When was the last time you had goosebumps listening to music?

John 5:17-30. Jesus describes God as the Father

“I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgement is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Reading this gospel is quite challenging to follow, because Jesus seems to shift His voice from a “person” perspective and from a “God” perspective. The 30th verse is the one that resonated with me the most. But before I continue my reflection, I have a question:

When was the last time you had goosebumps listening to music?

At that moment, we don’t simply “hear” the word and “judge” the music if we like it or not. At that moment, the listening experience becomes so visceral, as if we are undeniably entangled with the music and the waves of the sounds. At that moment, we are wholly at the present, then and there. At a deeper level, we can even derive insights from the patterns of tension and release, the groove echoing the routines of life; the unexpected notes as the spice of our lives.

Musicians enter that state of flow, or maybe something even beyond flow — a spiritual experience — where their hands take over, and the notes become a language of their own.

At the experiential level, I think that this musical experience is near to what Jesus means as “hearing the Word”. It’s not about passively hearing coffeehouse jazz in a cafe or city pop grooves while in an elevator. Rather, it’s internalizing and savoring the words as if they are melodies of a song.

The live music experience is an exercise of mindfulness and authenticity. This is the kind of mindfulness and authenticity that God can perceive and understand at all times, and this allows God to be just, because He sees all evidence.

So maybe the key is to live life like a musician or a live music audience — bringing one’s fullest self in the moment, enjoying the call and response, acknowledging that tension-suffering and resolution-pleasure is a state of life. Sometimes we play the wrong notes yet we’re able to make it work. What matters is we continue to play and listen to the music, going beyond superficial hearing.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 89: MARCH 30, 2022]

Because we’re fallible, we need evidence

John 4:43-54. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

When Jesus mentioned “You of little faith!” or “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe!”, is this necessarily a negative judgement of us?

It fascinates me that after Jesus expresses how we have to rely on evidence before we believe (e.g., doubting Thomas story), He does good and performs miracles anyway. Yes, blessed are those who don’t see but do believe. But is it reasonable for someone to take something at face value and immediately believe?

The limits of our understanding prevent us from fully understanding the supernatural or the existence of a Higher Power. And I think Jesus knows this. If we interpret His words regarding our little faith not as a value judgement but more of a statement of fact, we better understand that His teaching is not about blind compliance, but relational two-way faith.

The beauty of (potential) parenthood is that it is a more attainable and relatable means to exercise unconditional love. As my wife and I try to conceive, I realize the special circumstance of love: imagine loving someone before he or she even exists. Isn’t this a great example of unconditional love? To love someone by default even if he or she is not yet born?

The child will learn to trust the parent as the parent exercises love and care for the child. It is through evidence that the child intuitively learns of love of the parent, but the parents know that they will love the child regardless. But the child is to young to think for one’s self, so they demonstrate evidences that they can be trusted.

Thinking of God as the Father (or even Mother) is a great relatable analogy. God knows what’s best, and He knows we’re too limited to fully understand that, so He proves Himself anyway.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 87: MARCH 28, 2022]

To be truly righteous is to acknowledge our wrongs, not others’ wrongs

Luke 18:9-14. How the Pharisee and the tax collector prayed

It feels good to boost our own ego by finding delight in the shortcomings of others. But this is a trap – doesn’t this breed a sense of pride, entitlement, and false sense of superiority?

Misery loves company, and at times, it feels like a mix of guilt and comfort to know that others have problems too (or may have things worse than us). Instead of empathy, we channel a ego-driven sense of pity, as if saying, “Poor you! Lucky me!”

This is why when we judge that there are people who undeservedly gets mercy or rewards, we feel angry; as if the fortune of others is like our punishment.

So the challenge is to stay the course, to be virtuous, even when it feels that we’re not getting rewarded, when it feels tempting to be envious of others instead of grateful for our graces. The solution, I think, is for us to lean into virtues for the sake of virtues, and not virtues for the sake of rewards. Like great artists who craft art for the sake of art and not for public adulation, so to shall we do good for the sake of being good.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 85: MARCH 26, 2022]

A spectacle is more of an appeal to the senses and emotions

Luke 11:14-23. By the power of demons, he drives out demons

Jesus is accused that the reason He is able to drive out demons is because He calls on the power of other demons. I find myself pondering – suppose that a false messiah performs the same miracles and exorcisms that Jesus did. How do we know that he is false?

Drawing insight from the earlier gospels, Jesus does not necessarily seek crowds and even told those He healed to not spread the word about His miracles. Rather, it is the crowds that follow Him and spread His stories despite His objection. In this sense, wouldn’t a trickster or illusionist choose the most spectacular venue to draw the attention of others and encourage others to blindly follow him?

When we follow someone, is it because of charisma? The challenge with charisma is that it could be projected and manufactured, and it is mostly about appealing to the senses too through positive feelings. We follow someone who thinks, feels, and leads by example, not by spectacle.

A mainstay follower of Jesus wouldn’t claim that He drives demons out because He uses demons. That would be inconsistent, because Jesus would actively heal others regardless of crowds. Those who have observed this previously would realize that He is the real deal; the embodiment of virtue, a consistency of good habits regardless of conditions.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 83: MARCH 24, 2022]

Is repentance a condition of forgiveness?

Matthew 18:21-35. Not seven times but seventy-seven times

If forgiveness is a form of love, and love should be unconditional, should we forgive unconditionally, as in give forgiveness without the offender repenting first?

Perhaps the practical answer is to at least dignify the person of the offender and not be overcome with feelings of revenge and spitefulness. In a sense, maybe this could be construed as a minimum level of loving another. Part of the kind of dignifying and loving we extend could be providing opportunities for repentance.

Perhaps forgiving unconditionally is not necessarily absolving the offender of his sins (only God could do so), but rather it is (1) letting go of vengeful behavior and (2) providing the offender opportunities for repentance.

The dance between forgiveness, justice, and mercy is very complex to manage. Insight and wisdom should be granted to us when we have to play the role of a human judge.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 81: MARCH 22, 2022]