当全球在8月15日庆祝二次世界大战结束,韩国教会特别庆祝奉献给圣母升天,纪念韩国从日本帝国主义解放过来。总主教在致信众的文告说,只有活出“真正的基督徒,我们希望两韩冲突早日结束”。
在朝鲜半岛的和解“只有通过和平之后玛利亚的转祷。这就是我们必须要活出真正基督徒的精神的原因,在各层次引用天主教的训导。同样,这适用于我们的政府,它必须由北韩和南韩之间的家庭团聚开始,除非他们想避免发生新的冲突,首尔总教区廉洙政总主教向信众发表文告,庆祝快将到来的圣母升天节。
对于韩国和韩国教会,8月15日是一个特殊的日子。除了是圣母升天堂,南北韩都庆祝结束日本帝国主义和第二次世界大战。韩国天主教徒一直把这解放作为圣母的礼物,然后有特别敬礼。
在首都,总主教把两面大韩民国旗帜,放在祭台两侧(图),象征国家走向和平的崇敬,透过圣母玛利亚的转祷。以下是总主教为八月十五日弥撒的讲道辞:
My dearest brothers and sisters!
May God's blessings and peace be upon you all!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the day when Mary, the Mother of God, ended her life journey on earth and was assumed into Heaven. For us Christians, the Assumption of Mary is an important event of special meaning: It confirms for us the hope of eternal life. The Church has also emphasized that, "by her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cultics, until they are led into the happiness of their true home" (Lumen Gentium 62).
While we celebrate the Assumption of Mary, the Queen of Peace, we should also devote ourselves to the real peace for all mankind. Jesus gave peace to his disciples as a gift before he was taken away by the sinners. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John, 14:27) We can say that being a Christian is to live a life of pursuing peace, and to be the disciple of Jesus who is sent for peace on Earth.
In his encyclical, Pacem in Terris, Bless John XXIII emphasized that "Peace on Earth-which man throughout the ages has so longed for and sought after-can never be established, never guaranteed, except by the diligent observance of the divinely established order in truth, justice, charity, and freedom." Paul the Apostle also testified that, "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." (Ephesians, 2:14) Real peace begins when people restore their love and trust in each other; it begins when we play the role to realize truth and justice.
However, what is our situation now? 60 years has passed since the Korean War had ended, the Korean Peninsula is still facing division and serious conflict between North and South Korea. The reconciliation of North and South Korea is not only a matter of the Peninsula but also the way to world peace. That is why we should put away the unfortunate past and aim toward a bright future of hope.
Because of the division of North and South Korea, too many people have died and countless families are separated. There are no words to describe the anguish feelings of living without knowing whether your families are alive or dead. I would like to request to the Korean government to begin with solving the most urgent and present problems that would finally led to the achievement of reconciliation: the confirmation of survival of separated family members from North and South Korea, arrangements of letter exchanges and meetings. I pray that more sagacious policies such as humanity assistance and conversations will be enforced until the day when North and South Korea can open up hearts to each other.
For us Christians, the first thing we should do is to pray. Prayers help us to pay attention to the word of God, and help us to become the instrument of his peace. When we are able to put away all divisions and hatred, we will be able to begin a bright future of love and peace. When human respect, truth, and freedom is fully practiced in the Korean Peninsula, the day of peace shall come faster to us.
We earnestly pray to the Holy Mother to be our guidance, and may the Lord bless us every day in our lives.
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