In the Kyeong Hyang Magazine an author and essayist writes about her experience in making a Lenten Retreat. The retreat master gave all the retreatants a book: Until the Day We Separate: letters between a Japanese priest in Rome, Masayuki Shirieda, and a well known Catholic author in Japan, Ayako Sono. The woman author was in danger of losing her sight and the letters have to do with life and despair, accepting of pain and the trust and love of God.
The essayist spent the night reading the book and was moved deeply. Each chapter has a title: 'After losing everything, I see God.' 'Suffering saves us.' 'What are my expectations?' 'God finds humans.' 'Death is the finishing of the unfinished.' These and similar chapter titles are divided into smaller topics which go into greater detail, making clearer their ideas.
Ayako Sono is a famous author who explains her faith and sufferings. She has done much to help others, met many people, and in her writings made God known to many of her readers.
The priest in the third chapter talks about his vocation to the priesthood." I don't remember my father. I was five years old when he died on the battle field. War took everything away from me.The house in which I was born and grew up, was destroyed by an air raid. The dream that I had to follow my father as a soldier disappeared. First of all, I wanted to rebuild the house that was destroyed.
One day I went into a new church that was being built and stole a nail. I quickly put it in my bag when a foreigner grabbed me by the collar. He didn't bawl me out, but put more nails in my bag and told me to come back if I needed more.
The night I didn't get any sleep. I couldn't forget the foreigner. That morning I found my goal in life. I ran four kilometers to the church to meet the foreigner. I no longer wanted to be an army general but to be like him. 'Teach me'. I asked. I didn't want to be a Catholic, no thought about religion, all I wanted to be was like the priest.
I was baptized. I didn't know the teaching all I knew was that Catholicism taught love, and I wanted to give myself to the Jesus who was on the Cross. That was clear to me." This was the motivation for him to become Catholic and become a priest.
The writer mentioned she came across the book in her middle fifties. She was a cradle Catholic and proud of this, but lukewarm in her practice and lifeless.
One day on a visit to a church she had a spiritual awaking and became conscious of God's love for her. She began to study the Scriptures, go to retreats and follow others in volunteer work. She still felt lonely and it was at this time that she read the book: Until the Day We Separate. A quiet road to God.
When the priest left to go to Rome the mother: "When will I see you again?" "In about four years." he answered. "That's a long time." She wanted to die in the arms of her son. The four years turned into ten years and her wish of dying in the arms of her son, happened.
The book is not a catechism, but a book talking about the problems that we face in life. The priest ends the book with the words on a tomb stone of an unknown soldier in Turin. "I wanted from God everything that would make me happy, and received nothing that I desired, but everything that God wanted for me."
Farm life at this time of year is busy. Red peppers, spread out on the front yard to dry, and farmers busy with the harvest. A long time city dweller, who returned to the farm over ten years ago, speaks his mind on farm life.
He looks out from his
house on a newly paved road, and sees a grandfather walking in his white
starched ramie fabric pants and trousers, green colored vest, a felt
hat, erect in stature and walking deliberately. Once or twice a month he
sees the grandfather walking on the road, at a distance from his house,
going to the seat of the township to pay his bills. Every time he sees
the old man he is struck by his dignity and discipline. He has great respect for the man who he doesn't even know.
Every time he sees him he
wonders about his personal history and life. One day he was standing
beside him in the Farmer's Bank and over heard him talking to the woman
bank teller. She asked him how much were his monthly expenses, after he
handed her a few dollars in payment for taxes. He answered, "100
dollars is more than enough." (In the farming area these kind of questions are not uncommon among those that know each other)
We are trying now to save
our economic life. The industries have to function, citizens need a
place to work, and workers need money to become consumers. Because we
have consumers, society continues as we know it. Everything is done to
keep the flow of money going. It is like riding a bicycle you have to
keep the pedals going or the bicycle stops. Whether you like it or not
the bicycle has to keep on moving. This is why we had the Sewol tragedy.
After the tragedy the lives of the farmer has become more difficult:
farm prices have decreased, import of rice with the custom tax, and it seems we will have the Free Trade Agreement with China.
The
country, to sell more smartphones is willing to jeopardize the way of
life of the farmers and our food base: upsetting the farmers way
of life. Changes in economics affects the farmers quickly. The price in
the auction market will determine the price of material and the
farmer's income. Subtracting expenses from the income, and
determining what is left over as the farmers' wage is for the text books; in reality, like the old farmer
mentioned, farmers are not as dependent on the money economy, but on
self-help. To save the exports from the city we are mortgaging the
future of the farmers.
Society
is moving us to over consume; we are the victims of a competitive society. A
larger income will not guarantee our dignity, our self-worth or raise our happiness level. We know the countries with a high rate of happiness are the poorer countries of the world. We need more leisure time, and better relations with others. We need to stop riding the bicycle, start wearing starched clothes, and start walking. When using my legs I am open to appreciating leisure, the joy of life and my self- worth.
Over the years with the increase of the industrial sector in Korean society the number of certificates of qualification have multiplied. Young people preparing to join the work force are concerned in getting the necessary certificates for their work of choice, and spend much time and money in the process. A president of a diocesan parish council expresses his opinion in View from the Ark, in the Catholic Times, on what he wants to teach his children.
There is no place in society, he says, to find qualifications to be a mother or father.The Church has preparations courses for marriage but they do not get into much detail. After marriage, parents do what others do, or go in search for better ways to raise children.
More than efficiency many parents look for expensive foreign baby carriages and toys even though studies have shown that foreign baby carriages are not as good as those made in Korea.
Many are influenced by society to begin the children's education for college at an early age. Worldly wisdom circulating says there are three conditions: grandfather's wealth, the mother's ability to get information and the father's lack of interest ( more likely,the writer says, struck dumb by shock). The situation in raising children and the money required, declares that two is all parents can afford-- making for one of the world's lowest birth rates.
The money that was spent for private education came to about 225 dollars for every Korean-- an enormous sum of money. This is the government's estimate, the money parent's actually spent would be much greater.
With all the money spent there is the fear they will not have the results expected. The writer feels that it will bring about conflict in society. Bullying and alienation in schools will continue, and he wonders whether it is wise to continue to stimulate competition in our educational system. It is like being killed on the battle field not by the enemy but by one on your own side.
We have to make clear what is fundamentally important in our education. Trust in the love and understanding of parents, and self knowledge. He wants relationship to be an important part of their study: not to see everybody as an enemy and to enter the door to the culture of life. To understand others, to sympathize with others is the way to maturity and happiness--learning to live according to the Golden Rule.
The month of October in Korea is the month of the Rosary and Mission. A time to live our faith more completely. We can't hide the violence that accompanies totalitarian nations in efforts to proselytize. In the world in which we live and the pluralism all around us does not diminish our call to be missioners. With these words the Desk Columnist of the Catholic Times reflects on the work of mission in today's world.
The world of Islam in many parts of the world has shown a flagrant animosity towards Christianity. They go about their mission without any restraints in spreading their message.They kidnap, threaten death, all seen as barbarous by the rest of the world.
What does it mean to preach the Gospel? What are we to do? In the early days of the Church it meant that you were likely to be martyred; you were going against the mores of the society in which you lived. Or just the opposite, when the Church became the National Church, it became the tool of the State; used to oppress and persecute the other religions. During those years all were made to submit by force to spread the politics of the country and to extort monies. Many of the efforts in these totalitarian states used Christianity as their ideology.
Today the spreading of the Gospel is in a pluralistic environment. A world with different religions, many with the ideals of Christianity. We have the continual stress and conflict with Islam. Many cultures and societies have their own traditions and religions with which we are in easy contact. Korea is an exhibition hall for the religions of the world, all vying with each other, but for the most part peacefully.
In this kind of world what does it mean to spread the faith? We use the word evangelize, spread the Gospel message, what should be our attitude as missioners for Jesus?
Catholicism did not open its heart to the other religions until after the Second Vatican Council. There are those who feel the Church has tarnished its image by opening itself to the world and other religions.
He divides the focus on evangelization into three areas. Know who your are and your religious identity, respect the beliefs of others, and be able to persuasively express your own beliefs to others. Easy to say, but how do we go about doing this? To respect the religion of the other and be strong in your own faith is not easy.
However, he says, it is not walking a high wire. We need to be honest like little children, and express the happiness we have received from Jesus. Evangelization has to do with the way we live. We have the example from the early Church, Christians lived already in God's kingdom in contrast to the outside society.
The early Christians were using the strong words of the message, but also living differently than those in the society in which they lived. Heidegger said: 'Language is the house of Being." Language is more than a tool it is the way we express ourselves.The message of a Christian comes from the life that is lived. When we live Christlike we are being missioners and evangelizing.
A priest writing in the Korean Catholic Digest recalls a confession he heard. A grandmother enters the confessional and immediately says: "Living is it not all sin? Quickly give me my penance."
"Grandmother, God has given us this beautiful world in which to be happy, you should not be so pessimistic. It is not good to think that way." The priest spoke these words, but at the same time knew life was not always easy.
He lived as a religious in a monastery for over ten years and was given an assignment as a pastor of a country parish. The Sunday Mass attendance was about 500 so it was not a small community. Some of the older priests hearing about the assignment told him that he will have many sleepless nights. You are a pastor, however, and not a hireling.
His life in the monastery was very regular. He would get up in the morning, pray, say Mass, after breakfast go to his work place, evening prayer, the meal, a period of rest, night prayers and sleep-- a very simple life.
He has been in a parish now for over ten months. There have been peaceful days but also days of battle. "When we have some parish events the different groups are at odds with each other on how to proceed, and we have conflict."
The parishioners do listen to the wish of the pastor and go along but he always finds it difficult when he has to choose one group over the other. He is bothered greatly with the results of his decision.
He follows the practice of the previous pastor in going to the different villages once a week for a Mass. There are are 10 to 20 that attend. Each division of the parish has a distinguishing feature.
In the farming area we have the aroma of grass and bean-paste pot stew. Those who attend, seem to be care-free and at peace. Apartment areas of the parish and market environments have a different feel, they are lively, vigorous, dynamic, but some seem to be living in the shade.
At Sunday Mass, everyone is well dressed smiling and greeting each other. He surmises they are not having financial difficulties. At the village Masses he sees this is not the case.
Before he entered the religious life he worked and lived a frugal life in a small apartment. He no longer has those problems. After work he would meet with his fellow workers, and sharing glasses of liquor would forget their cares. At a village Mass these thoughts come back to him. Jesus never stayed in one place and associated with all kinds of people in society. He finds this very healthy.
The grandmother's: "All is sin is it not?" Often rings in his ears. How difficult life must have been for the grandmother? He feels sad, and wants to be a conduit to bring consolation to those he meets.
In his column in the
Catholic Times, a pastor in his talks to young people tells
them to search for what they like--that will save them. St
Augustine's well known words: “Love and do what you like” gives us the
reason why this is so. Those that love God all things work together for the good.
He laments that many young people don't know what they like, what they really want.They are running very zealously towards an unknown future. When they realize that is not where they want to be, they become despondent, and lost. Those on the sidelines can sense this loss of hope. Those who are racing towards a worldly goal will be affected even more.
That is the reason we have to have a dream, he says. He wants to address these words to all the parishioners. Many of the older people want to die: they believe there is nothing left for them to do. They need a dream. It is never too late to dream.
When one works to realize their dream they find joy and are invigorated.
What
is my dream? What is it that I like? We are all traveling the road of
happiness: a life in God's kingdom. Aren't all Christians dreaming about life with
God here and in the hereafter? When we are conscious of this goal and daily working for its
accomplishment, this in itself brings great joy. Process is already part
of the accomplishment. That is why he asks his parishioners often:
"What is your dream, what is it that you like?" "All the way to heaven
is heaven because Jesus said, I am the way." These words of St.
Catherine express this truth.
We are all on the path to happiness. A life in God's kingdom, a life of happiness for all eternity is our dream. Dreaming of this goal that we all have should bring great joy into our lives.
We need to know who we are and where we are heading. This is the way of life and his
wish for all who are reading these words. Life should be filled with
meaning and with joy because of our dreams. St. Peter in his sermon in
Acts 2:17 "in the last days... your old men shall dream dreams." The
spirit of God that is given moves us to hope and dream dreams.
Korea is working hard to remove itself from the list of countries
with the highest rate of suicides. Both Catholic papers gave space to
the issue, noting especially the number of elderly who are committing
suicide.
The Seoul Diocese conducted a symposium on
methods to decrease the number of suicides in society. According to the
government office of statistics for every one hundred thousand
citizens from the ages of 60 to 69 there are 42.4 persons who kill
themselves. From 70 to 79 there are 73.1 persons and those over 80
there are 104.5 who commit suicide. Over 80 those who commit
suicide number 4 times the average.
Department of
Health and Human Services in a 2013 survey showed the largest group
attempting suicide: 65.5 percent were the non-religious, Protestants
16.0 percent, Buddhists 9.4 percent, and Catholics 3.5 percent.
A
professor at the Catholic University in the keynote speech said that
those who had strong values and found meaning in life, and those that had
a strong faith life had the lowest suicide rate. To lower the rate he
stressed the need to increase the faith life of the elderly.
The
Catholic Church and the Nowon District (a residential district of
Seoul, South Korea, Located in the northeastern part of the metropolitan
city) have worked together to decrease the number of suicides in the
district with good results: in 2009, 180 deaths from suicide, and in
2013 it decreased to 150.
Civilian groups within the
district have increased their cooperation, drawn up programs for the
different age groups within the district, made efforts to find those who
were at greater risk and work more closely with this group. A
need was shown by the volunteer groups to have input by specialist in the field.
The editorial in the Catholic Times
mentioned that 11.2 percent of those over 60 have thought of suicide.
Chief reasons were health and financial difficulties. With society getting older, those in the country have more difficulty than those in the city: more alienation, struggles and loneliness.
We can't just see the suicide as an individual problem.
In conclusion was the need for the church to get more involved in their work with the
elderly, form groups that are in sympathy with their goals, efforts to establish a social safety net, and extend the culture of life movement.
In the Kyeong Hyang Magazine an author and essayist writes about her experience in making a Lenten Retreat. The retreat master gave all the retreatants a book: Until the Day We Separate: letters between a Japanese priest in Rome, Masayuki Shirieda, and a well known Catholic author in Japan, Ayako Sono. The woman author was in danger of losing her sight and the letters have to do with life and despair, accepting of pain and the trust and love of God.
