Courage to be Born Again

A religious sister in the field of spirituality writes in the Kyeongyang magazine on the courage to be born again.

We are coming to the end of the year 2020, a year in which all was confused. Plans and people she was to meet never happened. Corona 19 screwed up everything, something she couldn't even imagine at the beginning of the year. She finally arrived at a time when a certain amount of order came into her life and the year is practically ended.

The liturgical year however, is here again to give us hope and consolation. We just celebrated the 4th week of Advent, consoled by hope to humanity that the child Jesus in the manager brought to us.

A few days before, Sister received a telephone call from a woman: "Sister can an old person like myself make a retreat?" She was 83 years old but no indication of this from her voice. "Sister, I have been alone after the death of my husband 4 years ago. My children have all married and live in other parts of the country. I am living each day in preparation to meet our Lord. My only wish is to grow old with grace and meaning." Elizabeth was a reader of the Kyeongyang magazine and her words moved Sister greatly.

We all experience ups and downs in life. Each person wants to live an upright life. Does not Elizabeth have the desire to be born again?
Sister mentions a French poem: 'dare to be born again'—Oser naitre. Not the outer person but the desire of the inner person to be born again. We easily think that the person we were yesterday is who we are today but that is not the case. If one realizes this reality they are born again. When one does not experience a love that was not expected yesterday but does today that person is born again.

"Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history. Faith consists in the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call. Herein lies the paradox: by constantly turning towards the Lord, we discover a sure path which liberates us from the dissolution imposed upon us by idols" (Pope Francis Encyclical Lumen Fidei #13).
 

Today we will celebrate Christmas. Each year at this time the Church gives thanks to God for the gift of Jesus that gives us the faith to live fully the gift of life. Jesus gives us the reason to open ourselves up to be born again daily to new life. Merry Christmas!

Responsibility of the Media

A Political Science Department professor gives her views on the media in the Current Event column of the Catholic Peace Weekly. 

The world is still in a crisis situation due to the Corona 19 pandemic. Incidents and accidents that cause public resentment. The conflict in the differences between the ruling and opposition politicians remain.

The reality of the society we encounter through the media seems to be full of things that evoke feelings of depression and negativity rather than news that warms the heart. At this time of year, you usually have the Christmas spirit appear— people giving a helping hand to their neighbors in need. However, we hear little of the medical staff, epidemiological investigators, and public officials dedicated to the fight against COVID-19. And the many citizens working and showing concern for those in need, the media does not see. We need to remember the press has the characteristic of paying attention to issues that are negative, exceptional, and deviant.
 
The professor has in the past focused on issues where the media has not done well and feels a responsibility to be critical of the media's actions. However, constructive criticism also requires we point out also what is being done well. She wants to revisit some of the things that the media has performed properly in their social roles and responsibilities this year.
 
In April of this year, the media established rules for reporting on the pandemic. The reporting rules aim to avoid speculation and exaggeration— reporting based on accurate facts, and prioritizing and listing preventive measures and rules of action. The media must fulfill its role and responsibility in preventing the spread of rumors and preventing social chaos. It is a good example of journalistic practice in that journalists themselves voiced a need to review the media's social role, responsibility, and ethics.
 
Prior to this, in January, nine media organizations launched a "declaration of media practice against hate speech". The spread of expressions of hate is contrary to the media's duty to work for social integration. Careful attention to the dissemination of hate speech is also necessary to expand opportunities for diverse opinions to be shared without discrimination in society. This year the media has been faithfully continuing the role of watchdogs.
 
In addition to publicizing the seriousness of the cyber crime triggered by the N-bang incident (criminal case involving blackmail and the spread of sexually exploitative videos), the media has fulfilled its original mission by revisiting issues facing various parts of our society, including reporting on the status of labor, and the welfare of non-regular workers leading to improvement.
 
"Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but not the log in your own eye?" (Lk 6:41) We as news users need to examine our perspectives and values, honestly. Given the social influence of the media, we must try to discover the failings in the media but realizing our own faults in what we perceive. In addition, we must actively promote and support good journalism. Good journalism is realized through the efforts of the press but also those of us who use the media.

North Korean Literature in the South

 

The novel "Friends" by Nam-ryong Paek, a well-known writer from North Korea, was selected as one of the ten best literature masterpieces of 2020, published by Columbia University Press in May of this year. The book was written in1988 and translated by a professor at George Washington University.
 

In the column of the Catholic Times on Unification, a researcher on Peace in North-East Asia introduces the book to the readers as an interesting glimpse of North Korea. 

It is possible by reading the book to indirectly view the social life of the North, a controlled society, and acquaint ourselves with changes that have appeared. Literary works reflect the reality of an era very vividly since it is a reflection on the social aspects, and because it is impossible to draw the images only from our imagination. 

The writer enjoyed reading the book. The plot is what happens when a young woman who is active as a singer in an art group filed a divorce lawsuit against her husband in court. This novel depicts the pain experienced by the parties and their families, and the judge who took the case and proceeded with the preparations for the trial, made him reflect on his own marriage. (Judges in the North are social workers, detectives, and counselors besides representing the law) 

The fact that they had 'divorce' in the north was surprising to the writer and that a novel was written with the subject of 'family', where he thought each individual would be living a standardized life, surrounded with propaganda. 

When he heard the news of this selection, he thought Korean literary works from North and South in the Korean language, also recognized in the international community should  have a positive effect on the unification of the two Koreas. Nothing makes us feel homogeneous in the international community as much as using the same language. Also, since it is possible to translate into a language acceptable to the international community this would increase the likelihood of awards such as the Nobel Prize in the future.

However, above all else, he hopes that acceptance of North Korean literature in the South  will increase— not only accepted in the international community. This is because it is necessary that we, who are parties to unification, first come in contact with each other's life.
 

There is always the presence of propaganda in the North Korean system, but the writer thinks that it is beneficial to allow literary works to help us understand the life and perceptions of the North Koreans and work to resolve the sense of disparity.
 

If the two Koreas were allowed each other's literature to be freely shared it would be more than great, but even if it is only one way: to allow North Korean literature based on the confidence of our society under certain conditions would help to decrease the hostility that now exists.

The Culture of Life

The dictionary meaning of the paradigm refers to "a system of perception, a way of looking at the opinions and thoughts of people of a certain period." An article
by an ethicist in the Catholic Times gives the readers some thoughts on the subject of abortion.
 
Since a paradigm shift means a shift in the perception of our opinions or thoughts—a critical view on why the shift is necessary and how the paradigm is to be shifted is needed.
 
Of course, a paradigm shift in itself is not a solution to the problem. Nevertheless, we are often deluded by the word 'paradigm shift' itself. Those who advocate the abolition of abortion demand a paradigm shift in the relationship between the right to life of the fetus and the right to self-determination of women.
 
This perspective faces difficulties in solving problems related to abortion because the right to life of the fetus and the right to self-determination of women are viewed opposite to each other. So we expect them to have some alternatives for both women and fetuses. However, it is difficult to see how the paradigm shift wanted is a way to overcome the opposing relationship between the right to life of the fetus and the right to self-determination of women.
 
This is because to prevent the conflict between the right to life of the fetus and the right to self-determination of the woman, it is argued that the mother and the fetus should be seen as a united relationship, prioritizing the maternal self-determination rights —abortion as an act of removing part of the mother to be. Therefore, the paradigm shift they speak of requires the denial of life to the fetus (a culture of death understanding).
 

Is there no solution for both the fetus and the woman? The paradigm shift that we really need is first to restore the fundamental value and meaning of life. The value and meaning of life are distorted, respect for women, and consideration for pregnant women is under attack. Because if you think of abortion as just a matter of choice, such demands or pressures will gradually disappear, and all pregnant women will be paying the price.
 
Second, a deeper reflection on the special relationship between the fetus and the mother is needed. The fetus is a separate life form from the mother and depends entirely on the mother for its maintenance and growth. However, it does not exhaust the mother or use the mother only as a means for obtaining nutrients. The mother and the fetus communicate with each other while thoroughly respecting the difference between them to preserve the lives of both, in a biologically mysterious way.
 
Unhappiness begins when we understand that we can pursue happiness while destroying this particular bond. It cannot be overlooked that maternal self-giving implies an ethical attitude toward the other as well as the unborn child and is an example of human self-completion.
 
Third, the legal system should protect both the fetus and women and the institutional arrangements should be prepared to improve their living environment through policies. She concludes the article with the words of two judges."Females are responsible for childbirth, but the government, society, and men should bear the economic burden of childbirth. Through these legislative and institutional improvements, it will be possible to effectively guarantee the right to life of the fetus and to protect women's right to self-determination."

Individualism and Social Evil

  

In a column of the Catholic Times, a priest recalls a recent visit to a mission station. (Mission stations are distant areas of a parish, where a priest does not reside and the mission station leader has a liturgy of the word on Sundays when the priest is not present. Priests visit once a month or more often to say Mass and take care of the sacramental needs of the parishioners)

A grandmother had filled a cart with turnips from her garden to make kimchi and brought them to the mission station. It was a rural road and the woman was quite old but it was no problem for this grandmother. 

The turnips in the handcart were so entangled, no one would know how many turnips were loaded, but it seems that the woman who had loaded the turnips thought there were enough to distribute to the believers at the mission station.

After the Mass was over and leaving the chapel, the woman who brought the turnips acted as if the turnips were not her own and another woman came forward from the parishioners and prepared to distribute the turnips to the believers.

The woman who began distributing the turnips seemed to know the number of turnips in the cart, and the number of people who came to Mass. She called each believer by name, telling them to take the turnip as she ran back and forth from the cart to the believers.
 
Some persons were given only one, others two, and others three or four. The priest watched the scene carefully from the corner of the courtyard. He didn't know what criteria she was using but in his understanding, she was giving the right amount of turnips to all the church members who came to Mass that day.
 
What was surprising to him were those who received only one were satisfied with one, those who received two were satisfied with the two receiving it with laughter, and those who received three or four were all satisfied. No one compared what they received with another. No one went to the handcart desiring more turnips.
 
Those who brought the turnips from their field to give to the believers and those that received all looked satisfied. The priest was seeing this for the first time, but it was clear that the mission station community was familiar with this kind of giving. This sharing from the abundance of one to what others lacked was a way of life in this community. The turnips would be returned by other members with something different. It was clear that gratitude awakened gratitude in the hearts of others.
 
He was reminded of the life of the Korean ancestors in the faith who risked death and kept the faith. The fellowship in those ancestral villages was strong. They lived together in God, prayed together, farmed, and shared together. He had now seen a living example of this kind of life.
 
He was able to meditate on the spirituality of these old Catholic villages that he had only heard and read about in the past. He felt that what he saw that day would linger a long time in his imagination and thoughts. He hoped it would bring about a change in his own desire— concerned for his own needs.
 
In June Pope Francis said: "Now more than ever the claim to focus everything on ourselves is illusory — to make individualism the guiding principle of society has proved to be illusory." 

Individualism is one of the structural sins in society with which we as Christians need to do battle. This radical individualism is something that is maintained from within by our own understanding of who we are. I make my own meaning and everything is my personal choice. I decide who I am. This is prevalent in society and contrary to our Christian relationship to God and others.

Seeing with the Inner Eye

In the Peace Column of the Catholic Peace Weekly  a college professor discovers that as the corona virus situation prolongs she speaks less. If not really necessary she refrains from speaking and does not talk on her hand phone unless alone when she can take off her mask.
 
Instead, the gaze seems to have become a little richer. She looks at people and things more closely than before. In particular, she looks, unknowingly, deeper into the eyes of the person she meets. The only thing that can be seen from the masked face is the eyes, so there is no other way. It made her reflect at great length very naturally on the meaning of what is seen.
 
The eye is the most complex of human sense organs.
Since ancient times, the eyes have been regarded as windows to convey thoughts and emotions. That's why it was called 'the window of the heart'. Modern neuroscientists say that "we see with the brain, not with the eyes." That means the eye is a cognitive organ. The Eastern Orthodox icon is painted with the eyes large and the mouth relatively small, without exception. It makes us understand the spiritual dimension given to the eye.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

This complex function of the eye is defined by the scientist and Christian theologian Teilhard de Chardin as the core of life activities. "One could say that the whole of life lies in seeing — if not ultimately, at least essentially... But unity grows, and we will affirm this again, only if it is supported by an increase of consciousness, of vision."
 
If so how do we go about seeing? And how to synthesize what you see and reflect it in life? The answer is found in the words of Pope St. John XXIII from the Latin: "See all, overlook much, correct little" (Omnia videre, multa dissimulare, pauca corrigere).
 
Human biological vision is very limited. Therefore, 'seeing all' will not mean seeing all or seeing a lot. It may mean to adjust the direction of one's thoughts by taking a closer look and to uncover what is not visible. In short, it means a deep insight into people and things: expanding our gaze to the essence of life hidden beyond the phenomenon.
 
For the ancient Greeks, education was fundamentally the development of a good way to see. Plato presupposed that every soul can learn the truth and the eyes to see it. Education was to help them turn their attention in the direction of the original strength of vision they once possessed.
 
"Education is to turn the whole soul's direction away from this world of change so that the eyes of the soul can finally see the reality and see with the best of light what we call the good."
 
If so, seeing properly is discerning the good in our daily lives and going one step further to practice the good. Of course, this kind of gaze is not acquired overnight. As with any proficiency, learning to see properly requires patience, hard work, and repetitive learning. There is always something else behind all phenomena.
 
Behind the clean office is the person who cleaned it. Behind the box delivered at the door is a courier driver who brought it. Behind the fruit on the table is a farmer who shed tears during last summer's typhoon. Is this not the starting point of learning, to encourage ourselves to see 'the other side—beyond' in our daily life? If we have the desire and intention it is possible.

Don't Deny a Person's Major—Opinion

A missioner writing in a Bulletin for priests recalls his course in logic and the way they analyzed the syllogism. It is divided into three parts: the major premise, the minor, and the conclusion. "All life dies, I have life, I will die." An example of a syllogism that all will agree with, but many are not that obvious.

The professor recommended that we try not to deny a person's major. We can disagree on the minor premise and conclusion and hope to come to a better understanding of the topic from the discussion. At that time, it didn't make much sense to the writer but the years brought understanding.
 
In most cases, we hear major premises difficult to accept such as "Life is not worth living" and thousands of other premises we hear daily in conversation.  
The major premise in many cases for the speaker is an obvious statement; it's not only the head but the heart that speaks—the reason dialogue is difficult when we disagree.  
 

We need to make efforts to understand where the person is coming from and agree with what we can to begin the dialogue. It's not that we agree with what is said but to find something that we can sympathize with and it may only be the feelings with which the person expresses their view. However, in many cases, we deny unconditionally the major premise and for all intents and purposes, dialogue ceases.
 
Both in society and within the church we have polarization on many different levels. One of the most evident is the division between the left and right, the progressives and conservatives. In Korea, we have the same polarization, also within the church but not as serious as in many other countries.
 
The issue appears in economics, politics, and religion with gut-level feelings that can even become health problems. As Catholics what should be our attitude? It's a dangerous topic to bring up because of the feelings that can be generated—presently seen in the issue between North and South Korea. 

In Matt. 13:52 "a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old." The liberals see the new and the conservatives see the old. They both have an attachment to the truth. The liberals certainly don't deny everything from the past nor do the conservatives deny all that is new. They both want the truth.

Our upbringing, education, personalities, and experiences all help to orientate us in one direction or another but when it becomes so powerful that it closes off contact with the other, we do have a serious issue and we are seeing this daily in the news.

When we ignore another because of their position and avoid contact society becomes fragmented; matters will get worse over time.  With contact open and opportunities to talk, we have hope.  

Each one of us is called to be an instrument of peace, by uniting and not dividing, by extinguishing hatred in all its manifestation by opening paths to dialogue. Sympathizing with another in some way does not mean agreeing or condoning what is said but keeping the doors of dialogue open. Is this not what Pope Francis is doing? And the reason, sadly, that he is the object of misunderstanding in many quarters of Catholic Society.