761. Before His Body Even Reached the Burial Site, They Came with a Bulldozer

💌 761. Before His Body Even Reached the Burial Site, They Came with a Bulldozer

With my leg in a heavy cast, I struggled up the mountain to the cemetery and carried out his funeral. Though it was extremely difficult, I offered up all that pain practicing Semchigo as if I rested comfortably, dedicating it entirely as a Prayer of Life for the repose of his soul. But the very next morning after the funeral, early at dawn, an elderly lady, Ms. Serena came running breathlessly toward me.

“Julia! Julia!” to my astonishment she cried out anxiously. “Oh, Julia! How could such a thing happen in this world? People can be so heartless! On the very day of the funeral, they (from the house behind Mr. Bong’s house) tore down Mr. Bong’s house and had already leveled the ground!” I said, “You must have seen it wrong. The three-day rites aren’t even over yet. No matter how shameless people might be, could they have demolished the house already?”

But she insisted, “No, I tell you, it’s true! They bulldozed it down and leveled the ground flat! Ah, if only Mr. Bong had just given you the house back then! Why didn’t you accept it, and instead let those wicked people take it away?” Even so, I could not possibly believe it. So I sent Andrea to find out.

Before long, he came rushing back. “Sister, it’s true! They tore the house down and leveled the ground flat!” I then learned that they had begun demolishing the house even before Mr. Bong’s body had arrived at the burial ground. Even after hearing Andrea’s words, I could not believe it without seeing it with my own eyes. So, limping on my crutches, I dragged myself there as fast as I could.

But the sight before me left me utterly dumbfounded. “My goodness… Just as he had feared, it has come to pass. How could they do such a thing…?” Though I was shocked and deeply pained, I offered it up, practicing Semchigo as if I were loved, and then went to the house behind, doing my best to show courtesy, and asked, “Hello. May I know what happened to Mr. Bong’s house?”

Then the owner of the house behind declared in a bold voice, “That Bong’s house is on my land. Before that man died, I once paid his taxes for him. Since he died without repaying me, the land rightfully belongs to me.”

I replied, “It wouldn’t have been too late if you had waited at least three-day rites.” At this, he scowled fiercely and snapped, “The man is already dead—what need is there for that?” His angry outburst left me unable to say another word about the house. Instead, I offered up my wounded heart as a prayer for their repentance, practicing Semchigo as if they had at least done what was right. On the memorial table where his photograph had been placed, I had arranged a crucifix and a statue of the Blessed Mother, with incense burning before them.

Longing to at least retrieve those items of memorial, I asked carefully, almost as if I were a guilty criminal, “How about the memorial?” He barked back, “Nonsense! What memorial? The picture and things are in the outhouse (In old countryside houses, the restroom was also used as a small storage room, so it was a bit spacious)—go get them yourself.”

So I went to the outhouse, and there in a corner, I found the crucifix, the small statue of Our Lady, and his photograph tossed aside without a trace of reverence. How could they, blinded by greed, treat holy things so carelessly? To my dismay, even the household goods I had prepared for him were already disposed of.

How could people be so ruthless as to rush to handle all these matters on the very day of his funeral? My heart ached deeply at their merciless actions. Yet I chose to offer up that pain for their repentance, practicing Semchigo as if they had at least fulfilled the minimum duty of mourning Mr. Bong’s death.

My personal reflection note with Mama Julia🌹💗 

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