By Farah G. Decano

 

WHEN Jesus Christ asked what the blind man needed,  the latter knelt down and exclaimed, “Domine, Ut Videam!”

The blind man was actually blessed with a vision that others with good eyes did not have. He knew his inadequacy and prayed for the fulfilment  of what was lacking.   He begged, “Lord, that I may see.”

This Holy Week, what do we contemplate on? What do we pray to Jesus for?  Are we aware of our own shortcomings?  If we are not, then how do we overcome this sightlessness?

Catholic Catechism teaches us that we are created in God’s image. This means that our core  is of the highest value among His creatures.  How do we reflect this divinity in our lives?  Do we live by the teachings of Jesus and the basic principles of justice and charity?

In order to know what  Godly image we should mirror  in our  daily existence, we must first know Him. Before, we merely  relied on our  observation of nature and how it manifests the Great Artist that made it.  Nowadays, there is an abundance of materials about Our Creator, His perfection and the virtues He expects us to incarnate in this so-called Valley of Tears.  No one can no longer ignore His existence.

It is unfortunate that despite the many saints, the various  philosophers who affirm the reality of a Supreme Being, and the numerous holy men who wrote the scriptures, there are still those who refuse to acknowledge Him. Worse, there are those who simply refuse to  give justice to the Image from which we were fashioned.

For really, to admit and appreciate the truth about our core is to acknowledge the Greatness that created us.  Those steeped with humility will genuflect and obey the will of the Supreme Being. They will have  found their purpose.

The Wisdom of God is not like us.  He gave us the faculty that can choose or reject Him.

What are those that cloud our judgment, refuse, and abandon our Creator?  Not a lot really. Actually, we only have one that distracts us from the Will of God. Yes, just one. It is the self.  Whenever we start thinking or doing, we pass micro judgments and make the choice between God’s glory or our own self-aggrandizement.

Remember Nebuchadnezzar?  The powerful king who won many wars and thought of himself as greater than God?  His frequent victories led him to the false exaltation of himself.   God sent him warnings through prophets but he ignored them. To teach him a lesson, God stripped him of his royalty, banished him from  his own kingdom, and condemned him to a life of an animal that ate food from the ground. It took the proud king several years to finally admit his foolishness and humbled himself.

Do we see in ourselves the modern day Nebuchadnezzar?

What about our government officials? The governors, mayors, councilors, chiefs, directors and judges?  Do we see in them the humility of Jesus or the arrogance of the condemned biblical king?

Many people I know who have enjoyed power for so long begin to have a false sense of self. They exhibit  maladaptive behaviour  that they either oppress people or  demand  undue benefits.   Sometimes, I wonder if they truly believe that their so-called powerful standing will last forever.

I pray for the present day Nebuchadnezzars who are cloaked with government authority.  They are so  blinded by their own follies. They do not see their idiocy for thinking that they will always get away with their abuses. I cannot help but petition, “Domine, Ut Videam.”

“Lord, that they may see.”   These king and queen wannabes are so unaware of their own monstrosity. Their frequent choice of the self and their consequent  “non-serviam” to God has disfigured their spirits.   May they see the image they have fashioned themselves to be. May they shudder in painful fear because it is no longer God they see in the mirror  but the devil’s.

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