“The Home of the
Redeemer,” this is what the words in Bahasa Indonesia mean in English. I
have been here at Wisma as they would
call it, for two weeks now. I stayed actually first in Jakarta for three days
which gave me a kind of lifestyle in this part of the Redemptorist world.
Indeed, it is quite different from my home province, Cebu. This is particularly
influenced by the kind of environment the CSsR Province of Indonesia has. The
country is majority Muslim and hence the approach of the mission and the
pastoral needs are surely different from a Catholic country such as the
Philippines.
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| Minggu doa pagi dengan Para Frater (Sunday Morning Prayer with the Brothers) |
Anyway, I traveled to Jogjakarta which is 45 minutes
away by plane from Jakarta. They said Jogja is more peaceful than Jakarta which
is famous of its traffic jams. Certainly, for the past weeks of staying in
Jogja, I agree that this city is more peaceful and serene. I have been to the
nearest and famous Hindu temple, the Candi Prambanan. The temple was superb in
its architecture and particularly the images that I saw on the walls of the
temple.
At this place where I am staying, at Wisma, I am also
taking my language course in Bahasa, which has become very much interesting for
me. I have all the brothers and in many ways mingled and socialized with them
in their activities. Even in extra-curricular activities such as eating durian,
bakso (a Javanese meat balls in a noddle soup), nasi goreng or fried rice to
visiting places such as Malioboro and Ambarukmo Mall and the Hindu Temple - Candi
Prambanan and to some Catholic families near our community.
During the first week, it was quite difficult to adjust
myself into their practices. (Although, it is not really alien to me.) They would
wake up here as early as quarter to five (4:45 am) and in a cold morning would
begin the mass at quarter past five (5:15). Well, that was quite early now for
me. Yet, I tried to follow also their schedule here even if I am just a visitor
(but still I am a Redemptorist!). And the bothers would have their breakfast
right after the mass at 6 am. They go to the Fakultas Teologi Wedabakti where they are taking their philosophy
and theology. Before lunch, at half past twelve (12:30 pm) the midday prayer
begins and lunch afterwards. At 4 pm the brothers gather again in the chapel
for the mid-afternoon prayer. After this, within the week they have different
activities from cleaning the house, to study to sports. At 6:30 pm the
community gathers for the supper and afterwards at 7:15 the community gathers
again in the chapel for the night prayer. And the brothers continue to do their
school assignments.
It was quite a surprise for me because I felt that I
was in a monastery or maybe it was just a feeling coming from a much loosed
structure that I used to have in Davao. Well, both ways actually work and both
ways also will not work for those who would tend to be lazy and mediocre in his
religious life. Both ways as well, have strengths on their own. A loosed
structure particularly in prayer life would allow the person to take
responsibility and be more creative. And structured prayer life would also help
the person to be disciplined. Yet, both ways as well would post some
difficulties. A very structured prayer life would tend not to give personal
responsibility and creativity to the person. And a much loosed prayer life also
could lead a person to be undisciplined and irresponsible.
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| A Hindu Tempe - Candi Prambanan at a closer look. |
Certainly, it is a good realization that both ways are
important and must be balanced as well. I see this in a religious perspective
that one must have the discipline as well as responsibility and creativity.
This would help the person or a religious to be flexible in a given situation
for example in the mission area where
there is no structure for prayer.
And this is what I realized as well that I should at
least have these important components in me such as discipline, responsibility
and creativity in my mission immersion. I might be overwhelmed by the work that
I would forget to pray. Indeed, it is always important to remember the
significance of prayer in the life of a true missioner. He/she who is being sent is entirely connected with the One who sent
him/her. And I see, that this very connection is the prayer life that the
person will live. Here, prayer cannot be limited to reading and meditating some
books or materials. Hence, even the daily experiences with the people should be
the material that is supposed to be brought to prayer. In this way, the
missioner will be able to recognize who are these people he/she encountered
before the Lord. It would be in this way that the missioner will be able also
to see what kind of response he/she is to do in accordance with the call.
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| Candi Prambanan at a distance. |
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