Justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin

It seems more tempting and convenient to think of justice in terms of penalties. After all, those with power can use fear and intimidation to scare the powerless into submission.

However, mercy always goes hand in hand with justice. Does mercy mean that we neglect the wrongs of another?

Perhaps an excellent guiding framework is to ask: what kind of judgment preserves the dignity of the wrongdoer, corrects the behavior, and allows an opportunity to truly flourish after repentance? We need a leader who is wise enough to harmonize justice and mercy.

Indeed, justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin.

Matthew 11:2-11. The messengers of John the Baptist

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 345: DECEMBER 11, 2022]

When expectation replaces faith, entitlement replaces gratitude

When we play music and no one sings or dances, should we stop grooving?

When we invite others and no one responds, should we stop hosting?

When we teach but no one listens, should we stop teaching?

The good we try to do is not fully good if we expect a reward. Maybe we can have faith that the other will care for us as we do good to them, but the moment faith becomes expectation, we also turn gratitude into entitlement.

Thus, we fight the good fight. We dignify our art and craft even with a minimal audience. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. And we try to be better today than yesterday because Wisdom is vindicated by her works, habits, and virtues.

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Matthew 11:16-19. We played the flute for you, but you did not dance… Wisdom is vindicated by her works.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 343: DECEMBER 9, 2022]

Does resting mean we stop growing?

Rest and sleep help children grow taller. Rests in music do not mean the song stops; rests can even set up a song’s climax.

Rest allows us to rejuvenate and grow. Thus, since rest is essential, we should rethink how we plan our day or even our lives. Maximizing our potential does not necessarily mean we fill our calendars with things to do; sometimes, it is when we plan for rest that we allow insights to visit us.

Matthew 11:28-30. Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 341: DECEMBER 7, 2022]

Healing happens when the healer and the sick meet halfway

Healing and care do not happen passively; they happen with deliberate attention of both the healer and the sick. It is easy to take for granted when our bodies seem to recover regardless if we pay attention or not. Therefore, to truly heal means to open ourselves up for others to help us bounce better from before.

Luke 5:17-26. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 339: DECEMBER 5, 2022]

(Re)start

My wife is part of the team who handled this heartwarming McDo Christmas ad:

For all the talk about restarting, we might be taking for granted that there is a generation that will only start to experience what the world was used to for the first time. We owe it to these young angels to show that the world is a more fantastic place beyond the small screens they might be used to. Lights from mobile gadgets cannot beat the warmth and vibrance of Christmas lights dancing from our loved one’s homes.

What stood out to me is that for most of us, this holiday is about restarting. But for some of us, this holiday is about genuinely starting to experience what the world has to offer.

Mark 16:15-20. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation…’

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 337: DECEMBER 3, 2022]