"God Gives the Increase"

A specialist in the field of education writes in the Kyeongyang magazine that the way we value and treat our students may be a factor in solving some of our educational problems. It may be similar, she says, to how we treat a pet animal, citing an example of a dog that  had been discarded by its owner and ended up at a retreat house. Kamsang was the dog's name.  When called by this name,  the dog would not look in the direction of the one calling, but lower its eyes and go off to a corner of the room. It's not difficult to guess, she says, the treatment the dog must have received from its former owner. 

One is able to learn a great deal from  the gaze of another, she says,  whether we are being accepted or rejected. In the classroom it is easy to see in the students eyes whether they are satisfied, agree with how the class is being run, or find the whole thing tiresome.  When students are absorbed in their lessons this encourages the teacher to continue on with the class programs, knowing they are of interest to the students.

There is no doubt, she says, that the teaching climate has been affected by recent societal and economic demands which have changed a great deal from the past, especially in the information and technology fields which have developed in recent years. But Korean youngsters have not fallen behind in keeping up with the latest advances. According to OECD, Koreans lead the world when it comes to getting information from the internet and working with computers.

Last year a personality questionnaire was given to middle-school students, with the intent of gauging how relevant in their lives were virtue, sociability, and the emotions. Sixty questions relating to these concerns were asked; a rating under 67 points was considered unsatisfactory--the average rating was 69.8. This was the rating the students gave themselves, while the teachers rated the students as 50.7, parents 60.5.  The article mentions there are many ways of interpreting the  results but notes that the teachers and parents tended to rate the students more negatively than the students. A good beginning to a more positive attitude on the part of everyone concerned, she feels, is to improve the way teachers value and treat their students, thus setting in place an ideal teaching process.

"Children change over  12 times " is a phrase that is often heard and she has experienced that in her own teaching. The trust and  positive expectation of the teacher has the power to change their students for the better, she says. When the teacher, however, has a negative opinion of the student, even if not openly expressed, it is usually picked up by the student, and is a great obstacle for the student to overcome. 

For a Catholic we know that we have come from God and have been made in his likeness. There is a seed in us that is to flower with the right conditioning. Each will grow at their own pace. There are those children that grow quickly and those who are slow. There are those that cause great trouble but if we don't distinguish with worldly eyes between superior and inferior qualities,  students  will grow at their own pace. What they need is the teacher's openness and patience, so that students are able to feel the teacher's concern and interest. This is the hope that Christ should give us as Christian teachers.

While still in the beginning of the new year, let us, she urges, instead of seeing the weak points of our students, look to see their strong points. She would like to have all teachers write before each student's name in the attendance book their strong points and to remember them by these strong points. "God is the one who gives the increase"  are words we need to remember as Christian teachers.

The Joy Of The Gospel

Evangelii Gaudium  sold over 10,000  copies within two weeks of publication. Hearing this news the editor of the Peace Weekly decided to read it.  He confesses that it was read quickly and he remembers little of what he read except for the words  underlined, referring to the four  principles governing the common good and peace.They are not easy to understand, he says, but he wants to review them with the readers.

Time is greater than Space.  This means, the editor says, that we should not be taken up with the success of the moment but be guided by big picture concerns.  "This principle enables us to work slowly but surely, without being obsessed with immediate results. It helps us patiently to endure difficult and adverse situations, or inevitable changes in our plans. It invites us to accept the tension between fullness and limitation, and to give priority to time. One of the faults which we occasionally observe in sociopolitical activity is that space and power are preferred to time and process. Giving priority to space means madly attempting to keep everything together in the present, trying to possess all the spaces of power and of self-assertion; it is to crystallize processes and presume to hold them back" (223).

Unity prevails over conflict, the second principle, means that when we try to cover over conflict it does not disappear: "When conflict arises, some people simply look at it and go their way as if nothing happened; they wash their hands of it and get on with their lives. Others embrace it in such a way that they become its prisoners; they lose their bearings, projecting onto institutions their own confusion and dissatisfaction and thus make unity impossible. But there is also a third way, and it is the best way to deal with conflict. It is the willingness to face conflict head on, to resolve it and to make it a link in the chain of a new process" (227). “Blessed are the peacemakers!” (Mt 5:9).

Realities are more important than ideas, the third principle, says Ideas are different from realities; therefore to be overcome with our ideas and overlook reality is unwise. Angelic purism , empty study of the Mass, goals unrelated to reality, moralism unrelated  to good faith,  wisdom unrelated to the intellect have to be fought against.  "We have politicians–even religious leaders–who wonder why people do not understand and follow them, since their proposals are so clear and logical. Perhaps it is because they are stuck in the realm of pure ideas and end up reducing politics or faith to rhetoric. Others have left simplicity behind and have imported a rationality foreign to most people"(232).

The whole is greater than the part, fourth principle. This is obvious. The pope is telling us, he says, that we can't overlook where we are and where are two feet are planted, but we should not forget where we are headed, and widen our vision to include the greater good.

These four principles are not easy to understand, the editor says, but they help a great deal in dealing with the problems that come up daily in the workplace and in our families.  He ends by quoting from section #221: "Progress in building a people in peace, justice and fraternity depends on four principles related to constant tensions present in every social reality. These derive from the pillars of the Church’s social doctrine, which serve as 'primary and fundamental parameters of reference for interpreting and evaluating social phenomena.'  In their light I would now like to set forth these four specific principles which can guide the development of life in society and the building of a people where differences are harmonized within a shared pursuit. I do so out of the conviction that their application can be a genuine path to peace within each nation and in the entire world."

Pope's Visit to Korea

Pope Francis' forthcoming visit to Korea is pleasant news to our Catholics. A professor writing in the Peace Weekly notes that while any pope coming to Korea would be welcomed, Pope Francis has in a very short time made such an impression not only on Catholics but on practically everyone that his visit will be especially welcomed.

While writing the article the professor learned that over 90 percent of Italians are pleased with Francis. This is shown  in the  return to the Church of many fallen-away Catholics. The number of pilgrims who are coming to Rome has also increased and he has over 12 million followers on Twitter at his  @Pontifex site. His visit to Korea will surely not be an ordinary event, he says.

Being the recipients of this gift, Korean Catholics will have some difficult homework to do, and it is not only to have a faultless ceremony. That will be  the task of others and done well. Fortunately, the government will be cooperating in welcoming the Pope which makes it a great deal easier.

What is  important is the reason Pope Francis is coming to Korea.  We will have the Asian Youth Day and the beatification of the  martyrs. The professor hopes that in the preparation of  the events, we will remember the pope's teaching and will act harmoniously  with these teachings during the time he is in Korea. There will be two dimensions that have to be considered, one internal to the Catholic Church and the other external.

He wants us to take an interest in the Asian Youth Day. It will be held in Korea but we need to remember that it is an Asian event. We need to be interested in breaking down walls and figure out ways of   strengthening the bonds of solidarity and friendship among the countries of Asia. This should be a serious concern for  all of us, especially because of a history of conflict that settled over Asia for so long. He hopes this gathering of Catholic Youth will be more than a "Korean thing" but will help bring about some reconciliation among the countries in the area.

Secondly the visit of the pope will of course have a Catholic tone. We should spend some time in figuring out what attitude and posture we should assume. He recommends that those who usually take the  first places will  on  this occasion give their  places to those that Jesus and  Pope Francis have showed a predilection for: the alienated and the poor, the farmers and fishermen, the handicapped, single mothers, homeless people, those living alone, the addicted, the refugees from the North, foreign workers--they are the ones who should have the place of honor. 

We also should not make too much of externals at these ceremonies, he points out. The nature of the visit being what it is, we can't  ignore the externals  but we should do our best to  decrease as much as possible the emphases on externals.   This is the sentiment which the pope has infused into the Church and we should honor this sentiment despite the difficulty of doing so during the inevitable pageantry that will be evident during his visit here.

By being especially mindful during this time of the virtues of simplicity, frugality, and humility we will set a good example for the world. He wonders if the place designed for the ceremony in the center of Seoul, which is bound to tie-up traffic, is a good  place for the event.  He would like to see the plans revised. Logistically, there is no need to use such a  vast area of Seoul; there are many less congested places where the event could be held with no loss in effectiveness.  Moreover, considering the appreciation of poverty and the place of  symbolism  in today's world, would it not be better to select a different location? he asks.

Lastly the beatification of 124 martyrs should be more then a single event, he says. He recommends  that the Church search for 124 small groups or works  deserving of support and with the whole Church involved find ways to promote them. This will add even more glory to the glory that we have in the beatification and will be a good  preparation for the canonization in the future. This will also please the Lord.

Money, Honor and Power, Which One Do You Want?

The author of an article in Bible & Life reminisces about a friend  he knew from childhood.  He received a telephone call from him recently, inviting him to his office; he was now, he explained, a lawyer serving the poor. The office was small and simply furnished,   bustling with many of the poor who were looking for advice. And he looked well and contented, a far cry from the time he had last seen him studying for the government exams.

Both of them had gone to college. His friend went to  engineering school  and after graduation joined a construction company. He was the pride of his family. In those days being the son of a poor farmer who ended up with a  big pay check was the sign to  his neighborhood of success. Although his desire was to become a lawyer, his family felt it was necessary to have technical training to guarantee a bright future and the means to take care of the family. So he abandoned his dream  and became an engineer.

During the rough times in Korea he was sent to Saudi  by his construction company. His friend mentions that with his introspective and academic disposition the construction site  was not a comfortable place for him to be.  On one of his trips home he told his parents of his desire of going on to study for the government examinations to be a lawyer. This was a bombshell, which turned  everything upside down in the home. The mother went to his childhood friend to ask him for help to dissuade her son from the move. His friend, the author of the article, knew that he always dreamed of being a  judge and although he understood the feelings of the mother, inside he was cheering him on.

They met and went out to eat. It was not the same person he knew from the past, the sleek and neat individual was missing and he was dressed in trainers and sneakers. His hands shook and the soup dribbled from his mouth. His left eyelid  trembled and he found it difficult to look his friend in the face and his speech was affected. The author writes that his friend was a nervous wreck and needed to be treated. It was not something he could speak to his mother about nor would he  ask him to give up his studies.

From that time on he would go to Seoul once a month and they would eat and go out to a movie. As children they recalled the time they went to four movies in one day. He was a great fan of movies and his friend thought this would be a great way to have him relax. Fortunately the following year he passed the exam and did go on to be a judge. His mother was dreaming now of her son in the back seat of a sedan with a driver able to make commands to the world. She was elated but it was all to change. He was implicated in a case in which bribes were taken and given. He made a mistake and freely resigned his position. His friend heard this while he was working with the poor in a public health  facility in the Philippines. The engineer turned lawyer did make amends for his mistake and the shame and  anguish that he had to deal with by giving his life to help the poor with his knowledge of law and society.

The author concludes the article with a remembrance of the time in Sunday School class when  they both said they would have nothing to do with riches, honor and power. He quotes his friend: "He saw the flower coming down the hill. The flower he hadn't seen going up the hill." In the future when it comes time  to write about the one-time judge there will be more than a few lines referring to  his involvement with the giving and taking of bribes.  Money, honor and power, which one do you want?

Strawberries in Season

The columnist in the Peace Weekly writing about current events mentions her trip to the market and buying strawberries. Their condition was poor and the owner of the shop told her they were the last of the season. She reminds us that it is the beginning of March and the strawberries have yet to flower, but she is told the strawberries are the last of the season. In the old days strawberries were a common and inexpensive fruit,  when bought in season. Today the winter strawberries are expensive and have become a much sought after fruit despite their unappealing taste.

With these words the columnist tells us that the formula for success these days is to be out in front of others. Fruit in its season , everyone knows, is tasty and healthy, even more so for vegetables in season. But those who are  producing these products are not waiting to send their produce to the markets, for the earlier they arrive the  better the price. This is not unlike the well-known  brands that go to the markets of the world. And not unlike teaching high school  mathematics to elementary school student to  prepare them for college entrance examinations. This preparation for  the future  makes much of the present meaningless, says the columnist.

Consequently, when  the student's desire for college is realized then he worries about getting a job. Once he has a job he worries about the next step in his search for happiness, in a never-ending pursuit of some future benefit.  She asks what makes our life so difficult?

The Doctrine of the Mean, a book by Confucius, states that the noble  person is the one who  practices the mean and the small-minded  person is the one who does not. Following the mean a person acts appropriately according to  time and place. The columnist maintains that it is the structures of our society that determine our actions and make us act against the present moment, which means  we are producing small-minded persons.

It is a fact that those who exceed others in the pursuit of knowledge will be considered the most capable, but we can't say they are happier than others. They are like the strawberries in the vinyl houses, says the columnist, that  have been hurried and consequently do not have the taste and aroma of those in season. Those who only study and do not allow for the other aspects of life to enter their world will be small-minded.

The society we are living in is urging us go faster, he says, than the eternal clock we were made to follow. We can't change that clock even one second so wisdom tells us that we should follow it, eating the fruits and vegetables in season and  studying the areas of learning proper to one's age.

By not bringing a premature future into the present our life will be  more meaningful,  happier, and more leisurely. A good future is the result of a present that is well-lived. Hurrying the process it not going to make our life more successful, but is likely to make our lives similar to fruit rushed to market, lacking in the virtues that come naturally when we follow the rhythms of nature .    

The Cost of Addiction

The horse race track on any given Sunday is filled with betters dreaming of hitting it big. Just another of the many rampant addictions that keep us from growing spiritually. A priest responsible for the pastoral care of those addicted expresses his thoughts in the Peace Weekly on the serious evil of addictions. 
  
" Addiction is not a simple  problem to deal with. The consequences are an enormous  loss to society and one that hurts the church greatly," he laments. "Children are addicted to games, mothers to shopping, cosmetics, fathers to the gambling casinos and to alcohol.  Addiction ruins our mental health, nurtures crime, destroys the moral order, in a word, it brings moral depravity and death."

In an accompanying article Pope Francis, in his Lenten message on destitution, is quoted as saying, "[Destitution] is not the same as poverty. Destitution is poverty without faith, without support, without hope. There are three types of destitution: material, moral and spiritual....No less a concern is moral destitution, which consists in slavery to vice and sin. How much pain is caused in families because one of their members-– often a young person--is in thrall to alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography! How many people no longer see meaning in life or prospects for the future. This type of destitution, which also causes financial ruin, is invariably linked to the spiritual destitution which we experience when we turn away from God and reject his love."

Statistics show that in Korea one out of 8 persons is addicted. A professor at the Catholic University says that of the 50 million in Korea over 6 million are addicted to either alcohol, gambling, the internet or to drugs; the loss to society is enormous. Each of our acts has ramifications that we are not able to foresee or imagine, but the consequences will appear sooner or later to both the individual and society.  

The prevalence of suicide, abortion and the like in our society shows contempt for life and the destitution of our morals. When we do something that shows contempt for life, whether we realize it or not, there are bound to be grave consequences. 

The medical and educational concerns surrounding these issues should be addressed by the government, the priest urges. Other serious topics of discussion, he says, would be addressing the unequal distribution of wealth, and the current unemployment rate of about 4 percent. All these problems of society demand concern from  the government, churches and voluntary organizations in society, and in trying to solve them we should not in the process foster more material, moral  and spiritual poverty. 

The article quotes from Joy of the Gospel "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion." We as Christians should  be concerned and do what we can to make our society better and more just.

Choosing Happiness

Most people marry to find happiness, and divorce to find happiness. Ironically,  after the second marriage, divorces outnumber those that occur after the first marriage.

In an article in the Kyeongyang magazine, a professor in a Catholic University  reminds us that we are the ones choosing happiness or unhappiness. In marriage both promise to care and support one another in an emotional relationship in which they promise marital fidelity, and with the registration of the marriage the legal responsibility to one another, and the common ownership of their possessions.

In marriage they promise to live life together, which often means eating together,sleeping together,  watching movies together, and to be completely open to each other. And to help each other during difficult times.

According to the statistics for 2012, there have been 114,300 divorces, about the same from the previous year. However, those with over 20 years of married life, divorces have increased 1.68 times from what it was 10 years before, and those with less than 4 years of marriage, divorces have increased for the first time, from 24.7 percent. In 1993, those with children who divorced numbered 68.8 percent; last year this number decreased to 52.8 percent. But the number of divorces among those with no children increased from 31.2 percent to 47.0 percent.

He lists the reasons for the increase of divorces: the change in attitude toward divorce within society,  the improvement in women's educational possibilities, the many employment openings for women, and their changing attitudes toward marriage as a consequence of their finding greater acceptance in the workplace,  fewer children being raised in the typical family,  the equal treatment of women under the law, expectations for a longer life--all have influenced  the number of divorces.

The number of couples that are living separately continues to increase. One out of ten is not living with their spouse.This number has continued to increase since the year 2000. In many cases this is a first step before the divorce.

Conflicts within marriage are many and the common element in these unhappy marriages is an inability to communicate honestly and openly. There is an obvious need for couples to learn how to share their feelings with  each other. A happy couple is not the one that doesn't fight but the one that has learned to work through their conflicts. It is not the number of conflicts that is important but the number of  ways they have discovered to resolve the conflicts.

He notes 10 ways to resolve conflicts within  a marriage. Not to exaggerate; not to come across as a know-it-all; be responsible for what was wrong; be clear about what you want; don't go to the past to bring up misgivings, stay in the present; in any conflict, avoid discussing the spouse's point of greatest vulnerability; don't magnify the hurt that was received; don't say anything you are not willing to carry out; don't just talk but listen, and don't look for either one to be the winner or the loser.

He admits that it took him many years as a counselor to realize that it was necessary for him to choose to be happy;  unhappiness, he realized, was also his choice. An academic who made a  study of stress said that divorce gives more stress than anything outside of death. If this is the case, it is easy to imagine the stress that a divorce causes the children. The article finishes with what is necessary for a happy marriage: love, respect, care, sacrifice, responsibility--and to choose happiness at  every moment.