A Plate of Spaghetti

$25 for a plate of spaghetti. That’s how much I paid at a fancy restaurant in Quebec City. And I don’t know if eating at a table on the sidewalk can be called fancy, although we had a good view of the downtown area. It was 3 pm and we were all famished. My hunger was enough to drown the thought of paying such an extravagant price for a simple dish. The food tasted delicious, the serving was large and it filled my stomach, so I told myself it must be worth it.

How easy it is to fork out $25 for a meal, $100 for a designer bag or $60 for a pair of jeans. Yet when the collection basket comes around during the Mass, most of the time I look for a $5.00 bill or change.

How much does it cost to save my soul? If I can translate my faith into dollars, how much will it be? I’m not saying that I can bribe God with my offering but true love manifests itself in a generous spirit. Surely, my faith is worth more than a $25 plate of spaghetti.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, That there may be food in my house, and try me in this, says the LORD of hosts: Shall I not open for you the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure? (Malachi 3:10)

Faith in Action

I rode the bus and had to stand because it was full. I stood in front of a lady whose large bag was on the seat beside her. Since the bus was jampacked, the decent thing to do would have been to bring down the bag so somebody could sit. But she didn’t do that. I gently asked, “Is that bag yours?” She glowered at me, rudely answered “Yes!” and continued muttering angrily under her breath.

You meet a lot of characters on the bus and subway but this one particularly struck me. As she continued to whisper expletives, she read the Bible she was holding.

At times, I can also be a hypocrite like that woman – professing my faith yet failing to love, reciting Biblical verses yet speaking harshly to others.

We can pray, go to church every day, memorize the Bible, proclaim our beliefs, but if we are unable to demonstrate that faith to others, that faith is empty.

For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)

Who's Bigger?

“Mama, come!” my daughter yelled. I rushed, wondering what the problem was.

“Look, there’s a spider!” she and her younger sister screamed. They’re deathly afraid of spiders, bugs and insects. When a fly or mosquito enters the house, it’s a major disaster for them.

“It’s only a small spider,” I said. It was actually ‘itsy-bitsy’.

“Yeah, but it can bite and it will be painful,” she answered back.

“Who’s bigger – you or the spider?” This was my usual reply. But I still ended up getting rid of the spider. And my two daughters sighed in relief.

Sometimes, we can react like that to our problems. We see a disaster when in fact, it is only an annoyance or a minor disturbance. We go about as if the whole world has fallen on us. We end up worrying needlessly when in reality, our concern is so minute.

I imagine God saying “Who’s bigger – you or your problem? Who’s more powerful – me or your problem?”

Let God take care of it.

All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor. With length of days I will satisfy them and show them my saving power. (Psalms 91: 15-16)