Faith And Reason Contemplating Truth

In the Catholic Peace Weekly's Preciousness of Faith column, the priest offers some thoughts on a serious problem in our understanding of the church and our behavior as Catholics.

German political theorist Hannah Arendt used the term "the banality of evil". This term means that evil does not arise from particularly evil motives or wickedness but from everyday thoughtlessness and avoidance of responsibility. Of course, this cannot be generalized, but crimes and evil deeds due to lack of thought are common.

When religion becomes distant from Reason, it becomes a dangerous entity that causes significant harm to society. When such religion colludes with politics, it risks becoming a tool of agitation and a puppet of politics. 

We are witnessing this worldwide, especially in today's Korean society. Catholics are often criticized as being "unintellectual". They go to church diligently, but when asked about the Bible or doctrine, they usually say they do not know much. They generally think that what happens at home or in society is separate from faith. "Faith and life are separate" is the problem.  Such non-intellectual faith will easily descend into false piety or pseudo-religion.

Some believers protest why the church is involved in politics and social issues. Some believers have declared that they will no longer attend church after giving up their decades-long religious life because of bishops and priests who support the impeachment of the president.

Korean society is currently in a very chaotic situation. In times like these, we need to calm our minds and reason about what is happening in society, especially from the perspective of the church and faith.

The church has always emphasized the importance of Reason in faith. Pope John Paul II said Faith and Reason are "like two wings that fly to contemplate the truth" (Encyclical Faith and Reason). Reason without faith cannot reach the highest level of thought, and faith without Reason runs the risk of falling into blindness or myth. When faith and Reason help each other and develop, they greatly benefit humanity.

Of course, it is not easy for individual believers to think and judge all the world's problems from a religious perspective. That is why it is necessary to listen to the church's official position and make it their own. The church, with the help of experts in each field, theologically reflects on various problems of the present age that the world and the church are concerned about and expresses an official position on them. Of course, the church cannot force uniform thinking on believers. Still, by pointing out various errors in the world and suggesting a direction toward truth according to the teachings of the church, it encourages Christian believers to expand their thinking in the truth freely, engage in dialogue with the world, and participate in building a more humane, just, and peaceful world.

The Episcopal Conference clearly stated the church's official position regarding recent political issues related to the declaration and lifting of martial law and the president's impeachment. Of course, this is not doctrine, but since it is based on Catholic teaching and the scriptures, believers must understand the spirit of the church contained in it and strive to avoid any errors that may arise.

Human Reason is weak and easily entangled in vested interests. The Bishops'  teaching helps us make prudential judgments to help our dulled Reason. In this time of political turmoil, we must find a way to realize the kingdom of God on this land through faith, free from personal interests and ideologies, and pray that the truth is realized, that lies and violence disappear, and that justice and peace come. 

Palm Sunday the Passion

In his weekly column in the Catholic Peace Weekly, a science teacher offers some thoughts at the beginning of Holy Week to help us understand some of the difficulties we face in life. 

On a bright, quiet night like the Milky Way, it is difficult to tell the dawn, and the wind is weak. The first rooster’s cackle is so pleasant to hear...

This is part of a poem by Yongjae Seonghyeon, a great scholar and man of letters from the early Joseon Dynasty. He was also well-versed in music, and under the order of King Seongjong, he compiled a book with two others in 1493, which is called the textbook of Joseon music.  With outstanding talent in literature and music, he romantically described the rooster's crowing that breaks the dawn's silence through his poetry. So why do roosters crow at dawn, just before daybreak?

In the case of vertebrates, there is a pineal gland, a hormone-secreting tissue resembling a pine cone, in the brain's center. Melatonin hormone is synthesized and secreted here, and melatonin acts as a biological clock that creates a daily rhythm of physiological and behavioral activities according to the circadian cycle of day and night. Melatonin secretion is promoted at night when the light is weak, inducing sleep, and secretion is suppressed during the day when the light is strong, maintaining a state of wakefulness. This is why sleeping is difficult if you don’t turn off the lights in your room at night. 

Mammals receive light through their eyes, but birds receive light directly through the skin on their heads and stimulate the pineal gland, so they have a life cycle that is much more sensitive to light than other animals. For this reason, birds wake up early from sleep due to decreased melatonin secretion, even in the dim light at dawn, and chirp diligently from early in the morning. Chickens also serve as alarms to let people know morning has come. The first rooster crow at dawn must have been pleasant to the ears of Seonghyeon, but to Saint Peter, it sounded like a thunderclap.

In this week’s Passion Sunday Gospel, there is a scene where Peter says at the Last Supper, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison and die with you” (Luke 22:33). Jesus says, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times” (22:34). In fact, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times when Jesus was taken away before the first rooster crowed in the morning. Peter remembered what the Lord had said and “went outside and wept bitterly” (22:62).

Saint Peter’s human weakness, caused by his fear of the powers that persecuted Christ and his self-abasement, is transformed with the first rooster crow. He serves as the church's foundation, dying hanging upside down on a cross. 

In his 1953 award-winning poem, “The Rooster of Jerusalem,” the pro-life poet Chung Ma Yoo-hwan reflected, “Have I not participated in evil by turning away in the face of hypocrisy's denial of goodness?” “Every dawn, in the distant city of Jerusalem, the rooster cries out (⋯), and I wet my pillow with tears of resentment, sinfulness, and self-reproach."

Lent is a time of conversion, deep reflection, and change in behavior toward the world and ourselves. Before we hear a rooster crowing somewhere, let's see if we've turned a blind eye to the injustices, hypocrisies, and inadequacies of the world and ourselves.

'Staying Awake Is Wisdom'

In a recent column in the Catholic Times, the author discusses what we can learn from the wisdom of the Desert Fathers: Stay Awake! Being Awake is an inner attitude of the mind, always prepared for something.

In the Gospel, Jesus often advises his disciples to ‘stay awake’ (see Luke 21:34-36). The apostles also repeated this teaching. The Desert Fathers, like Jesus and the Apostles, also emphasized ‘wakefulness.’ They considered it very important for monks to remain awake everywhere. One brother took this so seriously that he would stop at every step and ask himself, “Now, brother, where are we?” when moving to a different place. 

What does it mean to be awake? The primary meaning of wakefulness is not to sleep. However, not sleeping is not the true meaning of wakefulness. Wakefulness is having a clear mind. The Apostle Paul exhorts, “Let us be awake with a clear mind” (1 Thessalonians 5:6). Wakefulness is an internal attitude of the heart.

The early monks were constantly oriented toward God by keeping their minds awake. This inner watchfulness involves being conscious of everything, concentrating on the moment, and doing one's best when doing something. Strictly speaking, it is an attitude of always being awake to God and oneself, always on guard for evil thoughts, and ready to reject temptations as soon as they come. This defensive attitude is called ‘vigilance’ or ‘caution’ of the mind and heart.

Watchfulness is also a state of being always ready for something. Jesus says, “Watch, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). In other words, we must be ready to welcome the Lord, who may come at any time. 

We remember the story of the ten virgins in the Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13) preparing to welcome the Bridegroom. All of them were awake and waiting for the bridegroom, but they fell asleep. When the bridegroom came, only the five virgins who had prepared oil for their lamps were able to welcome him. A monk is always awake, prepared to welcome the Lord. 

Awakeness is connected to prayer. Jesus advised, “Be awake and pray always” (Luke 21:36). The Apostle Paul also said, “Be awake and pray with thanksgiving” (Col 4:2). The Psalmist sings, “My eyes are awake before dawn, that I may meditate on your word” (Psalm 119). And “At midnight I rise to praise you” (Psalm 119:62). In this way, staying awake at night without sleeping is for prayer.

The Desert Fathers also tried to stay awake and pray according to the admonition of the Lord and the Apostles. They especially got up in the middle of the night to pray. This is the midnight 'Vigil prayer' passed down through the monastic tradition. As anyone who has experienced it knows, staying awake and praying at night is difficult. It is not easy to even get up in the middle of the night to pray when everyone is asleep. Above all, there is a struggle with sleep. It is not easy to stay awake and pray even when you wake up because of the drowsiness. Nevertheless, the monks have stayed awake and prayed while the world was asleep and continue to do so.

Not only does sleep hinder prayer, but also an impure and unstable heart. Therefore, wakefulness is also about keeping the heart pure and calm. “If we stay awake, all these temptations disappear.”  One Abba asked, “Which is better, physical abstinence or inner wakefulness?” he answered, “Man is like a tree. Physical abstinence are the leaves, the inner wakefulness is the fruit. As it is written, ‘Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire’ (Matthew 3:10), so all our attention should be directed toward the fruit. 

The Desert Fathers are exhorting us, who live in these turbulent and confusing times, to “stay awake!” To be awake means to be conscious, to keep the heart pure, to be conscious of everything, and to live in the present. This is the state of “inner awakeness” that the Fathers spoke of. In this state, we will not succumb to the temptations of evil that constantly attack us. We must always be awake so that all vain human desires do not dominate us. No one can defend himself against this danger if we are not awake. And without inner depth, we remain at a superficial level. What is important is each of our inner attitudes. No matter where or how we live, we must stay awake internally without losing consciousness of the self. Otherwise, we will continue to wander in delusion.

Catholic Church And Youth

The recent Catholic Times cover story and editorial remind us that young people have been involved in the church's history. Based on the historical and cultural context of Jesus and the 12 Apostles, it was likely young adults, possibly in their late teens or early twenties, with some possibly older, who were the members of Jesus' core disciples. 

Young people have been the church's main subjects of change and renewal. Young disciples of Jesus Christ played an important role in spreading the gospel and establishing the church. The Korean church has also grown through the dedication and sacrifice of young believers amidst persecution and chaos. 

However, many young people are leaving the church today. This is a matter not only of personal faith but also of the church community. If young people feel alienated from the church or their faith is not connected to their lives, it may be because the church has not listened to their voices. 

Above all, we must create an open church where young people can actively participate. Various activities and communication channels must be provided so that young people can become subjects who participate in the church's mission, not simply passive believers. In addition, the church must strive to help young people practice their faith and quench their spiritual thirst. When young people go beyond the church's fence and play the role of light and salt in the world, the church will become more energized and find new hope.

The Korean church is now at an important turning point. The upcoming 2027 Seoul World Youth Day could be the test. The church should welcome young people as mature companions and support them so that they can participate proactively. For young people to become the church's hope, the church should welcome them, and young people should become the leading players who change the world with the power of faith.

Pope Francis begins his Apostolic Exhortation to the Young 'Christus vivet' with the words: "Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way, he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, and full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive, and he wants you to be alive!"

The pope acknowledges that “the church members do not always act like Jesus”. He criticizes the church's reality, saying, “Rather than paying attention to young people, there is a widespread tendency to provide stereotypical answers and outdated solutions without allowing young people to ask their real questions or accept their challenges.”

However, we hear from the young who still have a spiritual longing, “I can’t talk about God in the church.” In the article, some of those working in Youth Spirituality discovered that many young people want to talk about religion, church, and God, but say if you talk about "God" in the Church, the atmosphere becomes awkward, or you are looked at as strange. Although there are youth groups in the church, it is often more of a volunteer group for social gatherings or church events than a place to talk about God.

This response from the young people can be interpreted as evidence that the church has failed to understand their spiritual yearnings and has failed to accompany them in discovering their vocation.

One of the leaders working with the young, “I was impressed by the appearance of young people who are seeking their own sanctuaries, such as the meaning of their existence and the meaning of their lives planned by God,” and added, “Young people’s religious interests and questions are very serious, but we need to look back and see if the church is taking the spiritual longings of young people too lightly.” Also added, “If young people cannot find their individual sanctuaries within the church, they will not be attracted to the church.”

Parish youth groups focusing on fellowship or service fail to understand young people's spiritual thirst and their spiritual needs. 

“I think the most important thing is to sympathize with the difficulties of young people, talk to them, and help them overcome those difficulties with faith. It is most important for young people to receive comfort and hope from the church and the words and love of Christ.”

This is a youth pastor's response regarding youth ministry. Although it seems like a good policy for youth ministry, a sociology professor believes this misunderstands the problem. “(Many youth pastors) express similar opinions,” and “This position leads to the absence of will to retain and attract young believers.”

In “A Study on the Phenomenon of Young Believers 'Leaving Religion'”, the professor conducted in-depth interviews and comparative studies with youth pastors from five religious organizations located in Seoul. He pointed out that “even if they recognize the need for innovative measures, the practical measures prepared according to this need tend to not go beyond the fence of the traditional paradigm created by the teachings of the Catholic faith.” Many young people have left the fence, but ministry is still being carried out only within the fence.

In the “Comprehensive Statement of the Korean Church” written through the listening process of the 16th Synod of Bishops, the Korean Church stated that “almost all dioceses have failed to become full companions to them (young people)” and confessed that “while the Church mentions the importance of young people, it does not actually approach them, and although it claims to be together with them, it lacks efforts that young people can feel.”

Of course, there have been efforts to reach out to young people outside the fence, such as youth restaurants started by various religious orders and dioceses. However, parishes, the front lines of pastoral work, lack efforts in this ministry.

In a COVID-19 survey conducted by the Catholic Pastoral Research Institute of Korea in 2023, young people chose ‘authoritarian culture’ as the first place that needs to change the most in the Korean church and ‘the arbitrary decision-making structure of priests’ as the second. While calling young people the ‘hope of the future’, the attitude toward them as immature beings who need to be taught and not as the ‘hope of the present’ is an obstacle preventing them from staying in or entering the church.

A young man in one of the parishes said, “When I ask questions about issues with youth activities in the parish or the conflicts between life and faith, if I hear answers like ‘This is how we have traditionally taught,’ or ‘You still lack faith, so you think like that,’ it is deeply hurtful for young people who are struggling to live as true Christians.” He added, “Ultimately, the young people who ask questions become uncomfortable, and the door to dialogue closes, and they seem to become increasingly distant from faith.”

Pope Francis, in 'Christus vivet' (Christus Alive), acknowledges that “the members of the church do not always act like Jesus” and criticizes the church's reality, saying, “Rather than paying attention to young people, there is a widespread tendency to provide stereotypical answers and outdated solutions without allowing young people to ask their real questions or accept their challenges.”

A Korean Institute for Christian Thought leader explained the traditional paradigm of youth ministry by saying, “It has been customary for youth ministry to apply programs unilaterally created by pastors and church organizations to young people.” He suggested, “Rather than providing resources and programs for a ‘church for young people,’ we should create a ‘church of young people,’ a church where young people gather and share their own spiritual experiences and ideas, and where their spiritual and religious needs are expressed.” He means that young people should be welcomed not as the protagonists of the ‘future,’ but as the protagonists of the ‘present.’

Seeing with the Mind's Eye

The  Science and Faith columnist of the Catholic Peace Weekly gives readers a meditation on eyes and what they can teach us.

Why do humans have two eyes? Science books say they give us a sense of perspective and depth. But this doesn't explain why we have two eyes; it's the consequence.

The advantages of having two eyes are clear. The angle that forms between your eyes and an object is called the optical angle, and depending on the size of the angle, your brain recognizes whether the object is far or near. The angle between our eyes and the ends of the object of sight, the visual angle, gives you a three-dimensional sense of the object's size. While the eyes are sensors that receive light stimuli and allow us to detect the shape and color of objects and determine their location, not all animal eyes perform as many functions as human eyes.

For example, underwater, distant objects are difficult to see, and most fish can only see close objects and don't have color-sensitive cells in their eyes. Frogs, snakes, and reptiles also have imperfect eyes that rely on other senses to identify prey and distinguish colors. Birds can see five to ten times farther than humans, which is related to their survival requirements of flying and foraging at high altitudes.

Dogs cannot distinguish red and have vision blindness similar to human red-green color blindness. Still, their excellent sense of smell and hearing compensates for their eyes' imperfections. Only humans and some primates, such as chimpanzees, can see the many colors in nature. They use their eyes to perceive perspective and grasp the size of objects.

However, despite having more developed eyes than other animals, humans often fail to adjust their inherent perspective on the world and other people. There are things in the world that can only be seen properly from a distance, and conversely, there are things that can only be seen up close and with attention. We need to get as close as possible to our inner selves, reflect on all, and step back from the faults of others and the events of the world to see the big picture.

The columnist goes to a watercolor class once a week. He often wonders if he's getting the color right in his sketchbook. His art teacher often says, “You can't see it up close; try looking at it from a little further away.” He is reminded of what that means these days. He needs perspective on the world and others and spiritual vision.

In this week's Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the scribes and Pharisees insist that a woman caught in sin should be stoned to death. When Christ says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8,7), “when they heard this, they went away one by one, starting with the older ones” (John 8,9). 

We must adjust our perspective and look closely at ourselves before condemning anybody. When did we lose the vision of the mind's eye, seeing things too close and too big when they should be seen at a distance and seeing things at a distance we should see close. We must remember this when tempted to use unkind words and easily angered by others.

 

Wealth And Happiness

A philosophy professor's recent column in the Catholic Times on St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of Happiness gives readers some thoughts on finding happiness in wealth.

According to the ‘2023 Suicide Survey’ published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of people who took their lives was the highest in 10 years. In particular, in middle age, debt,  unemployment, stress due to decreased income, and bankruptcy were the leading causes of suicide in middle age.

If the reason for a good job is high income, and when not achieved, becomes sufficient to give up on life, isn’t ‘wealth’ or ‘material goods’ considered the most important criterion for happiness? This was the thinking in the time of St. Thomas, who lived 800 years ago. Therefore, Thomas begins: "Is the strongest candidate for happiness  material things?" “Is human happiness in wealth?” Caravaggio’s “The Calling of St. Matthew” depicts Jesus calling Matthew, who is looking down at money.

Aristotle argued that money is only a means because it has exchange value and that what we buy with money is actually of greater value. Therefore, according to him, money can never be the ultimate goal in life. 

To answer this question clearly, Thomas first distinguishes between “natural wealth” and “artificial wealth.” The former helps humans eliminate natural deficiencies (food, drink, clothing, housing, etc.). However, it is also required for other purposes, namely, maintaining a decent human life. Therefore, natural wealth cannot be humans' ultimate goal; it is a means to an end —purchasing goods necessary for life. Therefore, happiness, the ultimate goal of humans, cannot be found in goods. Furthermore, in the case of natural goods, just as one cannot eat more food when one is full, one instinctively no longer desires more once satisfied. Still, it is difficult to find people satisfied with artificial goods even after sufficient amounts.

Then, why do people who pursue happiness become so obsessed with goods? According to St. Thomas, 'Foolish people only know material goods and are obsessed.' Behind this obsession is the idea that “everything can be bought with money.” However, Thomas criticizes this idea by pointing out that there are “spiritual things that cannot be bought.” We know of many things that can't be bought with money. 

Michael Sandel, famous for “Justice: What Is the Right Thing to Do?”, published a follow-up book titled “What Money Can’t Buy.” In this book, he criticizes 'market thinking' that has infiltrated areas traditionally not subject to the market, such as gender, school qualifications, the environment, and education. St.Thomas also explicitly argues that “judgments about human good should be taken from wise people”. Therefore, rather than uncritically entrusting ourselves to 'market thinking', which can even create false demands, we need the power of critical thinking to reflect on what should not be traded in the market and make our own judgments.

However, St. Thomas did not unconditionally denigrate property ownership but justified private property rights on various grounds. First, everyone works hardest to obtain what is not used by everyone but only by oneself. Second, if each is assigned to care for his own, there will be more order. Third, if each has his own property, the state will be more peaceful because there will be less strife than when goods are owned in common. 

According to St. Thomas, the desire for everything that brings happiness is natural, so possessing wealth is also justified. However, all-natural inclinations must be regulated by reason.  “To go beyond this standard, that is, to acquire or preserve wealth beyond the established limit, is sin.”

Thomas calls the “disordered love of wealth” 'avaritia' and criticizes that other vices arise from this sin. For example, greed for money and “stubbornness” that does not know how to sympathize with the plight of others arise. From this comes “anxiety,” which drives people into endless worry and useless concern. Some do not care about the means, such as violence, fraud, and betrayal, to obtain wealth. Thomas firmly condemns the internal state of exploiting, instrumentalizing, and commodifying other persons as property.

Thomas distinguishes between the possession and use of goods to prevent this unjust attachment to goods. Even if natural or artificial goods are private, their use must be open to the needs of others. Everyone can possess and use goods necessary for themselves and their family. However, beyond what is necessary, the surplus must be used for the needier or society according to the duty of justice.  Thomas even argued that ‘in cases of extreme need, it is right for the needy to take the goods of others as their own.’ Because the right to life is more important than the right to possessions.  

A culture that forces those who lack wealth to make extreme choices never brings true happiness to humans. Thomas invites us to prepare for true happiness by properly possessing and using wealth that can be used as a means to achieve happiness, even if it is not the ultimate goal.

A Tragic History

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of Japanese colonization and liberation. Most people around us who are not yet 80 years old have never experienced this. To be under colonial rule is to lose sovereignty. 'There is no Joseon, there is no Korean Empire.' The loss of sovereignty was not just the loss of a country's name, flag, and songs. 

It was the loss of a people's history, customs, traditions, and how they lived. It was the loss of writing and speech, the loss of life. The day we celebrated our liberation after 35 years of colonization was when we regained everything we had lost.

However, it seems that our liberation did not bring back everything. We all wanted to build a beautiful country in our liberated homeland. Still, at that time, some of us were nostalgic for colonial rule, and some wanted to entrust our country's honor to a larger outside power. The liberation that we could not create ourselves continued to create pain within us, divided and destroyed and brought hate and loathing to life.  Countless acts of terrorism and massacres became the norm, with the lives of those who disagreed with us and their families taken lightly. The new history was supposed to be one of unity and was stained with blood.

It was 4-3 again. 77 years later, it is still a painful event that has yet to be properly resolved. It is estimated that 30,000 of the country's 300,000 inhabitants were killed. One in ten people died or are presumed dead.  It was so devastating that entire villages were forced to celebrate funerals on the same day. Those whose remains were never found are buried somewhere on the island of Jeju. On November 17, 1948, martial law was declared for the first time since the establishment of the Korean government, and on December 1, 1948, the National Security Act was enacted. The dreaded martial law and the National Security Act halted our progress and prevented us from moving forward to a better world.

It's hard to appreciate this on the mainland, but the word “4-3” is still something we don't dare use on Jeju without careful thought. Even within the same family, perpetrators and victims were intertwined and paranoid, looking at each other with suspicion. The ghost of the 4-3 did not cease its activities even after the Geumguk area of Hallasan Mountain was opened to the public on September 21, 1954. 

The shackles of the sit-in system and the National Security Law entangled the bereaved families, and the psychological wounds of torture, post-traumatic disorder, and the 'Red Complex' never healed. Those who fled to Japan due to the 4-3 never returned, those who returned from imprisonment faced surveillance by public security agencies, and the 4.3 still remains an unorganized file with countless stories.

From the end of last year to the present. South Korea is in the midst of a complex mess. The way people look at each other has changed. People say today's situation is not much different from after the country's liberation. We are creating another us within us, where we can see each other as enemies and target each other for terrorism. The world is filled with wars, with people here and there screaming in agony at what they see and experience and at war within themselves. 

We are repeating a terrible history, knowing everything will be left in ruins. History constantly tells us not to repeat the same mistakes, but our foolishness perpetuates them. Anyone who thinks they can get what they want by inciting hatred, and anyone who sympathizes with them, should be told to look at history again. 

“I call on everyone to take an interest in ending the use of religion to incite hatred, violence, extremism, and blind fanaticism and to ensure that the name of God is not misused to justify acts of murder, expulsion, terrorism, and oppression.” (Fraternity of Man for World Peace and Life Together) A historic declaration co-signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam, the head of the Catholic and Sunni faiths. May this declaration resonate deeply within us. If you feel hatred right now, realize what it is doing to you. If we abandon history and truth, we will repeat the same foolishness.