The Korean language has a word that signifies a person's 'hot button'
and when touched an angry response is sure to follow. This hot button
should have been set off by Catholics when they heard of the recent
incident in Jejudo.
The incident occurred at a Mass celebrated
outside the construction site of the controversial naval base. Many
inhabitants of Jejudo do not want to see the island militarized,
increasing, as they believe, the possibility of war, as well as not
wanting the beauty of the island destroyed. Riot police dispersed
those at the Mass, and some of the hosts fell to the ground; a policeman
was seen stepping on the Eucharist.
The news of the incident,
by way of the social network system, was carried throughout the country
and made front page news in the Catholic Times. The journalist, a young Catholic himself, found it
difficult to understand the indifference of the Catholics regarding the
incident, especially on the part of the young, and expressed his
surprise at the lack of an appropriate response.
He concedes
that we are all entitled to our opinions and that we need to respect the
rights of all to express themselves. Some commentators on the incident
would like to know why Mass was being held in such a location in the
first place, where there was a greater possibility for the disturbance
to happen. Others do not think what happened was any big deal. To those
who side with the first observation, the columnist would answer by
reminding them of the central place of the Mass in the faith life of
Catholics. In answering the second observation, he would question
whether they fully understand what is involved when they receive the
Eucharist.
The journalist ends his article by noting that for
Catholics the preciousness of the Eucharist is our hot button. When we
remain silent on this issue, he wonders what others are going to think,
knowing that non-Catholics see the Eucharist only as a wafer. To make
sure this kind of incident is not repeated, he suggests that we speak
out whenever such incidents occur, not only because of the nature of the
offense, but for our own spiritual health as well.
