Reasonable faith
Faith should not be about blind obedience. Rather, it should be more about having a reasonable and informed trust.
It is unhealthy to rely on reason or faith alone. When we manage to find how we can reconcile the two, we set ourselves up for healing and flourishing.
Mark 5:21-43. “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-031: JANUARY 31, 2023]
To lead is to gain insight into the unseen
The story of Jesus casting out a legion of demons from a man living in the tombs highlights the importance of taking time to look beyond what is initially visible. It is the role of leaders and mentors to seek out underlying issues that may be preventing people and organizations from reaching their full potential.
The organizations of today may not necessarily be fighting against literal demons, but we face many restraining forces such as fear, politics, or reluctance to embrace change.
Thus, the vocation of a leader is to accompany and heal beyond what is immediately apparent. To lead is to gain insight into the unseen.
Mark 5:1-20. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-030: JANUARY 30, 2023]
Are blessings rewards?
A first look at the Beatitudes and its format of expression (blessed are X for they shall Y) may make it seem like we should follow instructions to attain some kind of reward.
But is it really so?
For example, being poor in spirit is something that cannot be manufactured in order to attain heaven. Humility is all about gratefulness and cannot be about expectations. When someone supposedly poor in spirit expects a great reward, that person becomes inauthentic in their humility, and thus, they become undeserving of heaven.
Blessings await those who do good, but the moment we focus too much on the blessings, we lose sight of what is truly good.
Matthew 5:1-12A. The Beatitudes
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-029: JANUARY 29, 2023]
On the perspective and reality of stillness
When Jesus exclaimed, “Quiet! Be still!”, was He addressing the disciples, the wind itself, or both?
In a way, our perspective can influence our experiences and the context that surrounds us. The challenge is to remain centered no matter how turbulent the storm may seem.
Who knows, maybe the turbulence is just an invitation for us to dance with the wind.
Mark 4:35-41. “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-028: JANUARY 28, 2023]
The courage and faith to confront the unknown
The more we learn, the more we realize how much we don’t know.
I’m fascinated by the cautionary tales of mad scientists letting their discoveries get into their heads too much. The stories go – the more we know, the more we are supposed to be prone to hubris.
I find myself not being able to relate to this stereotype.
Reflecting on my journey earning my graduate degrees, I realize that I can never fully know everything. What I can only afford to do is to build thinking tools (and feeling tools) that can help me confront the unknown.
Intelligence, faith, and courage are not meant to replace or compete with each other. We need these graces to help us remain authentic despite the challenges and risks of the unknown.
Mark 4:26-34. “… it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-027: JANUARY 27, 2023]
On finding purpose and spaces for growth
To gain insight into our personal mission is also to gain insight into which space we are meant to be in.
Maybe the challenge of educators is not just to transfer knowledge but, just as important, to accompany students in finding their niche and spaces where they can flourish the most.
Mark 4:21-25. “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-026: JANUARY 26, 2023]
Proclaiming and living our insights
Proclaiming by doing means living our beliefs and values. It’s like a tree that bears fruit – the fruit is the visible evidence of the tree’s health and vitality, just as the actions we take are the visible evidence of our beliefs and values.
To proclaim is to live the insights we have acquired.
Mark 16:15-18. “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-025: JANUARY 25, 2023]
Witnessing weddings
The first wedding I’ve ever witnessed was that of my kuya, which was almost a decade ago already. Fast forward to today, I’ve been married for almost two years. Mika and I are expecting our baby this March, so fortunately, we were still able to go to the weddings of my friends these past few days (yep, two weddings in one weekend). Buti naisingit pa bago manganak!
There’s something different about witnessing my friends (who feel like my brothers, too) get married. Against the backdrop of the then high school teenage angst and heartbreaks, weddings can feel like sweet endings and exciting new beginnings. Witnessing my blood relatives get married feels like being part of a growing family; witnessing friends get married feels like having adulting partners while letting go of our childish selves. It’s a bittersweet but timely goodbye to our innocence. No regrets, only fond memories and excitement toward a grown-up future.
There’s something fulfilling and comforting in knowing that my friends would end up with amazing partners in life. It’s like having the assurance that your friends-turned-brothers are in good hands.
And as each other’s wingmen, we have done the job, and we can gracefully retire that part of our barkada alter-ego! Haha!
—
Mark 3:31-35. “Who are my mother (and father) and my brothers (and my sisters)?”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-024: JANUARY 24, 2023]
Creating more meaning through analogies
Figures of speech, especially metaphors and analogies, tend to stick and resonate with me. As a teaching and learning tool, I feel like any technical concept is one wonderful analogy away from being understood by any person.
Figures of speech have a way of being gifts of meaning that can keep on giving, much like the fables, parables, and fairy tales we share with children. The layers of literal and figurative meaning coalescing leads to sensemaking that is indeed greater than the initial wordsmith.
I wonder how fulfilling it would feel to create an analogy, fable, or a parable that can trigger insights no matter the time or space?
Mark 3:22-30. He began to speak to them in parables…
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-023: JANUARY 23, 2023]
So good they can’t ignore you
When I was going through my own quarter-life crisis, I read three books that shaped my perspective about careers: The Dip by Seth Godin, How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen, and So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport.
What stood out to me about Cal Newport’s book is that it directly challenges the dominant advice of “finding your passion” in one’s career. I’ve heard of some horror stories based on following this well-intentioned advice in the form of the following types of events: (1) serial quitting and stagnating and (2) losing passion for something that a person seemed to love before. The advice of Cal Newport is to focus on one’s skill that one can hone and one can even potentially learn to love.
For some people, that skillset overlaps with passion; but for some people, that skillset may not necessarily be what one is passionate about. For example, some may be bored by research but they have the capacity to understand technical concepts. No passion, but with skillset.
Maybe the insight is that embracing one’s talent, dare I say “light”, is not always a honeymoon experience. But there’s something powerful about the analogy of the light and a person’s skillset – we cannot help but notice light in the same way that we cannot help but notice exceptional performance.
Light can be warm, but it can also burn. To flourish is to discover our inner light and manage it such that our light makes us remarkable rather than our light burning us out.
Matthew 4:12-23. …the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light…
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-022: JANUARY 22, 2023]