[Jesus] said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.
Everyone was weeping and grieving for her, but [Jesus] said, “Do not cry, for she is not dead but sleeping.”
Luke 8:46 & 52
Dear members and friends,
As we are entering the age of AI and advanced technologies, a simple question is asked more often these days, “What does it mean to be a human, especially different from being AI?” Certainly, there are many characteristics that could distinguish a human from an AI. What I would like to focus on today is the aspect of emotion and intuition. According to ChatGTP, there are 6 primary emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust), and 7 complex emotions (love, guilt, shame, jealousy, pride, gratitude, and empathy). Emotions are important because of their impact on human life biologically, psychologically, and socially. It would be ideal if our mind was filled with more positive emotions such as happiness, love, gratitude, and empathy. However, a fact of human life is that all these emotions exist in our mind together, often in a mixed and confused way. And unfortunately, the negative emotions can overtake all the others.
In a way, what Jesus teaches us in the Gospels is simply how to reset our minds so that all the negative emotions are replaced with positive ones. Having faith in Jesus, therefore, is in fact less about desiring a life in paradise after our life on earth, but more about achieving a heavenly mentality while living on earth. Thus, believing in Jesus means having faith in one’s own ability to achieve a positive mentality despite any circumstance in which one is placed. Consequently, a positive mentality is less about having blind faith in the idea that all things will get better, or all things will be good at the end, but more of being persistent in finding the positive aspect within one’s life regardless of condition, circumstance, or challenge.
My brothers and sisters in God, let us take a moment of prayer this week, and express our deep gratitude towards our Lord for the passing year, and for the coming year. Let us pray that we could keep this gratitude in our hearts as we journey through 2025.
Blessings, Rev. Junchol Lee