Remembering the Three L’s

During the homily of Fr. Farley Santillan at San Antonio Abad Parish Bacolod last Sunday, I learned about the 3 L’s – The Least, The Lost and The Last

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is The Good Samaritan. This is found in Luke 10:25-37.

Jesus told this parable in response to the question raised by an expert in the law (a lawyer), asking Him who was his brother, to which Jesus narrated The Good Samaritan as His answer.

In short, Jesus is telling us that our “neighbor” is the one who is considered by society as the Least, the Lost and the Last. Those whom society does not want to take in.

We may be guilty of not seeing this at one point or another in our lives. How many times did we refuse beggars when they stretched out their hands towards us begging for alms? How many times did we relish at our own abundance when there are others who longingly look from afar? How many times did we waste food, not finishing that piece of Chicken Joy or the Chicken Singles at McDonalds, while many of our brethren enjoy eating what we have already thrown?
Jesus does not necessarily want us to live in poverty, but perhaps, we can do little things to somehow ease the pain and the burden of the least of our brethren. Give them a beacon of hope, something that they can hold on to, that despite the turmoil of their lives, God does not forget them.

One peso, five pesos, ten pesos, or even a single piece of bread can do so much in making that difference in the lives of our “neighbors.” Who knows? The five or ten peso coin that you give to that old and frail man sitting at the side of the road may just warrant him something to fill his hunger before he’ll close his eyes for eternity and meet his Creator.