A Sick Society Makes a Sick Populace

 

"It is neither a physical force nor a miracle that enables sinful humans  to change a heart of stone into a heart soft as flesh.  Only love can truly transform man and the world." (From Who Do You Love?  by Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan).  

 

In the Catholic Times, Light of the World column, the priest writer reminisces on the decrease of vocations to the religious life. He heard from a priest in charge of nurturing prospective seminarians, these days, high school students talk like this: "Father, it seems pointless to be a priest in today’s world." As proof of this, the number of vocations to the priesthood this year are only 10 seminarians at Catholic University Theological Seminary for the 2022 academic year. 

 

About 10 years ago, there were about 30 to 40 seminarians, so why did it drop so sharply? Is it because of the declining population due to low fertility? Or was it a lack of interest in the things of the spirit? The causes may be complex, but hearing the stories of those who work in the relevant institutions brings us to a consensus that the roots of our faith have been weakened. It is said that the youth's vocations to religious life have decreased because difficulties in families have increased, and the awareness of the life of faith in the individual and society has weakened.

 

How close are you to Jesus Christ? The decrease in vocations  and the number of young people in the faith community is a situation that was predicted many years. ago. It is necessary to improve the pastoral vision, effectiveness, and system, but fundamentally, it is necessary to examine whether the church community faithfully follows and practices the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Children, and young people learn from the faith of the church community. But what faith are they learning now? Also, are they receiving spiritual and evangelical nourishment: warm love, hospitality, protection and care, attention and affection? When the world says that real estate, stocks, and money are happiness, are the priests, religious, and believers of the faith community speaking of the joy of the gospel as the highest value and testifying to the life of  'agape love'? Isn't this the source and essence of our faith? 

 

Obviously, the existing way of life and society are changing rapidly. Moreover, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, competition, anxiety, loneliness and alienation have increased. That's why there are so many sick teenagers. This is because the circumstances of the family and society are tiring and difficult. Because of the pain, there are many wounds and conflicts. 

 

But is it just the youth? There are so many people who have been hurt in body and soul. So what is necessary?  The pastoral heart of our church leaders, and policies and systems that consider and respect people are also necessary, but it is to give warm love and comfort to the people next to me. The writer of the column reflects on whether he is actually living and practicing such love. 

 

"In the formulation and teaching of this social doctrine, the Church has been, and continues to be, prompted not by theoretical motivation but by pastoral concerns. She is spurred on by the repercussions that social upheavals have on people, on multitudes of men and women, on human dignity itself, in contexts where  'man painstakingly searches for a better world, without working with equal zeal for the betterment of his own spirit'. For these reasons, this social doctrine has arisen and developed an 'updated doctrinal corpus' ... [that] builds up gradually, as the Church, in the fullness of the word revealed by Christ Jesus and with the help of the Holy Spirit  reads events as they unfold in the course of  history" (“Society Doctrine in Brief” 104).

 

 

Gossip And Elections

 

"Gossiping about others is an epidemic worse than the coronavirus," words of Pope Francis. Gossip destroys peace. It hurts the souls of those who put it in their mouths as well as those who hear it. Even knowing this, it is easy to fall into the temptation of gossip, so it spreads quickly like a virus. In a sermon, Pope Francis said that if you don't gossip you may become a saint. It's that difficult. "Don’t gossip" was also the first in "10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2014".

This presidential election is unusual. Disgusting gossip pours out, and incidents beyond our imagination continue to come out. There are profanities on the Internet that cannot be translated. With all eyes on the provocative stories, can the candidate's promises get attention?

Perhaps it's the digital world and the Internet that made the situation worse. The technology that has changed the lives of mankind fantastically is also a weapon if misused. Numerous cameras and recorders are used without hesitation, and some are abused. In some cases, the facts are distorted by 'evil editing', in which certain parts are intentionally edited in a recording or video. There is also concern about "deep fakes" based on artificial intelligence. A 'cheap fake' that is manipulated by simple computer technology is easily created. Digital gossip like this has already spread around for laughs.

The properties of digital are endless copying, reproduction, and rapid spread. Once on the Internet, it's there forever. It's repeated endlessly with the same image quality. Some are maliciously edited and floating around. According to the 2021 Media Audience Survey by the Korea Press Foundation, 69% of the respondents chose the Internet as the medium they rely on to learn about major issues. In particular, 94.9% of 19-29 year-olds use the Internet. I fear that the Internet, the highway for information, will become a gossip highway.

Elections are a war of words. It is easy to use gossip and lies when you fight not to die. It seems that the faults of a leading candidate and family in this election are not small;  they may be brushed off, inflated, and painted over. His ability to cover his eyes with words is amazing, but he also tells outright lies. If even a small number of voters fall for gossip, it affects the outcome of the election. Should a precious election be determined by gossip?

Candidates who repeat lies or gossip should be filtered out. If public opinion realizes the power they have, it will appear in the results of the polls and restrain candidates.

Media audiences need to develop media literacy, an ability to judge the media, to determine fake news. Social media such as YouTube, which is overly biased, needs care in accessing.

If an election is compared to a trial, the people, who are voters, are judges. To pass gossip on to a judge is to testify falsely. It influences good judgment and darkens the future for all of us. The gossip virus spreads easily during an election season. We need to be sensitive to false gossip, not to listen or spread it. "You must not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).

The End is Just Another Beginning

 

On the 18th of last month, there was a general meeting of the Catholic Journalists' Association. On that day, the 55-year-old Association, joined with two other organizations, Signis Seoul and the Catholic Newspaper Publishers Association, starting the Catholic Communication Association. In the Eyes of the Believer column of the Catholic Times the writer gives us some thoughts on retirement and its meaning for him.

 

The change came about because of digital technology, new media, and the convergence of media. Discussions on the integration of the three media organizations have been going on for nearly 10 years. 

Organizations, political parties, or any organization, integration is bound to bring pain, but despite all the difficulties it was concluded. At the general meeting, the writer who was finishing his term as President of the Catholic Journalist Association said: "Let us all move from one word to another," the end of one era and moving on to a new one. 

He looked up the word 'deadline' in an internet dictionary. The deadline is 'to finish the work you were doing, at a certain time'. In particular, the deadline familiar in the writer's world is 'time to conclude the writing of a manuscript for a newspaper or magazine'. 

It's difficult to write the first sentence. As the time for handing over the manuscript approaches, he wants to escape from this predicament; it's the fate of a writer to write, erase, and rewrite, the same problem for all writers. Think again about the deadline. Ending a day's work, graduating or being discharged from the military, preparing for death... all the big events in life have deadlines. 

"Now the writer has come to the end of the deadline war." The writer has reached retirement age this year, and hears the same questions: "Do you have any plans after retirement? How will the second half of your life play out?" The words my juniors and acquaintances use are the same, and his response is the same. "Now I need to rest. While recharging, I will do what I wanted to do." What would have happened if it hadn't been for his three joys: reading, writing, walking, and finding vitality through them?

He worked as an editor for the Economic Daily for over 33 years. Deadline wars were common. Sometimes he shuddered at the time-pressed work stress. However, life for most is different but only in degree. He has been able to start a family, raise a daughter, and live a life without any major problems. Most of all, the Lord helped. He is proud and grateful for the experience of beginning and ending in one job. It may seem silly to young people these days, who find it easy to change jobs. 

But is the end literally the end? No. The end is and should be a new beginning. From April, there were six months to prepare for retirement. "Let’s not go wild in the second half of life, let’s hold on to something." 

He found a new activity in his life. He applied for the theological education course and will attend for two years from March. First of all, He wants to learn in-depth about Catholicism in general, including the Bible, doctrine, and church history. He worried about what would happen if they couldn't fill at least 15 seats due to COVID-19. But the Lord, who knows his wish, solved it at once. He's excited to meet new friends who will study with him.

There are also verses like this in the Bible. "I am the beginning, I am the end" (Isaiah 48:12). We walk again while praying and trusting in the Lord who is the end and beginning. Towards his unknown future... However, he will not be impatient and will devote himself to life with a more relaxed and generous mind. "Lord who leads me on the right path and gives me strength, let me know that my end is another beginning. Amen!"

Meritocracy Seen by Jesus

In the Kyeongyang magazine, a member of a research center writes about meritocracy. A system in which people are chosen based on demonstrated abilities and merit.

He singles out a small Japanese TV station that presents animated cartoon films, hiring is not done with the usual methods. The person's qualifications are examined, in the usual way: test results consulted but the selection is 'bomb-like recruitment'. The results of the exams may not have been exceptional but the singular appearance of the applicant was such that he gave promise of potentiality and creativity.  

Since this is known by the applicants the results even if the persons selected have exceptional results from the tests they know what is expected of them.

In the cartoon world, we are entertained with the world of absurdity but shortly we come back to the real world where we deal with competency.

With the gates of opportunity for most sealed off. Naturally, the ability to pass through that narrow gate is the best resource for living in the world.
However, this omnipotent competency theory has a weakness. The aim is to pass the exam but no thought is given to the process to achieve the results. As long as the results were good the person is capable and worthy of praise and ready for everything. The gaps in the process are not seen.

Cultivating one's abilities is not determined solely by effort. Finances, time, etc. are factors involved in the results. There is no reflection on the process only ability with the results that we have another case of the weak being the food for the strong. Consequently the cry of the weak for fairness. This situation of meritocracy is one of the reasons for the many problems we have in society.

With ability, all can be done. Opportunities are guaranteed giving one a sense all is well, while thick walls are going up and doors shut, and class distinctions are strengthened.

This is not difficult to see in society. "A dragon rises from a small stream" was often used in Korea to express the 'rags-to-riches journey' now the remnant of fairy tales.

In Korea half of those who enter the three so-called best colleges are from the wealthy class. Employment of persons who have the time and money to work hard can become regular employees of a good company with a little effort, but it is difficult for a person in economically difficult circumstances to become a regular employee of a good company even if they try hard because they do not have the time.

In a dual labor structure divided into regular and non-regular workers, regular workers live the life of regular workers and non-regular workers the life of non-regular workers. When competencies prevail, the fixation on places in society becomes justice and fairness.

The strong rejection of making nonregular workers regular workers at the Inchon International Airport was a serious incident that clearly shows the problems involved.

Over 2000 years ago Jesus shows us that competency was not his value in selecting workers for the building up of his kingdom. Peter was far from a competent leader with his quick emotional temperament and a fisherman besides.

Peter knew his faults and was bawled out a couple of times by Jesus but after the Resurrection and Ascension, he gathered the disciples and zealously followed the way of the Lord. If Jesus selected the apostles with exams would they have been as faithful?

In the end, as Christians, we must break away from 'meritocracy' prevailing in the world and examine and reflect on Jesus' fairness and the common good values. The real number of abilities is not determined by scores in tests; the need is for all of us to recognize other people's abilities, discover their hidden potentials, and together work to achieve the common good.

Happy With Darkness

In the recent Bible and Life magazine, a religious priest gives the readers a look at what "burnout" means, a word used when one's vitality is exhausted. His own life as a religious is the vehicle by which he explains to the readers his spiritual journey.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 2001 and worked very zealously in his many duties. He was in charge of vocations for his religious order, conducted programs in spirituality, went to graduate school for psychology and religious studies, had an important role in the association of religious superiors. Praised often for his sacrificing work for the association, he worked harder in trying to improve and became a workaholic.

Work became the center of life. Often in conflict with those with whom he worked, his peers, and elders. His head was always filled with work even at prayer. One day it all came crashing down and he could do nothing. He was 'burnout". Everything lost its meaning even his religious life.

Finally, he asked to see the abbot. Thoughts about leaving the religious life were uppermost in his mind. The abbot praised him for his work but nothing the abbot said was heard. In the conversation, the abbot mentioned that religious don't have sabbaticals but he recommended that the writer take a rest and some studies for 3 or 4 years. He had no desire to study but accepted the recommendation.

In 2010 he went to Canada to study modern-day spirituality and prepared to do this by continuing his studies in psychology. In God's providence, he was led to Thomas Merton. In the study of Thomas Merton's spirituality, he learned about the darkness and light that Merton experienced. He compared the ups and downs in his own life with Merton's darkness and the things that annoyed him over the years and began to see them all in a different light. God was there during all the dark times but his eyes were closed. The realization came and his life changed.

What was this spiritual journey in growth and transformation that Merton traveled that opened his eyes to a new life?

Thomas Merton, an atheist, lived a fast life, converted to Catholicism, and on Dec 12, 1941, he entered the Gethsemane Trappist, after two weeks he wrote addressing God: "I will be satisfied with darkness alone." Most people dislike and fear darkness what was Merton's understanding of darkness?

These words express Merton's process in search and discovery of God. When we know that we will never know God fully then we have the hope for the encounter with the God we can meet and the grace, humility for the search.

"Your brightness is my darkness. I know nothing of You, and, by myself, I cannot even imagine how to go about knowing You. If I imagine you, I am mistaken. If I understand you, I am deluded. If I am conscious and certain I know you, I am crazy. Darkness is enough." (Merton's Journal)

In 1950 he encountered another darkness in his life. He had dreamed of the life of prayer in the religious life but his superiors wanted him to write and left Merton with great dissatisfaction. He thought that the evil spirit of writing, which he wanted in the world, had even entered the holy monastery and devoured him.

Rather than writing, he wanted to give his time to the mystery of God and the contemplative life. The conflict between contemplation and action he began to see suddenly: "It doesn't matter whether you become a contemplative or writer. What is more important is to live for God."

In 1958 March 3rd, on a street on which he was walking seeing the people walking by he received a new light which changed him. He was meeting Jesus in this situation. Religious vocation his priesthood was not everything, he was just like all these ordinary people that made a deep impression on him.

This realization transformed him into a person dedicated to the world and a person helping to change people's consciousness.

However, in 1960 he was having difficulties with his superior and fell in love with a woman which was another period of darkness. This darkness reminded him of the transcendence of human love, the cry of the one who was captured by God's love again goes beyond the human situation.

In 1968 he came to Asia for a meeting of leaders of different religions and expressed his new understanding: "All is emptying all is mercy."
 

The same darkness that Thomas Merton experienced, we all in some way encounter in life. In conclusion, the writer emphasizes that darkness is just the start of a new light that will enter. He is happy with the darkness and gives thanks and waits for the new way God will enter his life.

What is the Social Gospel?

A nun living in the same neighborhood as a begging grandmother, one day asked the grandmother: "Why don't you come to church?" The grandmother said: "Can I go?" The nun answered: "Why not?" The grandmother repeated her question. At that moment the nun seriously wondered whether the grandmother would be welcomed.  Like the nun, many wonder whether the current Catholic Church is really a community that opens the door to the poor.
 
The column Light of the World of the Catholic Times gives the readers something to think about with its first paragraph.
 
Social doctrine is an instrument of religious and moral discernment. Love of God and neighbor is basic, social teaching is concerned with our neighbor and the society in which we live. At the center of the teaching in the church, documents are found concepts and principles: chief among these are justice, human dignity, the common good, the principles of participation, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the option for the poor.
 
Through this, we interpret what is happening in society and suggest the right path for humans and the world. However, it is not limited to theory, but also an action that aims for a better world in God's eyes through love, sharing, and service.
 
Social catechesis compared to the past, and the frequency of education has increased. Nevertheless, opportunities for social education in parishes and parishes are still scarce. Of course, topics such as the Bible and the life of faith are important. However, to bear the fruits of the gospel in society and daily life, we must know the social doctrine.
 
For example, the protection of the ecological environment in the social doctrine is an urgent topic for young people. One needs to be exposed to the social doctrine frequently. Several dioceses of the Korean church have urged the protection of the ecological environment and the restoration of the faith community that has been destroyed due to COVID-19.
 
Amid the growing sense of crisis and anxiety not only in the church but also around the world, we need to overcome the crisis through cooperation, education towards faith, spirituality, and solidarity.

In the midst of this, social doctrine helps us to develop an evangelical perspective on the world and society based on human dignity, the common good, and the love of neighbor. Efforts of the dioceses, institutions, and parishes are required, but all Christians need to be exposed to the social doctrine for a world where we all love each other, live fully human lives, and in peace together as God desires.
 
Christians know that as a starting point for promoting solidarity, humanitarianism, principles of reflection, standards of judgment, and guidelines for action can be obtained in the social doctrine of the Church.
 
Promoting this doctrine is, therefore, a genuine pastoral priority. To enable people to interpret today's reality in the light of this doctrine and to find an appropriate course of action. The teaching and dissemination of the social doctrine is part of the mission of the gospel and Church.
 

What is Justice?

In Bible and Life magazine a diocesan priest working in Justice and Peace issues gives the readers some thoughts on the meaning of Justice.

When torrential rain hits a certain area of the country all the inhabitants do not experience the rains in the same way. Some will lose everything and will be found wailing at the scene of the devastation while another person will be sitting in his living room listening to the sound of the falling ran drinking a cup of coffee. 

 

Natural disasters are universal in extent but many times selective in the harm done. Some people are harmed and some are fortunate. Depending on their situation in society and environment, results are often greatly different.

This is not only the situation with natural disasters but also revealed in the value systems that exist. An example is seen within the laws of a country. All the citizens are under the law but not all are influenced the same. One person who has falsified a certificate may be in jail while another person through forgery or fraudulent accounting, may escape going to jail for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The law also which is universal can be selective. The law should be the same for all but at times one is treated with an iron hammer and another with a cotton club.

 

In this world, there are many situations where things that are universal in themselves when applied we see differences and discrimination occurring and the results vary from one person to another. Dealing with the same incident the news media depending on the way they want to cover the story can change the way the public will view the incident. Likewise doing the same work under our present system the value and compensation are different, even though we enjoy the same life, one life is considered more important than another.

There are certain universal values: justice, equality, freedom, peace, life, love, rights, etc. These universal values should be equally open for all to acquire, however, if the process is unfair then the values become choices that many are not prepared to receive.

What we need in the world is a fair process. We need a starting field that is level so that all may strive to achieve universal values. What is this justice (fairness) and how do we go about achieving it? 

In general, people understand the meaning of fairness as a method, an impersonal automatic procedure. For example, if the hourly wage is 10,000 won, a person who works 8 hours will get 80,000 won, and a person who works 2 hours gets 20,000 this is considered fair. This would be the common understanding of fairness.

However, the fairness we seek needs to go well beyond these dimensions. Because it's not possible to contain the whole of life within these impersonal limitations. Even if each person's situation is different should we not see the whole of life fairly. Therefore, we have to pursue fairness on the objective and organic level, going beyond the methodological and impersonal levels. 

To take the previous example again, a person who worked 8 hours should receive 80,000 won, and a person who worked 2 hours should receive 20,000 won, but in some cases, a person who works 2 hours can get 80,000 won like a person who works 8 hours. Although he was only able to work for two hours for various reasons, if he was in a situation where he had to earn 80,000 won to lead a basic life as a human being, he should be able to receive 80,000 won. Here, what is important is organic cooperation achieved through the sympathy and consensus of community members to achieve the goal of leading a human life for all without exception.

Is this not what Jesus showed us in the parable of the vineyard where the persons who work only one hour received the same pay as those who worked all day (Matt. 20: 1-16).

Unfolding God's justice in the world we live in is the realization of universal values, working towards the common good, we are helping to build the kingdom of God in this world.