On the news that evening a politician from the past, far from an example of integrity, commented on the bleak situation of our politics: the pot calling the kettle black.
Citizens reacted with weekend candle demonstrations in the streets of Seoul. They wanted a change from the old ways of doing government. Investigations continue which will help overcome the fear many have of the future.'Hell Chosen' and the division of society expressed with the example of spoons: clay, bronze, silver and gold spoons are the signs of this dissatisfaction. Metaphoric language for the levels in society: lower class, working class, middle class and upper class.
The weekly demonstrations have removed the shell that all is well in society and the citizens are moving towards hope from despair, from death to life, they have become a Paschal procession but on Mondays, for many, everything goes back to normal, fatigue and despair.
Kierkegaard the Danish philosopher said we should proclaim the Gospel on Mondays instead of Sundays. The Gospel is for weekdays. The welcoming and joy of Sunday does not transfer to Monday and the weekday. The Gospel has to be proclaimed in the reality of our daily lives. The writer continues with talk about the many pseudo leaders we have in society and deplores what he sees.
Pseudo is a word we often use to mean sham, false, phony, artificial. Confucius had a great dislike for this sham for it tarnished justice and faith, and virtue is harmed. In the Christian Scriptures it was the Pharisees who distorted what was justice and honesty. One of the prime examples in present society for many is the Sewol Ferry Tragedy, still shrouded in mystery.
In the time of Jesus we had similar falseness that passed as truth. God made the cosmos from chaos and Jesus asked us to prepare new wine bags for new wine. We need to pray for the wisdom to distinguish the false from the true a task that is far from easy.