In both Korean Catholic weeklies we have articles and a interview
with a married couple who are well known in environmental studies.
Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim who are co-directors of
the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale, and are giving lectures on
ecology, while here in Korea. Both are disciples of the well known Thomas
Berry, a priest who was a leader in the field of ecology, and who felt
the whole issue was a spiritual one.
Why do you think the Laudatio Si was an important encyclical?
Mary:
The encyclical is an important milestone in our present history,and
addressed to all humanity. We have the three Es: Equality,Ecology and
Economy that have been joined into one. She mentions the popes have been
stressing the concern we need to have for the universe and
mentions how the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew has called the harm
done to the environment a sin.
John: Laudatio Si gives us
a new way of seeing-- a new perspective. We can find happiness without the
unlimited consumerism of our society. This is the reason Pope Francis
talks a great deal about poverty and simplicity. It is not a return to
the stone age but the way to raise up those who are in extreme poverty.
We are looking at the universe as a whole.
What is necessary to make the message of the encyclical have universal validity and be persuasive?
Mary:
As a couple we wrote the book: Journey of the Universe. When we realize
how long it took humanity to appear on the face of the earth, we can't
help but be amazed and see the beauty and be renewed in wanting to
naturally protect this life-- wondering at the beauty of life.
John:
According to Fr.Thomas Berry who speaks about our relation to the
culture,
in each culture there are common and different elements. When religion
and culture meet they don't become one but they replenish each other
to become more complete. It is our task and challenge to show
the universal validity and persuasiveness
of this thinking.
What is the responsibility of the Church?
Mary: Without regard to existence or non-existence we are a part of nature. Once we understand this
our thinking will change. Forests, fish, mountains and many aspects of nature have taken
billions of years to appear-- why do we want to destroy them we belong to them?
John:
Three persons were carrying stones to build one of the Gothic
Cathedrals and were asked what were they doing. One answered he was
carrying stones. Another said he was building a wall and the third
said he was building a cathedral. We should also see the big picture
we are not just recycling and protecting the environment but helping the
planet.
We are related but what do you think should be our Asian perspective and our Asian theology?
Mary:
Asia modernized very quickly. We need to examine what this quick
development has done to the environment. Two thirds of the world's
population lives in Asia. What is done in one area is going to affect
the other areas . The pollution in China is a concern of Korea. The
central theme of the encyclical is the oneness of ecology. In Asia we have
heaven the father, mother earth, and humans. In Asia we do not have
divisions but participation in the universe.
John:
Many Eco-theologians in their own way describe our relation with nature
and the
universe. We save the things we love. In answer to all this one can
respond: we only need to go to church. However the times in which we
live
are asking much more: climate is changing, oceans are rising, and we
are destroying the top soil etc.; we are called to get involved.
Religion should unite--one of the attributes of Catholicism should be
unity. Today, we no longer see this as something obvious, more an ideal
that should be, but rarely seen. Liberty of conscience and being one's
own person seems to have become all important.
On the
spiritual page of the Catholic Times, we have a column in which the
writer, a priest and head of a research center, sees an aspect of this
unity in something very insignificant, and gives thanks.
He was
entertaining some guests who worked as volunteers with his research
center some years before. They came back to see how he was doing in
his new location. They told him what they have been doing since leaving
the center: active in their parish with scripture study and as members
of the Legion of Mary in their parish. He also brought them up to
date on the work he was doing at the center.
Outside it
was raining hard, and they decided to take a bus to the nearby town for a
meal. They went outside to wait for the bus but no bus. A driver stopped his car and asked if he could take
them to where they were going. He apparently recognized the priest and
was from the neighboring parish. The priest was not in the habit of imposing on
others, but he had his guests, and the bus wasn't coming; he accepted.
As
they were on the way they began talking of their plans for the evening,
and the priest told the driver, they were going to the next town for a
meal. The driver who was with his wife said would it be OK if they
joined him since it was time for the evening meal. The wife gave her husband a jab in the ribs when he spoke, but the two guests quickly responded it would be great. The priest was not too happy with the
turn of events.
The evening they spent time together in
a Chinese restaurant talking about what each was doing in an easy
manner, while eating their jangjangmyen and chanpon. When he
heard his guests talking about their work in the parish, he listened
only with his ears but the couple were truly interested in what they
heard. Even though they were meeting for the first time they listened
carefully and even offered advice. This surprised the priest for it was a
sign that having to know a person for a longtime to speak at a deep
level is not necessary.
Returning to his room, he began
to think of what happened that evening. He wondered what made for
almost instant rapport with persons they met for the first time. They
could speak about spirituality and matters of deep value so easily. He
concluded that it was the Eucharist which made it easy for the five of them to freely and naturally share themselves with others.
As Christians we know at baptism we became the sons and daughters of God. Many of the Church Fathers expressed this belief in a dimension that vastly exceeded this. St. Athansius said: “God became man that man might become God.” St. Thomas Aquinas and many other Saints have expressed this same thinking in different ways. Writing in Bible & Life a Korean pastor writes about this divinization and wants us to meditate on its meaning.
At the offertory of each Mass when the celebrant pours the wine into the chalice he will then pour a few drops of water into the wine which is a sign of our humanity joining the divinity of Christ represented by the wine. While doing this the celebrant recites the prayer: "By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity."
This is said quietly at the Mass and since the congregation is usually singing at this time few are familiar with these words. What we do in symbol we believe happens at each Mass: we participate in God's divinity and at the Communion we approach the altar to receive him in the Sacrament. Once this sinks in we can't help but be absolutely astonished by what we believe.
One day when saying Mass he recalled thinking that when he was pouring the water into the wine he was being mixed in with the wine. The few drops of water would be embraced by the wine He prayed that he and his life would change by the happenings on the altar.
At each Mass we are not only offering up the bread and wine but we are putting ourselves on the Paten. Each Mass is a time for a change in our lives. After the resurrection we see the big change in the apostles. They were afraid, all the doors locked, and with the encounter with Jesus all changed, Death was no longer fearful, the apostles really became what they were meant to be-- men on fire with the Gospel message.
Each Sunday at Mass we offer not only bread and wine but also our monetary gift which symbolizes our sweat and difficulties of life, they also go into the basket. He concludes the article by wanting us to remember that Jesus became man to enable us to participate in his divinity.
Many times in our lives we are in a situation where words of consolation are in order. It may be a letter which carries our attempts at comfort, an e-mail, a telephone call, or the meeting of the person hurting. Bible & Life has an article by a pastor with the pastoral responsibility of workers in the diocese.
He asks the readers what words of consolation have meant the most to them. What words or ours have been helpful to those in pain who have come to us for words of comfort? His article considers the injustice a woman experienced that left her lonely and dejected.
He was approached by the woman who wanted to speak to him after they finished the meal at the work place. They went to a nearby coffee shop to talk. As soon as they sat down she began to cry and shake. She explained how her boss scolded her for something she did not do, and will have to leave the company. Moreover, they both belonged to the same religion making the situation all the more intolerable for her.
What was he to say to her? Glancing at the woman he was wondering how to respond. He tried to recall some Scripture quotes that would be appropriate. No-- would it not be better to simply tell her to be strong and trust in God? He finally decided what to say but his head and heart didn't agree. After she finished talking she excused herself and went to the bathroom. He was confused and the coffee was getting cold, as he continued to finger the cup.
In prayer he asked God to either help him say the right words or in some way console the woman. In his grumbling he open his carrying bag and took out a memo pad and began writing what was in his heart very slowly. "Sister, hearing your very difficult situation I do not know what to say, but I will keep you in my prayers." He inserted the paper very carefully in her purse.
Returning from the bathroom she told the priest she had an appointment and would have to leave. They went out together and with the parting salutation each went their own way. He had a heavy heart returning to his office where he received a text message from the woman. " Father, thank you for listening to me and I will also remember you in prayer."
The article concludes with his knowing that he is not going to have the necessary words that people need to hear when they are hurting. However, at night before going to bed he remembers those who have entrusted themselves to him in prayer, those who are facing problems and those who have annoyed him, and he brings them to the attention of God.
How many priests give good sermons? In the opinion of a retired professor of humanities, writing in With Bible, at the most two out of ten.He is not talking about revivalist
preaching or eloquent sermons, but a sermon that connects the Gospel
to life, and helps listeners to reflect on the words and motivates them to put the words heard into practice. These kinds of sermons are
rare, and is it not the reason we have many reading the parish bulletin
during the sermon?
Priests consider the homilies at Mass important but some spend time giving theological
explanations and some just give a perfunctory sermon. He says he
doesn't know how they teach homiletics in the seminary but listening to
the sermon he can make an educated guess.
Liturgy is
important for we are given the message of the Gospel, God's love in the liturgy, and the sermon is the key to this
message. Young priests read a prepared sermon very carefully, and the
older priests speak very confidently, without help, but they don't deal with the problems Christians are facing. When we
just hear theology, talks about attitudes, and Church news, they are not
helpful in our daily lives. What is happening in society and the
way it impacts the Christians is an aspect of the sermon that can't be
overlooked, although some Christians have difficulty with this side of the Gospel message. He feels
the Church should take notice that many of the clergy are not doing a
good job in their homilies. Parishioners besides Communion do not see
the importance of the other parts of the Mass. He would like to know how
many are moved by the Mass and have tears come to their eyes.
Homilies
should prepare people to receive our Lord in Communion and be changed.
Each day we need to be born again and is this not taking part in the
death and resurrection of Jesus? He feels that this element of being
changed by what happens at each Mass is not a big part of the Church's
concern. A big reason is the lack of homilies that fit the situation in
which the Christians find themselves.
He admits that he
has to come to a new understanding of his life as a Christian. Our
present times he feels could be gloomier than the time when Jesus was on earth. Love is what is able to break through the darkness which we face. We need homilies that make us understand our lives
and help us to live as Christians.
In his
talks to the seminarians he tells them to be conservative in what they
believe but progressive once they become priests in what they do. If the priests do not
prepare the congregation to receive our Lord in Communion they should
blame themselves. A priest who doesn't see what is going on in the
world may be a good high priest but he is not a prophet. The sermon is
what lights the fire. At the end of Mass we have the Sending: "Go forth
the Mass is ended" we are meant to live the Mass and be the hands and
feet of Jesus to others and the world.
Questions are an important part of learning. A professor and educator
with experience in her field, brings to the readers of the Kyeongyang
magazine the issue surrounding questions that were treated in a TV
program.
Question 1) Generally when do persons make a decision on their dream and happiness?
1) teens 2) twenties 3) thirties 4) forties 5) fifties
Question 2) What is the common rule one follows on the athletic field, class room, library?
1) washing your hands 2) running 3) greeting others 4) sitting quietly 5) walking on the right
Question 3) Trying to realize our dream what do we do when we meet problems?
Answers: Question one (1) Question two ( 5) Question three (Continue to realize the dream)
Students at one of the elite universities in Korea were asked these questions and few gave the model answers. Foreigners asked the same questions had difficulty with the model answers. She explains the more one thinks about the questions the more questions one has. Some would prefer to stop thinking and memorize the answers. Our
students she says, preparing for college entrance, suspend their
questions, doubt and thoughts, and unconditionally memorize the answers
which is the way to avoid mistakes.
She mentions the
need to change the atmosphere in the classroom. We don't ask questions
of people who are not connected to us in some way or of authority figures. Consequently, in the class room if the atmosphere is not conducive to
questions, because of the traditional authority of the
teacher, this has to be put aside, and a horizontal relationship maintained, to allow questions from the students.
This
change is taking place in the classroom but how about in the home?
When a woman is pregnant, and knows it, she begins
talking to the baby, and gives the baby a
womb name. "Hello?" "Are you waiting to see your mother and father?" "What do
you expect from your father and mother?" These and many other questions,
and talking goes on during the time in the womb.
After
the baby is born the parents are keen on every hand gesture, yawn,
muttering, movement of the body, crying and wanting to give the baby
everything. When the child begins school we have scolding, the orders-- "do it", "was it done?" and conversations are often
limited to yes and no.
'Anger sickness' (an ailment
supposedly caused by one's pent-up resentment) is not only a problem
with middle age women but also with the young. College entrance exams
require that students give the answers that are ordered by the questions,
and they are not allowed any retort. This is the reason for the 'anger sickness'.
Without the atmosphere in which a
person is allowed to speak what is their hearts there will be resistance
and strange behavior. She recommends that parents return to the way they treated the baby in the womb, and enable the
children to be themselves and speak what is in their hearts.
In recent years many have seen problems with a lack of human
qualities among the students: responsibility, honesty, courage, respect
for others, and the many other virtues necessary to live well with
others. They wanted to do something about the situation and we have a
law that now is asking all the teachers in elementary, middle and high
school to prepare students with programs that will help develop this
aspect of their education. Peace Column in the Catholic Peace Weekly, brings
the issue to the attention of the readers.
The proposal
is hoping that all of society will benefit, but it is mainly an issue
with the teachers in the formation of students in our primary and
secondary schools. Programs are now only at the beginning stages, for
the details and budgets have not been made and the programs will not
be completed until the end of the year.
In the
beginning it was proposed that the teachers have 15 hours or more
of study and training in preparation, but because of strong opposition
it was decrease to 4 hours. The program is required.
Concern for the building of character was missing in the past and efforts are made by law to remedy the situation. In order not to give
the semblance of force they have added the word 'encouragement' to the name of the law.
One educator made it clear that in his
judgment the law was a throw back to another age-- for the government to
intrude in a persons' basic and personal rights. Schools need to be interested in the human formation of the students but this is not the government's task. Enacting a law for this purpose leaves him with a bitter taste.
In the first article of the law we are told of the need to develop the internal in a correct and healthy
fashion, and in order to relate with others, society and with the
environment, character and human qualities have to be nurtured in the educational programs.
A movement that is active
among the different religions of Korea is to live according to one's
values. This is similar to what is being attempted with the school
children. He concludes the article hoping both programs find an audience that
is open and willing to work for a change.
A priest, and seminary professor, in the Kyeongyang magazine begins
with an indirect apology for being blunt in his questions. Does the
Church live according to the Gospel for the poor? Is not the Church
quite different from the original Gospel of the poor that it once
preached? We are no longer able to harmonize the life style we live with
the original teaching of the Gospel. The writer reminds the readers
that poverty was the essence of Jesus' message (Philippians 2:5-11).
The writer uses the words of Pope Francis in the exhortation Joy of the Gospel to speak about poverty. In Korea the response to the pope's words on the economy
had little opposition within the community of faith. Surprising is the
failure to understand the pope's words in the West, many see it as
Marxism, when in reality it is an attack on distortions of the
new-liberalism and not the free market economic system with an ethical
ethos. Pope Francis is only repeating the traditional teaching. Many
refuse to see the problems within the present economic system.
"How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless
person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two
points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when
food is thrown away when people are starving? This is a case of
inequality" (#53).
When the market and money are
idolized we have exclusion and social problems. Neo-liberalism works often
with the motivation that comes from greed, and persons are often used,
and their dignity not respected. Pope Francis was not in favor of the
trickle-down help for the poor.
Between 1997
and 2008 Korea had two economic crises as they were pushing for globalization--not only an economic issue but it affected all of society. In the OECD countries Korea had the largest number of irregular
workers, largest number of suicides, and high in the unhappiness index
for the citizens. He mentions the death of two well known people, one died of hunger and the other of a sickness, and his body was discovered 5 days
later.
"The need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be
delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good
order of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness
which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new
crises. Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be
considered merely temporary responses. As long as the problems of the
poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of
markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes
of inequality,no
solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to
any problems. Inequality is the root of social ills" (#202).
Each of us, no matter how busy, needs to take time from our schedule to reflect and examine ourselves. When driving along a dark road nobody flicks the light on in the car in order to see better. When dark we see the outside clearly. I need to turn all the lights off and be in solitude and have all my senses turned inwards. A time to be with God and myself. Bible & Life has this topic featured in the recent issue.
A priest in his article reminds us that one third of our time is spent alone. In bed with one's spouse you are alone; even when busy there are times when you are alone. God when he saw that Adam was alone he made Eve to be his companion. Life is composed of times alone and with others.
However, we often think that a person who likes to be alone is fastidious, a loner and resents the presents of others. We need to discard this way of thinking; in the present world it is difficult to find time to be alone. Riding in the subway we see many sitting alone but busy with their smart phones and connected to the world.
Proverbs 4:23 we read: "With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life." In our deepest recesses we have a reservoir that we are not familiar with. When we are alone we can look into this reservoir and meet God.
To understand this he give us something for our imagination. Someone is sitting by a lake in a forest. Fresh and brisk air fills his being, his head and breast feels free. Like a mirror the water reflects the trees mountains and sky in the lake. He hears the sound of birds and other indistinct sounds from a distance. A bird comes into view as it flies over the lake. As it flew over his head a speck from the wing of the bird fell into the water right in front of him.
He sees and then he doesn't the small particle in the water, but as the water rings gets bigger the particle comes to stop at his feet. Many thoughts come to mind but he doesn't give notice. Being in that place was a gift but he is able to leave at any moment. He reminds us it is only those who are able to be alone that have this peace.
"In the busy world we are in we lose contact with our
true self, and begin to tire of our daily tasks, and our pleasures become boring and being alone brings great joy." These words of a poet are the writers wish for us. Our Lord in John 16:32 --(Yet I can never be alone; the Father is with me.) Jesus was never isolated a loner, he was always one with the Father. This he concludes is the reason we need to find time for silence and being alone.
A priest in the welfare apostolate of a diocese was asked to come to an adoption home run by sisters, for an interview with a woman from France. The woman was in Korea to take her son, who was adopted from Korea, back to France. He was addicted to liquor and drugs and no matter how much the parents wanted him to return, he refused. The mother had to return to France alone.
The priest, writes in a bulletin about his experience with adopted children, and what he has learned. At that time he met the friends of the boy who had returned to Korea from France. Many years before the priest had studied in France, and met many Korean young people who had been adopted and living in France, he wanted to help them.
When he left the work in welfare he didn't want to put a burden on his successor but he finally did get around to starting a legal cooperation 'Nest' to be of service to the unfortunate adoptees. More than 230,000 were adopted after the Korean War. Not all were fortunate in the parents they found and in their new homes.
Many have devoted parents and have adapted well to their new environment but some of the parents did not do the necessary paper work, either unknowingly or deliberately, to make them citizens of the country; in the United States we have some who are considered illegal aliens and in prison.
Adopted children are crying out and looking for their birth mothers. He strongly feels that Korea has to change the way they look on unmarried mothers and help them keep their babies. He reminds us that there are two or three infants everyday being sent overseas. He doesn't hear people raising their voices in opposition to this in a country that is tenth in financial strength.
We speak about the low birthrate and aging population, loudly condemn contraception and abortion, should we not also start making a society that will accept the unmarried mothers and help them to keep their child? Changing the thinking on adopting children within the country is also a need. And concludes with a desire that we remember the many Korean children who are adopted and living in other countries.
In a bulletin for priests the editors give us the example of two persons who as children received much from others and in their later years in gratitude wanted to return what they had received back to humanity.
One of these men was John. He was extremely
poor. His father died when very young and his mother supported the
family with working odd jobs for others. He was helped by a religious
order and others to continue his schooling. He graduated from college
and worked as a teacher for over thirty years. After retirement he went to
China in gratitude for what he received as a youth. He worked for three years without pay as a teacher among the ethnic Koreans and was an inspiration to many.
They also give us the example of
Dr. Albert Schweitzer who spent most of his life helping Africans in
medical work. His father was a minster and he was brought up in well off
circumstances. One day he was in a fight with a child his own age, and he
made the better of the fight but at the end the loser said to Albert: "If I ate meat soup like you, I would not be on the losing end of this
fight." This made Albert cry. It was from this experience that he began
to take an interest in the poor, and finally ended up in Africa. "I am
enjoying life but many do not have this opportunity." He became a
minister, philosopher, and teacher.
He knew that he receive
this happiness not from his own efforts but from God, parents and environment. In gratitude he wanted to repay this gift by devoting his life to
Africans who were deprived of much of what he enjoyed. At the age
of 40 he became a doctor and went to Africa.
A
proverb in Korean is to write the name of your enemies in water, and
blessings in stone. These two men inscribed what they receive in stone
and remembered it in their lives. Many instead of repaying what they have received forget it, and write it in water, and their grudges in
stone. This is not an easy proverb to follow. But gratitude makes
for a more fruitful life. There is another saying: if we don't have anything to be thankful, we need to look over the way we have lived.
The article ends with the incident in Luke 17:15-17 where
Jesus cures 10 lepers and only one returns to give thanks. Jesus asks where are the other nine?
Homosexuality is a topic you would rarely see mentioned in the Catholic press but recently with the results of the referendum in Catholic Ireland and the legalization of homosexual marriages in the Christian United States we see a response in the two Catholic papers.One priest columnist In the Catholic Times reviews some of the issues involved for the readers.
During the last Sunday of June in Seoul they had a queer festival for the supporters of homosexuality. He mentions how many of the Protestant Churches in the West have accepted homosexual marriages and have dropped the terms husband and wife for the word couple.
Not a small number of Christians have accepted this drift in society which they consider progressive and are waiting for the Catholic Church to join. The columnist limited by space addresses the issue from a Catholic understanding of marriage.
First it is necessary to understand the Church's teaching. Sex can not be separated from the understanding of procreation in Catholic thinking. The love of husband and wife lead to the fruit of life. Consequently the use of the sex outside of marriage is not supported by the Church. For one's own pleasure in masturbation, sex outside of marriage, before marriage, prostitution are all the same. True also with two people of the same sex for it has no intention towards life. However, the Church does not condemn the tendency but only the homsexual acts.
Secondly, whether homosexuality is legal or not, supported by the public or not, we should not consider the issue superficially.The Church like a mother has always embraced those with these inclinations and accepted them although there have been times of strictness in outlook, they have tried to help those with this tendency. He hopes with the crisis in the family life and the talk we are having on these matters will help us to come to a better understanding of family life.
Thirdly, with these discussions our faith life, actions, and the Church's relationship with society must be examined. Like many of the other religions who have accepted the will of the majority of the citizens the Church does not see it as a matter of majority vote. Our faith is not something for the present only, and requires more attention from us. We have to know what are the essentials of our belief and examine ourselves on how to behave in the present world.
We talk a lot about the cross and this is also present in dealing with this issue. We are all faced with carrying the cross and those with this inclination also have a cross to carry.Our faith tells us that in following the way of the Gospel we will enjoy the resurrected life here and hereafter. We all need give the issue a great deal of thought on how to live fully with what we can't change, and change what we can and trust that we will be given the grace to live with joy and peace if we follow the dictates of our conciences and Church teachings.
Today we celebrate the 20th
Farmers' Day in Korea-- remembered each year on the third Sunday of
July. The Korean bishops established Farmers' Day to bring the problems
of the farmers to all the parishioners and to mobilize concern for the
farmers in 'save the farm movement'. They were also concerned to thank the farmers for their participation in the work of creation.
In the two editorials in
the Catholic papers, sadly, we learn that during the past 20 years
matters have become worse. The money invested in farming and the
farmers' assets have decreased. The potential for growth also has
eroded.
Production
has increased by 20 percent and the prices have increased by 39
percent; farming materials have increased by 112 percent and gross
income has decreased by 36 percent. The import of farm products have
increased two fold and commodity prices have increased 82 percent. The
gap between city and country has also increased. With the free trade
agreement and the import of foreign rice, which is much cheaper, does
not point to a bright future for farming.
"Solidarity and
Fraternal Charity" is the theme of the the bishops' message to the
Church. All the citizens need to be concerned with the life on the
farms. Many have been interested in cooperatives, and buying locally and
working for food sovereignty: the right to healthy food produced and
controlled by the farmers. These efforts have been made but with little
success.
The
government has been concerned with the growth of the industrial
section for good reason for that is where the biggest
changes are found, but for the good of the country and the future of
Korea it may be the time to think deeper and not put all the eggs in the
same basket.
Young people are leaving the country for the cities, and the elderly farmers are not
being replace which means that we will see changes in the country in the
years to come. Farming is a treasure and the benefits for the whole
country are not readily seen and once lost will be difficult to regain.
"For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man
consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made
by means of the creation, affords life to all living in
the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes
through the Word, give life to those who see God" (AH IV, 20, 7).
We
use these words often not always with the meaning that St. Irenaeus had
when he wrote them. Life is a gift but not always enjoyed, and the
reasons are many. As Christians we have both the vertical and horizontal
aspects of life which expands our vision and should make life more
joyful and meaningful but one of the problems is our relations with
others is not always smooth, nurturing and beneficial for the two
parties, which will affect our relations with God.
Jesus was strong in the wording he
used to show us the importance of being on good terms with others. "If
you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has
anything against you, leave your gift at the altar, go first to be
reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" Matt.5
A
priest in the labor apostolate gives us his thoughts in Bible & Life
that come from his years working in labor groups within society.The
article is about the liturgical meetings he has in the work place for
the Catholic workers once a month. He recalls one of the Masses where he
told the workers after they retire they are welcomed back to the
meetings. He knew that this would be a difficult thing to do but he sent
out the invitation.
One of the men who had retired came to the monthly Mass and made
everybody have a good laugh for the reason he came was to see if the
group was continuing without his presence. There was another man who
the priest noticed did not seem to pleased with the presence of the
retired worker.
Before the Mass the worker
approached the priest and wanted to talk; they quietly left the group
spent some time together. He told the priest that the retired individual
was his boss in the factory and although outside of his work position
he was pleasant to be with in the work place he made the work difficult.
And was sorry to see him join the group. They finished the conversation
and went back to the group and the Mass.
After
Mass they went to the meal but the priest noticed that the two were
missing. He was afraid some thing not nice had happened but the retired
person returned and told the priest about the problems the two of them had in the past but that night they were to go out together for a drink.
He concludes the article with life is difficult
but we make it more difficult by not maintaining good relationships with
others. The two were taking the steps to improve their communication,
and he would like all of us to be on good terms with all especially
those of the community of faith. This would go a long way in improving the environment of parish life, and fill us with joy that we would want to share with others.
Catholicism has for the last 25 years compared to other religions,
the greatest amount of trust among citizens in the surveys that are
made by different groups in Korean society. In an article in Now/Here
(Catholic-news) the writer reviews the contents of the surveys for
readers and gives us his opinion.
He mentions some red lights that are seen and
one of them would be in comparison to other religions Catholicism does
have more trust but not in comparison to other organizations in society.
Citizen organizations have 27.8 percent public confidence, second is
the press with 10.6 percent, and religion is 3rd, with
9.2 percent, and the writer says this is continuing to fall.
Women
had a higher rate of confidence in Catholicism than men. Those in their
50s had the highest index of confidence when comparing ages, and 32.7
percent of unbelievers had the highest rate of confidence, and the more
education the higher the level of confidence in Catholicism.
The
writer mentions the confidence level will not change in the near future
but he gives five reasons why this confidence in Catholicism in
comparison to the other religions in society could change overnight.
First,
he doesn't believe the confidence is directed to
Catholicism but rather a lack of confidence in the other religions. Once
the other religions make some positive changes and portray a different image the relative ascendency of Catholicism will change.
Secondly,
the Church can continue to weaken its strong points. Unity has been one
of the images of the Church. Protestantism is seen with their many
divisions, and Buddhism with their religious factions fighting with
each other, something the Koreans did not see in Catholicism. On the
other hand with the democratic movement in society, and the Church's
authoritarianism, we see a negative
response by some.
Unity as a strong point is no longer what it
was. When we have dissent being expressed within the institution,
the unity becomes weakened.Within the conference of bishops we have
agreement and some bishops speaking,and behaving
differently from what was decided. We have groups like the Patriotic
Catholics for Korea which don't care for some of the directions the
Church is taking. We have the Justice and Peace Priests not always
understood, and some devotional groups that speak differently on
traditional teaching. All these will be seen as disunity and lower
the confidence of the public in the Church.
Sex scandals
that became known in the States was a great problem. We have some
Catholics who with some Protestants have an unfriendly attitude to
other religions. Sex scandals and financial corruption in works of
welfare given to the Church by the government, and bankruptcy will all
lower the trust in the Church.
Thirdly we have the
possibility of seeing the Church as overly strong and pushing its might
on society. Fourthly, not continuing their work of service for society
as in the past. Our religious are getting older and retiring from their
work and they are not being replaced which will make a difference in the
way society looks upon the Church. Fifthly, we have the way society
looks upon the Vatican: at present it is very positive but like Europe it
could change.
As was mentioned in the beginning the
confidence that religion has in society is 10 percent points lower than citizens' groups. The Gallup poll that was
made in 2014 mentioned that religions over the last 30 years continue to
get criticized and the writer reminds the Church to be humble and
keep a low profile.
Why did Cain kill his brother Abel? A priest from the Seoul Diocese
asks the question and surprises us with an answer which you rarely hear,
and it makes a lot of sense. The first Israelites
were sheep herders, and the story is a teaching story for their
descendents, and it all fits together. He explains his interpretation
in an article in the Kyeongyang magazine.
We usually
say it was jealousy on the part of Cain but if we leave it at that we
make God the one who aroused the jealousy. Did God prefer meat over the crops, fruits and vegetables of the land? The
writers want us to understand that Cain was a sedentary farmer with a
lot of land and rich, while Abel was a wandering shepherd with his little
flock going from one pasture to another. He was not what we would call
a large stock farmer. He had to work in the rain, and cold; he was a poor
shepherd. God appreciated the life of Abel and accepted his sacrifice.
We
today in the Church take the example of God in choosing to be on the
side of the poor.This choice is not always easy. Pope Benedict after he
retired was considered a very conservative pope, but in his Encyclical
Charity in Truth he was called a German Communist in certain areas of
the World. Here in Korea we have the same response when anyone speaks
for the poor, listens to their complaints, and becomes active in their
cause-- they are labeled 'followers of the North'.
What
kind of world are we living in? We still have many who are without
property and are living a difficult life. We meet many of them in Korea.
Marxism was a movement that wanted to liberate them and at one time had
over half of the world in their control. The curtain came down on their
efforts, workers were hoping that a change would come in their
situation, but it has deteriorated. Today the gap between the rich and poor has grown
larger. We have another Cain and Abel story.
The priest
looks at the situation in Korea. As a member of OECD ( Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) it has the
largest number of suicides and the lowest birthrate, a sign that life is
not very attractive to many Koreans. Land is no longer easily bought. The
number of industrial disasters is the highest, hours of work
are the second longest in OECD. Of all the countries money
spent on welfare is the lowest, and family debts are high.
The
middle class is ceasing to exist and the rich are getting richer.
Young people are finding it difficult to find work, and the many irregular workers always in danger of being fired. The condition of the old people in society is the worse in the OECD, and we are absorbed in
improving the situation for the wealthy, and this is the reality in most
of the world.
He concludes the article with a hope that
instead of greed, disobedience, and jealousy we will accept modesty, humility and be influenced by the teachings of Jesus. The dignity
of all human beings, hopefully will be recognized. We should not only
help the strong we need to work for a society in which we are all brothers and sisters. We all need to work for a society in which we all
are holding hands working together.
Pope John XXIII defined the common good as "the sum total of social
conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to
reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily" (Pacem in Terris #
55). Common good is a term that appears often in the social teaching of
the Church and a basic concept.
A priest with a doctorate
in social studies and now working in the labor apostolate
sees the lack of sensitivity for the common good as one of the primary reasons
for the MERS epidemic, contagion and death that resulted from the
epidemic. He writes about the spread of MERS in his column, and gives a
great deal of the blame to seeking efficiency over the common good.
Information
on the spread of the disease, and the name of the hospitals involved
was not made known at the start, and keeping this secret did much to
help the spread of the disease: more concern for private
issues than for the common good.
The desire of the Church
is to work in the area of the common good. He finds the government
retreating in the areas of public health and promoting private health
endeavors. This he also sees as a reason for some of the problems
experienced during the MERS epidemic.
His thoughts come from reflection on creation. God gave the goods of creation to all of
us. We should all benefit: not especially difficult to understand. There are times when a decision made will result in a loss either
materially or in humiliation, but the public
good benefits. The columnist gives blame for the quick development of capitalism
in society where efficiency is everything. Medical care, education, labor, and lodging all become commodities in the market, and those who
are sacrificed for efficiency we do not see.
In conclusion, he wants us to learn a lesson from the MERS
epidemic. More than to maximize efficiency in our society we need to increase our concern in working for the common good, which will promote a more peaceful life for all. Also help us to live according to
the order of creation and the road we Christians are called to follow.
Godparents for the baptized is a tradition seen in many
Christian groups. Tertullian, in the 200s AD mentions the use of godparents in his book on Baptism. In
the early Church the baptized were mostly adults, and had a godparent of the
same sex. They assumed the responsibility as mentors for the newly
baptized.
The Peace Weekly has a 'cover story'
on godparents and their godchildren. Godparents are to guide their
godchildren in the life of faith but this is not what happens. Often it
is only a name that goes in the baptismal book, and merely a formality
that one follows, without meaning. Godparents are to pray, and lead their godchildren in imitating Jesus but few take the
responsibility with any seriousness.
The Weekly
prepared a questionnaire that was given to 446 parishioners to determine
the situation in the present Church. According to the questionnaire over 50 percent have no contact with their godchild. 38
percent of the godchildren have no contact with their godparents. 15
percent do not know who their godparents are.
55
percent say the distancing from the godparents came from the lack of
contact. 25 percent said that they didn't know the godparent when they
were baptized so quickly lost contact. To prevent this from happening a
priest is quoted with five steps to be a good godparent. Praying for
the godchild, talk and listen to them, study to answer their
questions, introduce them to the liturgy
of the Church, and keep in contact with the godchild.
How
is the situation going to improve? One suggestion in the article from a
Sunday school teacher recommends to match the godparents with the ones
to be baptized into three groups: infants and children, young people, and
adults-- for infants close relatives, for young people Sunday school
teachers and devoted young people, and for adults,
members of the different societies in parish communities.
Serious
efforts to change the way godparents are chosen and programs to educate
those who are in such a spiritual relation will do much to change the
atmosphere of a parish and make for a community of faith.
In the question and answer section of the Peace Weekly a priest asks: In private conversations he is often asked why does the
Catholic Church disregard the countries' security problems, and
continue to criticize the government. When he hears words which incites
people he is upset but when he gets these questions he is at a loss for
words, and feels silence is the best answer but remains irritated.
The
columnist understands his perplexity. He doesn't agree that the Church
has no interest in security. Korea is surrounded by strong countries,
and North Korea has has shown hostility to the South. No one wants to
abandon our security. However, the Church's understanding of security
is much more extensive than the ordinary citizen, and looks towards
the future. Many see security only as related with
Communism.
He gives the example of the training of
children in Japan.They are taught to be considerate of others. In order
to get them accustomed to the cold, children wear short pants in the
winter. They receive leadership courses, patience is considered a great
virtue, and are taught frugality. There is a difference in the way we
can look upon this formation: on the short term we can see the sincerity
of the Japanese, in the long view we can see them wanting to form a
strong populace, and in case of war be able to withstand the difficulties
of daily life.
The columnist compares the Japanese
children with Korean children. If the children does well in studies
parents have a tendency to ignore their behavior. This later shows up in society. We have even in small things uncontrollable emotional
outbursts, and those with little knowledge want to solve difficulties
with emotions.
The Church is an alternative community
which tries to deal with these problems. To have care for the other,
respect the other, to educate the whole person to live with
others. It is education for life.
One of the maladies
of our society is the McCarthyism syndrome: (a witch hunt, unscrupulously
accusing people of disloyalty by saying they were Communists). When we
hear criticism of the government, persons speaking honestly and see a need to change certain behavior,
we have those who consider it a subversive act. We still are dealing with this kind of thinking in Korea. It
is an emotional problem.Those that point out the problems in
government may truly love the country and are doing more for the security
of the country than those who do not criticize.
We need to
understand each other and respect each other's opinions.When we don't
allow the others who think differently to speak and call them communists
we are dividing the country, and we can see this happening in many
countries of the world. As Christians we should see this kind of attitude as working against building the kind of world that God wants.
In her column in the Peace Weekly the writer reminisces on the many
people she has met, and lost contact with during her years of work. Of
that number were some she was able to speak to openly
and frankly. She doesn't know why but many of the relationships became
awkward, and gradually the degree of coldness increased.
Just
before retirement one of that group came to visit with the writer. She
doesn't mention what instigated the unburdening of her pent up
resentment but she fully expressed her feelings to the person. Made
known her hurts, resentments, criticism, grudges-- all poured out in a
short period of time, all negative. However, she admits that the anger
did not subside after it all came out. During the monologue the one-time intimate
did express herself.
After retirement she did remember the words of the visitor that were expressed that day and they
continued to reverberate in her head. The sentence that continued to bother her was: "Why do you think that everything you do
is right?"
When she let it all out, she also refuted
this statement that was one of the retorts by the visitor and her
response did get the person to nod in agreement, but the words remained
with her and continued to bother her. This is what they saw in her that
prompted the estrangement: everything she thought, said and did was
seen as cold hardheartedness by them, and now in every situation in
all circumstances these words come to mind.
North and
South Korea both have different understandings of the situation. The
North and South have different ideologies, and is it not possible to
say problems arise when we think that we always have the right answers? Isn't the problem between the
North and South basically that each maintains they have all the answers
to the problems and don't want to listen? And she concludes with the words of the Scriptures.
"Why
look at the speck in your brother's eye when you miss the plank in
your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that speck out
of your eye while all the time the plank remains in your own?" (Matt.
7:3-4)
'In
random thoughts on religion', the columnist in the Peace Weekly, writes
about a woman who helped him in his work both materially and
spiritually. She was told by her doctor she had about 15 days of life
remaining. This news upset her greatly. She was far from her seventies;
the news left her in shock. She attended Mass and went directly to the
hospital.She never lost her dignity. She prayed earnestly for a cure and
dreamed of returning to her former ways.
He
heard that she was in hospice-care and went for a visit. "I don't
want to die", "I want to live" were her words, said with very little
strength. He visited her a number of times but all he could do was hold
her hand and and say nothing. No words of consolation came from his
lips. Our Lord hearing of the death of Lazarus and meeting Martha and
Mary he cried. Because of the human condition and original sin we will
all die. However, with the Resurrection of Jesus we have hope. Leaving the
woman for the last time in hospice, he had the consolation she was going to a better life.
Just
recently he had two other friends who were recently given a death
sentence. He was at one time very close to them and both of them, not
even in their 60s, were now in hospice care. The columnist was overcome with
a feeling of ingratitude towards one of them, and the other he grew
apart because of his friend's uncontrolled temper. Hearing that they were in
hospice-care he quickly went to visit them.
In
these times when we talk about people living to their hundreds it is a
sad sight to see these men who where until recently men with great
presence and vigor who were haggard images of themselves. Seeing them
in this condition brought tears to his eyes.
He
wanted to bring them to a knowledge of faith and give them a reason to
hope. In his own life the faith he had was a great consolation in facing
death, and he wanted to bring up the issue but they were in
pain and he felt it better to leave the job to their wives.
He leaves us with the words of a Germain psycho physicist Gustave Fetcher: Man
lives on earth three time,the first state is continual sleep in the
womb. Second stage is the present where we sleep and awake in turns.
The third stage is always awake. In the first state one is prepared with
the organs of speech, sight, smell and hearing which will be used in the
second stage. In the second stage preparation is made for the last
stage. When the baby leaves the womb the transition is like a death to a
new environment and new life. It begins with a cry and a whole new
environment with laughter and joy. The third state is one we don't know much about,
full of peace and liberty.We see the last stage as one with a very
narrow door and dark, but it is the way to eternal life.
