Praying with Umma Kim

From Left to Right: Kimchi, Umma, Appa, Janet, Shanon, and Jung. From cbc.ca

Jess and I don’t watch a lot of TV shows, but CBC’s Kim’s Convenience has become one of our favourites. It’s about the life of the Kim’s, a Korean immigrant family living in Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Kim (also known as Appa and Umma - Korean for “Dad” and “Mom”) own and operate a small convenience store, which is the setting for much of the show. 

There are so many storylines involving the parent’s integration into Canadian society, the challenge of raising their adult children (Jung and Janet), and the children’s experience of finding their own ways in life. Part of the reason why I love this show so much is because it reminds me a lot of my own experience as someone born in Canada to immigrant parents.

This show has also been refreshing in how it portrays Christians and the Church. I’m so used to seeing Christians caricatured in pop culture as weird, dumb, or intolerant. However, faith and church participation aren’t mocked or downplayed in Kim’s Convenience. Faith is simply a part of the characters’ everyday lives - as it is for many Canadians. As a pastor myself, I also appreciate that the pastor in the show (Pastor Nina) is a normal, respectable (yet humorous) addition to the story.

I don’t usually watch CBC comedy shows for theology, but one snippet in the latest episode Jess and I watched (Season 5, Episode 2) really struck me. It was a beautiful example of honest prayer in the midst of doubt, and a simple, yet sound, expression of faith in who God is. Let me explain. (I think it should be obvious that a spoiler alert is in effect).

We found out near the beginning of Season 5 that Umma (Young-Mi), who is by far the most dedicated churchgoer of the family, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). During the rest of the season, we witness the health challenges she faces and the difficulty of putting on a brave face for her family. 

In episode 12, Umma struggles with prayer. Although she has never hesitated to pray before, she starts noticing that the people she prays for do worse after she prays for them. Her prayers don't seem to be working. At the end of the episode, as Umma and Appa go to bed for the night, Umma asks Appa to pray. Since Umma is usually the one to do that, Appa takes notice and asks her what is wrong. She says (note that Umma and Appa speak with Korean accents):

“When I first get MS, I was so mad at the Jesus. I blame him. And now, every time I pray, it just backfires, like he’s pushing me away.”

Appa reassures her and says: 

“You know the Jesus better than I know the Jesus. But I know that the Jesus never push away. Only pull close.”

In this small exchange we find a profound theological truth: Jesus never pushes us away, He only ever pulls us close. This beautiful moment brought to mind the image of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because of His longing to bring them close to Him. In Matthew 23:37, as Jesus prepared to face the rejection of the people He came to save, He said:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Regardless of what happens in life, either by our doing or not, Jesus longs to draw us close into relationship with Him. We are able tend to that relationship through prayer. Good communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship. Appa understands this and tells Umma to talk to Jesus in the same way she talks to him. That’s when Umma prays:

“Dear Jesus. I try to be strong, but you feel so far away from me. Please answer my prayer. I’m sorry I blame you…”

Then Appa interrupts. Speaking for Jesus, he says:

“Young-Mi, you feel we is far apart, but I’m right here. I don’t hold grudge. I love you.”

Now that’s a prayer! After being assured that Jesus would never push her away, Umma is able to say exactly what she wants to without the fear that God would punish her for it. There’s no need to beat around the bush. There’s no need to sound more spiritual than she is. There’s no need to cover up the uncertainty and pain she fells. Umma prays just as if she’s talking to her husband. 

But good communication also goes two-ways. After Umma speaks, Appa speaks words on behalf of Jesus that are meant to pull her close. Umma is simply invited to listen. The response doesn’t solve Umma’s uncertainty, fear, or pain caused by MS. It simply reminds her that she’s not alone through it all. God, whose love never runs out, is right there with her. 

The things we go through in life should never prevent us from communicating with our creator. God longs to draw us near and to be in relationship with us. There’s nothing we can do or that can be done to us that would make God not want to hear us. We don’t need to make God listen. Prayer was God’s idea. It’s God’s initiative. The lines are always open.

But how do we talk to God? The same way we would to anyone else. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. And when we pray, may we also take the time to listen to what God wants to say to us in response. That may come in different ways - through stillness, the voice of another person, or scripture. We can guarantee that when we speak to God, God listens. 

God longs to pull you close. God is with you through it all. God loves you.

OK. See You!