Vignettes
‘God mode’
By Francis OngkingcoCebu Daily News
“Hi, Dave, wuzzup?” Sherwin greeted his mentee who was rushing out from a classroom.
“Guess everythin’ is more down than up, sir.” The student shrugged his shoulders.
“Wanna talk about it?” the mentor asked.
“Nah! Sorry, sir, maybe next time. Am in rogue mode now.” Dave let out a deep sigh and went his way without saying more.
* * *
“You don’t mind telling me what ‘rogue mode’ exactly meant last week?” Sherwin asked a calmer Dave.
“Oh that? That was nuthin’, I guess…” He avoided looking at Sherwin while he downed another can of beer.
“Okay, I get it. You just want to pass, then?”
“I didn’t say that.” Dave winked back. “I guess am not yet ready to discuss it.”
“Fine, but whatever it may have meant, try to be in God mode next time, okay?”
“God mode?” Dave laughed. “That’s only for cheating on computer games, sir!”
“Well, yes and no!” Sherwin was glad that Dave’s mood was lightening up.
“So what exactly is it?” the mentee asked.
“It may have some similarities with how it is in computer games,” the mentor replied.
“Really? Like how?”
“Well, don’t we feel secure when we use ‘god mode’ in games? That is, we can play the game without getting killed or beaten? Best of all, we win the game!”
“So? Where’s the challenge in that?”
“In video games the challenge may disappear. In the game of our spiritual life, it’s a mode that gives the person more confidence and optimism, but not because he becomes immortal or sinless.”
“So how does one click on ‘god mode,’ sir?”
“It’s my way of saying that we have to strive to live for God.”
“Live for God? Aren’t we already doin’ that?”
“But we can further refine it. In fact, in a book I’m reading ‘In Silence with God,’ the author says that to live for God involves three things: ‘we must see Him in everything, we must make ourselves dependent upon Him, and we must lovingly submit everything to Him.’”
“Wow! That’s a whole lot of three things.” Dave opened another can of beer.
“Let’s summarize them a bit while you’re still absorbing all that beer—I mean, these ideas I’m sharing.” Sherwin gestured to a waiter and ordered some more appetizers.
“I’m freakin’ in, sir!”
“To see God in everything and glorifying Him in everything we see. The spiritual writers says that ‘here we need the eyes of faith. Which sees every thing the day brings not only the workings of nature, of good and bad influences, or of evilly disposed persons but also the hand, the Providence, the ordinance of God. It is He who orders and guides, He who gives and takes away, He the great reality we recognize in every event and circumstance.’”
“Whoa! I’m gonna need some good spiritual eyeglasses, dude!”
“To be dependent upon God in everything is described by the author as ‘we are no longer affected by anything else; only the will of God is operative in our lives. God’s commandments and will are our norm and guiding principle. No longer do we desire anything that would offend God, anything that would be inconsistent with His will and commandments. (…) With faith and confidence we submit to the sanctions, ordinances, and decrees of Providence, yielding up all resistance in the inner and outer life, and saying in loving humility: “Not as I will, but as thou wilt. Thy will be done.’”
“That’s pretty hard, sir. Does that means I can’t order another beer?” Dave winked at his mentor.
“Well, that really depends on each one, but even our insignificant choices have more weight when we consider the third point.”
“Wasn’t that something about love?”
“Glad you’re listening, Dave. Yes, to love God in everything. Thus Baur says, ‘Love alone makes it possible to forget everything else and offer ourselves entirely to God. Love makes God all-in-all to us, the sun around which we revolve. Love directs our thoughts and intentions to God. It enables us to see Him in everything, to meet Him in everything, to hear His voice in everything, to live with Him in all things and relate everything to His will. (…) To everything that gives and takes, love has only one answer: For Thee, O Lord, out of love for Thee.’”
“You know how I can summarize what God mode really is, sir?”
“All right, let’s hear it from you, Dave.” Sherwin was all ears.
“Quite simple, it means: let God win in everything we do.”
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