"Today, the word ‘study’ is commonly used to mean preparing for an exam or acquiring a skill, but that word also meant cleaning one’s body, settling one’s mind, or finding a way to live like a human being. We are living in a time when studying like that is regrettably not the case. Compared to the work of eating, what to wear, and spending money, the work of meditating, reflecting, and having a healthy vision is neglected too much…. Indeed, the serious problem today is not the death of God, but the death of man." (Abraham Joshua Heschel Who Is Man?)
In the Catholic Times' Light of the World column, the priest columnist gives us the above words of Rabbi Heschel to begin his topic on the positive regard and love of others. And introduces the readers to a phrase that comes to mind at this time: 春來不似春(spring has come but it's not like spring).
This is also how he feels about the world and society right now. Worldwide, many people are still suffering from famine and refugee problems, in addition to the Ukrainian-Russian war that has lasted for over a year, and the Turkiye earthquake with its many casualties.
Is this all? How complex is the domestic situation? The people's livelihood is being devastated, the political world is reminiscent of war, social conflicts over the reform of the national pension and public utility, low birth rate and high aging population, rising unemployment and recession, and so on. The COVID-19 crisis is over, but bigger storms await. Now that we have met the many dust storms of life, where can we find hope?
A letter addressed to all good people On April 11, 1963, during the Cold War, Pope St. John XXIII promulgated the encyclical 「Peace on Earth」. This encyclical describes what is necessary for peace, mentioning the rights that everyone should enjoy and the duties necessary for them. What is unusual is that this Encyclical is the first document to call not only Catholics, but all people of goodwill to form new ways of relating in society based on truth, justice, love, and freedom.
Through those who love and want to practice good faith, they predicted that conflict and conflict will end and peace will be possible. This rule emphasizes that failure to fulfill one's obligations can be a danger to the world and to others, including the practice of active love and responsible brotherhood, and that we should work together to solve it, not just sympathize with someone's suffering.
What is really important? Today is an era in which human rights and equality have been greatly expanded. However, he wonders whether we have interpreted the duties entrusted to us passively and have forgotten them. The life of a Christian is to love neighbors and even enemies, but often we don't put it into practice. Is it really worth living if I live only for myself and do well materially? After living, the thought that life is fleeting and finite is the regret that comes from doing only worthless and meaningless things. However, those who pursue meaningful and valuable work will not have those thoughts. The season of Lent, which calls for conversion, is God's invitation to practice important and worthy work and charity. Let's try to live a life without regrets and a life of more love.
"The inner transformation of the human person, in his being progressively conformed to Christ, is the necessary prerequisite for a real transformation of his relationships with others. It is necessary, then, to appeal to the spiritual and moral capacities of the human person and to the permanent need for his inner conversion, so as to obtain social changes that will really serve him. The acknowledged priority of the conversion of the heart in no way eliminates but on the contrary imposes the obligation of bringing the appropriate remedies to institutions and living conditions when they are an inducement to sin so that they conform to the norms of justice and advance the good rather than hinder it" (Compendium of the Social Gospel of the Church #42).
