September 20, 2023

24 Wednesday OT - Feast of the Korean Martyrs

SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN’T WIN

 

The title of my thoughts for today is, “Sometimes You Just Can’t Win."

Jesus ran into a lot of problems with people – especially the Pharisees.

If someone is against you, they’ll always find something to criticize about you.

In today’s gospel – it sounds like Jesus speaks out of big time frustration. Jesus says you're like little kids  on the street. You want music, so we give you flute music, so you can dance, but you won’t dance. So we play you a sad song, a dirge, but you won’t cry.

Sometimes you just can't win.

He continues: You went after John the Baptist, when he fasted – saying he had demons – so he was nuts. I ate and drank, so you said I was a drunk.

Once more: In other words, sometimes you just can’t win.

St. Alphonsus started with 9 guys – but most of them – disappeared. Sometimes you just can’t win.

In 1991 - 3 Redemptorists went to Korea – a Filipino, a Thai, and a Korean from Brazil. Here it is 2023 and we have only about 10 guys there. The guys there are called by a Chinese word – Gooseokjoohwe - a name that goes like that. It means the community who are here for the poorest and most abandoned and neglected folks.  They keep trying to be called Redemptorists – but they have no luck with that. Sometimes you just can’t win.

Catholics came to Korea in 1592. In 1789 there 4000 Catholics – but surprise, that happened without ever seeing a priest. Sometimes you win. By 1800 they had close to 10,000 Catholics – but 8 to 10 thousand were killed.

In 1925 and 1984 many were beatified and canonized – we’re celebrating some of them today – September 20^th.

Sometimes we lose – sometimes we win. I guess we have to expect winning and losing to happen – and be able to deal with both. I prefer the wins.