prudence - holy tuesday

Today we look into the first of the Cardinal Virtues, the virtue of prudence.  In Christian art it is represented by a woman holding a mirror because a mirror represents truth and self-reflection.  Sometimes prudence is depicted by a snake, because the snake is the symbol of wisdom.  What is prudence?  Prudence is called the auriga virtutum – the charioteer of the virtues.  It is called the charioteer because the cardinal virtue of prudence concerns itself with the action to be taken in a particular circumstance and how that particular action is to be carried out in that particular circumstance.  Simply said it is doing the right thing, at the right time and in the correct manner – that is prudence.  It concerns itself with the what, when, where and how of virtue. Ask yourself the following – what is the good action – to visit the sick; when are you going to visit the sick, surely not during office hours when you are expected to do your duty for which you are paid for or at a time when the sick needed rest; how are you going to visit, the manner in which you are going to do a good action – how will you treat the sick, will these help the sick in his recovery?  It is a what and how, a when and where questions.  You ask questions like these because not all good actions are good, and not all virtues are real virtues when these do not pass through what we call correct judgment which is prudence. 

Today is betrayal Tuesday, the day when Jesus was betrayed.  Many times we vilify Judas because of his betrayal.  In Oton for example we burn his effigy when we were young and it was always a spectacle we would cheer on.  But come to think of it, why did Judas betray Jesus.  There are a lot of speculations, even the gospels say it was because he loves money so binaligya niya.  Pero kon kwarta ang rason why would you kill the goose that lays golden eggs, indi bala?  I suspect that like in all of us it was a classic case of a proverb made real – the road to hell is paved with good intentions, ang dalan pa-impierno napuno sa maayo nga mga tinutuyo.  I believe Judas intended something good.  I do not know what it was but I think it was something good.  So how did it end badly?  There was no prudence – it was not the right thing done at the right time and done in a correct manner.  Prudence controls our expressions of love and care.  Prudence helps us do the good well.  Kon wala ginabinagbinag, if things are not discerned well even the best of intentions can lead you to hell.  Prudence is needed, practical wisdom is important.