On the night before he died, the Lord took bread, said the blessing and gave it to his disciples, saying: "This is my body for you." Afterward, he took the cup and gave it to his disciples, saying: "This is my blood to be shed for you; do this in memory of me."
"Do this in memory of me " are words that ask us to remember what the Lord did at the Last Supper. In a diocesan bulletin, a university professor tells us of the four ways these words can be viewed.
1) Not remembering the words and not acting on them
2) Remembering them but not acting
3) Doing them but not remembering why
4) Remembering and carrying them out
A Catholic who doesn't remember or act on these words is a person who has lost his sense of direction. Today one way tomorrow another way, a person who doesn't know what is important.
A person who remembers but does not act on what he remembers can be called lazy. He knows what needs to be done but hesitates. The response is rationalized to make one feel good.
Those that carry out the words but don't remember why, are living by habit. When one repeats the acts it becomes second nature and no longer remembers why.
Remembering and acting is the act of a person who is at peace and not moved by the mundane. A person happy in all that is done.
Most historical Christian Churches believe in the literal meaning of the words of Jesus at the last supper. The later Christians began to see this as a metaphor and a symbol of encountering Jesus. Strange, "Do this in memory of me" in the context given it's difficult to give a symbolic, poetical, or metaphorical meaning to the words.
Sad also that one of the most important imperatives to the Church before his death could have been misundersood for so many centuries. 'Faith in search of understanding' is a humble approach to the encounter with Jesus.
During the Unity Octave from Jan.18 to Jan 25, we prayed to understand the words of Jesus as he wanted them understood. We can begin with a long, deep look at the words at the Last Supper and try to enter the minds and hearts of the early Christians to understand why they would take these words as literal when doing so cost them so much during the many years of persecution.
In a pastoral bulletin, a priest tells us about a big ball a child received for Christmas in an orphanage in India. It was the first gift he ever received from anyone, a constant companion. He would sleep with it, never leaving his hands. One, day while playing with the ball on the rooftop it ended up on the street where it was run over by a truck. Going down to the street his feelings were like the flattened ball he picked up.
He cried and cried. A religious brother tried to console the child, patted him on the back. The crying continued. However, the next day the brother saw him playing with his friends and laughing and enjoying himself. The Brother was happy to see that he had forgotten the ball and could go on to find joy in other aspects of life.
He introduces us to a man who showed great interest in buying a new car. He was not well off and with great difficulty bought a foreign car. Since all his attention was concentrated on cars he went for what he considered the best. He was filled with great joy but it required cutting back on his lifestyle. He avoided friends and meetings that would cost money. His car took away the freedom that he once enjoyed. His connection and vanity with the car took away his freedom. He was possessed by the car.
Many are the wise who have told us the less we possess the more we own. The less attachment to the material the more we enjoy the material. Voluntary poverty is freeing oneself from obsession and a life of grabbing and clinging.
Jesus in the Beatitudes tells us: "How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This is an important teaching of Jesus. If we are detached we will be free. It is not having much or little but not being bound and free for everything.
St. Paul was a free man. " I am not talking about the shortage of money: I have learned to manage on whatever I have. I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty" (Phil. 4:11).
We all are familiar with the Evangelical Counsels: Poverty, Chasity, and Obedience. They call us to the spirit of detachment. Most Catholics would understand Chastity of life and Obedience to God but when it comes to Poverty we are open to all kinds of interpretations. They apply to all baptized Catholics but possibly few would accept this in the manner of life we choose.
Ironic as it may sound poverty calls us to have more not less. When we are attached to the material we miss so much that is immaterial because our gaze is only on what we see. Poverty allows us to be more interested in what is good, true and beautiful and the oneness of life. When obsessed with the visible does it not close our eyes to the important things in life?
As the digital culture continues to develop in the 4th industrial revolution our lives are being transformed beyond imagination. At the same time, we see the dark side of this emerging culture. A diocesan priest writes in the Catholic Times' column of what he has heard on studies on the use of smartphones in Korea.
We call the society in which we live the addicted society. An addiction that destroys our humanity and the society in which we live. Humorously we say in one family the father was addicted to pornography, the mother to shopping, the daughter to SNS, and the son to games. These addictions bring serious harm not only to the individual and families but they break down the spirituality and the trust among believers: the church lost in the culture of death.
Children and infants are the ones potentially the most venerable. This problem has been with us for some time but appearing even among infants under 5 years old who can't be separated from their smartphones.
As smartphones become a necessity for children the average age of first use is just under 3 years of age. The problem is the use of smartphones at an early age according to some experts are serious obstacles to brain growth and development. Researchers found an imbalance in the brain chemistry of young people addicted to smartphones and the internet.
A child's brain develops unevenly making it difficult to learn, remember and judge information. Language development may be delayed. Peer relationship may not be smooth and communication difficult and aggressive. The writer mentions talking to an authority in the field who was overly concerned about the harm being perpetrated on our young people.
His words showed the inability to compromise, to sympathize and feel the pain and suffering of others. This is not a good sign for society as we get more who are indifferent to what is happening in society and this will continue to old age. No room for love, experiencing and showing mercy to others.
There is a new word used 'Smombie', a smartphone zombie: combination of the word smartphone and zombie. A pedestrian who walks slowly and without attention to their surroundings focused on the smartphone, now a significant safety hazard.
Silence is now being marketed as more people are escaping from the digital noise. Noise detox products are released. The 'Buddhist Temple Stay' is popular because people seek silence, calm and peace.
The Catholic Church has also begun 'Seoul Stay', a period of retreat away from the digital world and a time for silence, self-examination, meditation, a time for prayer and renewal. A believer taking time out for a retreat once a year will be a good opportunity to get away from the digital noise, addiction and to look over one's life.
Without love, we have hell, with love, paradise. A college teacher in a Catholic Peace Weekly column gives the readers a meditation on Love. A couple who have lived together for a life time make this trip to heaven and hell a few times a day. Love is not a word but a way of life. Husband and wife, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, between brothers and sisters this journey is made often.
Giving and accepting of love is more difficult the closer the bond is. A well-known family code of conduct shows the truth of this by clearly saying: "if love is found in the family you can love everybody."
Jesus asked of us two things: a reverential awe of God, and secondly to love one another. All the other virtues can be said to be contained in these two precepts.
The writer mentions a woman she has been concerned with for some time and lives alone. On a visit to the woman she found her living in an unheated room with a blanket on the floor of the room. She spiritualized the whole issue and saw no problem.
She asked how much she has to live on each month. With the money, she got on welfare and the other income it was not much, not enough to take care of her heating bill. She left some money to help in heating the house. On another visit, the woman was still on the floor with her blanket. She told the teacher it was still no problem with the cold and gave the money that she received to help some of the refugees from the North. She was like the widow in the Gospel with her offering in the temple.
On one occasion she asked about the writer's father who she knew was sick. She told her that being the daughter she should be close to her father during these difficult times.The writer knew what was behind these words. She told the woman that if anything happens in the future to contact her. "I will be with you." She was relieved to hear these words from her friend.
Love is concern for another in little things, a little hillock that a person can use to rest. We can not save our country. We can make small contributions to the poor living in Africa but we can't have a direct impact on them. However, I can convey my interest and love to the people I meet daily.
She is an educator who teaches students. Nowadays, most of the students acquire their knowledge through the internet, and show little concern for the lectures they hear in the classroom. She reminds the readers that in the future it is said that artificial intelligence robots will do a much better job giving lectures and the teaching profession will disappear.
She finishes her article telling the readers she has changed her way of teaching from imparting information to the conveying of love. To do this we have to get rid of authority, practice patience and be closer to the students. Forming a loving community: is there anything more educative than that as an aim for an educator?
Both Catholic Weeklies remembered the 70th year of
the Jejudo uprising, an insurgency that brought about the death of over 30 thousand on Jejudo island from April 3, in 1948 to Sept. 21, 1954. A tragic event whcih many citizens have never heard mentioned because it was hidden in Korean history.
Japanese colonial rule which lasted from 1910 to 1945 came to an end when the United States and the Soviet Union liberated Korea. August 15, is National Liberation Day in both the North and South. Since Japan unconditionally surrendered, Korea was divided between the United States and the Soviet Union. Unable to agree on joint trusteeship, Korea was divided between Russia and the United States: Communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the North and the West aligned, First Republic of Korea in the South.
The First Republic was established on August 15, 1948, with Syngman Rhee as the first president. This was done independently and the leftist elements in society began to oppose the First Republic and those on the right, in opposition, gave rise to the death of large numbers of innocent law abiding citizens. We know from history that these kinds of incidents don't just happen overnight but were fermenting over many years.
After liberation, the sympathetic pro-Japanese security forces with the help of the American military administration began to use military force against the citizens which was the beginning of the 4:3 killings. This continued even after the Korean War ended. This reality and that so few know about it is no small matter.
Because of the different ideologies involved the examination and review of history is not a simple task and the divergent opinions are many but the events should be known and efforts to resolve the anger found.
The diocese of Jejudo has formed a committee to find ways to approach the issue pastorally. The anger that remains in the minds and hearts of many is not limited to the local area but is present throughout the country. The left-right divide has been a reality in Korea for many years previous to the Korean war and after.
When we search for justice and truth all things work together for peace. We have not as yet arrived at a point where we have taken care of the justice issues facing the country and consequently the lack of peace within society.
The aim of the Committee which is composed of 13 members is after 70 years to bring forgiveness and reconciliation for the pain and scars inflicted during those many years. It is not to place blame but to have a win-win approach to the issues that continue over the years. This is the object of the committee, to find a true peace and healing. Expressed in the many events during this period and ending with the April 1st to 7th, a commemorative week after Easter, hoping for a new beginning.
Confucius in his Analects is quoted: "we don't have to agree on all things, to live harmoniously with one another." In the Catholic Peace Weekly a columnist uses these four words: ε θ δΈ ε (living at peace with another doesn't mean you think the same) and agrees that there is no reason you have to agree in all things before living together harmoniously. Isn't this what we want to see between North and South Korea?
North Korea's Kim Jong-un said he would participate in the Pyeong Chang Olympics and the door to the North-South dialogue has been opened. If we look closely at the talk given by Kim Jong-un he strongly maintains his right to continue his nuclear advancements but at the same time wants to work towards a peaceful climate on the peninsula.
President Moon wants to strengthen the friendship and cooperation to resolve the nuclear issue while improving the situation between the North and South. Both North and South have given a message of hope that relaxation of the tension and peace can be achieved without abandoning their identities.
The United States has made clear there is no change in its strong sanctions policy toward North Korea. This is the US position in the international community and a warning message to the Korean government.
We live with the Confucian thought that we can still get along with others without having to agree on all things. In domestic affairs on the basis of different ideologies groups unite together and oppose those with different ideas and we close our eyes to the problems of the country as a whole. Under the last government, we criticised those we considered followers of the North and refused to see the problems in our own government.
It is natural that our allies have doubts about our attitude towards each other since we ignore the greater dynamics with the rest of the world. We are new to the Republican ideals. In the Roman Republic, two consuls were elected to work together. Today in the Western democracy it is built on the system of the separation of powers.
Modern democracy operates on the principle of diversity according to the principles of the Roman Republic. The existence of a different other is meaningful to my existence. People come together to form communities. We maintain peace by respecting each other without giving up our identities. However, living with plurality harmoniously is not one of our ideals. In the Roman Republic, the two consuls had veto power on the other and cooperated with each other.
The principles of democracy should not be difficult for Christians to accept because we are taught to love our enemies.
An article in the Kyeongyang magazine by a mental health specialist tells the readers about a doctor who had a CT scan done on himself to discover half of his liver was covered with tumors that had metastasized to the lymph glands and to other areas, and he was surprised he was not conscious of any symptoms.
At the longest it was three months he said spitting out the words. He was a specialist in liver cancer and worked operating on liver patients for the last 30 years. He retired 5 years ago but still gave of his time to the hospitals attached to Medical Colleges in the country. He never deduced that in his own body cancer was growing.
Death is destiny. Once we become clearly conscious of our own death fear enters.This fear has helped to develop the medical sciences, given life to religion and faith, many maintain that even, art, culture and our whole worldly reality is tied to this fear of death. Fear of death, paradoxically, has given birth to what makes life beautiful. The doctor had donated all the money earned over the years to the hospitals, he now took two hundred dollars and put it in his wallet.
Fear of death makes one attached to the material. Why this attachment since we will be leaving it all behind shortly? Materiality temporarily allows as to forget the anxiety of life and compensates for the emptiness felt. We all live as if earthly life will not end and yet we know our material things will be divided among others at the grave site.
Often we hear the five steps of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We don't have them necessarily in that order and often many are skipped but few come to the complete acceptance of the inevitability of death with peace. Strange, facing death we should be less concerned with what is going on but often the opposite is seen when death is seen as coming many become more obstinate and want to grasp what they are losing.
The doctor lived over six months and died peacefully in the arms of his wife. We all have to meet death but it is not all in the same way for the way we live is varied and different for all. Old age, sickness, pain. poverty, loneliness are steps in the process. One of the great desires of many is to die in their sleep.The way of death is not always just.
The less satisfactory our life is the more we try to amass the material, and with change we see obsession. Some become attached to an unorthodox faith life, trust only in skilled doctors and get lost in an imaginary world. Fear of death can make the years before death hell, and a hell like life makes for a hell like death.
According to some studies on a good death, honesty and transparency, cheeful relationships with others an interest in the world around oneself: not to particular things but to the future of descendants, family, spouse and enjoying time with them are all elements often present.
We begin dying right after birth. How do we fill up the life that we have been given? This is our decision. A life well lived will be followed by a beautiful death.
