"Land Belongs to God"

"The land belongs to God"... Social inequality in Korea viewed through land justice. Now/Here Catholic website has an article on this issue: How should we view and address the real estate problem, a major culprit in social inequality in Korea?

On the 24th, the Catholic Eco Forum (an open discussion forum on eco-friendliness) was held at the Catholic Center in Seoul, on the topic of "Land Justice."

The forum was jointly organized by the Environmental Pastoral Committee of the Archdiocese of Seoul and the Headquarters for the Revitalization of Our Rural Areas, and the opening remarks were given by the director of the Land + Freedom Research Institute. 

We live in a society where land, a public good, has been replaced by "real estate." Unearned income from real estate and land speculation, a major factor deepening inequality, peaked at approximately 460 trillion won in 2021. While it declined to approximately 288 trillion won in 2023, the average unearned income has accounted for 16.8 percent of GDP over the past 17 years.

"The skyrocketing land and housing prices mean that the hard-earned income of individuals and companies with little or no real estate ownership has been transferred to individuals and companies with substantial real estate ownership."  "To put it bluntly, this unearned income is legal theft."

"You can't sell land outright is the Biblical understanding: “The land is mine” (Leviticus 25:23), means that all humanity has rights to land, natural resources, and the ecological environment, which were not created by humans. The director explained: “The biblical meaning is that everyone should equally enjoy the rights to land, and this is the spirit that can establish land justice.”

Seven Sabbath years will be forty-nine years. In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, on the Day of Atonement, sound the trumpet loudly.  It shall be a Jubilee for you. “Each of you shall return to his own land, and each of you shall return to his clan.” (Leviticus 25:8-10)

The concept of the “holy nation” in the Old Testament and the “kingdom of God” in the New Testament emphasizes “equality”. The director viewed this as the spirit of the Jubilee, emphasizing, “The Jubilee, signifying complete freedom and liberation, addresses issues such as debt, slave labor, land, animals, and the ecological environment, but the most important issue is ‘land.’”

Director Nam stated: "Historically, tenant farmers were psychologically and economically subordinated to landlords because they had no land. The reason land seems to have diminished in importance today is because it has been replaced by the term 'real estate. If we interpret 'real estate' as 'land,' the problem of 'landowners', and the housing problem can also be found in land."

"In almost all countries, the enormous unearned income generated from land and natural resources, which are privately owned, is enjoyed by individuals under the guise of 'protecting private property rights,' leading to persistent speculation."

The importance of land is evident in the fact that it is the primary culprit of inequality, and he explained that real estate, or land, is also the primary culprit of inequality in Korean society. The Gini coefficient, an indicator of income inequality, indicates that income distribution is more equal the closer it is to zero. In 2024, the Gini coefficient for private land ownership will exceed 0.8 based on value and 0.9 based on area.

In addition to the widening gap between landowners and those without, he also pointed out the impact of overdevelopment and ecosystem destruction caused by land issues. "The strong desire to carve mountains into open spaces and convert farmland and green spaces into residential or industrial land is because it makes money," he said. "If the value of land increased by changing the use of farmland and green spaces is recovered, encroachment by development will be significantly reduced, and lobbying and corruption for land use changes will disappear.

Director Nam proposes a way to achieve land justice in modern society. He proposed a "land dividend system." The land dividend system is a "land value sharing system" whereby society recoups and shares the compensation for excluding others from landowners. This system has a profound impact on the real estate ownership patterns of individuals and corporations, and is designed to benefit those with little or no ownership over those with excessive ownership.

Through land and housing we must work within our church community to address the housing challenges faced by young people, and we must raise our voices to block real estate speculation and restore equal rights to land and housing within society at large."

He then addressed the question, "Will the world change if the church does this?" He said, "Our faith is the substance of things hoped for. The Bible never supports historical determinism. The people who were exiled to Babylon were able to return because they repented and practiced the Jubilee." He emphasized that Korean society can change, and believing and acting on that belief is the faith the Bible gives us.

Path of Renunciation

 

In the Preciousness of Faith column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the seminary professor begins: If someone asks what faith is...' What would we say? We would answer, 'Following Christ'. But what does it mean to follow Christ?

Jesus Himself answered this: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)

Truthfully, these words of Jesus are not easy to understand. How should we accept this teaching that we must hate our parents, spouse, children, brothers and sisters, even our own life? Surely he isn't referring to actual hatred within families. The hint may lie in the words He added at the end of the following parable: "In the same way, any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." (14:33)

The path of following Christ is the path of renunciation, the path of letting go. Of course, the 'renunciation of possessions' spoken of here differs from what Buddhism teaches. It is not merely about discarding what one has or severing the mind's greed and attachments, but about realizing that everything I possess is a gift from God.

St. Paul also once said to the Corinthians: "What do you have that you did not receive? If everything you have is received, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? You are already full! You have already become rich!" (1 Cor 4:7-8)

When we think about it, what do we possess that we did not receive? Life, gender, name, family, parents, siblings, home, clothing, food, various possessions. Upon waking to consciousness, we find all these things given to us. 

Although some things may be unsatisfactory, there are also blessings to be found. Especially when I think of my parents and grandparents, family elders, relatives, and siblings who shower me with boundless, warm love—aren't we living in an ocean of grace? Isn't God constantly giving to us through all these people? Moreover, isn't everything that exists a blessed gift prepared by the Lord? Even the beautiful nature and environment!

Of course, one might harbor complaints, wondering, "Why did He give me only this?" This occurs when we compare ourselves to others and perceive ourselves as lacking, or when we experience discomfort due to poor health or a troubled mind. It also happens when those around us become a heavy burden. Especially parents, siblings, family members, or community members can sometimes be a significant burden to us.

While we cannot deny this, I wonder if these difficulties might be precisely what we need to abandon everything and follow the Lord. 

There are countless opportunities to realize that we are beings who ultimately receive everything from God, only to lay it all down and return to Him.

In that sense, life is a school where we learn to let go and to be grateful. We can truly 'possess' nothing. Our life, talents, appearance, age, parents, children, siblings, acquaintances, property, possessions, money—all these are things and people we will leave behind. The moment we realize this truth, we will understand that the only thing we can truly possess is the Lord Himself, and that the happiest moment in life is when he possesses us, and Him alone.

At this time, the Lord calls us to the sea of grace. To a life of joy and happiness given to His children. He invites us to continue living a life of gratitude, following the Lord.

What Is a Saint?

A Korean novelist in her weekly 'My God Study' column in the Catholic Times begins with the question her son asked, hearing about the new saint Carlo Acutis:  "I don't understand why they canonized him?"

She ordered several books about him and read them. And for an entire week, her son's words stayed with her. Making a saint among those so young was a rare occurrence. As her son said, what could a boy who barely lived 15 years on this earth have done to cause so many miracles to happen? 

She opened the book again and made a list of his deeds. Inviting friends whose spirits were crushed by their parents' divorce over for meals, striking up conversations with bullied classmates, not getting angry when toys were taken at the playground, getting angry at friends who broke the rules, picking up trash, bringing home abandoned animals, greeting street cleaners and asking how they were doing, asking his grandmother to pack desserts to deliver to the homeless, refusing his mother's offer to buy him another pair of shoes and instead asking her to use that money to help the poor, and during puberty, when his friends whistled at a pretty girl, he snapped: "Is Sophia a dog? Why are you whistling?" 

At the wealthy school he attended, when friends mocked his few outfits as tacky, he sternly replied: "Everyone is born unique. What's so great about designer brands? They all look the same. Do you want to leave this world imitating others?"

These words moved her greatly. Evil tends to be similar without any distinct features. Others have often mentioned this fact. If that's the case, the way to become a saint is quite simple. Saints are incredibly unique. All it takes is to be yourself. 

The words of the 15-year-old boy resonated with her. Of course, the thought came to mind that this truth is proclaimed similarly everywhere in the world. Yet, was Carlo Acutis a boy who carried the Bible and was solemn? No, he played the saxophone and was a computer whiz.

He created and distributed a program that announced the miracle of the Eucharist (since it was the early 2000s, only experts could have made such a program) on their own. After he died, his parents looked through his computer and found no records of him ever accessing forbidden sites. 

Facing death from acute leukemia, he said to his mother, 'Do not be sad. Sadness is a gaze turned toward oneself, but happiness is a gaze turned toward God. I have always done things that please God, so I feel I can die peacefully. However, after I die, my siblings will be born'.

As predicted, after Carlo Acutis died, his mother gave birth to twins at the age of 43. As the novelist prepared to write this article, tears welled up in her eyes.

Is there even one thing among these that she cannot do? Just as St. Therese of Lisieux became a great saint, who devoted her life to loving God in the early 20th century, she intuitively sensed that Acutis, the first saint of the 21st century, was a significant figure. 

"There is no need to move mountains, to heal the sick, to build great cathedrals, or to achieve anything. Just live with love. Is there anything else I desire beyond that?"

A Meditation on Money

In the Philosophy Chat column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the professor offers a meditation on how one can view money.

Money serves as a powerful tool created by humanity, acting as the driving force of the modern capitalist society and playing a central role in human life. However, due to the power and influence that money holds, the desire of people to possess it is strong; as long as humanity exists, money will remain a practical issue in life that will continue. 

For a long time, money has transcended its simple exchange value, becoming an important means of accumulating wealth and expressing personal abilities and values. In the modern capitalist society, the ownership of money is directly linked to an individual's freedom. It serves as a crucial measure for determining the quality of life. 

Money also creates the illusion that if one has money, one can achieve anything desired in some way. However, money cannot be the absolute value of life itself. So, what is the true meaning of money?

In this context, the German sociologist Georg Simmel (1858–1918) meticulously analyzed the inextricable relationship between money and the deep structural characteristics of modern culture in his work "The Philosophy of Money" (1900), revealing the symbolic meaning of money. 

According to Simmel, money appears as a crystallization point in modern society, where various value relationships coalesce and become objectified. This means that individual and diverse values are crystallized into one through the medium of money. Beyond the economic means of simple currency, money plays a formal role in collating various values and the contents of 'objective culture'. 

We use money as a medium to create countless diverse relationships within society. In this sense, money serves as a significant medium that connects both personal life and culture. Money also has a crucial role in pursuing and realizing one's own worth. So, how do various objective cultures become the foundation of one's subjective culture?

How can we cultivate a mature and desirable culture of money in this society? It seems we must seek it above all in the paths that aid in our development physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, leading us to become a truly authentic person.

Emulating God's Mercy: Micah 6:8

 

The Catholic Times' Wisdom from the Desert Fathers gives readers some thoughts on God's mercy. God's mercy reaches the humble sinner. The deeper the trials and hardships, the more profoundly we feel God's mercy.

One of the core teachings of the Desert Fathers is ‘Remember God's mercy’. When we stumble due to human limitations and weakness, when we try to cross a deep chasm on the tightrope of pride, remembering God's mercy lifts us up again and humbles us. 

The tax collector praying in the temple, as depicted in the Gospel, is a good example. Ashamed of his sins, he could not even lift his face and sought God's mercy. “O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13) Because the tax collector never let go of the thread of hope in God's mercy, he could humbly ask for it. Humility is precisely the attitude of always considering oneself a sinner and seeking God's mercy.

Following the example of the tax collector in the Gospel, the Desert Fathers prayed immediately upon falling into sin: "Lord, have mercy on this sinner!” Abba Paul said, “I am up to my neck in the mire, and I cry out to God: ‘Have mercy on me." Another would recite Psalm 51 while twisting rope. “I dip the reed in water and twist rope while sitting with God. And I say, God, have mercy on me. By Your great goodness and abundant mercy, deliver me from my sins."

And the Pseudo-Macarius says: “If one seeks God's mercy persistently and sincerely, grace will free him from all anguish caused by his enemies.”  If we genuinely seek God's mercy, He will rescue us from every danger, every setback, and every pit of despair. He who claims himself righteous will never seek God's mercy, nor can he obtain it. God's mercy reaches only the humble sinner. “The moment he says, ‘I have sinned,’ the Lord will immediately show him mercy.” 

The more we come to know God, the more we approach Him, the more we become aware of our own inadequacy. Then we will come to realize how much God's mercy we have received, and that without His help, we are nothing. His kindness and mercy bestowed upon us always more than suffice to fill our lack.

The columnist remembers a story he heard from an acquaintance. He had contracted an incurable illness at a young age and was enduring a terribly difficult time accepting this situation. Then one day, upon hearing a friend say to him, "The stars shine at night," he suddenly gained an insight. They felt they were now in the night, both physically and spiritually, and that this very moment was the time to experience God's grace, mercy, and love. After that, they could view and interpret the suffering they were enduring through the eyes of faith, giving it meaning. As a result, they became more positive, and their outlook on life brightened.

Hearing their story made him reflect once more on the power and importance of faith. He became convinced that even when facing the same suffering, depending on the lens through which one views it, that suffering can either become hell or an opportunity to experience God's mercy and love, and feel His presence. That's right. You cannot see shining stars when it is bright. It is in the darkness that you see the stars shining, and drawing strength from those stars, you can rise again, find your direction, and follow the stars. 

When we are prosperous or healthy, when life presents no challenges, we often fail to perceive the mercy of God that is always with us. But when we encounter obstacles or face trials and tribulations, our earnestness leads us to seek God, and it is precisely then that we encounter Him and experience His mercy. Therefore, we must never forget God's mercy, which is with us in every circumstance. For stars shine at night.

The Desert Fathers always remembered God's mercy and placed their hope in it. "God has compassion even on those who hold the hilt of a sword in this world. If we have courage, He will show us mercy."  The final tool for good works St. Benedict presents is precisely this: "Never lose hope in God's mercy" (Rule 4:74). Indeed, our spiritual journey toward God is powered not by our strength but by the power of God's mercy. Without His mercy, no one could properly complete this journey.

Through our stumbling, we come to feel and trust God's mercy more deeply. That mercy is the Father's patience, waiting, tolerance, forgiveness, and unconditional love shown to us, like the prodigal son in the Gospel. The mercy of God we experience is a powerful force that lifts us up again from discouragement to courage, from despair to hope. In life, we may easily stumble or face setbacks. Yet as long as we hold fast to the hope of God's mercy, we will never give up. Through the process of rising after each fall, we will gradually draw nearer to God without even realizing it.

Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, who endured thirteen years of imprisonment under communist Vietnam, once said: "There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future." Even the greatest saints were not without human weaknesses or faults. Carrying our own human limitations, we walk the journey toward God, inevitably committing countless mistakes and errors. Yet, it is precisely God's mercy that enables us to advance toward union with Him.

Moreover, no one can be without a future. This holds true even for sinners. Today's sinner can become tomorrow's righteous person, and today's righteous person can become tomorrow's sinner. When stepping over sin and fault to move toward the future, anyone can become virtuous. 

Confucian Morality

   

In a previous post on August 9th, the Five Constants of Confucianism were mentioned as being universally applicable and enduring moral principles, essential for both individual cultivation and social harmony in Confucian society.  Some would see them as pointing to what is meant by Natural Law in the West.

One of the five is what we call ritual, etiquette, or Propriety (Doing what is proper). The Chinese Character would be 禮.

In oracle bone script, it depicts two pieces of jade (玉) placed atop a vessel (豆)[originally signifying ritual vessels used in sacrifices. The radical 示(meaning altar) was added to 禮. Altar, ceremony, and sacrifice   are related to religious rituals or divine revelation. The historical radical has been simplified to the four-stroke 礻 shape, a variant form of our five-stroke radical 示. The 礻variant has lost its pictorial meaning. 

The five Constants in Confucianism can be described as Humanity: the virtue of loving. Rightness: judgement on what is befitting by the heart and mind. Propriety: originally 'ceremonial form' as in etiquette. Wisdom: knowing the principle of what is right and recognizing the conditions of the time. Faithfulness: trustworthiness, integrity. These virtues are fundamental to Confucian ethics and influence human interpersonal relationships and moral conduct.

The one our modern society has the most difficulty with may be Propriety, and the one that is the most difficult to understand. 

As we can see from the evolution of the Chinese Character over time, a secularization has taken place,  which is not difficult to understand.

Happy Harvest Festival Day!

Celibacy and the Kingdom of God

A member of the Society of the Secular Mission of Christ the King provides readers with an understanding of Celibacy in the Catholic Times. It does not imply a judgment on marriage. [Human Love Within God's Plan - Body Theology Doctrine] 

Desire is an essential marker of humanity. Establishing order through genuine relationships is crucial. Within faith, the vocation of Celibacy fundamentally converges on the Word made flesh—that is, faith in Christ. Christ's love is not abstract; it possesses specific, concrete characteristics. Experienced in the Holy Spirit, this experience flows outward toward others, and the form in which it is transmitted is personal.

Voluntary and supernatural characteristics strongly mark the vocation of virginity and celibacy. Yet, it is not distinguished by class or rank, from the vocation of marriage or from those living as celibates in the world. 

When the 'marital nature' inherent in all humanity leads to the birth of children for the married and to spiritual birth for those choosing virgin celibacy, the light of that vocation reveals a supernatural characteristic to people and the world—a specialness in the marital relationship with Christ for the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, the vocation itself is not superior. 

"Virginity or Celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not violate the dignity of marriage but presupposes and strengthens it. Marriage and virginity or celibacy are two ways of expressing and living the mystery of the covenant between God and humanity. If marriage is not respected, sanctified virginity or celibacy cannot exist. If human sexuality is not recognized as a profound value given by the Creator, the renunciation of sexuality for the sake of the Kingdom of God also loses its meaning." (Familiaris Consortio, 16)

Virgin celibacy finds its foundation in the most excellently blessed part of human nature and embraces abstinence. This does not mean virgin celibacy denies human nature's essential characteristics; instead, it seeks to reveal the transcendent meaning inherent in them. Therefore, the characteristic of this vocation originates from overflowing love and is exchanged as a response of 'love for the love of God'. 

It neither destroys nor suspends nature, nor is it 'opposed' to the mystery of conjugal love. The supernatural form of love, through its own orientation, undergoes a journey of transformation and maturation. For this reason, Pope Saint John Paul II emphasized initial formation and ongoing formation in the text of the Catechism.

Even after taking a vow of Celibacy, the characteristics of one's masculinity or femininity do not disappear, nor does sexual desire vanish. Therefore, in Celibacy preserved for a vocation, human instinctive desires must not remain mere human difficulties; one must understand and live out the essential meaning of sexuality. 

This reveals the eschatological meaning by foreshadowing the goal (purpose) of sexuality, union (becoming one flesh), and it also carries the active meaning of being a witness to the 'Kingdom of Heaven'. If this motivation and orientation fade, one is tossed about by the waves. If one understands the true meaning of desire, one can also find the precise way out.

Desire is an essential sign of humanity and a sign that we belong to God. It is not about uprooting or becoming numb, but about ordering all objects of desire according to a proper relationship with God. This is what enables our hearts to attain genuine freedom. It must also be accompanied by knowledge that sheds light on the darkness, allowing us to see anew.

When we gain freedom, we grow stronger; when we receive light, we gain life, growing and transforming. To achieve this, we must ask a fundamental question: 'Why did God grant us desires like hunger and sexual appetite? Why does He not take away our sexual instincts, even when we have made a vow of celibacy and virginity?' We must understand that hunger and sexual impulses are not merely desires to be satisfied; they lead us to a greater, fuller (happier) life, a holy life.

We must live wholly in the longing for union with Christ, constantly yearning for oneness with Him, and realize that the cross and resurrection lead to the pinnacle of chastity.