Berikut saya bagikan homili malam Natal dari romo Sarwi yang bertugas di Sengkang – Singapura untuk menjadi peneguhan bagi kita semua.
Selamat Hari Natal dari kami sekeluarga. Kiranya damai Kristus yang lahir dalam kesederhanaan dan kemiskinan, memampukan kita semua mengolah keprihatinan hidup menjadi kekuatan iman. Sehingga dalam keadaan apapun kita semakin menyerupai Kristus dan pantas memasuki perdamaianNya.
1. MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS… WE ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CHRISTMAS STORY. SOME PEOPLE SAY… EVERY YEAR, IT IS THE SAME OLD STORY.
2. SO TONIGHT, I AM GOING TO TELL YOU AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS STORY. IN FACT, THREE ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS STORIES.
3. SOMEWHERE NEAR TOA PAYOH LIVES A MOTHER WHO HAS A LITTLE DAUGHTER WHO CANNOT WALK OR TALK NORMALLY. SHE IS SUFFERING FROM CEREBRAL PALSY. LET’S CALL HER MOTHER MONICA. AT EVERY MAKAN TIME, MONICA WOULD NOT ONLY TAKE GREAT PAINS TO COOK A SPECIAL DIET, BUT SIT NEXT TO HER TO FEED HER. IT TAKES ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR JUST TO SEE THAT SHE HAS ENOUGH FOOD. SHE DOES THIS THREE OR FOUR TIMES A DAY, EVERY DAY.
4. BECAUSE THE LITTLE GIRL CANNOT GO TO THE TOILET, SHE HAS TO BE CHANGED FREQUENTLY. AND SO MONICA AND HER HUSBAND TAKE TURNS TO DO THAT FOR HER. FIVE TO SIX TIMES… EVERY DAY.
5. IF SHE FALLS ILL, LIKE MOST CHILDREN DO, THE ATTENTION AND CARE IS TWICE THE INTENSITY. TWICE THE EFFORT. TWICE THE TIME. TWICE THE HEARTACHE.
6. THEIR HOME IS LIKE A HOSPITAL. THERE IS EQUIPMENT FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY AND MEDICAL CARE ALL OVER THE HOUSE. AND SO, TO TAKE A BREAK FROM ALL THIS, THE FAMILY TRIES TO GO OUT TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK.
7. BUT GOING OUT ALSO HAS ITS CHALLENGES. THE PARENTS HAVE TO CARRY HER IN AND OUT THE CAR. ONCE ON LEVEL GROUND, THE WHEELCHAIR IS HER ONLY MEANS OF MOBILITY.
8. OUTSIDE IS ALSO A PLACE OF TENSION AND INTERNAL STRUGGLE. THEY HAVE TO COPE WITH PEOPLE STARING AT THEM. THEY HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE HURT, WHEN THEY SEE HOW OTHER CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO PLAY AND LAUGH AND COMMUNICATE.
9. FOR THE PAST ELEVEN YEARS, EACH DAY IS A PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL STRAIN FOR MONICA. AND EVEN WHEN HER DAUGHTER IS ASLEEP, MONICA OFTEN WONDERS WHAT IS ON HER MIND. SHE ALSO WONDERS HOW TO EXPLAIN TO HER DAUGHTER THAT INSPITE OF ALL HER STRUGGLES… GOD LOVES HER.
10. BUT MONICA LIVES IN HOPE EACH DAY. SHE AND HER FAMILY LOOK FORWARD TO LIFE’S LITTLE JOYS AND MERCIES, LIKE GOING FOR SUNDAY EUCHARIST, MEETING FRIENDS AND GOING FOR SHORT TRIPS.
11. WHILST OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN CRUSHED BY THIS SEEMING MISFORTUNE, MONICA AND FAMILY LOOK TO EACH NEW DAY WITH HOPE.
12. (pause)
13. THEN THERE IS THIS STORY ABOUT HENRY, A 55-YEAR OLD MAN WHO HAS BEEN OUT OF A FULL-TIME JOB FOR A ABOUT 10 YEARS. HENRY USED TO BE A SENIOR MANAGER IN A BIG COMPANY, BEFORE HE LEFT TO DO HIS OWN BUSINESS. THE BUSINESS FAILED, AND LEFT HIM IN A CRISIS. AT 45 YEARS OLD, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FIND WORK.
14. AND SO TO SUPPORT HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN, HE TOOK UP VARIOUS ODD JOBS. AT TIMES, HE WOULD BE DOING TWO JOBS IN A DAY JUST TO PAY BILLS AND SCHOOL FEES. HE WOULD DELIVER GOODS FOR ONE COMPANY, AND IN BETWEEN, WORK AT A COFFEE SHOP TO EARN AN EXTRA $30.
15. TIME AND AGAIN, HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN HAVE A DECENT MEAL. NATURALLY, THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES THAT HIS HOUSE IN TIONG BAHRU WAS PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS BECAUSE THEIR POWER SUPPLY WAS CUT OFF.
16. DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF SHAME THEY HAVE TO PUT UP WITH? WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT YET ANOTHER BLACK-OUT IN YOUR HOUSE? HOW DO YOUR CHILDREN EXPLAIN TO NEIGHBOURS ABOUT DOING HOMEWORK WITH A CANDLE, AGAIN AND AGAIN?
17. WHEN CLASSMATES TALK ABOUT A VACATION THEY ENJOYED DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, HENRY KNOWS HOW HIS CHILDREN FEEL. HENRY AND HIS WIFE KNOWS VERY WELL THAT THEIR SON AND DAUGHTER CANNOT EVEN PLAN ANYTHING FOR THE WEEKEND – LET ALONE PLAN FOR A HOLIDAY.
18. DO YOU KNOW THE PHRASE “SAVING FOR A RAINY DAY”? THE WHOLE FAMILY SAVES EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR EVERY DAY… BECAUSE EVERY NEXT DAY IS ALWAYS A RAINY DAY.
19. BESIDES THE BILLS. THE RAINY DAY INCLUDES HENRY’S KIDNEY PROBLEM AND HIS WIFE’S ILL HEALTH. HOWEVER, BOTH DO NOT SEEK THE NECESSARY TREATMENT. THEY JUST CANNOT AFFORD IT.
20. SOMETIMES, HENRY HAS TO BORROW MONEY JUST TO PAY THE ESSENTIAL BILLS SO THAT THE FOUR OF THEM CAN GET ON WITH LIFE.
21. BUT THE FAMILY IS NOT DEFEATED. THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH THE DIGNITY AS CHILDREN OF GOD. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE DISADVANTAGED AND FINANCIALLY STRESSED, THEY FIND THE TIME TO HELP OTHERS. HENRY COUNSELS TEENS WHO ARE LOST, AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN HELP NEIGHBOURS WHO ARE IN NEED. BECAUSE OF THEIR SITUATION, THE FAMILY IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND HELP OTHERS IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.
22. IN THEIR CARE AND LOVE FOR OTHERS, HENRY AND HIS FAMILY FIND JOY.
23. (pause)
24. THE FINAL STORY IS ABOUT A WIFE NAMED DEBRA, MARRIED TO A RETIRED ARMY OFFICER. THEY LIVE IN A COMFORTABLE SEMI-DETACHED HOUSE IN SERANGOON GARDENS. AFTER HIS RETIREMENT AT AGE 45, HER HUSBAND VENTURED INTO SOME SMALL BUSINESS THAT TOOK HIM TO INDONESIA.
25. ACTUALLY, HE DOES NOT NEED TO DO THAT. THEY ARE FINANCIALLY COMFORTABLE. THE MOVE IS ONLY TO SATISFY HIS RESTLESSNESS AND SELFISH DREAM.
26. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, HE SPENDS MORE TIME IN JAKARTA THAN IN SERANGOON GARDENS. AS A RESULT, DEBRA IS BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER TO THEIR 3 GROWING CHILDREN.
27. SHE FETCHES THE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. SHE BRINGS THEM FOR TUITION AND TO CHURCH. SHE ACCOMPANIES THEM TO THE MOVIES AND TO THE DOCTOR. BESIDES HER OFFICE WORK, SHE ATTENDS TO DOMESTIC CHORES AND EVEN LEARNS TO REPAIR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES.
28. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW SHE FEELS WHEN SHE HAS TO CELEBRATE FAMILY BIRTHDAYS ALONE? OR WHEN THE PRESSURE OF OFFICE AND DOMESTIC PROBLEMS HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE? SHE HAS TO FACE THEM ALL ALONE – WHILE HER HUSBAND IS PROBABLY ENTERTAINING BUSINESS CLIENTS FAR AWAY.
29. AND YET, SHE FINDS THE STRENGTH TO KEEP THE FAMILY AND MARRIAGE TOGETHER. SHE FINDS THE STRENGTH TO FORGIVE, NOT BLINDLY, BUT WITH PURPOSE. SHE PRAYS WITH FAITH FOR HER HUSBAND TO HAVE THE WISDOM AND GRACE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. DEBRA TRUSTS IN GOD TO HELP HIM FIND HIS TRUE VOCATION AS HUSBAND AND FATHER. AND IN SO DOING, DEBRA FINDS PEACE IN HER SITUATION.
30. (pause)
31. MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS, THESE THREE STORIES ARE REAL-LIFE STORIES. THE COMMON THREAD IN ALL THREE STORIES IS REALLY THE CHRISTMAS STORY. IT IS THE CHRISTMAS STORY TRANSLATED INTO CONCRETE LIFE TODAY.
32. BECAUSE JESUS WAS BORN 2,000 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE THIS HOPE, JOY AND PEACE INSPITE OF OUR DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE TODAY.
33. HOW ELSE CAN MONICA FIND HOPE IN THEIR PHYSICAL STRUGGLE? HOW ELSE CAN HENRY FIND JOY ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SO POOR? HOW ELSE CAN DEBRA FIND PEACE LIVING LIKE A SINGLE MOTHER?
34. THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT. NOT THE CHRISTMAS TREE, NOT THE PRESENTS, NOT THE MERRY PARTIES. THESE ARE ALL DISTRACTIONS FROM THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
35. JESUS WAS BORN TO GIVE US HOPE. AND WITH IT, PEACE AND JOY.
36. EVEN THE WAY JESUS CHOSE TO BE BORN IS A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GREAT LOVE. IMAGINE IF JESUS WAS BORN IN A GRAND PALACE AND PLACED ON A GOLDEN BED WITH GLITTERING DIAMONDS. CAN MONICA, HENRY AND DEBRA RELATE? CAN THEY CONNECT WITH SUCH A GOD?
37. INSTEAD, JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, WAS BORN IN A MANGER WITH ANIMALS FOR COMPANY. IN TODAY’S CONTEXT, IT WOULD BE LIKE A BABY WHO IS LEFT ON A CARDBOARD SHEET IN A BUS STOP.
38. (pause)
39. THIS IS THE SON OF GOD, WHO HUMBLED HIMSELF TO SUCH A LOWLY STATE, SO THAT YOU AND I CAN CONNECT. EVEN IN OUR DARKEST MOMENTS, IN THE LOWEST MOMENTS OF OUR LIFE, WE CAN APPROACH THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE. WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE… JESUS… HAS BEEN THERE. HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE. HE FEELS FOR US.
40. HE IS NOT A GOD WHO IS FAR AWAY AND UP IN AN IVORY TOWER. HE IS NOT A GOD WHO IS FAR REMOVED FROM THE KIND OF HURTS AND HUMILIATION AND BROKENESS AND PAIN THAT WE SUFFER.
41. THE WAY HE WAS BORN MEANS HE IS ONE WITH US, IN OUR STRUGGLES.
42. AND BECAUSE HE LOVES US MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE, HE WILL ALWAYS ANSWER OUR PRAYER. HE WILL ALWAYS HELP US IN THE WAY THAT IS BEST FOR US.
43. SO MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS, THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE IS REALLY THIS… (pause) THAT GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE CAME IN THE LOWLIEST MANNER SO THAT WE CAN RECEIVE THE HIGHEST GIFT OF ALL.
44. AND WHAT IS THIS GIFT? IT IS THE PROMISE OF PERFECT HAPPINESS. GOD IS THE PERFECT AND ETERNAL HAPPINESS, WHETHER WE ENCOUNTER HIM NOW OR IN HEAVEN.
45. AND TO THOSE WHO CANNOT FULLY APPRECIATE THIS…. (pause) JUST ASK MONICA OR HENRY OR DEBRA.
46. (pause)
47. MAY YOU ENCOUNTER THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS. AMEN.
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BACAAN INJIL : Luk 2:1-14
Inilah Injil Yesus Kristus menurut Santo Lukas:
Sekali peristiwa Kaisar Agustus mengeluarkan suatu perintah, menyuruh mendaftar semua orang di seluruh dunia. Inilah pendaftaran yang pertama kali diadakan sewaktu Kirenius menjadi walinegeri di Siria. Maka pergilah semua orang mendaftarkan diri, masing-masing ke kota asalnya. Demikian juga Yusuf. Ia pergi dari kota Nazaret di Galilea ke Yudea, ke kota Daud yang bernama Betlehem, – karena ia berasal dari keluarga dan keturunan Daud – supaya didaftarkan bersama-sama dengan Maria, tunangannya, yang sedang mengandung. Ketika mereka berada di Betlehem, tibalah waktunya bagi Maria untuk bersalin, dan ia melahirkan seorang anak laki-laki, anaknya yang sulung. Lalu dibungkusnya anak itu
dengan lampin dan dibaringkannya di dalam palungan, karena tidak ada tempat bagi mereka di rumah penginapan. Di daerah itu ada gembala-gembala yang tinggal di padang menjaga kawanan ternak mereka pada waktu malam. Tiba-tiba berdirilah seorang malaikat Tuhan di dekat mereka, sehingga mereka sangat ketakutan. Maka kata malaikat itu kepada mereka, “Jangan takut, sebab sesungguhnya aku memberitakan kepadamu kesukaan besar untuk seluruh bangsa: Hari ini telah lahir bagimu Juruselamat, yaitu Kristus Tuhan, di kota Daud. Dan inilah tandanya bagimu: Kamu akan menjumpai seorang bayi dibungkus dengan lampin dan terbaring di dalam palungan.” Dan tiba-tiba tampaklah bersama dengan malaikat itu sejumlah besar bala tentara surga yang memuji Allah, katanya, “Kemuliaan bagi Allah di tempat yang mahatinggi, dan damai sejahtera di bumi bagi orang yang berkenan kepada-Nya.”