GOSPEL VALUE

Perhaps I could begin at the point to which our discussions led us: what is the Gospel value that most challenges the Japanese? Our answer is Truth. "Let your 'yes' be yes, your 'no' no." Even the waters of Baptism don't seem to make a clean sweep of duplicity from the Japanese soul. It seems ingrained in it that any means is acceptable to avoid shame and blame and difficult situations.

One priest even scolded me for being too insistent on truth-telling. He said I had to understand that the Japanese didn't think it was wrong to lie. This was a holy, heroic missionary, but on that point he was wrong. Truth is a Gospel value; and therefore, a Poor Clare value. For people who find it hard to be truthful, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (in Japanese, Forgiveness) can be difficult, as can be our weekly Chapter of Faults and the inevitable corrections of daily life. The practice of not excusing oneself recommended by the saints is heroism for them and so not greatly practiced!

Another aspect of the Japanese personality that needs Gospel light and healing (salvation) shows itself in the fact that there are about twenty-five different ways to refer to oneself (I/me), all in reference to one's listener, status, age, sex, etc. There is no consciousness of one's own unique identity as a child of God. Relative to this is the "don't be different" mentality. "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down" is an axiom.