Blessed Are the Poor

From Fr. Cioppa's In His Own Words.

I am sure we have all asked this question. "Am I loveable?" In our contacts with people, we put our best foot forward. We let people see our good side: the handsome, concerned, loving, caring "me". But there is another side which I try to hide, which only I see: the proud, selfish, petty, domineering "me". Sometimes I wonder why did God do this? why didn't He make me with only a good side? Why didn't He do a better job and make me perfect? Why did He make life so difficult? I have to struggle to be good. He could have made it easy and just made a perfect world with all perfect people. Why didn't He?

If God knew that there were going to be so many wars, natural disaster, sin, pain and suffering why didn't He just make a nice comfortable world where we could all be happy for ever afterㅡlike the fairy books say? The question keeps coming back especially when we see a child suffer, the poor dying of hunger, prostitutes walking the streets, global warming, people killing one another in wars and overflowing prisons. Why? Why? Why?

One time I asked a group of social workers, "If you were creating the world and you knew then what you know now, would you have created the world? Would you have made men and women just as they are now?" They discussed the question for a while, and then answered, "Yes". I was surprised and asked why. They said that in the people they served: the street sleepers, the poor, the sick, the dying, the prostitutes, the mentally impaired, the prisoners, the disobedient students, the elderly, they found joy, peace, dignity and a depth of life which they did not find in others. They found them loveable. If these social workers found that these destitute derelicts, dregs of society were loveableㅡ then it has to be even more true of God.

God looks at all the evil in the world, all the unthinkable crimes men commit and all the destruction they bring about and He still finds us lovable. Unbelievable! Astonishing! Impossible! Yes, but true! Isn't that a wonderful thoughtㅡthat God's love for us is unconditional?

I think God's reaction is much like the social workers. He, like them, looks at the bottom of the social scale and is moved by them. His heart goes out to them and finds them loveable. God looks at them, the world, you and me, and sees the bad side of us, but He also sees the good side and finds us loveable. Hard to believe, isn't it?

One last point. When I look at myself, doI see myself as weak, getting older, a sinner, afraid, lonely depressed, not so smart and feel I just can' get ahead? If the answer is yes, then God probably loves you even more than if you were brilliant, healthy, young and successful. So rejoice! You just joined the poor of the world and God finds you loveable!

Man's Worst Disease

The meditation below is taken from Fr. John Cioppa's In His Own Words.

Once in an interview with a reporter, Mother Teresa said that for all kinds of diseases there are medicines and cures. We have almost eradicated leprosy and we have medicines for TB and malaria.But there is one terrible disease she said which I don't think can ever be cured.That is the disease of being unwanted. Every human being wants to be loved. Not a cheap love, but a deep love, a love of being accepted for what I am. A baby who is not welcomed is often ill. A student who does not feel accepted will not learn. A worker who is not accepted by his colleagues will suffer ulcers. A Religious who is not accepted by her community will never be happy.

Acceptance means that people with whom I live give me a feeling of self-respect, a feeling that I am worthwhile, that I am good. They are happy that I am who I am. They don't demand that I be someone else. They don't insist that I be perfect. Each of us is born with many potentialities, but unless they are drawn out by the touch of acceptance, they will remain dormant. Acceptance does not mean that I deny the defects in someone or say that everything he does is beautiful. Only when I accept a person can I really see his defects. People who are not accepted crave , long for it and will do anything to get it. They boast in order to get praise. They exaggerate because they feel inferior and they tend to be rigid and afraid to risk... If I don't experience trust: being trusted and trusting others, my life becomes empty.

I am sure we have all experienced this lack of acceptance at times in our lives. Is there an answer to all of this? There is. And this is going to sound simplistic . But it is a genuine realization that I am accepted by Godㅡas I amㅡ as I am at this very moment and not as I should be. God doesn't demand that we be perfect before He loves us. He doesn't even demand that we be good. He just asks that we trust Him believe in Him, and accept His love.

Many of us spend our whole lives doing many things to build up merit so God will love us more. We believe that the more "I do" the more God will love me. We cannot earn love. Love is a gift from God. We cannot do anything to make God love me. He loves us already and He cannot love us any more because His love is perfect. "In this love, not that we loved God but that He loved us.... We love God because He first loved us." (1 Jn. 4:10) It is hard to believe but God knows my name. In the book of Isaiah God says: "See I have branded you on the palms of my hands." (Is 48:1216) Imagine that! God can never look at His hand without seeing my name and thinking of me. How many times have we said the words, "God loves me". But for most of us deep down in our hearts we have some questions. Does He really love me with no strings attached? Just as I am? With all of my faults? Let me answer. Yes, He does and most of us will spend the rest of our lives trying to understand and open our hearts to accept that love. It is called Faith.

At the end of the interview with Mother Teresa, the reporter said, "Now I understand why you gave up everything to work with the poor hoping that through your care , concern and love they might realize that they are loved, accepted and beautiful people."

II Vatican Council- Reflecting on the Past

Fr. O Kyeong Hwan's words in this weeks Catholic Bulletin.

An Ecumenical Council is a world wide meeting of the Catholic bishops. In the 2000 year history of the Catholic Church we have had 21. The first council was Nicaea 325 and the last one was the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). The Second Vatican Council was the first Council that the Korean Bishop have attended.

Fr. O has selected four areas in which we as Church should reflect and renew our lives taking the documents of Vatican II as a starting point.

The first is taken from the Decree on Ecumenism. #3 "In subsequent centuries more widespread disagreements appeared and quite large Communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Churchㅡ developments for which, at times, men of both sides were to blame." "St. John has testified: "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1Jn. 1:10). #7 "This holds good for sins against unity.Thus, in humble prayer, we beg pardon of God and of our separated brethren, just as we forgive those who trespass against us. "

The second refection is taken from Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World. #36 "Consequently, we cannot but deplore certain habits of mind, sometimes found too among Christians, which do not sufficiently attend to the rightful independence of science. The arguments and controversies which they spark lead many minds to conclude that faith and science are mutually opposed. "

The third reflection: Religious Freedom #12 "In the life of the People of God as it has made its pilgrim way through the vicissitudes of human history, there have at times appeared ways of acting which were less in accord with the spirit of the gospel and even opposed to it."

The fourth reflection is taken from The Church Today. #19 "Yet believers themselves frequently bear some responsibility for this situation( Atheism). For, taken as a whole, atheism is not a spontaneous development but stems from a variety of causes including a critical reaction against religious beliefs, and in some places against the Christian religion in particular. Hence believers can have more than a little to do with the birth of atheism.To the extent that they neglect their own training in the faith, or teach erroneous doctrine , or are deficient in their religious, moral or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than reveal the authentic face of God and religion." #21 "This faith needs to prove its fruitfulness by penetrating the believer's entire life, including its worldly dimensions, and by activating him toward justice and love, especially regarding the needy."

It is good for us to reflect on our past and acknowledge that many of the problems we have in the Church and in Society are in areas of our life where we have not been faithful to our calling as disciples of Jesus.

Thoughts on VacationㅡSaints

Fr.John Cioppa in Hong Kong. In His Own Words.

One nice thing about vacations is that one has more time to read, reflect, rest and write. Just recently I finished a book entitled, "Why be Catholic". The last chapter is on saints. The author a Franciscan Priest, placed it last since he says this is the ultimate aim of Christians- not to know about the saints, but to become saints. Saints are our heroes; they are the ones who did ordinary things with deep faith. They would say that they did not accomplish anything great, but they allowed God to accomplish great things through them.

God's grace is always mediated through human experience, most often through people. We encounter God not through the head, but through the heart. Reflect for a moment about the times that you studied doctrine or attended Sunday School or even heard a priest preach. Which do you remember more: the "person" or what they said?" Think back on the events that have formed you, the things that have affected your life most. Aren't they usually associated with people: your parents, your husband or wife, a friend, a teacher or perhaps a priest or Sister? Catholics have followed the examples of their saints more than they have the ideas in their doctrines . Ideas are abstract but lives are real. People are often bored by theology, but they are always fascinated by saints. Saints fire our imagination: stir up our hearts; awaken our dreams.

In the lives of others, especially in the lives of the saints, we discern how God works in human life. We all want to see God. But in this life we encounter the invisible God in and through the visible world. We experience the love of God through the love of other people. We experience the care and forgiveness of God through the care and forgiveness of others. We all want to know how to live? The saints are our teachers and models. And there is not just one model. There are saints who are martyrs, ascetics, mystics, activists, priest, Sisters and lay people. Some were very simple, others very learned: men, women, single and married. ( I am writing this on July 23, the feast day of Saint Bridget. She was married and had 8 children.) Some saints were even considered eccentric.

As we look at the lives of the saints we find one thing in common.They became free, loving, happy and fulfilled people only through years of struggle, both within themselves and with the world. As Catholics we are not called to admire the saints, we are called to be saints. Catholicism is not something to know, it is a vision . It is a way of life. And the Saints are our models.

What is Progress for Korea?

A parishioner gave me two articles taken from the daily newspaper, both interesting in their similarity on a number of points. She is familiar with this blog and thought they could be used.

One article was written by a foreigner ( Nothing has Changed), the other by a Korean, Professor of Psychology( Koreans' personality and destiny). Both would say we have been running in place (motionless) for the last 10 years and have not taken our rightful place in the lineup of Nations. I do think they are overly interested in the material side of life, be that as it may, they agree on a lack of "progress". They also agree that Koreans are overly interested in what others' think of them; mostly seeing themselves through the eyes of others.

The article, by the Psychology Professor, had a very provocative understanding of why Koreans trust fortune tellers and people who seem to have their fingers on what is going on. They can't figure out why others know them more accurately than they do. The Professor would say it is a lack of self- knowledge.

Koreans are quick to believe what others say of them. It is because they do not know themselves and have not spent time in delving into their personalities and character. We are always giving clues on who we are and those who are perceptive can read us like a book. Koreans are surprised when they hear what will happen to them, not realizing that we have given others the clues by the very things that we have told them. They jump to the conclusion that these people have some extrasensory gifts that allows them to see what we can't, not conscious that we have given them the information. His conclusion was that Koreans have to get to know themselves and have more confidence in who they are before they take hold of their own destiny.

It is easy to make sweeping statements about a country that is still very racially homogeneous like Korea. She belongs to the modern age: many search for brand names, many believe the good life is doing what those in the west are doing-listening to their music, watching their movies and indulging in their pastimes. There is a great deal that is good and worthwhile coming from other cultures but there is also the necessity to discern and not mindlessly accepting what others seem to enjoy. Koreans are more than equal and often in possession of more qualities for living the good life than those they want to imitate. They are intelligent and extremely capable but they have come late to the table of progress and are still not sure if it is time to leave and go on their own.

Making a Catholic Retreat in Korea

One of our Maryknollers, Fr. John Meehan, who had a great deal of experience in central administration, came to Korea late in his years, spent some very profitable time in Korea, volunteered to go to China where he died and was buried in 1998. He left us with many memories and a booklet of suggestions for private retreats of which the following has been taken.

One young man, involved in many business adventures, took me out to lunch in an expensive restaurant. He read the menu quickly, ordered for all in the group, and asked the waitress to please hurry. His portable phone rang and he spent several minutes trying to settle a distant problem. The meal came along with several cans of beer. He took a few bites, consumed a can of beer, answered his phone again, apologized to us, and left. His wife looked at me and said with her eyes filling with tears, that this is the way it is all the time.They have a large house, a find son, a great car, and almost everything they need or want. But they seem to have no time for one another, much less for quite time. Some of the most important parts of life and Spirit are crumbling and becoming sick.

This story seems to be one that is so ordinary that it makes one fear for the future of our humanity and that of the entire world. In one way or another each of us suffers from the effects of pressure, tension, bad stress caused by modern life styles. If nothing else this kind of life style filled with stress and speed is creating great difficulties in our love and relational lives. We have problems relating to our families, our loved ones, our neighbors and more frighteningly , our God.

As an asideㅡI have used this story but have also in my own experience seen the same. I rarely say anything because it has become a way of life for us now in Korea but I do find it extremely annoying when we are sitting down at a meal and some one at the table takes his hand phone and goes on with a conversation with some one in unknown space. It is happening at the Mass where someone will leave the Mass to go outside to answer a call. I have this happening when I am teaching catechism, teaching English classes and in retreats. Since I do not have a cell phone, I do find it difficult to say what I feel. The cell phones are valuable and can facilitate much of the work that one is doing. It can be a very helpful friend in need and has many valuable uses but it should have its place and not encroach on the here and now relationship with others. There has to be a cell phone etiquette that becomes acceptable to us of the 21st century.

Making a retreat frequently is a good way to fight the encroachment on our quiet life. A private retreat is a time to put aside all the pressures of normal every day life and to spend time getting reacquainted with what is going on with our life in the spirit. This practice in Korea is called P'i Chong(피정) - Retreat and Quiet- The two Chinese characters used in the word of retreat mean to withdraw from society and to retire from the world for awhile in order to clean the soul and spirit by looking and observing in quiet and stillness. Since the day when this word retreat was first introduced to Korea and China, the ideal of the retreat has grown to mean stepping a little away from the world so we can get a better look at it, a little like going up the mountain in order get a better overall view of our hometown.

Saints- Happy Or Sad People?

A meditation from our Maryknoller in Hong Kong Fr. John Cioppa, taken from his book In His Own Words.

I was reading an article recently that said the primary religious virtue is Joy together with gratitude. That surprised me. I would have chosen Faith, Hope or maybe Love. But the more I think about it the more I realize how correct that statement is. Happiness is the key. If God is happy and we are made in the image of God then we are made to be happy too. If I were asked what is the one thing that every single person in the world desires- there is no question it is "Happiness"! This is the basic search of every individual. "How to be happy?" "What do I have to do to be happy?" Some buy lotto tickets, some like expensive clothes or cars, others study the stock market, get married or watch TV. The motive of those who go to war or don't go to war or even of those who commit suicide is - Happiness.

True HAPPINESS is not a feeling. It is not perfect health or long life. True happiness is sharing in the life, spirit and joy of God. The saints give a clue as to what that happiness is. We often think of the saints as individuals who were flawless, pious, quiet people who spent much time in prayer, suffered a great deal and looked forward to death. Some may be like that, they don't seem very human. I don't like that image of a saint. Actually, I don't think it is even correct. I think the saints wanted to be happy just like you and me. They didn't search out hardship, misery and suffering. They were people who were compassionate, understanding , faced obstacles with peace and freedom, had a balance in their lives, a sense of humour and above all found JOY in all things. They had a deep appreciation of the beautiful things in life.

Look at St. Francis. He was a poor man but he was a happy man. He took delight in each day, in the flowers, birds, animals, food and work. He addressed the sun as "Brother Sun" and the moon as "Sister Moon". The saints were people who felt gladness and gratitude to be alive. They were people who were truly human and filled with joy. Like St. Irenaeus said, " The glory of God is man fully alive." Our bodies and the world are not obstacles on the path to God-they are vehicles in which we travel on the journey to heaven. We forget that God said all of these things are good, very good. The highest compliment we can give to someone who gives us a gift is to thoroughly enjoy the gift . The greatest compliment we can give to God, Our Creator, is to thoroughly enjoy the gift of life. The best way to pay for a beautiful moment is to enjoy it.

The saints are people who realized and lived out the fact that this world is not our true home. But they are also the ones who enjoyed life most fully.They loved God but if you read the lives of the saints you will even find that some where fat, had double chins and liked good chocolate. So let's enjoy life , thank God and join the communion of saints.