Descending Love—What is it? The columnist in the Peace Column of the Catholic Peace Weekly gives us his answer.
“Where did you go for Chuseok?” “Go? where am I to go?” “Then, has someone come to visit?” “Who is coming? I am always alone like this.” “That's why we came.” "Yes, thank you."
When the columnist first visited the elderly man after the holiday, he wondered whether his words in confirming the elder's loneliness were proper. He smiled but his heart sank at the plight of an elderly man living his remaining years alone with no one around.
The slope they had to climb even for the visitors was not without effort. The elderly live in single rooms along the road. In summer, typhoons and heavy rain come, but whatever the weather the hunger of the elderly remains. They go up and down the slope in the rain carrying a backpack with side dishes, but their whole body is wet as if they had just taken a shower. Still, the mind is able to overcome the body. "It must have been hard coming up the hill on this rainy day, thank you.” Hearing these words, the breath becomes easier and the legs feel stronger.
There are people who are not alone because they have a family. But life doesn't seem to be made any better. A grandmother who takes care of her son in a single room after her daughter-in-law and grandson leave, her son has severe diabetes; a grandmother who raises a disabled grandson left behind by her daughter; a grandmother who takes care of a son with intellectual disabilities who is overweight, and yet proud of her child living in a room full of cockroaches. His heart aches and pains just from looking over the list of those he meets. Such people are common in neighborhoods where many needy adults live.
"Anybody home? he has brought something to eat.” Whether it's because he's deaf and can't hear, or because his knees and back make it hard to stand up, there's no answer even after knocking for some time. Every time that happens, his heart breaks. After some time he hears some movement within and an elderly person crawls to open the door. The dark room is full of moisture, so much so that it's a luxury to let light and air enter. Even though it stinks, he boasts. “My son is a doctor."
He wonders if even this should be called descending love, but the love of parents for children is like that. In this section of the district, those who are able to take care of their bodily needs he believes are free and happy persons. There are those in this situation who cling to their life with great tenacity. He is anxious seeing the effort it will take over 80 living alone, but life without children is even more difficult. The life of a mother who is satisfied with being able to put even a spoonful of rice into her child's mouth continues.
When I hear the stories of young people complaining that they cannot communicate with their parents, it is truly a pity for the parents of our generation who cannot change and have to live in the past. So, I ask young people— “No matter how unpleasant the conversation may be, always start with the thought: “I know that my parents love me.” It would be nice if you could acknowledge your parents’ love and have a conversation with them.” Of course, I understand how hard it is to have a conversation with parents who talk nonsense in this day and age, but I have no choice but to say this seeing a lot of desperate Descending Love.
Life is given by God. We receive that life into our bodies through our parents. In the same way, God's love is endless love. Even if God gives so much love, sinful people don't know that. They blame God for not listening to their prayers, as if making a conditional bargain. The good is to my credit, and bad because God did not give it to me. Every time he confesses, he confesses the same things and commits them again. He readily falls into temptation even though he knows it is clearly a sin. Even though the sins we commit are many and the reason for the cross, we still don't know what we're doing wrong. And yet this Descending Love of God is the greatest of all loves.
