Authentic righteousness is fair and merciful

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a. Joseph finds out about Mary’s pregnancy

Imagine you are a man engaged to a woman, then suddenly, you find out that the woman you are engaged with is pregnant, and you did not have intercourse with this woman. What would you reasonably conclude? Most likely, the woman had an affair.

Of course, Joseph would be surprised and pained to discover that Mary is pregnant. If Joseph became filled with rage, it would be perfectly reasonable. But without having any form of divine revelation yet, Joseph’s move is already admirable: silently divorce Mary so that Mary will not be stoned to death (as is the custom for women supposedly guilty of adultery). This is already admirable in itself. At this point, it’s perfectly reasonable for Joseph to conclude that Mary cheated on him with another man; Joseph could have opted to just not care about Mary at all. But in this most stressful of situations, he chose to be a better man. This is fair AND merciful.

The Immaculate Conception is a miracle that cannot be naturally explained, so I think it is perfectly fitting for God to help Joseph in his predicament by sending angels to guide his reflections. I wonder, what went inside Joseph’s head?

I infer that he thought of Mary’s pristine track record, his faith in God, and the very untypical event that Mary, of all people, would have cheated on him. In a sense, the decision of Joseph to trust Mary is the fruit of intersecting faith and reason. If Mary would have had a history of cheating in the past, would Joseph have believed any messages from an angel? I doubt it. If logic and reason were to prevail alone, it is more practical to conclude that Mary cheated.

Imagine the discernment Joseph had to do to reconcile reason and faith. If Joseph purely relied on faith, he would just immediately believe Mary’s claim that she is pregnant with the Son of God but she didn’t cheat on Joseph. But a reasonable man needs evidence and time to discern, which Joseph required, and in God’s mercy, He helped Joseph in his journey.

Maybe the lesson is that a person who strives to be authentic in being fair and merciful, even in the most unusual of circumstances, encourages God to grant a greater grace. Authentic righteousness can create a virtuous cycle of grace and spiritual wisdom.

Just as Joseph was fair and merciful to Mary, God was fair and merciful to Joseph. Isn’t this a great example of being a living likeness of God?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 78: MARCH 19, 2022]

Ignorance versus innocence

Luke 16:19-31. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus

It’s very convenient to turn a blind eye to the suffering around us. Our temporary comfort can feel like a distraction from those who need us, and in this sense, indeed, ignorance is bliss.

Do ignorance and innocence mean the same thing? When we utter “ignore”, there seems to be an active act compared with the term “innocent”. Ignoring means actively not paying attention to something; while innocence is more of a state where a person or a child is not yet familiar with certain information about the world.

The ignorant deliberately chooses to avoid thinking, feeling, and paying attention. Can we say the same thing about an innocent child?

The innocent child, in my experience, is very curious and inquisitive. The child instinctively knows that he knows little, so he incessantly asks anything, without any preconceived notion about “political correctness” or “acceptable norms”.

This is not the same with the ignorant, who chooses to actively ignore; to prioritize convenience over the dilemma of knowing that another person may be burdened, and ignoring the possibility that we could help the needy.

I think that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not about condemning the rich man for having material goods. Rather, the parable is about willful ignorance, treating material things as a distraction or excuse not to pay attention to the others. The rich man may be thinking, “I am comfortable, why should I bother?” This can be interpreted in an ego-centric manner, because if the rich man thought about others beyond himself, he may be compelled to conclude that he needs to help the marginalized like Lazarus was.

This parable is very appropriate for business leaders and educators. Are we willfully ignoring externalities, choosing a convenient lens where a business only seeks to maximize its profits? We cannot claim innocence anymore, given the history of businesses and even other types of organizations becoming a cog in the systemic approach to corruption.

Living an authentic good life is not without discomfort, because we are compelled to pay attention not only to our experiences, but to the experiences of others. It’s troubling and uncomfortable to be knowledgeable, powerful, and wise, because we abandon our claims of innocence. But isn’t this what vocations are about? We are called to think and feel beyond ourselves, while finding our niche in a flawed society we desire to flourish.

As children, we’re innocent and curious. As adults, we should be insightful and authentic.

Not ignorant.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 76: MARCH 17, 2022]

Listen to the speaker’s “good talks”, but do not follow the speaker’s “bad walks”

Matthew 23:1-12. The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses

Sometimes, we humans do not walk our talk. We have heard countless horror stories coming from moral authorities and ethicists preaching what is supposed to be right, but their actions are not right. Sometimes it is unintentional given our flaws; but what is wretched is when politicians rely on appearances and perceptions without good actions that justify what they talked about. This is the very meaning of bullshit — without regards to truth, only to one’s appearance.

(This is why I’ve grown to think that the intentional BS-er is the true enemy of the authentic, rather than the liar. At least, the liar cares for the truth, but intends to veer the listener away from it. The BS-er does not care at all, and it makes the BS-er more dangerous.)

As someone who is in the teaching profession, my fear is that I could be inconsistent or inauthentic. The pressure is real when I discuss ethics and claim a more mature or to be a moral authority as a teacher — what if I’m just an impostor?

This is why it is important for listeners to be critical. If I say something wise but do otherwise, does that negate the wisdom of what I said? Not at all. Thus, it is important for the listener to discern, to critique; and for the one speaking, to be open to criticism and dialogue.

As I write these reflections, I may be “talking my talk”. At the same time, I know how difficult it is to “walk my talk”. Posting these reflections publicly in my Facebook wall and in my blog is a pressure. But at the same time, I think, feel, and believe that there is power in honing my craft while contemplating on my spirituality.

I recently listened to the recent reflections of Jordan B. Peterson and his drifting away from atheism. It seems that he is beginning to embrace a more theistic view of the world through Christianity. And he mentioned the importance of authenticity, i.e., consistency and integrality, in words and actions. I admire how he tries to be as precise as he can when he articulates his beliefs; he tries to fully mean what he says and he acknowledges the limitations of his claims and beliefs.

The scribes and the Pharisees may be hypocrites, but they are still capable of speaking and writing about what is good. Business persons, PR specialists, and politicians may be masters at greenwash, but there is still some good to be derived from the pristine image they try to project.

The challenge is for the audience to adopt a more active role — paying proactive attention, rather than waiting to be passively stimulated by spectacle. Listen to the speaker’s “good talks”, but do not follow the speaker’s “bad walks”.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 74: MARCH 15, 2022]

In pursuit of personal change

Luke 9:28b-36. The transfiguration of Jesus

The transfiguration is a mystical event, a form of literal metamorphosis; a radical change or conversion. Should we aspire for our own version of transfiguration?

I do not think it is necessary. I remember one of my dad’s favorite quotes he uses in his speeches: “The only permanent thing in this world is change. Change can be so constant that you could not feel the difference.”

A virtuous cycle of reflection and action towards flourishing can feel like there’s no difference. I feel that there is elegance in this subtlety, because this kind of change does not beg for a spectacle to happen. The accumulation of insights, wisdom, and virtues can be like an hourglass gently dropping the sands of time.

Isn’t this more authentic? To some, discipline and consistency are boring, compared to buzzwords of disruption and innovation.

But there are times when boring consistency (ala Tim Duncan) is more authentic and resilient than a spectacle of temporary disruption. Personal change need not be radical; it could be as slow as the steady tortoise who is sure of his integral development and flourishing.

Inch by inch, bit by bit, we can become better today than yesterday.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 72: MARCH 13, 2022]