GIVE TO GOD WHAT BELONGS TO GOD | HOMILY 18 OCT 2026 with Fr Jerry Orbos, SVD

HOMILY | Oct 18, 2026 A RABBI was once asked how he divided the collection he gets from his church services. “Oh that’s easy. After the service, I throw the collected money upwards. That which stays up there belongs to God. That which comes down belongs to me” was his short, smart reply! ________________ The Gospel today speaks about rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and rendering to God what is God’s. (Mt. 22:15-21) The fact is that everything belongs to God. Even our very life comes from God. But we often think we can outsmart Him when we leave Him out of our lives. We often do not render unto Him what is His, and appropriate for ourselves the time, the talents, the treasures which He has given unto us. Do not ever think that you can manipulate God, or outsmart Him. He has the final say. He holds the final accounting. So, when will you stop playing God in your life, and allow God to be God? ________________ There are some people who are so selfish and so self-centered. They have no sense of giving. Only getting. They actually believe that unto them only belong the power, the fame, honor and the name. Like this one person I met at a party once. For five minutes or so he kept talking about himself, his achievements, his opinions, etc. I just kept quiet and listened. After a while, he noticed how he was monopolizing the conversation, so he said “How about you Father Orbos? What do you think...about me and about what I just said?” Wow! For some people, it’s just I, me and myself all the way! ________________ The ability to go beyond oneself and not to grab anything for oneself is what we surely need in our country today. I spent four years as a missionary in South Korea, and I admire the discipline they have as a people and their strong sense of nationalism. “URI NARA”—our country—is a constant refrain on the lips of everyone young or old. In the Philippines, we talk or think much in terms of our family, our clan, our company, but hardly about our country. We will never have a better Philippines unless and until we learn to really sacrifice for our country and for our common good. Let us go beyond personal fame and name, and render to God, and to others what belongs to them. ________________ It is autumn now in Korea. It is a beautiful time of the year when the rice fields are ready for harvest and the trees are laden with fruits. The Koreans have a beautiful custom of not harvesting everything in the fields and leaving some fruits in the trees so that the animals and the birds will have something to eat when the cold winter sets in. Yes, let us render unto nature what is nature’s. Let us take care of our land, our natural resources. Let us be considerate of Mother Nature, and she will be there for us and for the children, long after we are gone. _______________ It is disgusting and sickening to hear lying politicians and government leaders spill out their convenient truths before the public. What I have noticed is that they are getting better and bolder all the time, and somehow they seem to get away with it. Truth indeed has become such a lonely word. Justice has become so selective, and public service has become so anemic. This is a simple case of God being left out, and gospel values being evicted in order to uphold what is profitable and convenient. ________________ The greatest enemy of commitment is that which is convenient. When values are gone, then anything is possible. Remove God from the picture, then even the frame collapses. Remove God from the heart, from the family, from a nation and from the world, then there will be chaos, disorder and confusion. At this point, let us all ask ourselves: Am I an instrument of God’s truth, or am I an instrument of my selfish dreams and schemes? ________________ The whole world belongs to God, and we must render unto Him what belongs to Him. Today is World Mission Sunday. Please pray for all our missionaries all over the world and continue to support them. They have left home, country and family, braving deprivation, loneliness, and even persecutions “out there” to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We too, “in here” must do our share, and do our mission, wherever God has placed us. “Precious is the life given for the mission.” (St. Arnold Janssen, SVD) __________________ A moment with the Lord: Lord, more than fame and name, help me to seek to do Your will in everything. Amen. Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer * Like and follow us on Facebook:   / frjerryorbos   Subscribe to our channel on YouTube:    / frjerryorbossvd   God bless you, and Mama Mary loves you! * #frjerryorbosmasstoday #frjerryorboshomilytoday #Sundayhomily