Killing the soul is a greater murder

Killing the soul is a greater murder

It is admirable that we are now paying more attention to mental health and holistic well-being beyond the physical. Indeed, when Rizal quoted Edward Bulwer-Lutton, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” our words and ideas can be more violent than punches, slashes, or gunfire. (Not to diminish physical violence issues, though!)

A few weeks into the One Piece hiatus, I again relate my reflections to the series’ themes of inherited will and spirit (haki). What allows Luffy, the literal rubberman protagonist, to progress in his journey is not necessarily his physical strength (there are many stronger villains), but his unbreakable will. Eiichiro Oda’s choice to represent Luffy as a literal rubberman is such a profound idea: be as flexible and resilient as a strong rubber. Fall, then bounce back. Match this with the spirit of Luffy, we have a persona of grit and resilience.

Thus, we have to be responsible with our words. Even without guns, we have the power to murder the soul of others with our words. But on the flip side, we have the power to nourish the soul of others with authentic words that touch the heart.

Matthew 10:24-33. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 190: JULY 9, 2022]