The WORD in Other Words by Fr Jun Javines SVD (Philippines)
Monday Week 23 Ordinary Time, Col 1:24:2:3, Lk 6:6-11
In most organizations and institutions, employees can be classified into two—the “reactive” and the “pro-active.”
A “reactive” employee will keenly observe what is happening in the organization—noticing behaviors that are not within the norm of the organization or not within this employee‘s expectations. Such behaviors often become a source of nasty criticism. But if a reactive employee is asked how such practice or norm can be improved, the only answer one gets is silence and indifference.
A “pro—active” employee is not different from the “reactive” employee because he/she will also criticize a certain norm or practice in the organization. But the difference is that if somebody solicits his/her suggestion on how to improve such behaviors, the pro-active employee gives a beaming response that serves well for the betterment and best interest of the organization.
The Gospel resonates with this classification of employees if contextualized in what Jesus did. He gestured to those seemingly “reactive” to offer something better to what he was about to perform but they failed to capitalize on the situation. Thus, Jesus proceeded with healing the man with a withered hand.
To what category do we belong as parishioners, as Christians, as employees in the light of the Gospel?
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