A religious sister recently, after 30 years in the religious life, was given her first assignment to a parish. As a parish sister, she began working with parishioners making Jesus known, and forming disciples.
As a religious she had many different positions; worked with many different groups, but in a corner of her heart was always a feeling of dissatisfaction. Many of the Catholics have an understanding of a faith life that only has to do with the individual's spirituality: attending Mass, belonging to a group in the parish, faithfully attending meetings, and living a good life, but in society and in the workplace, they don't see the need to judge and act appropriately as Christians. Daily life, and their religious life are two different worlds.
What is worse, you have not infrequently, distortion of the teachings of the Church by trumpeters giving their personal ideas as Church teaching. At baptism they promised to be disciples of Jesus and to live accordingly, but have forgotten their mission.
She has for many years been responsible for the education of volunteers working in society and the church and has seen the way the catechumens have been formed over the years. The last section of the catechism on our duties in society are passed over quickly.
The period of the catechumenate is short and the priests, religious and lay people who were educated before the Second Vatican Councils were those who have been responsible for the formation of teachers of catechumens, and the emphasis on JPIC: Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation are overlooked. This she feels is the reason for our lack of understanding of our mission to society and the world.
Present society requires a grounding in this teaching if the Christians are to be the light and salt of the earth. The problems with justice in society are many. Pope Francis wants us to get involved in this world for justice. We pray in the 'Our Father' that God's Will, be done on this earth as it is in heaven. She concludes by hoping we will live with this understanding of our mission.
Right after ordination in his first parish as an assistant, a priest
who is now president of a theological department in a Catholic
University, recalls a high school student now in his early
thirties.
He graduated from a private college, and
joined the labor force in a couple of small firms near his home, and is now seeking to emigrate. The priest asked him why did he want to leave
the country since his not living a life of poverty? His answer came very quickly and as if prepared.
First, he
has looked at Australia and North Europe and noticed that no
matter what job they have there is no problem in living a decent life.
In Korea the hourly wage is about 5 dollars which makes it difficult to
have a good meal. This minimum wage is not
even followed in many work places. In most countries difficult work receives a higher pay, but not Korea.
Secondly,
its difficult to find places of rest during an eight hour day of work
and when present we are conscious of the boss. In
foreign work places, restaurants, shops, factories the time to begin
and end work, and times of rest are clearly known and even if the work
is difficult it is not seen as demeaning.
The main
reason the young man wants to leave, he says, is lack of hope in the future. Even if there were difficulties along the way with a dream of
something better in the future, all can be overcome. Without hope we
fall into a bottomless pit. These thoughts expressed by the young man
are not unique with him adds the writer.
Comparing Korea with similar
economic developed countries the pay is low, the hours of work are long,
and the difficulty of work is higher. The pensions are lower, and health and chances for education are little, and societies outreach to the
workers is less.
Over half of the workers are not
regular in Korea and non-regular workers make only 60 % of what the
regular workers make. The number of irregular workers that become
regular workers is very small. Once irregular many remain in that
position for life. Also the numbers who are able to break out of the
poverty level continues to decrease over the past 10 years. Children
inherit the parent's poverty and their irregular work position.
The
priest remembers the words the young man repeated: "We young people
have no future, no possibilities , no possibility." How are we to address
these young people? What is the Church to do and say? What is a
Christian to say? The Social Gospel of the Church is to try to answer
this absence of hope.
We look for ways to relate with others, improve relationships, overcome interpersonal problems. One of the easiest ways, we are told in an article in the Kyeongyang magazine, is in the voice. Written by a layman, in the Seoul Diocesan Family Pastoral Bureau, he reminds us of truths we have heard many times; find difficult to remember or when remembered know how to implement.
The first words between husband and wife, parents and children tell us what kind of relationship has been formed. Are the words gentle, calm and attentive or are they sharp, loud and authoritative? His article deals with the voice and what it tells us.
He mentions the well-known law of Mehrabian, an American Scholar, whose studies, expressed simply and without qualifications, says we convey with words only about 7 percent, the other, non-verbal, 93% depends on attitude, facial expression and voice, more important in conveying our message.
According to the study, the non-verbal aspects broken down in more detail: attitude is 20%, facial expression 35%, and voice 38%. Consequently, says the writer, the voice is the most important. The voice is the second face.
He mentions that in a marriage over 70 percent of the time the wife is the first to initiate the conversation and by hearing the voice one can judge how the relationship is currently going. This he says is also true for the parent and child relationship. As the child gets older, the parent more often begins the conversation, and the voice will indicate how well the relationship is going.
First verse of Proverbs chapter 15: "A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." In the last paragraphs of the article, he mentions recent studies of the voice and its perception. Scientists are seeing the possibility of determining a person's mental state, personality, and health by analyzing the voice. Like our finger print all different, so also our voices.
In the world, we have over 7 billion different faces, and similarly we have the same number of different voices. The voice is a gift of God and to use it correctly is a way of loving those with whom you relate with daily. It is a short cut to better relations, and concludes the article with a question: Is your voice a peaceful one?
Year of Mercy is an invitation to go out to others in love, kindness and generosity because God continues to show mercy to us. During this period of Lent, we repent of our failings because we know the mercy of God embraces us.
In the Catholic Times on the opinion page, a priest mentions mercy is not a concept easily understood in history. Jesus found it difficult dealing with leaders in society for they found him blurring the lines between good and bad: a man who lost his wits.
Put simply, religious rulers of society couldn't understand why Jesus, with a stern face, didn't reprimand those living sinful lives. Instead, he frequented their meals and associated with them. Teachers in society found this a great scandal. "This one is a glutton and drunkard, a lover of tax collectors and those outside the law!" (Matt. 11:19).
Those who considered themselves the righteous ones of society found everything that Jesus did upsetting. Not difficult to understand the umbrage, hearing from his lips: " I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you" (Matt. 21:31). He was telling the leaders of society that God's mercy was for everybody, and that message was a stumbling block to them but liberating news to the sinners.
In Luke 6:36, we are told: "Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate." Even today when this kind of talk is carried out in action, it becomes a reason for scandal. In our Church society in recent memory, we heard much talk about being more sensitive to those who are hurting but when it comes to talking about pastoral ways of dealing with these persons, many find it a great obstacle.
The summit of this scandal of mercy
is love for our enemies. This is God's 'sun shine policy to humanity'
which makes us Christian, but one of the teachings we want to
forget.
In society, the threatening atmosphere surrounding the North-South Division: talk about dialogue and rapprochement, opens oneself up to be stoned. Can we say we are free from fear, hate and anger present in society?
In the spirituality column in the Peace Weekly, a seminary professor introduces us to the traditional three stages of the spiritual journey: Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive. This is using figurative language for the journey of the spirit, the same journey towards God in different stages.
Modern studies of the spiritual life have no proof texts, but they use scriptural verses to exemplify what they mean by the three stages: "Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace, and follow after it" (Psalm 34:15). Avoiding evil is the first step, doing good is the second and peace is the unitive stage expressed analogically.
Another scriptural passage used is Luke 9:23. "Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps." Denying oneself is the first stage, carrying the cross the second, and following in his steps the third.
Church Fathers had different ways of expressing this journey. Clement of Alexandria used the words of St. Paul: faith, hope and charity. Faith controls enthusiasm, avoids evil; hope prepares for the practice of virtue, and in the last stage, we have the motivating force of love.
John Cassianus, stressed the fear of punishment and evil is overcome by faith. By hope, one turns away from bodily pleasures and aims for goodness; love inflames the heart to move closer to God.
Saints have examined the words of St, Paul and have commented on their meaning. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, worked with four steps on the journey to God's love: Loving oneself for the sake of oneself; Love of God for self's sake, to receive his graces; Loving God for God's sake and finally loving self for God's sake. This last step requires the help of grace.
St.Thomas Aquinas has three steps in spiritual growth: beginner-in order not to lose charity, avoids sin and overcomes inordinate passions. In the advanced state, one grows in love and practices virtue. Last stage one empties oneself and desires oneness with Jesus this love makes us grow closer to God.
In
conclusion, Christians' efforts in growth become passive: the person is being led, and the columnist wants the readers
to be alert to this movement in the spiritual life.
A priest who worked with the Young Catholic Worker Movement in Korea writes about his experiences in a bulletin for priests. He recalled a trip he made to Europe for an international meeting of leaders. Those in attendance were standing at a second-story window looking over an athletic field in which a priest translator was walking towards the building with a small hand bag, while a woman worker was carrying two big bags.
The sight of the two walking, brought anger to the faces of the viewers who made known their revulsion at what they saw. That priest, they muttered, did not have the right to attend the meeting that was being held: despite what the culture considered the right thing to do in such circumstances. Those who were from the third-world also were appalled at what they saw.
He quotes in the article a pastoral council president who said that in the larger society, many in positions of leadership have changed to doing many of the works of cleaning their offices and areas of work, but this is not as readily seen in clerical work places.
From about 30 years ago we have heard a great deal about servant leadership that has influenced much of society. Leadership whose primary focus is the well-being of the workers. We are not, he laments, quick to learn from Jesus' washing the feet of his disciples.
Moving around to different parishes where the work is done by others, to change to another mode of living is difficult. The environment doesn't change, and we become habituated to this way of life.
In the past it was thought
necessary in parish convents to have a
housekeeper but this all changed when superiors met
together, and decided that the sisters would do their own cooking and cleaning
in the convents. This change took place without any problems or
opposition on the part of the sisters.
In many countries of the world, the priests do their own cooking and cleaning in rectories. They also do all the work in the sacristies preparing for Mass. Once in giving a retreat in Japan, Cardinal Kim was asked why the Korean priests don't do their own cooking and cleaning. He answered they were too busy. The Japanese priests thought that it was the natural thing for priests to do their own cooking and cleaning in rectories.
"I,
your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet, You, then, should
wash one another's feet. I have set an example for you, so that you
will do just what I have done for you."
Care of the sick goes way back in history but hospitals as we know them today begins in the 16th century. Many were the places that took care of the sick until they recovered, similar to our general hospitals. The word hospital comes from the hospitality shown by the religious orders to the weak and poor. Catholic Times has an article written by the president of the theology department of the Pusan Catholic University, on moving from mercy to solidarity with the poor.
From the time of the middle ages until the
present, religious orders have hospitably received the poor and weak in
many different ways. They have fed the poor, gave lodging to travelers, accommodated and served the sick which became our general hospitals.
During the pestilences of the middle ages and the ever-present cases of leprosy, members of the religious orders would accompany them and show them concern without regard to their own health.
In recent times, we have the Belgian priest Fr. Damian, who was canonized for his work among the lepers on the island of Molokai. He volunteered to work on the 'cursed island' of Molokai with the lepers and eventually becoming a leper, and staying with his community continuing to serve. Hospitality was not only welcoming guests, being with the poor, weak sick and the marginalized but being a voice for them.
Our nation has become economically developed and is wealthy but the number of those who are in difficulty is not an insignificant number. Economically, Korea is high on the list of developed countries, but in concern for welfare, it is near the bottom. Close to four million people are living in painful conditions. What does it mean for us to be hospitable to these people living in the dark spots of society? The article concludes with a quote from the Joy of the Gospel #188.
"The Church has realized that the need to heed this plea is itself born of the liberating action of grace within each of us, and thus it is not a question of a mission reserved only to a few: 'The Church, guided by the Gospel of mercy and by love for mankind, hears the cry for justice and intends to respond to it with all her might'. In this context we can understand Jesus’ command to his disciples: 'You yourselves give them something to eat!' (Mk 6:37): it means working to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor, as well as small daily acts of solidarity in meeting the real needs which we encounter. The word 'solidarity' is a little worn and at times poorly understood, but it refers to something more than a few sporadic acts of generosity. It presumes the creation of a new mindset which thinks in terms of community and the priority of the life of all over the appropriation of goods by a few."
