Appearances, hypocrisy, and BS

Mark 7:1-13. The Pharisees question Jesus on seeming non-compliance with tradition

It’s easier to rely on appearances, sense-experiences, and empirical evidences compared with the actual or real unseen. The irresponsible faithful (hypocrites) and traditional politicians (trapos) are masters of appearances, bastardizing the law and tradition by neglecting the spirit, virtues, and principles underlying these rules.

Jesus did not hold back criticizing hypocrisy. Perhaps, this is the allure of the authentic Catholic and Christian faith to me: the call for reflection, an invitation to seek the underlying virtuous meanings and spirit behind traditions and commandments.

Businesses could fall to this hypocrisy (i.e., bullshit). The infamous corporate scandals are usually characterized by utter misrepresentation of financial performance or product development.

Thus, if we are to view the business and management professions as vocations, it is the moral and even spiritual imperative for the manager to gain not only technical-factual, but also, spiritual insight and judgements in performing responsible decision-making.

Of course, these are easier said than done. But if we are to live and practice an authentic life and profession, this is a cross we should be willing to bear.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 39: FEBRUARY 8, 2022]

On vocations and callings

Luke 5:1-11. The calling of Simon the fisherman

Did the Apostles follow Christ because of mere awe towards His miracles?

The beauty of Christ’s miracles is that it is not about His ego nor personality. It is always about others. And maybe that’s why Jesus did not want others spreading hearsay about Him, because it could send the wrong message. We have the tendency to focus on the leader’s person and ego, rather than his vocations and virtues.

When we are called to respond to our vocations, it is the same call to shift of our focus from ego to others. It seems like a paradox: the act of authentic and critical reflection affords us self-appropriation, which may apparently be a selfish activity. But this same activity allows us to get in touch, even by a bit, with the Primary Mover, Cause, Designer, and Insight. In this sense, self-reflection is an authentic pursuit towards fulfilling our image and likeness of God, whose other name is Love.

It’s easy to be enamored by charisma and miraculous spectacles. Of course, Jesus possesses these. But these are distractions from why we are called to our vocation; it is not to appear superior, charismatic, nor spectacular. Rather, it’s about acquiring a thorough yet evolving self-understanding, understanding our role or niche in God’s grand design, then fulfilling it for the common good.

Spectacular successes feed the ego, but vocations nourish the authentic soul.


[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 37: FEBRUARY 6, 2022]

Self-appropriation as a means to counter temptations

Mark 6:14-29. Herod beheads John the Baptist

The story of why Herod beheaded John the Baptist seems parallel to Solomon’s fall from grace: driven by temptation and worldly desires.

Lonergan offers the general empirical method and authenticity towards self-appropriation, that is, acquiring the ability to objectively look at one’s emotions, thoughts, values, and tendencies through critical reflection. Understanding our tendencies allows us to assess our weaknesses and conditions which we are most likely to succumb to temptation.

The stories of Herod and Solomon illustrate that even the most poweful or the wisest are not immune from temptations. I realize that knowledge and wisdom are insufficient; we need the virtue of fortitude and temperance to aid our pursuit of a truly responsible decision-making and action.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 35: FEBRUARY 4, 2022]

How would you nurture God?

Luke 2:22-40. The presentation of the child Jesus at the temple

“The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

If given the chance, how would you nurture God? We tend to focus our prayers towards supplications and petitions. But what if it was the other way around? How would we address the supplications of a child God?

Would you spoil Him, shower Him with all the wealth and blessings you can afford?

Would you overly protect Him, shielding Him from all sorts of minor or significant harm?

Or, would you let Him work, teach him the crafts of the world?

Would you let Him scratch His knees as He tumbles?

Imagine the temperance and discipline that Mary and Joseph possessed so that they may provide the most nurturing environment for the child Jesus – to grow strong, wise, and gain favor from the Father.

Perhaps, these should be the virtues of a business leader too.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 33: FEBRUARY 2, 2022]

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 31: JANUARY 31, 2022]

Exorcising business

Mark 5:1-20. Jesus exorcises a demoniac; the crowd asks Jesus to leave their town afterwards

The 365 Days with the Lord Liturgical Companion of St. Pauls Philippines offers important context why the townsfolk asked Jesus to leave town after He drives an unclean spirit out of a possessed man: the unclean spirits were said to possess swines, then the swines drowned with the unclean spirits. The swines were the primary resource of business for the townsfolk.

The importance of material needs as the foundation of integral human development cannot be understated. Yet, so far, this account, together with the account of merchants doing business in the church might show that Jesus condemns doing business.

Is the conduct of business inherently bad? Perhaps what Jesus is mad about is the notion that the purpose of business is merely to profit; “greed is good”.

Approximately 2022 years later, I think the challenge for us is to perform a “business exorcism” of some sort, to drive away unclean motives in the way we conduct business. The beauty of business is that it could be viable and fair system of exchange, a mechanism that can produce win-win scenarios among stakeholders.

Frankly, I do not understand (and perhaps may never significantly understand) spiritual exorcisms, akin to the miracles of Jesus. But the invitation seems to be for us to cleanse and renew our view of business and our professions.

And the virtue that could exorcise us from greed is temperance.