(written in 2006)
Jesuit Fr. Song Bong-mo is writing a series called "the Bible and the Human." He has the intuition to contemplate the biblical message and share his wisdom with others while applying various stories and experiences. That is why many Catholics are touched by his writing.
His messages are so specific, deep, and realistic that many Christians enjoy reading his work and expect him to keep writing. As a result, his books have been steady sellers since 1998 at Pauline.
Out of 10 titles of "The Bible and the Human" series, Pauline recently made a beautiful selection from his sayings entitled "Now Is the Time to Love Again." It is arranged under six topics: when I need to rely on somebody; when I face trials; when I feel God's love; when I give my love to my dear person; when I go back to God; when I want to begin anew; and when I want to resemble God. Forty-three short messages are accompanied by simple, black-and-white paintings.
While reading, I felt compelled to translate some of them in the hope that these words will surely touch your heart and empower your life.
Here are some of those translations.
"Our lives pass away. The memory of a beloved person, sweet remembrances, and the memory of sad separation just go by. If there is a memory that doesn't pass away, it is the encounter of the soul with the soul."
"Isn't the reason for God to give us two arms that we embrace each other?"
"A happy couple is a couple who decides to be happy. Such a couple is the one who decides to live happily while taking care of the naked body in spite of many problems between them. They know true love is to care for each other not only during a honeymoon period filled with lovely affections but even after coming out of that period."
"As the strings of a guitar sound beautiful in harmony but each string is separate, so the couple is. Married life is that of walking while looking at the same place together, rather than just watching each other's faces intently. It is to live while looking together at the same terminus, which is God, the master of life."
"Only love can listen to the reply of love. Love is the only strength that can open the heart of the human."
"When we love our neighbors and give them affection, we are giving them the life in us and fostering their lives."
"Forgiveness is not achieved of itself. We have to first make up our minds to forgive, and then God's help is needed. When we want to forgive wholeheartedly, which is the utmost command of Jesus but find it hard to practice because of emotional difficulty, we have to decide to forgive first. Forgiveness begins at the moment of making a decision to forgive."
"For the one whose spiritual power is exhausted, it is not easy to face others. Many people work with pure enthusiasm in the beginning and show delicate and attractive looks, but they become somewhat tired and irritable as time goes on. If they are very active without taking a rest, they not only become easily angry and highly nervous but also live fatigued by activity. The reason for us to go back to the place of solitude immediately after the service is to avoid spiritual bankruptcy, to walk with the Lord, and to take care of the inner spiritual garden."
"Our body sends us two emotions; comfort and discomfort. If the body is comfortable with our choices, we can drive forward with the conviction that it is the right choice. On the other hand, we have to think it over when the body is uncomfortable, for it might be a wrong choice."
"A tree can't grow big alone. It can't grow big even when it clings to other trees. At the same time, humans can neither grow smoothly alone nor grow up well while being close to others. We are living beings who grow up right when we live together at a proper distance. In other words, intimate human relationships are the ones that have distance in unity."
"Each of us is a work of art created uniquely after the image of God, so we don't have to compare ourselves with others. Every tree in the forest shines in green color. They have the same green, but the depth of each green is so different that it makes the whole figure of the forest fantastic. When God looks at us, our beauty, on the whole, will bring more beauty because of mutual differences."
"God draws a straight line with a curved line. The way of the desert that Israel thought to turn round and round was necessary to educate people. God wanted Israel not to enter the land of promise in haste, without preparation, but to enter with preparation even though it would take time."
"God's style of action is like a mosaic, which is unseemly outside but has a glittering beauty and abundant meaning when looking from the inside. At the same time, we can't understand God's love and justice enough, now and then, without looking at them with the heart of God."
The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ Mar. 15, 2006
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