|
Home | News | Opinion | Contact Us |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jl. Kelapa Hijau - Bukit Indah Sukajadi - Batam 29642 | SEARCH:
|
|||||||
SVD Batam | SOVERDIA (Awam SVD) | Pelayanan Kitab Suci | Pelayananan Internasional | Liturgi dan Devosi | Tirta Wacana |
---|
Advent Notes | ||
|
|
My Advent in Batam: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace |
||||
by Aurelius Pati Soge, SVD | ................................................................................................................................ Sunday, November 30, 2014 |
|||
FINISHING MY SUNDAY DUTIES (30/11/2014), I then go out strolling around the Sukajadi neighbourhood to enjoy afternoon free time. I rarely do so, as Sunday is mainly a busy day for me. When I end up at the Kepri Mall, a well known business centre in Batam, I instantly notice the atmosphere of Christmas. An artificial Christmas tree has been erected at the main entrance, accompanied by two figures of Santa Claus playing trumpets. A little been inside the mall, an imitation of sleigh with two reindeers, glimmering in the flashing lights dominate the scene. A few feet away, an ice skating arena is full of children playing, screaming and shouting with joy. Meanwhile, Christmas songs are on air, creating such a unique atmosphere for all. Christmas sounds familiar to all people, noticeable most of them are not Christians, wandering around and enjoying the bright sunny afternoon. While in the church we are still at the beginning of Advent Season, this beautiful scene eventually pictures an irony that many people are not aware of. Christmas is too commercialized now and Advent is almost disappeared behind the curtain. What is the meaning of Advent for us today? |
||||
Artificial Christmas tree at the main entrance of Kepri Mall, Batam |
ONE cannot fully comprehend the Advent without grasping the core message of Christmas. While our modern world tends to reduce the real meaning of Christmas as one of the greatest events in Christianity to just a year-end holiday, it is our duty as Christians to re-highlight it, in order to remind the world of its root. Jesus, the word became flesh, was born into human society as a child, commonly considered as the fruit of a family, Joseph and Mary. Yet, we also know that it was the will of God that made it happen, because Jesus was conceived and born of Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. So, the Divine role is undeniable, yet the human role proves to be crucial, too. THE whole drama took the first step when Mary freely accepted the role of being the mother of Jesus. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said”, said Mary (Lk 1:38). And then, Joseph, after struggling with his conscience, accepted unconditionally his role as the father of the Messiah. “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do and took his wife to his home” (Mt 1:25). This biblical quotation pictures the maturity of Joseph’s and Mary’s personality in every sense. In modern fashion, we might say, that the two of them have both spiritual and emotional intelligence, two crucial pillars among many needed for a dignified life. However, the main value is the goal of the coming of Jesus, which pictures the divine vision for the world, as mentioned in the nocturnal dialog between Jesus and Nicodemus. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life”, said Jesus (Jn 3:16). Here we have three crucial elements, i.e. (1) Mary’s total surrender to the will of God, (2) Joseph’s competence of overcoming his doubt and (3) God’s sincere intention to save everybody from the power of the darkness. |
|||
BEARING in mind these three points, let us return to our main subject, the Advent. The essence of Advent is a spiritual preparation for Christmas. Therefore, Advent covers almost the whole history of humankind since Adam and Eve, the first human creatures committed sins in Eden, up to the birth of Jesus. To some extent, it is extended to the time of John the Baptist, prior to Jesus’ public life and ministry. Throughout these centuries of Advent, God constantly had revealed his love and desire to set up a role model for all, what it meant to live in the constant protection of heavenly Father. He even partially executed his plan through his many messengers, such as patriarchs, judges, kings and prophets. Therefore, even this long period of Advent did not witness the completion of God’s plan, it eventually experienced God’s loving presence and his constant protection for all people. God’s messengers had proclaimed hope, witnessed love, brought joy and restored peace among nations. |
||||
THESE four dimensions of Advent are still very relevant for our Christian communities, even for our common society today. Christians need hope, love, joy and peace, so does the whole world. But the world seems to lose its ground. Hope, love, joy and peace often no longer make sense as the world often impose them with power, money or even arms. It is certainly not compatible with Christian values, as our reference is Jesus’ compassion and sincerity. People like to enjoy hope, love, joy and peace and gain benefits from them but do not want to pay the price. How could such this notion sustain the essence of hope, love, joy and peace, in a world that is coloured by human egoism? So, basically there will be no true hope, love, joy and peace without compassion and sincerity.
***** WE ARE at the threshold of Christmas. We have right to enjoy the beauty of Christmas and all luxuries provided. Many might plan to buy new clothes and delicious foods, to see Christmas carols, to spend times abroad, etc. We might go across the strait to Singapore to enjoy the city Christmas decoration, as if all Singaporean are Christians during the year-end. Many expatriate workers rush to buy cheaper tickets for home leave. Eventually, Christmas is a time for family reunion, and it is good to be with them all. It will strengthen many for tougher life in the future. Yet, remember, that we have a mission to accomplish. What is that mission?
To end the note of the day, let me quote the Prophet Isaiah, once again: |
||||
“From the stump of Jesse a shot will come forth; Not by appearance will he judge, nor by what is said must he decide, The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the kid, No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain, |
||||
RELATED ARTICLES: |
All stories by TIRTA WACANA Team except where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. | design: (c) aurelius pati soge |