September is the month of the martyrs. Korean Catholicism has a great devotion to the martyrs; their spirituality is influenced by the martyrs. In the Catholic Bible & Life magazine a pastor explains what this should mean for the church of Korea. Obedience of the martyrs has become the foundation for the growth of the Church. Efforts continually are made to instil this mind of the martyrs into our Catholics of today: their courage, sacrifice, and love of neighbor.
Spirituality of the martyrs, is not something that is sentimental and of the moment, but a deep appreciation of their life. The priest as a pastor of a parish makes it clear to the catechumens who are preparing for baptism the joy they should have with a martyr as their patron.
At present he says only about 4 percent of the parishioners have a martyr as their patron saint (baptized with the name of a martyr). However, with the newly baptized we see more who are choosing the name of a martyr. When the example of the martyrs enters into our lives we become witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus and open to the seeds of the new evangeliziation. The results are many: we are changed and the Church renewed.
He introduces us to two of the martyrs who were recently beatified on August 16th. One is
Simon, Hwang Il-kwang, a devout follower from the lowest class in the Joseon society. The other was Simeon, Yu Keun-myeong, from a high class noble family. Simon was a butcher by trade and not welcomed in the society of the times and before his death said:“There must be a heaven on earth and another one after death.”He was treated so well by his community of faith that he felt that he was already in heaven. Yu Simeon after being baptized, a hundred years before the law required, freed all his male and female servants and gave all his property to the poor neighbors. Here was an example of breaking down the walls separating the different levels of society, and giving freedom to those that had become his property because of the Gospel message.
In order to follow the example of the martyrs there is a need to know them and the pastor has made this an important part of his teaching method. The dying daily is the way we partake of the paschal mystery in our daily life, and the way we live the Christian life. White martyrdom is living the life of the martyr without the blood, but with their heart and spirit.
Writing in the Bible and Life magazine, from the time he was in
middle school to the present, now in his middle forties, a parishioner
tells us about his volunteer work as a member of the parish liturgical
committee. Usually his turn comes-up about twice a month, but at the New
Year and Autumn Festival he is the one who is the lector at the
liturgy. He lives in Seoul, no need to go to the country to visit
relatives, not married, his concerns are not as many as the other
members of the community.
Some years ago at the Autumn
Festival he was the lector not only at the morning liturgy but at the
evening Mass. After morning Mass he was called by the assistant priest
to the rectory to have breakfast. He was asked if he could be lector at
the evening liturgy. Since he would be alone during the day he had no
problem with attending the evening Mass. During the breakfast they
talked about the single and married state. The priest said: "Whether
married or single we have to live according to God's plan for creation."
With
these words came the realization that we are all responsible to form
the world we live in according to God's plans, and he saw the vocation
to the single and married state in a different light. In one way it was
the same vocation. One of the benefits of the single life is the freedom
to be of service to others.
He was introduced to
volunteer work in an old age home by one his younger friends. Every
other week he would go to wash clothes, clean, and play checkers and
talk with the grandfathers. The question he hears the most from the
grandfathers: "Isn't your wife and children upset with you being away
from the house on Sundays?" When he tells them he is not married they
respond: "Forget about coming here and get married." Volunteer work is
not difficult and has helped his spiritual life a great deal.
The
biggest problem with the single life is the distorted view that many
have of the celibate life. Life is incomplete. Many see it as as a lack
of something, and this is not only a view that is seen outside the
community of faith. On one occasion he was chosen to be mediator in a
problem with those preparing an athletic meet for the church community.
One of the persons who was given the committee some trouble was not
married, and was criticized for his stubbornness: "Isn't that the
reason he has not found someone to marry?" These words were not address
to him but it made him feel very uncomfortable, and he found himself
avoiding situations where he would be bickering with others and became
passive.
Because of his celibacy there are times that
he has felt alienated from the community. In a meeting with the married
members and their talk about family and their problems it is then he
feels like an outsider. Little is there for him to say during the
discussions.
Looking over his life as a single male he
sees it as something positive in living the life of faith. His
membership in societies of the community, his service to others, prayer and meditating, reading spiritual books, all have been helped by his celibacy. Prejudice against the single life and the need to overcome
the temptations in daily life that are present are a problem but he
feels celibacy is a help in some small way in witnessing within the community of faith.
Consequently he
concludes there is a need to have specialized programs introduced into
the community of faith that are concerned with the single Christian. He
has never attended any such programs so doesn't know what they should
entail but it would be sharing of ideas and experiences, praying
together would be a great help in their spiritual growth. It would be a
help in overcoming the bias against the single life and dealing with
the temptations in life and the feeling of alienation that is often
present. He hopes that this new chapter in Church life with these groups
for single Catholics spreading the fragrance that comes with a life
with Jesus will give birth to new life within the Church.
We speak about coming to the crossroads of life. A fork in the road: will it be the left or the right? Will it be a choice for the good or the bad? This fork in the road is present not only for the individual but for families, society, and the nation. In the opinion page of the Catholic Times a columnist brings to our attention this serious decision that many face.
The Sewol tragedy, death of a soldier because of bullying, number one in suicides among the developed countries, one out of eight adults suffering from despondency: these are some of the issues Koreans need to face. One student tells his mother that one of his classmates committed suicide and the mother tells him not to take his attention away from studies. This is the kind of society that we are promoting, he laments. Process, motivation, does not concern us but rather hoping for a jackpot.
The columnist is referring to the stalemate in congress over the special bill regarding an investigation to uncover the truth behind the
ferry sinking of the Sewol.The truth in the eyes of many will be harmful to the country so the maneuvering to limit what will come out from an investigation. The dilemma of choosing the lesser of two evils is a difficult decision and the columnist feels that the Christians should not have a problem with this, but they do.
How does our religious belief, faith life, relate with our present reality? We proclaim who we are by the choices that we make, a phrase with which we are familiar. If we take a rough look at statistics, he reminds us, 10 percent of the population are Catholic and 30 percent are Protestant which makes the country 40 percent Christian. Four out of 10 are Christians and yet the efforts to find the truth about the Sewol tragedy is meeting stiff resistance. A disregard for the dignity of human beings and the responsibility we have to search for the truth is being buried because of political strategy and to preserve one's future.
The columnist wonders if this is not because we have so many with a religion but not religious faith. Or is it rather that we have religious faith but don't believe; is our belief genuine?
A person of faith will trust that when one does what is right, the results whatever they be, will all work out for the good. However, this does take a great deal of faith. Form, is all that seems important, but wonders if this is not just empty babbling. Have we forgotten who we are? What is our mission? Especially, he concludes, those in Congress....
Words take on different meanings in the cultures in which we live. Words also are made to say whatever we choose: expanded or reduced according to our context and philosophy. Paternalism in our age is a big negative. On the opinion page of the secular Chosun Ilbo newspaper the columnist gives us a secular understanding of what a democracy should mean and why the era of heroes has come to an end. He makes some interesting comments about two individual leaders who have made a big impression on the Korean citizens. One is Admiral Yi Sun-Shin and the other was Pope Francis.
After the Sewol tragedy we realized our indifference to safety precautions. Frequent corruption of high ranking officials and seeing the inconsistency in our politics we have fallen into grief, despondency and lethargy preparing us to receive these two individuals with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
Coincidentally, they both where on the stage at the same time. The movie Myeongnyang opened on July 30th breaking all box office records in our movie history. Pope Francis was in Korea for five days from August 14th. He went out to embrace the sick and those hurting showing us a man of faith going beyond religion and the denominations and inspiring many within society.
Admiral Yi Sun-Shin is one of Korea's great war heroes. He had an undefeated naval record usually against insurmountable odds. His most remarkable victory occurred at the battle of Myeongnyang where he defeated the Japanese. This is the battle that took place in 1597, and portrayed in the movie by that name. He remains one of the great leaders and exemplary human being.
These two leaders says our columnist one sacrificed for his country and the other for God. They showed us what a leader should be and he asks where does this come from? Why don't we have them in our present society?
Democracy, he says, does not permit this kind of leadership, but this is not a reason for sadness but fortunate: if we understand what a democracy is. Admiral Yi was a hero. This heroism is hidden during ordinary times but comes to the fore in extraordinary times to save the country and the people. The task of a democracy is to maintain stability at all times. A democracy wants to maintain the safety, peace, and permit the citizens to devote themselves to their work and allow the families and individuals to strive after happiness.The citizens do not elect officials to be fascinating heroes in difficult times, but to elect officials who will prevent hard times from appearing. When all is managed correctly, he says, we don't need heroes.
Pope Francis came to Korea as a affectionate father. The word pope does include the note of authority, but in the West the word has the meaning of a father. The Church is the family and the pope is the father. The reason the citizens welcomed the pope was the longing the Korea people have for an affectionate father that they found in Pope Francis, and do not find in politics, schools, family and the work place, but found in the presence of the pope.
This is the patriarchal image that comes from the feudal era. Although possessed of absolute authority and power they do not use it for themselves, their pleasure and benefit, but for the happiness and well being of the members of their society.This may be necessary in a family but it is not the quality, he says, that we want in our democratically elected leaders.
In a democracy we do not divide society into high and low. Each person's rights and equality is respected, that is why there is a contract made with the citizens; they elect their president, and representatives for four or five years and if satisfied reelect them or at the next vote opt to change them. They do not elect heroes but people who will take heed of their personal needs. When they make the contract there is no one who is looking to sacrifice their financial benefits.
A democracy and a free economic market is made by the voters and citizens. We need leaders like Yi Sun Shin and Pope Francis when we have war, disasters, tragedies and the good of the citizens is being undermined in extraordinary times. The ordinary daily democratic way of life is dry, but peaceful and secure. Desiring a hero or a person with great qualities to appear who will give us wise answers to our problems is not the way of a democratic society.
Peace Catholic Radio Station had a contest for original hymns and one of the prison inmates entered his compositions, he was not able to be present but was giving special recognition by the judges. The chaplain of the prison wrote about his feelings in an article for the Pastoral Bulletin.
The prisoner was a very zealous Catholic and the leader of the Catholics in the prison. He was taking a correspondence course offered by the school of theology; an exemplary prisoner who was determined to change his life.
In a meeting of pastoral workers for the prisoners he heard about the family of those that our exemplary prisoner had inflicted harm. Family members were not able to rid themselves of the hurt that was experienced. As a chaplain he never forgot the victims of the crimes perpetrated, but hearing what was said about the prisoner did make him feel uncomfortable.
He remembered a film, Secret Sunshine, and the meaning of forgiveness. The heroine of the movie lost her husband in a automobile accident and she moves with grief to the small hometown of her dead husband. She becomes interested in Christianity. Shortly after becoming a Christian, her son was killed by an owner of an academy. After some time, moved by her new found faith, decided to go to the prison to forgive the man who killed her son. With difficulty she told the prisoner that she was there to forgive him for what he had done. However, the prisoner calmly and easily responded that he had already been forgiven by God.The mother, the person the prisoner should be asking for forgiveness, and hearing him say that God had already forgiven him was too much for her. The mother promptly lost any semblance of faith she had, and our writer sees the question of forgiveness in a new light.
This situation is not only seen in movies, but often in daily life. There are many who have suffered, been hurt and to whom much harm has been inflicted in our history and in the present day, and yet we have few who ask for forgiveness.
In the past when our country was taken away from us by the Japanese we have many in those days who have benefited by their relationship with the Japanese and their children have important positions in our society, but few have asked for forgiveness. During the totalitarian rule many were killed but few have expressed any need to be forgiven.
In the recent Sewol tragedy there are many who have caused great harm to the victims and their families but few asking for forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a means of healing. Those who have been hurt need this for healing.Many have been forgiven who have not asked for forgiveness, and those that need to ask for forgiveness don't.Those that ask for forgiveness are those that really are forgiven. Why do we have so few?
The Catholic Times' bishop's column on Faith and Economics has a partial list of the 10 tips for happiness the pope mentioned in his interview with the Argentine magazine Viva.
+“Live and let live"--move
forward and let others do the same. + “Give of yourself to
others”-- people need to be open and generous toward others. +“Proceed
calmly” in life."+"A healthy sense of leisure"-- turn off the TV when you sit down to
eat. + "Sundays should be holidays"--Sunday is for family. + "Respect the environment and work for its care." + "Work for peace," and of three others, the bishop selects the need to find innovative ways to +"create jobs for your young people and give them the opportunities to work."
Pope Francis has already on many occasions expressed the need to help solve the problem of work for the young. His attendance at the Asian meeting of the young people shows this interest. Last year at the end of the World Youth Day in Brazil, talking with the journalists he mentioned the danger of the large number of young people without jobs, and criticized the inhuman elements in the labor market.
The pope mentioned we are preparing for a society without jobs. A person finds satisfaction from the work they do which gives them a sense of worth. In the work force the young people are often seen as disposable. We are becoming accustomed to a throwaway culture-- habituated to throwing away so much in the culture in which we live. The pope sees these young people managing our future, and wants to communicate with them.
He direct our attention to the poor and the minorities in society.They need to receive hope and courage.We are not only facing an economic crisis but one of values. The pope is seeing the issue as a pastor and not as a specialist in economic matters.
When the young are not able to have a place in society to complete themselves they are drawn to drugs and despair.The problem for Korea is serious and has been for some time.The number unemployed is over 1 million. With the young the percentage is over 40 percent. We know overcoming difficulties is not always a negative but there is a limit to this. Here in Korea we have 3 areas of life in which many of the young have given up-- romance, marriage and having children.
Like the Pope we need to see the need for work for our young people if we are to have a healthy Church and society. This hope is not only for a certain time in our history but for the future of humankind.
Creativity and imagination are two assets that help us live a full life. Our attachment to the internet world is seen as a diminishment in our ability to relate with the real world and to engage our brains. A religious sister who has made media ecology her interest writes in a series of articles in the Korean Times about the problems we face in this new world.
Many of our young people hate to read, think and write. Reading helps us to think, thinking helps us to discuss and to write. Frances Bacon said: "Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man."
She feel that if the students realized that reading makes one a more complete person, they would see reading differently. The way they see reading in school is a rite of passage to get into college. Once they get into college they can do away with it.
The smart phone for the young people is a pathway to freedom and deliverance. She doesn't know what comes first. Whether they become attached to the smart phone and don't read or they don't read and become attached to the smartphone. What is clear is that when one's attention is taken up with the stimulation that comes from the games and the smartphone, reading will be difficult. Middle school children are the ones mostly affected: 30 percent of the students find their text books difficult. To read and understand is the problem.
The sister mentions professor David Levy who coined the word: 'popcorn brain' syndrome — a brain so accustomed to the
constant stimulation of electronic multitasking making one unfit for
life offline, where things pop at a much slower pace. We become indifferent to our reality, our attention span is reduced.
When the smart phone becomes like another appendage we become lethargic to the outside world, lose sensitivity to our surroundings, find it difficult to express our emotions and read the emotions of others. When this happens, she says, it is difficult to expect human instincts and virtuous living to follow.
She recommends in the home to keep the interchange with the children open. She would like all to keep a diary of the use of the smart phone and in the evening have a place in the living room to keep them. Before they go to sleep, as a form of prayer she advises to review some sentences they read during the day. Hopefully, she says this will become a habit, similar to the one they have with the smart phone.
