being trustworthy of little things like this. It reflects something of their character and the kind of upbringing my siblings gave them.

Truly one’s real character is what he/she does when nobody’s looking.

Who are we in the dark of night?

PS: Today marks the 6th year when I, Rhonee, Gwen, Mark, Lyn, and Tere held our first household prayer meeting. Happy Anniv JLU!!!