Withstanding Social Weathering

A science teacher, in his Catholic Peace Weekly column on Science and Faith, gives the readers a meditation on the passage of time and our reality.

During elementary school music class, we sang a children's song with lyrics like this: "Break the boulder into rocks, break the rocks into stones, break the stones into pebbles, break the pebbles into grains of sand~♬. " 

The title of this song is "Stone and Water", and the lyrics were written by the late Yoon Seok-jung (John), a children's literature writer. Yoon Seok-jung's lyrics are masterpieces that can still bring us back to childhood.

Like the lyrics of "Stone and Water," large boulders gradually break down over time and eventually turn into grains of sand. This process, known as weathering in geology, involves physical and chemical actions such as erosion by flowing water, volume changes due to temperature differences, and weathering by wind and living organisms. 

A large, flat stone is called a rock (盤石), and according to the Korean dictionary, it is a metaphorical expression for a very solid object, idea, or foundation.

One of Jesus' disciples was given the name  Peter. Jesus called Simon, who was living as a fisherman near the Sea of ​​Galilee, and made him his disciple, saying, “You are Peter. On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) and gave him the name Peter (meaning rock, in Greek, Petros). 

Peter was crucified upside down in 64 AD by the tyrannical Roman Emperor Nero, and Constantine the Great built a temple over his tomb in 324 AD. In 1506, Pope Julius II began to expand this temple, and after about 100 years, it became the current St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis opened the Holy Year Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on December 24, ushering in the Jubilee of 2025. As we celebrate the Jubilee, let us pray and think that the Lord's peace may descend upon the world, especially our country. 

How long will it take for our hearts, minds, and faith to crumble? Every single grain of dirt we step on can be a lesson to us. It takes thousands of years for a rock to become a grain of sand. However, the human heart can crumble at any moment due to the weathering of worldly temptations and weaknesses. Will our firm beliefs crumble like dirt with the passage of the years? To overcome these turbulent times, we must be like a rock that can withstand long-term weathering in our beliefs, uprightness, and faith. 

["The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:25)]

Human Love In God's Plan

 

An article in the Catholic Times by a religious sister often wrote about human love and represents the 'Body, Marriage, and Family Theology Research Group.' Her article gives the readers some understanding of her interests and emphasis. 

She begins with the question of the Pharisees: "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife for any reason?" (Matthew 19:3; Mark 10:2)  The Pharisees try to establish authority and legitimacy with the Mosaic law that permitted divorce. Still, Jesus responds that Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hardened, but it was not like that from the beginning.

The teaching draws attention to the 'beginning (first)' that Jesus repeatedly mentioned in verses 4 and 8. 'Beginning' refers to the creation of man in Genesis 1 and 2. The Mosaic Law, which the Pharisees cited as evidence, is the fruit of original sin, not originally part of God's plan. In other words, Jesus repeatedly mentioned the beginning to mean that all human beings in history tend to sin. However, the state of the beginning, God's original plan, still shines and is effective for humans. The functioning and growth of the human conscience is what confirms this.

Let's imagine that there is an apple in front of me now. This apple looks different depending on the angle and direction of the light shining on it. However, when we talk about an apple, we only talk about what we see, not what we know about the whole apple. We have to taste and see it, and everyone's evaluation of the taste is different. Let's think of this apple as 'me/human being'. Where do I see 'me'? And how do I understand 'me'? This standard is essential. Because depending on how I see myself, my understanding of myself and my standards for looking at others will change.

An apple looks more precise and beautiful depending on where the light hits. The same goes for me/humans. Here, light is God. I must see myself through the eyes of God, who created me, and meet His plan for why I was 'born.' This is the most significant thing I must do as a person born into the world. So, if I know my true self, I can know you as a bonus and live the true happiness of personal fellowship.

God came from heaven and entered the world and the family physically. The Epistle to the Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 15, sings: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." 

Pope St. John Paul II says that the body is a sacrament as a persona and reveals the entirety of the personality. This is a story that has brought about a tremendous change not only in theological thinking but also in the dualistic thinking deeply rooted in the present age, and the logic of this new thinking has come to us as the teaching of 'body theology,' in which the human body is not separated into spirit and flesh.

God is more interested in me and my life than anything else. He did not abandon me alone but made a plan for me when He created me. Discovering this plan and freely realizing one's life in one's own way is the life of those who have a name, called, and chosen.

While the world packages individualism and individuality as natural rights, on the other hand, we see the phenomenon of individual personality being violated, the unique light of the family fading, and young people wandering during their growing years. This means that the family, where a person is 'born' and the framework of personality is formed, and the place of the gospel is shaken. This is why we must listen and heed this teaching.

Wisdom of the Desert Fathers

 

Learning Life Wisdom from the Desert Fathers is a series that will start in the Catholic Times by a  Benedictine priest who majored in monastic theology, was the abbot of the Benedictine monastery, and was the head of the publishing house of the monastery in Korea. 

‘Stepping back’ is a recharge time to move forward... The balance between ‘being together’ and ‘being alone’ is important. The teachings of the Desert Fathers are the root of monastic spirituality... Presenting an ideal model for Christian life.

The term ‘Desert Fathers’ may sound somewhat unfamiliar. When we say Desert Fathers, we refer to the famous solitary monks who lived in the desert of northern Egypt (lower reaches of the Nile River) in the 4th century.

In the early church, the term ‘Church Father’ originally referred to a bishop, and it arose from the application of the father-son relationship between a teacher and a student. Generally, those who laid the foundation of Christian theology and had a significant influence on church life are called Church Fathers.

On the other hand, holy and great monks who laid the foundation of monastic life practically and academically are called Monastic Fathers. The Desert Fathers are considered the founders of Christian monastic life.

A new spiritual fatherhood gradually emerged among Christians who entered the Egyptian desert in the 4th century. This spiritual fatherhood was no longer connected to the public functions and hierarchy of the church but to ‘wisdom’ (discernment) and the ‘special gift of the word.’ Only those who acquired this gift could become spiritual teachers who guided others. A new arrival in the desert would receive teachings from his Abba (an elder who was a spiritual teacher). Therefore, the elders who led the hermits came to be called 'desert fathers'

Reason for going to the desert. The desert was a barren land where people could not live and the home of evil spirits. It was also a place of purification through all kinds of temptations and trials, and a place to experience God. When the persecution ended in the early 4th century, some of the  zealous Christians left everything behind and entered the Egyptian desert. They did so to live according to the teachings of the Gospel and devote themselves to ‘the one thing necessary’, ‘seeking God’. This required freedom from the noise and disturbance of the world, from worries and concerns, and from deep solitude and silence.

This thorough and fundamental renunciation and withdrawal was also an expression of their will to better respond to the love that God showed us through his Son. They wanted to prove their love for God through fierce battles with new persecutors, evil spirits, and a strict ascetic life in the desert. This life itself was considered another martyrdom, self-renunciation, that is, participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. That is why the monastic life was called the continuation of martyrdom, and because it was martyrdom without shedding blood, it was also called ‘white martyrdom.

The lives of the Desert Fathers present an ideal model of Christian life. Since the Desert Fathers were Christians who tried to live the Gospel more thoroughly, their lives were not special, but simply a deepening of Christian life. In this sense, their lives and teachings are like the roots of monastic life and spirituality. Furthermore, monastic life is a way of life that fully realizes Christian life, and monastic spirituality can be said to be the foundation of Christian spirituality. Therefore, the exemplary lives and teachings of the Desert Fathers still have value and are important to us today because they provide many teachings for the lives and spirituality of modern Christians.

When we encounter the lives and teachings of the Desert Fathers, we do not intend to imitate their external life or methods. We intend to extract some value and spirit from them for us today. What is important is the spirit and value. The specific way of life is merely an external vessel that contains it. The external framework can and should always change depending on the time, place, and situation. Through the proverbs, we see the fierce fight against all human desires and vices, human weakness, God’s mercy, the unyielding will and courage to rise above frustration and despair, faith and hope, and other wise teachings for our lives.

The heroic lives and virtues of the desert fathers attracted countless people to the desert then. Just as bees smell the fragrance of flowers, people flocked to the holy lives and virtues of the monks. They went to famous elders to hear a word necessary for salvation. “Abba, tell me a word. What must I do to be saved?” This question was a typical question asked by those who went to the elders of the desert.

At the same time, it is a valid question for us living in the 21st century. We long for spiritual teachers. spiritual teachers. This is because we need visible examples. We need examples of true believers who tried to faithfully practice the teachings of the Gospel.

[The French philosopher Blaise Pascal is often quoted as saying: "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone," We find it difficult to face our inner selves.]

Reason for Hope

 

In the Diagnosis of the Times Column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, a priest gives the readers some thoughts that help us understand the present world situation and solutions.

The situation in Germany after World War II was truly desperate. At least 3.2 million soldiers and 2.5 million civilians were killed during the war, and it is estimated that over 10 million people were injured.

The war trauma suffered by the German people was beyond words; 40% of their housing had already been destroyed, and hunger had become a daily occurrence, so the basic conditions for living as human beings had collapsed. Due to the territorial adjustments by the victorious powers, Germans living in various places were driven out, and the streets were filled with homeless people and orphans who could not even find a place to sleep to avoid the rain.

However, even in this desperate situation, Benedikt Kreutz (1879-1949), the president of Caritas in Germany at the time, said now was the time for Caritas. In other words, it is time to practice ‘Charity’, the organized practice of love for neighbors by the church community that starts from the love of God.  Although we have lost hope and are groaning in extreme pain, we can shine new hope in God’s love by testifying to that love. Following Benedict Kreutz's words, Caritas Germany has been actively and systematically practicing love, especially for war refugees, and is evaluated as a valuable foundation for reviving German society.

The eventful year of 2024 ended in chaos in Korea due to the unexpected declaration of martial law and impeachment on December 3. Tens of thousands of citizens gathered in Yeouido in the bitter cold, waving lighted candles and reflecting on the meaning of democracy. 

After many twists and turns, the impeachment was passed, but the domestic situation has not been stable since then. The National Assembly members continue to make statements to reassure the people. Still, the anxiety of the people and the aftereffects of martial law have become the burden of most people and made them walk through difficult times.

However, despite the highest number of self-employed business closures and the shrinking domestic economy, the political world is not gaining the people's trust by pursuing their own interests. It has become difficult to find the year-end and New Year’s atmosphere where one calmly ends the year and dreams of the excitement and hope of a new year. However, we cannot let go of hope. Just as the German Church and Caritas Germany showed after World War II, perhaps the Korean Church should shine a new light of hope by testifying to God’s love right now.

The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity from the Second Vatican Council states, "Lay people strive for the evangelization and sanctification of humanity, and by penetrating the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel, they work to perfect that order. In this way, lay people bear clear witness to Christ in the midst of the temporal order and serve human salvation. Since the lay state is one of living in the world and engaging in secular affairs, lay people are called by God to perform their apostolate in the world like leaven, burning with the spirit of Christ."  Pope Benedict XVI emphasized that it is through love rooted in God that we can correct the confusion of modern society.

As we begin the new year of 2025, the writer fervently prays that it will be a year filled with hope and happiness through the children of the Lord who bear witness to God's love in their respective lives.

Breaking the Trap of Temptation

A reporter for the Catholic Times gives the readers, at the beginning of the New Year, examples of the efforts of many in quitting an addiction.

‘Quit Smoking’, ‘Lose 3kg through Diet’, ‘Quit Drinking’, ‘Read 100 Books’... The Jubilee Year of 2025 has arrived. People are making New Year’s resolutions. This year in particular, they are starting the year with various hopes with the slogan ‘Pilgrims of Hope'. Many renew their resolution at baptism to cut off all evil among them. Can I really quit? The reporter visited  St. Mary's Hospital, which is helping people overcome various addictions.

“I worked at a construction site for decades. But then, civil engineers in their 20s who graduated from college came and showed off. I knew more about the site, but they made orders that didn’t fit. So I drank a lot of alcohol because of the stress.”

The lecture on ‘Analysis and Response to High-Risk Situations’ started with meditation. Today’s lecture was about physical discomfort caused by addiction. The head of the education and counseling department explained that alcoholics usually suffer from insomnia, depression, and anxiety when they drink alcohol. She continued: “I also give lectures on the dangers of drinking to heavy equipment operators, firefighters, and police officers who have to deal with tension in their daily work."

“But I think all these reasons are just excuses and justifications. Not all people who do difficult jobs suffer from addictions. They manage their stress a lot through exercise or other hobbies. In my case, I think I relieved myself by drinking alcohol because it was easy.”

St. Mary’s Hospital, which celebrated its 20th anniversary, is a hospital specializing in alcohol addiction treatment established by the Korea Addiction Research Foundation. It operates inpatient and outpatient treatment and rehabilitation programs. In addition to alcohol addiction, it also operates clinics for tobacco, drug, and behavioral addiction. Approximately 10,000 patients visit the hospital annually.

In the case of inpatient treatment for alcohol addiction, a systematic program based on over 10 years of experience is conducted.  You can attend lectures such as ‘Brain and Addiction’ and ‘Understanding Addiction’ to understand alcoholism, and you can participate in programs such as ‘Starting Recovery’ to develop the will to quit drinking, ‘Relapse Prevention Education Program’ and ‘Analysis and Coping with High-Risk Situations’ to prepare not to drink again. They also offer art therapy, music therapy, meditation, yoga, and other art therapies and alternative therapies.

There is a terrace where you can walk among plants, a lecture hall, a place to exercise in all four seasons to relieve frustration, and weekly family education and counseling with experts are also available. It goes without saying that both believers and non-believers can participate in the Catholic Mass held every week to help with spiritual recovery.

Cigarettes, alcohol, food, smartphones, games, etc., are easily accessible to us, making them even more easily addictive. Which is better, completely quitting or maintaining a moderate level? The Director recommends complete abstinence, saying that most problems arise when one believes that one can control oneself. “Whether to abstain or completely quit should be determined not by how much one has drunk and for how long, but by whether the individual’s ability to control and restrain one’s behavior is preserved or lost.” He added: “Since most efforts to abstain will lead to a return to one’s original habits, I recommend completely abstaining if possible.”

“Recently, there has been an increase in the number of patients who are highly adaptive, who are experiencing addiction problems while maintaining their work and home life to some extent, and there has also been a significant influx of young people.” He continued, “A man in his late 20s who visited the hospital after a self-diagnosis before getting married had no difficulties in daily life but seemed to have a problem with his ability to control himself, so he decided to completely abstain from drinking and has been living well for several years.”

“Addiction can be a reappearance of a person’s relationship or desires. No one else can solve it for you. Change can begin when I listen to the voice inside me and the stories of my loved ones.”

Philosophy for Life

The Catholic Peace Weekly will start a new column written by a Jesuit priest professor of philosophy at Sogang University who will be retiring soon. 

He conducted a liberal arts course, Study of Happiness, based on philosophical counseling among research projects supported by the government. He practiced philosophy education in conjunction with group counseling. He introduces the course in the recent issue of the paper.

These days, when he looks around our society and surroundings, so many people are in pain in their souls (minds). It is especially sad to see young people who should be full of passion and hope despairing and hurting in the face of an uncertain future.

In addition, he established a new degree program in spirituality and philosophical counseling at Sogang University's Graduate School of Theology. Although it has only been three years since the philosophical counseling degree program was established, it has been accepted by many people, from recent college graduates to professionals and those who dream of making a leap forward in life at a young age. Above all, the philosophical counseling education practice course, in which interns participate under the guidance of professors and conduct group philosophical counseling, is receiving an excellent response from undergraduate students. This may prove that young people suffer from emotional wounds and long for healing.

Unlike psychoanalysis, philosophical counseling may sound unfamiliar. Some may wonder, "What does philosophy have to do with counseling?" Philosophical counseling is a new field of philosophy that developed in Europe, especially in Germany, along with the philosophy practice movement in the latter half of the 20th century.

Since ancient times, philosophy has been a practical discipline, not just a theoretical one. In particular, Stoic philosophy and Epicurean philosophy, which aimed for peace of mind and spirit, are examples of this. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-271 BC) even claimed that "philosophy is of no use if it does not drive away the diseases of the soul."

In universities like today, which were established in the Middle Ages, philosophy became a significant subject, and philosophy degenerated into an overly speculative and theoretical discipline. Introspection arose in Germany, centered around Gerd B. Achenbach, and developed into the current philosophical counseling. One of the first 'Philosophical Counseling' degree programs was established within the Graduate School of Theology at Sogang University.

As the German poet and philosopher Novalis (1772-1801) argued, the essence of philosophy lies in 'giving vitality to life and making life leap forward'. To that extent, philosophy is closely related to life. Since humans think as spiritual beings and live their lives based on such thinking, philosophy is an indispensable element that cannot be separated from our lives. This is because no human being lives without thinking.

The world we live in is a world that transcends simple nature, and this world exists in the act of thinking. Therefore, incorrect thinking or lack of thinking can be inhumane and can be hurtful to oneself. Correct thinking is also the way for us to live healthily. 

Philosophy has walked the path of wisdom for this correct thinking. In the future, through his column, the professor plans to unfold the story of philosophy that energizes the soul, makes life leap forward, and heals wounds. Through this, he hopes that readers will become familiar with philosophy and find it helpful. We would do well to see philosophy this way for a healthier mental life.

Meaning of Hope

A Seoul Diocesan pastor gives the readers of the Catholic Times some thoughts on the Jubilee Year and what it should mean. A topic which sadly may mean very little to most of us in the world in which we live.

On December 24, the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica was opened. The Jubilee of 2025 began. The Jubilee will continue until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, 2026, under the official motto, "Pilgrims of Hope." 

During the Jubilee, the Jews returned to their family lands, the fields rested, enslaved people were freed, and debts were forgiven.

According to Leviticus, the year following the seven Sabbath years was the Year of Jubilee. It was to return to the state of liberation when settling in Canaan after 400 years of slavery, they were able to give glory to God, who had provided liberation. The land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, was given to each tribe, clan, and family. However, as time passed, some people sold their land and rented other people's land, and some even became slaves. The Year of Jubilee was intended to immediately restore those broken relationships.

The meaning of the Year of Jubilee was a time of hope, not to throw out the lazy because there was no solution, and not to boast that the blessings given by heaven are selective, but to begin living together in peace and joy.

Today, the Year of Jubilee exists, but the practices that should have been done during the Year of Jubilee have disappeared. Those who have lost their homes are driven out and have to wander the streets, those who have lost their jobs have to worry about their livelihood, and the young who have lost their dreams and the elderly who have lost their health in body and mind are entirely excluded. They want to return, but their homes and jobs are gone. Immigrants who had no choice but to turn their backs on their hometowns are strangers in the new world.

It is said that even when the Jubilee of the Jews first came into existence, the practices demanded by the Jubilee were not often carried out. [There is much controversy about the degree of acceptance the Jubilee had among the Israelites. To give up what had been gained was not an easy thing to do.]

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) It was the core of salvation that restored the lost order of God.

We are once again called to the Jubilee. It is not just a Jubilee that ends with the opening of the doors and the proclamation of the holy liturgy, nor is it a Jubilee that is satisfied with gratitude for individual salvation through indulgences. Instead, we yearn for a year of hope to move towards a new world.

The generations who experienced the tragedies of the Sewol ferry and Itaewon sing: "Into the New World." "Goodbye to the repeated sorrows in this world!" It is a concrete, realistic world that we all create together. It is a song about the true Jubilee, not different from the one we sang together during the dark dictatorship era: "The country of true love and joy where 'lions play with the lambs'." 

The Jubilee is no longer a Christian tradition inherited from the Jewish tradition. The peace that God gives is peace for the whole world. Peace is not enjoyed differently depending on skin color, ideology, possessions, education, or position. It is a peace for all. When the world is at peace, the church is at peace. When the church devotes itself to the world, the world will cherish and care for the church.