It was my first time to celebrate Easter with my first son, Jagad. While entering the holy week started with Sunday Palm, I devoted my personal intentions for my family’s future. I joined people gathering for Sunday Palm Mass in parish of Christus Salvator, Slipi, West Jakarta.
As usual, many churches observed Good Friday in solemnity for commemorating the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ in various way. This important religious event was observed with sermons, reflection and Holy Mass. Even some Christians reenacted the Passion of Christ in a theatrical performance either inside church or longer outdoor processions. I have my own way to live my personal faith. Along with my sister’s family, I observed this Holy Mass in church of Sint Mary Mother of Carmel, Tomang, West Jakarta as my own parish. At the same parish, I also celebrated the Easter Eve.
For me, spirituality of Easter is spirtuality of liberation. Not only from our sins, but all of our types of fear and weakness. In his life, Jesus showed me good ways of going through life in the world. Fear is the biggest hindrance for human beings to reach the state of human fully and human alive. In my opinion fear is also the origin of violence. Some bad tendencies of human actions are rooted in fear. Because of fear, persons lost their authenticity. Fear tends to urge people to be a liar, corruptor, oppressor, greedy, and other bad characters.
Easter is a moment for digging the source of liberation spirituality from fear. I pay much attention on my insecure world where I live. I realize after Jagad’s birth, a lot of problems waiting for me on the next days. As young parent, we have several new duties urgent to be fulfilled. Both of us are called to think of saving, child’s educational insurance, good money management, keeping family’s health, building a suitable house, providing nutrition and so forth.
Do you know how much monthly salary for a journalist like me? It’s common knowledge that salary of journalist is classified in the low price especially in the developing country like Indonesia. But I thank God I still can fulfil my duties up to now. I am called to improve my income right now. I also realize my job is still up in the air. But it couldn’t stop me to work harder and professional. Because I have a big plan to create our future better. We have dreams. We believe in God with his righteousness we can reach them. For sure we have to do it on concrete ways. Not just on prayers and without doing something.
We realize our world is getting worse in its all dimensions. At this time we are facing a systematic destruction of nature. Our environmental problems have contributed to various humanitarian problems as well. Our planet is getting older. Its temperature is getting hotter. Global warming. Floods. Eartquake. Mud floods. Landslide. Deadly storms. These problems are not yet including social and politic problems. Have we a power enough to keep us alive in future?
Honestly, I am not one hundred percents free of fear. Sometimes I get wrestling in my life. It is not strange in any way. Easter has given me a huge hope of better future. There is no succesful life can be reached without any struggle in its previous ways. Jesus got his resurrection after experiencing His passion and death. Therefore Easter can’t be separated from spirituality of cross. Easter offers us a spiritual joy. Lord has done this by Himself in the same world where we live now. So, as His creatures, we should follow whatever He has done. “For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you,” Jesus said.
Now, my vocation is clearer. Bringing up Jagad is my real vocation. I am called to take care my son into his fullness of his life. After celebrating the Easter Eve, I took a stick of Easter candle and lighted it in front of sleeping Jagad. “Jagad, happy Easter!”
And I prayed in my own mind as St. Ignatius of Loyola has taught me in his Spiritual Exercises:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding, and my entire will. All I have and call my own.
Whatever I have or hold, you have given me.
I restore it all to you and surrender it wholly
to be governed by your will.
Give me only your love and grace
and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more. Amen.
Believing in Christ The King of Universe is my personal devotion!
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