Be it done according to the word

Luke 1:26-38. The Angelus

The Angelus prayer commemorates the response of Mama Mary to Gabriel the archangel: “Be it done to me according to Your Word!”

In the Catholic mass, before the Holy Communion, we pray: “…only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Upon reflecting on these prayers, what stands out to me now is that words precede actions. And even in the story of creation, before existence, God utters, “let there be…”

Maybe this is a reminder that our actions should not be borne from hasty judgements or reckless impulse. Actions should be an outcome of intelligent understanding and reasonable judgements.

When we look at snap judgements and actions, aren’t these borne from specialized training of a craftsman, artist, or athlete under very specific conditions? When we look at shortcuts in mathematical formulas, are these not the fruits of intelligent derivations from grand equations?

The key to an integrated life seems so simple yet so difficult: thinking before acting, and aligning thoughts with actions. It’s easy to skip steps, but the ease by which we could skip steps highlights the kind of discipline a truly virtuous person or organization consistently exhibits.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 84: MARCH 25, 2022]

Relying on technicalities and fine prints is another form of BS

Matthew 5:17-19. Not to abolish but to fulfill

Clearly, Jesus advocates against hypocrisy; a projection or appearance of holiness but is not authentic nor integral to the person. In other words, bullshit.

In this sense, the message is not necessarily to rebel against what is written in the law, but rather, to discern: what is the “spirit” of the law? How can we go beyond the law?

My reflection is that the law exists to give us a good foundation of minimum standards to live by. But the law alone cannot suffice in making us flourish. We should honor the law and the spirit so as not to succumb to hypocrisy and BS.

This is the challenge for managers and educators — to live a life beyond compliance, honor the spirit of the law, and embrace authenticity in its fullest sense.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 82: MARCH 23, 2022]

Thirst for the fountain of insights, not some junk food half-truth delights

Luke 4:24-30. No prophet is accepted in his own native place

When have facts become a matter of opinion?

When has truth become a matter of preference?

Perhaps it is when we as a society placed more premium on sense-experiences, equating pain and suffering with punishment, and pleasure with rewards. The truth is not always pleasant.

We should not dull our natural inclination to search for insights and meaning. Conspiracy theories and narratives are fascinating and spectacular, but isn’t the authentic search for insights more fulfilling?

Thirst for the fountain of insights, not some junk food half-truth delights.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 80: MARCH 21, 2022]

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]