A droplet of faith It is natural to be afraid if it is rooted in being self-aware of our weaknesses and limitations. In the greater scheme of things, there are so many forces outside of our control, and that the unknown can feel very paralyzing to even try comprehending. Thus, in a sense, even a […]
Complying with versus following the leader If we define spirituality in terms of acknowledging the meaning and purpose that transcend us, then our practice of spirituality is in essence a sharing of ourselves with others. Self-with-others. Thus, to follow a leader out of fear is merely compliance, and is not fully authentic. But to follow […]
Help it be “Speaking words of wisdom, let it be!” This weekend, I was fortunate to find a bit of rest and staycation with the family and my wife for my birthday. Although some would consider my birthday a “milestone” one in terms of age, I am really not the type to arrange something with […]
Never entitled and always in the process of earning and becoming The moment we feel we are entitled is the moment we pause from flourishing. Isn’t it a better mindset that we are always earning another’s trust or respect? The greatest leaders are those who think they are always in a process of becoming a […]
One repenting sinner and the ninety-nine righteous people In the parable of the prodigal son, the righteous brother felt slighted that the father threw a celebration to welcome back the lost son. In a way, this is very understandable. But at the same time, this may be the final roadblock for the truly righteous or […]
We all play roles in each other’s world-building stories I have been integrating One Piece and other world-building stories in my reflections lately, maybe because re-reading the gospels can feel like “world-building” too. It’s very typical to look at the story’s main character or lead protagonist, who is in a sense, the one who receives […]
Unknowingly becoming a false prophet We tend to characterize “false prophets” as maliciously pretending to be good and expressing words that sound good, but are ultimately false or evil. But if we (over)think about it, isn’t it possible to inadvertently become false prophets ourselves? Especially for us teachers, we claim to know more about certain […]
More about the means and less about the ends “It is the journey, not the destination.” In the grand scheme of things, we are always in a process of becoming. Seldom, if at all, do we really have “ultimate destinations” in this world. There is always, “what’s next?” Maybe the paradox is hyperfocusing on outcomes […]
We critique the action but dignify the person Many times I ask myself: do we have the right to grade and evaluate a person? Who are we really to judge? But maybe the better framing is: we grade and evaluate the deed, not the doer. And what can enable a teacher or a judge to […]
Leftovers and rethinking efficiency For Filipinos, the funny “phenomenon” in buffets is “takaw mata”. A hungry person sees all the yummy dishes, thinks he can finish a huge serving of each dish, then fills his plate as tall as a mountain! The tragedy is when he realizes that he cannot finish everything, leading to leftovers. […]