It is quite ironic that we are proud to be the only nation in Asia that is predominantly Roman Catholic — but are we really Roman Catholic in thought, word and deed?

I admire my formator, the Rev. Father Ryan de Guzman Bores, OHF who patiently keeps reminding us to always be humble in everything that we say and do, in our every interaction and work with one another, with all those whom we encounter in life, even strangers and everyone we meet on our path.

In today’s readings, we are reminded clearly that each and every one of us as Christians must not allow ourselves to be swayed by our pride and desires, our ambitions and the worldly attachments that are all around us. Because if we continue to be obsessed with keeping our worldly desires and ambitions, our pursuit of the satisfactions of this world, we may end up losing sight of what is truly important in our lives as Christians, which is to focus on God and His salvation.

The greater we are, the humbler each and every one of us should be, instead of being prouder and more ambitious and greedy, as many in this world behave.

Many of us might not be aware that we may be causing great suffering and hardship to others around us due to our unbridled desires, ambitions, and all the other things that we seek in life.

Whether we accept it or not, our pride and ego often are the cause of our undoing, as we do not want to give in to others and we tend to think we are better than everyone else, or that we cannot be wrong or mistaken in our thoughts and ways.

Unfortunately, this often leads to clashes with others, and in our pursuit of things to satisfy our wants and desires, we may cause suffering to those around us, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Many people suffer because of the greed and desires of those who seek more glory and worldly satisfaction for themselves, be it for material goods, wealth and possessions or be it for fame, renown and ambition, for power, prestige and glory in this world.

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My greetings and best wishes to Eric M. Mercado, who was named Assistant Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). He was formerly assistant regional director of NCR–NBI. As Assistant Director, I know

Eric will support the plans and programs of the new NBI Director in accordance with the mandate of the agency to investigate crimes, provide technical assistance, act as a national clearinghouse for criminal records, and maintain a scientific crime laboratory.

This includes assisting with extradition and mutual legal assistance, and performing other duties that may be assigned by the President and the Secretary of Justice, such as cases involving national security and transnational crimes.