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]

Finding value in the things we have taken for granted

We have blind spots. Our limited perceptions predispose us to neglect things or take them for granted. However, it is when we rethink the things we have taken for granted that we can find creativity, innovation, and insights.

Creating value is not just about connecting the dots. It is also about finding dots in unlikely places or neglected spaces and connecting them back to our context.


Matthew 17:9A, 10-13. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 344: DECEMBER 10, 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.


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]

Disorienting dilemmas and faith

The Angelus story showcases how transformations can happen in moments when we encounter disorienting dilemmas. However, without faith, we risk losing our minds and our sanity, maybe because of fear or we become overwhelmed by uncertainty or the extraordinary.

Without faith or at least a healthy dose of optimism, it is very difficult to solve challenges in front of us. It would also be difficult to trust or be vulnerable to others.

Thus, with faith and intelligence, disorienting dilemmas can be triggers of our flourishing.


Luke 1:26-38. The Angelus

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 342: DECEMBER 8, 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]

99

If the leader prioritizes finding the one who is lost, should the ninety-nine feel jealous? No, because the reason why the leader can focus on finding the lost is because they trust the ninety-nine to stay the course. Isn’t that trust a great grace in itself?


Matthew 18:12-14. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 340: DECEMBER 6, 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]

The one after zero is the fruit of our labor

When we see fruit growing from the tree, we experience the joy and miracle of seeing something seemingly out of nothing – the one after zero.

When we do one more rep after our stamina has emptied, we experience the delight of breaking our supposed limit – that one more push after zeroing our tank.

It is in these moments that we grow – flourish – the most, isn’t it?


Matthew 3:1-12. Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 338: DECEMBER 4, 2022]

(Re)start

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

https://fb.watch/hb35z4SWbG/?mibextid=RUbZ1f

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]

Is this the beginning of the end?

Christmas lights, Christmas carols. Smiles behind (no) masks. More face-to-face events in campus and in public areas.

Car traffic beginning to approach carmaggedon levels again (sadly). More pollution and jam-packed spaces.

Is this the beginning of the end of the pandemic? Sadly, my medical doctor friends have shared that there are increasing cases of COVID in hospitals. The finish line feels so near but the fight is not yet over.

These doses of reality, both pleasant and unpleasant, seem to suggest that we may be entering another crucial point, for better or for worse. For now, we keep the faith.


Matthew 9:27-31. “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 336: DECEMBER 2, 2022]