A basketball player needs to be tall, one who is short is just not going to make it. Height is going to determine failure or success. When it comes to studying, one has to have a good head to do well. A low IQ will determine the place in school standing and the school attended. With a low IQ, the chances of becoming a Nobel Prize winner are close to zero.
Those that achieve uncommon results in sports, arts or in literature are talented: Michael Jordan or an Albert Einstein. With this introduction, a columnist in the Peace Weekly gives us a meditation on glory and frustration.
However, those with extraordinary talents are not always successful. Those who are tall are not always good basketball players. Persons with high IQs are not always in the running for a Nobel prize. When the talent is there, the effort has to be put in the mix. All worldly success will require a lot of sweat and sacrifice. We often see that sweat and sacrifice make up for a lack of talent. On the other hand, those with talent without the effort and sacrifice will rarely go to the top. This has been proven in many studies.
Those who want to make it to the top of their field the columnist sees them spending over 10,000 hours of effort. These are the words of a neuroscientist. This kind of effort will require at least 3 hours daily of effort for 10 years. This was the case for those of our medal winners in this year's Olympics.
Effort and talent don't always bring success. Talent and effort bring medals to some but others have to drink the bitter cup of elimination. All that is provided is the possibility of success. There is no theory or way of measuring what will bring worldly success. There are too many variables that come into play at the place and time.
However, medals no matter from where they come are no guarantee of success in life. There is no way to predict what life will offer: a mystery which we face. Life is not composed of series of steps in merit to the desired goal. Correct answers are not easily found. Glory can come and go. The mystery in life is what gives it charm and savor.
In frustration, there is hidden hope and in glory, trials wait. The wise person faces the uncertainty of the ups and downs which come in life with humility and as a Christian with prayer.
Writing in the Peace Weekly Peace Column the columnist reviews his life briefly and recalls while in elementary school there were so many students they had to have a morning and afternoon session.
In middle school, he remembers hearing the phrase, family planning repeatedly. During this period the slogan was two children no preference between boy or girl. Looking back on the internet we heard: 'birth planning now and stability in the future.' 'Let's be praiseworthy parents with contraception now.' It was at this time that we had the Mother and Child Health Law enacted. This was opposed by the Church for justifying abortion. Korea has the lowest birthrate of the developed countries.
When he married and began working in the middle 80s, generally the social climate was for one child. This was followed with many slogans: 'One child and a thrifty life.' 'One child is all we need to have everything.' Speaking frankly: 'two is too many.'
Vasectomies were pushed at the military reserve training areas. The surgery was free and you would be excused from training. Many young fathers fell easily into temptation. For those who wanted a boy child after having a girl we heard the slogan: 'a daughter well raised doesn't envy ten boys.'
These slogans continued into the 90s. The columnist mentions that at this time he had two daughters and a son and was looked upon strangely. At this time, those with a third child were not given the benefits of insurance except in some Catholic Hospitals.
20 to 30 years have passed and the situation has completely changed. This didn't happen overnight. The government is working to strengthen the family, to help those who have no children and want children, and other policies to overcome the low birth rate. However, the columnist feels that prescribing medicine for a patient without determining the reason for the problem is not wise.
Prescriptions have to fit the problem and in Korea, it is necessary to prepare the citizens to accept and use the prescriptions that are being offered. The big problem is life and the way we see it. If we see the problems of society only as economic we will be blind to the more important value of life. Economics are important in living a decent, dignified life. This can't be overlooked but when money becomes more important than life something is wrong. He feels that it is precisely here that Korean society has a problem.
For the last sixty year economics was the all important element and we have not changed in this evaluation: consequently, the value of life has to come from the rear to the front.
The editorial and front page of this issue were devoted to family. A large color picture of a family from Spain in which 18 children were born, 3 died of sickness, appears prominently on the front page. Hopefully, these efforts being made to see family in a new way will bring change.
In nature, green vegetation appears weak; when it becomes impoverished those who like to eat are faced with problems. Keeping this in mind when all the parts of the ecosystem work together harmoniously all benefit. Industry also benefits when the ecosystem is healthy. In the 'View from the Ark' of the Catholic Times, a Catholic Medical School professor begins his article with the above words.
Society in this competitive system in which we live is continually searching for profits. Victors become blind to the groans of those they don't see on the peripheries.
One of biggest problems that confront the ecosystem is our large number of young people out of work which doesn't predict a bright future. They spend precious years of their youth looking for work. Depending on the workplace the ratio for work can be as high as 100:1 or 10:1. Many spend their time preparing for exams or getting the necessary specialty training they feel they need for their job: not a healthy situation.
What is of interest says the professor is the companies are in need of workers to fill spots. More than money lack of workers is a problem. He mentions a survey made in which the majority of the CEOs mentioned the lack of workers is the biggest problem. Why then do we have the problem with unemployment?
Most of the companies have the full complement of workers but they are not all that they want. Industry has looked for workers with the specifications they need it is time now to train and educate those they need.
In Korea, temporary workers number two-fold in comparison to other developed countries; full-time workers are half of the other OECD countries. It's not they don't need workers but they seek to fill the slots with cheap labor and this is the practice we have become habituated to in recent years.
During the years of economic development, the government helped the industrial sector with wealth. The accumulation of this wealth was to help the citizens to a better living. Consequently, it is now the time for industry to take an interest and not only be concerned with increasing profits but how to help the social ecosystem.
Companies have to start to see workers as persons with dignity and not to be used as instruments to increase efficiency and the margin of profit by making them temporary workers and all the other ways they keep them from become full-time workers. They have to begin training the workers for the jobs they need.
He concludes the article with the desire of pope Francis to see the start of a new ecosystem where he writes in Joy of the Gospel: "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?"
A Korean layman, Kim Gu-jong, 1898-1984, was written up in the Peace Weekly in its series of outstanding Christians. Kim Gu-jong was from the Taegu Diocese and went to the newly established diocese of Pyongyang as a missionary catechist. Seoul was not able to send priests so the work lagged behind the Protestants.
The article mentions how the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers were given the Pyongyang area as their first mission in Korea. Maryknoll was established in 1910 as the Catholic Missionary Society of the United States to work in Asia. China was the first mission and Korea the second. Bishop Walsh, Maryknoll's superior on a visit to Bishop Mutel in Korea showed an interest in beginning work in the country. Taegu had been making plans to give one-third of their resources to begin a new diocese in the Pyongan Province but Bishop Mutel gave the area to Maryknoll and this was finalized by Propaganda Fide in 1922; Maryknollers came the following year.
At the start of the new diocese, workers were necessary. When Maryknoll accepted the work there were 7 parishes, three major seminarians, and eight minor seminarians and a priest from the Seoul Diocese. Consequently, Maryknollers were attentive to recruiting salaried catechists for the work. Catechists taught in the parishes and mission stations, spread news within the diocese, determined the situation of the parishioners and related with the citizens.
They were the hope for evangelization and the advanced guard to prepare the field. Fr. Kim Song-hak was a priest who was working in Pyongyang when it was part of the Seoul Diocese and when the priests returned to Seoul he remained to advise the Maryknollers. He had worked in Taegu before it became an independent diocese and recruited Kim Ignatius for Pyongyang as a catechist.
One of the parishes was selected and this became the place where the Maryknollers would study the language and customs of the country. Kim Ignatius was a leader among the catechists and helped to form many of the other catechists. They began one of the first monthly magazines in the Church. Ignatius was present in most of the new works. Pyongyang compared to the other dioceses led in the number of catechists, at least one and up to 15 in a parish: women outnumbered the men.
On 1935 Oct.10th for three days they celebrated the 150th anniversary of the beginning of Christianity in Korea. Pyongyang the youngest diocese was selected to host the event. Five bishops and the Apostolic Delegate were present. 6000 Catholics attended. When this group arrived at the train station many thought that the Apostolic Delegate was the emperor of Rome. Many of the Catholics of the mission stations would see a priest twice a year and this event brought the 5 bishops with many priests to the diocese making it a noteworthy event.
In a period of ten years, the Catholic population of Pyongyang had a three-fold increase.The Catholics grew in confidence with the experience gained from the celebration. Two of the daily papers in their editorials expressed how the Church was breaking down walls between the classes and inaugurating a new culture. The other mentioned the social work and with their beliefs, Catholics were able to overcome the difficulties and the history of persecution of the past: a good example to the citizens.
Demange, Florian(1875~1938), the first bishop of the Taegu Diocese while riding in the same car as the ordinary of Pyongyang John Morris, praised a one-time parishioner of the Taegu diocese, Kim Ignatius for a job well done.
The Catholic Times on the world today, mentions the anxiety experienced as a reason for many mental problems. Jobs are hard to find, salaries are low, retirement worries, the deepening of the polarization between levels of society, the generation gap, all make for an increase in the number who find it difficult to cope.
Last April the Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs reported that 34.4 % of the citizens see society as unstable and 60 % of the young feel insecure. This is one of the reasons we have the large number of suicides, depression, and mental difficulties.
According to the National Health Insurance Corporation in 2015 there was an increase of 16% from 2010 in the number of those seeking help for depression at hospitals. From 2008 there has been an increase of those asking for counseling because of depression and other mental problems.
Korea for 12 straight years has led the developed nations in the number of suicides: about 30 to 40 daily. The head of one of the counseling services explains that for many no matter how hard they work there is no way to exit the tunnel they are in. This causes the senses to be on edge and sharp and is often followed by depression and occasionally suicide.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you." These words of Jesus have always been consoling to many Christians and helped many with despondency and mental difficulties to regain health. However, says the article, to trust only in prayers and religious activities can be poison. Those who have studied the situation make it clear what is needed is the working together of professional help and the spiritual life.
A professor of spirituality is quoted as saying: "prayer can be an escape and a distortion of religion and a distancing one from healing: there is the need for counseling along with the religious practices."
The article goes on to mention the need for centers and parishes to become concerned in helping those who are in need of counseling. We have a movement within the Church that is encouraging this tendency but also the Church needs to nurture resilience among the Christians: the ability to recover from failures, adversity, trials and the like. Those that have this resiliency will after the difficulties bounce back even to greater growth.
In conclusion, the article shows how important a positive outlook on life is in overcoming difficulties. The Church needs to remember this in its teachings, sermons, retreats and dealings with the Christians. It has been shown that the positive outlook enables resiliency and the strength to overcome the trials in life.
Studies made outside Korea have shown that Catholics don't do well in comparison to other religious groups in communicating and empathy. The Church in Korea needs to be aware of this and work to change. One priest mentions if one goes to a Protestant church there is always a warm welcome but at a Catholic Church,you find a coldness. He attributes this to the large numbers and forgetting the healing properties we should have as a community.
As a community of faith, we need to study how we can be more resilient, more positive, live and transmit this attitude to those in our communities.
In the Kyeongyang magazine a member of the Committee for Families of a diocese, writes on couples fighting. He tells the readers the only way not to fight is not to get married.
Two people living together will naturally have differences of opinion, actions, and values because of the many different temperaments. Fortunately, this is the case because when the bond is irreparably broken, friction disappears, you are living by yourself.
"We have never fought" often this kind of expression comes from a couple where one is not comfortable in expressing their feelings. Outside the home, they are seen as a devoted couple but in the home treat each other coldly and may be seen as a show-window couple: often known my the mass media.
In these marriages, on the surface, all seems well but the hidden conflict is like a time bomb that is set to blow. Suddenly we have one leaving the home, divorcing and even suicide. Often this is part of the living condition and fighting is a help in finding solutions. Not the lack of fighting but the wise resolving of the problems by confronting them. " A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse one crushes the spirit" (Proverbs 15:4).
He mentions a couple going to a marriage counselor for help and asked to give an example of how they fight for 3 minutes. The counselor seeing the way they fight predicts pretty accurately whether the marriage will last or not if they continue. The article introduces us to John Gottman who is able to predict with 97% accuracy the outcome of a marriage if they continue as in the past.
He is not interested in what they are fighting about but in the way they fight. Are they aiming at the others weak points, scars from the past and humiliating the others very being? A sign that they are running towards complete collapse.
On the other hand when the emotions are under control, and they don't work on the others scars and weak points and have not lost their sense of humor, no matter how passionate they are the results will be good. Like children after fighting they can become closer than they were.
He gives us a ratio of relating positively 20 times more than negatively with your spouse. In simple language, if it is: praise--blame--praise--blame in a one and one ratio the relationship will not last. The reason is that negativity is much more powerful. [people remember longer and give more weight to negative information than positive--the negativity effect]. John Gottman advises in small things: "I am sorry, thanks, I love you" and other similar words of encouragement. One can believe this is not necessary since these feelings are present, but that is a mistake for there is a need to express one's feelings.
In most cases, it is not hating the other but misunderstandings because of the inability to communicate our thoughts and feelings. As St. Don Bosco is quoted saying: "Loving is not enough love must be felt."
The place of the layperson in the life of the Catholic community of Korea has and continues to be strong. Korea is unique in that it was not missioners who brought the Faith but they evangelized themselves. Some 18th-century scholars brought back some books from China and began spreading the knowledge of Jesus and his church.
They expended great effort in getting priests to enter the country and even when they succeeded they were indispensable in carrying on the work as catechists and teachers in the mission stations. They have been and are the strong cross beam of the community. However writing in a Catholic Times column a seminary president expresses some sadness at what a small segment of the lay-community is doing.
In comparison to other countries the Catholicism in Korea has been mainly united and harmonious not like many other countries which make the discord harder to accept.
Our columnist describes this aberration as a personal piety and a secular spirituality: separating their daily life from their religious beliefs. The light from the Gospel should be shining on our daily lives but in many cases, one's personal viewpoint of life in the world colours the way they see the Gospel.
This situation is not only a Korean problem but is seen in other cultures and nations, When the teachings of religion lose their influence in society many religious social scientists call this secularization. When these teachings lose their distinctive character religion becomes a commodity in the market. We have the marketization of religion. Religion is just one of the many products on the market and you select the brand that appeals to you.
There is a big divide between this reality and what Jesus came to give us. Jesus came to overcome the divisions and discords in society and unite us. Not only fellow citizens but includes even our enemies, the poor, hungry, thirsty, sick, naked, and prisoners; he identified them with himself (Matt.25). If we want to be his followers we have to keep this in mind.
Lay people are the ones who have been called to go into the world. They are given the task to keep this mission in their varied callings. Even willing to accept a loss to themselves in being spokespersons for the poor and weak of society. They are to be heralds of God's love. They are the salt of the earth and the carriers of the Gospel.
