KAPWA

August 3, 2025 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080325.cfm)

Once I came across a lesson about leadership. It simply says that there are two kinds of leaders: the go-getters and go-givers. Go-getters are leaders who aspire, work and strive on things in order to GET, which is to acquire, accumulate, possess, own, and have things only for themselves; while Go-givers are leaders who aspire, work and strive on things in order to GIVE and to share things with others. The big differences here are the motivation, objective and beneficiaries of leadership.

Go-getters are motivated by GREED while Go-givers are motivated by SERVICE. Go-getter are more concerned of themselves, and aiming for hoarding power and wealth, while Go-givers are more concerned with others – aiming for sharing power and wealth. Go-getters promote, self-centeredness, individualism, greed, consumerism, selfishness, and materialism, while Go-givers promote community, service, other-centeredness, selflessness, and inter-relationship. In other words, Go-getters do everything to get what they want, while Go-givers do everything to give & share what they have.

Our modern high-tech western world today has obviously promotes go-getters leaders. In our schools, government, workplace, business, media world and even in our church, Go-getters has been recognized and praised. People nowadays prefer Go-getter leaders, who have a lot of everything – money, influence, cars, power, connections, and latest gadget. We can sense Go-getters mentality in the air.

Slogans like: “obey your thirst”, “why settle for less”, “satisfy your cravings”, “be an addict”, “go for the best”, “be a millionaire”, “mabilis cash” are just few of its catchwords. Go-getters are clearly personified by “Gollum”, a character in the Lord of the Rings. He does everything for His precious ring, even to the point of murder, betrayal, and deception. All his life was directed toward getting back the ring, his precious. 

Although the go-getter mentality is the in-thing & promoted nowadays, we cannot deny that we, Filipino by our culture are Go-givers. Because of our Filipino philosophy of “KAPWA”, it is our nature to do anything in order to share what we have. Everything that we have is not only for own selves but for others to share.

This is why we Filipinos can more identify with the hero Frodo Baggin’s close friend & companion, Sam (or Samwise Gamgee) who does & will do everything for the sake of his friend & of the fellowship.

Consider, it is only here in the Philippines that have the concept of bring house (or might be known as “Balutin mo..). We do not only attend parties but we also extend it to others who are not able to attend it by bringing them some food, to make them part of the party. It is only here in the Philippines that have the concept of PasaLoad, or Share a Load. Imagine, sharing your telephone bills with others.

Same way with Balikbayan box. Until now, foreigners have a hard time understanding Filipinos saving and sending goods to Philippines where you could get & buy anywhere locally. For we know that those goodies are not for themselves but for others to share – for lolo, lola, igsoon, barkada, neighbors and others. Best example for this is the “eat-all-you-can” meal spree in restaurants. Although tempting and reasonable, it did not work well with Filipinos because of its “no sharing, no left-overs, no bring house” policy. Yes, Filipinos like to eat, but we like to eat with others. It is not the lavish or limited food, but the fellowship in eating whatever the food available at the table.

Surely Jesus in our gospel today openly criticized go-getter leadership and mentality in the world. He reminds us that life and God’s grace are meant to be shared with others and not to be hoarded for oneself. Go-getter, amassing power and wealth for oneself is all meaningless – vanity of vanities, does not bring lasting happiness in life. For Jesus then, what God has given us is not only for ourselves but for us to share with others. God’s graces are Shareware, not private property but public consumption, intended not for your own reign but God’s reign. 

This is what Jesus warning us in today’s gospel, when he exhorts, “Be on your guard, and avoid every kind of greed, even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life.” This reminds us that we should beware and vigilant of our human tendency for greed of any forms – much more if we take advantage of the greediness of others.

Like what Jesus said to his disciples, “things that make people fall into sin are bound to happen, but how terrible for the one who makes them happen! It would be better for him if a large millstone were tied around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch what you do!” (Lk 17:1-3). In other words, beware of greedy  go-getter people as well as of promoters & advocates of go-getting leadership.

While our world today advocates Go-getters, Filipino Christians must be Go-givers in life and in God’s kingdom. Remember what Jesus directed us, in Mt 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you,” and in My 6:20-21 “store up for yourself treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Let us then seek what is essential and righteous before God, for that gives life and happiness now and always.

So May It Be. Amen.