Thursday, August 31, 2017

Not Born to Be Lonely Islands

In the Social Gospel Academy column of the Catholic times a priest in charge of the Justice and Peace committee of a diocese helps us to meditate on a serious problem in society. He begins telling us of a trip in the subway where he was scrutinizing the faces of his fellow passengers. Most of them were intent on the smartphones they were holding. In the small world of the subway car in which they were in, all seemed lonely islands.

Many older people who gave their youth to the world are dying without care. 'It's okay if it's not me'. Many young people do not show the passion and excitement of youth, dejected and head-down, 'it's okay, it's not me'. Thousands are fighting illegal layoffs on the streets, some are deprived of living due to excessive government projects, families live a life like death, we have the women who were sexual slaves of soldiers, now grandmothers-- as long as it's not me it's okay.

These islands are scattered here and there and make one beautiful spot in a archipelago in the southern dream land. As long it's not me no problem. Is this not the line we continue to recite as in a poem, while the world like these islands continues to float?

It's said the world has become dreary. In order to survive  competition has become part of life. "Why do we live?"  "What's  life?"  "What is true life?" We have abandoned these  questions. I am alive because I breathe and I die when I stop breathing. There is no tomorrow. Life is difficult but we don't ask why, we don't even have the energy to ask why. I don't look at you because it's too difficult. Why do I have to live this way? I don't even ask because it will retard my 'progress'. Why don't we get rid of the word "Why"? Is this not a pathetic way to save ourselves?

We are all walking different paths. However, we can make two big divisions in life. The writer has done this with Cain from the Old Testament (Gen. 4: 1-6)  and the Samaritan from the New Testament (Lk.10:29-37).

The Good Samaritan helped the dying  victim of a robbery,  interrupting  what he was doing to be with the hurting person. Cain on the other hand, for selfish reasons, killed his gentle brother. The contrast between the two is simple and clearly made: 'together' and  'alone', 'sympathy' and 'contempt', 'coexistence' and 'competition', 'sharing' and  'monopoly', 'serving' and 'oppression', 'life' and 'death'.

Our consciences tell us clearly what path we should take. However, knowing and walking the way  are two different actions. What path, he asks, are we taking now? We have the 'Good Samaritan Way' and  the 'Cain Way'. Even though the Cain way is  always  present in our world have we taken the way of the Samaritan, the way of  peace and joy?  Or could it be that we have deceived ourselves in thinking we walk the way of the Samaritan but in reality the way of Cain? Let's us walk courageously the way we know is correct.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Education for Dying


For some time  the phrase in English, 'well-being' was popular in Korea. Even  commercial products received the name. Followed shortly after with 'healing' to a point where it became sickening to hear. We all desire to live well and  receive healing but with the over use of these words, a university professor writing for the Peace Weekly, wonders if it will not have a contrary result.

'Well being' and 'healing' both have for their goals happiness and good health. For the professor, she wonders where does death fit into the picture. In life we have many situations where the beginning is important but the end is more so. Birth is important but not less important is death.

In sports  and studies there is nothing like repeated practice to achieve proficiency, true  also in life. To live well we need to learn about life and since death is a part of life we need to naturally learn about death. Where is the place of death in our lives? Since 'well being' is a part of life we can't separate it from death: 'well-dying'  should be a part of  'well living'. Talk goes on about  the need to  extend the life of the incurable and the palliative care of the sick in hospices and related policies.

She feels that we are falling behind in education for death. We have some small groups doing it with  difficulty. Education to be successful needs to be consistent, systematic, and adapted to the person's age. We need to learn how to live well and learning about death is part of the course and makes the end of life a beautiful chapter.

Visiting a hospital recently she remembers overhearing the talk of two interns in front of the emergency room. Apparently one of them was to determine the time of death of one of the sick persons and was finding the situation unnerving for it was his first time. If we have those who are specialists in the field with difficulties, easy to  imagine how others would feel in a similar situation.

It is urgent that we  make efforts to learn about death. It is all very natural to have a fear of death.  Well being and healing, important as they are, needs some of that  passion turned  towards death.

If the new government is to raise the quality of our lives we have to begin education in death a need in order to live well.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Will Power And Addiction

"More than anything will power is necessary, isn't it? No need for treatment in hospitals. I will stop drinking on my own." A family of an alcoholic brought him to the treatment center of a hospital where he expressed his feeling that he can stop without treatment. The family heard his words with dismay for it was not the first time they were uttered and a return to drinking shortly after. 

Refusal to accept help is very common. Sadly there are not only a few who have this understanding of alcoholism as something they can control on their own. Words by the head of a hospital alcoholic center written up in the Catholic Times.

Aime Duval a French Jesuit priest (1918-1984)  who in the 1950's and 60s was a singer and song writer,  famous not only in Europe, but traveled  all over the world with his guitar giving concerts. The stress that came with his success took a toll on his mental health. He couldn't sleep and began drinking and ended up in a hospital for treatment. He needed help.

"Courage was useless. Will power, strength, hate for the situation, encouragement, knowledge, money, glory, credentials, diplomas even prayer which I tried was useless." When he acknowledged that he failed in everything he tried, change took place. He put down his self-righteousness and stubbornness and saw his alcoholism for what it was and receiving help from others was on the way to health. He joined a self-help group and went on to assist  many in France and Europe to find sobriety.

Many think that the abuse of alcohol, drugs, gambling  is simply a lack of will power.  "Why do I go in search of a doctor and medicine when the problem is my lack of will power?" With this kind of thinking the alcoholic blames himself and his lack of will power. This is a serious obstacle to treatment which drives the person even more into darkness. Alcoholism is a sickness and not a lack of will power. When a person is alcoholic the control of the will becomes difficult.

Consequently,  thoughts that follow addiction are frightening. Often we have the feeling of being victimized and blaming others, anger is not controlled and  unhesitatingly becomes violent. Those around the sick person don't realize this as a characteristic  of the disease and quarrel with the sick one, hate one another, reproach and  often give up on treatment.

Those who are involved in the treatment of addiction make known the poisonous psychological foundations surrounding addiction.Despair is the the worst point  from which a person has to drop for  hope to appear.  At this time the person will willingly grasp at any straw that is offered and all the strength is mustered for the healing.

Know-how, medicines, the treatment and the rehabilitation facilities are all available  for a return to normal life. The only thing in the way 자구책is biases, misunderstandings which blocks the path to recovery. Necessary is the urgent desire on the part of the sick one for help.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Living Without Regrets

Living without desires was a line in a poem by the Japanese poet Sansei Yamao which a religious uses in the beginning of his article in the Kyeongyang magazine to give the readers some idea of his thinking on the subject. He liked what the poet was saying and found himself praying: "If I die now it will be alright."

He makes clear that it is not that he has arrived at this stage in the spiritual life but he wants to examine his heart when he says these words to see what his feelings are. It's a help in his prayer life. When there is a agreement with what he says and what his heart feels that is a good sign.

The article quotes Boethius (480-525 AD) The Consolation of Philosophy "Nunc fluens facit tempus, nunc stans facit aeternitatum." (The now that passes produces time, the now that remains produces eternity.) In other words the duration proper to the eternal Being must be conceived as everlasting  while temporal being is open to a succession of states distinct from one another. We are not able to grasp the 'now' for it quickly becomes the past. Rarely, however, we have moments that are filled with great joy that  last, moments of ecstasy.

Most of us lose the present moment because we either live in the future or past.  We can see our present as a stepping stone to the future or what is worse to see us heading towards some future obstacle. The possibility is also to live in the past because of unhealed scars, sins and the like, that cast a shadow over our present now.

We need to be present to the eternal now where we are in God's presence. The past nor the future are what are important but the now and in the Scriptures we are continually invited to the present. The miracle medicine is trust: Matt. 6:25-34. Trust leads us to the ever present now. We are not given a cross that is beyond our strength to carry. We follow Jesus in the  present.

The only way we are to view the problems, sins, and negativity of the past is with mercy, and with its experience. St. Paul asked God to remove the 'thorn in his flesh' 2nd Cor. 12:1-10 but  God did not, and he  began to see it with different eyes: "My grace is all you need,for my power is greatest when  you are weak."

The future is taken care of by trust,  the remorse of the past is taken care of by mercy, and  both of these can be assumed under gratitude. It is with this gratitude that we enter the present moment and from which we have peace and joy. According to the tradition of our  elders in which they were right on: when one is content all goes well. Rather than you give thanks because you are happy you are thankful and consequently happy. Isn't this the way to have nothing to wish for or to live without regrets?

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

From a Teaching Church to a Learning Church

A seminary professor, working in pastoral work for the bishops writes in View from the Ark of the Catholic Times of his thoughts regarding  two popular books by Yuval Harari, translated into Korean:  Homo Sapiens and Homo Deus. From the books' point of view we go from the 4th industrial revolution, artificial intelligence and into the age beyond God-belief into the superman age that Nietzsche ardently desired.

During the middle ages in the west God was the focal point in society. Christianity was its history with the discovery of the new continents in the fifteenth century we had the Renaissance, the humanist movement, the religious reformation, the enlightenment, and the modern challenge from atheism etc. which couldn't ignore the place of religion: God's existence and transcendence and the teaching of the Church. Briefly, the Church's belief in Christ took their mission seriously: "Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples... and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt. 28:19).

The tradition and order of the  'teaching church' and its authority was challenged. Believers must listen and learn from the bishops and priests of the Church to preserve God's revelation if not, sanctions and punishment. After the French Revolution of the 18th century and rationalism and liberalism of the twentieth century the Catholic Church defended the Church's secular authority wanting it to be the ark for the people in a turbulent world. 

At the First Vatican Council (1869-70) the primacy and infallibility of the pope was emphasized in a way to offset the loss of secular power and attempted to expand the influence and authority of the papacy and the teaching authority of the church.

The world has changed. Pope Francis reminds us that in order to become a 'teaching church" with authority it must first become a "learning church". The first principle of conversation, to maintain human relationships alive, is to listen but the church has always been more interested in speaking and teaching rather than listening. 

As in the time of St. Francis when he went up against the secularism of the times, Christians began to regain the joy of the Gospel as they lived the life of poverty. In our times  we have the currents of secularization that come from capitalism and selfish individualism. Pope Francis attempts to return the power of the papal authority to the Gospel of Christ by going out to those who are hurting. He wants  to listen to them, extend his hand, hurt with them and give a voice to their situation. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) which tried to adapt the gospel to modern society is the background for the efforts of Pope Francis in renewal and reform.

Looking over the Korean situation even if we don't examine the statistics we know that not all is going well by listening to the  priests working in pastoral situations. In the past the church was able to teach believers who listened and longed to learn but today there are many things the church needs to learn from those in the world.

The era of dividing the clergy into a 'teaching church' and laymen into 'a passive church' is over. Still more believers are leaving the church because of the attitude of the clergy who are soaked in the  nostalgia of the past but there is hope, in the young and enthusiastic priests and religious who listen and sympathize.

We do not know how the future world will change. But no matter what world comes, the truth of the gospel does not change. Only the way the church  understands the world and adapts to the world will change. The  real task of the church is to "read the signs of the times  and interpret them in the light of the gospel."

Monday, August 21, 2017

Importance of Dialogue


Satirically addressing our political situation four  syllables are combined which mean: when I do it it's romance when others do it it's immoral. 

After nine years we have a change of government. The progressive government when it does something the old government did we often hear this sly dig at the ruling government. A journalist writing in the Kyeongyang magazine begins his article on dialogue with these words.

In the appointment of the new cabinet members, the opposition lists all the mistakes and faults committed  and asks for their names to be withdrawn. Since the government is now in power they do their best to defend each one and usually get their way.

'When I do it it's OK, when you do it is wrong' has now entered the world of big business, organizations and the individual. The phrase has entered daily parlance.  Each one uses their own yard stick to judge.  Our egoistical human nature shows itself clearly. We have a tendency, he says, to use our own measurements to judge and act to benefit ourselves. If this was not true competition would find no place in society.

To live in society we have to realize that others like myself have this self love. Socrates tells us to know ourselves. We need to objectively examine ourselves. We have to go beyond  this self-love, we are not the center of the world and need to accept our place in society.

In June there was a forum that considered the position of religion in the work of justice and reconciliation. Two of the speakers concluded with the same emphasis on dialogue which surprised many.

A Buddhist monk mentioned that the meaning of the word justice is not the same for all. The word used in North Korea does not have the same meaning as in the South. In the 21st century with  peace and conflict attempts are made to have a win/win approach to dialogue. Buddha did not refuse to dialogue even with the devil. It is the way to perform miracles. He mentioned 9 conditions and the first is to see the other as a companion.

A priest who was the head of diocesan peace and justice committee expressed himself somewhat differently. The dignity of the person and the common good is central to justice, and dialogue is important and went on to explain. He gives the example of  man who lost everything and prays to God for help in winning the lottery: no luck this week and the following week. He goes into the church and with anger in his voice asks God to give him the winning ticket in the lottery.

As he was leaving the church he hears a voice from behind.  "Hey, before you pray to win the lottery for heaven's sake buy a ticket." Prayer is not a monologue. He feels the relationship is very much like the above person asking God for help without doing what is necessary.

Pope Francis in Laudatio Si reminds us we are all living in a common house. The president of the United States to protect the industry and workers of his country decided to leave the Paris Climate Agreement.

Our life is a series of choices. My choice will  influence my neighbor. The harder it is to find the correct answer the more we need to listen to the opinions of others, discuss and look for a reasonable solution. We invite God with our prayer, make the right judgement an act accordingly.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Working for a United Society

How do we bring different segments in society together? In the Kyeongyang magazine a priest writes about the desire for unity within the country. With the new government in place this desire grows and is fostered with the easy going style and concern for the common person shown by the present government.

What is  necessary for this uniting of the citizens? All the previous governments desired and worked for this unity among the citizens. Progressives, conservatives, and  regionalism would not allow the change to take place. At times the government even helped to ferment the conflict.

"The Church values the democratic system inasmuch as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate. Thus she cannot encourage the formation of narrow ruling groups which usurp the power of the State for individual interests or for ideological ends. Authentic democracy is possible only in a State ruled by law, and on the basis of a correct conception of the human person. It requires that the necessary conditions be present for the advancement both of the individual through education and formation in true ideals, and of the "subjectivity' of society through the creation of structures of participation and shared responsibility” (Compendium of Catholic Social Teaching # 406).

One of the natural tasks of religion is to work for the unity of society. Every society has a mix of unity and conflict. Without the removal of force, control, discrimination and the like from society we will not rid ourselves of conflict but the need continues. We  work towards the goal of unity within a conflicted society.

What should be the first thing to do? The need to understand the reason for the conflict and upheaval. It may be economics, poverty, the inequality in society. These  are all good examples. One daily newspaper in a recent survey of a thousand men and women 35.9 percent thought it was the rich, poor divide.

Secondly the political forces can be a probable cause for unrest. When the government subjugates by force a large segment of society you will get resistance which was what we saw in Korea recently with the candle light revolt of many of the citizens.

Thirdly we have the cultural and ideologically  resistance. The young people revolting against the conservative authority of the older generation. They are in search of freedom, and look upon the stress from the  consumer society negatively.

The president quickly after inauguration made clear  he wanted a just nation, a  united country, regulations and common sense that is understood by all the people... a president of all the people even those who did not vote for him.

There is a need to rid the country of all corrupt practices and work for a fair distribution of the material goods. A need to work for open communication, dialogue and negotiation. The problem of slow development, income and polarization within society, the lack of unemployment of the young are all government concerns. A desire for fair competition, guarantees for opportunities and the improvement of the living conditions of the citizens are all dreams of a more united society.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Taking Time Out To Examine Ourselves

A religious sister who works in a suicide prevention center, writes in the Catholic Times asking the readers  to take time out and look inside. She begins with a program she watched on TV where an entertainer was treated for a panic attack. A rather large number of entertainers she tells us suffer from these panic attacks.

She wasn't familiar with this problem but now is quite in the know. There are many people that are not able to control their anger and indignation which cause the death or injury of another. Is our own psyche and those of others healthy?

In a survey made in 2011 one of four persons have at least one period with mental problems in their life time. However, because  of societies prejudice and lack of understanding instead of receiving help many try to escape with drink, drugs, games, gambling, and the like. These methods don't only give birth to other problems but makes the initial problem more pronounced.

The government last year working to better mental health is strengthening the capabilities of these combine forces in society. Little has changed, she says,  in the way we look on mental disabilities. Which requires that we look at ourselves and start making some changes in our thinking.

Wanting to be healthy we work at exercising, and take helpful medicines but we don't realize in actual fact what is necessary. We  are so occupied, excuse ourselves with a lack of time, or absorbed with material things. We don't take time to examine our emotions, pass  ourselves off as happy persons, in  control of anger and irritability until it's let loose in strange places and with persons with no connection to the out of control emotions. Have we not all experienced such events and failed to uncover the reasons for the outbursts?

When by force we repress our emotions they become more overwhelming and will affect us when we are least prepared and will prepare us for mental difficulties in the future. We should not only be conscious of our joys and happiness but also indignation, sadness, anger and the like.  There is no bad emotion, its what we do with the emotions that is important.

When we realized that we are often angry, distressed and acknowledge the situation we are beginning to sublimate the situation and we are in control and the owner of the emotion. This is not easily done but we have to spend time making the effort to examine our inner life which will make our life with others and ourselves less hectic. She hopes the article will help  readers do that.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Learning From Bhutan

This year is the 30th year of diplomatic relations with the country of Bhutan, Koreans visiting Bhutan in recent years has increased greatly. This year starting in June for 3 months, Koreans are receiving a 50 percent discount on events in Bhutan. What would ordinarily cost 250 dollars daily has been reduced to 125 dollars. A university professor writing in the Catholic Peace Weekly tells the readers that on the plane from Bangkok to Bhutan most of travelers were Korean.

He was visiting the country on invitation to attend a one day workshop on Sustainable Development Goals that were presented by the United Nations and the the ways to achieve them in society.

Bhutan is about one fifth the size of Korea with a population of a little over 750,000 and a GDP that is 166 in the list of nations. It's a Buddhist nation and in many ways just opposite to Korea. In 1970 at the start of restoration under a dictatorship, Korea and Bhutan were similar in the GDP with about 200-300 dollars. Bhutan from that time began its Gross National Happiness goal. Today Bhutan has not quite 3000 dollar GNP while Korea comes close to 30,000 dollar GNP.

However, Korea has one of the highest suicide rates and one of the lowest birthrates in the world and is not able to rid itself of one of the lowest happiness i and quality of life indexes. In Bhutan 9 our of 10 citizens consider themselves happy, one of the highest in the world, Why do we have this  great discrepancy?

Bhutan's philosophy of government is determined by how happy the citizens are. In 2008 the country began their periodical 5 year plan in achieving happiness with a committee devoted to that cause. A happiness policy, which is based on:  * achieving a fair development of the economy * protecting the environment for the citizens, and animals * progress in developing traditional values and systems* to include the citizens in the running of the government and listen to their requests, be efficient and transparent in the running of government and to be conscious of the above four pillars of our society.

The aim is  for the well being of the citizens, health, leisure, education, cultural diversity, good government, community building, ecology and renewal, which will be viewed with other indexes to measure the progress of the efforts.

Recently many countries are going to Bhutan to learn about their policies. Thailand has stared a center with an index for happiness. He wonders looking at Bhutan what have we lost in searching for material prosperity. We can use Bhutan as a mirror to look at ourselves.

He concludes the article with the hope of our new president who is an admirer of the Bhutan experiment. Korea with an excessive search for prosperity at the expense of happiness is able to work together with Bhutan to help the developing  countries to acknowledge the  good and bad qualities of each and to help others achieve sensible progress.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

No place to Go

"Is it right to commit mentally sick to sanatoriums? Or rather to respects their rights and allow them to live with us?"  No one can give an easy answer. With these questions, a health worker begins his article in the Catholic Times.

Recently a murder by a person under treatment for schizophrenia brought to the fore a movement to put those who are in treatment for mental illness in sanatoriums. Out of the 70 thousand in mental hospitals 10 thousand are conjectured to be released within the year. Recently the mental health law was changed which makes the commitment to a hospital difficult and release easy. Citizens do not have a consensus on how to deal with the mentally sick and the government remains confused. Christians have the example of Jesus to help us. He would not appreciate them becoming sacrificial lambs and would want to help them live human lives.

Differently than what the majority believe the mentally sick are not for the most part dangerous. In a report for the year, 2011 by the supreme prosecutor's office in the crimes that were perpetrated during that year only 10 percent were attributed to the mentally handicapped. Those who have been released and take their medicines are good neighbors. The problem is that many have no place to go. No friends with whom to talk, work opportunities are not available and find it difficult knowing what to do with their time.They are faced with the bias in society and the danger of giving up on their treatment and some return to drinking and drugs.

Some are still in hospitals because it's the cheapest place to keep them and the most efficient. The money set aside for the mentally sick is about 45 dollars which is about 1/6th of the budget in England and the United States. In Korea each person is responsible for about 80 persons which is two to three times more than the developed countries.

The efforts to build the infrastructure in society is missing, the efforts to make the entrance into mental hospitals more difficult will make opportunities for treatment less.

Many who have been discharged continue as out-patients.Those who have been addicted to drink have stopped drinking.Those with serious problems of schizophrenia or manic-depression, the acute manifestations of the disease are under control.

Those released from hospitals don't always find happiness. Societies' coldness and prejudices make it difficult. We need to prepare ourselves to accept those who are mentally compromised. We need to prepare to accept them with joy and need programs to help them to return to society. This over all will be a saving to  society. Our understanding of the mentally disturbed needs to be changed and resources need to be allotted to the work.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Helping Others to be Happy

In a diocesan bulletin, a university professor gives us a human interest story with a good moral lesson. A young woman who planned to marry and with all preparations made, received out of the blue notice from her expected husband that the wedding was off.

At the time when she was to be the happiest, she received word of the worst kind, leaving her with a feeling of despair. The problems that came to minds were not a few and the biggest was the wedding party that she was to have for the guests.

The money for the banquet had been prepaid over 30 thousand dollars and there was no refund. What she decided to do was to invite all the homeless in the area to a banquet.  She made a list of 170 of the homeless and sent all of them a personal invitation, prepared them suits and dresses and the means to attend the banquet.

It was the first time in their lives that many of them ever received a personal invitation to a party and attended with great warmth in their heart. Dressed not in a wedding dress but in the formal dress, the no longer bride was there to greet all the guests and made the day memorable for all.

The writer mentions this is what  happened recently in the United States. What was done was a difficult step for the young woman. He wonders how many in such a situation would have thought of such an alternative plan.

When sad making others happy is a way of healing one's own sadness.... This was the young woman's lesson to all of us. In a community, if we tried to make others happy the joy of the efforts would reflect on the life of the community.

"We can boast about our suffering. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is a not deceptive because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us" Rm. 5:3.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Life Is Short and Art is Long

Relax, travel, healing... to modern society these are sweet magic words. Those who are running ahead aimlessly and are tired in both body and mind, understand. 

Korea has for some time been interested in economic progress and has achieved remarkable results from the efforts. We can be proud of the results but in the process, became infected with a materialist mentality: money can do everything. A member of the Catholic Artist's Committee gives us her impression in a Diocesan bulletin on the direction we are going.

She mentions that for Korea to become truly an advanced country in this transitional period it's  important to work to advance our cultural assets besides pursuing economic progress. Because of the Japanese occupation and division of the country, Korea has not developed fully its spiritual and cultural resources.

For a long period of time seeing the advances of western culture, Korea was overcome with a great feeling of inferiority and a yearning to imitate, we did this without reservation. Imitation is the start to every beginning. However, it's time for Korea to begin as a developed country in the 21st century to recover our proper Korean culture and aesthetic history. This is the work of the artistic community but the government and public organization need to give us the wings to go ahead with the search.

France, known as a cultural giant has a department of culture, she would like Korea to go in that direction. As we transition as a developing country she is sure the department would do much in achieving cultural growth.

Art is the product of a precious spiritual culture that acts as a mirror of the times, through deep self-reflection and insight into society. Art is not rigid and heavy but the way of discovering what beauty is, and for those in modern society searching for meaning in  higher values and quality of life. It's a thrilling medium that brings joy to people.

"Art is long, life is short" reminds us of the great power of art to give vitality to life. It's time to abandon the dichotomous thinking of black and white, left and right, good and bad, high and low,  and to search for a middle course. In the East, the middle road is normal.

While in college she wondered if the way of art was a proper goal. Did God see this as a beautiful goal?  Was it just a personal selfish desire? She wondered about this for some time but since it was a strong desire she felt it came from God. She is now certain of this and screams out: the beauty of art witnesses to God's love, a beautiful tool which introduces us to the fragrance of God's love.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Complementarity A Great Gift

Did Jesus discriminate against women? This is the question an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly wants the readers to examine. Looking at the lists of names in the New Testament it is easy to draw this conclusion. However if we look at the whole of the gospel and in depth, Jesus respected women and valued them highly.

Women had an important place in the life and work of Jesus. Like everybody else, he was born from a woman. Mary's role was important and among the saints holds the place of honor.

Women were his disciples. Mary Magdalen is an example of this group. They traveled together with him and helped him financially. She was one of the few who was with him at the crucifixion.

In the gospels, he was very open and warm even with those who were considered sinners by society. The church helped to change the attitude towards women in many parts of the world.

Women have passed down the faith over the years.This was seen from the time of the early church. St. Timothy is a good example of this having received his faith from his grandmother and mother. 

In the Mass, we have the names of many women. Many are the women who have been declared saints, women who have devoted themselves to work in hospitals and schools.  He gives us the example of Maria Gaetana Agnesi a woman who was the first to have the position of a university professor of mathematics and a woman who devoted a great deal of her time to helping the sick and poor. And we have the great number of religious sisters who have devoted themselves to the marginalized in society.

However, the question does come up often: why did he limit the Apostles to males only? Often we hear that it was the custom of the times and the culture in which he lived. Jesus, however, did not follow the customs of the times in his actions. Was it not Mary Magdalen who was the first one to receive the message of the resurrection and the first to bring it to the disciples when society considered the woman's witnessing less than that of the male. She was considered the Apostle to the apostles.

From the time of Jesus, the descendants of the apostles have been men. From the scriptures, we can see clearly that both the male and female were considered both equally important, but also not the same. The male connotes fatherhood and the woman motherhood, and he calls each to follow with their own charisma.

In God's eyes, they are both equal, but different. They are to mutually complement each other in the mission he has given to the church.

Most likely the reality we see in the church is what makes the clerical state attractive to certain segments of the community: one in which authority and power are possessed by the clergy. This could change which would make a difference in the way the male presence in the church is seen.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Rabboni, Teacher

Confucius in his Analects gives us his understanding of growth with these words: "At 15 I set my heart on learning, at 30 I know where I stood, at 40 I have no more doubts, at 50 I knew the will of Heaven, at 60 my ears were attuned, and at 70 I followed my heart’s desire without crossing the line.”

Confucius in his own life without any Christian teaching knew that something happened to him by living the virtuous life. He was moved  to live in harmony with nature and as Christians understand,  an answer to grace.

A university professor in the Catholic Peace Weekly writes about  Jesus' method of teaching. A representative  example he gives us is the woman caught in adultery brought to him by the lawyers and pharisees.

He is presented with the law in which such a person was to be stoned but Jesus did not directly answer but told them that those without sin can start the stoning. In this short story we have the philosophy, the psychology, and the social aspects of education which is to understand. Jesus didn't want to teach but wanted them to grasp the truth. This is the role of an educator.

When we teach, people forget, when we grasp something, understand what is being said, we don't forget. In English the word educate means to draw out from inside to the outside. God has already placed in us the capacity we are to bring it out in our lives. Socrates considered this as working as a midwife to bring the new birth out to the light.

We all have this duty as educators to help bring out what God has given each of us. Mary Magdalena when she recognized her teacher called out Rabboni. Her teacher she could never forget.

In Titus 2: 11-12, "You see God's grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us what we have to do..." 

In Korean the word for church and education both have the same Chinese character in its first syllable which is the mission of the church but with the methods of Jesus.

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Economics and Morality


To buy we need to sell. Economics studies the way we provide ourselves to live, the means and consequently what and how we need to sell to buy. So begins an article in a diocesan bulletin by a seminary professor. When we examine what we buy and sell, products that in the past weren't even imagined as products of commerce are now traded.

Water is today a common product for commerce and can be bought at any convenience store. A bottle of water costs 900 won, the same size bottle of gas would cost 700 won. Strange that in a country without any resources of oil, a bottle of gasoline is cheaper than a bottle of water. Our senses tell us that the world of economics has its own system and rationality and the bias we have picked up accepts it as being indifferent to the problems of morality and ordinary common sense.

In the social gospel of the Church, this kind of thinking is confronted face on and we are asked to examine our place and role in the economic activities in which we participate.

Frederic Beigbeder a French writer is quoted as saying that our society when it comes to economics has thrown aside common sense and morality and with humor shows the distortions.

"The poor to buy a pair of expensive sneakers will sell drugs and the rich will sell expensive sneakers to buy drugs from the poor." This French writer makes clear that we are nurturing a monster in economics that has no connection with what is important. Consequently the more developed we become in financial matters the more hard-hearted life becomes for many. This is the reason the social gospel recommends that we look carefully at what we buy and sell.

With the increase of wealth, we see also the increase of deprivation in the lives of many.The social gospel asks us to reflect on what we buy and sell. A moral element is involved and we need to see it. We are at the center of commerce.

The Pope in a message to the prime minister of England in 2013 stressed the ethics of truth. "This includes, first and foremost, respect for the truth of man, who is not simply an additional economic factor, or a disposable good, but is equipped with nature and dignity that cannot be reduced to simple economic calculus. Therefore concern for the fundamental material and spiritual welfare of every human person is the starting-point for every political and economic solution and the ultimate measure of its effectiveness and its ethical validity."

Many authorities speak with complicated theories and many fancy words.  What is important is that the economy is for the welfare and justice of all. The economy that is not for all people is stealing from the poor. Should we not be conscious of this when finances are used for vanity and exorbitant luxuries?

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Life, Mutuality, Peace

Just as a tree turns to light, all life forms have a unique orientation: life has a direction. However, this direction is not achieved by its own power. If directivity is the ultimate inclination it must have already been present. Nothing exists by itself. To maintain its own existence the help of another is needed. To be dependent on another being means to have a sense of existence and direction given by another being. Different beings relate with the conditions of existence that each requires. If this relationship is balanced without distortion peacefulness can be expected. This is the first paragraph of the View from the Ark by a professor at the Catholic University.

Human life like any other has a unique orientation. However, human life requires a lot of external help in comparison to other beings. The frailty of a child requires the cooperation and closer bond with the community. This shows the special quality of human life. The weakness of children and elderly shows this more clearly. Here we have the law of mutuality at work, a win/win situation.

The law of life is not simply giving and receiving. The law of co-existence begins with discovering the meaning of relationships. As we see a different depth of life a new relationship develops and a deeper meaning. At the natural level we think about each other's survival but at the social level, we think about the value of life. Furthermore, we enter the religious and moral dimension and we begin understanding what perfection in life means.

It's like the seed of a tree when planted and reaches maturity it gives peace to those who are looking for shade. Peace is the fruit of life and we are meant to extend this peace to one another in a win/win situation. Each in their own way without confusion. Peace is not silence and the absence of work but the ultimate harmony. It accepts differences and a fuller harmony. True peace is dynamic.

Peace does not come to those who simply wait. God comes to us in his infinite love and in the seeds he  has planted in us of resurrection that overcame the sufferings of the cross.This is the promise of future peace. Those who experience this joy in life have a great gift.

Loss of the value of life is epidemic in society. We hear the tragic news of terrorism, war, the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of our Eco-system because of human greed. Loss of life due to injustice is the loss of peace. Seeds of life can not sprout in the dry earth. Without the correct understanding of the situation we have no hope. The world needs to be a place of harmony and mutual growth. Another being is a mirror that helps me know myself. We need to give glory to love, peace and the Lord who lives within us.