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Tina is my helper who comes to the house twice a week. Wanda is her 2 year-old daughter whom she brings along since her husband also works and she doesn’t have anyone to leave her with.

I am amazed at how Tina cares for Wanda and she shows this at every instance. Wanda would follow her mother everywhere in the house and Tina doesn’t show the slightest irritation. When Wanda is starting to feel bored, Tina would sing a nursery rhyme and Wanda would sing (and dance) along with her while the housework is done. Wanda normally sleeps after being breastfed and Tina would go on with her work. But once Wanda cries, she would drop everything, lie down beside her baby and put her back to sleep.

Tina and Wanda are two ordinary mortals, but they are my constant reminders of what is most important in life. We go about our daily routine trying to accomplish whatever it is we are tasked with. We are preoccupied with our work, trying to meet targets and beat deadlines. Heads bent and eyes fixed on the computer, we sometimes fail to look up and notice the things that are really important in our life.

St. Luke tells us about “… a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself…” (Luke 13:10). St. Augustine said that this woman is the symbol of those who have their hearts set on the things of this world. Eventually, these souls lose the capacity to look up to Heaven, to contemplate God and to see Him in the wonders of creation. Unfortunately, some of us spend a lot of time, others, their entire lives, looking at the earth. St. John tells us that this is called the “lust of the eyes”, a deep-seated avariciousness that leads us to appreciate only what we can touch. Such eyes are glued to earthly things and consequently, they are blind to supernatural realities. These are the eyes which find beauty only in things with material value and fail to notice those which do not give tangible pleasure.

Wanda is the most important person in Tina’s life…the only treasure she has from God and for whom she would drop everything for. Tina may not be aware of it but she gives constant glory to God by caring for the daughter He has gifted her with. She realizes she needs to work but does it only to meet Wanda’s needs. Thus, she would choose to absent herself from work and lose a few thousand rupiahs (Indonesian currency) whenever Wanda is sick or needs to spend some time with her.

Francis Fernandez in “In Conversation with God” wrote “that the Christian acquires a true grandeur of soul when he becomes accustomed to referring temporal realities to God. He takes advantage of the circumstances and events of his life to give thanks to God, to ask for help, to seek pardon for sins and failings.” He realizes that all that he has are from God and in the end, it is only God who should be most important in his life…his only treasure. Knowing this, everyday and everything would have a deeper, more special meaning…

We all seek treasures in this life… let us all ask for the Lord’s mercy so that He will make us realize that He is the ONLY REAL TREASURE we should have our eyes fixed on.

E-mail the author: bombet@genesis.faithweb.com

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