Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord, January 09, 2005

2) Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord, January 09, 2005

Monday, January 03, 2004. The Dialogue is a state of mind of one who strives constantly to put the message of which he is custodian into the mainstream of human discourse. It is an example of the art of spiritual communication (Pope Paul VI).

In the morning, Petrus, Alejandro and I went to Saint Therese Church to help out putting down Christmas ornaments at the basement till noon. Father Michael cooked various pastas for our lunch that put weight on me became heavier about 200 pounds (93 kgs). In the afternoon I cooked in my community, lasagna and beef soup (semur). At night Petrus, Dharmawan and I went to Edi-Liza’s house in Chinatown to celebrate Liza’s birthday.

Tuesday, January 04, 2004. To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue. These five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness (Confucius).
In the evening after Vesper, Petrus and I went to Magda Locklin’s house in Buffalo Grove (Northwestern Chicago) to attend Magda’s invitation. The four Indonesian Vincentian priests (Jack, Eko, Astanto, and Susilo) also came to this special occasion in which we celebrated the birthday of Father Astanto, cm who just came from Philadelphia with Father Susilo, cm from New York City. We had very delicious Indonesian food cooked by the older sister of Magda who came from the Dutch. As we left the place the snow already poured down changing the circumstances surround became really white winter season.

Wednesday, January 05, 2004. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion (The Dalai Lama).

At night from 8.30 to 10, coming to our house the four Indonesian Vincentian priests: Astanto, Susilo, Jack and Eko; also Father Edi, osc while the snow was still falling heavily.

Thursday, January 06, 2004. Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens (Jimi Hendrix).

After supper, we had a short community meeting talking about the schedule of next three weeks in J-Term period of CTU adjusted to our community timetable.

Friday, January 07, 2004. The most important thing in life is to have a focus and a purpose (Marcus Aurelius).

In the morning I shared my reflection upon the liturgical reading of the Mass. I went to my ministry site, David Darst to meet my supervisor in order to plan a weekend retreat on January 21-23. It is my reflection:

Reflection of Luke 5:12-16 (Friday, 07 January 2005)
Once upon a time a little girl said to her mother, “Mom, why should we pray every day with the same prayer? Does God already know our needs? Always saying the same prayer is boring, Mom! Maybe we can write letters to God and we don’t need to say the same prayer ever day again.”
For us as religious perhaps having the same feeling and experience in living our daily prayer that sometimes makes us bored without enthusiasm to say it, but because we have to do so, we do likely without a full of consciousness. May we ask ourselves, “What does prayer mean for me?” The questions about prayer really cluster around the ‘God’s question’. The more important question for us is: “What image of God is operative in our life? Is God distant and uninvolved? Does God offer love as a free gift or has it to be earned? Is prayer essentially God’s action or is it our effort expressed by quantity?
In the Gospel today, we heard that Jesus after healed a man full of leprosy, continued to cure other ailments but eventually he withdrew to deserted place to pray. Often times we heard that Jesus needs also a prayer time besides his ministry of others in order to regain spiritual strength to serve them. We see in Jesus life, there is an integration of ministry and prayer life. Jesus knows when he needs a spiritual retreat and avoiding a lot of people who need his help. In our Xaverians Constitution number 43 it is written, “Prayer is the principal activity of the missioner. It strengthens his faithfulness and sustains his apostolic commitment. The Lord often retired to a quiet place to pray to the Father. His example invites us to reserve ample space for individual prayer, reflection, contemplation, even, if necessary, at the expense of charitable work and apostolic ministry.” In addition, in the Testament Letter of our Founder number 8 mentioning that “As we work for the salvation of others, may it never happen that we neglect our own. Experience teaches that indifference to spiritual means, a diminished interest in things above, less concern for the good, feeble resistance to temptation are all aspects of one and the same thing.”
Saint Ignatius of Loyola saw God as dwelling in all things and ‘laboring’ for people in the world and experiences of life. This understanding is present especially in the ‘Contemplation to attain the love of God’ in the Exercises, which is arguably both a method of prayer and a way of understanding the process of prayer in daily life. It points to an awareness of God in all times and in all things so that contemplation and action become not two distinct things but inextricably linked one to another. In other word, “Contemplation in action and action in contemplation.”
Saint James in his letter (2:17) wrote, “Faith without work is dead.” In our world we can see that most people are busy with their work and spend little time to pray. It is evident when I searched on the Internet: on Yahoo as I searched the word “prayer” there are 21,900,00 entries and the word “work” 509,000,000. Then I put “prayer and work”, there are 8,890,000 entries. It deciphers that not many people understand and live in the meaning of ‘ora et labora’ (prayer and work), yet most people are busy to do their mundane work to make money for their life and happiness. But one said, “Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is in reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want” (Margaret Young).
The story of Christ’s healing of the leper is told at this time of the liturgical year when we celebrate his birth and will soon recall his baptism in the Jordan for a very good reason. It looks forward to his public ministry and suggests his coming passion and death by which he will fulfill the purpose of his coming in the flesh, namely, to restore our race to God’s favor. The healing of a leper is a symbol of redemption, rebirth and new life brought by the One sent by God to cleanse all people from sin and the darkness of error and to bestow of grace and eternal life. Here at the altar where we offer the Eucharist and receive in communion the body and blood of the risen Savior, we ourselves receive a share in the healing touch of Jesus. They are given as a fuller life that transcends all the ills and passing sorrows and pains or a world made sick through sin and the blindness of heart that it causes. May we always prove grateful for his healing gifts and in our turn be instruments of his compassion and mercy to one another and especially to those who are mourning and suffering and need our support and help.
Mother Teresa said, “The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love and the fruit of love is silence.” In prayer, faith and love we remember our brothers and sister who return to the Father because of the natural disaster.
O God, whose spirit moved over the deeps and called forth order out of chaos. O God who sent a dove with an olive branch to tell Noah that the flood was over, send food and water, blankets, tents, medicine, compassion, order and finally hope to all who suffer on the shores of the Indian Ocean. To those whose universe has crumbled, whose past and future have been erased, send the comfort of human touch the knowledge that strangers the world over ache for them and pray and give for a new future filled with healing and new possibility. In the midst of this anguish, help us see how little it matters whether an orphan is Muslim or Christian, whether roads are cleared by Americans or Indians or Australians. Remind us that the prayers of Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims all reach your ears. Their cries are heard, their dead are held in your eternal hands, their hope is in your mercy, spread throughout the world by people who call on your name in many tongues and follow your gracious will to love and cherish their neighbor. Amen. (Taken from “Prayer for Lost Souls”).

Saturday, January 08, 2005. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy (Martin Luther King, Jr.).
In the morning I went to CTU to meet my academic supervisor, Gil Ostdiek to sign up my add/drop form of J-Term. Then, together with Petrus I went to Midway airport to take an Indonesian friend and two others to downtown and Metra station. Afterward, we went to Saint Therese Church Chinatown: having lunch cooked by Father Michael and spiritual direction with him. In the evening, we had rosary prayer led by Petrus and we prayed the Angelus prayer.

Sunday, January 09, 2005. Our family is a circle of love, guided and directed from God above. With every union and every birth, our circle grown with joy and mirth. This love that flows so strong and deep, leaves us memories to treasure and keep. And when a sadness comes along, our circle tightens, remaining strong (Anonymous).

Indonesian Catholics in Chicago held a fundraising Mass in English at Saint Therese Church Chinatown for the tsunamis’ victims in Aceh, Nias and other islands in Indian Ocean. It was concelebrated by Father Eko, cm, Father Jack, cm, Father Edi, osc and Father Kevin (campus minister of DePaul University in Chicago). In the homily, Father Edi was saying that we’re not only human beings who have experiences but most importantly that we’re spiritual beings who have compassion to others who are mourning and weeping regardless their religions, ethnic, nations, etc. Some of the attendants were coming from CTU, not only Indonesians but also some Philippinos, Americans even my supervisor of ministry at David Darst came as well since she read the announcement of this Mass from the Internet. At the end of the Mass Father Eko was saying his farewell words in Indonesian that he leaves for Indonesia on January 19th to continue his ministry after studying in Chicago for 3.5 years. We continued our gathering with lunch prepared by Ibu Imelda, Ibu Ina and other friends with simple menu fried rice and eggs. In the evening at Erna’s house, we came to talk and plan our appeal to raise fund at Saint Thomas the Apostle Church for next week after Masses on Saturday and Sunday.

2) Hari Minggu Pesta Pembaptisan Tuhan, 09 Januari 2005

Senin, 03 Januari 2004. Dialog adalah keadaan pikiran seseorang yang berusaha terus-menerus menyampaikan pesan di mana ia adalah pemelihara dalam percakapan utama manusia. Ini adalah suatu contoh seni komunikasi rohani (Pope Paul VI).

Pagi hari, saya ikut Petrus dan Alejandro pergi ke Gereja Saint Therese Chinatwon untuk menurunkan hiasan Natal di basement hingga siang hari. Pastor Michael memasak berbagai macam makanan dalam bentuk pasta untuk makan siang bersama yang membuat berat badan saya naik hingga 200 pounds (93 kgs). Nampaknya berat badan ini sudah mencapai puncaknya di awal tahun 2005 karena banyak ‘perjamuan’ di akhir tahun 2004 dan awal tahun 2005, sudah saatnya untuk diet lagi. Sore hari saya memasak untuk komunitasku yaitu masak lasagna (sudah jadi tinggal masukin ke oven) dan semur daging. Malam harinya Petrus dan Dharmawan mengajak saya pergi ke rumah Edi-Liza di Chinatwon untuk merayakan hari ulang tahun Liza. Ini makin menambah buncit perut saya.

Selasa, 04 Januari 2004. Untuk bertahan dalam segala situasi adalah dengan menerapkan lima hal yang merupakan lima keutamaan. Kelima hal ini adalah keseriusan, kemurahan hati, ketulusan hati, kesungguhan dan kebaikan (Confucius).
Di sore hari setelah doa sore, Petrus dan saya pergi ke rumah Magda di Buffalo Grove (Northwestern Chicago) untuk menghadiri undangan Magda. Keempat pastor Vincensian Indonesia (Jack, Eko, Astanto, dan Susilo) juga datang pada acara khusus ini di mana kami merayakan ulang tahun Romo Astanto, cm yang baru saja tiba dari Philadelphia bersama Romo Susilo, cm dari New York City. Kami makan makanan Indonesia yang sunggu lezat serasa di Indonesia (soto Betawi, Sio May, rempeyek Philadelphia, dll) yang dimasak oleh kakak Magda dari Belanda. Ketika kami keluar rumah untuk pulang salju sudah turun mengubah suasana sekitar menjadi benar-benar musim dingin yang putih dengan salju.

Rabu, 05 Januari 2004. Jika Anda menginginkan orang lain bahagia, terapkanlah belas kasihan. Jika Anda ingin bahagia, berbagilah belas kasihan (The Dalai Lama).

Malam hari dari pukul 8.30 hingga 10, datang ke rumah kami keempat pastor Vincensian Indonesia: Romo Astanto, Susilo, Jack and Eko; juga Romo Edi, osc sementara salju masih terus turun dengan lebatnya.

Kamis, 06 Januari 2004. Pengetahuan berbicara, namun kebijaksanaan mendengarkan (Jimi Hendrix).

Setelah makan malam, kami mengadakan rapat komunitas untuk membahas jadwal kuliah di CTU dalam tiga minggu ke depan di musim J-Term (masa Januari) menyesuaikan jadwal untuk kegiatan komunitas kami.

Jumat, 07 Januari 2004. Hal yang paling penting dalam kehidupan adalah memiliki suatu fokus perhatian dan sebuah tujuan (Marcus Aurelius).
Pagi hari saya mensharingkan renungan saya atas bacaan liturgi dalam misa hari ini. Saya pergi ke tempat kerasulan saya, David Darst untuk menemui supervisor saya dan merencanakan retreat tanggal 21-23 Januari.
Untuk renungan saya di atas silahkan baca di atas dalam versi bahasa Inggris.

Sabtu, 08 Januari 2004. Ukuran paling penting bagi seorang manusia adalah bukan di mana ia menempatkan diri dalam kenyamanan, namun di mana ia menempatkan diri dalam menghadapi tantangan dan pertentangan (Martin Luther King, Jr.).
Pagi hari saya pergi ke CTU untuk menemui dosen pembimbing akademis saya, Gil Ostdiek, OFM untuk minta tanda tangan formulir tambah/kurang untuk masa kuliah J-Term. Lalu, bersama dengan Petrus saya pergi ke bandara Midway untuk mengantarkan seorang teman Indonesia dan dua teman lain ke downtown dan stasiun kereta Metra. Setelah itu, kami pergi ke gereja Santa Theresia Chinatown: makan siang di sini seperti biasa dimasak oleh Pastor Michael dan bimbingan rohani dengan Pastor Michael. Sore hari kami mengadakan doa rosario di komunitas yang dipimpin oleh Petrus dan kami berdoa juga doa Angelus.

Minggu, 09 Januari 2004. Keluarga kita adalah sebuah lingkaran kasih, dipandu dan diatur oleh Allah sendiri. Dengan setiap persatuan dan setiap kelahiran, lingkaran kita berkembang dalam sukacita dan kegembiraan. Kasih ini yang mengalir begitu kuat dan dalam, memberikan kita kenangan untuk terus dijaga dan dipelihara. Dan ketika duka menimpa, lingkaran kita makin erat terjalin, tetap kuat (Anonim).

Pukul 12 siang di Gereja Santa Theresia Chinatown Chicago PWKI (Paguyuban Warga Katolik di Chicago) mengadakan misa dalam bahasa Inggris untuk menggalang dana bagi para korban tsunami di Aceh, Nias dan pulau-pulau lain di Samudera Hindia. Misa ini dipimpin oleh Romo Eko, cm, Romo Jack, cm, Romo Edi, osc dan seorang romo dari campus ministry di DePaul University, Father Kevin. Dalam khotbahnya, Romo Edi mengatakan bahwa kita bukanlah hanya makhluk hidup yang memiliki pengalaman namun yang paling penting lagi adalah bahwa kita adalah insan spiritual yang memiliki perasaan dan belas kasihan terhadap sesama yang sedang berduka dan menangis tanpa melihat agama, suku, bangsa, dst. Beberapa dari umat yang datang pada misa ini dari CTU, bukan hanya umat Indonesia namun juga beberapa dari Philippine, Amerika bahkan supervisor dari tempat kerasulan saya di David Darst Center juga datang karena ia membaca pengumuman misa ini di Internet. Pada akhir misa Romo Eko menyampaikan kata-kata perpisahannya dalam bahasa Indonesia kepada umat bahwa ia akan kembali pulang ke Indonesia tanggal 19 Januari meneruskan karyanya setelah selama 3,5 tahun belajar di Chicago. Kami melanjutkan kebersamaan kami dengan ramah tamah dan makan siang di basement seperti biasa yang disiapkan oleh para ibu kita yang peduli dan berbagi kasih seperti Ibu Imelda, Ibu Ina dan teman-teman lain dengan menu sederhana nasi goreng plus telor dadar. Sore hari di rumah Mbak Erna, kami berbicara dan merencanakan usaha pencarian dana untuk korban tsunami ini di Gereja Santo Thomas Rasul di Hyde Park untuk minggu depan setelah misa hari Sabtu dan Minggu.