Is G-d working through daily terrible events in Japan as well?

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You’re welcome, Katsuobushi! I agree with the other poster who said to prayer for your nation. I would also add to offer him the suffering that you feel inside that so many in your country don’t believe in Him.

I also wanted to mention to you that St. Catherine who lived six centuries or so before St. Faustina also said that God wanted to be merciful to the world through his faithful servants asking for that mercy for the Church and the world.

She records that God told her: “Never lower you voice in crying out to me to be merciful to the world…it is by means of my servants and their great sufferings that I would be merciful to the world and reform my bride [the Church]…”

And, I don’t know if you know this but St. Faustina also says in her diary in paragraph 1698 that Christ shows himself to sinners at the moment of death and that many people, overwhelmed by his love and grace, repent of their sins at that instant and are saved. She also says that unfortunately, others still reject him in that moment. So again, it’s our job to us to keep praying for the people of our nations that many will convert. I also pray for those who will die each day that they may open their hearts to him.

God Bless!
 
Jesus died for Japanese people as much as any person that lived in Judea. Everyone you see is loved by God as much as you or anyone else. So yes, He is working there as He is everywhere.
 
I once studied Christianity with a homeless man in Tokyo in weekends for two years. I tried to tell him about Salvation and people need to repent, but he rejected my asking of coming to Church. I am sad in two ways. He died several years later. (I was the first to find him dead.) I wondered if my volunteer work went useless. I also was sad may be my comments about Bible I learned from the Catholic book was too hard for a non believer. You know, for most people here, they need to start from knowing there is a Higher Existence far above humanity. So I many times regretted I studied with him. But your comment suggests that there might have been a secret interaction between Him and the homeless man as he was dying. Thanks for telling the Saint’s words. That’s a good learning for me.
 
vsedriver said:
Be joyful. Nothing attracts people more than a joyful soul. When people ask you why you are happy and joyful then you can share your love of Jesus with those around you.
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Thank you for the comment. My priest also told us to be always joyous because it is the best witness. But this has been very hard for me because the busy life in Tokyo is very stressful. I work hard every day pressured by the company to win, win, win. I also need to accomplish every year not to get fired (I work for an American company.) Plus I am also on depression meds. So I try to witness through my volunteer works, because I don’t look so happy normally.
 
In the US, we have a lot of priests from Eastern Europe and the third world coming in and giving witness to us westerners.

Also, if Iay ask, what is it like being Catholic in Japan? I googled the question a while back and could not find any first-person accounts of life as a native-born Japanese Catholic.
 
Just out of curiosity, what are the daily terrible events happening in Japan?
 
I don’t think your efforts to share the faith with him were useless. Keep in mind that this insight from St. Faustina has never officially been taught by the Church. The Church only says that people who live in lands where Christianity is not very influential and therefore, have never been baptized, can still be saved in ways known to God alone.

Of course that might imply just what St. Faustina says, that there is a secret interaction between Christ and the soul, as the person is dying. Because, even though it may only take a few seconds to die, a lot can happen in that moment because God is outside of time.

This doesn’t mean that we stop sharing the faith with others because we trust that God will just reach people at the moment of death. No. Certainly we should keep sharing our faith when we can, just like you did with the homeless man. But it does give us hope that God can work in other ways and save many people who we can’t reach for various reasons.

Who knows, maybe when the man died, the conversations you had with him helped him to recognize and accept Christ in that moment.

I don’t know if you know this prayer or not. It was given to the three children at Fatima by the Angel. It’s a very simple prayer for those who don’t know God. I pray it several times a day. It goes like this:

“My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I ask pardon of You for all those who do not believe, who do not adore, who do not hope, and who do not love You.”

Perhaps you could pray this prayer every day for the people of Japan. And don’t forget to offer up your sufferings to God. I also suffer from depression like you. I offer up my sufferings several times a day. I simply say something like: “O Lord, I offer you this pain that I feel, for the conversion of souls, and for the expiation of sins of those in the Church and those outside the Church.” Then I say a Hail Mary after that. All the saints teach that this is very powerful. God cherishes our sufferings that we offer him in sacrifice. It is a very powerful tool for graces to reach other people.

God Bless!
 
This is only my view and experience. I’ve been going to two churches in Tokyo area for the last 10 years since my Baptism. The first thing I feel is Japanese Catholic followers are more relaxed. Or to be accurate, that is probably Japanese Catholic living style. It is probably not fair to compare our style to those in USA or Europe whose people have been worshiping G-d hundreds of years and Christianity being their cultural root. Japan’s Catholic root goes back to 470 years ago when Saint Francisco Xavier visited Japan. After that Christianity remained through very tough persecution until the modern age, but never fully blossomed. Japan has always been Buddhism and Shito nation, but in the modern age, in my opinion, is very materialistic and secular. So, in this unique environment I think Japan’s Catholic followers formed Japanese style of Catholic living different from the rest of the world. Many followers here seem to see no problem in taking a break from Mass attendance. My godfather who helped in my Baptism had a second house in a country side. In December, he would excuse himself from Mass attendance to spend his winter days in the second house. When I learned that not going to Mass without a valid reason was a sin, and told him about it, he was very surprised and repented. He had been a Catholic for like 40 years when I told him and didn’t know. Many Catholic followers here don’t seem to have deep knowledge of Catholic dogma. The church is often noisy on Sunday and only gets silent 5 minutes before Mass. My parishioner supposedly has a few thousand followers but on Sunday I can see only several hundreds. Several times an year, Rosary session is arranged. Only 10-50 people would join unless it is before Mass. Rosary seems like an optional practice here. There almost is no dress code in the church. I heard that a priest in Tokyo was worried if a follower would try to apply a stricter dress code on girls, because that might discourage them from coming. I sometimes see males visiting the church with a hat on. I mostly not tell them to take the hat off because I don’t want them to have bad impression on Christianity if they are non-believers. There is no manner and rule patrols inside the church. People rarely try to correct others. I was once referred as a strange believer after I told a person not to eat before Mass because Eucharistic fasting is mandatory. I don’t say Japanese Catholic followers are cold or lacking. If you think we are less than 1% of population and daily overwhelmed by the secular news, advertisement, and images, you may perhaps can see the followers who regularly come on Sunday worships very serious Christians, without taking into account other considerations. (Continued to next reply.)
 
Also, Japanese people don’t express love the way Western people do. We don’t kiss in public or don’t like to be meddled in the private matters or like to concern with the lives of others less than Western people. So, I think the church is probably not that an intimate gathering place compare to West. I don’t say this is bad. I think this is Japan’s church culture that has been formed in Shinto-Buddhism, samurai culture and in the modern age a very secular culture in a unique way. But I think the believers in Nagasaki are far more enthusiastic than those in Tokyo.
 
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That is a lot. I’ll try to respond more appropriately in a few days. I gave four exams this week.
 
Katsuobushi said:
I think you can check Japan Today news sites for that.
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Sorry, I did not notice anything terrible. There was a volcano, but nobody got hurt. Seems to be a lot of excitement about the olympics, otherwise nothing major.

You should be able to mention at least a couple of those terrible events if they happen daily.
 
Katsuobushi said:
But this has been very hard for me because the busy life in Tokyo is very stressful. I work hard every day pressured by the company to win, win, win
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Sadly, life in Sydney (Australia) has become very similar for a lot of people.
It’s still not thankfully to the degree of workaholism of Japan, but it is fast getting there.
Many people are finding they are living to work and not the other way around. Being “monkey slaves” for big corporations, in fear of being disposable/replaceable and losing job if not accept excessive overtime/overwork enough, worry about paying mortgage etc…

This is why I prefer to work for self (if possible) rather than support what I perceive as soulless corporate greed and widening the gap between rich and poor.

Sydney is a lovely city but the cost of living is too high.
It can be hard to believe but some people rarely experience the beach etc because feel have to work nonstop and too much stress.

If the people of Japan are not receptive to religious topic talk, maybe can pray to God how to bring God into their life in a way they are open/accepting of?
Perhaps there is some disadvantage people that you could organize a few volunteers and yourself to help?
Or maybe raise money to give to elderly people?

I read an article that there is a Dementia cafe in Tokyo where they employ staff that have Dementia and customers go there happy to have their orders mixed up and I thought it was very beautiful idea:)
 
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Katsuobushi said:
Also, Japanese people don’t express love the way Western people do. We don’t kiss in public or don’t like to be meddled in the private matters or like to interfere with the lives of others far less than Western people.
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Actually, a lot of us Westerners are very much in agreement with the Japanese way on this.
Just because you see movies and read Internet posts about Westerners all doing PDA or minding each others’ business, doesn’t mean we all like it. Quite a few Westerners came out of European cultures that were quite reserved and we prefer that even if the media is pushing something else.
 
Thanks for the post. I changed wording a little bit. I spent my teenage years in NY and Baltimore. Now working for an American company for 20 years in Tokyo. It is hard to explain in words. Japanese are less willing to concern with the lives of others. Also, not like to explicitly express affection that much. I think difference is there. I think only a few people believe what goes in the movies are the norm of American lives.
 
I try to bring Christianity to my workplace, in the way it is acceptable. But I do that rarely, because opportunities are not abundant. When Pope visited Japan and prayed Mass in Tokyo dome, I won a seat there. I took movies using my iPhone inside Tokyo dome (before Mass). In the workplace, a few of my colleagues were interested when I told them I was lucky to see him with my own eyes. I saw that they were interested, so I showed them the movie clips I that took inside Tokyo dome. (This was my attempt to introduce them to Christianity.) Otherwise, I am silent on religion.This is the first time I heard about Dementia cafe. I found several in my city. I am a member of handicapped people’s association in Tokyo established by a church member. I sometimes go there and pray together. I think not all members are Christians so I hope my presence has some value there.
 
Katsuobushi said:
I hope my presence has some value there.
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Even if everyone were Christian there, your presence would have value. From what I have read, you are truly dedicated to living your faith, and I am very encouraged by your example.

I heard mixed reports on Christianity in Japan. Japan as a nation always fascinated me (even before I became Christian) and I admit I really like some things from your culture. Your part is to be a good example for everyone around you and pray for them- with the latter I will try to help as well, and I have confidence that others on this forum will join. Remember, Christians used to be a minority in many countries in which they are now majority. God will make Christianity blossom in Japan if he sees fit.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Luke 12:32
 
(No offence here. I am not trying to demean Western culture. I am only trying to say Japanese Catholic life is different.)
 
Katsuobushi said:
I try to bring Christianity to my workplace, in the way it is acceptable. But I do that rarely, because opportunities are not abundant.
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I have read your posts and I appreciate your sincerity and your commitment to the Catholic faith. I too was born and raised in Asia, and moved to the US during my teenage years. You are correct about being Catholic in a predominantly buddhist culture/country as opposed to being in a predominantly christian country as in the US. There exists a sense of quiet/reserved dignity/pride (in the positive sense of the word) of being Catholic there in light of the persecution and the many difficulties that Catholics (our ancestors) have endured for the past 500 years or so. Because of the many good things that Catholics and the Catholic Church have done, they have been generally viewed as positive and, in some quarters, even respected in the society. Unfortunately, in instances where the Catholic Church is seen as a threat to the power that be, the opposite is true.

If I could, I would like to leave you with the words from St. Francis of Assisi—a great saint of the Church:

“Evangelize at all times. When necessary, use words…”
 
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Katsuobushi said:
don’t like to be meddled in the private matters or like to concern with the lives of others
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this would be a difficult hurdle to get over for a Christian in a culture that is so private. Engaging others and being social is a key part of Christianity. We extend the concept of family to include everyone. I can see where this would be off-putting to many Japanese.
 
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