GOD’S WAYS ARE INSCRUTABLE. This is the thought that has been running in my mind in the past few days while I was reflecting on the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob, as narrated in the Book of Genesis, which was the subject matter in the First Reading at the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the first week of July, 2011.
The story of Joseph, I presume, is known to all Christians who have been reading the Bible. For me, it is a story that baffles my imagination. From an incident that practically made Joseph helpless, in the eyes of his brothers, into a very influential man which made his brothers bow down before him – this, indeed, is a wonderful story which shows how God can affect, guide or control events to make the good triumph over evil.
Looking back at my past life, I recall certain events that, indeed, weighed me down. But in the course of time, I have been lifted up to certain positions in the field of education and politics which were beyond my expectations.
In a company which I helped to start from the scratch, I served as the First Office Manager for a period of six years. I was then groomed to become the Assistant General Manager and eventually the General Manager, for which reason I was given the opportunity to take a course of Master in Business Administration (MBA) at the Ateneo de Manila University. When the time came, however, that the position of Assistant General Manager has to be filled in, someone else, who practically knew nothing about the business was the one chosen. I actually had to orient him on some basic rudiments and mechanics on the operation of the business. It was, then, that I thought of changing my job from office work to a teaching career.
The University of the East in Manila gave me the first two years of teaching in the College of Business Administration from 1964 to 1966. From the College level I was offered a Post Graduate Teaching load at the Ateneo de Manila University in the MBA Program. From there I was invited to serve as College Dean in several schools, namely, Divine Word College of Urdaneta, St. Louis College of Tuguegarao, St. Louis College of San Fernando, Divine Word College of Laoag and St. Paul College of Tuguegarao. I found my teaching career more challenging and fulfilling than that of my past office work.
Aside from my work in the field of education, I was also given the opportunity to serve in the field of politics as a Municipal Councilor in my hometown, Tuguegarao, for eight consecutive years.
As a kind of sideline, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) also engaged my services as a Consultant in the NEDA Regional Office of Region 02 for a period of two years.
I am about to reach the age of 83 years and as I look back at the path of my life I could clearly see the providential care of God for me, especially in those times when I was in dire need of help materially as well as spiritually. How He made use of people and events to pull me out from critical situations were beyond my expectations. Indeed, God’s Ways are inscrutable.
by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
July 10, 2011
