"Open to the movement of the Holy Spirit to improve the quality of our lives as Brothers FIC"

(taken from the three monthly reflection material of Indonesia Province)

Beloved Brothers, since Wednesday, February 10, 2016, we have entered into the period of Lenten Season. On that day, we mark ourselves with the sign of ashes on the forehead while hearing messages to repent and believe the Gospel. The use of ashes as a sign of regret and repentance has been the tradition from thousands years ago. We can find the story the use of ashes as a sign of regret and repentance through some stories in the Scriptures.

One of the many such stories will be played as the first reading in the celebration of the Eucharist during the Lenten Season. In Jonah 3:1-10, we find the story of the King of Nineveh that sits on top of ashes. The action was done by the King of Nineveh to express his regret and repentance after he heard the prophecy of the destruction of the city of Nineveh from the prophet Jonah. "When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. (6).

The use of ashes as a symbolic action actually has a various meanings. Aside from being an expression of regret and repentance, ash or dust is also used to express a feeling of being "small" in the presence of God and the necessity to build attitudes of depending upon him. This looks, for example, through the symbolic act of Joshua and the Job. After suffering a defeat in the battle of Ai, Joshua symbolically expresses the helplessness of mankind before God by sprinkling ashes over his head "Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord remaining till evening. The elders of Israel did the same and sprinkled dust on their heads" (Josh. 7:6). Job, after going through the spiritual struggle before God, finally said: "therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:7).

Although they were both using medium of ash or dust, surely there is a difference between the pattern of acting King of Nineveh  on one side and Joshua and the Job on the other side. If we read carefully the story of the conversion of the King and the people of Nineveh (Yun 3:1-10), we will not find the story of dialogue between the King of Nineveh (human) and God. Reverse inscribed in the story of Joshua and the Job. Joshua sprinkled dust upon his head, establish a respectful dialogue but at the same time looks very close and intimate with God.

7 Joshua Said: "Ah, Sovereign GOD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!  8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by it enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the Earth. What then will you do for your own great name? "10 And the Lord said to Joshua: "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep ... "(Joshua 7:7-11)

Job even told of having dialogue at length with Elihu before he finally sat on the ashes. That dialogue could be the inner conversation of Job with God because the word "Elihu" in Hebrew means "my God is Him".

6 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: 7 "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. ... "(Job 40:6-7) 1 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 "I know that you can do all things, no plan of yours can be thwarted ...." (Job 42:1-2)

For Joshua and the symbolic action of Job, sprinkling ashes on the head or sitting on top of the dust be worth or weighted more precisely because it is accompanied by a process of dialogue intensively with God. The purpose of the dialogue is that they can understand God's plans until the next steps action or more aligned with his will. The act of dialogue with God is also a moment for them to be more sensitive or critical in reading or addressing life, both personal and social life. Then the dialogue with God can also lead them to enlightenment. That's experienced by Job. Thanks to an intensive dialogue with God, Job gained new way of thinking about the person of God and the events that occurred in his life, so that the way of viewing life be refreshed (way of life refreshed), and ultimately to bring about change in action (how he live ).

Life is understood or seen in the new perspective, as the fruit of an intense dialogue with God. That's often becomes the content of the preaching of the prophets. Therefore, at the time of initiating a prophecy or when wishing to put an end to his preaching, they often confirms with the phrase "the Lord". It is done not to fortify ourselves from the possibility of rejection or simply as an effort to convince the listener. It is done because of that the prophets say or write down exactly sourced from God himself. It is not uncommon, the prophets are also referred to as "people voice" or even the "mouth" of God as every word and their speech is an inspiration from God. The prophet is a man who became the embodiment of God who wanted to dialogue with human beings. It occurs in the prophets because they actually filled by the spirit of God.

The Constitutions article 9 FIC states that the founders of our congregation are the ones who filled with the spirit of Jesus. Filled with the spirit of Jesus made Mgr. Ludovikus Rutten and brother Bernard Hoecken acted as prophets on their day and for the society of their time. It happened because Jesus was also a prophet. He entered in the chain and the lineage of the prophets (ISA. 1:10-17; MIK 6:6-8; HOS 6:6) and meet the qualifications already ideal Prophet stated in the book of Deuteronomy (6:15). About moral enforcement, ministry, and his preaching is not easily accepted by the society of his day like that ever happened to the prophets, Jesus says that the Prophet was not respected in his own (Jn. 8:44).

As a prophet like Jesus, Mgr. Ludovikus Rutten and brother Bernard Hoecken went around while doing good and giving witness to the truth (FIC Constitutions art. 15). Indeed, one of the many duties of prophets is proclaiming the truth. For the sake of the truth which is believed to come from God, the prophets are willing to sacrifice their entire life up to the end. Indeed, this is one of the consequences if a person imbued by the spirit of God. Because they are committed to the truth, some of the Prophet died as martyrs.

Then what kind of truth preached by Mgr. Ludovikus Rutten and brother Bernard Hoecken? Jesus never said, "I am the way and the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6). Jesus, the real truth, was preached by Mgr. Ludovikus Rutten and brother Bernard Hoecken. They proclaim the truth, which is Jesus, not first of all with sermons or prophecies like most prophets in the past. They preach the truth (Jesus) with actions and exemplary life. They preached the truth by being presence in the society through service, to save, and bring the mandate, namely the mandate of liberating love (FIC Constitutions art. 15.) When they are filled by the spirit of Jesus, the founders of our Congregation be like Jesus in all his actions.

It was mentioned in the Constitutions art.9 that our founders were the ones who filled with the spirit of Jesus and made our hearts were filled with a sense of awe and pride. For us, they are special individuals who are viewed by God as worthy to receive the gift of the spirit of Jesus. Yes, filled with the spirit of Jesus is a gift (gratia). As a gift means that God freely wants to give the Spirit to the selected individuals. But it does not mean that we cannot obtain that gift.

According to our faith, the gift or grace or "gratia" consists of two kinds, namely the gifts given (gratia operans) and the gift of a laboured (gratia cooperans). "The gift is given" can be received by anyone depends on the generosity of God. From the side of it, we will never know whether God would choose us to get that gift. Or maybe actually this moment we have received the gift of the Spirit of Jesus? Are we aware of it?

"Gifts that laboured" means the gifts of God that we can accept it because we have a strong yearning in our hearts and we are struggling or trying to grab it. There are a lot of opportunities to obtain the grace of the spirit of Jesus as the founder of the congregation do or the Prophets. How do you do that? In addition we need to have a blazing heart longing and striving with all our energy resources, let us also learn from Joshua who provides time to "sit on the dust" as a moment to realize his weakness and dependency to God. Let's learn from Job who chose to “spinkle his head with ashes” as an expression of repentance over the old thoughts and start wearing those thoughts of God. Let's learn from them both who build a good relations and dialogue that is familiar and respectful with God as an opportunity to understand the will of God.

Let's replay the events of Ash Wednesday, when the sign of the cross of ashes smeared on the forehead. After receiving the sign of ashes, is there any sign of  change in me? Am I still like used to be though I have received and heard a message to repent? Am I after receiving the sign of ashes, I became increasingly open to establish a familiar relationship with God and respect like Joshua and the Job so that his spirit can fulfill my life? Is Ash Wednesday just merely an annual ritual with no agenda of change?

Beloved Brothers, entering into this pre-easter, we are invited to open up ourselves in order to be filled by the spirit of God as the Prophets. We don't need to wait for the feast of Pentecost to invoke the fulfilment of the spirit of God. Let us invoke the spirit of God to fill our lives on a daily basis so that by the power of his power we can become preachers of righteousness as the prophets of every day.

One thing that we also have to prepare for the revision of sustainable life is the courage to accept the consequences. When the spirit of God fills our lives, we know that the consequences are to proclaim the truth, as done by the founders of our Congregation. In the practical level, we find some level of truth. First, the truth of the words, i.e. to live out the Commandments: "thou shalt not lie". Second, the truth of mind. The right mind does not only means open to the flow of logical or sensible thought. The correct thoughts are also not only as a knowledge (scientia). The correct thoughts reach out more broadly and it comes to wisdom (sapientia). Third, the inner truth, or truth of heart. Inner truth emanates from the heart that is clean and clear, which was formed through a regular dialogue with God, in a spirit of respect and yet familiar. The more clean and clear of a heart, the stronger the voice of conscience echoed to guide the thoughts, words, and deeds.

So, if early on in this Lenten season, we invoke the fulfilment of the spirit of God like the prophets who preached the truth, we, too, must be ready to live in these qualities: never lie, adjust our logical mind with the will of God, as well as the keen to listen to and follow the voice of conscience. The Holy Spirit of God, when we give the opportunity to rule over our hearts, will make the words, thoughts, and our hearts are more sensitive reading and voicing the signs of the times. When we are filled with the spirit of God, we were sent to engage in the process of changing of the world, for example through works which are entrusted to us. Filled with the spirit of God, we are first sent to change ourselves. Dare we change when change is often painful?

"The Spirit of Truth.

The world cannot accept him, because the world does not see him and did not know him. you know him, for he be with you and will dwell in you. "

(John 14:17)