Avoiding the 'Temptation to Superficiality'

Recently in a wealthy area of Seoul, a security guard at an apartment complex, set himself on fire because of the  humiliation he received from a resident. He later died and ostensibly the firing came about because of the end of the contract, but the labor union said the suicide so disgraced the apartment community that at  one of their meetings they decided to change the subcontractor who hired the security guards. This brought  about the  retaliatory notice of the firing of 78 security guards. 

In the Peace Column of the Peace Weekly the  columnist mentions how devastating this is to the individuals and families at this time of year. Without the experience of being fired, he says, it is difficult for us to even imagine what is happening to these workers. When the security guard attempted suicide many of the other guards knew harm would come to them, which was the case. The writer knows it is not the Church's work to solve all the problems of society, but he is disappointed that not even a small attempt to side with the fired workers was shown.

He agrees with the activists who are working to better society, but wonders if they are not just interested in big events and not concerned with the smaller human rights infractions. He is in complete agreement with the efforts to make know the injustices in society, to stress human dignity, and work for the progress of society and the citizens' welfare, but he feels that they are aiming too high, and forgetting the smaller injustices in society: forgetting those like the 78 security guards who may be out of work shortly.

On  Pope Francis'  trip to Korea the pope mentioned  in his talk to the Asian bishops  to beware of the "temptation to the superficial". Bishop Kang  explained this in one of his talks as being concerned about the kind of smartphone you are using, what car you are riding, what hand bag you have and forgetting the important things in life. Giving oneself over to superficialities and losing the real happiness one should have in life. 

Should not those in the Church working in social pastoral ministry of the Church beware of the 'temptation to the superficial'?  Accepted by certain public groups and the  press, should not  blind one to the basics of the social ministry. The columnist mentions certain events that claim the limelight and interest of many, but forgotten are the small works in helping the poor and the alienated in society.

One of the bishops recently in his diocesan meeting of the priests requested strongly the following:  From now on no more  bouquets of flowers when he visits the parishes, no banners to welcome him, no lines  waiting to greet him, no special table for the bishop, he will eat the same as the parishioners.  And next year, he said, 5 percent decrease in all the different programs of the diocese to take some of the financial pressure off the parishioners.

In response to the bishop's entreaty the priests decided to raise the money allotted to the poor from their personal monies from 40 thousand dollars to about 80 thousand. This is one of the first steps to change the 'temptation to the superficial' and to act on what the Pope was hoping, and the bishops in their own meeting have decided to do. Our columnist hopes this is the start of what will happen in all the dioceses.

'Glad Game'

Today is the first day of the new liturgical year. Sister Hae-in Lee in her article in the Seoul Bulletin mentions how often it is noted that priests and sisters are difficult to approach. Their appearance is stern and stiff, which does not encourage people to come close. She has often been told to have a smiling face.

She introduces us to one of her favorite books the novel Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter. The word pollyanna has taken on the meaning from the novel, of a person with irrepressible optimism, and a tendency to find good in everything.

Pollyanna  while a child learned from her father, a minister, to be optimistic. The beginning for this way of looking at life began one Christmas when she  was hoping to pick out a doll from a barrel full of presents, but instead of a doll out came crutches. Seeing the crutches she began to cry and her father said: " You little fool why are you crying?  Shouldn't  you be happy that you don't need those crutches?"

From this incident she made up the 'Glad Game', a game which  consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. Pollyanna with this view of life was able to transform the cold and uninviting town in which she lived into a pleasant and joyful  place.

Sister Lee mentions in her own life she decided to start  playing the 'Glad Game'. Especially in situations that were the most depressing. When she does not see a way to resolve her problem, becomes dejected, feels lost as in a swamp, and her relations with others become tangled, with prayer and playing the 'Glad Game' she tries to avoid being in a funk.

The 'Glad Game' was helpful when she was in the hospital. When the nurses came to her bedside during the day to take her temperature, and blood pressure, instead of showing displeasure she tried to smile. When she had to undergo radiation and chemotherapy, how fortunate, she thought, to have the opportunity to receive this form of treatment, and when her guests said something that seemed to her out of place, she smiled, and tried to understand it favorably. She became adept in playing the 'Glad Game'.

Since we are beginning the season of Advent and a new liturgical year she wants her readers to play the  'Glad Game'. Foolish as it sounds, she believes it is the way that love wins out.

Christianity is filled with all kinds of paradoxes. What seems strange to our way of thinking and counter-intuitive, often looks different in retrospect. Would it not be an interesting experiment to  see how many of our actions during Advent can be truly counter intuitive, taken from the words of Jesus? We can start with the sermon on the mount. One of our most important mysteries is the paschal mystery: the most counter intuitive of all our acts-- dying to ourselves  in order to live. There are many ways of doing this daily, and a good preparation for Christmas.

Come, Lord Jesus

The Desk Columnist of the Catholic Times recalls a class in the humanities  where they were asked what  five things would they do if they knew death would come the  following day. She mentions up until that time she had no experience of death in her family, relatives or acquaintances. She only knew death from movies, books and talk, but no direct contact with death.

She doesn't remember what she said when her turn came but it must have been fragmented, romantic like preparations. She had her own experience of death shortly after with the death of her mother.  It came  suddenly. She  had  been a journalist for  the Catholic Times for a year when her mother died. She had no health problems, she was in a sleep from which she did not awake: a tremendous shock.

Both her parents where baptized shortly before, she believes it was  to help her along in her new work. They probably thought that  that being Catholic would  help her get points in the work place.

After the mother's death she would open her prayer book and often pray for the dead. She cried much but she also had the  hope of the resurrection, and the belief that she would meet them again which was a  great consolation. She believed in the communion of saints  which words she often saw in her prayers  which gave her great strength. Death for a Christian, sad as it is, also brings  hope to the person who is bereaving.  

 Elisabeth Kubler Ross (1926-2004)  a psychiatrist,  was the one who made a study of death and dying and gave us the five steps that are often experienced by the dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  A  priest working in Japan  who has  made death his own area of study, Fr.Alfons Deeken, a Jesuit  internationally  known in the field of education about death has added another step: a happy death-- the mental state of desire and hope. 
Hope not for a return to health but hope for eternal life and the meeting of those they loved. 

We are coming to the end of the month dedicated to the souls in purgatory, and the beginning of the liturgical new year with a new feeling in our hearts.  We begin the new again with expectations and hope.

Reflection is in order with our hand on our breasts to determine if we have made the preparations that are  necessary for the new year. During the first day of the new year we pray:  "Come O Lord Jesus". The word "advent" means "coming",  a coming  that is  here already and one that is not yet. 

We probably tend to  forget that the happiness, if we listen to what Jesus came to teach us and do it, should begin here in the now, and continue for all eternity.When we sing: "Come Lord Jesus" we are asking him to come to us now, if we are ready and prepared to meet him now, we are also prepared to me him at our death and at the end of time.

Doing the Right Thing

A religious sister writes in the Catholic Digest about her trip to the market and a taxi ride back to the convent. The taxi driver helped her with the packages and weakly asked her where she was going. He looked worn-out.

In the taxi he asked her the easiest way to get to her house. She was surprised by his question and  told him so, and he told her this was the second day of work, and began to give her his personal history like a reservoir that had burst, all came spilling out.

His wife had died a number of years ago. He had two sons, the older one died of a sickness, and the younger one was not married and living in Japan. He had borrowed a lot of money, despite it all his business failed, lost everything, and was in debt. Some of the debt was to persons that were well off but there were also those who had given him all their savings, and for these he was especially concerned.

Life had been hard on him. There were many times that he contemplated suicide but he couldn't do it because of those that lent him the money. He didn't want them to lose hope so he went to those that lent him money, and told them he would repay them, and began his work as a taxi driver.

When he thinks deeply about his situation he realizes that they are the ones that kept him alive.The sister could see in his  face the determination to make good on his promise. She  was  amazed at his words. Where did he get the strength to want to pay back his debt? Although he failed in his business he was not a failure in life. When life doesn't have too many downs it may not be difficult to keep smiling and keep going, but when the zingers are many the person's real and true self appears. These were the  thoughts running through her head. 

When he arrived at the convent he helped the sister with her packages, and before he got back in the taxi he turned to the sister and told her he also was a believer, but hadn't been to Mass in a long time. He wasn't able to overcome the shame he felt in not been able to repay the debt. He did say he would return to church soon. She thanked him, and told him he was always welcomed to come to her parish church. 

As the taxi moved out of the yard she sent a prayer along. She felt like she had just finished watching an emotional movie scene. She knows that God will  bless him for his desire to pay off the debt. 

She was greatly moved by the encounter. It  gave her another reason to appreciate the pleasure of living. There are many like him who overcome difficult odds to do the right thing, and show the resiliency that we are all called to manifest because of our trust in God.                                                            

Indifference to Pain

College entrance  exams for 2015 have ended, and the same lies continue to circulate within society. The Desk Columnist of the Catholic Times expresses his strong opinion on the situation. "Those who have learned what the text book teaches have no difficulty with the exams," and  similar words, make little of the results of the exams. From November to the  beginning of the new school year in Feb. we will have more than 200  young people kill themselves. If family members are included we have over two suicides each day.

All are faced with few or many exams during life, but the college entrance exams are uniquely different for it will determine the life of the family for years to come. Results determine the price tag for the individual given by society. Scholars in the field see this as an evil,  making for a society of academic cliques.

Some see the problem as a weak disposition of the young people, others see it as a rite of passage that exists in all cultures, and we should not be too sentimental about the situation. The loss of so many young lives, and what we need to do is not a problem easily solved.

Suppose, he says, that the  number of students died because of Ebola or SARS  what would happen?  The government official responsible would have to resign,  and the president would be apologizing to the citizens with head lowered, and  measures to remedy the situation would shortly be in place. Why is it that the adults  do not look into the situation? But instead like parrots repeat: "they only need to study the text books...."

Christians along with the president and the ministers in education are disinterested spectators: a really strange society in which we live. All seems hunky-dory, and nobody wants to  ask the right questions.

Young students  are weak  living in a vertical and authoritarian society. They do not vote which is another reason for the lack of interest of the older generation. This lack of interest in the young is also shown in the churches where we have a large number of students no longer seen in the pews. Our response should be to approach them, listen to them, and feel with them.

One of humanities great gifts is the ability to sympathize with those who are sick or hurting: the capability of empathizing with others and to act. Jesus is our example; he was sent by the Father to be with us and he showed  this feeling for others by his healing. His empathy for others brought about the healing.

One of the great weapons that we have as Christians is the grace to sympathize with others in their hurt. More important than being number one is to relate with others. We need to become more sensitive to the hurts of others, and to develop this part of our personality. This seed was put into the hearts of the followers of Jesus, and this seed for love needs to find expression in our lives.

Joys of Farm Life

Farmers at this time of the year are  looking forward to a period of  leisure. The life of a farmer gives them little time to admire the scenery, and now with the  Free Trade Agreement with China there is a great deal of uncertainty and worry on what the future will bring. In an article on the opinion page of the Catholic Times, a city dweller, who worked for a large construction company, some 12 years ago  returned to the farm and began raising grapes. He gives us his thoughts on country living.

The situation for farmers, he says, is  like the flame of a candle in the wind. With  free trade he sees everything in a fog and is uncomfortable. He wonders whether there is a future in farming?  Many feel the  greater wealth of the country will lead to the greater happiness of the populace, this he strongly believes is  false. This is a belief held by many in government, and yet we know that wealth does not determine the degree of happiness of the citizens.

The numbers of those retiring from work is increasing. He mentions a number of his old buddies who ask  about life on the farm. They are now white haired and have time on their hands.They are looking for ways to occupy themselves after the many years in the work force. They mention how infrequent are the visit of their children and would like to see a change  in the way we live. He compares life for some after retirement like the male bee, the drone, who is kicked out of the hive.

His son will  be in third year high school next year and he comes home every other week end. The father casually told his son that after graduation from high school  he could always work  on the farm. The son shook his head derisively to which the father told him  if you go to college and after graduation you can't find a job you can always come back to a big farm which I will buy for you. Now when he comes home he is more relaxed and magnanimous.

In the country along the road you see banners fluttering in the wind especially during the winter months they look out of place. You have them congratulating some recent son or daughter of the country who has just received their doctorate, passed a civil servant exam, or was hired by a big company. They make known to all, the family situation, and how  proud they are of their children. He would love to see banners flying in the wind  mentioning a son who has decided to return to the country to work on the  family farm,  or a son who has set up a cafe in the area and is asking for the people's patronage.

Life on the farm is busy and the future will not see any big changes but he finishes his article with the joy that comes with life on the farm. He would like to see the government make life on the farm easier, with less worry, but he also knows farmers  have a great deal of joy from the small things of life that are all around them, and hopes this will continue in the future.

Miracle Apples

Recently in Korea as in other parts of the world there has been a renewed interest in  natural farming. We talk a lot about  organic farming  but natural farming is going to another level of the natural. In the View from the Ark in the Catholic Times, a priest writer introduces us to  a Japanese farmer, Akinori Kimura,  and his new way of growing apples. 

Another Japanese Farmer Masanobu Fukuoka (1913-2008) a philosopher, besides being a farmer believed the less a farmer did to disturb the natural ecology- no plowing, no chemical fertilizers, no weeding or use of herbicides or pesticides the better the land would respond. Akinori applied this teaching to growing apples and gave us the 'Miracle Apple'.

The articles mentions a talk that was given at one of the concerts by an educator to raise money for unwed mothers. A video that was shown moved many of those present. The talk was about the farmer Akinori Kimura and the  documentary that caused a sensation in Japan when it was shown Dec.7th in 2006. His apples at a  normal room  temperature will not rot even after 6 months. They sell out as soon as they hit the market. A soup that is made from the apples is famous in all the first class  restaurants in Japan. When a typhoon hits an orchard he has  less damage than the  ordinary orchards. 

However, to reach this point in raising apples required a great deal of time, frustration and failure. Not using pesticides, blight and harmful insects reduced his harvest to almost nothing. Neighboring  farmers  considered him a fool.  He was so demoralized, he even contemplated suicide. He  withdrew to the mountains. During this time he saw an oak tree with its acorns that were not fertilized, no pesticides used, and  gave us healthy acorns. He realized that it was the grass and earth that allowed it to happen. It took him 10 years to reach this in his orchard.

He gives credit to his family for the success he was able to achieve. The immediate cause for the change was his wife's allergy to the pesticides he was using. The love he had for his wife enabled him to overcome all the difficulties that he met during the ten years of work. This was a difficult period for the family because during the transition little money was coming in for the family to live.

The priest reminds us the word to learn and the word for spouse in Korean are written the same, leaving us with the message that a couple are made to love and to learn together up until death. Sadly, he says that for many it is teaching and the power of authority that has priority. In families of this type all may seem well but they are not happy, and there are many problems between parents and children. 

He believes this is also true with  priests and  parishioners. They should both be interested in learning. The priest should  be learning from the parishioners, and achieve happiness by working for the miracle of love.

The lesson that can be derived from the natural farming methods for growing miracle apples can be transferred also to our place in families, communities and society. The reason that Akinori was able to work for 10 years to achieve the miracle apple was the love he had for his wife. He wants us to overcome  jealously, backbiting and lack of love which we often express, and make the effort to harvest the miracle fruit of love.