Monsignor Cris Garcia told The Freeman that Pope Benedict XVI also imparts that stewardship is not an option and that Christians should be willing to serve one another.
"We have to express stewardship in terms of love. These are the teachings that we ought to follow. To love and express sacrificial love to one another," he said.
Today, the church celebrates Holy Wednesday, the third day of the mini triodion.
Garcia said the gospel shows how Judas betrayed Jesus in exchange of 30 pieces of silver, thus today is called Traitor's Wednesday (Matthew 26:14-25).
"Even as Jesus knew that he will be betrayed by one of his apostles, he had still invited Judas to the Passover. Jesus welcomes everybody because of his love," he said.
Garcia said that as Jesus ate the Passover meal with his 12 apostles, he put them under trial to teach them to examine themselves rightly. "Like that scene, we must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us with faith hope and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are not tempted."
"Do we pray with confidence in the words Jesus wants us to pray: 'Do not leave us into temptation, but deliver us from evil?'" he said
"Peter survived the betrayal but Judas did not for he took his own life for betraying Jesus. I hope that we will not be like Judas who took his life for Jesus will accept us even as we have forsaken him," Garcia added. - Jasmin R. Uy