I am happy to announce the world did not end yesterday. At least, not for us. Of course, for the millions of individuals who actually died yesterday, through tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, or through war, accidents or diseases, their personal world did indeed come to an end. We can only hope and pray they were prepared to meet their God.
For me, my personal world came to an end a week ago Friday when I traveled to Guilin, China. As I got off the bus in a pouring rain, with my umbrella in one hand and my suitcase in the other, I was suddenly surrounded by a group of three pickpockets. I pushed them away twice. When I got to my hotel, I was relieved to see I still had my passport, my wallet and my airplane ticket. It was only the next day when I realized they had successfully liberated my iPhone. *sigh*
This incident could have put a damper on the rest of the trip, except I concentrated on what I still had and not on what I had lost. (My Precioussss!)
My visit to Korea reminded me to appreciate what is really important.
This was my first trip back since 1999 and many things have changed. Buddhist monks, for example, no longer wear 고무신 (rubber shoes). No, now they wear Adidas sneakers. In the past I noticed the fashion in Korea was about six months ahead of the States. If that's the case, men here should prepare to be wearing shiny neckties that sparkle like glitter on Christmas trees. Of course, six months from now will be Christmas, so that should work out just fine.
But it was while riding Seoul's wonderful subway system that I realized how much things have changed. In fact, for the first time since going to Korea in 1971 I felt like an outsider again.
Riding on the subway, I realized I was now the oldest one there. Actually I had become the 할아버지 (grandfather) that people give their seat to. But that didn't bother me.
I was usually the only foreigner in the subway car. But that didn't bother me either.
No, the only thing that bothered me was looking around and seeing I was the only person in the entire subway who didn't have a smart phone. That bothered me.
But once I got back down to Masan to visit the people from the parish I started there in 1981, they reminded me what is really important and what really matters: faith and family and friendship. And there's no iPhone app for that.
Which brings us back to the end of the world, which didn't happen yesterday. Surely none of you fell for that nonsense, right? If you did, you might want to consider signing up for a remedial 교리 (catechism) class. Jesus himself said that no one knew the day or the hour, not the angels in heaven, not even he. Only God the Father knows. And Jesus warned against false prophets who would arise with all kinds of predictions to mislead people.
Jesus says in today's gospel, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Our religion is based on faith, not on fear. Any religion based on fear is not worth believing. Any government or political party that uses fear to control people is not worth supporting. And a life based on fear is not worth living.
When I visited Korea I saw a people who live not by fear but by faith. I saw a vibrant faith lived by a dynamic people, who've overcome poverty and hardship over the years. And they convinced me that now, more than ever, the Church in Korea needs Missioners.
As you know, Korea is the only country in the history of Christianity that brought the faith to itself without foreign missionaries. So what do I mean when I say the Church in Korea needs Missioners?
Korea doesn't need Missioners to spread the Catholic church in Korea. The Church in Korea is strong. Rather, the Church needs Korean Missioners to bring the Gospel of Christ to the world, a world torn by fear and fanaticism, a world ruled and ruined by greed and violence. Such a world deserves to end, and quickly.
Each of you in your own way have the power, indeed the duty to share your faith with the rest of the world, starting right here and right now. The old world is ending--every day--and a new world of faith and family and friendship is being born, with or without an iPhone.
