Now not Tomorrow —Quality Time

It's a phrase he uses every year at this time: Why does time seem to  accelerate as we approach the end of the year? The physical, chronological time, the Chronos proceeds regularly in one direction and only following the laws of nature. Kairos is quality time, a time of feeling, free, meaningless, special, atypical time. So begins the 'Diagnosis of the Time' column in the Catholic Peace Weekly.

We have perceived time through certain regular cycles. The signals from nature are the units of day, month, four seasons, and year produced by the rotation and revolution of the earth and moon, the earth and the sun. In this regular cycle, feasts and calendars are created, and they are divided into hours, minutes, and seconds to create the concept of time to establish and create order and efficiency in our lives.

We know the difference between the time we feel at the beginning of the year and the end of the year, the difference between the time in the morning and the time in the evening, the difference between the motivation at the start of a job and the frustration or a sense of accomplishment at the end. However, a tsunami of greater change and chaos is approaching us.  

Do you remember the classic fairy tale "Momo" by German writer Michael Ende? If you borrow the contents of this work, we have businessmen dressed in gray suits appearing among us, living together with us in the village community, and calculating how inefficiently we live, and teaching us how to use profitably the time wasted by laziness. Humans who now have to squeeze and save time are increasingly chased by time, always busy, feel nervous, anxious, become obsessive, losing the little happiness they had.

In this deteriorating world, only Momo, the young child, who was living alone because there was no family to rely on, but who listened to the stories of everyone in the village and became friends to all, feels that there is a big problem in the world and begins to look for the cause.

Our reality is no different from this fable. In fact, this fable itself is a resemblance of a culture that has disappeared. We don't have too much time to enjoy daily life, relationships, or nature. Many acknowledge this but why doesn't it change? This is because we have pursued only 'efficiency' we are trapped in the concept of Chronos, the physical time measured by a machine called a clock.

We have built a world where achievements are measured and evaluated solely by material productivity. However, our civilization, which we have believed to be strong, is showing signs of collapse in the face of various challenges. Climate change strikes as a counterattack, environmental destruction, and human-initiated ecological disturbances pour out new viruses.

Momo, the protagonist, acts to restore human time, she follows the turtle that leads the way. Somehow, sharp eyes and agile movements, thieves of time with fast feet, and gray-suited humans cannot find the slow-moving turtle and Momo.

It's a paradox. We too must restore the aesthetics of slowness. You should feel the sunshine, the warmth, taste of tea, be happy with the softness of the cat's fur, and enjoy a relaxed conversation.

Finally, the writer wants to share the secret with the readers. In November, you feel depressed that this year is over and decide to start anew from next year, do not plan, do it now. Dates are just imaginary numbers recorded on the calendar— So now, not tomorrow.

The Catharsis that Comes from a Master Novelist

 

Not long ago, an acquaintance, riding together in a bus asked half-jokingly: "Will I be a little nicer after reading Dostoevsky's 'Sin and Punishment'?"  These words are the beginning of Peace Column in the Catholic Peace Weekly by a University professor.

The answer "no" popped out of her mouth, without much thought. It was embarrassing as it seemed to unknowingly reveal her inner world. She laughed but the question remained with her for some time.

If novels taught goodness and wisdom, the world would have been filled with sages and saints. Of course, at times you do learn something, but novels are not a very good medium of enlightenment in terms of time expended. There are many ways in which you can invest less time and get much more practical life advice. Then why on earth do you read a novel?

'Sin and Punishment' is a novel that shows human pride, sin, suffering, and rebirth based on profound Christian spirituality. Raskolnikov is a student with a wounded sense of worth, living in dire poverty on leave from school who kills an old woman the owner of a pawn shop. He hates the unfair world in which he lives and has a distorted sense of justice. Helping the poor with the money of the rich is the theory behind his actions but it really is a desire for power and false judgment of others that motivates the killing.

The punishment for his evil deeds is alienation. A painful, endless sense of loneliness and gloominess suddenly and clearly penetrated his soul. To be freed from the hell of absolute isolation and be reconnected with the world, he realizes he must first confess his sins.  He needs to bow to the whole world and say out loud to everyone: "I killed the woman". Then God will send you life again.

The road to life is both rough and inspiring. He falls down in front of his mother and kissed her feet, and the two held each other tightly and burst into tears. Eventually, the moment of resurrection comes to him, while repenting of his sins in Siberian exile. From sickness and weakness, the morning glow of the already renewed future, and complete resurrection entered his life.

As we read the novel, we are amazed to realize that Raskolnikov's cruel will and violent intelligence are within us. Sometimes his cramped boarding room is read as a metaphor for the guilt that imprisons us. His loneliness and alienation sometimes mirror the boredom of our lives. However, as soon as he finally confirms that he is on the path to rebirth, an amazing catharsis comes. We are thrilled by grace that penetrates into the heart of a sinner. What we experience finishing the book is difficult to describe.

The time we spend alone has increased due to the pandemic. If you're tired of breaking news reporting the number of confirmed cases of the virus and tired of 'entertainment'  in the media, let's start reading some of the classic novels. Reading the classics takes time and effort, but the rewards are enormous. Hermann Hesse once affirmed that Dostoevsky's novel should be read when in a period of suffering.

When we are miserable, when we suffer, when our whole life feels like a burning wound, read his novel, his music, his comfort, and his love come to us. It seems that now when we have to endure the pandemic, is the time when we need the comfort and love that this master novelist can convey.

Korea's Catholic Church Ecological Hope

Korean Catholic Climate Action launched their movement early this year which began with a street march expressing their response to the climate crisis. A report of the event was in the recent Catholic Times Weekly. They are responding to the urgent ecological crisis and hoping to have it spread to the entire church.

Currently, there is a lack of awareness of the ecological crises in the church community. One sister, a member of the Action Team, set the basic purpose of the activities conducted in the parish as the "Carbon Reduction Movement," and suggested some specific measures that can be implemented in the parishes.  

"We must raise awareness of the ecological crisis nationwide through training of priests and district leaders." Sister emphasized that "above all, the change in the consciousness of the priests is important and should lead to practice."
 
 ▲ campaign to install solar panels in church communities. ▲ install electric vehicle charging stations in church area ▲ support operating funds for solar panel installation in poor parishes and mission stations ▲ campaign to reject investment in coal companies and use banks that have withdrawn coal investment ▲Installation of ecological banners in parishes ▲Designation of days when the parish refrain from the use of the automobile ▲periods of banning the use of plastics and vinyl ▲ reduce eating meat ▲ use of biodegradable Eco-friendly packaging materials ▲A petition for carbon reduction legislation such as plastic use tax ▲begin a parish ecological education system ▲Suggestions for activities such as solidarity with local civic groups.
 
One participant said: "The church's consciousness about solar power is far behind society." Even though the priests of the parish want solar power, most believers reject or have resentment because they don't want to damage the sanctity of the church. The installation of solar power facilities in the parish is indeed difficult to pass in parish councils. As it turns out, solar panels have no choice but to proceed not with church buildings, but centering on rooftop of educational centers, believers' homes, and other sites.

However, since it is indispensable to expand the use of renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions, the parishes, religious congregations, and institutions should participate in this issue, and the need to inform and proclaim this at the parish level.

Meanwhile, a new approach to integrating the response to the ecological crisis with "making peace through armament reduction" was proposed.

Another participant said: "The year 2020, which began with the corona pandemic, made us more aware of the connectivity of all beings, and when we recognize that this ecological crisis is transcending national boundaries, climate disaster is directly connected to security issues." Now that both South and North Korea have suffered a lot of damage from the corona and the climate crisis, if the two countries reduce the military costs that consume astronomical sums,  money will me available for many other needed works.This will be necessary for peace on the Korean Peninsula and for the safety of the people of both countries.”

Fortunately, the Korean Catholic Bishops released a special pastoral text, "In front of our crying mother Earth," on October 16, after the regular general meeting of the bishops.

In a special pastoral text, the bishops stated: "Today's climate crisis and the cry of Mother Earth are one of the most important themes of evangelization and pastoral activities that the church should carry out." The direction is presented, and each parish and committee needs to establish a specific plan and put it into action. Also, specific guidelines for practice were prepared and were sent to each diocese and organization. Accordingly, it is expected that the 'Catholic Climate Action' will be able to carry out more active and diverse activities in solidarity with each parish.

Signs of Growth in Spirituality

In a diocesan bulletin, a director of retreats gives the readers his understanding of spiritual growth.

His first quality he expresses as openness— a heart that is open to others. Rather than judging by their own frame of reference or standards, the judgment is made from what is seen. Moreover, even dealing with anguish and difficulties, openness is present, they examine the pain and accept it when necessary; not delighted by what they have to face but able to accept it because of Jesus and as a tool for the arrival of grace.

The second sign of spiritual growth he calls integration. Both the body and the soul, the world, and the church, activity, and contemplation are not separated or simply harmonized. They can see them as a whole. This is allowing them to live holistically and distancing themselves from dualism.

Often among the so-called devout, we have those who think spirituality and holiness are all about the soul, and taking care of the body is taking away from what is important. To be more concerned with the soul than the body is not to be tied to the body, it does not mean we ignore the body. In Genesis, God said everything that was made was good. To see everything that was made as unconditionally vulgar and avoiding what God has made is not living an integrated life. When we forget God for what was created we have problems. God is imminent in all that was made.

The third quality of spiritual growth is the ability to share universal love. There are levels of love. Love for oneself and one's group. This is a selfish love. Another love is for all our brothers and sisters no matter where they are found. Love without borders. The saints have shown us this love. We learn this from the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke's Gospel 10:25-37.

According to the writer, the fourth quality is to be faithful to our daily tasks. Those who are in search of extraordinary experiences are trying to grab clouds and forget their daily life. This is not genuine.
The freedom that comes from a true spirituality is not tied to one person or one situation but one  involved in doing the small everyday tasks with great love, humility, and joy and seeing all with the eyes of Jesus.
What is required for this kind of life? It is to have the mind of Jesus.

St. Kim Taegon Andrew— Jubilee Year 2021

 In June 1846, Father Kim Taegon, Andrew, was arrested by police while searching for a route of entry for French missionaries. They pulled hair from his head and punched him although this was not to be since he was a member of the noble class. A journalist of the Catholic Peace Weekly in the Peace Column gives the readers some thoughts to reflect on.

When they reached the beach, they took off the priest's clothes, tied him with a rope, mocked him, and dragged him in front of the magistrate. Many people watched the scene. The magistrate looked down at Father Kim and asked: "Are you a Catholic?"

The writer reading from Fr. Kim's letters stopped to meditate on the magistrate's question. This short question made him think not without embarrassment: "Are you a Catholic journalist?"
 
He has lived as a Catholic journalist for a long time, but his eyes still are not able to read the signs of the times. The ability to interpret and read the signs in the light of the Gospel and the ability to communicate the interpretations in popular language does not increase. If that was all, it would be fortunate. Because of the fluctuations of the times, he has suffered from motion sickness, failing to focus on the truth of the Gospel, and become lazy.

What about the words and writings piled up on each other? Not one of them is being implemented properly. In "Praise of Folly", Erasmus with a great deal of satirical intoxication points out the foolishness of the times and the writer finds him referring to persons like himself. Father Kim answered the magistrate's question without hesitation, "Yes!" But the writer has no choice but to say: "I'm ashamed!"

The writer would like to have the magistrate appear in downtown Seoul to set up an interrogation station. In the middle of last month, women's civic groups advocating the abolition of the now present crime of abortion held a press conference for Catholics in front of the Sejong Center. Women who are Catholics say, "I am a Catholic. I am in favor of the abolition of abortion as a crime." They stood in front of the media's camera with hand signs. Some of the media delivered their claims emphasizing that they were "real" believers.
 
Four out of 10 female lawmakers who co-sponsored a bill to abolish the entire abortion crime are Catholics: since the right to self-determination of women is more important than the right to life of the fetus, criminal law requires that abortions be eliminated.

In the general election in April, of those elected, 83 considered themselves Catholics. This is 27.7% of the total number of members of the National Assembly (300). In other words, one out of four lawmakers is a Catholic believer. However, the writer couldn't find any believers who shouted that the right to life of the fetus should be protected. We are disappointed with those who separate life from their faith.
 
"Justice, O Lord, is on your side we are shamefaced even to this day" (Daniel 9:7). The prophet Daniel's confession should be ours. If we know how to be ashamed of shameful behavior, we are on the right path.
 
The Korean Episcopal Conference declared a Jubilee Year from November 29, the first Sunday of Advent, as the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. Andrew Kim. The question posed by the magistrate 174 years ago is the theme of the jubilee: "Are you a Catholic?" I hope that each of us in the Jubilee Year is prepared to answer this question.

Literacy Education

We call a person who can't read illiterate. A half-century ago many of the citizens of Korea could not read or write, today very few. The numbers going to college, the increase of literate laborers, and the spread of information within the country have made Korea a leader in the world. This is what the average Korean believes. So begins an article in the Kyeongyang Magazine by a onetime journalist.

This is the reality of present-day Korea. Those who can't read or write are under one percent and have been so for some time. However, according to an OECD study of  22 developed countries,  in the reading of documents the degree of understanding and literacy, Korea is one of the lowest of the 22 countries.   

Koreans sense of pride in their country is high and according to the writer don’t want to acknowledge the above reality but it is necessary to do so. In the international community understanding what we read is more important than the ability to read or write. In the digital world in which we live literacy is required.

What is media literacy? The capability to access the media, understand the contents and evaluate. Because of the digital media revolution, we can communicate with others like never before but at the same time, we have the spread of hate and fake news and the destruction of serious and helpful news. How can this situation be controlled? In three ways: By legislation that will control digital use, a system that will fact check the news, and literacy education.

Every democratic country has laws that prevent defamatory language with their libel laws but these laws come into conflict with freedom of expression and have difficulty in many countries although Germany Australia and Singapore have succeeded. Germany because of its history during the Second World War with racial prejudice and long reflection was helped to change.

Secondly, algorithms and fact-checkers help social media to weed out fake news. This has not come into conflict with freedom of expression in some countries.

The third way is literacy education to develop a discerning judgment on what is seen and heard. This has already been done in some of the countries. Governments need to take a lead in the public area.

Korean has begun but in comparison to Europe is very slow and passive. At present certain sections of society have begun programs in literacy education in their own way. The books used have not been unified, most are literal translations of foreign books, crudely transposed. This requires that the government start taking a lead.
 

Excessive Trust In Our Rightiousness is a Problem

 

A lawyer writing in the Eyes of the Believer Column of the Catholic Times recalls that the things that thrilled him when he was young are not doing so as he ages. Listening to songs that were thrilling when he was young is of no interest, and reading the classics is no longer what it was. Since the wisdom of both east and west has the goal of a 'peaceful mind', he wonders whether he has matured or just become an old fogy.

He looks  back on his school days when they wore school uniforms like the imperial Japanese military and received a corresponding education. For decades after high school, he eagerly shouted “No” to authoritarian dictatorships. Now those years have passed. Meanwhile, new worries come to mind, perhaps because his heart has grown old. Maybe Pandora's box has been opened in our society.

As the political and social repression that has been going on for a long time is gradually relieved, everyone now comes out with their own opinion. It is a natural reaction to the oppression of the past. The most severely suppressed are the labor, women, and youth sectors of society.

The labor world has been seeking some stability over the past 30 years since the 'Great Workers' struggle' in 1987. (In July and August 1987 over three million workers, led to an uprising of workers demanding better wages, better working conditions, and autonomous trade unions).  

However, solving the problem of non-regular workers and self-employed workers, who seemingly are self-employed, but live with many restrictions, is now at the beginning stage. Until the labor-management relations were stabilized there were intense confrontations and excessive arguments. How many workers died, were injured, and went to jail in the process?

Now, voices are coming out to free women and youth from unjust oppression— Enactment of the Human Rights Ordinance for Students and Youth, the 'Me Too Movement', and strict punishment for sexual violence. Although it is a process that must be passed through to solve the problem, there are often excessive unreasonable attacks and hatred, and even the basics that must be observed are abandoned.

Naturally, the human rights of students and youth need to be respected. However, since the concept of human rights is inherently self-righteous, it may serve as a justification for rejecting education that teaches the lack of human rights to children who are still in the learning stage. For immature children, proper guidance from teachers and adults is essential, and certain discipline and behavioral restrictions are needed to overcome the hardships of life that will come. Children who have grown self-centered at home and in society will be able to learn self-control and caring for their neighbors through certain disciplines.

The repression of women, which has been around for centuries, requires shock therapy to cure it. However, hating men unconditionally and trying to find the cause and solution of all problems in sex discrimination, is like the history of overthrowing capitalism by killing ‘capitalists’ with bamboo spears.
 
So we can not expect capitalism, which depends on people's selfishness, to easily fall. Nor will the hard wall of discrimination against women be overcome by hating men.  

The movement to abolish the crime of abortion is in full swing these days. No matter how frustrating the undesired pregnancies and the difficulty to nurture, a state must defend the common good and not allow a single life, an unborn child, to be killed. A woman's right to self-determination extends only to herself, and the fetus is another being, freed from her self-determination. Although the state can close their eyes to certain situations it cannot allow one to openly kill another. 

The path to liberation from oppression is a long and difficult one. On that path, hatred toward the oppressor and excessive self-assertion is inevitable as a reaction to the oppression received.  

For us to really fix the wrong 'social system' in which we live, we must free ourselves from the 'me' filled with greed, anger, and foolishness. Without this freedom from hatred and excessive self-assertion is it possible to be effective in our quest for a just society?