Some of you may have read the well-known book, “Tuesdays with Morrie.” It’s a memoir by Mitch Albom about his weekly visits with his mentor, Morrie Schwartz, who was dying from ALS. During these final meetings, Morrie shared lessons about life.
For me, it became “Thursdays with Kwan.” Over the past four years, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Pastor Kwan and spending time with him. Every visit gave me something to carry home – something to think about, something to pray about. As I reflected on those Thursdays together, I realized that Pastor Kwan kept pointing me back to these three things: faith, hope, and love.
Faith
First, Kwan was a man of faith. Yes, he was a loving husband and father. He was a beloved pastor. But most of all, he was a faithful follower of Christ. And he fully depended on the Holy Spirit. Kwan was a good storyteller. Every time I visited him, I never knew where the conversation would go. Sometimes he talked about his childhood and family. Sometimes about his military life as a chaplain. Sometimes about his ministry (especially his years here in Houlton). Sometimes his simply reflected on daily life. But after sharing those stories, he would often say something like this: “I thought I did all those things. But looking back now, I realize it was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit connected the right people at the right time. The Holy Spirit opened the door. The Holy Spirit gave me the message.”
Because he became more aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence, he also gave others the ministry of presence. Sometimes Kwan and I didn’t say very much. We simply watched TV together – football, Red Sox games, NBA games, etc. One day he told me: “At first, I didn’t understand football. But, I learned it so I could connect with my parishioners.” I could feel his shepherd’s heart. Through him, I learned being is more important than doing. And I was reminded that the greatest gift God gives is not simply solutions to our problems, but His presence. God gave us himself. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Emmanuel. God with us.
Hope
Second, Kwan was a man of hope. He often said, “I am ready to die.” He was ready. And because he learned how to die, he also learned how to truly live. He embraced aging. He embraced mortality and frailty. He embraced dependence. And because of that, he lived more intentionally and more compassionately. Almost until the very end, as long as he could, he still got up at 3 am. He spent time in prayer. He kept his exercise routine. He started each day with an open heart as a clean vessel before God.
Because the reality of death was so clear to him, he focused on what truly matters. Many times, I shared concerns with him — concerns about ministry, concerns about the world. And yet he remained hopeful. Not because he ignored problems or denied reality, but because his eyes stayed fixed on what was good, essential, and eternal. He was a realistic optimist.
He knew that power, control, ambition, and money all come and go. But relationships remain. So he made every effort to stand before God with a clear conscience. One day he spoke about a Korean colleague who had deeply hurt him and damaged his reputation. I asked him, “How did you respond?” He quietly said, “It was not easy. But by God’s grace, I just kept hanging in there.” He admitted he was still in the process of forgiving. But he wanted to be ready. He wanted to be at peace with everyone, as much as possible. And he could do that because he had hope — the hope of the resurrection.
Love
Third, Kwan was a man of love. About six years ago, he went through a life-changing experience. He suffered a major heart attack and had to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. That night, alone in a quiet hospital room, he prayed. As he cried out to God, a gentle voice said to him, "What is a Christian?" Startled, he answered, "I have been a pastor all my life. I’ve preached, taught, baptized, and led people to Christ." The voice gently responded, "You taught people about Christianity. But what is a Christian?" I tried again, this time listing doctrines and disciplines. But the voice repeated the question: "What is a Christian?" Finally, the answer came not from himself, but from the voice: "A Christian is someone who loves like Christ."
That truth pierced his soul. He grew up in a very conservative environment and cared deeply about theological correctness. But that night, he realized how often he had judged others more than loved them. He came to understand that being loving is more important than being right. He realized that Christ alone is the Judge. Our calling is to love like Him. Since then, he developed daily rhythms of grace. Each morning, he prayed, "Lord, help me not to hurt anyone today—not through my words, actions, or silence." And each night before bed, he repented, "Lord, if I have hurt anyone, knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me." We are all part of Christ's eternal family. Our Christian fellowship is not just for this life. Love never ends.
Flourishing
On December 19, thanks to Susan, my family and I learned that Kwan was nearing his heavenly home. So our entire family went to visit him. We sang Christmas carols together. Before leaving, we said to him, “I love you. Thank you for being among us.” And we prayed, “Father, into your hands we commend his spirit.” I held his hand and said, “Moksanim, see you soon. See you again.” We looked at each other for a long moment. Then he nodded, with a bright smile. Then a couple of days later, he went home to glory.
Psalm 92 tells us what a flourishing life looks like:
“In old age they still produce fruit;they are always green and full of sap,declaring that the Lord is just;he is my rock, and there is no evil in him.”
Through his life, Kwan showed us the God of faith, hope, and love. So today, we praise God, and we give thanks to God for the life of Pastor Kwan. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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