It's Alright to be Honest (New Year's Resolution)

The new year is about to begin. The writer in her article in the Kyeongyang magazine on Its alright to be honest is involved with teaching young people in her diocese about education in character building. She tells the readers that the new year has less emotion for her than in the past. It could be, she says, because in Asia as a Christian she enters the new year on three different dates: the first week of Advent, Jan.1st and the lunar New Year. She also admits it may be simply that she is tired.

She has decided to be more physically active in the new year. She has big plans, buying a new sports outfit and start taking vitamins and supplements. The body has given signs to the writer that something is wrong and she will listen and start to change even if her resolution will be quickly forgotten.

How is the soul? Are we as interested in helping the soul as well as the body? The soul is also sending us messages. In social media, we see all kinds of beautiful landscape pictures, foods, and when she sees herself it's depressing. When she hears someone utter that the going is rough she wants to chime it with she also is finding it tough and sighs. When she gets the courage to express what is in her heart as soon as it's done, instead of feeling relieved she regrets showing her weak side.

Her inner self is telling her to take a break and direct her attention to her needs but she doesn't want to listen. So today she makes believe all is well. She is doing as well as everybody else and gives a weak forced laugh. She quotes the lyrics of a song: "Say you are lonely, let everybody know. You can say it's hard, it's not something stupid. Everybody is the same all trying to laugh. You are strong but at the same time weak. No one knows which makes it all the harder. Many live sadly and without tears but you let them flow; difficult but don't raise your hands to wipe the tears, let them flow and go far away."

We put on our mental armor and urge ourselves on. We may lose the battle but we have not lost the war. These are the suggestion in the lyrics of the song Consolation but to us still awkward. To show our weak side is a question of doubt. We are afraid of being the only dropout. But Jesus showed us another way. "My Father, he said if it is possible, let this cup pass me by, Nevertheless, let it be as you, not as I would have it" (Matt.26:39).

Jesus the Son of God also asked that the coming suffering that was awaiting him be taken away. He also confessed that "My soul is sorrowful to the point of death." Jesus was not only honest and straight forward with his feelings but spent time with these thoughts. His words and actions have spread throughout the world and many have come to join him. If he had said in his prayer: I am ready may it begin, it would not have been the same for his followers.

At the start of the new year let us like Jesus be open and honest as he was. When lonely to express it, when difficult to say so, don't be afraid to cry, when we need to be alone, resolutely do so. When I try to show my strength to the world and hide my weakness at that time heal me. When tears come to our eyes instead of rushing to wipe the tears away is it not proper to ask the others to give them time to regain composure and a feeling of rest. Nobody will feel insulted.

Happy New Year and Many Blessing.

St. Nicholas de Flue's Message

Is it possible to have a world without conflict? Recently on and around the Korean peninsula, we have political division and social unrest that worries many.  We have different values and convictions but we all love  Korea. A psychiatry professor in an article in Bible and Life introduces the readers to Saint Nicolas de Flue (1417-1487). He is the patron saint of Switzerland and also called Brother Klaus.

St. Nicolas de Flue (1417-1487) was born in Obwalden, Switzerland. He was the eldest son of pious and well to do peasant parents; the patron saint of Switzerland, who lived the ordinary life of a boy of his time and at the age of 21 entered the military and became the focus of attention.

At that time the cantons of Switzerland were in conflict. He joined the war against Austria and was known as a brave warrior. During a brief respite in the war, he went home and at the instigation of his parents married Dorothia Wyss a farmer's daughter and lived in the area of Sachseln. As an officer, he returned to the army and it was reported that with a sword in one hand and a rosary in the other fought in such a way that word spread of his bravery and heroic deeds.

He was a man with no schooling, couldn't read or write but because of his leadership qualities and judgment, they made him a councilor and a judge in the canton.  His reputation continued to grow and they wanted to make him governor of the canon which he refused. Here is an example of where education was not proportionate to what makes for a good leader.

It was at this time that he receives a vision that changed his life. A horse eating a lily which indicated to him that his life was swallowing up his spiritual life and decided to devote his life to contemplation. The writer mentions another Swiss citizen, Carl Jung, the psychiatrist, who showed an interest in studying his life.

At fifty he left his family with ten children and for most, it would seem a very selfish move on his part. However, he did leave them with enough wealth to live on and with his wife's permission began living the hermit's life. His hermitage was close to his home. According to a canonical process, he survived for nineteen years with no food except for the Eucharist and was giving advice to the many who came to see him.

He was considered by the Swiss like the Koreans consider Admiral Yi Sun-shin. He has left us a prayer which is not easy to say and mean. "My Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from you. My Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to you. My Lord and my God, detach me from myself to give my all to you."

Whether we think important the miracles associated with the life of Brother Klaus we have many wondrous happenings. His counsel prevented a civil war between the cantons meeting at the Diet of Stans in 1481.  

Brother Klaus was born in a time before democracy at the end of the Middle Ages. Switzerland was divided, poor and behind in many areas of life compared to other countries. We have a man illiterate whose feats have been passed on to later generations and in the eyes of many a reason for the peace that the country enjoys. The wife was also an admirable part of this reality. Very much different from the woman in the lives of Socrates and Tolstoy.

He gave up the chance to be a governor and the wife whose life would have been very much different also went along with his choice of life. Switzerland was different from other countries for they remained in peace during the World Wars. Brother Klaus was considered to be involved in the disputes that the country experienced in his life with wondrous results. He entered popular Swiss tradition as one of the earliest champions of arbitration as a method for resolving disputes.

Whenever we have danger coming many so-called patriots are ready to want to crush the enemy. But St. Brother Klaus trusted in God and by the process of arbitration sought to solve the disputes.

Wouldn't it be great wisdom to respect the beliefs of others 

and to aim for the highest good (summum bonum)

without neglecting the reality of the conflict and our own 

dark side of the inner world?

Reasons Not to Die

In his column in the Catholic Peace Weekly, a priest psychologist recalls the parents who brought their son, in his early 30s, to see him. The father said that his son attempted suicide a number of times since his first attempt in his mid-twenties and still seeks the opportunity to end his life. Both parents have to keep their eyes on him continually. There is no time to relax because of the tension and anxiety they have about the son.

The father turned to his son telling him to ask the priest whatever he wanted. However, his son was silent and often look out into space and sighed. The mother sat next to the priest with a sad expression and seemed unable to say anything. The three of them came for counseling, no one said a word.

Nevertheless, the priest did not feel the need to be the first to step in and change the mood. He knew that at times silence has more meaning than conversation, the silence is saying more than any words.
 
Parents were burning up insides with the long silence but the young man and the priest were getting to know each other. The young man seemed to realize that the priest was not someone who was ready to teach or admonish. And the priest made the discovery that the young man really did not want to die.

It took thirty minutes after the counseling began for the young man's perusal of the priest to be completed. He  began speaking with the following words."Father, please tell me why I should not die. If I hear it and fully understand, I will not die. But if the reason is no different from what I've heard so far, I will commit suicide."

This young man's question reminded the priest that suicide is not giving up on life, but choosing death. This young man's life was pain and emptiness. Hence, living seemed to mean nothing. He found no comfort and hope in life. It would be much harder to explain to this young man why he shouldn't die than to explain why he should live.

The priest could not offer any word of advice for he knew they would mean little to the young man. Such banality was not what he was looking to find. The young man's request to tell him why he should not die was, in fact, asking the priest to understand his pain. The priest firmly believed that the young man wanted someone to sympathize with him.

Since the first meeting, he has met the young man more than 20 times. Now he is preparing for a test to find a new job, and when he is filled with feelings of hurt or scared he does come to see the priest. This did not mean that his life pains were reduced. The idea that there was one man who could share the pain seemed to lead him to take a step back from despair.

In fact, the priest  would say that "Want to die" is another expression for "Want to live."

Suicide is a serious issue in Korea and has been for many years. A sign that something is not right; pressure and gloom which usually is the lot of the poor is a concern of the country which continues to look for answers.

Merry Christmas

Christmas is here the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Here in Korea a national holiday. Both Catholic papers had editorials on the meaning of Christmas. For the Catholics along with others, a day of rest to enjoy. For the believers, the celebration is a day to meditate on the reasons Jesus came to earth. We don't celebrate the day in the way the non-believers do.

The situation in Korea is not much different from other parts of the world. The bishops of Korea have given their Christmas messages to the nationwide parishes. We are divided into many different camps. Opposition and accusations abound. The ruling and opposition parties, labor, and civil society all try to protect their interests. The North/South situation seemed rosy with the inter-Korean Summit and the United States and North Korean talks but all hope quickly disappeared.

Christmas shows us how in the form of the lowest in society humanity's values of peace, reconciliation, and love are made known. The true meaning of Christmas is seen in the humility, peace, reconciliation, and love shown by the baby Jesus lying in the eating trough for animals.

The church needs to continually remind itself of the connection between the Gospel and Love. It was because of love that he came and died on a cross. The constant practice of the Gospel and the practice of love is the reason for the existence of the church. Consequently the need to check to see if these values continue to be the center of every activity.

The age of grace was opened. Christmas is always after the winter solstice the longest night of the year and the need for light is the symbolism that is associated with Christmas. Christ is the light of the world. The bishops of Korea, each's in their own way urged the believers to be a bridge of peace to the world as children of the light who share the good news of the Christmas message. In particular to imitate God's humility in love of others.

Are the Christians a sign of this love?  Embarrassingly this is not difficult to answer and a tragedy this is what it is. The bishops urged reconciliation and forgiveness, and we be a means of healing and gift-giving to each other. We need to be a source of nourishment to others for peace.  The reality is far from what we dream and hope for.

"The true light that illuminates all has come into the world" (John 1,9). As Christians, if we do not follow Christ who has come as the "light of the world," we cannot illuminate others in darkness. May we Christians who are trying to live the light of life in celebration of the birth of Baby Jesus be able to see the contrary signs and the dark shadows of nationalism and conflict among the powers of vested interests.

Merry Christmas and may the graces help us all to be open to the ways we are called to be the children of the light.

Samsung Founder's 24 Qustions On Life

The founder of the Samsung group, Lee Byung-chul in 1987 handed a paper to a priest friend with 24 questions that he compiled over many years and was asking the priest for answers.

The priest gave the questions to a scholar priest, a professor at the Catholic University of Korea, who prepared the answers and planned to visit the founder with the answers. Chairman Lee's health did not permit it and he died shortly after. This scholar priest after 20 years gave them to a younger priest who wrote a book on the 24 questions and made them known to the world.
 
Many have both within Catholicism and from the other religious groups given answers to the 24 questions from their own different traditions. In the recent addition of the Catholic Times, a bishop in Korea has also written a book with his answers from the Scriptures and had a review of the book in its pages. The wealthiest man in Korea lived with these questions for many years and shows us the anguish that we all have in one way or another with many of our existential problems in life.

Here below is a list of the 24 questions:

1) How do you prove the existence of God? Why did he not make it clearer?

2) How can you prove that God is the creator of the universe and all created things?

3) Biologists maintain that humans are the outcome of a long process of evolution, how is God's creation of humans different? Are not humans and other organisms the results of evolution?

4) It seems that life can be made in a laboratory, and the possibility of the extension of life without disease, would this not bring about the denial of God?

5) If God loves us why do we have pain, misfortune, and death?

6) Why did God create evil persons? Examples: Hitler Stalin.

7) What are the sins that Jesus came to save us from and yet leaves us to continue to sin?

8) How were the Scriptures made? How do you prove they are the words of God?

9) What do we mean by religion? Why is it necessary?

10) What is the soul?

11) What are the different kinds of religions and what are their characteristics?

12) If we don't believe in Catholicism we can't go to heaven? Those who don't believe, atheists, others with different religions many are good people when they die where do they go?

13) All religions have the same goal of living a good life, why then do you consider Catholicism best and the other religions heretical?

14) After we die the soul does not die, how can we believe that it goes to heaven or hell?

15) Without religion, many enjoy riches and honors what is God's teaching about this?

16) Scripture says that for a rich man to go to heaven is like a camel going through the eye of a needle, does this mean all the rich are bad?

17) 99 percent of the Italian population is Catholic, why so much disorder and crime and why aren't they a good example to the world?

18) Some Catholics are as demented as some of the Communists, how are they different?

19) Catholicism and Communism are mutually incompatible, why did so many Catholic Nations become communist? (eg. Poland and Nicaragua)

20) In Korea, it seems there is a church after every second house and we have many believers, so why do we have so much crime and suffering?

21) They say the Pope can't make a mistake, he is human, why so self-righteous?

22) What kind of person is a priest? Why celibacy? What kind of a person is a religious sister? Why celibacy?

23) Some Catholic groups consider industrialists as exploiters of the workers and foster division within the workforce, is Catholicism against the capitalistic system and its virtues?

24)Is the end of the world coming?

The bishop tells the Christians in his answers to the 24 questions that we are meant to be the salt and light of the world. Approaching Christmas we need to remember he did not choose us because we are good but we have the chance to be good because we accept his love. When we contemplate the infinite love of God are we not called to respond to that love and strive to be good?

Changing the 'Frame' We View Life

In the Eyes of the Believer column of the Catholic Weekly, a parish priest gives the readers his thoughts on the 'frame' by which we view the world and our problems. The frame we use will determine the results.
 
He gives an example of prayer. One parishioner asked a priest if it was alright to smoke while praying. The priest answered, that prayer is a conversation with God and one doesn't smoke while praying. Another parishioner approaches the priest asking shouldn't we pray while we smoke? With a gentle smile: "Brother, there is no special time or space for prayer it's always a good time to pray (Example is taken from a book).

Consider the frame by which we see Confession of sin. According to our teaching, every believer should confess their sins at least once a year. According to the 2018 Korean Catholic Church statistics, the reception of confession fell by 15.1% from the previous year;  compared to other sacraments it was the biggest drop. Very likely the numbers will continue to drop. Why with a growing number of new believers do we continue to have a drop in the reception of the sacraments? One of the reasons is that the church emphasizes confession as a "duty" instead of seeing it positively as a healing and reconciling.

We know that our culture moves continually on focusing on personal needs and freedom—individualism. This profound influence on culture can't be ignored. Each person is important and the only frame of reference considered by many: will it not determine how society functions?

Continuing to speak about duty is ineffective. We need to make clear the reason for the self-exposure of our faults and sins as a healthy and healing approach to a happy and peaceful life.

Another area in which we need a new frame is the way we approach abortion. At present the Criminal Code punishes abortion but recently it was declared that the present law is not consistent with the Constitution and by the end of 2020 if the law is not amended the abortion penalty will be abolished.

 Catholicism opposes abortion with the culture of life movement but the efforts to expand, go deeper and gain maturity require reflection on many different areas of life if it is to be effective. We hear the criticism of the Church's traditional approaches from many sections of society.

We miss the opportunity of taking time for education and discussion on the dignity of life and instead continue to send down commands from above to respect life. This needs to be changed from not only the fetus but from conception to death in all aspects of life.

The church should ask whether pregnant women have sufficient requirements to bring life into the world? The vision of the present movement for life is too narrow, and easily misunderstood by many in society.

Abortion campaigns have limitations and need more attention and participation. If the church accepts this criticism, it should change its frame from the existing culture of life movement where what most people hear is that Abortion is Murder, to a new culture of life movement that links existence with our daily life.

In the meantime, if the object and horizon of the culture of life movement are not only focused on the 'fetus' but looks at life broadly and sees the culture of death as violence, hate, discrimination, etc. than we will see the need for a culture of love and life that will include the fetus.

Quality of Life and Welfare Policy

In the Peace Weekly, peace column, a specialist in welfare matters gives us her thoughts on policies and expectations for the future.
Quality of life is the way an individual subjectively sees and can participate and enjoy life— an evaluation standard that comprehensively understands the lives of a nation's people. Based on the factors that make life worthwhile, measured are the objective living conditions and the subjective perceptions and evaluations of citizens.

In a recent evaluation of the quality of life, Koreans are still interested in economic stability. In general, as society matures, interest in non-material values ​​increases. In Korea, it is noteworthy that 'economic stability' has emerged as an important factor up to the present even though 30 years have passed.

In the OECD survey, Korea ranked 30th out of 40 countries, and one of the chronic problems that lowered the quality of life indicator ranking was anxiety due to the decrease in real income. Social psychologists say that the anxiety of modern people is caused by problems that cannot be overcome by individual efforts such as recession and inequality.

Important to recognize that when a state or government is not providing solutions to individual anxieties and social solidarity is difficult to anticipate, humans have difficulty enduring the uncertainties and eventually are expressed in radicalized thoughts and actions.

There is a high correlation between the many self-inflicted deaths because of unemployment and the difficulties of life. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2018 Suicide Survey, the rate of suicide increases rapidly the longer you stay in the lowest strata of society and lower the income level. After the physiological needs, security is the first before all others that needs to be satisfied.

When this is missing, government-level social safety nets are not functioning properly and loopholes and limitations are exposed. In addition to the government, it is also essential to raise interest in society. The analysis suggests the public-private sector should cooperate closely with each other. All working to bring together the community.

Pope Francis said that if modern technological advances cause obvious inequalities and become hostile to the common good, it is not real progress, but unfortunate regression ruled by the law of the strongest. Emphasizing the need to reach out to those who cannot stand alone, warning that the existence of the poor, the marginated, can be treated as annoying, consumables.

The current government is providing the opportunity for "welfare" to shift away from political slogans to "policy." Last year, they spent the largest ever share for welfare spending in Korea, a positive factor in expanding the welfare system. However, despite these achievements, if the plans and directions are wrong, you have events like those described above.

Social welfare experts are calling for strategies for welfare structure reforms to ensure the sustainability of welfare systems. Welfare sustainability and development are shared responsibilities and should be pursued in cooperation with the public sector as well as businesses, workers and all segments of society. The blind spots in the system need to be uncovered, a project urgently needed to find answers by listening to voices in the field, and not only with table theory.