Bravo, Koreans!

Seriously and honestly, I have no idea whatsoever about Koreans - their culture, their beliefs, their lifestyle, their history etc. until I was stuck with the Korean drama 'The Legendary Doctor Hur Jun' and 'Jewel in the Palace'. At first, my impression of Koreans was that they have no difference with the Japanese. I know some of the history and language of the Japanese, so I couldn't bother doing some readings on the Koreans since they are the same (Koreans = Japanese). When I was first watching the Korean drama, I found their traditional costumes to be very weird and funny [my sincere appology to the Koreans!]. Gradually but surely, my perception about Koreans changed as I got addicted with 'The Legendary Doctor Hur Jun'.

Out of intense curiosity, I searched the internet for Korean Catholics. I only knew that Naju is the area with Catholics in Korea. Thanks God, I found one great website about the history of the Catholic in Korea. I am more than happy to read about it! I also read of how they (the martyrs) were persecuted because they refused to deny Christ. Today, the Catholics in Korea are actually growing despite the conflict between Church and the local culture.

It is just amazing to know that Koreans are among the martyrs of the Church. What amazed me the most is that Korea is one of the country in the Asia region with christian martyrs canonized (in 1984 by Pope JP II).

My next mission: To get to know more about Korea and visit the churches in Korea one day. ;)

God bless everyone.

p/s: For more information on Korean martyrs, click the link above.

Which Saint are You?

You are Joan of Arc! You don't really want to hurt
anyone, but if they attack your friends or your
country and no-one else will stand up to fight
them, you head into the battle. Beware though,
conviction tends to get you killed.

Which Saint Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


Chanced upon this when I was at Father Ethan's blog, found it interesting so I took the quiz too. For me, Joan of Arc represents courage and violence, or no mercy. Perhaps I am a pretty violent person too (when I got really angry), that's why I 'resemble' her...

A student's eye of view

I've a post in my Friendster blog about rape cases that happened really frequently nowadays. Feel free to visit and comment.

Thank you!

Why we should forgive

I have misunderstood today's Gospel all these years. I thought that in order to receive God's forgiveness, we have to forgive others first. But today, the priest reminded us that this is not true. The truth is that because we have first been forgiven by God, so we should forgive others too.

I found William Blake's words to be very true too, "It's easier to forgive an enemy than a friend." I have that experience before. A friend whom I have trusted for 5 long years stabbed my back and it took me 5 years to totally forgive him. I loved and trusted him so much so that I couldn't accept the fact that he betrayed me. I knew I have forgiven him when I did not feel the hurt in my heart anymore. The Lord healed my wounds and helped me to forgive during a youth healing session.

I still find it difficult to forgive. I am still learning how to let go of the hurt and resentment caused by both friends and people I dislike. Worse still, these are the people I meet in church every Sunday. But I continue to pray for them, hoping that they would realise the wrong they have done.

I want to forgive like Marie and Tara's parents. Father, teach me to forgive.

Sunday Reflection: No forgiveness, no future

On 21 July, Irish teenager Tara Whelan, killed in a terrorist bomb attack while on holiday in Turkey, was buried in her home village in the presence of thousands of mourners. Tara was described as 'a most honest, loving, caring and beautiful person." At the funeral Mass her parents publicly forgave her killers and offered a special prayer for them.

Some weeks earlier Marie Fatayi-Williams, a Nigerian woman whose 26-year-old son (the hope and pride of her life) died in the London terrorist bombings, prayed aloud at his funeral service in Westminster Cathedral, "Lord, take Anthony as a sacrificial lamb for peace to reign in our world." As she forgave his murderers, her impassioned plea for peace over BBC television touched viewers worldwide.

Such acts of heroic forgiveness by ordinary people in the face of great personal tragedy stand in stark contrast to the hatred and revenge which motivate the terrorists. Without any way excusing their horrible crimes, it requires greatness of heart and God-like generosity to forgive the evil-doers.

Forgiveness has been described as godly. The Son of God became flesh, lived among us and gave His life to gain forgiveness for our sins. As He lay dying on the cross He prayed for his killers, "Father forgive them". And during His life He repeatedly stressed the importance of forgiving. The Parables of The Unforgiving Servent and the Prodigal Son, as well as the incidences such as the adulterous woman and the sinful woman in Simon's house, all underline the primary need in our lives for mercy and forgiveness rather than condemnation and revenge. In fact He leaves us with no choice; we must forgive, not just once but 77 times if need be.

How true indeed are the words of the poet, William Blake, "It is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend". Because of our smallness of mind and heart we find it difficult to forgive an angry word, an unfriendly stare, a small insult or loss of face, especially from someone close to us! We are too proud to make the first move towards reconciliation but allow hatred and bitterness, like an unseen cancer, to continue to eat away and destroy our peace of mind and our relationships.

Jesus warns that in such a state we are unworthy to worship God:"Leave your gift there in front of the altar, go make peace with your brother/sister and then come back and offer your gift to God". Only then will it be acceptable.

Perhaps Jesus' greatest act of forgiveness was not praying for His enemies on the cross but forgiving His closest friends and followers who had deserted Him in His hour of greatest need. He had begged, "Stay here and keep watch with me" but they "all left him and ran away"(Matt 26). Yet when He appeared to them after the Resurrection, in their state of guilt and confusion, there was no repromand, no "How could you...?" Instead there was only a gentle greeting, "Fear not; it is I... Peace be with you" (Matt 28).

This is what He continues to ask from each of us; to forgive and let go of past hurts. Not easy, in our human pride and self-righteousness, but the only way forward, for 'without forgiveness there is no future' (Archbishop Desmond Tutu).

- Bro. Columba Gleeson
(A De La Salle Brother who worked in schools in Sarawak from 1958-1987. From 1988-1997, he was the editor of Today's Catholic and was also involved in faith formation and catechetical programmes in the Archdiocese. He now works with the Brothers in Belfast, Northern Ireland.)