Fr. Erik Tjeunfin, sx
There are many beautiful stories on how the people welcomed God, the gospel and Catholic institution in their respective places. Back to my mother’s village in Indonesia, when the missionaries came for the first time, my maternal ancestors rejected them because they didn’t understand their language and way of life. They were asked to move to another village and they established catholic mission or parish. After some years, because of looking at the good deeds and the good message of the missionaries, my ancestors started to call them back and they accepted the Christian faith. As a sign of re-acceptance of the Christian faith, the ancestors built a shrine of Mary in the place where they rejected the missionaries. I remembered before my priesthood ordination, my family made a traditional celebration to ask for forgiveness and reconciliation. Because in the past my ancestor rejected the missionaries, but now their son/grandson wanted to be a missionary.
Usually we think about how God can welcome us when we meet Him, but our Sunday’s readings tell us also what we can do to welcome Him in our life; to inherit eternal. The first reading explained about a rich woman/family and yet lack of one thing urged to host prophet Elisha who was passing by in their home. The woman said to her husband “I know that this man [Elisha] who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let us make us small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” The woman is drawn to God, she longs for Him. She has the eyes of faith which are able detect God’s presence through the holiness of Elisha. She does not want to miss but seizes the opportunity (kairos) by pressing/urging Elisha to stay with them. This reminds us the story of Emmaus where the two disciples were urging strongly Jesus to stay with them. Not only that, her encounter with God makes her willingly, out of gratitude, to host God. She provides necessary things that God ‘can feel’ at home. As a result, God saved her family to bear a child, since they haven’t had yet. That is the joy of encountering God. As Jesus said in the gospel, anyone who welcomes a prophet or holy man will have a reward. Both Elisha and the woman loose or sacrifice their live for the sake of God and find it in the fullness.
As we naturally long for God, so God also long to have communion through Jesus Christ who instituted the sacraments. The second reading makes clearly the meaning of sacrament of baptism. It unites us with Him and we should take His responsibilities and its consequences (cross). We step on his footsteps; we drink from His chalice; we are immersed to his way of life. He is our pattern; we put ourselves in his shoes. Elisha is invited by the woman to have a meal on the upper room which symbolizes the sacrament of eucharist. We can’t believe in Jesus Christ without receiving sacraments which are the physical signs of unity with him here on earth and after. Love, faith and hope need to have signs.
Furthermore, in the gospel, Jesus sent out his chosen disciples; He established his institution. He said “He who receives you receive me, and he who receives me receive the one [God, the Father] who sent me.” The church is human and yet divine institution. Naturally, we believe in God, but we need a true Church; Catholic church which embodies God. Acceptance and hospitality to Catholic mission is hospitality to God and vice versa. In recent report, many young generation (Gen z) in some countries are going back to Catholic church because of finding out its truth, beauty, holiness and communion.
Therefore, let us welcome God in our lives. Invite and allow him to have a home in our family and community. We welcome him not only to ascend our mind and heart but also we make it visible through acceptance of the sacraments and institution. The story in the first reading reminds us to give wholeheartedly the necessary things such as accommodation to God and His institution so that He can work peacefully. We are the safe guardians of God’s people, sacraments and His properties such as church buildings, land, security and wellbeing. Any disturbance to God’s ‘belongings’ is disturbance to our blessing. With the song “give it all your hearts, give it all your hearts, God go (will) bless you, God go (will) give you more, give with all your heart”, I wish you a happy welcoming for God.
Fr. Erik Tjeunfin, sx.
There are many beautiful stories on how the people welcomed God, the gospel and Catholic institution in their respective places. Back to my mother’s village in Indonesia, when the missionaries came for the first time, my maternal ancestors rejected them because they didn’t understand their language and way of life. They were asked to move to another village and they established catholic mission or parish. After some years, because of looking at the good deeds and the good message of the missionaries, my ancestors started to call them back and they accepted the Christian faith. As a sign of re-acceptance of the Christian faith, the ancestors built a shrine of Mary in the place where they rejected the missionaries. I remembered before my priesthood ordination, my family made a traditional celebration to ask for forgiveness and reconciliation. Because in the past my ancestor rejected the missionaries, but now their son/grandson wanted to be a missionary.
Usually we think about how God can welcome us when we meet Him, but our Sunday’s readings tell us also what we can do to welcome Him in our life; to inherit eternal. The first reading explained about a rich woman/family and yet lack of one thing urged to host prophet Elisha who was passing by in their home. The woman said to her husband “I know that this man [Elisha] who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let us make us small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” The woman is drawn to God, she longs for Him. She has the eyes of faith which are able detect God’s presence through the holiness of Elisha. She does not want to miss but seizes the opportunity (kairos) by pressing/urging Elisha to stay with them. This reminds us the story of Emmaus where the two disciples were urging strongly Jesus to stay with them. Not only that, her encounter with God makes her willingly, out of gratitude, to host God. She provides necessary things that God ‘can feel’ at home. As a result, God saved her family to bear a child, since they haven’t had yet. That is the joy of encountering God. As Jesus said in the gospel, anyone who welcomes a prophet or holy man will have a reward. Both Elisha and the woman loose or sacrifice their live for the sake of God and find it in the fullness.
As we naturally long for God, so God also long to have communion through Jesus Christ who instituted the sacraments. The second reading makes clearly the meaning of sacrament of baptism. It unites us with Him and we should take His responsibilities and its consequences (cross). We step on his footsteps; we drink from His chalice; we are immersed to his way of life. He is our pattern; we put ourselves in his shoes. Elisha is invited by the woman to have a meal on the upper room which symbolizes the sacrament of eucharist. We can’t believe in Jesus Christ without receiving sacraments which are the physical signs of unity with him here on earth and after. Love, faith and hope need to have signs.
Furthermore, in the gospel, Jesus sent out his chosen disciples; He established his institution. He said “He who receives you receive me, and he who receives me receive the one [God, the Father] who sent me.” The church is human and yet divine institution. Naturally, we believe in God, but we need a true Church; Catholic church which embodies God. Acceptance and hospitality to Catholic mission is hospitality to God and vice versa. In recent report, many young generation (Gen z) in some countries are going back to Catholic church because of finding out its truth, beauty, holiness and communion.
Therefore, let us welcome God in our lives. Invite and allow him to have a home in our family and community. We welcome him not only to ascend our mind and heart but also we make it visible through acceptance of the sacraments and institution. The story in the first reading reminds us to give wholeheartedly the necessary things such as accommodation to God and His institution so that He can work peacefully. We are the safe guardians of God’s people, sacraments and His properties such as church buildings, land, security and wellbeing. Any disturbance to God’s ‘belongings’ is disturbance to our blessing. With the song “give it all your hearts, give it all your hearts, God go (will) bless you, God go (will) give you more, give with all your heart”, I wish you a happy welcoming for God.
Fr. Erik Tjeunfin, sx.