Need for Humility

One year ago, on October 10, 2024, the Swedish Academy selected South Korean author Han Kang for the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Catholic Korean Peace Weekly, Science and Faith columnist, reminds us of its significance. This is the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. There have been a total of 120 Nobel Prizes in Literature, but only 18 were women.

The first female Nobel Prize in Literature was Swedish children's author Selma Lagerlöf (awarded in 1909). Her Nobel Prize-winning work, “The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson,” was introduced worldwide under the titles “Nils' Wonderful Journey” or “Nils' Adventures”. In Korea, it was broadcast as a TV cartoon for one year starting in 1981, beloved by children.

The protagonist Nils was always a troublemaker who drove his parents crazy. One day, he falls under the spell of a dwarf fairy and shrinks to the size of a squirrel. Nils sets off on an adventure with Morten, the goose he raised at home, following a flock of wild geese on a journey around Sweden. Ultimately, he becomes a good boy who realizes the importance of family and nature, and returns home.

When the columnist as a child read the book, he didn't know geese were domesticated wild geese, so he found it truly amazing that geese could fly like wild geese. Similar to ducks but larger with longer necks. 

Geese are migratory birds belonging to the Anatidae family. They inhabit Siberia and fly in flocks to Korea each autumn to spend the winter before returning. Their V-formation flight over the approximately 4,000 km journey from Siberia to Korea is quite impressive.

In 2014, a research team led by Professor James Asherwood of the University of London published in Nature that migratory birds fly in a V-formation to minimize energy expenditure during flight. This is achieved by the birds following the leader, which creates an aerodynamic updraft. The lead bird is typically the most experienced and oldest goose. When the leader vocalizes, other geese in the flock respond vocally, encouraging each other. However, the lead bird faces the greatest wind resistance, causing significant energy expenditure. In such cases, the lead goose yields its position to a following goose. In this way, the geese take turns at the front to conserve energy, helping each other. If a companion falls behind during flight, one or two others stay by its side until it can fly again.

Did the geese know the African proverb quoted by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony: “If you go alone, you go fast. If you go together, you go far?” The wisdom of geese holds profound implications for humanity. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Leadership should aim not at management but at encouragement; a true leader persuades opponents and motivates followers.”

What qualities should leaders in our era's political, economic, social, cultural, religious, and workplace communities possess? Could they not embody the courage and wisdom of a flock leader while also demonstrating the humility to yield their own position? Moses, the indomitable leader who guided the ancient Israelites out of Egypt, exemplifies the qualities of a true leader for us today. “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3)

All Souls Day

In the Preciousness of Faith column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the priest gives us some thoughts on All Souls' Day, a day to remember the deceased.

We believe in God's love and mercy, but no one can be certain about salvation. That is because it is God's domain and a gift that cannot be obtained solely through human effort and merit. Therefore, we never cease praying for God's mercy on behalf of our loved ones. Remembering them is also for ourselves. As we live in this world, by remembering and praying for those who have gone before us, we gain strength to live more diligently, joyfully, and gratefully. Additionally, we may also seek their prayers for the world and for ourselves.

Most importantly, we must remember and meditate on our own death. It is not only about remembering the deceased but also about recalling the death that awaits all of us and reflecting on the meaning and direction of our lives. We all know we will die, but we usually do not think about it in our daily lives. Life keeps us busy. The values of the world and the joys and sorrows fill our hearts completely. Of course, these are important. But sometimes it is worth considering whether that is enough.

Job, in his suffering, wishes for someone to record his story on a tombstone. He hopes it will be inscribed forever on stone with iron and lead. He wants it to be remembered by someone, so that he does not vanish without a trace. This is a fear of death and attachment to the world. There was once a time in our country when having sons and continuing the family line was highly valued.

If you think about it carefully, there are many flaws, but the main point is a desire not to be forgotten. However, if death is the end of everything, what meaning does that longing have? And if death is not the end but a new beginning, then what use is such attachment?

Thus, Job changes his hope. He hopes to see God, the Savior. Even after losing everything and with his flesh stripped from him, near death, he relies on the hope and faith of seeing the living God. What we must remember is precisely this hope.

Everything in our lives has an end—childhood, school life, work, relationships all reach a conclusion. However, the fact that they end does not mean they lose their meaning. Everything leads to a new beginning.

Success and failure, joy and regret are all completed in some way within us and become the foundation for new beginnings. But because we do not know what happens after death, we cannot accept death as an end in the same way. That is why we fear death and dislike aging.

People say that growing old means ripening, and that old age and death are about fruition and completion. But if we believe that death is the end of everything, we cannot escape emptiness and fear. As St. Paul said, "If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people the most pitiable." (1 Corinthians 15:19) Christians do not place hope solely in worldly things, yet worldly values are even greater for those who believe. This is because they do not vanish without a trace at death, but become the foundation for a new and eternal life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of the new and true happiness based on that very faith. Just as Job, having lost everything, gave up attachment to worldly things and chose the hope of meeting God, the life of a Christian possesses a steadfast strength that cannot be swayed by worldly wealth or power. On this All Souls’ Day, we remember this hope, which is easy to forget in worldly life, and we give thanks and praise for God’s merciful plan. Death is no longer a fearful curse for us, but a sign of victory. We pray that everyone in the world may live within this hope. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”

The Miracle on the Han

In the View From the Ark column of the Catholic Times, a Korean parish priest shares his thoughts on our present society.  

'The most Korean thing is the most global, they say, proudly talking about Korea. The popularity of K-content, such as dramas, movies, music, games, and webtoons, is evident in Central Seoul.

It is not surprising that people take pride in Korea's status to the extent of adding 'K' to every word. On the contrary, it enhances the pride of living in such a country. Foreigners used to ask whether someone was from South Korea or North Korea when they said they were from Korea, but now they express curiosity about K-pop singers. In no time, South Korea has become a well-known country among people around the world.

The Korean people's desire for freedom and democracy has also astonished the world. The first article of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea states, 'The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic,' and 'The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea resides in the people, and all state authority emanates from the people,' which has made K-democracy centered on the basic common sense of all democracies. Korea's modern history, marked by democratization through nonviolent resistance without tolerating violence, is envied by other countries yearning for democracy. It is truly something to be proud of.

On October 10, North Korea held a military parade in Pyongyang to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of North Korea. The parade showcased North Korea's new weapons—devastating weapons, including the intercontinental ballistic missile. Citizens in Pyongyang cheered as they watched, calling it the proud spirit of Korea capable of neutralizing any enemy....

Meanwhile, broadcasting outlets here in Korea, not wanting to be outdone, continuously introduce the remarkable performance of war weapons such as the KF-21 fighter jet, the K2 tank, and other weapons, and their activities in war zones around the world, as sources of great national pride. But is this truly something to be proud of? Can we genuinely celebrate the fact that the war weapons we produce and export are being used as tools of killing in conflict zones around the world, elevating them as a praiseworthy product?   

K-defense promotes itself as the flower of peace, claiming to export peace, but ultimately, the places where Korean-made weapons arrive and explode are just scenes of mass killings where precious lives are lost. “There are those who claim that weapon production, as has been known, serves as a guarantee for today's peace and justify it, but peace can never be achieved through the balance of 'force of weapons.' When one country strengthens its weapons, other countries must also possess even more significant amounts of arms..."Consequently, people live in constant fear. They are afraid that at any moment the impending storm may break upon them with horrific violence. And they have good reasons for their fear, for there is certainly no lack of such weapons."(Pope John XXIII, “Pacem in Terris,” sections 110–111) 

The Church’s teaching announced 60 years ago never endorsed the production, sale, or use of weapons. Pope Francis expressed his concerns on January 18 when meeting members of the Verona Catholic Foundation supporting non-profit organizations: “Money creates the greatest value when used for others. Do not forget this. It is very important. But the reality of investments we face today is truly unfortunate. In some countries, the weapons industry has become the most profitable investment. Investing in killing people is indeed nothing short of madness! Such investments can never serve the good of humanity,” he lamented.  

While the world may tend to bury everything under worries about daily survival, basing life on the most basic human right to life is, undeniably, a pitiful condition when surrounded by a culture of death. When we turn our sights and steps toward a culture of life that saves everyone without exception, we can live a truly salvific life with greater humanitarian love. 

Happy All Saints Day!

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

In the Science and Faith column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the scientist offers readers a reflection on the ways we are all connected, all entangled.

The Google Scholar website (scholar.google.co.kr) displays Isaac Newton's words: “Stand on the shoulders of giants to see a wider world.” This originates from Newton's 1676 letter to his rival scientist Robert Hooke, where he wrote, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” The source is the ancient Latin phrase “Nanos gigantum humeris insidentes” (dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants). 

The giants Newton referred to were Kepler, who mathematically explained the motion of the planets in the solar system based on Copernicus's heliocentric theory; Galileo, who laid the foundations of classical mechanics; and Descartes, who presented a mechanistic philosophy of nature. They were the giants who served as mentors to Newton in completing the scientific revolution.

In Nicolas Poussin's 17th-century French classical painting “Orion the Blind Seeking the Sun,” the dwarf Cadalius is perched on the shoulders of Orion, the giant hunter from Greek mythology. Cadalius climbs onto Orion's shoulders to see farther, seeking the rising sun alongside him. Newton likened himself to the dwarf Cadalius. Newton, one of the most outstanding scientists in human history, mathematically explained the principles of force and the motion of objects to describe natural phenomena. His scientific ideas profoundly influenced society as a whole, providing the decisive impetus for the Enlightenment era to begin in 18th-century Europe.

Modern Britons commemorate Newton by engraving the phrase ‘STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS’ on the edge of the two-pound coin. 

The Catholic Church has its own great Doctors of the Church, no less significant than Newton. These include St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, and St. Thomas Aquinas. This title is bestowed by the Catholic Church upon authors or preachers who possess profound knowledge, steadfast faith, and live holy lives. Currently, there are 33 Doctors of the Church. Their lives and faith are the shoulders of giants upon which we must stand.

Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1, composed during the late Romantic period of the 19th century, bears the subtitle ‘Titan’. Mahler was a Jew born into German culture who converted to Catholicism at age 37. Mahler's Symphony No. 1 ‘Titan’ is a work steeped in his extraordinary background and youthful experiences. Listening to this lengthy piece, over 50 minutes long, one comes to think that titans are not born, but made. In that music, the titan was Mahler himself. Like Newton, I must strive to stand on the shoulders of giants. And to become a giant myself, capable of offering my shoulders to others, my life must become more intense and sincere—a harmonious blend of secular existence and faith.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading  "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:39-40) Reflecting on these words, the columnist prays to stand on the shoulders of giants who are teachers, to live a life that sees farther and deeper. ‘Pray not for lighter burdens, but for stronger shoulders'.

Living the Abundant Life

In the Catholic Peace Weekly's "Preciousness of Faith" column, the professor offers some thoughts on the path of life well-traveled.

There's a saying: "How did I become an adult?" It means that while living frantically, one suddenly finds oneself an adult. Still, it also expresses the regret of having to live as an adult unprepared. But what does it mean to become an adult?

Passing the years or growing older does not make one an adult. One must die to the state of a child to become a true adult. We need to be born anew daily.

To be born anew, one must pass through the cross. For the cross symbolizes death. Yet the cross is also called the 'tree of life'. Because only when one truly dies can one gain new life.

Every year on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th), we hear the story of the bronze serpent. (See Numbers 21:4-9) The Israelites, having escaped Egypt and journeying through the wilderness, grew impatient and complained bitterly to Moses. The Lord sent fiery serpents among them, and many Israelites died. When Moses prayed for the people, the Lord commanded him to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole. Moses made the bronze serpent and mounted it on the pole. Anyone bitten by a fiery serpent who looked at the bronze serpent was healed.

The journey from Egyptian slavery to the land of freedom could not have been easy. If only we had stayed in Egypt, we wouldn't have suffered like this! The 'fiery serpents' serve to kill the part of me that wants to give up walking the path, the part of me that grows impatient and doubts the Lord's presence. The 'bronze serpent' likely symbolizes God's generosity and mercy, who does not cast me aside when bitten by the fiery serpent, but welcomes me back with my pleading. God knows human weakness, does not turn away from supplication, and reopens the path.

The journey the Israelites walked is also the life journey each of us walks. Through baptism, we died to the past and were reborn, receiving a new life. Yet the journey of faith is also a difficult one, constantly composed of moments of self-denial, requiring us to be reborn anew each time. Like the Israelites experienced, we too struggle, agonize, and suffer amid the trials and hardships life brings, sometimes doubting God's presence and companionship. Though thoughts of returning to Egypt (the past) may arise, and though we bear wounds and bruises, the Lord never turns a deaf ear to our pleas. He hears us, heals our wounds, and strengthens us.

In this process, we gradually shed and discard parts of ourselves, like a snake shedding its skin. Faith does not free us like magic. It does not provide complete answers. Instead, it compels us to keep walking the path, practicing the gradual letting go, emptying, and shedding of self. Thus, it is a difficult path, yet one that simultaneously brings joy, making us forget the pain. Just as the joy of seeing a newborn baby makes a mother forget the labor pains.

Life is a school. It is a school where we learn to shed, to abandon, to let go. And it is a school where we learn about God's boundless mercy, which endlessly accepts my fragile self, my wounded self. Let us acknowledge that the path we are on now is not an ideal one, but a realistic one. The life we live is the right answer; there is no separate, predefined correct answer. Let us not be lazy today in practicing stripping ourselves bare through the cross, so that we may continue to walk this path well.

Place of Evil in Life

In the Philosophical Chat Column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the professor gives the readers a meditation on a concept that is profoundly deep, the place of 'evil' in life.

For ages, philosophy has strived to explain the origin, essence, and manifestations of evil. As the opposite of ‘good’, evil signifies the ‘absence of good’ or a ‘deficiency of good’. The negative element of evil, which is itself mysterious, is that it causes humans to despair and become ‘sinful beings’. The reason evil is philosophically problematic is, above all, because evil itself drives humans into suffering.

Evil manifests in various forms in the world. There is incomprehensible evil like natural disasters, evil committed unwittingly like ignorance, and evil that seems inevitable like ‘structural evil’. Regarding healing, what we must focus on are the various forms of evil wrought by humans. This is because such evil wounds people and directly inflicts suffering upon them.

While it is true that evil brings suffering to humans, evil and suffering are not strictly interchangeable concepts. This is because suffering does not always entail evil. From the perspective of Epicurus (341–270 BC), who understood suffering as an unpleasant emotion, suffering might be judged as misfortune and evil. However, suffering such as physical pain or that arising from extreme situations, functioning as a self-defense mechanism, clearly possesses positive aspects.

Regarding the origin and nature of evil, Augustine (354–430) argued that since perfect being is desirable in itself—the ‘highest good’—evil does not truly exist as a substance but only as a phenomenon of ‘lack of being’. In other words, evil can only exist attached to a deficient good; it cannot exist independently. Therefore, the evil that appears to us is neither true being (substance) nor absolute nothingness; it is solely a form of ‘relative nothingness’—an imperfect lack of being (contingent existence).

So what is the direct cause of this non-substantial evil? Philosophy traditionally locates its cause in human ‘free will’. From an ethical perspective, when human free will is exercised negatively, it is defined as ‘moral evil’; particularly when it stems from humanity's flawed nature, it is termed ‘fundamental evil’. In other words, moral evil or fundamental evil signifies an undesirable state rooted in human nature.

In this regard, Karl Jaspers (1883–1969) asserts that ‘evil resides in the freedom that permits untruth’. Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) goes a step further, defining evil as 'banality arising from the absence of thought'. That is, the root of evil lies in our ‘inability’ to think and judge correctly, not in any external, grand reality of evil.

Given this reality of evil, we need the habit and training of thinking and judging correctly in our daily lives to overcome it. Communication for healthy human relationships is also crucial. This is because the phenomenon of evil arising from flawed relationships undeniably exists. The misguided desire to possess others is the most common manifestation of evil stemming from inappropriate relationships. Such inappropriate relationships produce, on the level of knowledge, a lack of dialogue and communication, and on the level of will, power, and domination.

Communication Problems

The science teacher in the Science and Faith column of the Catholic Peace Weekly shares his understanding of some problems with communication.

In 1848, an explosion accident occurred at a railroad construction site in Vermont, USA. As a result of this accident, 25-year-old Phineas Gage, who was overseeing the railroad construction, suffered a severe injury when an iron rod pierced beneath his right eye, passed through his frontal brain, and emerged from the top of his head. Miraculously, he survived, but his personality and behavior, which had previously been gentle and outgoing, changed drastically, making him impatient and prone to using coarse language. 

This incident became a significant issue in the field of 19th-century neuroscience, playing a crucial role in revealing the connection between personality and the brain. 

Phineas Gage suffered severe damage to the frontal lobe, which is the front part of the cerebrum. The frontal lobe, situated in the forehead region, is a part of the cerebral cortex that plays a crucial role in regulating and controlling a person's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, thereby shaping their personality. Therefore, damage to the frontal lobe can result in severe personality disorders. Additionally, the frontal lobe is the last part of the brain to fully develop, and its development process into the twenties has a significant impact on personality formation. 

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is commonly known as a result of delayed development of the frontal lobe. As people age and undergo brain aging, the number of brain cells decreases, and the function of the frontal lobe declines. This can manifest as resistance to accepting new information or changes, leading to a tendency to persist only in what they already know or believe. 

When this manifests as the authoritative language or behavior of the older generation, the slang term 'kkondae' is often used to belittle them. Typical 'kkondae' expressions such as 'Back in my day...' or 'I know because I've done it' are not exclusive to older people or bosses; they also appear among younger individuals. 

In 2017, a second diagnostic report on the corporate culture and organizational health of Korean companies, announced by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the American management consulting firm McKinsey, identified outdated corporate culture elements in Korea, including habitual overtime work, inefficient meetings, and poor communication methods. One of the key points for improving this corporate culture was to support young employees just starting their careers...

A change to the corporate culture was the so-called 'jeans-wearing old-school bosses,' the immediate senior employees who make life difficult for young newcomers just starting their social careers. Now, new terms such as 'young-kkondaes' (young bosses) and 'old-kkondaes' (old bosses) have emerged, showing that aversion to the speech and behavior of bossy people transcends generations. The reason socially oppressive behaviors, such as those exhibited by 'kkondaes,' which cause harm to others, persist even when the frontal lobes of the brain are biologically intact or not affected by aging, may be due to other reasons for impairment, resulting in rigid thinking. 

No matter what belief system one follows, if a person does not listen to others, does not empathize with their circumstances, does not recognize diversity, and treats others solely according to their own standards and principles, they are a 'kkondaes' in their home, workplace, and community. This is no different than the  Gospel reading: 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead' (Luke 16:31). 

Confucius said in the Analects,  (The foolish and incompetent cannot change) We must reflect on whether we ourselves might be one of those whose frontal lobe is impaired.