Deriving good from evil

IT has happened a number of times before. Someone commits a mistake, yet it’s a mistake that carries a clear sign of goodwill. And so even if something wrong was committed, one can’t help but appreciate the good it contained.

Recently, a young student gave me an envelope that was supposed to have some amount. Though he meant it for me, I made sure to tell him I would give it to some common fund I share with some people.

But it was empty. I tried to tell the young donor about it, but I forgot and failed. Then days later, the boy texted me asking if the envelope indeed had some money. Apparently, the other envelope he gave to another priest held no money.

So I told him mine did not have either. That’s when he gave me so profuse an apology that I had to reassure him it was all right. I told him I was already deeply impressed by his generosity—at least in intention—for which I was very grateful. That pacified him and he promised to make up, which he did.

I remember that many years ago, when I was still in high school and was helping my father who was a lawyer in typing some papers, something similar occurred.

A client of his, someone who came from one of the towns and clearly with very modest means, suddenly was in need of a typing job. That’s when I offered to do it, meaning it to be gratis, on the house. At that time, I never thought of charging anyone for my services.

But when I was through, the man felt obliged to give me something. He hastily dipped his hands into his pocket and then gave me a “golden” handshake, a discreet way of passing money while shaking hands. I, of course, tried to refuse, but he insisted. Then he rushed out.

When I opened my hands, I saw, not money but a used bus ticket. The whole incident filled me with amusement, because I saw how good that man was, again at least in intention, in spite of his mistake.

Hours later, he came back asking if it was money he gave me. In my thoughtless youthfulness, I just wore my naughty grin, and showed him the bus ticket that must have heightened his embarrassment. He then frenziedly dug his pockets again and fished me a ten-peso bill, quite used and dirty.

Of course, at that time, it was already big money for me, but I was more gratified to see how his heart was much bigger than what he gave. The experience left me floating on the thought I was surrounded by good people.

These might just be simple cases of innocent mistakes that bore loads of goodness. I know there are more difficult situations, involving a degree of malice. But the skill of deriving good from evil is something we have to learn fast these days.

St. Paul says something relevant in his letter to the Ephesians: “See how you walk circumspectly, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (5,14)

I can’t agree more to that statement. In fact, I think that we already condition ourselves everyday that something wrong and evil can befall us, since the possibility is always there. And from there, to act accordingly.

Though St. Paul’s words are more a call to prudence, we need to develop the skill and virtue to draw good when evil is already done. This is what charity is all about.

For this, certain habits need to be developed. We need to be quick to detect the good intention, the generous effort employed, the many mitigating circumstances surrounding a failure or error.

We need to be quick to find excuses for the one in a blunder, to forgive and forget, and to find ways to correct lapses, solve problems and reconcile, avoiding wasting time lamenting and carping. We have to learn to be magnanimous.

We have to learn how to simmer down our spontaneous anger or a persistent sadness, bad humor, discouragement, cynicism. It would be good to know the finer points of patience, optimism and cheerfulness.

Such goodness should be the oxygen we breathe and the element we use to purify the air around us. We should never allow even a perfect storm of negative events to sink our spirit. In the end, it’s the spirit that can draw good from evil.

Tact, delicacy and good manners are always welcome, for they show a refinement and strength of spirit. Let’s rein in our emotions and with God’s grace rev to the max the goodness of our heart.