By Dr. Dencio Acop
All superlatives lead to God. The kindness and humility of the human person. His self-giving and undying love. Her endless caring and generosity. Man’s quest for the common good and quality of life for all. His willingness to work for honest pay and unwillingness for dishonesty. Her faithfulness to her spouse and selfless devotion to her children. The leader’s exercise of principle and due diligence for people under his care. People’s faithfulness to their vows and sworn oaths that guide their actions and behavior. The respect of children for their parents and grandparents. The adherence to righteousness more than monetary gain. The courage to speak and act for the weak and lowly. The patience to endure and listen when it is so much easier to just ignore and mind your own business. The faith to trust. The duty to care. To serve with honor and dignity. To love and be loved. To learn and teach. To hope. Have faith. With charity in our hearts. Even when we have nothing left. And are weak in His ways. Somehow the superlatives are there. Anyway. And still.
All superlatives lead to God. I see it in the beauty of His creation everyday. Whenever I walk or run along the beach or up and down the hill. Through the trees and beautiful landscapes in every season and light. I see and hear it in the laughter of children frolicking in the park. In the beauty of the sky above and water below. In the passings and goings of people, places, memories, and times. Ever coming, never bending, but always full of mystery and hope. The beauty of the natural order I see in the infinite blending of future, past, and present. As if time already belonged to heaven. In the history of man that seems only yesterday. His struggles, dreams, and visions of an ever-fleeting utopia. This beautiful earth that is finite despite our illusions otherwise. Don’t tell me you don’t see this beauty that is all around us. Perhaps it is because we actually feel it more than we see it. I certainly feel it. The melody of a song. Its accompanying lyrics and voice perfectly blending. A beautiful sermon by a priest. A touching movie. The gesture of a loved one. Honest. Without fanfare. True.
All superlatives lead to God. All superlatives are of God. Man’s never last. Just this one hint. To drive home this fundamental difference. No matter the countless wars and deaths through history. No matter the coming of the Messiah. Man has only managed to hijack God’s superlatives with his delusional wealth (greed), power (greed), honor (greed), and pleasure (greed) as unworthy substitutes more like distractions. The real rich are all the poor. The real powerful are all the martyrs. The real honorable are all the heroes. And the real pleasured are those who suffered most. For the real superlatives are those that manifest the immortal heart and soul and not the body that dies. Happy are you that are wealthy despite being poor; powerful despite being powerless; honorable despite not having honor; and pleasured despite having suffered much. For to thou the kingdom of heaven belongs. All superlatives lead to God. Not to man. They never did.
