OUR MORAL COMPASS

Recently, a story went viral about an old man attack by several men in an e-jeep. A lady who felt disrespected initiated the attack and her relatives followed suit, including her father and brothers. Upon the review of the video recordings of the e-jeep, the old man did not commit any abuse against the lady. His knees accidentally touched her knees due to the movement of the vehicle. That little accident was magnified by the lady's creative mind, and ill consideration of the old man (who had been tired the whole day driving his e-jeep, and due to old age may easily be off-balanced even by slight and sudden movement). It was an accident and not an intended action from the old man. The lady's relatives are now in jail. The old man is considering filing a case against them. This could have been prevented if the lady had been critical in her judgment about the old man's actions. She could have been more considerate, more charitable, but she chose to be impulsive and unkind.

In the Gospel (Lk 12:54-59), Jesus teaches us to settle things that can be peacefully resolved among ourselves; to judge for ourselves what is right, instead of blowing out things out of proportion. Maliit na butas lumalaki. Konti gusot dumarami. We are to learn to choose the battle we fight, as not all battles are worth the effort. The things that we can ignore, we let them pass. Instead, let us focus our energy and strength on more significant things; say on being good and charitable. For sometimes, as we attend to trivial things, we might miss the important things in our midst, we might miss the “present” in the present. As the people in the time of Jesus kept on looking in the sky, they missed the Man who descended from heaven and who is in front of them.    

Truth be told, we know what is good. We know the right thing to do. But as we aspire to do the right, the evil temptation is at hand. The struggle is real in doing and choosing between the right and evil deeds, as the good in us is torn against the desires of the flesh. We end up in misery, that is, choosing the wrong and evil things. Like St. Paul we ask: Who will deliver us from this mortal body? Who will deliver us from this dilemma? We have the same answer as he had thanks be to God: Through Jesus Christ our Lord (cf. Romans 7:18-25a), who teaches us God's statutes. Jesus is our moral compass that can direct us in choosing and doing the right and good things in life. 

Choose to be kind.

Do what is right.

Lest you too might become viral in FB.