No Easter without Good Friday, Villegas reminds public

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines  – Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas reminded his flock that there is “no Easter without Good Friday, no blessing without the cross” in his meditation on the second Sunday of Lent.

In a letter to priests for their homily today, Villegas said stewardship is renunciation of greed and selfishness. Stewardship recognizes that God owns everything and God owns every Christian, he said.

He advised the people that an attitude of absolute ownership over self and over things leads to decay and death.

“It is only when we act as faithful and generous stewards that we can find abundant fruitfulness. In perfect renunciation of self-serving ownership, we live as responsible stewards,” he said.

Villegas said, “In renouncing exclusive ownership of your time, talents and treasures, we receive the promise of unlimited fruitfulness.”

In managing our time, talents and treasures with contentment, generosity and humility, you invest in eternity, he added.

He quoted this biblical passage that reads: “Do not store up treasure for yourself here on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves can steal. Store up treasure for yourself with God where no moth or rust can destroy nor thief can come and steal it.”