[Book Sip] Time Passes but Love Remains: 'Anamnesis, Looking Back'

Some sentences encapsulate the entire content of a book in themselves, while others instantly reach the reader’s heart, creating a point of connection with the book. Here, we excerpt and introduce such meaningful sentences from books. - Editor’s note

This book is a collection of writings primarily composed by Father Ki-rak Lee, who served as the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and the Secretary General of the Catholic Central Council of Korea, and currently lectures on the Bible at Catholic University. The Greek word ‘Anamnesis (?ν?μνησι? = anamnesis)’ means ‘memory, recollection, reminiscence, retrospection.’ It especially refers to the phenomenon of something becoming clearer after some time has passed. By compiling past writings into this book, the author reminds us that the fundamental nature of life itself remains unchanged. He borrows the words of Saint Augustine to convey his wish for us to care about the world, to love, to judge well, choose wisely, and take responsibility. “Love, and do what you will (Dilige et fac quod vis)!”

Hope is not something given but something created through effort. At this moment, it would be good to deeply reflect on why our society feels such an urgent need for ‘healing’ as we meditate on the Passion and Resurrection of our healer, our Lord Jesus Christ. Thich Nhat Hanh advises in his book Peace Is Every Step, “When you walk wholeheartedly and feel the earth beneath your feet, when you share a simple cup of tea with a friend and deeply appreciate the tea and friendship, that is when we heal ourselves. And we can extend that healing to the whole world. The greater the pain we have endured, the stronger healers we can become. From the insight gained through our own suffering, we can help our friends and the entire world.”

“Peace is not the absence of war but the result of justice.” “There is no neutrality in the face of human suffering.” These words of the Pope are God’s message of mercy to those suffering in this world for various reasons. God’s justice will be fulfilled. The Church must demonstrate that hope through action.

The path to seeking and finding peace is not somewhere far away. Remembering that individuals, nations, and the Earth itself all exist within finite time and space, sharing a small piece of land temporarily, if we practice small acts of sharing through humble poverty, the common space we create together will become a field of peace.

Anamnesis, Looking Back | Written by Ki-rak Lee | Oel Books | 264 pages | 15,000 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.