Individualism and Social Evil

  

In a column of the Catholic Times, a priest recalls a recent visit to a mission station. (Mission stations are distant areas of a parish, where a priest does not reside and the mission station leader has a liturgy of the word on Sundays when the priest is not present. Priests visit once a month or more often to say Mass and take care of the sacramental needs of the parishioners)

A grandmother had filled a cart with turnips from her garden to make kimchi and brought them to the mission station. It was a rural road and the woman was quite old but it was no problem for this grandmother. 

The turnips in the handcart were so entangled, no one would know how many turnips were loaded, but it seems that the woman who had loaded the turnips thought there were enough to distribute to the believers at the mission station.

After the Mass was over and leaving the chapel, the woman who brought the turnips acted as if the turnips were not her own and another woman came forward from the parishioners and prepared to distribute the turnips to the believers.

The woman who began distributing the turnips seemed to know the number of turnips in the cart, and the number of people who came to Mass. She called each believer by name, telling them to take the turnip as she ran back and forth from the cart to the believers.
 
Some persons were given only one, others two, and others three or four. The priest watched the scene carefully from the corner of the courtyard. He didn't know what criteria she was using but in his understanding, she was giving the right amount of turnips to all the church members who came to Mass that day.
 
What was surprising to him were those who received only one were satisfied with one, those who received two were satisfied with the two receiving it with laughter, and those who received three or four were all satisfied. No one compared what they received with another. No one went to the handcart desiring more turnips.
 
Those who brought the turnips from their field to give to the believers and those that received all looked satisfied. The priest was seeing this for the first time, but it was clear that the mission station community was familiar with this kind of giving. This sharing from the abundance of one to what others lacked was a way of life in this community. The turnips would be returned by other members with something different. It was clear that gratitude awakened gratitude in the hearts of others.
 
He was reminded of the life of the Korean ancestors in the faith who risked death and kept the faith. The fellowship in those ancestral villages was strong. They lived together in God, prayed together, farmed, and shared together. He had now seen a living example of this kind of life.
 
He was able to meditate on the spirituality of these old Catholic villages that he had only heard and read about in the past. He felt that what he saw that day would linger a long time in his imagination and thoughts. He hoped it would bring about a change in his own desire— concerned for his own needs.
 
In June Pope Francis said: "Now more than ever the claim to focus everything on ourselves is illusory — to make individualism the guiding principle of society has proved to be illusory." 

Individualism is one of the structural sins in society with which we as Christians need to do battle. This radical individualism is something that is maintained from within by our own understanding of who we are. I make my own meaning and everything is my personal choice. I decide who I am. This is prevalent in society and contrary to our Christian relationship to God and others.

Seeing with the Inner Eye

In the Peace Column of the Catholic Peace Weekly  a college professor discovers that as the corona virus situation prolongs she speaks less. If not really necessary she refrains from speaking and does not talk on her hand phone unless alone when she can take off her mask.
 
Instead, the gaze seems to have become a little richer. She looks at people and things more closely than before. In particular, she looks, unknowingly, deeper into the eyes of the person she meets. The only thing that can be seen from the masked face is the eyes, so there is no other way. It made her reflect at great length very naturally on the meaning of what is seen.
 
The eye is the most complex of human sense organs.
Since ancient times, the eyes have been regarded as windows to convey thoughts and emotions. That's why it was called 'the window of the heart'. Modern neuroscientists say that "we see with the brain, not with the eyes." That means the eye is a cognitive organ. The Eastern Orthodox icon is painted with the eyes large and the mouth relatively small, without exception. It makes us understand the spiritual dimension given to the eye.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

This complex function of the eye is defined by the scientist and Christian theologian Teilhard de Chardin as the core of life activities. "One could say that the whole of life lies in seeing — if not ultimately, at least essentially... But unity grows, and we will affirm this again, only if it is supported by an increase of consciousness, of vision."
 
If so how do we go about seeing? And how to synthesize what you see and reflect it in life? The answer is found in the words of Pope St. John XXIII from the Latin: "See all, overlook much, correct little" (Omnia videre, multa dissimulare, pauca corrigere).
 
Human biological vision is very limited. Therefore, 'seeing all' will not mean seeing all or seeing a lot. It may mean to adjust the direction of one's thoughts by taking a closer look and to uncover what is not visible. In short, it means a deep insight into people and things: expanding our gaze to the essence of life hidden beyond the phenomenon.
 
For the ancient Greeks, education was fundamentally the development of a good way to see. Plato presupposed that every soul can learn the truth and the eyes to see it. Education was to help them turn their attention in the direction of the original strength of vision they once possessed.
 
"Education is to turn the whole soul's direction away from this world of change so that the eyes of the soul can finally see the reality and see with the best of light what we call the good."
 
If so, seeing properly is discerning the good in our daily lives and going one step further to practice the good. Of course, this kind of gaze is not acquired overnight. As with any proficiency, learning to see properly requires patience, hard work, and repetitive learning. There is always something else behind all phenomena.
 
Behind the clean office is the person who cleaned it. Behind the box delivered at the door is a courier driver who brought it. Behind the fruit on the table is a farmer who shed tears during last summer's typhoon. Is this not the starting point of learning, to encourage ourselves to see 'the other side—beyond' in our daily life? If we have the desire and intention it is possible.

Don't Deny a Person's Major—Opinion

A missioner writing in a Bulletin for priests recalls his course in logic and the way they analyzed the syllogism. It is divided into three parts: the major premise, the minor, and the conclusion. "All life dies, I have life, I will die." An example of a syllogism that all will agree with, but many are not that obvious.

The professor recommended that we try not to deny a person's major. We can disagree on the minor premise and conclusion and hope to come to a better understanding of the topic from the discussion. At that time, it didn't make much sense to the writer but the years brought understanding.
 
In most cases, we hear major premises difficult to accept such as "Life is not worth living" and thousands of other premises we hear daily in conversation.  
The major premise in many cases for the speaker is an obvious statement; it's not only the head but the heart that speaks—the reason dialogue is difficult when we disagree.  
 

We need to make efforts to understand where the person is coming from and agree with what we can to begin the dialogue. It's not that we agree with what is said but to find something that we can sympathize with and it may only be the feelings with which the person expresses their view. However, in many cases, we deny unconditionally the major premise and for all intents and purposes, dialogue ceases.
 
Both in society and within the church we have polarization on many different levels. One of the most evident is the division between the left and right, the progressives and conservatives. In Korea, we have the same polarization, also within the church but not as serious as in many other countries.
 
The issue appears in economics, politics, and religion with gut-level feelings that can even become health problems. As Catholics what should be our attitude? It's a dangerous topic to bring up because of the feelings that can be generated—presently seen in the issue between North and South Korea. 

In Matt. 13:52 "a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old." The liberals see the new and the conservatives see the old. They both have an attachment to the truth. The liberals certainly don't deny everything from the past nor do the conservatives deny all that is new. They both want the truth.

Our upbringing, education, personalities, and experiences all help to orientate us in one direction or another but when it becomes so powerful that it closes off contact with the other, we do have a serious issue and we are seeing this daily in the news.

When we ignore another because of their position and avoid contact society becomes fragmented; matters will get worse over time.  With contact open and opportunities to talk, we have hope.  

Each one of us is called to be an instrument of peace, by uniting and not dividing, by extinguishing hatred in all its manifestation by opening paths to dialogue. Sympathizing with another in some way does not mean agreeing or condoning what is said but keeping the doors of dialogue open. Is this not what Pope Francis is doing? And the reason, sadly, that he is the object of misunderstanding in many quarters of Catholic Society.

Regaining the Trust of the Faithful

 

In a column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, a priest writes about the way religious' leaders are to recover trust among the citizens. "A person who teaches and guides another, their shadows should not be stepped on." That is a lot of respect.

Recently a famous Buddhist Monk who has written several books, translated in many languages, appeared on a celebrity program revealing his daily life schedule. He was living in downtown Seoul, where the scenery was not a temple. Criticism was quick to come from all directions. "I am not a building owner and pay rent." was his response. He did say he would leave everything and return to his monastery and continue his study of Buddhism and practices. The Buddhist community did not make any official comment on the controversy.

A famous Protestant pastor is being tried on charges of pre-election campaigns and defamation, and blaspheme and heresy with remarks such as: "God don't mess with me or you're dead." At a general meeting, he was not convicted of blasphemy.

Former Cardinal McCarrick of the United States was a respected Catholic clergyman, but amid controversy over sexual crimes, Pope Francis suspended him and deprived him of the priesthood. At the beginning of last year, it was found in a church trial he was consistent in his sex crimes for over 20 years.

Because of the immoral behavior of some of the religious leaders distrust continues to increase among the faithful. A 2017 survey by the Korea Press Promotion Foundation found that among seven occupations, elementary school students do not trust religious people the most. "Greedy dogs that are never satisfied. Shepherds who know nothing. They all go their own way, each after his own interest (Isaiah 56:11).

According to the National Statistical Office's announcement, as of 2015, the total religious population was 21.5 million (43.9%) and the non-religious population was 27.5 million (56.1%). The number of religious people declined by 9.0% from 2005.

A big question is being raised as to whether a religious leader who should be called a teacher can lead believers on the right path once they have lost trust? Saint Augustine even said: "A proud priest is on the same level as the devil."

The Holy See conducted a two-year fact-finding investigation into former Cardinal McCarrick's alleged sex offenses, and as a result, released a 450-page report. Pope Francis said in a general meeting: "We feel ashamed when we realize that our way of life goes against what we say we believe. As a church community, we admit we weren't where we should have been and that we haven't moved on time, realizing the severity of the harm done to countless lives."

In 2018 the head of the Korean Council of Bishops apologized to the public for the sexual offenses of priests. He also revealed the church's position on strict punishment for sexual crimes and prevention education. "The priests are reprimanded for falling into the evils of secular culture and pleasure. With atonement and a contrite heart, we will thoroughly check the facts of reports on sexual offenses of priests, and punish them severely by canon and the legal laws of society." 

Saint Gregory of Nazianzus said: "Before you cleanse others, you must first cleanse yourself, learn to teach, become a light to shine, and draw close to God to draw others close to God."

The Hermit's Cell with Three Windows

 

On the first week of Advent, the 2021 pastoral messages were published by all the dioceses presenting the different intentions for the believers to pursue during the corona pandemic. A pastor in one of the dioceses writes in the Eyes of the Believer column of the Catholic Times of the three windows that need to be opened.

We have Dioceses that want to create communities bearing witness to the joy of the Gospel, dioceses that urge us to live the spirit of the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. Andrew Kim, those that emphasize the prophetic vocation of the church to care for the socially weak. These aspirations are under the church's fundamental call to Mission—missionary parish communities conveying the joy of the Gospel in the home, parish, and the world, priests and laity working together to accomplish this (The Joy of the Gospel #35).

"Pastoral ministry in a missionary style is not obsessed with the disjointed transmission of a multitude of doctrines to be insistently imposed. When we adopt a pastoral goal and a missionary style that would actually reach everyone without exception or exclusion, the message has to concentrate on the essentials, on what is most beautiful, most grand, most appealing, and at the same time most necessary. The message is simplified while losing none of its depth and truth, and thus becomes all the more forceful and convincing." 

The world is experiencing difficulties due to the corona pandemic, the first thing the church should do is to read the signs of this era and respond correctly. Now, the church should not stay within its own borders but go outside to find the lost sheep and the suffering and marginalized people and become a "missionary church". 

There is also an aspect of missionary expansion where numbers are desired but the more fundamental purpose is to share and witness the love of God experienced by the church.

He introduces the readers to Juliana of Norwich an English anchorite born in 1342. She was a mystic whose life we no little, who lived the life of a hermit. It was a very dark time with the Black Plague and the Hundred Years' War between England and France which devastated the lives of the people and a church that in many areas was corrupt and decadent. 

Everything was a total disaster— gloomy and hopeless times. Juliana conveys God's love and mercy for the sufferings of the world through visions, and gives deep comfort to those living in pain by delivering the ultimate message of hope that 'everything will be well'. 

At the age of 30, before becoming a hermit, Juliana was seriously ill and close to death. At that time, she experienced 16 visions. After this experience, she recovered and lived as a hermit. At this time, she left the world and lived in a small room attached to a church, devoting himself to prayer and contemplation. 

Her room had three windows, one for food and living needs, one that faced the church's altar, and the last one for the bustling streets of Norwich, the center of trade and commerce. It was this window that Juliana spoke to those on the streets and prayed for those who came to find comfort during those difficult days. She was a 'secluded religious in the world' who communicated with the world while living a 'lifetime in self-isolation' (quarantined) in a small room.

 

If Juliana used only two windows to communicate with God and closed the window on the street because of the noise, she would have remained a hermit for her personal needs. However, through the third window, she consoled, strengthened, and prayed for those who came. 

When the church closes the window to the world, it is a closed church, a self-centered church. A community that communicates and shares only among themselves becomes a selfish community with selfish believers. The church also needs three windows. Among them, the window to the world. In the Corona era, we look at communicating, and comforting people suffering, with a window to the world, like Juliana of Norwich. Is this not what we need to reflect on during times of disaster as one of the church's basic missions?

The Power of True Love

 

"I love you" these words are heard even on a telephone to the client from the store where a purchase was made. The writer of an article in Bible and Life magazine on the topic of love was flustered for a few moments when he heard these words but did say thank you. 

 

Is not the word love one of the noblest and most used? Present in conversations of those in love, at the beginning of counseling sessions, frequent in poems, songs, and dramas; the whole world is filled with the word. It is the first of all the commands of Jesus but is it realized in our lives? No, it's not. The word is heard often but those loving and those loved are far from being the same. It is often a word that has lost its meaning.

 

However, in this world, there is a love that nobody can deny, and that is the love of parents for their children. Jesus called God his father and the love between them is the love that Jesus taught and generally the love of parents for their children is the expression of this love which is representative of all love.

 

But is the love that parents have for their children always a good example? There is a Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho that was released in 2009— 'Mother'. Briefly, it is the story of a son who was accused of killing a girl and the mother works alone to save him from what she thought was a false accusation. However when she realized that her son did kill the girl the mother then kills the only witness and allows an innocent young man who was suspected of the crime to go to jail instead of her son. 

 

This love was cruel and violent a love that was directed only to her son a very narrow love. Is this kind of love only seen in the cinema? The writer mentions several similar stories that have been in the news recently showing a similar distorted love for their children.

 

This kind of distorted love is shown in different ways and degrees—love for oneself but harmful to others: fear of low rent homes and facilities for the disabled in one's neighborhood, dislike of those who are not from one's part of the country, and those that speak differently, a deep patriotism that leads to animosity and hostility to the North. This is not all! The weakest of all human beings are fetuses which are threatened with death and religions that consider love as their greatest goal terrorize and are violent to other religions and persons.

 

The problem is not that our love is small but rather narrow. Jesus reminds us: If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them... Instead, love your enemies and do good... (Luke 6:32).

 

Jesus' love extends from oneself to family to all those around us and even to the enemy. Many who hear these words may want to answer: "I have problems loving my family and asked to love my enemies! Is that possible?"

 

He concludes the article with the statement that we are made to love. We are to imitate the God who made us. Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. The love we have needs to go out to give life to the world (John 12:24 reference)

'Platform Workers' and Human Rights

The second Sunday of Advent is Human Rights Sunday in Korea and the week following is devoted to becoming acquainted with the Social Gospel. An article on platform workers was featured in the present issue of the Catholic Times, along with an editorial. Platform workers are individuals who use an app or a website to connect with customers, to provide a service in return for money.

In particular, it should be noted that amidst the social upheaval driven by the corona-virus infection-19, human rights are being taken away in a new field that has not been seen before. One of them is the case of people engaged in labor through these "digital platforms".

This is a blind spot for human rights in our day. Respecting human beings and promoting human rights are principles the gospel requires of believers. The value of human rights in many fields has increased as our social democracy has been restored and developed. However, we must never forget that there are still people who are suffering from economic logic and are deprived of their human rights.
 
Delivering food, booking accommodation for travel, and using smartphone apps for taxis have become routine. It is an era where you can receive items from the other side of the world with just one finger at home. In the aftermath of the 4th Industrial Revolution and Corona-virus 19, the demand for "platform workers" has risen sharply.
 

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the platform market has increased by 26% annually and is expected to continue to grow in the future. "You can work as much as you want. You can work when you want to work, and you can rest when you want to rest." These are sweet words promoted by the platform industry. And the fact is the number of workers continues to increase due to the low entry barrier.
 
According to an analysis of the Korea Employment Information Service last year, there is a maximum of 540,000 Korean platform workers, which are estimated to be 2% of all workers. The World Bank estimates that there will be 120 million global platform workers this year. This year, more and more people are looking for platform labor in the aftermath of Corona 19.

Consequently, because of the pandemic agencies that would deliver all kinds of goods such as food became popular and workers appeared to do this kind of work since many were not able to continue in their previous occupations and were happy to have a job.

The legal or human rights protection for them is poor compared to the demanding workload. This is because the existing Labor Standards Act cannot protect them, and our society is not making efforts to improve human rights  of those in a society blind spot.
 
One of the workers was quoted as saying that it's not as easy as the industry makes it out to be. A delivery driver from Company A, also known as a 'rider' fell from his motorcycle while delivering two cups of coffee. Wearing a helmet did not lead to serious injury, but he reported the situation to headquarters. The answer that came back was what happened to the coffee. The conversation ended, charging the rider for two spilled coffees. It shows the reality of platform workers with responsibility but no authority.
 
Pope Francis emphasized the importance of human rights in a speech in November, saying, "We must realize that the image of God is engraved in everyone, including the poorest and most despised." Believers must protect human rights and be concerned with the practice of social teaching. Let's not forget that others are suffering in a corner of society, where the corona-virus crisis continues.