home Yedarm Spirituality Program > Fundamental Course
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in
the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the
foundation of the world, to be holy and without
blemish before him. In love he destined us for
adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord
with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of
his grace that he granted us in the beloved."
(Ephesians 1. 3-6)



   Christians confess that they meet God himself in Jesus. Jesus said to his apostles he is the only way to God. "I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14,6) "The Word was God." (John 1,1)

   The way of life, to meet God within Christ, can be said in three steps or dimensions. That is to say, the relationship between 'I', 'you' and 'God'. How do we make the relationship? The starting point of all relationship is 'I'. But the problem happens because the 'I' is not perfect. As I is not perfect, 'you and I' also cannot be perfect. Every problem concerning the world and I protrude from there. How can I become a true 'I' to carry out a true community of 'you and I'. We should go back to God who is the fountain and the origin of our existence. The starting point of relationship is 'I' and the terminal is 'God'. But if 'I' would be a real start point of the relationship, the terminal of the relationship, 'God', paradoxical as it may seem, must be the starting point.

   But how can God who exceeds all of our ability without limit be a starting point in my way of life? God himself should permit us. So we must meet Jesus Christ, incarnated God just in the middle of us. In the way of life Jesus Christ himself taught and walked along, we can find true 'I' and meet 'you and I' and God.

■ The First Step :〈Meeting 'true self' within Jesus Christ〉

   At the moment of birth into this world I exist as myself who cannot be like any one else. The way of life as my own opens. But being a true 'myself' is too long a process. We often hear the words "Be yourself". In fact, we are hardly satisfied with ourselves. We try to be a better being of tomorrow's rather than today's. But what urges us so?

   As far as I cannot be myself I cannot be a 'true I'. I cannot rejoice in my life and cannot be blessed with happiness and peace. So heartily I have to let loose from the virtual image of myself. How many wrong images we are imprisoned in from birth to growth! Those wrong images make wrong goals in life, and make unnecessary defense mechanisms. How can we be freed from the virtual image of myself?

   Various hurts might make me so unfree. Those wrong hurts are shadows of darkness which distort my life and distribute me from being myself completely. I should know the substance of the darkness which suspends shadows for me not to be free. It might be a fear for some kind of loss which each of us are hiding deep inside of our existence. In the way of life we are not completely free from the fear and uneasiness. We don't know what to do in front of the height of a wave. We are in fear lest we lose joy and peace, lest we are deprived of happiness.

   Even today, towards us in such fear, Jesus Christ says. "Take courage, It is I, do not be afraid!" (Mark 6,50) "Rise, and do not be afraid." (Matthew 17.7) "why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? (John 20,15)

   We must go to Jesus the Savior embracing our fear and sorrow.
We should entrust him to light up our life and relieve us from our bruised mind and to raise us up again. The greatest help in life is to be helped to stand on one's own. As sending for Matthew, a tax collector, Jesus sent for me to stand up in the place of life today. He let me finally realize what a poor and stripped existence I was in front of him, and send for me to raise up from the old place of life. Just like Matthew, a tax collector, when I leave my wounded freedom willingly to him, Jesus will let me really be free to go back to myself .

■ The Second Step :〈Meeting 'True You and I' within Jesus Christ〉

   We don't live alone in this world. Each of us need our own 'you'.
The community of 'you and I' is necessary. Adam experienced it seriously.
He was lonely at Eden where every thing was completely prepared.
So God gave him Eve(hawwah) as a collaborator. Thus, each of
us becomes someone else's 'you'. We make family, friends,
and form a greater community of 'you and I'.

   I exist certainly in the relationship with you. But as in a phrase of
Exodus, only God the self-fulfilling existence who can say "I am who am"
(Exodus 3, 14), can be real 'you and I'. Within God, within incarnated
Jesus Christ, we can be a complete 'you and I'. Jesus prayed at the time
when he had to depart this world and go back to his Father upon the
heaven. "...they may be one just as we are." (John 17,11) He wanted
eagerly that the unity in love just as holy trinity is also accomplished
among us.

   Men cannot make and keep a pure relationship by themselves. God,
whose love wants to save the world, should save and cure our sick
relationship. We must follow the path which Jesus our lord walked along.
All the power and wisdom that help us to rejoice, to endure, and to win
come from him. Particularly, Jesus accepted Zacchaeus forgave a woman
sinner called a murderer to heaven.

   We must not lock our mind when captured by self-pity, instead, we
should ask for courage to approach 'you, the stranger'. Apostles of Emmaus did so. "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." (Luke 24,29) With that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus. They, who had been scattered about, gathered together with delight. They met Jesus Christ who raised from the dead. "Peace be with you." (Luke 24,36)

■ Step Three :〈Meeting 'true God' within Jesus Christ〉

   "Does God exist?" we often like to ask this. But thoughts bear behavior. The Psalms says, Fools say their hearts, "there is no God." Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt; not one does what is right."(Psalms 14,1) Although they live in that way, they seem to be safe, even to do well in whatever they do. People who see them feel uneasy. Before a righteous man, Job, who suffered from terrible misfortune, far uneasier. Where is God giving a reward in accordance with a deed?

   In that way we search for God and call his name. In fact, there is a Word in the bible he who calls for God would be saved. But do we call for God's name fitting to him? We do not hesitate to turn away from him when he is contrary to our thoughts and expectations. We easily go after the world's fashion but cannot shake off fear and uneasiness. If I meet God that way, I haven't met 'true God' yet. As St. August said, our soul can enjoy true rest and peace and only within God.

   But how could we meet God who exceeds our knowledge and realization without limit? God had pity on us and he himself incarnated amongst us. No one can go to God if not through Jesus Christ our Savior. In spite of it all don't we often want to search for another God? We still don't know Jesus Christ. "Have I been with you so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14,9)

   How could we know Jesus Christ and meet Father within him? Only belief enables us to see the true aspect of Jesus Christ and the Father who presents among us. Spiritual life for christian's is not a realization or self-training, but a problem of belief.

   Jesus the Savior calls us to the way of salvation. I can meet him who comes as mercy and love in belief. But how can I recognize him if I avoid eye contact with him? We should gain his eyes. We should get into his eyes. Within his teaching, his record of performances, within his emptying cross we should meet mercy and love of the Father who is calling me.

   While watching and understanding my life and the world in Jesus the Savior's eyes, I can also resemble him. John the apostle wrote to fellow believers " No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love brought to perfection in us." (1 John 4,12)

   Jesus's only one hope was this. "the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them." (John 17,26) Jesus invites us this way to live a life fulfilled with joy and peace. Knowledge about God and the savior overflows in this world. But knowledge not being a life just deceives us. "live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma." ( Eph 5, 2)