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We are predisposed to seek light

We are predisposed to seek light

John 8:12-20. I am the Light of the world

Light serves to be a symbol for so many positive things. When we feel lost in the dark, we seek the light at the end of the tunnel. When we encounter a eureka moment, we say that we are enlightened.

Light, whether dim or bright, cannot be ignored. We are drawn like flies to light in the dark no matter how dim the light may be. A very bright light can be blinding at first but as our eyes adjust, we become fascinated or accustomed with it, even taking it for granted from time to time.

We only have to look at how children naturally seek to know and grow, daring to ask without regard to political correctness; daring to experiment with faith that their parents would be there to help them stand when they fall.

In our quest to project being rational or being coldly objective, we have tried to (imperfectly but usefully) model costs and benefits akin to an economic man (homo economicus) seeking to maximize utility and lessen costs. We find comfort in simpler models and metrics, mistaking profits as light itself when it is but a refracted and limited color of light.

How can we make ourselves and organizations be more authentic, natural, and integrally developed? Maybe we ought to listen more to our inner voice which may be subconsciously conversing with the Primary Light.

No matter how tempting dancing party lights may seem, the Sun will always outshine them. It’s on us to go out of our darkened rooms and seek out the Sun.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 94: APRIL 4, 2022]

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What should cancel culture cancel?

What should cancel culture cancel?

John 8:1-11. “Let the one among you without sin throw the first stone…”

Why did cancel culture come to be?

The sad reality is that no justice system is perfect. Perhaps the democratization of social media made it easier to be hyperaware of another’s wrongdoing, and there seems to be a kind of exhilaration or catharsis even to put justice into our hands by cancelling a wrongdoer.

In a sense, cancel culture or mobbing someone has been around since human society began, and this is perhaps what Jesus invites us to think about. When we “cancel” someone, what do we really mean?

In the gospel, the adulterous woman was caught red-handed, and she seemed to have accepted her fate already. She knew what she did was wrong. The mob also had clear guidance from the law: the punishment for an adulterous woman was stoning her to death.

What did the words of Jesus mean when He said that whoever has no sin be the first to throw a stone?

I look at this both from a pessimistic and optimistic perspective. The former highlights the fallibility of humans. In a sense, since we are flawed and our judgements are imperfect, do we really have the capacity and entitlement to judge another? Maybe the reason why no justice system is perfect is precisely because no human insight and judgement is perfect too! To put a life into the hands of a judging people is a grave responsibility, and our biases may directly lead to unnecessary and unnatural losses of lives.

On the other hand, a more optimistic view of His words may highlight humanity’s infinite potential to repent, do better, and ultimately flourish. Robbing another of one’s life strips away this potential.

It is important to make wrongdoers accountable. However, perhaps the message of the gospel for today’s context is similar to how Jesus views sin and sinners:

Condemn the sinful act but preserve the dignity of the sinner.

In this sense, maybe the invitation for us as a society is to direct cancel culture not to people, but actions.

In short, cancel the sin, not the sinner.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 93: APRIL 3, 2022]

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Are we allowing others to flourish?

Are we allowing others to flourish?

John 7:40-53. No prophet arises from Galilee

What if Jesus has already come again, but we are too focused on our own desires, blinded by our biases, and distracted by what we think should be norms? What if we are like the Pharisees or people of Galilee, too hung up on what we expect that we miss seeing the Good i front of our eyes?

Snap judgements and misplaced expectations may cause us to be a barren field rather than a bountiful garden.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 92: APRIL 2, 2022]

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Destiny vs. Willpower in Shounen Heroes

Destiny vs. Willpower in Shounen Heroes

John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30. I know Him because I am from Him and He sent me

For those reading the One Piece manga (don’t worry, no spoilers!), it is evident that we are at the final stages where Luffy is taking huge steps towards his dream of being the Pirate King. The recent chapters have made fans reflect: is One Piece about a story of destiny, a “chosen one” saving the world; or is it about the story of personal agency and willpower, a commoner going against odds to realize his dream? (I recall watching a One Piece YouTuber Mr. Morj discussing this topic.)

I’m not necessarily saying that the shounen hero archetype should be applied to Jesus, but I’d like to reflect on how His being human allows us to make sense of destiny versus agency.

Manifesting a desired goal requires a total buy-in from the doer, as well as huge amounts of “luck” going one’s way. In this sense, this mysterious luck seems to parallel God’s will, because only He can influence what we could not.

Suffering and challenges are mainstay tensions in the story of life. They are not necessarily punishment; they are mere unfortunate elements of our journey.

Thus, to be whole and authentic and to flourish requires alignment with God’s will (destiny) and willpower (agency). It’s not an easy task; it’s a road filled with suffering and challenges. In a sense, one cannot blame another for seeking a more comfortable life.

But isn’t it more exciting and adventurous for us to choose to fulfill our destiny? Be it in the story of Luffy or the passion of Christ, my insight on destiny is that it is not a linear and comfortable journey. Fulfilling one’s destiny is not necessarily a given.

And maybe this is why it is about the journey, not the destination. The journey is what makes us human, and the destination is an inspiration of tasting a bit what it means to be divine.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 91: APRIL 1, 2022]

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What does it mean to be praised by God?

What does it mean to be praised by God?

John 5:31-47. Testifying for Jesus

Using the lens of the Lasallian reflection framework or the general empirical method, the act of praising should come after a positive insight and value judgement towards another. A shallow praise is empty flattery or sugarcoating; a more attractive form of BS… but it’s still BS nonetheless. In Filipino, we are more familiar with “pambobola”.

Thus, to be praised by God means for Higher Power to arrive at a positive judgement of how we conduct ourselves. In other words, for the Father who senses and understands everything about us, it is an evaluation of how well we are journeying towards authentic and integral flourishing.

The challenge is: how do we know that God is praising us?

My answer is: we cannot fully know or apprehend it. And it’s better to humble ourselves and purify our intentions, i.e., do good for the sake of good and do it consistently, regardless if we feel that we are rewarded or not.

The story of Job is unsettling, in a sense that we can never fully understand the supernatural. It can seem like pleasure and pain can be arbitrary bestowed or taken from us. Our pleasure and pain are not necessarily rewards and punishment all the time. We may think: why do good when the rewards are uncertain? I’m inclined to think that we are indeed naturally predisposed towards being and knowing what is good, and the reward is more intrinsic — being authentic and consistent with who we are meant to be.

The most deserving leader is someone who is humble; yet the moment a person craves to be a leader, does he cease his humility? The best artisan or athlete is someone who strives to improve his craft for its own sake. The moment he is enamored more by the celebrity lifestyle rather than the craft he is developing, does he lend himself to temptation and distractions?

It’s a tricky paradox and a great exercise of authenticity and humility. The moment we think we deserve God’s praise may be the precise moment we become undeserving of His praise. Therefore, the highest kind of praise we can receive in this world would be an unprompted and unsought commendation from those around us. Yet, we should not let that praise get into our heads, because the moment we do, we become undeserving.

To end, do we want to be praised by God? Of course! But practically speaking, I think it’s a distraction to seek His praise as a reward. The best way to earn His praise may be to do good for its own sake — not for rewards and not for salvation.

We do good because we are good.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 90: MARCH 31, 2022]

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

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]

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Should we work on a Sunday?

Should we work on a Sunday?

John 5:1-16. Doing things on a sabbath day

Jesus healed a sick man during the sabbath, and He was persecuted by the Jews because He did this on a holy day (“Keep holy the Lord’s day.”)

Jesus justified His healing works in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

What insight can we derive from this? Should we work on a sabbath or a Sunday?

The answer of Jesus seems to be: if doing something addresses an authentic human need or leads to integral human development, then do it. Isn’t this another way of keeping holy the Lord’s day?

Businesses should definitely avoid giving extra work on weekends, especially if it in the great scheme of things, it does not contribute to the integral flourishing of the employee or the manager. But at the same time, a manager who finds his vocation in his work may be inspired to work even on a holy day, if it does lead to his development or the flourishing of the stakeholders he collaborated with.

Each of us have different work styles and ways. What matters is we know why we’re working, and ideally, our work is not merely a source of income. Rather, our work should ideally be a source of spiritual nourishment too. And maybe, in these extraordinary circumstances, we can honor God through the good work we do.

But ordinarily, worship.

And of course, rest!

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 88: MARCH 29, 2022]

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Because we’re fallible, we need evidence

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]

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Are we like the other son?

Are we like the other son?

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. The parable of the prodigal son

Why did the father accept back the lost son? Because he knew that the son has humbled himself and has fully repented. The other son who felt slighted by the father’s welcoming of the lost son seems very relatable – growing resentful towards the lost one (kinda parallel to cancel culture, isn’t it?) and not being forgiving. The flaw of the other son is being too hardened and insensitive even when the lost son has been repenting already.

If we relate this to Philippine politics, are we being like the other son when we keep on “not forgiving” the Marcoses for their documented and proven wrongdoings? I don’t think so! The difference between the prodigal son and the BBM camp is that the prodigal son has acknowledged his wrongdoing, while the latter is doubling down on justifying wrongdoing as the “golden age” of the Philippines!

How can forgiveness be granted to a person or group who has not repented?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 86: MARCH 27, 2022]

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

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]

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