A Religious Sister, the head of a Research Center and a college lecturer, writes In View from the Ark of the Catholic Times about mirror neurons.
She mentions when watching a movie or a drama we are moved by the same emotions the characters express: crying or
laughing. Why are these emotions, she asks, transferred to us?
Giacomo
Rizzolatti an Italian doctor and his team noticed that when a monkey
placed a peanut in his mouth the motor neurons would react,
and this would also be true if the researcher put a peanut in his own
mouth, the same neurons in the monkey would respond, and these were called
mirror neurons. This was discovered with electrodes placed in the brains
of the monkeys. She mentions that in California, scientists in 2010
discovered that humans have the same mirror neurons.
At
sport events the spectator watching the athletes can have sweaty hands,
be anxious, and when the athlete receives a medal the spectator can
experience the happiness of the athlete. This emotional transference is
called the mirror neuron. True not only with joy but also when one sees
or hears about someone in pain. We are affected by the pain:
empathy without the intention, comes to one
automatically.
Sister mentions a talk she heard by Daniel Goleman a psychologist. He talked about
an experience he had when leaving work and going down the steps to a
subway. A man was lying besides the stairs, without a
shirt and not moving. People where oblivious of him and walking over him
on their way to the subway. Golman stopped to see what was the problem
and six other people came to where Golman was standing. The man had
been walking the streets without anything to eat and fell because of
weakness. He knew no English, was a foreigner, and had no money.Quickly a
person in the group gave him something to drink and eat, someone called the police. Within a short time he got up and started
to walk.
This
little act on the part of Golman drew the attention of others to
express their empathy for the man. All Golman did was stop beside
the man; this gesture was enough to gather people around him. Latent empathy in these people was released by the action of
Golman.
Sister mentions a study that was made by two scientist who said for every happy person you know, happiness increases by 9 percent, and for each negative person you know there is a decrease of 7 percent.
We all know from our own lives that happiness and sadness are contagious.
When a person smiles at me I am uplifted, when I see a grimace I am
dejected. I need to remember I am a person able to energize the communities to which I belong.
We learn strategies for survival, living in our capitalistic society where survival of the fittest is the norm.
What allows us to maintain our life is not competition but sharing
what we have, having sympathy and cooperating with others. We can hope for a consensus because of the mirror neuron.
She
concludes the article by reminding us when we are only concerned about ourselves, and lack the leisure to go out to others, we will become a society without empathy. Feelings for others is not something exceptional, but simply words and gestures we use daily: a word of care for another, a smile, showing sympathy. She wants us have the leisure to make this part of our life.
"Today, the Taizé Community is made up of over a hundred brothers,
Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, coming from around
thirty nations. By its very existence, the community is a 'parable of
community' that wants its life to be a sign of reconciliation between
divided Christians and between separated peoples.The brothers of the community live solely by their work. They do not
accept donations. In the same way, they do not accept personal
inheritances for themselves; the community gives them to the very poor." Words about the Taizé movement found on their web site.
On Oct. 4th over a hundred young persons, freely, gathered together in a small Protestant Church in Seoul: hearing about the gathering on Facebook, other Internet portals or by word of mouth. Catholic, Protestant Anglican young people met together to pray and praise, making a temporary Taizé village. These young people prayed late into the evening with short hymns repeated, with prayers, silences, meditations, and sharing their faith with one another.
What
makes these young people come together for no particular reason,
despite their busy schedules? "They came to a place where they could
pray freely."
"They are attracted to the Taizé way of praying... they wanted to share the allure of the Taizé method of praying with the Korean youth."
The origin of the Taizé prayer is from a small village of Taizé
in France where 10s of thousands of young people gather every year.
Those with faith and those without faith gather: 2 or 3 days if short,
and if long for 2 or 3 years. They remain in the village taking care
of their personal needs for clothing, food and lodging, very simply,
and giving praise to God.
One
of the brothers who has been a member of the Taizé community in France
has come to Korea on five different occasions. Brother Sin Francis, led the prayers on
one of the days. This year has been a difficult year, he said, for Korea, China
and other countries of Asia, prayers are needed. They want to spread the
spirit of Taizé in all of the countries of the world. They recall
Brother Roger who over 70 years ago started the community with the love
he showed to the refugees of the Second World War: Jews, prisoners of
war, and many others who suffered. They were consoled with the prayers
and the love they received within the community.
Much time has passed but still the young people are attracted with the simple prayer life they experience at Taizé. Writing in the Peace Weekly about the community, the journalist, sees the strength that comes from prayer in the faces of the youth, and reports what he learned at the gathering.
A professor emeritus, the head of a research center reflects on the place of peace in society. In the history of humanity we have always had wars, and even today to gain peace, we prepare or engage in war. Consequently, we have scholars who say that war is a necessary evil. As long as greed is a part of the human make-up, the professor reminds us, we will have wars. The Greek thinkers tolerated wars to achieve peace.
Two world wars enabled the world to develop many new weapons that have been used to threaten other countries from starting wars. It's time to stop seeing peace as related to war, but to go in search of peace for its own sake. A German nuclear scientist and philosopher said: "With the scientific knowledge we have peace is the condition for life."
After the Second World War, the biggest war has been on the Korean peninsular, and the war is still not over. During the visit of Pope Francis he appealed for "the emergence of new opportunities for dialogue,
encounter and the resolution of differences."
Peace is not only a political-diplomatic and military problem, but of our human make-up. Peace requires justice and self restraint. Without restraint we will continue to have wars.
Absence of violence and war, coexistence, living together, was considered external peace; control of our greed and the peace achieved was the internal peace. External peace does not bring internal peace, but internal peace can bring external peace.
Without a culture to control our human greed, peace will remain a distant mirage. Unless we restrain our desire for human power and develop a capacity for temperance and humility: born again, with a new humanity, worldview, and religious understanding, we will not have peace.
At the Mass for Peace and Reconciliation at Myeong-dong Cathedral in Seoul Korea, Pope Francis said: "At this Mass, we naturally hear this promise in the context of the
historical experience of the Korean people, an experience of division
and conflict which has lasted for well over sixty years. But God's
urgent summons to conversion also challenges Christ's followers in Korea
to examine the quality of their own contribution to the building of a
truly just and humane society...
And it challenges you, as Christians and Koreans, firmly to reject a
mindset shaped by suspicion, confrontation and competition, and instead
to shape a culture formed by the teaching of the Gospel and the noblest
traditional values of the Korean people."
The article ends with words from a talk given by the pope at the Blue House to the Korean public officials: their efforts to find peace is something the whole world is looking forward to see, and will influence the stability of the whole world, tired of wars.
"A person stealing a sewing needle, will become an ox thief." Stealing something small is preparing one to steal something big.This Korean proverb would have similar expressions in many other cultures.
The Catholic Times has an article about cheating--a form of stealing. Surprising are the number of young people who have no sense of guilt when it comes to cribbing. We have seen in Korea many who have plagiarized and especially among the young, not knowing they have done anything wrong. The article mentions for many to improve grades all is permissible; this thinking is wide spread and the reason we need ethics on learning.
A response to a survey made among 336 college students showed that 57.7 percent had cheated and 57 percent did it to better their grades. This is not only the case with college students. In a middle school in Pusan recently over half the students were involved in cheating. Inchon had a case with cheating among the high school students was overlooked, and the majority in society thought it best to remain silent.
There are many examples of unethical procedures in exams, homework, and class papers, but difficult to find any programs to teach the students the ethics of learning. Consequently we have little guilt when it comes to cheating and plagiarizing. One survey among students, 36 percent said to receive the necessary credits it was unavoidable. 14.3 percent provided you weren't caught it was all right. Education that has the college entrance exam in their sight makes this a big temptation even for those with religious beliefs.
Those who have studied the situation say there is a need for education in this field. Study will help in the search for truth. A professor at the Catholic University is quoted as saying: " There are many students that have no idea that what they are doing is wrong. Since the object of learning is the search for truth only going about it in the proper way is it attained."
What is important in learning is not to deceive. In an exam or homework one is making known one's personal efforts and lying is going against the truth. There are many programs that are trying to raise the ethical level of our students, fostered with books and Apps. (application software that are helpful in understanding the harm done with cheating) The whole issue may seem like a lot about nothing, but students will be the leaders in our society and their honesty will influence the society in which we live.
When living was difficult our ancestors considered a full meal a great grace, and before such a table would take pride in its bountifulness. When they welcomed guests the table would be laden with so much food, enough, to break one of the legs. This was the custom in welcoming guests. However, with the prosperity that Korea enjoys today the tables full of food have turned to 'poison'.
One of the articles in the Catholic Times on efforts by Korea Caritas to eliminate hunger was written up for the benefit of the readers. In a year's time about 500 tons of food are thrown away. This accounts for about 28 percent of the trash. Money necessary for disposal is enormous. The environment is destroyed and we have economic loss. Distribution of food is unequal: hunger, and in some areas the serious waste of food.
The government and local municipalities along with homes, schools and eating places are working to manage the waste, but more importantly is the need to change our eating habits. The campaign sponsored by Caritas to help eradicate hunger: 'Food, is not Garbage' is the slogan meant to motivate us to work to change our habits.
They are recommending a simpler menu. To select seasonal foods, prepare them simply: besides the rice and soup to have just 3 or 4 side dishes. Seasonal foods are cheaper and healthier is a message we hear often.
Eating out also has some recommendations: not to order more than you can eat, and what is left over to bring home to use on another day.The efforts made will not only help our environment but will be healthier for us. Below are the four steps recommended.
(1) Prepare a menu for a week and when shopping to keep it in mind and prepare accordingly.
(2) Prepare food from the season and simply. They are more nutritious and prepared simply will be healthier and better for the environment.
(3) When eating out: order only what you can consume. Order plain meals. If the portions are large ask for a smaller portion.
(4) Prepare a container to bring home what was left on the table.
One person family, celibate, single, living by themselves are all ways of expressing the life style of those who do not marry. Living a life without a mate is not something strange in the world in which we live. Single people are living in all kinds of occupations within Korean society, and even a TV program 'I live alone' is popular among the viewers.
An article in Bible & Life on the single life by a priest gives us his ideas on this not uncommon life style. However, there is still much more to be done for a greater understanding, not only in society but within the Church. Those in their thirties have concerns on whether they should join the youth groups in the parishes and those in their forties and older have no place to go. There is a need, he says, to have serious discussions on the place of the single person within the Church community. Discrimination and misunderstanding of the single celibate life is still present.
The single state in the in the Old Testament because of the patriarchal culture, was not seen positively. In the New Testament we have the passage in Matthew 19: 10-12 where praise is given for those who have given up marriage for the sake of God's reign. St. Paul would like all to imitate him, but he does not belittle the married life. Celibacy is the individual decision in freedom, directed towards God, that make us free.
Within the Church we have the clerical and religious states. Living celibate outside the clerical and religious states, the writer feels there is no need to make much of the difference. Celibacy within the Church is for the reign of God, fellowship and the expression of love. We should not put a limit to our acceptance of those who are living the celibate single life within the community of faith.
The writer mentions three areas of concern for those who are living the single life within the community of faith. We need to understand and accept them as equals. Those who are single need to accept the Church as the family of Jesus.
Secondly, the freedom of the single person: the Church needs to help them to use this freedom for the good. They are to be helped in their work within the community of faith.
Thirdly, they should have educational programs and guidance in spirituality, and in their leisure and work lives. Help them to be imitators of Jesus and to understand marriage as the seat of life and a proper appreciation of sexuality.
Those who are unmarried should be given a more intense desire for the good than the married. Those that are not married should not be lonely but in search of a greater spirituality. They should see all in the community as their brothers and sisters and be an example of service in the society in which they live. They are not mavericks but are to help others to answer more completely the love that God has shown us.
In the Kyeong Hyang Magazine an author and essayist writes about her experience in making a Lenten Retreat. The retreat master gave all the retreatants a book: Until the Day We Separate: letters between a Japanese priest in Rome, Masayuki Shirieda, and a well known Catholic author in Japan, Ayako Sono. The woman author was in danger of losing her sight and the letters have to do with life and despair, accepting of pain and the trust and love of God.
The essayist spent the night reading the book and was moved deeply. Each chapter has a title: 'After losing everything, I see God.' 'Suffering saves us.' 'What are my expectations?' 'God finds humans.' 'Death is the finishing of the unfinished.' These and similar chapter titles are divided into smaller topics which go into greater detail, making clearer their ideas.
Ayako Sono is a famous author who explains her faith and sufferings. She has done much to help others, met many people, and in her writings made God known to many of her readers.
The priest in the third chapter talks about his vocation to the priesthood." I don't remember my father. I was five years old when he died on the battle field. War took everything away from me.The house in which I was born and grew up, was destroyed by an air raid. The dream that I had to follow my father as a soldier disappeared. First of all, I wanted to rebuild the house that was destroyed.
One day I went into a new church that was being built and stole a nail. I quickly put it in my bag when a foreigner grabbed me by the collar. He didn't bawl me out, but put more nails in my bag and told me to come back if I needed more.
The night I didn't get any sleep. I couldn't forget the foreigner. That morning I found my goal in life. I ran four kilometers to the church to meet the foreigner. I no longer wanted to be an army general but to be like him. 'Teach me'. I asked. I didn't want to be a Catholic, no thought about religion, all I wanted to be was like the priest.
I was baptized. I didn't know the teaching all I knew was that Catholicism taught love, and I wanted to give myself to the Jesus who was on the Cross. That was clear to me." This was the motivation for him to become Catholic and become a priest.
The writer mentioned she came across the book in her middle fifties. She was a cradle Catholic and proud of this, but lukewarm in her practice and lifeless.
One day on a visit to a church she had a spiritual awaking and became conscious of God's love for her. She began to study the Scriptures, go to retreats and follow others in volunteer work. She still felt lonely and it was at this time that she read the book: Until the Day We Separate. A quiet road to God.
When the priest left to go to Rome the mother: "When will I see you again?" "In about four years." he answered. "That's a long time." She wanted to die in the arms of her son. The four years turned into ten years and her wish of dying in the arms of her son, happened.
The book is not a catechism, but a book talking about the problems that we face in life. The priest ends the book with the words on a tomb stone of an unknown soldier in Turin. "I wanted from God everything that would make me happy, and received nothing that I desired, but everything that God wanted for me."
