JOIN USSometimes we tend not to face the reality of our life. Instead of being plain and simple, we tend to be complicated. There are some events, experiences which we want to forget but cannot. We are ashamed of them and are perpetually in dread when they would become public. We are afraid when the skeletons would tumble out of the cupboard.
Every now and then we hear of scandalous stories about people in public office, sometimes true and at other times grossly false. There is always hope among the detractors that somehow some hidden thing may get revealed in this fashion. Probing leading questions, accusations have the habit of eliciting unforeseen replies.
There is also another technique people employ. Keep on saying something false day in and day out and in the end something may stick. A French thinker and revolutionary Voltaire during the time of French Revolution is supposed to have said "Tell lies about someone and keep at it always and you will find that at the end at least some lie will stick". This means that people will begin to think that it must be true somehow.
One is somehow helpless in the face of such slanders. Should I react or should I keep quiet?
This is often a troublesome question. But what is always important is to see that there is nothing to hide. If there is a transparency in what we do who can even dare to accuse or think of accusing. Jesus could claim boldly: Who can convict me of sin?" (Jn8.46).
This was because his life was plain and simple. They tried to topple him in so many ways with many a tricky question but he was able to answer them and silence his opponents, But this did not stop them from heaping on him false accusations at his final trial before the Sanhedrin (Jewish court of those times) and before the Roman Governor Pilate. We are told that before the Sanhedrin not one of the accusations brought against him could pass muster since the witnesses were contradicting themselves. Pilate, according to the Gospel of John, declares four times during that trial "I find no cause in him to condemn him" (Cf John chapters 18& 19).
So my friend let our lives be plain. If you have done wrong humbly accept your fault. If you have sinned ask God pardon. Let your life be simple and your speech be plain as Jesus recommends. Let it be "yes" if it is "yes" and "no" if it is "no" (Cf Mathew 5.37). As for the slanderer leave him to God. St Paul says in his letter to the Romans: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." (Rm 12.19). So why should you waste your time thinking about the wrong that is done to you? Only see that your life is plain, simple and transparent.