Taken for granted
Whenever I spend weeks in Jakarta it always brought a profound appreciation of our local religiosity to which we most often fail to appreciate. After delivering lectures for the mid-level and senior-level career diplomats of Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) through the invitation of the ILO (International Labor Administration), I would have this innate inclination to go for Sunday Mass since it was customary for me to do so. But reality would suddenly jolt me to the fact that I was in a country that was predominantly Muslim.
In Manila, finding a Church or a Parish for Sunday worship was effortless. Every local community will have at least two or three churches so Catholics here would sluggishly dwindle time knowing that going to mass is as easy as “to tie one’s shoelaces”. But for someone who had limited options to fulfill one’s religious obligations, going to mass on a Sunday was truly a journey (not just in its literal sense) of symbolical significance. Like a pilgrim the search and arrival to this place of worship brought an inexplicable sense of joy and satisfaction.
Inside this place of worship one noticeable phenomenon was the gathering of various believers from various races and nationalities. The scarcity of churches brought a certain convergence of people where I went for mass. But our obvious diversity was synergized by our common liturgical experience of prayers, songs and gestures. Here at home, it was a common practice just to bow our heads at each other while giving each one “the sign of peace” but in this small parish in Jakarta everyone was walking and moving around shaking each others hands just to show the appreciation of sharing the Eucharistic Celebration together. And at that this particular instance you would feel the universality of our Faith despite the differences in color, age, gender and social status.
During communion my lecture companion Nancy happened to glance at her watch and saw that we were attending mass for almost 2 hours. So, she whispered to me with an impish smile, “Sa Pilipinas hindi na tayo mapakali sa upuan kapag humaba ang misa ng mahigit isang oras, dito parang OK lang na mag-damag ang misa.” She was right! In the Philippines, attending a Sunday mass for more than one hour was considered excessive, and if it’s not a Fiesta Celebration or Holy Week Service some people would simply just walk out of the church. Why? Because attending a Eucharistic Celebration here (in a predominantly Christian Nation) has been most often reduced to a habitual ritualistic practice. Going to mass is just a religious obligation “I have to fulfill” and not a commitment “I want to fulfill”. Time is relative. You would never feel their passings if you find contentment in what you are doing.
Participating in a religious celebration far away from home brings you to appreciate the things you would normally take for granted. When all of a sudden you realize you no longer belong to the majority, sharing the company of a co- brethren makes you profoundly appreciate being part of a community of believers. Sharing the presence of other Catholics within that Church became not just a gathering of parishioners but an opportunity to share the momentary refuge of togetherness that would boost one’s faith experience in a religion we were raised to partake and believe. This experience made me understand “that being a Christian isn’t a private matter. We are called to be Christians together; while we can and should engage in the private worship of God throughout the week, our primary form of worship is public and communal, which is why Sunday Mass is so important.”
Faith is such a reflective experience that sometimes our routinely gestures diminish its substance and meaning. We could never really appreciate our rich religious experiences until is taken away or limited within our reach. The Eucharistic Celebration we shared with our foreign brothers and sisters made us appreciate not just the value of our own liturgical gatherings but also the collective experience of being part of greater community of disciples in Christ. Only in Faith can real brotherly love come true among all countries and all nations that they may realize the vision of the Father: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11)
“Because faith, which is always God’s gift and always to be asked for, must be nurtured by us. It is no magic power which comes down from heaven, it is not a ‘talent’ which is given once and for all, not a special force for solving life’s problems. A faith useful for satisfying our needs would be a selfish one, centred entirely on ourselves. Faith must not be confused with well-being or feeling well, with having consolation in our heart that gives us inner peace. Faith is the golden thread which binds us to the Lord, the pure joy of being with Him, united to Him; it is a gift that lasts our whole life, but bears fruit only if we play our part.” (Pope Francis)
————————oOo——————————
For any personal comments or suggestions, you may call 0917-4805585 or email me at [email protected].
