LUKE 14:27 (Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33)

Jakarta, 8 November 2023

A Christian Pilgrim

 

MATTHEW 16:24 (Today’s Gospel Reading: Matthew 16: 24-28)

Jakarta, 5 August 2022

A Christian Pilgrim

 

LUIKE 14:27 (Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33)

Jakarta, 3 November 2021

Frans Indrapradja

 

MATTHEW 16:24 (Today’s Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27)

Jakarta, 30 August 2020

A Christian Pilgrim

 

MARK 8:34

Jakarta, 21 February 2020

A Christian Pilgrim

 

 

A SEED MUST DIE TO PRODUCE A NEW PLANT

Today’s Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:13-23 – EIGHTEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR: Thursday, 9 August 2018 

The cross has been a stumbling block not only to Peter but to mankind in general throughout the centuries. The question is so often asked: why suffering? Why the cross? Why did Christ have to become the Man of Sorrow so that we might become the children of God?

Suffering and death remains a mystery, but we do see some light in nature. We see here that strange truth, that paradox, that death produces life. A seed must die to produce a new plant. A mother undergoes the pangs of childbirth to bring about new life. Ultimately we can’t reach eternal life without first dying to this life.

Christ’s death makes eternal life possible for us. But we must first share in His death by a dying to self. Jesus is very clear about this, “If a man wishes to come after Me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross and begin to follow in my footsteps.” No hedging here. The words are clear and emphatic. Everywhere in the Scriptures we can read that our union with Christ is conditioned by our conformity with Him in His sufferings on this earth.

The reason we suffer with Christ is that we may be glorified with Him. Without the cross there is no glory, without death, no resurrection. Without Good Friday there never would have been an Easter Sunday. So also does our Easter, our resurrection to new life, both here and hereafter, depend on how we accept our earthly Good Friday.

Jakarta, 9 August 2018

A Christian Pilgrim

 

TAKE UP OUR CROSSES AND FOLLOW HIM

TAKE UP OUR CROSSES AND FOLLOW HIM

(A biblical refection on THE 13th ORDINARY SUNDAY [YEAR A], 2 July 2017) 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:37-42 

First Reading: 2 Kings 4:8-11,14-16; Psalms: Psalm 89:2-3,16-19; Second Reading: Romans 6:3-4,8-11 

The Scripture Text

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who does not take the cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:37-42 RSV)

In today’s Gospel reading the Lord gives some clear guidelines about the quality of love which He asks us to give to Him. The norm, He says, must be greater than the love we have for parents and children – that is, two of the most intimate and tender types of love. So we view the highest and best we humanly have to offer others, and know that our love of God must be more, although we can’t see Him face to face or throw our arms around Him. It is a love indeed, one intimately bound up with a deep and lively faith. We know that He opened His arms on the cross as far as possible to show for all time His tremendous love for us.

A bit further in the Gospel, the Lord says that we are worthy of Him only if we take up our crosses and follow Him. A cross normally reminds us of pain and death, but the messages of love and life are even more deeply imbedded in the cross of Christ.

We do not truly love one another if we only consider our own selfish interests. The kind of sacred caring of which Jesus speaks is very costly. Kindness, patience and trust do not come easily for most people. Real love does not stop at words but hands a cup of cold water to another in need.

Unless we carry a cross and follow the Lord, we are no worthy of Him. Since we want to be worthy of His love and trust, we should clarify what it means “to carry a cross”.

When we welcome an insignificant person and treat him with honor and respect, we are carrying a cross. That’s not too difficult. When we do our work well and uncomplainingly even though we don’t feel like it, that’s carrying a cross. When we suffer a terrible tragedy and still believe in God’s eternal goodness, we are carrying a cross.

Jesus left heavenly Father and earthly mother for us, and we were His cross. Our crosses are to carry whatever life hands us and to walk through this world back to Him. The cross is basic to Christianity. It signifies the present cost of living, of loving and of following the Lord.

(Adapted from Rev. James McKarns, GO TELL EVERYONE, pages 62-63)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, by faith I want to die to myself and live in union with You today. By Your Holy Spirit, apply the power of the cross to all that is fallen within me and empower me to live to please Your heavenly Father. Amen.

Jakarta, 30 June 2017 

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI on EVANGELIZATION

Jakarta, 10 April 2017

A Christian Pilgrim

 

WE NEED JESUS’ PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR OUR SALVATION

WE NEED JESUS’ PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR OUR SALVATION

(A biblical reflection on PASSION SUNDAY [YEAR A], 9 April 2017) 

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalms: Psalm 22:8-9,17-20,23-24; Gospel Reading: Matthew 26:14-27:66 (Matthew 27:11-54) 

The Scripture Text

Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11 RSV) 

If we could have been in the upper room with Jesus during the Last Supper, we would see that Jesus knew. He knew the one who would betray Him. He knew that he would not drink again of the vine. He knew that Simon Peter would deny Him. And yet, when we read the passion, something within us always wishes it had all been different. If only Pilate had known who Jesus was! If only the Pharisees had been more open!

Would we have tried to save Jesus from His fate? Even if all humanity’s blindness could be removed, and we all realized our sinful condition before God, we would still need Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for our salvation. Without the gift of the cross, we would be condemned. Reading the passion can help us to reckon with the desperate condition that humankind was, and still is, in.

Jesus was so close to His Father that, although falsely accused and crucified, He forgave His persecutors and bid others not to weep for Him. We may be repulsed by thoughts of Jesus sweating blood and the imminent sense of death He must have felt in Gethsemane. Yet at the same time, we can be filled with gratitude as we recall that He endured all this for us. As the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to Jesus’ passion, our revulsion will be turned on our own sin, knowing that it was because of the darkness within us that Jesus suffered so greatly.

Let’s spend some time today reading the passion, asking the Lord to show each of us His love. Let’s place ourselves in the upper room, or n Gethsemane, or on Calvary. In faith, let’s gaze upon the One who offered His life to win our release. By placing ourselves with Jesus in the midst of these events, we can experience our redemption in a powerful, life-changing way.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, open to us the mystery of Your cross. Help us to empty ourselves, trusting that one day we will be lifted up with You to share in Your unending glory. Amen.

Jakarta, 8 April 2017  

A Christian Pilgrim 

 

TO TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW JESUS

TO TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW JESUS

(A biblical reflection on the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C] – June 19, 2016)

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:18-24 

First Reading: Zechariah 12:10-11;13:1; Psalms: Psalm 63:2-6,8-9; Second Reading: Gal 3:26-29 

The Scripture Text

Now it happened that as He was praying alone the disciples were with Him; and He asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen.” And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” But He charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raise.”

And He said to all, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake, he will save it.” (Luke 9:18-24 RSV) 

Nothing can sound less appealing than the call to take up our cross and follow Jesus every day (Luke 9:23). We instinctively imagine a life of suffering and self-denial. True, death to self is part of following the Lord, but only if we look at life with Jesus from a solely human perspective will we feel frustrated by the prospect.

Each of us – whether we believe in God or not – thirsts for the Lord. How often have we felt like the psalmist – weary and needy, longing for God’s presence (Psalm 63:1)? Yet, when we seek the Lord, we encounter a conflict between our desire for Jesus and our desire to remain in sin. This very conflict, in part, illustrates the “cross” that we are called to take up. God asks us to crucify our sinful drives so that we can find our true home in Jesus.

How do we approach Jesus’ words with hope, not fear? The key is in exchanging our limited perspective, which looks only at what we lose, or the greater truth of who Jesus is and what He offers us. The more we truly lay down our lives, the more we allow Jesus to pour His life into us.

We can take up the cross by deciding to seek Jesus in prayer every day. Prayer can be like going to a friend’s wedding: If we only think of the traffic we will encounter on the way, we’ll find it hard to get into the car. But if we consider the wonderful celebration and the banquet awaiting us, we gladly fight the traffic. It will be worth it to us.

Or perhaps there is a person in our lives whom we wish we could avoid. Again, as we obey the Lord’s promptings to lay down our lives, we will be filled with divine love and receive the grace to share that love. Let us embrace the life God has called us to. It may be difficult at times, but the rewards far outweigh the costs!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, one glimpse of Your beauty makes the fight worthwhile. Help me to keep my eyes fixed fully on You as I take up my cross and follow You Amen.

Jakarta, 18 June 2016

A Christian Pilgrim