Professional and personal

The story is told about a husband who made a frantic call from his hotel room to the manager, saying: “Send someone to our room fast. My wife and I are having an argument and she is threatening to jump out of the window!” The manager calmly said: “With all due respect, Sir, that is a personal matter.” To which the husband responded: “What is between me and my wife is a personal matter. But whether the window will open or not is a management matter!”

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In today’s gospel (Mk. 6, 7-13), Jesus summoned His disciples and sent them to do their mission, instructing them what to do, and how they are to behave. They are to be professional, and yet personal. We see here in Jesus the balance between being a manager and a Master. In our desire to get things done, may we not forget that people are neither things to be managed nor commodities to be quantified, and that grace often operates not so much because of us as in spite of us.

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One thing clear is that we as disciples receive our instructions and marching orders from our Master. We are to listen to Him well, and obey and carry out His game plan, and this can happen if we know how to listen to Him in prayer. We are to listen primarily to Him, and not to ourselves, and not to people around us.  Are you really listening to your Master?

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Something is basically wrong when someone preaches love, yet acts with pride or arrogance; forgiveness, yet acts with hardness of heart. If the Kingdom of God were just a corporate or management matter, then why don’t we just indeed hire effective managers and professionals, or even mercenaries to do the job?

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“Comedy King” Dolphy, who gave millions of people joy and laughter for six decades, was a person who was very professional, yet very personal. He was very successful in his career, but was very much a person to his family, his friends, and especially to the “little ones.” We hear of so many stories of how he would go out of his way to help people. He was also very personal to God. He knew how to pray and how to be humble. He knew and he lived well “payback time”—to God, and to people.

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In one of his interviews, Dolphy said he prayed whenever, wherever. Even while exercising on a treadmill, he would pray the rosary. A person who does not forget to pray is a person who knows who he/she is, and who God is. Such a person will not become proud, conceited or empty.

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What legacy will we leave behind when we finally leave this world? What will people remember about us when we’re gone? May we leave behind not only achievements or monuments, but heart prints as well. What a pity to see people with so much wealth, influence and power, who miss their chance for true greatness because they could not see beyond their selfishness and greed.

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Take note that our Master instructed us to preach repentance. What are we preaching by our words and life example? Are we preaching comfort, convenience, pragmatism? Are we preaching material prosperity without the cross, or discipleship without a cause? Let us preach about God’s love, the basis of true repentance. But remember, God’s love is not something we learn from the books or merit with our good works and virtues. It is something we ourselves experience personally in spite of our failures and weaknesses.

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Jesus sent out His disciples two by two. We are to work as a team! Last month, I met Fr. Paul de Vera, chaplain of the Philippine Army 9th Infantry Division in Camp Elias Angeles, Pili, Camarines Sur. I told him I needed a haircut, and he volunteered to take me to his favorite barber in the barrio nearby. Not only that, he stayed with me until I was done, missing his much deserved afternoon nap in the process. I told him many times he could go, but he insisted on staying with me. It was such a touching gesture from a fellow priest to “waste time” with a brother priest. The only other person who took me to a barber was my father, when I was a little boy. Let us thank God for people who stay with us and who are willing to waste time with us!

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Inviting you to a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Rome, and the Shrine of Padre Pio on Sept. 9-21; a visit of churches and Marian shrines in Taiwan on Oct. 22-26; and a pilgrimage to Akita, Japan, with visits to Kyoto and Tokyo on Nov. 3-9. For particulars, please call 523-8581-88/721-7457 or e-mail pilgrimage@execres.com.ph.

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Let me end with a story about two professional killers who were hired to kill somebody. While they waited for their victim in the place of ambush, one of them became impatient and said: “He is not yet here, what’s taking him so long?” The other one said: “I hope nothing bad happened to him!” Professional, yet personal!

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A moment with the Lord:

Remind me, Lord, that as I carry out my difficult mission, not to run out of fervor, patience, and compassion. Amen.