The all-knowing God decreed that some living things would have features to avoid detection from hungry predators. He endowed them with colorations to blend with their habitat, subtle features to avoid detection of enemies, characteristics so they would look like something else and with body contours to merge with their surroundings.
But to the Indonesian octopus—capable of impersonating other species—it was much more. The master of disguise, it “can copy or be everything”. Such is God’s power and generosity—make His creation conjoin with their surroundings, fade, hide or elude creatively enemies.
Man made in His image, He lavished them to the hilt. With intelligence, there seems to be no limit to how man can alter his looks through science and technology. And in his mind conceive the goodness or evil he wills.
Masters of disguise
The Church history is replete with people who disguised themselves as righteous, but were not. Too, there were personalities who claimed affinity with Christ and called themselves teachers or prophets, but were liars.
As the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, Saint Paul, wary of people who masqueraded as ministers of righteousness but were with Satan’s cunning to corrupt minds, counseled the faithful: “Even Satan masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Saint Matthew, the evangelist, likewise warned his church members of false prophets in sheep’s clothing but are ravenous wolves, and are not morally upright. He emphasized the quality of deeds and remarked: “So by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:15).
God in the guise of…
Fifty days after Easter, the apostles were in the Upper Room. With them were about 300 new Christians. The noise of a strong wind filled the room, and tongues of fire came to rest on everyone. Each one was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4).
It was Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church. “Christ now lives, acts and is with the church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1076). God’s presence through the sacraments is what common tradition of east and west calls Sacramental Economy.
God manifested Himself as a cloud on Mount Sinai to Moses and while the Israelites were wandering in the desert. He did the same during the dedication of the temple for the Ark of the Covenant by King Solomon.
Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Peter and John were likewise overshadowed by a cloud on the Mountain of Transfiguration. From the cloud a voice said: “This is my chosen Son, listen to him” (Luke 9:34-35).
To some saints, God came to make Himself known. To Saint John of God, he was a child on the roadside in tattered clothes and barefooted. He requested that he be carried by John. He placed him on his shoulder but he was so heavy that John requested that they stop and rest for a glass of water.
Coming down from his shoulder, the child was transformed into a bright light and said, “John of God, Granada shall be your cross,” and disappeared.
Approaching the city gate, a shivering beggar, almost naked, caught Saint Martin de Tours’s attention. The beggar’s blue skin beneath tattered clothes eloquently testified how miserably he endured the bitter cold of a winter morning.
With his sword, the military officer divided his cloak and gave half to the beggar. That night, Jesus appeared to Martin in a dream. Jesus told the angels, “Look, this is the mantle that Martin, still a catechumen, gave me.”
Not as a king or a leader did God come at the opportune time to convert, bring joy or comfort people.
He walked with two disciples in the village of Emmaus, and was even considered as the “only resident of Jerusalem who did not know what happened in the past few days”.
Mary returned early morning of the first day of the week after Jesus death to prepare his body for a decent burial according to Jewish custom. She mistook Jesus as a gardener and said: “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you laid him and I will take him” (John 20:15).
In the city of Naim, Jesus saw a burial entourage for the only son of a widow. Moved by pity for the mother’s sorrow, Jesus touched the coffin and said: “Young man, I tell you arise.”
The dead man sat up and began to speak. In fear, the people praised God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has risen in our midst!” (Luke 7:1-16).
God in your guise
If you have a date with God, how would you prepare for it? But, God appears unexpectedly and when least expected. He catches His friends off guard. The reason for His presence? Always, He is pleased for love and concern shared.
And surely, He wants to appear in your guise to brighten others’ lives. For didn’t He say, love others as you love yourself?
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Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater RedemptorisCollegium in Calauan, Laguna and Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons