Faultfinders

The story is told about an elderly man who was apprehended by the police for speeding. The police officer said: “Sir, my shift ends in 10 minutes. If you can give me a good reason why you were speeding, I’ll let you go.” The old man said: “Years ago, my wife ran off with a policeman. I thought you were bringing her back!” The police officer smiled and let him go.

In today’s Gospel (Jn. 9, 1-41), we learn of how a blind man was healed by Jesus. On one hand, Jesus unconditionally did His work of healing and salvation, and on the other hand, the Pharisees were focused on the violations. Instead of finding God, they found faults. Instead of glorifying and praising God, they raised questions and doubts.

Are you a faultfinder?  It is easier to see and point out what is wrong. It is easier to doubt than to believe in goodness. Indeed, it is easier to destroy than to build, to shoot down than to raise up. Such is our human nature. Such, especially, is the trait of the self-righteous. Such, also, is the trait of those who are burdened with envy and insecurities. A Spanish proverb says it so well: “A thief sees a thief in everyone.”

There are those who find fault because of convictions. But there are also those who find fault because of connections. There are those who say they find fault “for love of God and country,” but in reality, they do so for love of power and money. And so it is that we have professional barkers with personal agenda, party affiliations, or group connections. Where critics, bashers and trollers abound, the evil one, “the great accuser of our Brethren,” is working behind them. Don’t play his game.

The blind man stood his ground. In spite of negative comments and oppression from the Pharisees, he declared, “He is a prophet,” when asked who Jesus was. He encountered the Lord, and personally received His healing.  His belief in Him was sure and unbending. In the end, it is what God says, not what people say about us, not even what we say about ourselves, good or bad, that matters. The Gospel today ends with this declaration: “I do believe, Lord.” After everything has been said and done, what matters most is not what has been said by so many, about so much, but what God says.

Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. Mary said her “yes” in spite of so many fears, insecurities, and uncertainties because of her trust in God, and her obedience to His will. May we, too, be given the grace to serve God and not to serve men, to be focused more on God’s agenda and less on our worldly plans. Focus. That’s what Mama Mary teaches us again and again.

A few days ago, over supper, I told Fr. Joe Panabang, SVD, our Filipino missionary in Ghana, Africa, for the past 30 years who is on home vacation, that March 25 is Earth Day. “What’s that?” he asked. I told him that once a year, we turn off the lights for one hour at night to conserve energy, and to emphasize love for Mother Earth and Mother Nature. Nonchalantly he said: “Oh, that. We have that in my parish all night, every night.” Wow, that hit me. Indeed, they say little who serve much, and love much. There I was talking about Earth Hour for one night, and here he was, doing it every night back in Ghana.

Last week I wrote about Jose Mari Chan, and acknowledged his talent as a songwriter especially with his song “Christmas in our Hearts.” He sent me a text thanking me for the kind words, but he also told me something significant: The great composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, once said that we merely write the notes but it is God who composes the music, and that everything comes from Him. Indeed, if we have God in our minds and hearts, we see everything and everyone with gratitude and humility; we harbor no envy, and we do less faultfinding.

A moment with the Lord:

Lord, like You, help me to see, not faults and weaknesses, but strengths and goodness. Amen.