The Awkwardness of saying: Merry Christmas!

In the Catholic Peace Weekly, Peace Column, a Korean Student living in the States doing research work gives us some of his thoughts on experiencing Christmas this year in the States. His observations have been the reality for many years and a dilemma that is faced by many Christians in modern society. Today, liturgically, we end the Christmas season for another year. 

The Christmas holidays in the United States feel like Chuseok or Lunar New Year holidays in Korea. In the United States, where it is common for everyone to live far apart, they find time from Christmas to New Year's Day, to meet, share food, and spend time with family they have not seen for some time.

This year's Christmas was no different from previous years. Beautiful Christmas decorations everywhere, cafes and stores with carols blaring, excited people, and supermarkets and stores that were busier than usual were all things that made his heart flutter.

However, there was something he felt particularly different while spending this Christmas season in the States. People’s greetings have changed. Obviously, the representative Christmas greeting is ‘Merry Christmas,’ but many people who use it have disappeared. Instead, more people say ‘Happy Holidays!’

The United States is a multi-ethnic country and people of various religions live there, including Jews, Muslims, and Hindus. At some point, the concept that greeting people without emphasizing 'Christmas' was being open to other peoples' feelings, and being more inclusive. Consequently, Happy Holidays for people of different religions began to spread in society, and as a result, with the best of intentions the use of Merry Christmas as a greeting continues to decrease.

But in fact, the meanings of these two greetings are very different. ‘Happy Holidays’ literally means saying ‘Have a nice holiday!’ The holidays are coming soon, so have a good time. ‘Merry Christmas’ has a much bigger and more important meaning.

‘Merry’ means ‘rejoicing’ rather than ‘happy’, and ‘Christmas’ means ‘Christ’s Mass’. Therefore, when put together, it means ‘Rejoice in the Mass of Christ!’

‘Merry Christmas’ means for believers to remember and be thankful for the birth of Jesus, the Creator of the world, who came among us as a child.  ‘Happy Holidays’ to people of different religions may be hiding Jesus and not sharing the gospel with those who are Christians.

Jesus said this: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Therefore, the mission of proclaiming the gospel has been given to all of us. Although becoming a missionary and receiving a mission to proclaim the gospel is something else. He thinks that the greeting of proclaiming the gospel, “Merry Christmas,” is something that all of us can do.

In a world where it is difficult to find Jesus among all the fancy things we see during the season, one thing that is indispensable to Christmas is Jesus Christ. If 'Christ' is missing from Christmas, if Jesus Christ, who came to the world as an infant to save us, was not lying in a manger, there would be no brilliant Christmas tree, no sound of carols, no Santa Claus waiting for children to say 'Merry Christmas' but a ‘fun holiday’. Even though it might be a little embarrassing, how about remembering this next Christmas? 'Merry Christmas!'

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Bridge Builders

The Catholic Times gives the readers a meditation on bridge building by a Brother of the Korean Taize Community.

We live in an era of numerous disconnections. Different interests and beliefs conflict, and generations, cultures, and identities divide people. The division and factions show no signs of abating. Politics and religion, which are supposed to fulfill the function and role of social integration, not only fail to do so but also increase division and conflict. Even within political parties gathered for the same purpose, people who speak differently cannot be tolerated. Churches and believers who preach love, discriminate, and promote hatred.

Many people say that they feel lonely when they are alone and that it is painful when they are together. Now, beyond the nuclear family, the terms ‘nuclear household’ and ‘nuclear individual’ have emerged. For them, community is a pie in the sky. His friend, who had moved to an apartment, took rice cakes to his next-door neighbor and heard: “Why are you giving them to me?” As housing patterns and lifestyles have changed, many people are learning how to cook and raise children through the Internet rather than from their parents or neighbors.

The young generation saw numerous social disasters and realized that the state could not protect them. They know that even family cannot provide a strong fence if parents do not have financial power. In this way, Korea became a society of people living their own lives. The total fertility rate of 0.7 was not created overnight.

Many young people say that religion gives little meaning to their lives. In addition to human isolation, living without a relationship with God or a transcendent being is another form of poverty.

The world of politics has little to say on how everyone can live together in peace or in what direction society should move. Mainstream religions also cannot easily break away from long-standing practices with systems, and languages that only they understand. 

For people struggling to survive in their daily lives, politics is a power struggle, and even religion is seen as an interest group. Religion's message to society does not resonate with them and seems distant from their lives. When politics and religion are confined to their own strongholds and fail to provide vision and inspiration to the public, voices for the common good disappear. Consumption, advertising, entertainment, and dramas fill the void.

However, there are people around us who do not ignore the conflicts and wounds between individuals and society, but listen to the weak and stand by their side. People who do not see differences as mistakes or obstacles are ready for friendships that transcend boundaries and barriers. They see and celebrate diversity as natural and beautiful. He wants to share that story. 

The world does not change through criticism and condemnation alone. Everyone of goodwill must join together to find a new path with a new vision. In this era where cynicism and frustration are rampant, the person who creates hope is the person who builds bridges where they find ruptures.

A Culture of Dialogue

In the Catholic Times Theological Lecture Hall column the director of the Catholic Culture and Theology Research Center gives the readers some thoughts to mell over in his last article of the series.

We are witnessing a huge change in an era. It is difficult to predict where the development of artificial intelligence and life science technology will take our lives, or where changes in the Earth's ecology caused by climate change will push us. Meaning, values, and communal ideals no longer work in an economy-centered capitalist social system. It feels like our future is moving in a dehumanizing direction. What will we do in this era of great transition?

There is a need for a general reexamination of the way we have lived so far and the operating system that makes the world work. Bruno Latour diagnoses the greatest threat as a "lack of adequate preparation for the coming civilization." Latour suggests that we create hypotheses about the future and design new modes of existence and operating systems. He calls the act of seeking and exploring specific ways of implementation through negotiation 'diplomacy'. 

A person of faith is a person who lives an awake life now, waiting for the Lord's second coming. A Christian is a person who lives a life of Advent, a life of waiting and preparing for his coming. Christians, by their very nature, are always prospective human beings. It is often misunderstood that religion focuses on the past, that is, tradition and history. However, "religion has been both retrospective and prospective from the very beginning."  

Christianity is rooted in sacred tradition, but at the same time, it has always sought eschatological completion. It is a time when everything is shaking. "We will no longer be able to liberate ourselves in the way we functioned in the past. It is a completely new situation." (Bruno Latour) 

Today’s world urgently requires vision and prospects for the future rather than fidelity to tradition and history. It's a difficult road. "The past and present can theoretically be measured, but the future cannot be measured. "The past is causally intertwined with the present, but the future is not."  However, to prevent catastrophe and explore possibilities, we must re-adjust the way we think, act, and live according to the outlook for the future. And we have to change it. 

Today, everyone talks about the crisis of the church and faith. It is increasingly difficult to find youth and younger generations in the church. However, this does not mean that new methods for the elderly generation are being found and implemented. The way faith is lived, the way pastoral care is realized, and the operating system of the church still follow the existing ones. There are church members who are working hard toward change and renewal, but the overall trend of the church feels like they are just watching helplessly. Although the outlook is grim, there are also glimmers of hope. 

He mentions several examples of life within the Korean  Church. They were minor traces of faith, but to him they seemed like proof that the desire for faith exists in every corner of the world. People still want faith and community (church). It's just that today's church is not fulfilling that wish and nurturing it. A new way of believing and a new church operating system are required. 

There is a need for fundamental reflection and renewal of the existing way of religious life and the existing church operating system. Some people argue that the crisis can be overcome through a return to tradition. It may be a solution, but it is not a fundamental solution. Starting from the present, the past and future are always connected. However, in an era of massive paradigm shifts, what is more needed is an outlook toward the future and reflection on the present rather than nostalgia for the past. 

Forecasting the future does not simply mean making a fuss about predictions and inferences. It may be uncertain, but it means reflecting on the here and now and preparing for the future through future vision and prospects. This does not mean living a life of anxiety and confusion, but believing in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and living a life of wakefulness and preparation here and now. 

We need a new way of living. Not just critical reflection on the present, but unable to come up with concrete alternatives. How can changes in the way we live our faith and renewal of the system that operates the church be realized? A political revolution that seeks changes in structures and systems, a cultural revolution that promotes changes in thinking and behavior, what is more suitable for change and renewal in the church? 

The way we live and our operating system are closely connected. Synodalitas aims for both changes in the way faith is lived and changes in the church's operating system. Proposing an alternative does not mean proposing a specific program. There is no groundbreaking program that solves everything at once. 

The Christian revolution is a revolution in daily life through changes in beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyles. A true revolution must be premised on a change in perception, new imagination, and a change in lifestyle and attitude. Of course, ideas, culture, laws, and institutions influence each other. However, the general sequence is that changes in thinking and perception lead to changes in culture, which then lead to changes in laws and institutions. The church has a strong tendency to pursue change and renewal through education and culture rather than political revolution. Culture means a way of living in a broad sense. Faith must also become culture.  

Believers must achieve a “courageous cultural revolution” in this turbid world (Laudato Si, paragraph 114). Fundamental change begins with dialogue, asking new questions, and sharing honest thoughts and reflections. A conversation is not a debate. This is not a fight for logical superiority. It is an act of seeking personal change through sharing honest words. Conversation is not aimed at change in others, but rather at change in oneself. Synodalitas begins with listening and dialogue. Let’s allow a culture of dialogue where honest words are shared and flourish within the church. A revolution in faith begins through honest dialogue, not struggle. 

Let us form a new culture of faith. Let’s create a unique culture of faith, even if it’s only with a few people. Let’s find a new language and a new way of acting rather than the given language and existing way of acting. Let us reframe the questions ourselves. Let's create a culture of life that focuses on the breadth, and depth of faith and spirituality rather than power, status, accomplishments, and achievements. Let’s create a culture of discovering and loving the 'saints next door' who provide religious inspiration rather than those in power and imaginary beings. The revolution in faith is achieved through education (study) and culture (way of life). There is an urgent need for an overall review and reconstruction of the church's religious education and religious culture. 

Generational Differences

The Catholic Peace Weekly Peace columnist looks at the different Korean generations and gives us his understanding of the situation.

Time passed quickly and the year-end and New Year holidays arrived. He dreams of the New Year with new expectations and excitement. There are many expectations for the political world ahead of the general election, an economy struggling to escape low growth, and a struggle to resolve the demographic cliff and polarization. The reality is harsh and the future is unclear. Still, life has to go on. Change and innovation come with pain and suffering. One generation passes and the next generation takes the baton. The older generation hangs their heads in despondency, while the new generation feels gloom.

A strong wind of generational change is blowing throughout society. People born in the 1970s and 1980s rose to executive positions. Next year, will be the 60th birthday of those born in 1964, the youngest of the baby boom generation (born 1950-1964). Officially retired from active duty. Their backs look lonely. You have to wait three years after retirement to receive your pension, but the expenses only pile up. They experienced the harsh storms of modern history, including the Yushin dictatorship and the foreign exchange crisis. Nevertheless, they were able to establish their own home, take care of their parents, and raise their children with little problem.

Afterward, the 386 generations (born between 1960 and 1969) played a leading role in democratization in the 1980s. We threw stones during the day and discussed democratization while drinking makgeolli at night. However, the collectivist culture that organized them clashed with the individualistic culture of their younger siblings in Generation X (born 1970-1979). ‘X’ means ‘unknown ’ To that extent, they appear quite different from the previous generation— the biggest change in the generation gap. They are individualists who grew up in affluence and do not pay attention to what others think. They are the first generation to take the CSAT (national college entrance exam) and are in their 40s.

Generation X was followed by the millennial generation (born between 1980 and 1994), also known as Generation Y. These are young office workers who have just started entering society. It is the first generation to go digital, but at the same time, it pursues the analog sensibility that stimulates childhood nostalgia. 'Work and  Life  Balance' and YOLO (You only live once)  are their values for happiness in the present moment. 

The generation born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s is called Generation Z (born 1995-2004). These people are mainly children of Generation X and are more familiar with smartphones and YouTube than PCs. Inheriting liberal values from their parents, they respect diversity and pursue balance and practicality in life.

Generational change is fate in human life. A baton touch is when the player in front passes the baton to the next player. The baton does not only contain money, power, and fame. It contains experience, skills, and the right direction in life. The reason why the gospel of Christ has become an indicator of life for generations for 2,000 years is because of Jesus' love and training of his disciples. 

According to various public opinion polls, the conflict between generations is becoming more severe. The big reason is the difficulty in forming relationships—  dialogue and collaboration between generations. In particular, the younger generation responded that it was difficult to communicate with the previous generation and understand their thoughts. 

It is perhaps natural to feel generational differences depending on age, era, and background. However, the problem lies in shifting responsibility to the other in times of crisis and conflict. The path I walk today becomes a milestone for others in the future.

The previous generation must let go of its authoritarian vested interests and make room for the new generation. The next generation must embrace the seniority of the previous generation that is leaving. To do this, we need open-minded dialogue in each other's languages. I hope that we will avoid admonishing conversations like when 'I was your age'— and at least stop scolding the older generation for not knowing new words.

Loving More Deeply

In View from the Ark column of the Catholic Times a newly appointed pastor reflects on what would be the results of loving more and more deeply.

As we usher in the January 1st, the New Year he doesn't set any grand goals for the new year, but his first task in the new year is to offer a Mass on the Feast of the Virgin Mary Mother of God, and pray that he will not be lazy in the things he has to do, and will be able to do the new things he needs to do carefully in the future. 

Last year, he remembers the day when he came to the Dongducheon Parish community to assume his first role as pastor. Half of the burden—Will he be able to do well in a parish with a long history of over 60 years, as he has only been a priest for 7 years? The history of the parish is strong, so if he works hard, he will be able to learn a lot! 

To sum it up, the past year spent in the Dongducheon Parish community was a time of ‘receiving without giving anything, so much so that he feels sorry'. What moved him the most was the unconditional love they had for each other after knowing each other for a long time. He often hears from the members of the community about other members: "I even know how many spoons and chopsticks there are in that house!" Words that you rarely hear these days. This family-like atmosphere was truly a great gift from God.

In fact, our parish lives as ‘two families under one roof.’ This is thanks to the birth of the ‘Dongducheon International Catholic Community (DICC)’ for immigrant and refugee believers based in our parish in 2012. 

However, the relationship between the Dongducheon parish community and DICC is stronger than the relationship between general parishes and ethnic communities. On ordinary Sundays, Mass is offered separately, but on the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord and the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, the parish is cleaned and a Mass is offered together. DICC is invited to big events in the parish community, and conversely, parishioners are invited to big events in DICC. Although they are two communities of different nationalities and languages, they have been communicating through hand gestures and foot gestures and sharing joys and sorrows together for over 10 years. Watching from the side, it seems as if they have reached the stage of ‘pretending to pretend’.

Nevertheless, there are still many mountains to overcome. This is because conflicts arising from cultural differences still persist. Immigrants in the Dongducheon area, where the majority are located are from the African continent. They choose to stay within the immigrant community, protecting their own language and culture, rather than learning the Korean language and culture and entering the larger society. This was their choice, but it was also forced upon them by Korean society. 

A small number of people who know how to speak Korean are appointed as foremen, give orders, and make them work long hours, so the way for them to take Korean language classes is blocked. In a situation like this, it is impossible to one-sidedly blame those who find peace by eating food from their home country with their compatriots, who are the only people they can communicate with within a country where they do not speak the same language. 

Although the pastor feels frustrated watching from the sidelines, the parish families who have been dealing with American soldiers for over 60 years hug them tightly even as they express their frustration. They leave the parish with a smile, saying: "Today, too, we have committed the sin of not being able to love in our pettiness."

Peace among people is only possible when we embrace each other as we are and love each other. It seems that ‘love as it is’ is something that we take for granted in our heads, but we do not feel it in our hearts, much less live it. If only I could love my family, friends, immigrants, and even people with whom I disagree, who are on the opposite side of me, how much more would this world resemble God's love and the kingdom of God that has already arrived? On this first day of the New Year, when we honor the Mother of God, we would like to ask the Queen of Peace to fill us with love that will bring peace among us. This year, may we all have a year of loving more and more deeply.

Close But Far— Gyodong Island

The Catholic Peace Weekly featured an article in the Christmas edition on Gyodong Island and the Peace Center headlined: "When will the wind of peace blowing in Gyodong Island reach North Korea?"

A view of Hwanghae-do, North Korea, as seen from the northern coast of Gyodong Island. A long line of white buildings stands out. "I envy the birds that freely travel between North and South Korea, unlike us humans who are blocked by barbed wire fences."

(隔江千里) This is a Chinese phrase that means although close together, as if there is a river in between them, it feels like they are a thousand miles away. This is a very familiar expression to the residents of Gyodong Island, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, the ‘island closest to North Korea’. This phrase also appears in the title of a poem written by the late grandmother Lee Beom-ok (Cecilia), a first-generation displaced person from the North. This poem deeply expresses her earnest longing for Yeonbaek-gun, Hwanghae-do, North Korea.

Yeonbaek-gun, which was south of the 38th parallel at the time of division, was the same living area as Gyodong Island until the Korean War. As the bombing intensified during the war, the residents of Yeonbaek-gun took refuge in Gyodong Island.  Their number reached 20,000, twice as many as the island's native population. However, after the armistice agreement, the western ceasefire line was established north of the 38th parallel, and refugees suddenly became unable to return to their hometowns. Quite a few people made Gyodong Island their new home. Most of them were skilled farmers who harvested crops from the Yeonbaek Plain, one of the most fertile areas on the Korean Peninsula. The displaced people worked hard to reclaim the wasteland on Gyodong Island in South Korea and turned it into fertile soil. Always harboring a longing for home.

Religious members of the Sisters of the Virgin Mary of the Martyrs stationed at the  ‘Reconciliation and Peace Center’ in Gyodong are  Apostles of Peace on the Island. 

Ahead of the Christmas feast of the Lord, the journalist visited Gyodong Island, where the joys and sorrows of the displaced people are everywhere. It must have been the Lord’s will that the Sisters of the Queen of Martyrs, with a mission to the north, established the ‘Reconciliation and Peace Center’ on this land.

The Reconciliation and Peace Center, whose goal is to make Gyodong Island a bridgehead for peace, started in 2019 in a 10-pyeong commercial building. Afterwards, land was received from the Diocese of Incheon, and a new building was built to which they moved in June of 2023.

The center explains the history of the island to those who visit Gyodong Island and provides education on reconciliation and peace. They are also religious guides, holding Bible reading classes for local residents. These are all efforts of the church in hopes of peace. On the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, the center directors Sister Kang Min-ah (Mary John) and Sister Ko Seong-sun (Marie Michelle) wrote a Christmas card to people living in the North, but it should be said that it was closer to a prayer without a recipient. 

Gyodong-do peace activist Kim Young-ae (Therese, 67), representative of the ‘Our Nuri Peace Movement,’ said: "The nuns are encouraging the spirit of peace in Gyodong-do." As a second-generation displaced person Therese shares the same faith and dream and has helped the sisters to adjust to the island.

She said, “I am happy and grateful that the ‘Apostles of Peace’ have come to our 'Island of Peace'. I believe that the two nuns will make Gyo-dong an island full of blessings in the future through the peace and reconciliation movement.”

After seeing Therese off the two nuns and the journalist went visiting on Gyodong Island. The first place they stopped at was Daeryong Market, the center of Gyodong Island. It is a place created by displaced people from Yeonbaek-gun, modeled after the market in their hometown. It is a place like a ‘time machine’ that retains the appearance of the 1960s and 1970s, so many tourists visit it. The restaurant selling Hwanghae-do-style soup and cold noodles was crowded with customers.

The nuns of the Reconciliation and Peace Center were truly ‘popular stars’ in Daeryong Market. In every store we pass by, merchants say: “Sister, it’s been a while". 

The nuns, who had been walking diligently amidst a warm welcome, stopped in front of an old store. It is the oldest general store in Daeryong Market, operating since 1952. It was a useful place that sold daily necessities to refugees, but now it was selling fur hats, toothpaste, etc.

The owner, An Sun-mo (Maria, 92), is a first-generation displaced person. When she was 20, she fled from Yeonbaek-gun to Gyodong-do and ran her shop for 70 years, raising her son to become a doctor. Her small two-pyeong store with a fireplace on  Gyodong Island is a very familiar place on the island. She even refused her son's invitation to come to Seoul and live comfortably, she said. The journalist cautiously asked: “Don’t you want to go to your hometown?” The grandmother thought for a moment and then gave a short answer. "It’s good to go". In that fleeting moment, he could read the longing in the grandmother's eyes.

Another specialty of Daeryong Market is a musical  performance performed by local residents. The band name is KD, an abbreviation for ‘Gyo-dong’.  "We need to meet the band leader," He was none other than the Gyodong Mission Station vice president— Soon-bok Kwon (Joseph, 60),  a native of Gyodong-do for generations. He welcomed the unexpected guests and showed them the practice room he had built within the center. Music classes are also held here for seniors. At the year-end concert held at the Reconciliation and Peace Center on the 2nd, Mr. Kwon presented a wonderful performance. As the conversation continued, we learned something unexpected. He was the youngest person to serve as vice president of the mission station.

The origins of the mission station go back to a  religious community established by displaced people from Hwanghae Province as members of the  Ganghwa Parish in the Diocese of Incheon in 1958. Currently, it belongs to Hajeom Parish. The situation between North and South Korea brought pain, but it also brought forth the fruits of faith.

Many of his friends have passed away, and they don't have anyone to sing anymore. Not long ago, he went to the hospital with some elderly people and it was heartbreaking. He hopes all of our friends stay healthy for a long time. “That’s my Christmas wish.”

“It is a great tragedy that we, who are brothers and blood relatives, hate each other and look at each other with hatred. “I hope the day comes soon when we can see each other as brothers and sisters again.” (Sister Marie-Johanne Kang Min-ah)

“I hope that our people will no longer be hostile to each other, but will embrace the pain and achieve reconciliation and unity in the peace of the Lord.” (Sister Marie Michel Ko Seong-sun)

A Meditation on the Universe

In the Catholic Times a former journalist gives the readers a meditation on the heavens in the Eyes of the Believer Column.

"Asteroids are the key to unlocking the secrets of the origin and evolution of the solar system—Ancient astronomy thrown into the history of time— Science that shows as much as you know— The overwhelming feeling of deciding to become an astronomer— Hot and exciting— A universe full of news— All matter beyond the horizon sucked into its space— Astronomers wanting to spread their passion— Cosmic mega-structures that stimulate the imagination—" Although they are short phrases, they are enough to spark intellectual curiosity. They are quotes from eight young astronomers in "90 Days of the Universe," A Korean book by 8 astronomers on the universe, space, and cosmas which the columnist recently read.

"Scientific tools like the James Webb Space Telescope give astrophysicists the potential for new discoveries. We will be able to see how the universe continues to expand and change before our eyes. Above all, we are amazed by the vastness of the universe and the countless galaxies, stars, and planets that have been identified so far. In both science and philosophy, we can be tempted to get only the results we expect. But may you always be inspired by your love of truth and may you feel the wonder of all things through each piece of the universe."

This is a message that Pope Francis sent to young astronomers last June. They were participants in the Vatican Observatory's summer school, and the Pope's words resonated with the columnist as strongly as the book that excited him. In fact, it's been a couple of months since he posted any content on space-related media. We mainly reprocess foreign news articles, including those from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since he is unfamiliar with the fields of astronomy and space, he relies on related books, news, and information. It is fun to learn about the vast universe that reveals itself and beckons.

How should we understand creation and evolution, theology and science, religion, and the universe? As he brings up the story of space, questions like these keep coming. First, it was clearly summarized by Pope Pius XII 73 years ago. "The Magisterium of the Church does not prohibit the study and discussion of human experience in the two fields of human science and sacred theology related to the theory of evolution." (See Encyclical Humanity, paragraph 36). Then, in 1996, Pope St. John Paul II stated: "Darwin’s theory of evolution does not contradict Catholic doctrine."

Science and faith are at odds over the 13.8 billion-year history of the origin of the universe. However, the church did not only insist on creationism but also accepted the theory of evolution, which reflected the achievements of science. It cannot be anything other than meaningful harmony. Several passages in the Bible mention celestial bodies. The psalmist praised it like this about 2,000 years ago. "I look up to your sky. The moon and the stars, which you have established firmly, the works of your fingers." (8:4-5) The prophet Isaiah also agrees. "Lift up your eyes and see. Who created the stars?" (40,26)

In short, faith is an area that cannot be revealed through experiments and proof, which are the frame of reference of science. Believers believe that the mystery of this world and the universe is God's creation. Science clearly has limitations and cannot be made absolute. The mission of scientists is to conduct research for a ‘better life’ for humanity. Wouldn’t the goal of faith and science be the pursuit of human happiness? Therefore, the two are not separate from each other but must move forward harmoniously like two wheels of a cart.

Another eventful year is drawing to a close. We who are busy and buried in our daily lives, let's lift our eyes for a moment and look at the sky. How beautiful are the bright stars in the night sky? What about the brilliant space show of the Aurora that decorates the North Pole? As astronomer Carl Sagan said, the Earth seen from space is nothing more than a ‘pale blue dot'. As people living on Earth, we must break away from being ‘frogs in a well’ and open our eyes to a wider world. Let us end extreme competition and war, save the earth, and be filled with love for God and our neighbors. In the coming new year, it is time to look at the universe and move forward with new hope.