It is said that in order to stand against the storm the tree must have a root of the equal length with the height of the tree. The root has to go deep down under the ground; under the dark, damp and unpleasant ground … The deeper the root goes down the higher and stronger the tree will grow putting forth lovely flowers and bearing abundant fruits.
This story reminded me of the Oriental Spirituality of “Yin” and “Yang”. Here we can think of the marked difference of mentality, the thought structure of the East and the West.
“Yin” Principle (Negative)
“Yang” Principle (Positive)
It means that the Oriental grasps the meaning of the matter according to ”Yin” Principles, while the Occidental grasps it on “Yang” Principles.
This difference can be seen in the spirituality of the East and the West, such as “Light and darkness“. Faith is “light in darkness” but it is also “obscurity in light”. “The brighter the light, the more the owl is blinded.” According to the Oriental viewpoint, “in faith darkness itself becomes light”.
“The cloud was there with the darkness and it lit up the night.”
Exodus 13:21
“Night to night declares knowledge.”
Ps. 19:2
It is like two sides of a sheet of paper: Yin and Yang.
It cannot be divided. It is not an opposition but gives the possibility of unification of the opposition.
In order to bring this unification of the opposition “Yin” has to be “Yin”, “Yang” has to be “Yang” to the end. Otherwise contact action is impossible. It is not the question of which is better. The difference becomes enrichment. It creates Energy, Strength and New Vision.
If we see this “Yin” and “Yang” principle in relation with Christ, Our Lord :
God seen from the front cf. Exodus 33:23
God seen from the back “…then I will take away my hand
and you shall see my back;
but my face shall not be seen.”
During the synod of 1993 for Asia, when a Japanese bishop was asked why Christianity has not taken root in Japan as Buddhism had done, “The answer lay”, he said “in the human heart.” Then he added: “In the West the paternal characteristics are dominant, while in Asia, particularly East Asia, it is the maternal traits which are operative. The fatherly figure divides and selects: the motherly figure unites and embraces all.” In the East, therefore, we need to give greater expression to the feminine aspects of God.”
When I was reading these remarks, a passage of the Gospel came to my mind: “Jesus bending down and wrote with his finger on the ground.” (Jn. 8:6) The sight of “Jesus bending down” was strongly imprinted on my soul. There is a saying in Japan that a child is brought up by looking at its mother’s back. To us, Japanese, the back of a person sometimes has a stronger impact on people than the front. In the same way the back of Jesus meant so much to me. It shows His Love, tenderness, sorrow and compassion, His whole being.
Viewing Jesus from the back has brought Him much closer to me. “Jesus bending down in silence….” His back is telling me His Love more eloquently than His face…. This is only one instance in the Gospel but for me it is to touch the core of the Heart of God made man.
Whether we look at Christ from the back or from the front, however, we are looking at the same Christ. We need both to grow into a deeper relationship with the total Christ. Looking at Christ from the back opened me a new vision in Christianity and fostered in me richer and stronger relationship with Christ. This made me think that while we respect and appreciate Christian heritage of the West, we need to discover and foster evangelical values hidden within each culture in the East.
Yayoi Hayami rscj
Province of Japan
