Twisted Conscience

During the first talk of the Feast series, Your Toughest Questions Answered: What Is God’s Will For Me, our Saturday Feast Alabang preacher, Bro James Nicolas, showed the text of an email that was sent to Light of Jesus Family founder, Bro Bo Sanchez. It read:

"… I am having an affair with a married man;

We deeply love each other;

But his wife is not letting go of him;

Please help me pray that my husband (sic)

finally separates from his wife..."

At that moment, old and familiar feelings of uneasiness and total disgust came rushing back to me. The email reminded me of someone in that same situation and, as I read the message again, I wondered, “Could it actually be her who sent it?”

The beginning…

He was already successful in his career when they first met; a rising star – very talented and hardworking. This young man was part of middle management in their organization and, to his superiors, he still showed huge potential.

She was equally ambitious. But her means did not exactly follow any standard career path because she decided that she wanted to take a shortcut. And her plans involved him. She was determined to become part of his success … as well as his life.

What made her scheme all the more devious was the fact that she knew he was a family man, happily married and with kids.

According to Bro James, one of the ways that God speaks to us is through our conscience. Everybody has one, but it’s important to know that our conscience needs to be “plugged in” to God’s word so that it can serve its purpose. Otherwise, it becomes useless, much like a mobile phone with a drained battery.

It was during one of the company gatherings that she got her chance. In the midst of all the merrymaking, when the object of her desire was already inebriated, she made her move and, in that careless, alcohol-induced moment, her plan was thus set in motion.

She told him of her plan to approach top management with a conjured story if he did not agree to be with her. He said yes because his career was at stake. He said yes … in exchange for blissful family life.

Four decades later, already retired, he still shuttles back and forth between his real family and her. It is a difficult, complicated life. His wife and children now know the truth but, in spite of all the hurt, they still love him as husband and father.

Some time ago, he became very sick. Different tests showed the same findings – cancer. His family thought it would make him decide to come back and stay with them for good but, to their dismay, it did not.

If we do not make conscious efforts to avoid the path of sin, the time will come when we will have a hideously distorted sense of right and wrong.

The end?

Sadly, she goes on living the same dreadful lie, with him, up to this very day.

God wants us to be happy. But happiness can never come from selfish desires that leave others in pain. This story is far from over. Even as I feel sad, I believe our Heavenly Father’s mercy will make all things right in the end.

*This piece was originally written in October 2013

**The Feast is a weekly celebration of God's unconditional love. It started in Manila, The Philippines and is organized by the Light of Jesus Family. The Light of Jesus Family is a Catholic community led by best-selling author and preacher, Bo Sanchez.