When the work is done

When the work is done, does it feel like ticking a box in our checklist?

Does it feel like something is done but another will come?

Does it feel fulfilling?

Does it feel empty?

Does it feel meaningful?

Does it feel absurd?

If our work is sucking the soul out of our humanity, then we have found a dead end. If our work has led us to grow and be more human, then we have found a vocation. Thus, we must choose the work we commit to, for it might very well define how we would lead our lives.


John 17:1-11A. I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work which you gave me to do.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-143: MAY 23, 2023]

On centeredness, zen, and peace

From an attention-seeking perspective, extremes are headturning. The heights of pleasure or the controversy of scandals can captivate an audience, even if the attention being paid is fleeting.

But so many thoughts in diverse sources advocate finding the golden mean – the elusive balance and harmony, centeredness. It can labelled zen; it can be named peace.

Peace, in an overly captivated society, sounds boring. But if we dig deeper, peace does not mean that there is no movement nor challenge; peace can refer to a kind of resilience that progresses steadily, without greed, no matter the circumstance. It doesn’t need to ride highs nor avoid lows, because it simply is; peace is self-secure and self-aware yet not too self-conscious.

Maybe peace is that sober-like feeling after the tipsy high of encountering a eureka moment.


John 16:29-33. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-142: MAY 22, 2023]

“Insighting with” and “talastasan”

Groupthink can happen if all members of the group decide to stop with the authentic practice of paying attention to experiences, being intelligent in understanding, being reasonable in assessing, and being responsible with deciding and acting. It would be such a disservice to let groupthink happen because instead of covering each other’s blind spots, the group pretends that there are no blind spots.

An authentic second-person practice, or something I’d like to phrase as “insighting with”, means that we cover each other’s blind spots. The individual members of the group build on each other’s insights, comfortable with dissenting, because the group is a psychologically safe space. I appreciate the Filipino term “talastasan”, which contains the words “talas” or “sharp”. Thus, I interpret “talastasan” as a means of Filipino communication where the members sharpen each other’s insights, and that cycle of sharpening the insights unlocks a surplus of meaning that is greater than the sum of individual intelligence of the group.

This might be an exaggeration to say, but as a member of the academe, it almost feels like a spiritual experience being part of a group that pays attention to each other’s ideas and builds on them. Wisdom, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, emerges from these kinds of interactions, and it is in these moments where I feel that God and science are not a false dichotomy. For it is through insighting with each other that we allow wisdom to emerge, and through a reinforcing virtuous cycle, this wisdom can approximate, even if a little bit, what it means for the Primary Insight to visit our psyche.

Maybe, this is what it means to ascend, at least cognitively speaking.


Matthew 28:16-20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-141: MAY 21, 2023]

We ask for joy, not for pleasure

Pleasure and joy can be seen as synonymous, but if we reflect about it, they are different. Pleasure is more fleeting; joy is more lasting, encompassing, and meaningful.

We should be careful not to conflate the two. What is pleasurable now may lead to suffering later, and what is painful now may lead to joyfulness later.


John 16:23B-28. Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-140: MAY 20, 2023]

Pain points are signals of opportunities

Whether it be dealing with illnesses or seeking growth, we are prone to experience pain points.

Pain points are not necessarily bad; they could be signals that there are opportunities to improve ourselves or at the very least chances to remove ourselves in undesirable situations.

Maybe when we pray, it’s not about asking God to remove the pain, but rather, seeking insight into what should be done next towards our flourishing.


John 16:20-23. A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow because her hour has arrived; but when she has brought forth the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-139: MAY 19, 2023]

Timing

“There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”

Thoughts and ideas may come and go, but an insightful person should know when there is momentum for an idea to turn into an action or a movement.


John 16:16-20. So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.”

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-138: MAY 18, 2023]

It takes time to brew insights

The pursuit of insight is hardly linear. It is messy and iterative. It is almost impossible to manufacture and it can be unexpected.
It feels like solving a big, tough puzzle. I can’t hurry it or simply make it happen.

For me, it’s like walking a winding path, not a straight road. I stumble, lose my way, and question myself. But within all this confusion, I find my deepest understanding. Insights aren’t instant; they’re like seeds needing time, patience, and persistence to grow. They’re the fruit of slow, careful work.

Insights seem to strike in a sudden ‘Aha!’ moment. Though such moments exist, they’re usually the result of many hours of thought and hard work. This sudden clarity is just the final piece of a long, unseen process.

Insights, I’ve found, prefer company. They grow best when joined with other insights, each one adding depth and perspective. So, I keep exploring, questioning, learning, and growing, knowing that every step brings me closer to the next insight.


John 16:12-15. I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-137: MAY 17, 2023]

The roles we have to play

There are times when we are called to commit to a vocation. We may start reluctantly because of our limited understanding of ourselves or the mission we have to fulfill.

But we have roles to play. There are times when we have to step up. There are times when we should let others take the lead.

If we know when to lead and when to follow, we allow ourselves to activate chemistry and synergy. And this often leads to value creation and meaning making that no single individual could have done alone.


John 16:5-11. But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go: for if I do not go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-136: MAY 16, 2023]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

We must pay attention to our experiences, thought processes, emotions, and biases. It is easy to think that good intentions automatically translate to good means and processes; unfortunately, that is not the case.

Not only must we pay attention to our own self, but we must also pay attention to the context. The authentic exercise of virtues require a back-and-forth between our external and internal context. We must have the presence of mind to adapt and improvise when the context requires.

If we are not mindful or if we are prone to relinquish our agency and go autopilot all the time, the life we are steering with good intentions might lead to a mirage.


John 15:26-16:4A. Yeah, the hour comes, that whosoever kills you, will think that he does a service to God.

3 And these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor me.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-135: MAY 15, 2023]

Our first paracletes

Witnessing my wife become a mom made me appreciate more how our respective mothers are our own paraclete. Being a mom can be like a thankless job – being an authentic mom means it is a mom’s job to shower all the love she can to her child; and going above and beyond is within the job description.

The best work of moms are behind-the-scenes. I have come to learn that the best mark of great parenting is when a child is very decent. There’s no spectacle, only consistent decency and virtue. The child’s courage emanates from the empowerment their mom has allowed them. It is okay to get hurt, because there is a home. And when there are wins, there is a space where the wins can be shared, talked about, or even teased about.

This mother’s day, let’s be grateful to our first advocate, counsellor, and helper. Cheers to our paraclete personified!


Bing AI conversation:

The paraclete is a Christian biblical term that occurs five times in the Johannine texts of the New Testament¹. It is derived from the Greek word paráklētos, which means “advocate”, “counsellor” or “helper”¹². In Christian theology, the paraclete commonly refers to the Holy Spirit, who is sent by Jesus to comfort, guide and testify to his followers¹.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/14/2023
(1) Paraclete – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraclete.
(2) Paraclete Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Paraclete.
(3) What Does Paraclete Mean? Bible Definition and References. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/paraclete/.
(4) Paraclete Definition, Meaning & Usage | FineDictionary.com. https://www.finedictionary.com/Paraclete.


John 14:15-21. And he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you forever.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-134: MAY 14, 2023]