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Wednesday, January 25, 2017
GUARDIAMO LA STRORIA DI PAOLO
Mercoledì 25-01-2016
PHOTO: commons.wikimedia.org
È bello celebrare la festa di oggi cioè la conversione di San Paolo. Lui che è un grande missionario. Quindi, è importante anche per noi come missionari. È meglio guardiamo sempre alla sua figura per almeno avere lo sguardo verso la missione.

È bello anche ricordare che oggi concludiamo la nostra settimana della preghiera per l’unità dei cristiani. A questa celebrazione, il Decreto sull’ecumenismo della CV II “Unitatis redintegratio” numero 7 dice, non c’è vero ecumenismo senza conversione. Se consideriamo il compito di un missionario che è la conversione (come diceva Conforti-Regen 15), allora tutti noi dobbiamo diventare il promotore dell’ecumenismo.

Il famoso racconto a Damasco della prima lettura Att 22,3-16 è molto interessante. Questo racconto è uno dei tre racconti sulla conversione di Paolo (Att 9 e 26). Leggendo questo racconto, mi viene in mente queste due parole cioè testimone e dialogo. Testimoniare una cosa vuol dire dialogare, comunicare, parlare una cosa.

Abbiamo visto questo dialogo tra Paolo o meglio Saulo e Gesù. Gesù conosce il nome di Saulo. Saulo invece no. Lui chiede l’identità del Signore, Chi sei? Che devo fare.  Io sono Gesù, che tu perseguiti. Alla fine, tutti e due si riconoscono.

L’altra cosa che molto interessante è l’esperienza di Paolo. Nel versetto 9 si dice Quelli che erano con me videro la luce, ma non udirono la voce. È molto diverso da Paolo. Lui invece non vede ma ascolta la voce. Dopo però, anche Paolo vede qualcosa, soprattutto dopo aver incontrato Ananìa.

Questo dialogo è l’inizio del cammino della fede di Paolo. Dal dialogo nasce l’altra esperienza cioè la missione di testimoniare quello che ha visto e udito. Paolo ha questa esperienza. Lui ha visto questa esperienza molto forte che ad un certo punto i suoi occhi non possono vederla. Poi, lui anche ha udito la voce del Signore. Alla fine, Paolo ha ricevuto questa missione di essere testimone davanti a tutti gli uomini.

Continua nel vangelo (Mc 16,15-18) questa missione. Gesù chiede agli apostoli di andare in tutto il mondo, a portare il vangelo in ogni creatura. Andate, è un mandato imperativo, quindi ci chiede solo l’obbedienza. Questa parola rivolta anche a Paolo (anche se non era uno degli Undici) e anche a noi. A noi oggi, Gesù chiede come quello che ha fatto Paolo.

Credo che in questo punto, Gesù ci chiede questa collaborazione, cioè di lavorare, di collaborare insieme con Lui. È Lui che appunto opera attraverso la nostra attività. Gesù però non vuole salvare il mondo e l’umanità senza di noi. Lui ci chiede di partecipare in questa missione. Perciò, abbiamo sempre il lavoro da fare, la missione da compiere. Gesù vuole i testimoni cioè tutti noi missionari.

Ecco, forse troppo grande per noi questo compito, ma affidiamo a Lui. Solo con il suo amore che ci dà sempre, possiamo andare avanti. A volte, non siamo fedeli a questo compito, ecco chiediamo a Lui di essere fedeli come Lui stesso. Perché—come dice il salmo di oggi—forte è il suo amore per noi e la fedeltà del Signore dura per sempre.
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Sunday, January 22, 2017
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square-Sunday, 15 January 2017

PHOTO: l'osservatore romano / photovat.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
At the centre of today’s Gospel reading (Jn 1:29-34) there is this message of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v. 29). It is a message accompanied by the gaze and the hand gesture that indicate Him, Jesus.
Let us imagine the scene. We are on the bank of the River Jordan. John is baptizing; there are many people, men and women of various ages, who have come there, to the river, to receive baptism from the hands of the man who reminded many of Elijah, the great Prophet who nine centuries before had purified the Israelites of idolatry and led them back to the true faith in the God of the Covenant, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


John preaches that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, that the Messiah is about to reveal himself, and one must prepare, convert and act with righteousness; and he begins to baptize in the River Jordan in order to give the people a tangible means of repentance (cf. Mt 3:1-6). These people came to repent their sins, to make penance, to begin their life anew. He knows; John knows that the Messiah, the Lord’s Consecrated One, is now nearby, and the sign to recognize Him will be that the Holy Spirit will descend upon Him. Indeed, He will bring the true baptism, baptism in the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 1:33).

And thus, the moment arrives: Jesus appears on the river bank, in the midst of the people, the sinners — like all of us. It is his first public act, the first thing he does when he leaves his home in Nazareth, at the age of 30: he goes down into Judea, goes to the Jordan, and is baptized by John. We know what happens. We celebrated it last Sunday: the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father proclaims him the beloved Son (cf. Mt 3:16-17). It is the sign that John has been waiting for. It is He! Jesus is the Messiah. John is disconcerted, because He manifests himself in an unimaginable way: in the midst of sinners, baptized with them, or rather, for them. But the Spirit enlightens John and helps him understand that in this way God’s justice is fulfilled, his plan of salvation is fulfilled: Jesus is the Messiah, the King of Israel, however, not with the power of this world but as the Lamb of God, who takes upon himself and takes away the sins of the world.

Thus, John points Him out to the people and to his disciples. Because John had a large circle of disciples, who had chosen him as a spiritual guide, and some of them actually become the first disciples of Jesus. We know their names well: Simon, later called Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother John. All were fishermen, all Galileans, like Jesus.

Dear brothers and sisters, why have we focused so long on this scene? Because it is decisive! It is not an anecdote. It is a decisive historical fact! This scene is decisive for our faith; and it is also decisive for the Church’s mission. The Church, in every time, is called to do what John the Baptist did: point Jesus out to the people, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. He is the One Saviour! He is the Lord, humble, in the midst of sinners, but it is He, He: there is no other powerful one who comes; no, no it is He!
These are the words that we priests repeat each day, during the Mass, when we present to the people the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. This liturgical gesture represents the whole mission of the Church, which she does not proclaim herself. Woe, woe when the Church proclaims herself; she loses her bearings, she doesn’t know where she is going! The Church proclaims Christ; she does not bring herself, she brings Christ. Because it is He and only He who saves his people from sin, frees them and guides them to land and to true freedom.

May the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lamb of God, help us to believe in Him and follow Him.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, today we celebrate the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, dedicated to the theme “Child Migrants, the Vulnerable and the Voiceless”. These little brothers and sisters of ours, especially if unaccompanied, are exposed to so many dangers. I tell you there are many! It is necessary to adopt every possible measure to guarantee protection and security to migrant minors, as well as their integration.

I address a special greeting to the representatives of various ethnic communities. Dear friends, I hope you may live peacefully in the places that receive you, respecting their laws and traditions, and at the same time, safeguarding the values of your culture of origin. Encountering different cultures is always an enrichment for all! I thank the Migrants Office of the Diocese of Rome and those who work with migrants to welcome and support them in their difficulties, and I encourage you to carry on in this work, always recalling the example of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Patron Saint of migrants, the centenary of whose death is this year. This courageous Sister dedicated her life to bringing the love of Christ to those who were far from their homelands and families. May her witness help us to take care of our foreign brothers and sisters, in whom Jesus is present, often suffering, rejected and humiliated. How often in the Bible the Lord asks us to welcome migrants and foreigners, reminding us that we too are foreigners!

I warmly greet all of you, dear faithful from various parishes of Italy and of other countries, as well as the associations and various groups; in particular the students of the Meléndez Valdés Institute of Villafranca de los Barros, Spain.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday and a good lunch. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you! Arrivederci!


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Wednesday, January 18, 2017
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Paul VI Audience Hall-Wednesday, 11 January 2017
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Christian hope - 6. Psalm 115. The false hopes of idols

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
In the month of December and in the first part of January we celebrated the Season of Advent and then Christmas: a period of the liturgical year that reawakens hope in God’s people. Hope is a basic human need: hope for the future, belief in life, so-called “positive thinking”.

But it is important that this hope be placed in what can really help you to live and give meaning to our existence. This is why Scripture warns us against the false hopes that the world presents to us, exposing their uselessness and demonstrating their foolishness. It does so in various ways, but especially by denouncing the falsehood of the idols in which man is continually tempted to place his trust, making them the object of his hope.

The prophets and scholars in particular insist on this, touching a nerve centre of the believer’s journey of faith. Because faith means trusting in God — those who have faith trust in God — but there’s a moment when, in meeting life’s difficulties, man experiences the fragility of that trust and feels the need for various certainties — for tangible, concrete assurances. I entrust myself to God, but the situation is rather serious and I need a little more concrete reassurance. And there lies the danger! And then we are tempted to seek even ephemeral consolations that seem to fill the void of loneliness and alleviate the fatigue of believing. And we think we can find them in the security that money can give, in alliances with the powerful, in worldliness, in false ideologies. Sometimes we look for them in a god that can bend to our requests and magically intervene to change the situation and make it as we wish; an idol, indeed, that in itself can do nothing. It is impotent and deceptive. But we like idols; we love them! Once, in Buenos Aires, I had to go from one church to another, a thousand meters, more or less. And I did so on foot. And between them there is a park, and in the park there were little tables, where many, many fortune tellers were sitting. It was full of people who were even waiting in line. You would give them your hand and they’d begin, but the conversation was always the same: ‘there is a woman in your life, there is a darkness that comes, but everything will be fine ...’. And then, you paid. And this gives you security? It is the security of — allow me to use the word — nonsense. Going to a seer or to a fortune teller who reads cards: this is an idol! This is the idol, and when we are so attached to them, we buy false hope. Whereas, in that gratuitous hope, which Jesus Christ brought us, freely giving his life for us, sometimes we fail to fully trust.

A Psalm brimming with wisdom depicts in a very suggestive way the falsity of these idols that the world offers for our hope and on which men of all ages are tempted to rely. It is Psalm 115, which is recited as follows:
“Their idols are silver and gold, / the work of men’s hands. / They have mouths, but do not speak; / eyes, but do not see. / They have ears, but do not hear; / noses, but do not smell. / They have hands, but do not feel; / feet, but do not walk; / and they do not make a sound in their throat. / Those who make them are like them; / so are all who trust in them!” (vv. 4-8).

The psalmist also presents to us, a bit ironically, the absolutely ephemeral character of these idols. And we must understand that these are not merely figures made of metal or other materials but are also those we build in our minds: when we trust in limited realities that we transform into absolute values, or when we diminish God to fit our own template and our ideas of divinity; a god that looks like us is understandable, predictable, just like the idols mentioned in the Psalm. Man, the image of God, manufactures a god in his own image, and it is also a poorly realized image. It does not hear, does not act, and above all, it cannot speak. But, we are happier to turn to idols than to turn to the Lord. Many times, we are happier with the ephemeral hope that this false idol gives us, than with the great and sure hope that the Lord gives us.

In contrast to hoping in a Lord of life who, through his Word created the world and leads our existence, [we turn to] dumb effigies. Ideologies with their claim to the absolute, wealth — and this is a great idol — power and success, vanity, with their illusion of eternity and omnipotence, values such as physical beauty and health: when they become idols to which everything is sacrificed, they are all things that confuse the mind and the heart, and instead of supporting life, they lead to death. It is terrible to hear, and painful to the soul: something that once, years ago, I heard in the Diocese of Buenos Aires: a good woman — very beautiful — boasted about her beauty. She said, as if it were natural: ‘Yes, I had to have an abortion because my figure is very important’. These are idols, and they lead you down the wrong path, and do not give you happiness.

The message of the Psalm is very clear: if you place hope in idols, you become like them: hollow images with hands that do not feel, feet that do not walk, mouths that cannot speak. You no longer have anything to say; you become unable to help, to change things, unable to smile, to give of yourself, incapable of love. And we, men of the Church, run this risk when we “become mundanized”. We need to abide in the world but defend ourselves from the world’s illusions, which are these idols that I mentioned.

As the Psalm continues, we must trust and hope in God, and God will bestow the blessing. So says the Psalm: “O Israel, trust in the Lord.... O House of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord.... You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord.... The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us” (vv. 9, 10, 11, 12).

The Lord always remembers. Even in the bad times he remembers us. And this is our hope. And hope does not disappoint. Never. Never. Idols always disappoint; they are make-believe; they are not real. Here is the wonderful reality of hope: in trusting in the Lord, we become like him. His blessing transforms us into his children who share in his life. Hope in God allows us to enter, so to speak, within the range of his remembrance, of his memory that blesses us and saves us. And it is then that a Hallelujah can burst forth in praise to the living and true God, who was born for us of Mary, died on the Cross and rose again in glory. And in this God we have hope, and this God — who is not an idol — never disappoints.

Special greetings:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Australia, Canada and the United States of America. May each of you, and your families, cherish the joy of this Christmas season, and draw near in prayer to the Saviour who has come to dwell among us. God bless you!


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Monday, January 16, 2017
Kue Unik di Hari Ulang Tahun Kota Parma
 
model lain dari kue berbentuk sepatu 'scarpette di sant'illario'
FOTO: comeunfiorellinodirosmarino.blogspot.com
Kota Parma termasuk kota kreatif. Kreatif bisa dalam bidang apa saja. Beberapa di antaranya sudah terkenal di seluruh dunia. Sebut saja keju parmigiano yang sudah akrab di lidah pecinta kuliner. Satu lagi rupanya yang membuat warga Parma makin kreatif yakni kue kas dalam pesta HUT kota Parma.

Setiap tanggal 13 Januari, warga Parma beramai-ramai memeriahkan ulang tahun kota yang mereka cintai. Hari itu pun menjadi hari libur untuk seluruh warga kota. Universitas dan sekolah-sekolah libur, kantor pemerintah dan pabrik juga demikian. Pada hari itu—atau juga sehari sebelumnya—di rumah-rumah warga dan di tempat belanja atau di restoran, disediakan makanan kas warga Parma. Makanan ringan yang manis itu disebut Scarpette di Sant’Ilario atau sepatu dari Santo Hilarius.

Kue ini memang berbentuk sepatu. Kisahnya mengingatkan mereka akan sosok Santo Hilarius atau Sant’Ilario sebagai Pelindung kota Parma. Dalam legenda yang beredar, Ilario melewati kota Parma pada musim dingin. Ia sedang melakukan perjalanan panjang dari Poiters-Prancis ke Roma-Italia. Tukang sepatu di kota Parma yang melihatnya tanpa sepatu memberinya sepasang sepatu. Illario berterima kasih kepada tukang sepatu itu. Keesokan harinya, tukang sepatu itu melihat sepasang sepatu dari emas di tempat ia bertemu dengan Sant’Illario sehari sebelumnya. Ia kaget dan mengira tidak benar. Tetapi, sepatu itu memang benar-benar dari emas.
 
Sant'Illario atau Santo Hilarius FOTO: morethanfood.wordpress.com
Illario (315-367) sendiri adalah seorang Uskup dalam Gereja Katolik. Ia lahir dan meninggal di kota Poiters, Prancis. Dalam sejarah literatur Gereja Katolik, Illario dikenal sebagai Filsuf, Teolog, Penulis, dan Doktor Gereja atau Pujangga Gereja. Tentu saja dia juga adalah seorang Uskup dan akhirnya juga diberi gelar Santo pada pertengahan abad XIII (1851) oleh Paus Pius IX. Tidak banyak Filsuf dan Teolog dalam Gereja Katolik yang diberi gelar Pujangga Gereja atau Doktor Gereja. Sant’Illario menerimanya karena kepiawaiannya dalam bidang Filsafat dan Teologi.

Dalam sejarahnya, kepiawaian Illario sebagai Filsuf dan Teolog diakui bukan saja oleh Gereja Katolik. Gereja Anglikan di Inggris dan Gereja Ortodoks di Rusia pun mengakuinya. Illario sendiri berasal dari keluarga kaya yang tidak mengenal agama (pagano). Dengan kepiawaiannya dalam bidang FIlsafat, ia mencari dan terus mencari ilmu pengetahuan termasuk membaca Kitab Suci agama Kristen Katolik dan akhirnya bergabung dan menerima baptisan dalam Gereja Katolik.

Boleh jadi tidak semua warga Parma tahu sejarah sosok Pelindung kota mereka ini. Tetapi, yang jelas bagi mereka, sosok ini adalah Pelindung kota mereka yang memberi mereka anugerah dan rejeki termasuk untuk menghadiahkan Kue Kas Scarpette di Sant’Ilario pada hari ulang tahun kota mereka.

Pada Jumat pagi itu, kami juga mendapat Kue Kas ini dari Tukang Roti yang datang setiap pagi. Dia memberikan secara gratis. Ini hadiah terindah. Tidak masuk dalam daftar roti yang akan dibayar setiap akhir bulan. Di sekolah, anak-anak yang kami jumpai pada hari sebelum dan sesudah pesta juga menyinggung soal kue ini. Rupanya sudah populer seperti makanan khas lainnya dari kota Parma.
 
SIndaco atau Walikota Parma Federico Pizzarotti memberi sambutan
sebelum penyerahan hadiah medali, tampak pejabat kota madya Parma
bersama Uskup Parma Mgr Enrico Solmi (kedua dari kiri)
di Auditorium Paganini, FOTO: parmadaily.it
Pada perayaan HUT yang ke-2200 ini, Pemerintah kota Parma memberikan hadiah (premio di Sant’Illario) Medali Emas dan Setifikat Prestasi Sipil (Attestati civica benemerenza) kepada 7 orang dan lembaga yang berjasa untuk kota Parma. Penghargaan ini diberikan setiap tahun pada perayaan HUT. Tahun 2017 ini, medali emas diberikan kepada Arturo Carlo Quintavelle (Profesor emeritus Sejarah Seni di Universitas Parma), dan Sertifikat Prestasi Sipil kepada Giulia Ghiretti (Perenang Putri nasional dan internasional, lahir tahun 1994 di Parma), Cus Parma (Lembaga Olahraga yang lahir dari inisiatif mahasiswa di Universitas Parma), Lanzi Trasporti (Perusahaan penghubung antar beberapa bandara dan dermaga di sekitar kota Parma), Emporio di Parma (Organisasi Pasukan Sukarela yang dibentuk selama krisis moneter tahun 2008), Comitato Orti (Lembaga non profit yang membantu di rumah-rumah para jompo), Giovanni Ballarini (Profesor dari Persatuan Akademi Masak Italia), Unione Veterani dello Sport (Lembaga Olahraga yang menekankan semangat Kekeluargaan dalam berolahraga).

Mereka ini dipilih dari sekitar 30 orang yang diusulkan pada tahun 2017 ini. Hadiah pada HUT ini diberikan sejak tahun 1986. Saat itu, pemerintah kota Parma berinisiatif untuk memberi penghargaan kepada orang dan lembaga yang berjasa membangun kota dan warga Parma dengan berbagai caranya. Warga dan pemerintah kota Parma berhak memberi usulan setiap tahun untuk menerima penghargaan bergengsi ini. Bidang yang bisa diusulkan adalah ilmu pengetahuan, seni, industri, lapangan pekerjaan, olahraga, bantuan amal, inisiatif dermawan, dan sebagainya.

Penghargaan ini datangnya baru-baru ini saja kalau dibanding dengan usia kota Parma. Kota Parma dalam sejarahnya mulai dibentuk pada tahun 183 Sebelum Masehi. Kota ini adalah satu dari sekian kota jajahan Pasukan Romawi. Dan, sejak saat itu, Parma terus berkembang menjadi kota yang betul-betul berguna. Boleh dibilang, kota Parma melalui banyak pengalaman berharga yang menjadi pijakan dalam perkembangannya.
 
Satu dari banyak model kue berbentuk sepatu pada HUT Kota Parma
FOTO:madeinparma.com
Berbagai torehan prestasi pernah diraih oleh kota berpenduduk sekitar 194.464 orang pada Agustus 2016 ini. Penghargaan internasional pernah diraihnya pada tahun 2014 yang lalu. Saat itu, koran The Telegraph dari Inggris memberi peringkat ke-4 kepada kota Parma dari semua kota di seluruh dunia sebagai kota paling layak dihuni. Sementara majalah Panorama dari Italia—pada tahun yang sama—memberi peringkat sebagai kota terfavorit yang layak dikunjungi oleh seluruh warga Italia.

Setahun setelahnya (2015), Parma mendapat penghargaan internasional dari UNESCO sebagai satu dari beberapa kota kreatif (UNESCO Creative Cities Network). Kota Parma dipilih sebagai “Città creativa” dalam bidang perkembangan ekonomi. Di Italia pada saat itu, hanya terpilih 5 kota saja dari 69 jumlah kota yang dipilih oleh UNESCO.

Saat ini, sudah terpilih sekitar 116 kota dari 54 negara yang tergabung dari jaringan Kota Kreatif ini. Sekitar 7 bidang yang dinilai untuk masuk kategori kota kreatif—lihat situsnya di sini—yakni Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts.

Sampai saat ini, 5 kota di Italia mendapat penghargaan di 5 kategori. Kota Roma dipilih untuk bidang Film, Bologna untuk bidang Musik, Fabriano untuk bidang Seni Kerajinan Tangan, Torino untuk bidang Desain, dan Parma untuk bidang Gastronomia.
 
Medali Emas pada premio Sant'Illario 2017, FOTO: parmaquotidiana.info
Satu lagi penghargaan yang sedang diusahakan oleh kota Parma adalah penghargaan dalam bidang kemanusiaan. Walikota (sindaco) Parma Federico Pizzarotti pada Desember 2016 yang lalu ikut dalam pertemuan tentang Imigrasi di Vatikan. Dia bersama beberapa walikota di Eropa ikut dalam pertemuan yang diprakarsai oleh Negara Vatikan itu ikut mempresentasikan cara menghadapi masalah keimigrasian di Eropa saat ini. Dia mempresentasikan situasi aktual di kota Parma.

Parma memang tergolong cukup terbuka untuk menerima kaum imigran. Banyak organiasi yang bergerak dalam bidang ini. Termasuk beberapa yang masuk kategori ‘daftar hitam’ karena secara gelap bekerja hanya demi keuntungan saja.

Pemimpin Gereja Katolik di Parma Monsinyur Enrico Solmi juga—dalam pesannya kepada warga Parma—mengharapkan kinerja yang lebih dalam bidang kemanusiaan. Dalam pesannya yang dibacakan saat misa HUT di Gereja Katedral Parma, Monsinyur Enrico mengatakan bahwa kebaikan dan kebajikan (volto) manusia-lah yang membangun kota Parma. Ini berarti, kemanusiaan yang menjadi titik pusat dari kota Parma. Lebih lanjut, Enrico mengajak warga Parma untuk memerhatikan bidang ini. Dia juga menghimbau warga Parma untuk memerhatikan wajah kemanusiaan daripada wajah agama atau kelompok ras dari kaum imigran yang hadir di kota Parma. Pesan dari Uskup Parma ini kiranya menjadi tugas bersama baik Pemerintah Kota maupun warga Parma.
 
Tampak sebagian dari Gereja Katedral Parma dalam Misa HUT Kota Parma,
ada pasukan keamanan dari Kantor Walikota Parma, FOTO: agoramagazine.it
Inilah keunikan Parma dengan segala kekayaan tradisi dan budayanya. Andai kota-kota di Indonesia mengembangkan kekhasannya, boleh jadi tidak ada warga kota yang ngangur karena semuanya sibuk bekerja demi kebaikan warga dan kotanya.

Wajah kota yang seperti inilah yang diimpikan untuk Indonesia. Jika ini mulai diterapkan, tidak ada lagi kelompok tertentu—entah yang berbasis agama atau suku bangsa—yang bertindak semau gue. Tetapi, jika Indonesia masih sibuk dengan pencarian, siapa yang benar atau malah memutlakkan hanya agama kami kami yang benar, niscaya pencapaian seperti ini tidak akan tercapai.

Ingat, bukan kelompok berlabel atau suku berlabel yang memajukan sebuah kota tetapi kebajikan dan wajah manusia. Maka, siapa pun Anda, agama apa pun asal Anda, tidak penting. Tidak perlu mengadili agama orang lai. Buktikan dengan perbuatanmu bahwa agamamu benar dan bukan dengan orasi dan demo atau adu otot.

Sekadar berbagi yang dilihat, ditonton, didengar, dirasakan, dialami, dibaca, dan direfleksikan.

SELAMAT HUT Kota Parma.

PRM, 15/1/2017
Gordi

*Dari postingan pertama di blog kompasiana



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Sunday, January 15, 2017
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square-Sunday, 8 January 2017
 
PHOTO: Zenit.org / Angelus / PHOTO.VA - OSSERVATORE ROMANO
FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today, the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the Gospel (Mt 3:13-17) describes the scene which occurred at the River Jordan: Jesus, too, is in the midst of the penitent crowd which approaches John the Baptist to receive baptism. He stood in line. John would like to prevent him from [being baptized], saying: “I need to be baptized by you” (3:14). The Baptist, indeed, is aware of the great distance there is between him and Jesus. But Jesus has come precisely to bridge the gap between man and God: if He is completely on God’s side, He is also completely on mankind’s side, and reunites what had been separated. For this reason he asks John to baptize him, so that all righteousness may be fulfilled (cf. v. 15), namely, that the plan of God may be fulfilled, the plan which passes by way of obedience and solidarity with fragile and sinful mankind, the way of humility and of God’s full closeness to his children. Because God is very close to us, very close!

At the moment in which Jesus, baptized by John, comes out of the waters of the River Jordan, the voice of God the Father is heard from on high: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (v. 17). At the same time the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, alights upon Jesus, who publicly begins his mission of salvation; a mission characterized by a manner: the way of a humble and gentle servant, armed only with the power of truth, as Isaiah had prophesied: “He will not cry or lift up his voice, … a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice” (42:2-3). A humble and gentle servant.

This is Jesus’ way, as well as the manner of Christ’s disciples’ missionary work: To proclaim the Gospel with gentleness, but also firmness, without shouting, without reprimanding anyone, but gently and firmly, without arrogance or imposition. The true mission is never proselytism, but drawing people to Christ. But how? How is this attraction to Christ achieved? With one’s own witness, starting from the unwavering union with him in prayer, in adoration and in concrete works of charity, which is service to Jesus present in the least of his brothers and sisters. In imitation of Jesus, the good and merciful Shepherd, and moved by his grace, we are called to make our life a joyous testimony that illuminates the way, that brings hope and love.

This feast makes us rediscover the gift and the beauty of being a community of baptized, that is, of sinners — we all are sinners — saved by the grace of Christ, truly integrated, by the work of the Holy Spirit, in the filial relationship of Jesus with the Father, welcomed into the bosom of Mother Church, making possible a brotherhood that knows no barriers or borders.

May the Virgin Mary help all of us Christians to maintain an ever keen and grateful awareness of our own Baptism and to faithfully follow the path opened by this Sacrament of our rebirth. Ever with humility, gentleness and firmness.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters! In the context of the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, this morning I baptized a large group of infants: 28. Let us pray for them and for their families. Also, yesterday afternoon, I baptized a young catechumen. And I would like to extend my prayer to all parents who in this period are preparing for a child’s Baptism or have recently celebrated it. I invoke the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon them and their children, so that this Sacrament, so simple but at the same time so important, may be lived with faith and joy.

I would also like to invite you to join in the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which spreads, also through social networks, the prayer intentions I propose for the Church each month. In this way, the Apostleship of Prayer moves forward and communion grows.

In these very cold days, I think of and invite you to think of all of the people who live on the streets, suffering the cold and oftentimes indifference. Unfortunately, some have not survived. We pray for them and we ask the Lord to warm our hearts so that we may be able to help them.

I greet you all, faithful of Rome, pilgrims from Italy and from other countries. In particular, the group of young people from Cagliari, Italy whom I encourage to continue on the journey which began with the Sacrament of Confirmation. And I thank them because they offer me the occasion to stress that Confirmation is not only a destination — as some say, the “farewell sacrament”, no no! — it is above all a point of departure in Christian life. Go forth with the joy of the Gospel!

I wish everyone a happy Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!
     
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Friday, January 13, 2017
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square-Friday, 6 January 2017
 
PHOTO: Zenit.org / PHOTO.VA - OSSERVATORE ROMANO
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today we are celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord, which is the manifestation of Jesus who shines as a light for all peoples. A symbol of this light, that shines in the world and seeks to enlighten the life of each one of us, is the star that guided the Magi to Bethlehem. The Gospel says that they had “seen his star in the East” (Mt 2:2) and they chose to follow it: they chose to be guided by the star of Jesus.

In our life too, there are several stars, lights that twinkle and guide. It is up to us to choose which ones to follow. For example, there are flashing lights that come and go, like the small pleasures of life: though they may be good, they are not enough, because they do not last long and they do not leave the peace we seek. Then there is the dazzling limelight of money and success which promises everything, and at once. It is seductive, but with its intensity, blinds and causes dreams of glory to fade into the thickest darkness. The Magi, instead, invite us to follow a steady light, a gentle light that does not wane, because it is not of this world: it comes from heaven and shines ... where? In the heart.

This true light is the light of the Lord, or rather, it is the Lord himself. He is our light: a light that does not dazzle, but accompanies and bestows a unique joy. This light is for everyone and it calls each one of us. In this way, we can hear addressed to us today’s invitation from the prophet Isaiah: “Arise, shine” (60:1). So said Isaiah, prophesying this joy of today in Jerusalem, “Arise, shine”. At the beginning of each day we can welcome this invitation: arise, shine, and follow today — among the many shooting stars in the world — the bright star of Jesus! Following it, we will experience the joy, as happened to the Magi, who “when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Mt 2:10); because where there is God, there is joy. Those who have encountered Jesus have experienced the miracle of light that pierces the darkness and know this light that illuminates and brightens. I would like, with great respect, to invite everyone not to fear this light and to open up to the Lord. Above all, I would like to say to those who have lost the strength to seek, who are tired, to those who, overwhelmed by the darkness of life, have extinguished this yearning: arise, take heart, the light of Jesus can overcome the deepest darkness. Arise, take heart!

And how do we find this divine light? We follow the example of the Magi, whom the Gospel describes as always on the move. He who wants the light, in fact, goes out of himself and seeks: he is not withdrawn, immobile, watching what is happening around him, but rather, he puts his own life at stake; he goes out of himself. Christian life is a continuous journey, made of hope, a quest; a journey which, like that of the Magi, continues even when the star momentarily disappears from view. On this journey there are also pitfalls that should be avoided: superficial and mundane gossip, which slows the pace; the paralyzing selfish whims; the pit of pessimism that ensnares hope. These obstacles hindered the scribes, of whom today’s Gospel speaks. They knew where the light was, but did not move. When Herod asked them, ‘Where will the Messiah be born?’ [They answered], ‘In Bethlehem!’. They knew where, but did not budge. Their knowledge was vain: they knew many things, but it was useless, all in vain. It is not enough to know that God is born, if you do not celebrate with him Christmas in the heart. God is born, yes, but is he born in your heart? Is he born in my heart? Is he born in our hearts? And in this way we will find him, as did the Magi, with Mary and Joseph in the stable.

The Magi went forth: having found the Child, “they fell down and worshiped him” (v. 11). They did not just look at him, they did not just say a circumstantial prayer and leave, no indeed, they worshiped: they entered into a personal communion of love with Jesus. Then they offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh, namely, their most precious belongings. Let us learn from the Magi not to devote to Jesus only spare time and an occasional thought; otherwise we will not receive his light. Like the Magi, let us set out, let us shine as we follow the star of Jesus, and let us adore the Lord with all our hearts.

After the Angelus:
Tomorrow the ecclesial communities of the East, which follow the Julian Calendar, will celebrate Holy Christmas. In a spirit of joyful fraternity, I pray that the new birth of the Lord Jesus may fill them with light and peace.

The Epiphany is the Day of Missionary Childhood. I encourage all children and young people who in many parts of the world are committed to spreading the Gospel and to helping their peers in need.
The Magi offer their gifts to Jesus, but in reality, Jesus himself is the true gift of God: he is indeed the God who gives himself to us; in him we see the merciful face of the Father who awaits us, welcomes us, always forgives us; the face of God that never treats us according to our works or according to our sins, but only in accordance with the immensity of his inexhaustible mercy. And speaking of gifts, I too thought I would give you a little gift ... there aren’t any camels, but I will give you the gift of the Icons of Mercy booklet. God’s gift is Jesus, mercy of the Father; and this is why in order to remember this gift of God, I am giving you this gift that will be distributed by the poor, by the homeless and by refugees along with many volunteers and religious whom I cordially greet and thank wholeheartedly.

I wish you a year of justice, forgiveness, serenity, but above all, a year of mercy. It will help you to read this book: it is pocket-sized, so you can take it with you. Please, do not forget to give me, too, the gift of your prayers. May the Lord bless you. Happy feast day, enjoy your lunch and Arrivederci!

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Thursday, January 12, 2017
Hari ini di Bolivia, Besok di Indonesia

Penduduk asli Pacahuara, Bolivia, FOTO: angriwhitekid.blogs.com

Kematian sebuah bahasa mirip dengan kematian manusia. Kadang-kadang, tidak ada yang bisa diprediksi. Seperti kematian manusia, kematian sebuah bahasa kadang-kadang menjadi misteri.

Meski menjadi misteri, kematian bahasa sebenarnya masih bisa diantisipasi. Bahasa—tidak seperti manusia—yang punya dokter khusus. Tidak juga seperti hewan yang punya tenaga medis untuk mengecek keadaannya. Bahasa ada karena manusia ada. Maka, bahasa mesti ada dan hidup sebagaimana penuturnya (manusia) hidup. Dengan cara pandang ini, kematian sebuah bahasa—meski tidak punya dokter untuk mengontrolnya—tetap bisa diantisipasi. Bahasa tidak mesti mati begitu saja.

Di Bolivia, ada sebuah bahasa yang hampir mati. Penuturnya sisa 4 orang. Yang terakhir meninggal akhir tahun lalu. Saat ini, hanya mereka berempat yang menjadi penutur bahasa langka ini. Bahasa ini disebut Bahasa Pacahuara karena lahir dan hidup di sebuah suku asli di Pacahuara, di wilayah Amazzonia, Bolivia. Keempat penutur ini sekarang tinggal di daerah Tujure, sebuah daerah adat di wilayah Pacahuara.

Dua dari penutur ini sekarang sudah tua. Keduanya (Maro e Buca)—bersama cucu mereka Bose dan shacu—hadir dalam perayaan misa requiem dari saudara mereka Baji setelah tahun baru yang lalu. Kematian Baji sekaligus menjadi alarm bagi kehidupan Bahasa Pacahuara. Saat itu, keempat penutur ini memang hadir. Mereka menjadi sebuah komunitas pengguna bahasa Pacahuara.
 
Beberapa warga Pacahuara dalam liputan BBC tahun 2013 yang lalu, FOTO: bbc.com
Daerah Tujure sendiri makin hari makin sepi. Banyak penghuni meninggalkan daerah ini. Keluarga Maro dan Buca adalah keluarga terakhir yang masih setia tinggal dan menggunakan Bahasa Pacahuara. Boleh dibilang, harta warisan kultural ini tetap ada dan hidup saat ini karena jasa mereka. Entah sampai kapan bahasa ini dipertahankan. Kehidupan bahasa ini berada dalam tangan mereka. Jika mereka semuanya tidak ada, bahasa ini juga akan lenyap. Tetapi, semoga ada anak-cucu mereka yang melanjutkan bahasa ini.

Sekitar 11 tahun lalu, dosen Bahasa Indonesia kami di kota Yogyakarta pernah menyinggung soal ini. Kata dia waktu itu, di Indonesia juga ada gejala seperti ini. Beberapa bahasa di daerah Papua—lanjutnya—akan punah seiring dengan pengurangan penuturnya. Papua sampai saat ini kaya akan bahasa daerah. Sayang, beberap dari yang banyak ini memiliki penghuni kurang dari 500 orang. Saat itu—menurut dosen kami—ada kriteria dari Unesco-PBB bahwa bahasa yang penuturnya hanya 500 orang ke bawah akan dikategorikan sebagai bahasa mati. Dengan kriteria ini—kata pak dosen—beberapa dari bahasa di Papua akan punah.

Jika kriteria ini diterapkan pada Bahasa Pacahuara, otomatis bahasa ini sudah mati. Bolehlah dibilang demikian. Dan, nyatanya kematian bahasa ini sudah diambang pintu. Memang masih menjadi misteri. Seperti misteri dari sebuah kematian dari seorang manusia.

Kematian bahasa ini ada di tangan keluarga Ibu Baji. Ibu Baji sudah meninggal, keempat keluarganya sebagai penutur utama menjadi penentu utama kehidupan bahasa ini. Keluarga almarhumah Baji termasuk kuat. Mereka adalah keluarga terakhir—boleh dibilang demikian—yang hidup di daerah Tujure.

Daerah Tujure abad ke-8 yang lalu masih dihuni oleh sekitar 50.000 orang. Saat itu, pekerjaan mereka adalah berburu di hutan, pelaut, dan petani buah. Ini adalah beberapa pekerjaan utama dari kelompok suku tua di daerah ini.
 
Salah satu model gerbang masuk di kawasan Pacahuara, FOTO: connectas.org
Pekerjaan ini mereka tinggalkan dan pengaruhnya mulai luntur saat tiba kebiasaan baru yakni menjadi petani karet. Daerah ini menjadi penghasil karet yang besar. Malangnya, para penduduk Tujure pun menjadi tamu di atas tanah mereka. Perusahaan multinasional dari Inggris dan Jerman datang menyerbu tanah mereka. Dalam waktu yang singkat, penduduk Tujure pun meninggalkan daerah mereka.

Perusahaan ini bukan saja ‘mengusir’ penduduk Tujure. Mereka juga menggali tanah dan membiarkannya menganga tanpa pohon, tampak tandus tak bertumbuhan, membuat petak-petak kecil untuk menghalang penduduk asli bekerja di atas lahan itu. Pemandangan ini sungguh tanpa kehidupan. Tanah yang subur dibiarkan mati. Tidak ada kehidupan di sana. Situasi ini membuat penduduk Tujure pergi meninggalkan tanah leluhur mereka. Dalam sekejap, dari abad ke-8 ke abad ke-9, penghuninya berkurang menjadi satu keluarga saja dengan 9 anggota keluarga.

Keluarga ini adalah keluarga Ibu Baji. Saat ini, dari 9 menjadi 4 orang saja. Keluarga ini sebenarnya menjadi penerus atau ahli waris bukan saja dari Bahasa Pacahuara, tetapi juga budaya dan adat istiadat Pacahuara. Sayang, seperti nasib bahasa mereka, budaya dan adat istiadat pun akan hilang. Kematian bahasa kini sekaligus juga menjadi ancaman bahkan menjadi kematian dari budaya dan adat istiadat itu sendiri.

Bersama bahasa Pacahuara, keberadaan dialek dan bahasa kecil lainnya di daerah Amazzonia pun akan terancam. Dalam 10 tahun terakhir ini, sekitar 100 dialek asli Ammazzonia punah. Dialek ini punah bersamaan dengan terancamnya kehidupan dari suku asli. Mereka ‘terusir’ dari tanah leluhurnya oleh perusahaan multinasional yang mengeruk kekayaan alam mereka. Hutan Amazzonia dengan kekayaan emas, batu alam, kayu, dan sumber alam lainnya menjadi rebutan para perusahaan multinasional. Sayang perebutan ini pun berujung pada ‘pengusiran warga lokal’.

Makin malang bagi penduduk lokal karena kebijaksaan lokal juga ikut punah. Selain Bahasa Pacahuara, bahasa Resignaro juga mengalami nasib sama. Bahasa ini pamit lebih dulu dengan kematian penutur terakhirnya yakni Rosa Andrade dari Peru. Nasib 51 bahasa lokal lainnya juga akan terancam. Boleh jadi akan menjadi seperti bahasa Resignaro. Sungguh sayang, bahasa—budaya—adat istiadat—dan kebijaksaan warisan mereka akan punah. Padahal, ini adalah warisan sejarah yang berharga.
 
Salah satu model budaya Pacahuara dalam gambar, FOTO:soldepando.com
UNESCO sebagai promotor perlindungan warisan budaya dunia tidak tinggal diam melihat kenyataan ini. Lembaga ini membuka mata dan membuat penelitian serius. Hasilnya sungguh mengangetkan. Dalam 10 tahun terakhir, 100 bahasa di dunia punah, 400 lainnya sudah terancam akan punah, 51 lainnya hanya digunakan atau diketahui oleh 1 orang saja.

UNESCO juga membuat prospek ke depan. Katanya, pada abad ini (abad ke-21) boleh jadi akan hilang sekitar 7000 dialek di bumi ini atau sekitar 1 dialek dalam setiap 15 hari. Kenyataan ini menjadi sungguh memilukan bagi kelangsungan hidup bahasa dan budaya di dunia. Bahasa dan budaya dari sebuah masyarakat hilang begitu saja. Ini bisa meresahkan bagi pecinta bahasa di seluruh dunia.

Keresahan ini membuat banyak pecinta bahasa bangun dari tidur nyenyaknya. Mereka berusaha agar kematian bahasa dan budaya ini tidak berlangsung cepat. Satu dari pecinta bahasa ini adalah University of Pennsylvania di Amerika Serikat. Universitas ini melalui lembaga penelitiannya Enduring Voices berusaha untuk menyelamatkan beberapa kata dari bahasa-bahasa yang akan punah. Lebih banyak kata akan lebih bagus. Sampai saat ini, mereka sudah menyelamatkan 32.000 kata beserta maknanya. Jika diteruskan, pekerjaan ini juga akan menjadi sebuah kesuksesan besar.

Jika University of Pennsylvania di AS sudah bangun, bagaimana dengan Indonesia? Andai para pendemo, ramai-ramai ke daerah terpencil dan mengumpulkan kata-kata dari bahasa-bahasa yang akan punah di Indonesia, sampai kini, bahasa-bahasa itu pun terselamatkan. Lumayan untuk memperlambat kematian sebuah bahasa. Tetapi, ini hanya angan-angan sebab para pendemo lebih suka menghabiskan waktunya bukan untuk bekerja demi bangsa tetapi demi keegoisan mereka. Indonesia memang beda.

Sekadar berbagi yang dilihat, ditonton, didengar, dirasakan, dialami, dibaca, dan direfleksikan.

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU.

PRM, 10/1/2017
Gordi

*Dari publikasi pertama di blog kompasiana


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