[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 11: JANUARY 11, 2022]

The greater enemy of authenticity is BS

Mark 1:21-28. Jesus drives away an unclean spirit

If the Word is analogous to the Truth, what would be appropriately analogous for “unclean spirit”? A lying spirit?

For me, the greater enemy of the Truth or the person pursuing authenticity is not necessarily lies. The greater enemy is… bullshit (BS).

(See a quick introduction on bullshit as a technical term, popularized by Harry G. Frankfurt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Bullshit)

It’s rather fascinating to encounter BS as a technical term in the academe, and somehow there is both humor and discomfort when I discuss this with colleagues and students (yes, in one of our humanistic management classes, one of the modules is to discuss BS!)

In a sense, Frankfurt argues that a liar respects the truth (and deliberately chooses to conceal it), while a BS-er does not care. A BS-er would tell anything — a narrative, a claim, an appearance — without regards to truth, as long as the claim benefits the BS-er.

I’m beginning to agree that BS is more harmful than lying. Come to think of it, there is such thing as “white lies” — something that is said with good intentions, to protect another from the harshness of truth (because truth can be inconvenient, indeed). But is there such thing as a “white bullshit”? (Haha, the imagery of a bird’s poop come to mind.) Seriously though, I can appreciate how a white lie can be well-intentioned, but BS seems very selfish, more self-serving.

Authenticity and critical reflection of the Word invites us to think and arrive at reasonable judgements. BS does not; it’s overly concerned on what looks good, what feels good, without critical appreciation and internalization of a substance or mechanism. This is why I don’t think anchoring faith only on a supernatural experience or supernatural apparition is sturdy; at worst, it can be a form of BS that just makes us feel good, but ultimately prevents us from a deeper understanding of God.

In corporations, fixating only on the financial bottomline (and even manipulating the books to appear “good”) is a form of BS. In politics, claims and narratives without regard to truth is BS (ahem, “Perception is real, the truth is not.” Google this quote!)

I pray that the Word has some answers on how we can pursue Truth. As Lonergan argued, we have a “pure desire to know” and this pure desire is oriented towards the good. Thus, we should avoid the tragedy of avoiding the pursuit of eureka moments; our quest for insights is what makes us more integral humans.

BS may smell good at first, but the stench it brings to our spirit is undeniable.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 6 to 10: JANUARY 6-10, 2022]

How should we pray?

What greater test of a new year’s resolution than to battle COVID at the onset, right? Haha! As I like to say to my friends and even students, God’s sense of humor is funny this way. At the same time, it is perhaps in this kind of humor where I can draw the insight – the meaning – behind a new year, a new baptism of sorts… despite the conditions we live in.

The coronavirus, with all its mutations and variants, is here to stay, for better or for worse. How should we pray? Do we call on God to magically eradicate the virus away? I find more peace praying the Serenity Prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr:

“God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.”

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer)

God is a reasonable God; His miracles have manifested through our wise medical doctors, the creators of vaccines, our frontliners, the care from our loved ones, friends, and colleagues. To ask for more, to pray for more, may be selfish or greedy on our part already.

The virus is here to stay, but God has blessed us with serenity, courage, and wisdom. It is now our responsibility to adapt — how can we design businesses, organizations, and systems that better respond to the given of the times? This is the challenge that we must collectively think and feel about.

Some experts are optimistic: the omicron is the beginning of the end of the pandemic (Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1536724/omicron-beginning-of-the-end-of-pandemic-but-public-has-to-remain-careful). But now is not the time to abandon care nor reason nor faith; we have to lean into these gifts and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

References: Gospels after the Epiphany and entering the short ordinary time
Luke 4:14-22
Luke 5:12-16
John 3:22-30
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 (Baptism of Jesus)
Mark 1:14-20 (First week of the short ordinary time)

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 5: JANUARY 5, 2022]

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”

Gospel – Mark 6:45-52. After Jesus fed five thousand men.

We tested positive for COVID-19. The Gospel seemed like a personal message from God: “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”

I would always tell my students, know your controllables and try to manage them. For the uncontrollables, try to mitigate them. But perhaps this is where reason can fail and faith shall enter.

My controllables and knowns: we took vaccines, we regularly drink vitamin C and zinc to boost immunity. If this is the omicron variant, early reports say that omicron is more contagious but less lethal.

But there are still unknowns, and many things can go wrong.

Therefore, take courage and faith. I take courage from the fact that we prepared for this, and I take faith that all shall be well.

Get vaccinated, get boosted!

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 4: JANUARY 4, 2022]

On the Word and the miracles

Gospel – Mark 6:34-44. Jesus feeds five thousand men.

This is one of the most popular miracles. From a supernatural angle, this demonstrates the ability of Jesus to multiply food. From a more rational angle, this story demonstrates how the human Jesus can inspire followers to be generous with one another.

Perhaps a running theme of my reflections would be to ponder miracles: should I believe in miracles literally, as in empirically and actually happening? Another question could be: should I anchor my faith on literal miracles to be an authentic Christian or Catholic?

My current answer might be in contrast with the belief of other Christians: no. I may be having the courage to adopt this kind of stance precisely because of people of the Christian faith who are also proponents of reason.

In fact, at the risk of expressing a more controversial stance, I am having a growing opinion that it does not matter to me if the miracles and the resurrection would be debunked. What matters more would be to anchor my faith on the virtues and invitation of Christ to reflect, as He would articulate via the parables, His revised commandments on loving our neighbors, and the Beatitudes.

As Aquinas and Lonergan beautifully articulated, the beauty of life and the world’s ecosystems suggests that there must be a Grand Designer or a Primary Insight; the Word. Therefore, there must be a benevolent God. To me, the human Jesus provided lessons that other humans could potentially live out. And our quest for meaning and purpose suggests that we need spiritual nourishment, or flourishing something beyond our own egos. (Food for thought: should miracles have to be literally real to encounter the insight that there is a Grand Designer or a Primary Insight? I don’t think so. That’s why it matters less to me if miracles would ultimately be debunked.)

Is the human Jesus inviting us to commune with the Word? I strongly think so. The human Jesus does not strike me as prideful nor jealous (compared with some of the Old Testament depiction of God). He invites us to think and deeply reflect. And I find a growing appreciation for the Catholic Liturgy of the Word, because in this practice, we can better partake of the Word in Holy Communion.

Other humans, even those who claim to be holy, are fallible. We’ve heard of sexually abusive Catholic priests. Heck, I have even learned of teachers of faith who sexually abuse minors! Therefore, a person who claims to be a holy silver bullet seems more likely to be a fake messiah, for this person tempts the vulnerable to reject reason and blindly obey, “just because”.

Thus, my resolution seems to grow stronger: spirituality only anchored on blindly obeying a personality, as well as spirituality that fully rejects reason, is incomplete and unreliable. Spirituality anchored on both faith and tempering reason, to me, is stronger or preferable.

I come to this conclusion perhaps because of my experiences engaging in dialogue with my parents, mentors, friends, and loved ones, who can agree to disagree with me, yet I have strong faith that they are always looking out for me as I look out for them. It doesn’t matter who “wins” the argument. What matters more is the collaborative discernment towards the Word, the Truth, the Primary Insight.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 3: JANUARY 3, 2022]

Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25. Jesus grows His public ministry

How do we “truly follow Jesus”?

It seems that the allure of Jesus is in His ability to materially manifest miracles – healing, and later on, turning water into wine, and multiplying loaves of bread to feed five thousand. This could be an eye-catching spectacle on the realm of the material and empirical.

However, I wonder if a faith anchored on amazement towards the material representation of miracles (as in, experiencing miracles) is a strong and deeply rooted one?

Lately, the representation of Jesus that resonates most with me is being the Word incarnate; the Word made flesh. I am inspired by how Lonergan characterizes God as the Primary Insight where all other insights emanate from. Insights require intelligence and inquisitiveness in iterative understanding, as well as reasonableness in judgements and meaning-making.

Therefore, for me, to truly follow Jesus is to reflect on His words (as the Word Himself), which implies that critical and creative thinking should not be surrendered. A kind of faith that is mostly contingent on material manifestations of miracles seems incomplete at best or hypocrisy at worst. Reflection and action is needed, for it means that the faithful gained insight from the Word and acted in virtue.

Is this not what a personal miracle should be?

Imagine if businesses and organizations can go beyond products and services that only target sensual pleasures and alleviation of physical and emotional pain. Imagine if marketing is not only driven by perceptions, but instead drives the market to lead better authentic lives.

The Word is more than what meets the eye and what pleases the senses. Thus, the more important (yet humanly attainable) miracle is to internalize the Word and act in virtue instead of fixating on replicating the materially impossible made possible.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2: JANUARY 2, 2022]

The King of the Wise Men

Matthew 2:1-12. The Magi visit Jesus; Herod fears losing his throne

I want to reflect on two points: (1) Herod’s political ruthlessness versus the kind of leader Jesus would grow to be, and (2) the wise men being drawn to Jesus.

First, in mainstream strategic management, the goal of business is articulated as follows (with similar variations):

Competitive advantage.

Profit maximization.

Gaining market share.

Herod’s insecurity against any entity that could topple his rule is beginning to be displayed. The traditional view of kings and leaders is that they are strongmen, ruthless, dictator-like. This is in direct contrast to the kind of leadership Jesus espoused – servant leadership and humility. Jesus seemed to like going against the norm, eh? Haha!

This is parallel to the growing movement today in business and management, that more emphasis should be placed on social and ecological well-being rather than the traditional profit maximizing perspective. If Jesus were to be a manager today, how would he act? Would he rebel against myopic shareholder value maximizing activities? Would he willingly give up enormous executive compensation to help company frontliners get decent living wages? How would he define “value”?

For now, I don’t have the answers to my inquiries, but this is a great segue to the second point for reflection I want to engage in: the wise men being drawn to Jesus.

One thing I have come to deeply appreciate in the Catholic faith is the presence of philosophers – thinkers, proponents of reason. St. Thomas Aquinas easily comes to mind. In my research, I cite Fr. Bernard Lonergan (on insights and the general empirical method) and our action research guru Fr. David Coghlan. When I was young, “science vs. faith” was something that piqued my curiosities. But the existence of these wise men make me appreciate the Holy Spirit’s gift of knowledge and wisdom; intelligence and reasonableness. There is harmony in science and faith.

What separates a cult and a religion based on authentic spirituality? My answer is how they approach blind compliance versus encouraging critical thinking. A cult = blind compliance. An authentic religion = ethics, virtues, critical thinking.

After all, for a teacher and a researcher, what better spiritual experience than to know God more deeply through a series of aha and eureka moments? Thus, for me, the powerful prayers are those where the Holy Spirit provides me clues on how to answer the dilemmas I may be facing. Helpful hints, not answers in cheat sheets. Right now I feel God telling me that He has carried me multiple times and will continue to do so; but I’d rather see two footprints on the sand, to walk with Him, not just always let Him do the heavy lifting. This is what it means to integrally develop, right? A religion should feel more like a way of life towards integral development, rather than just a series of rules to blindly comply with.

I draw inspiration from how the three wise men sought Jesus. If I fashion myself as wanting to grow in wisdom and insights, maybe I should seek the Word too.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 1: JANUARY 1, 2022]

The Shepherd of shepherds, the Manager of managers

Luke 2:16-21. The shepherds visit the newborn Jesus.

For this new year 2022, one of my resolutions is to honor and hone my writing / general insighting skills while practicing my Christian spirituality. I intend to do so by writing my personal daily reflections on the Gospel for the day, specifically on how the Word could provide insights on management and organization.

Hopefully, this can intellectually and spiritually nourish whoever reads this. As Fr. Dave Concepcion mentioned in one of his homilies, we need to exercise virtue for we could be the only Bible or Gospel another person sees or hears for today. Perhaps this is how I desire to heed that invitation.

The Gospel for January 1, 2022 seems very opportune to start my personal writing / insighting resolution – shepherds recognizing the holiness of Jesus as the Shepherd of shepherds. Should we view Jesus as the Manager of managers too?

Before the pandemic, I consulted Fr. Luis Lorenzo for spiritual guidance in navigating a career in the academe. And one of the key insights that struck me the most is the importance of virtue. Simply put, virtue meant a deliberate and consistent practice of good habits towards good intentions. These two quotes came to mind:

“Good better best, never let it rest, until good becomes better, and better becomes best.”

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

How do we reconcile this with business management and organization? Perhaps there is insight in what being a prophet really means. We tend to view prophets as predictors of the future. I think prophets anticipate the future via the Holy Spirit’s gifts of knowledge and wisdom, allowing prophets to “read” and “really see” how societies and entities interact towards good or bad outcomes.

Managers can be prophets of the good news by deliberately designing organizational systems that facilitate practice of virtues – shepherding mentees, staying true to the divine (old and new testament) commandments, and prioritizing socioecological well-being as primary outcomes of management and organizing.

(I realize I am tending to write plenty of business jargon here, so perhaps I should improve on this in the next days for easier understanding and more effective articulation.)

As a segue to the next Gospels, one of the questions I’m pondering: why does Jesus speak in relatively ambiguous ways? My tentative answer is that Jesus does not want to spoonfeed the Good Word, and as intelligent beings, we must embrace pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, be intelligent in our insights and reasonable in our judgements. The parables and His examples allow us to derive more benevolent meaning and insights towards a more fulfilling spiritual nourishment.

The Shepherd of shepherds. The Manager of managers. Let us be accountable to Him in the way we lead, manage, and organize!