St. Mary Academy
Guindulman, Bohol

Sharing A Reflection

By: Sr. Marcelina Diaz, AR.

The AR Communities of Bohol had a joint recollection in Naatang Beach House last July 15, 2007. It was graced by the presence of Mo. Maxima Pelaez, our Superior-General and Sr. Herminia Limotlimot, our General Econome, who happened to come to Bohol that time. Our good recollection Master, Rev. Fr. Jun Javines, SVD, shared to us the following:

SEVEN DEADLY SINS:

1. Wealth without work. This refers to the practice of getting something for nothing-manipulating markets and assets so you don’t have to work or produce benefit, just manipulate people and things. Today there are professions built around making wealth without working, making much money without paying taxes, benefiting from free government programs without carrying a fair share of the financial burdens, and enjoying all the perks and citizenship of country and membership corporation without assuming any of the risk or responsibility. In this context, does it still make sense to be a religious in a world built around quick fix and fast foods?

2. Pleasure without conscience. The chief query of the immature, greedy, selfish, and sensuous has always been, “What’s in it for me? Will this please me? Will it ease me?” Lately many people seem to want these pleasures without conscience or sense of responsibility, even abandoning or utterly neglecting spouses and children in the name of doing their thing. But independence is not the most mature state of being – it’s only a middle position on the way to interdependence, the most advanced and mature state. To learn to give and take, to live selflessly, to be sensitive, to be considerate, is our challenge. Otherwise there is no sense of social responsibility or accountability in our pleasurable activities. The exodus of in demand professions including the noblest of professions challenges each one to look within in terms of values and the sense of concern for and with others. Am I self-centered or other centered? Do we still fit?

3. Knowledge without character. As dangerous as a little knowledge is, even more dangerous is much knowledge without a strong, principled character. Purely intellectual development without commensurate internal character development makes as much sense as putting a high- powered sports car in the hands of a teenager who is on high drugs. Yet all to often in the academic world, that’s exactly what we do by not focusing on the character development of young people. Are we producing graduates that will be in future “control” or “serve” people? How Catholic are our institutions?

4. Commerce (business) without morality (ethics). In his book Moral Sentiments, which preceded Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith explained how foundational to the success of our systems the moral foundation is: how we treat each other, the spirit of benevolence, of service, of contribution. If we ignore the moral foundation and allow economic systems to operate without moral foundation and without continued education, we will soon create an amoral, if not immoral, society and business. Economic and political systems are ultimately based on a moral foundation. BCBP is a yardstick in our context where business figures knowledge the need to justify their angst for gain and profit without being oppressive to their clients. Or have you ever heard of three kinds of giving?

5. Science  without humanity. If Science becomes all technique and technology, it quickly degenerates into man’s humanity. Technologies come from the paradigms of Science. And if there’s a very little understanding of the higher human purposes that the technology is striving to serve, we become victims of our own technocracy. We see otherwise highly educated people climbing the scientific ladder of success, even though its often missing the rung called humanity and learning against the wrong  wall. Nothing beats the basic and formative training at home that allowed us to curve our cultural maps. Home is the base and foundation of who we are thus we are because of our family.

6. Religion without sacrifice. Without sacrifice, we may become active in a church but remain inactive in its gospel. In other words, we go for the social façade of religion and the piety of religious practices. There is no real walking with people or going the second mile or trying to deal with our social problems that may eventually undo our economic system. It takes sacrifice to serve the needs of other people- the sacrifice of our own pride and prejudice, among other things. And we nest hope that at the end of the day we can only pray that nobody will confront us with a remark: “I’m sorry, I cannot hear your words because you are too noisy with your actions.

7. Politics without principle. In the movie, “The Ten Commandments”, Moses says to the Pharaoh, “We are governed by God’s law, not by you.” In effect, he is saying, “we will not be governed by a person unless that person embodies the law.” In the best societies and organizations, natural laws and principles govern- that’s the constitution and even the top people must bow to the principle. No one is above it.

Source: Principle Centered Leadership by Stephen R.  Covey, pp 87-93

We are grateful to our Recollection Master for waking us up from our slumber and for leading us to perfection. May these reflections serve as an inspiration not only to us who were able to listen to the talk of Fr. Jun but also to everyone especially those who have read this.