We all wonder what the chances are for unification of the country. 70 years have passed, and we are no closer to a meeting of minds or seeking opportunities to talk. In the Catholic Times, a columnist who writes about reconciliation of the country asks is it possible.
She introduces us to one of her relatives who she admires a great deal and with whom she can speak without reservations on any topic. The person is very sensitive to abuses in society, and doesn't hesitate to talk about the injustices that abound. This quality in her relationship has always attracted her. However, recently, the person said something to her that was very much unlike what she understood the person to be. "I am not looking forward to unification" she remarked. The columnist hearing these words were like getting punched in the stomach. She has never talked about unification with the person which was a reason for surprise and disappointment.
Her relative was in the early forties and the reason given for the opinion: no knowledge of those in the North. "I don't know people in the North and consequently, to live in harmony with them will not be easy. It will double and triple the conflicts we have in society and divide the country more than it is at present." Contact with the refugees in the South from the North is well known; many are not interested in getting to know them. Her relative confessed (?) that she understands with her head the refugees from the North, but she is not inclined in her heart to get close to them.
The columnist respected the honesty and courage with which her relative approached the subject of North and South; it did not in any way diminish the respect she had for the relative. This way of thinking is well-known in the South. "Unification must be realized" all subscribe to this but when they reflect on the reality many express serious concerns: economic difficulties and culturally the country will be in chaos and unstable.
In the beginning, we saw the open hand and warm greeting, compassion, curiosity, words of encouragement but with the increase of numbers and hearing about some of the shameful things done, many began to distance themselves from the refugees. Those from the North also do not know the ways of the South, and wonder whether they will be able to live in harmony together.
Both
sides have the same worry. With unification will we have harmony? Will
it not be wise then to get rid of all our worries anticipating reunion?
Is it not necessary to understand that with 70 years of separation the
North will be different from the South? We need to accept these
differences of the North and see them in a positive way. We have to
change our thinking and not see what is different as wrong. We need to rid ourselves of our feelings of superiority, and see the North as
our brothers and sisters and start making efforts to know them.
Korea is a country considered to be in the top ten of unbelieving countries. Irreligious, atheistic, unbelieving are all ways surveys describe the situation. Citizens have different understanding of these words, and you see the contradiction when you have a Buddhist or Christian say they are non-religious or even atheists.
Korea, according to the census of 2005: Buddhist number 22.8%, Protestant 18.3% and Roman Catholic 10.9 percent. Korea has no majority religious group but the figure of the unbelieving usually is put at over 50 percent. Our president considers herself an atheist with connections to Buddhism and Catholicism.
Korea is very respectful of religious beliefs even more so than the United States. A Pew Report on the recent visit of Pope Francis to Korea had over 86 percent of the citizens with a favorable opinion of the pope higher than the States, and even higher than the opinion of U.S Catholics towards the pope.
An article in the Peace Weekly reminds us of the influence that Korea has received from the different insights present in distinct times in her history. In ancient times, we had shamanistic practices, totemism, animism and similar nature worship. During the Goryeo years (918-1392), Buddhism, the State Religion, influenced society. Confucianism was the pillar of society during the Joseon Dynasty which began in 1392 and ended with the Japanese occupation of Korean in 1910, and continues to shape society. Today Korea is a show case for almost all the religions of the world.
It is not difficult to understand why unbelievers, atheists and agnostics continue to increase. Religion's values continue to be attacked, and with the multiplicity of religious views, often in opposition to one another, one can easily doubt the value of religion. We have the appearance of new religions, and anti-Christian values continue to spread. The columnist sees the need for a martyr's mentality to overcome the difficulties.
We no longer in Korea have to face death to remain a Christian, and in reality it takes a great deal less for members of the community to abandon what they thought at one time was important. Over 80 percent freely choose after baptism to abandon the community they once accepted as precious.
The columnist tells us that this is true in his diocese as it is in the country as a whole. The reasons are many and he wants the Christians to see it as harassment to their faith life: lack of trust in community, bad examples, clericalism, the duties of a busy life, temptations that militate against a life of faith, and the search for pleasures. These and many other reasons move us to jettison what we don't see for what we do, and in the process fail to live in the way programmed by the Creator, which is to live with joy.
We, who are living in the industrial age of the 21st century, can look
back on the infant, child and adolescent stages and in this last stage,
we see an interest in our natural environment, and its attraction, but it
was minimized or ignored by many. This is the way the columnist in the Peace Weekly begins his column on ecological spirituality.
Balance was lost and we had various pathological aspects of
growth: materialism, greed, hostility, extreme competition, spotted with violence: followed with racial, gender and
elderly prejudice giving birth to many aberrations.
The development of this industrialism throughout the world gave growth to morbid symptoms of self- aggrandizement. Even though we have
many millions living in dire poverty, we still elect those with
these aspirations to run our government. Any alternative proposals are shot down. Programs for growth
in maturity are difficult to implement. Many
promoting interest on the environment have discontinued their efforts.
Industrialization restrains the ecological dimension and extends
consumerism and puts controls over the spirit, which gives rise to
more immature citizens.
When our social attitude is
such that we disregard a person's true nature this is an obstacle to our human growth. We have to realize what living with nature will do
for us in comparison to what industrialization has given us.
Two authors and authorities in this field have given us three steps to follow to achieve this
change within our society. Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown have listed
three steps as follows: first, actions that will slow down the
damage that is being done to the earth and humans. Participating in
blockades, boycotts, civil legal suits, and refusal to go along with
proposals that are harmful to nature and work to
change laws, work politically, and work in campaigns.
Secondly, analyze the structural causes and create alternatives. We have to make a
change and free ourselves from the damage being inflicted on us by the industrial society in which we live. We have to see what the industrial
society is doing to us and the way it tempts us and prevents us to grow spiritually. We have to prepare alternatives to the way things are
being done.
Thirdly, we need a shift in the way we see
society and their values. We have to understand what we want and how to
get it. It is not demanding we become supermen, but people with a vision.
We have to become citizens of the world. Our identity and values have to gradually correspond to this new reality. This will require, the columnist concludes, preparing for the future now.
We are living in an industrial age, says the priest columnist in the Peace Weekly, and can look back on the infant, child and adolescent stages of growth. In this last stage, many show an interest in our natural environment and are attracted, but the opposing voices minimize and ignore the issue. Balance was lost, and we have regression in the adolescent state and the appearance of pathological aspects of growth: materialism, greed, hostility, extreme competition, spotted with violence: followed with racial, gender and elderly prejudice, giving birth to many aberrations.
We see the development of this industrialism throughout the world and the growth of morbid symptoms of self-aggrandizement. And yet with millions living in dire poverty, we still put those with these aspirations in places to run our government. Any alternative proposals are shot down; programs for growth in maturity are difficult to implement. Many who have been promoting the interest in ecology have stopped their efforts. Industrialization restrains the ecological dimension, and extends consumerism, and puts controls on the spirit; which gives rise to more immature citizens.
When our social attitude is
such that we disregard a person's true nature this is an obstacle to our human growth, and we approach tragedy. We need to realize what living with nature will do
for us in comparison to what industrialization has given us.
Two authors and authorities in this field have given us three steps to follow to achieve this change within our society. Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown have listed the three steps as follows: First, actions that will slow down the
damage being done to the earth and humans. Participating in
blockades, boycotts, civil legal suits, and refusal to go along with
proposals that are harmful to nature and our environment, and work to
change laws, work politically, and work in campaigns.
Secondly: analyze the structural causes and create alternatives. We have to make a change and free ourselves from the damage being inflicted on us by the industrial society in which we live. We have to see what the industrial society is doing to us and society; see the way it tempts us and prevents us from progressing. We have to prepare alternatives to the way things are done.
Thirdly: we need a shift on the way we see society and values. We have to understand what we want and how to get it. It is not demanding that we become supermen, but people with vision.
We have to see ourselves as mature citizens of the world. Our identity, the columnist concludes, and our central values have to correspond to this reality. If we are to be persons of the future we need to start now.
The recent squabble between the North and South Korea has
disappeared from the news, and we are waiting for the full moon that
will usher in the Harvest Moon Festival (Chuseok) a cherished holiday
in which Koreans give thanks for their crops, pay homage to their
ancestors, and celebrate family ties. The
three day holiday, for family members who have moved away, means for many a visit to the homestead.
A columnist in the Peace Weekly
wants us to reflect on the holiday, and our life as travelers. In a recent survey made
by one of the papers, they reported that of 1000 citizens over
19 years old: 36.9% had plans to visit with family, 18.1 % would be
working, 7.2% would be traveling, 37.8 had no plans or had other choices.
More would not be going to the homestead than would, and many of these
would not be going for reasons out of their control.
Separated
families in the South because of the war or refugees from the North
will be grieving for the conditions that prevent contact with family.
Also we have the 'losers' in society, those without a job who find going
back to the homestead difficult. On this holiday they feel very small
and seek to hide.
Hugh of Saint Victor (c. 1096-1141) a monk who left us some memorable words on one's home town."The
man who finds his homeland sweet is
still a tender beginner; he to whom every soil is as his
native one
is already strong; but he is perfect to whom the entire world
is as
a foreign land." Those who consider every place they find themselves as home is a victor according to the monk.
These words can be applied to a person or society.
Love for family and friends is very natural, those who extend that love
to the unknown are strong and admirable, making for a mature, firm
society. We go beyond the relational family and friend connection with
solidarity with all, and overcome the win/lose of the market thinking
with the making of friends: "whenever you did this to one of the least you did it to me." The words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40.
If we think deeply we realize that
no one returns to his hometown. Everything is always changing. What we
thought was our homestead is no longer what it was but something
foreign, the whole world becomes a foreign land it is then we
become a mature world citizen. We are on pilgrimage and when we make others feel comfortable we are true pilgrims.
Chuseok
whether we go to our homesteads or not, when I look up at the full
moon I realize that we are all pilgrim wanderers, and when we go out
to those without a home we are going back to our place of birth. Isn't this a good way to spend our Chuseok?
A Korean celebrity at a Talk Concert for about 400 young people in the
Seoul Diocese, spent over two hours in a witty dialog with them on
their religious beliefs and studies. He took questions asked by the
group in handwritten messages to the speaker. Both Catholic papers
wrote an article on the gathering.
The celebrity
in his presentation was greeted with interest, seriousness, laughter,
hope and consolation. He treated many kind's of questions: becoming
Catholic, difficulties they meet, problems when their religious
beliefs clash with the values of society, meaning of a faith life, dealing with Protestant friends who look down on their religious
beliefs etc..
One young man baptized last year was asked
why he became a Catholic. He gave three reasons for entering the
Church: greatly impressed by Pope Francis in his trip to Korea, felt
the motherliness of the Blessed Mother and wanted to imitate, even in a
little way, the spirit of Jesus.
To
the question what is a Christian faith life: believing in Jesus, daily
present to us, and continually asking him questions was his answer. In
the way that God's creation gives witness to God we are to give witness
to our Creator.
He told the young people our 60-70 year old
citizens feel great pride in giving the country the economic growth. The
40-50 age group are proud of the work for Korean democratization but
the 10-30 group have nothing in which they can take credit.
He wants them to be the generation who helped bring about the
unification of the country. Not having any overall blueprint for life
is a reason for some of the young people's unrest, he reminds them.
Many
questions we have in life, said the entertainer, are the ones that
leave us breathless, frustrated. He has no answers, but wants his
listeners to keep on asking Jesus until he comes down from his cross.
'Young people enjoy life and remember your Creator' was the theme of the
gathering. "Rejoice, young man, in your youth and may your heart give
you joy when you are young, follow your desires and achieve your
ambitions but recall that God will take account of all you do. Drive
sorrow from your heart and pain from your flesh, for youth and dark hair
will not last. Be mindful of your Creator...." (Ecclesiastes 11: 9-)
We hear a lot about religious and clerics and their love for others but last year in August, we had the beatification of 124, and only one was a priest; the rest were lay people--Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions. A Catholic Times' column recounts the lessons we learn from those early martyrs.
Our times are different; these martyrs practiced their faith in their society and gave witness to Jesus' love. We have many examples of how they lived the social Gospel. Hwang Il kwang (1757-1802) was one of those martyrs from the lowest class within the Joseon society who was moved greatly by the social equality and freedom in the new community he joined. He could sit in the same group of Christians and talk about Jesus at a time in which this was not cultural habit. Simon was moved by the noble class's treatment of him and is quoted as saying: "There is not only a heaven after this earthly life but we have heaven here and now."
Blessed Son Kyung-yeun, Gervasio, Korean martyr, in order to help the Christians bought a large house; in the front of the house, he made it into a tavern; inside was a gathering place for the Christians. Gervasio knew the reason for the use of money. The inside and outside were different; our exterior and interior are not as altruistic.
Blessed Chon Suk and Kwan Chon-rye knew the preciousness of life, and in the world of today where the meaning of sex has disappeared, they as a virgin married couple showed the Christians the deep meaning of love. People of faith know that without our giving of ourselves, all our actions become lifeless, self-centered.
September is the month of the martyrs. A month in which we realize there is something more important than life. They fought against what they found in society that was not just, with their lives. They fought against a way of thinking with another, armed only with the teachings of Jesus.
"The example of the martyrs also teaches us the importance of charity in
the life of faith. It was the purity of their witness to Christ,
expressed in an acceptance of the equal dignity of all the baptized,
which led them to a form of fraternal life that challenged the rigid
social structures of their day. It was their refusal to separate the
twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor, which impelled
them to such great solicitude for the needs of the brethren. Their
example has much to say to us who live in societies where, alongside
immense wealth, dire poverty is silently growing; where the cry of the
poor is seldom heeded; and where Christ continues to call out to us,
asking us to love and serve him by tending to our brothers and sisters
in need." These words are from the sermon of Pope Francis at the Beatification on August 16, 2014.
