Halloween party ideas 2015

September 18, 2018
DOING LIKE JESUS
Luke 7: 11-17

One day, I and my friends visited one lady in a slum area of Bangkok. She is a special lady because of his heroic service. She called my friend when she saw one child without parents. My friend talked to her that he cannot make anything because he is a foreigner. Then, the lady published on Facebook the picture of the child and ask who knows the parents. In some days, his mother came and took him.

What this lady did is like Jesus did, giving hope to the others. Jesus gave hope to the Nain widow. She lost all things: husband and son. In their culture, son is the last hope of the family. This widow is very suffered and Jesus gives him a joy experience. His son is lived. The same thing that the lady of Bangkok gave hope to the child.

Our mission is like Jesus’ mission, giving hope to the others. Giving life for the dead, giving joy for the sad, and other things. When I give hope to my friend, my family, my co-workers?

September 17, 2018
SALVATION FOR ALL
Luke 7: 1-10

I just arrived three days ago in Bangkok, Thailand. In these days, I join the confreres in serving the others: visit the sick people, talk with the students and teachers, help the poor people in the slum, etc. What makes me admire is about the people that we serve. The majority of them are Buddhist. In the Catholic school, there are 80% of the Buddhist Students. In the slum area, the majority of people are Buddhist. I can say that we are serving the others: religion, culture, and way of life.

I think that serving the others is the main theme of today’s Gospel. Jesus in the healing event serves the member of Roman emperor, Centurion. Jesus comes from the Jews people. In that time, many people claimed that, the salvation only for the Jews. But, Jesus comes and brings the salvation for all, not only for the Jews. Here, in Thailand, we bring the salvation for all, not only for the Christian but also for non-christian.

Do we serve the others people; religion, culture, tradition, etc in our daily life? Do we welcome them?

Let us learn from our Lord Jesus Christ who serve the others people.



Sept 11, 2018
CHOSEN BY JESUS
Luke 6: 12-19

Our professor of Eastern Philosophy in Driyarkara School of Philosophy, in Jakarta, told us about his study. He said that when he was getting his Master in Philosophy, he didn’t use the book. We were surprised. What happened? He then said that because he just followed his master. In India, he continued, the student learns by following his teacher especially in philosophy of India. Most of the activities of the master are meditating and no explaining or giving the discourse.

Today, in the Gospel, we listen to Jesus who chooses his disciples. He first went to the mountain to pray and then he chose his disciples. After choosing them, he keeps them in prayer and then he sent them. It means that the prayer is the centre of their life.

Here, Jesus invites them just to follow Him. Until now, as we follow the daily gospel, Jesus attracts many people. They come to Him for asking healing and listening to his discourse. At this moment, Jesus needs the help of the other. That’s why he chooses the disciples. Their activity is just to follow Him. Follow him include in prayer as Jesus shows them.

The disciples are chosen by Jesus. Jesus who takes the first initiative. We can not say that Jesus knows them very well before choosing them. In fact, Jesus chooses and forms them. Jesus doesn't choose the holy man. They have a different kind of weakness and sin. Jesus in many occasions said that He comes to call sinners. The holiness or perfectness is not criteria to become the disciples. Jesus himself who makes us holy. He chooses them because He loves them.

Jesus loves all of us so that He calls all of us to become his disciples. Our main work is following Him. He prays and we must pray. He visits the sick people and we must visit the sick people.

So, do you want to follow Him?

Sept 10, 2018
NEED TO BE HEALED
Luke 6: 6-11

I had the bad attitude or bad experience when I was in the pastoral year in Indonesia. I was sent to the formation house. There, I lived with the fathers and the young brothers. I can say that I was with them, the brothers, for 24 hours. So, I know very well the habit of each of them. Some like to go out every afternoon to find the internet point, some like to smoke on the third floor of our house, some like to play games in the computer room even until midnight.

My problem was this; when I don’t like by the habit of one brother, I always observe him with the bad view. I don't like the brothers who always go out every afternoon to find the internet point. When one brother of this group come to me to ask permission, I immediately have an impression, that this brother wants to find the internet point. In fact, not always like this. Sometimes he asks permission to buy the book or any kind of his needs.

I think that the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s gospel almost the same with mine. They can not see the good things that Jesus makes for many people. Jesus healed many people but they continue to see the reason to accuse Him. This is a kind of blindness that they have, that I have, that we have. They and we focus on bad things so that we can not see the good things. All things that Jesus does are bad things.

Even for me was like this. This kind of blindness can not help us to increase our relationship with God, the others, ourselves, and also can not help us to make our community as a good place to cultivate our vocation. I think that it is better to ask the help of our Lord Jesus Christ so that our heart and our eyes are opened to see the good things and not the bad things that our friends make. We need also the healing of Jesus. So, not only this man but all of us need to be healed by Jesus.

Gordi SX

x

23rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
LEARN FROM “JOJO” (Mark 7: 31-37)


One time, I joined my friends who served in the orphanage. There, I found many handicap people: blind, deaf, mute, paralyse, etc.

One thing that calls my attention was my interaction with one child who deaf and mute. He can not speak and can not listen. So, our conversation was only with the clear symbols. For instance, to say eat we imitated how we take the spoon and put in the mouth. Or, to say drink with making the sign how we raise the glass and put in our mouth.

These examples are the common signs and always we use to communicate with them. I was very happy when he understood my signs I made. And, what I admire was his reaction when he understood my communication. He smiles and looks at me. He was very happy.

In today’s Gospel, we see the same person who tries to communicate with Jesus. The people bring him to Jesus. I think that even the person bring him to Jesus he himself cannot say something to Jesus. His mouth and ears are blocked so that he cannot speak and listen. Here, we find this limitation that makes him unable to communicate.

Jesus, in the same way, comes to the world to liberate us, to liberate him, from our disability of communication. The presence of Jesus is important particularly to break down this wall. In the old testament, this wall is our sin. Sins make us unable to establish the relationship with God. What does Jesus do for this person?

First, Jesus brings him away from the crowd. In the other sign or miracle, Jesus heals the sick people in public place so that many people can see it. But, here, it is different. Jesus wants to make another way because this person has a particular situation. Jesus cannot communicate with him in a usual way. Bringing him to a particular place is the way to communicate with him.

Second, Jesus touches him: put his finger into the man’s ears, spits, touches his tongue, look up to heaven and groan and said Ephata, be opened.

Touching this man is a sign of the presence of God. Jesus not only presents physically but also spiritually. That’s why Jesus here heals him with action more than with words. Jesus’ presence is the sign of the presence of God. God is not He who stays long from us, but He who stays with us. God who becomes flash.

At the end of this Gospel, we see the joy of this man and the people around. Joy because this man can listen and speak, and joy because they can communicate with him. So, now he is not another part of them again but he is a member of their community. I imagine how great this joy and how great our Lord who makes us joy with this man.

Pope Francis in many occasion invites us to celebrate our joy of being Christian, being Catholic, being the follower of Jesus Christ. So, one question for all of us, how about our life? How we celebrate our joy of being healing by Jesus from our deaf and mute, our disability of communication?

One week ago, we just finished the Asian Games. I was admired with what the badminton player of Indonesia Jonathan Christie--called Jojo--did when he won the game. He made the sign of the cross in front of many people in the tribune. This is a good example because he expressed his joyful moment in front of the others. We can share our joy of being Catholic, Christian, etc.   

Let us go on and ask the help of Jesus so that we can celebrate also our joy with this man who deaf and mute.

Gordi SX

Sept 8, 2018
MARY’S ACTIONS
Matt 1: 1-16, 18-23


Some of my friends have a good example in our daily life. Their example is about more actions than words. They are different from my others friends who talk more than actions. The first group usually has a silent attitude very high. Meanwhile, the second group usually has a contrary; no time to silent, always has the topic to talk or discuss. 

In today's (celebration of the Birthday/nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) Gospel, we listen to the nativity of Jesus. Mary in this event takes the important ruler. She talks little and if we observe in the whole gospel, we find little event when Mary says something. Only in some moments like in Cana, etc. Mary is like the first group of my friend. She is a quiet person, loved silent. In the silent, she listens to the instructions of the Angle. She follows it step by step until the plan of God happens in the world. The Word of God becomes Flash in the story of humanity.

We can imitate Mary in her silent life. We don’t need to talk more. We just need to act more. And silent is the best moment to think about what will we do. The plan of God for us is like the plan of God for Mary. It comes in silent and we must respond it in silent. Silent is Mary’s action in this Gospel. Let us learn from Mary to become a silent person so that we can listen to the Word of God, we can know the plan of God for us, we can act as God instructs us to follow Him.

Gordi SX

Sep 7, 2018
FASTING AS A PREPARATION
Luke 5: 33-39

My Italian friends talk to me that, the best wine is the old wine. But, I never distinguish between the old and new wine. For me, I just only enjoy the wine putting on the table. I can say which is good and not but I never complain about it. They talk more about the preparation to get the old wine and I talk more about my preparation to enjoy that wine.

In today’s Gospel, we listen to Jesus who talks to the Scribe and Pharisees. Jesus stresses more about interior spiritual than exterior spiritual. What we look in daily life is more exterior than interior. The Pharisees and Scribe are the same as us who like to see the exterior spiritual.

When they see something that out of the religious law, they like to judge it. They look at Jesus’ disciples who don't fast like the disciples of John the Baptist. For them, this is out of the ordinary life. Jesus asks them to see the interior spirituality and not only the exterior.

Jesus in today’s Gospel is really a reformer who bring the new idea. Fasting for Him is a preparation for welcoming God. Like for us practice fasting before Easter and Christmas. The main purpose of this spiritual fasting is to prepare ourselves to receive our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, if we are with Jesus we don't need to fast. When are we with God? When we pray, when we talk to Him personally, when we meditate His Word, when we serve the others. Many occasion could be the time with God. So, at that time we don’t need to fast. We fast before these activities. On the other word, fasting is our personal preparation.

Fasting in this sense means not only don’t eat some kinds of food or reduce some habits but really is an interior preparation. We can consider the time before attending the mass as a spiritual fasting.

Let us prepare ourselves to welcome God in our interior life.




Gordi SX

Sept 6, 2018
TOUCHED BY JESUS
Luke 5: 1-11

One of my friends in Philippine always talks to me about the Jeepney. He said that he likes to use Jeepney because he wants to be touched by the other people, especially by the girl. He was joking to me but I think it is true. As a man, he surely wants to touch and to be touched by the girl.

In the Gospel, we see how Peter touched by Jesus. He was almost not in hoping to get fish. One night they got nothing. But in that morning, Jesus asked him to low the net. For sure that by the obedience he put the net. What will happen? Peter was very happy. Finally, they get a lot of fish. Abundance in quantity.

Peter is not only touched but also changed by Jesus. His mentality is really changed. From the despair to the hope. From sadness to joy. Peter is able to let himself guide by Jesus. Jesus, in fact, able to transform us in His way. That is what Peter did.

So, touched by Jesus means not only physically touching but also affect on the mentality. Peter was happy getting a lot of fish but he will get a lot of joyful moment with Jesus.

When am I touched spiritually by Jesus?

Sept 5, 2018
KNOWN BY DEMON
Luke 4: 38-44


If we do the best, even the bad man will know us. All the people want to know who is the actor of this good things. On the contrary, if we do the horrible thing, many people will ridicule us.

In the Gospel who demon knows Jesus. "You are the Son of God," said Demon. The Demon said this after seeing Jesus heal the sick people. Jesus had dawned the good thing so that even the Demon knew it very well.

Imagine when we do good things, many people come to give us support.

The mission of Jesus in the world is to bring good news to all people. One of this good news is healing the sick people. Here, sick means both physic and spiritual. Jesus today heal both sides of the sick people.

This mission comes from His Father. That’s why Jesus doesn’t stop in one place but continue to bring good news to the other places. Of course, many people to do it again and again but Jesus cannot do it. He must go to the others and important also to go to the desert place where He can pray.

The healing needs the new spirit from the Father. This spirit can come from the spiritual experience for example in the prayer. That’s why Jesus after healing go to pray.

Do we want to heal by Jesus?

Sept 4, 2018
ADMIRE ABOUT JESUS
Luke 4: 31-37

I never live with Jesus but I know him through pictures, photo, paintings, etc. I always admire about Him when I see the pictures about Him. When I arrived in Italy in 2013, I always admired the art of Italy. There, we can see how to admire the work of human through the arts. In this arts, there are many pictures and paintings about Jesus with their things that make the visitors feel admire.

The today’s Gospel talks about the teaching of Jesus in Capernaum. The audience was astonished by it because Jesus teaches them not like the leaders of Jews who talk about the religious tradition. Jesus teaches them with authority and I think with simple words so that the people can understand it. The authority of Jesus makes the Satan goes out from the man in Synagogue.  It means that Jesus is really powerful. Even the people were astonished about this action of Jesus with his authority.

Jesus shows us his mission include to pull out the Satan. When are we admire about Jesus or his teaching? What kind of Satan that stays in yourself or in myself? Do we want to let Jesus comes to bring out our Satan?

Jesus, help us to admire your teaching.  


BUNDA PENUH CINTA


Paus Fransiskus sering mendengungkan ide tentang Gereja sebagai Ibu. Dalam bahasa Barat—seperti Italia—Gereja berpredikat feminim. “La Chiesa” dalam bahasa Italia. Predikat feminim ini sama dengan predikat Maria atau “La Madre”. Memang Bunda Maria dan Gereja adalah Ibu bagi semua orang. Paus berkomentar, “Maria adalah Bunda yang Allah inginkan pada Gereja: Ibu yang lemah lembut, rendah hati, miskin material, dan kaya akan cinta.” Mari belajar dari Bunda Maria dan Gereja sebagai Ibu.


ANAK ZAMAN NOW



Begitu istilah keren sekarang: anak-anak zaman now alias sekarang. Mereka yang hidup sekarang banyak maunya, banyak inginnya, banyak mintanya. Apalagi untuk mereka yang orang tuanya cukup berada, apa saja yang diminta boleh jadi bisa dipenuhi. Anak-anak ini bahkan tidak bisa lagi menahan keinginannya untuk sesuatu yang baru. Orang tua mereka sebaliknya tidak tahu lagi membedakan permintaan anak yang mesti dipenuhi dan yang tidak perlu dipenuhi. Karena hal ini, anak-anak zaman now kadang-kadang tidak bahagia. Dia tidak bisa berkreasi seperti anak-anak kampung yang bermain misalnya dengan mainan alam atau mainan sosial. Di sini anak-anak diperkenalkan dengan alam dan lingkungan sosial. Paus Fransiskus punya perhatian besar untuk anak-anak zaman now. Katanya, “Mari kita berdoa untuk anak-anak yang tidak dibiarkan lahir, yang menangis karena lapar, yang bermain bukan dengan mainan anak-anak tetapi dengan senjata.” Doa yang indah dan perhatian yang nyata. Mari didik anak-anak kita dengan bijaksana.

MEREKA YANG BERBEDA DENGAN KITA



Perbedaan selalu indah jika kita bisa menerimanya. Namun, sering kali kita sulit menerima berbagai perbedaan: ras, warna kulit, budaya, tutur kata, perilaku, kondisi fisik, dan sebagainya. Hanya mereka yang bijaksana mampu menerima dan bisa hidup dalam perbedaan. Boleh jadi kita belum sampai pada sikap bijaksana ini. Paus Fransiskus mengatakan, “Kebijaksanaan Allah membantu kita bagaimana merangkul dan menerima mereka yang bertindak dan berpikir dengan cara yang berbeda dengan kita.” Semoga kita makin bijaksana dengan bantuan Allah.


SAAT IMAN JADI NYATA


Banyak orang yang beriman tetapi sedikit yang menyatakan imannya dalam perbuatan. Iman bukan soal ‘saya mengaku beriman’ atau beriman dalam pikiran. Iman seperti ini adalah iman yang abstrak. Iman mesti jadi nyata, mesti menjadi konkret alias iman konkret. Paus Fransiskus mengatakan, “Iman menjadi nyata ketika dikonkretkan (dinyatakan) dalam cinta, khususnya dalam pelayanan terhadap saudara dan saudari yang berada dalam kesulitan.” Mereka ini kiranya membutuhkan bantuan kita. Maka, nyatakanlah imanmu dalam pelayanan kepada mereka.

April 5, 2018
FOUR FOREVER


There was a little change today. Our friend Giulio, the Italian, left us. He will continue his course of language in another place. We were sad because we became four students also. Giulio was very progress than us in class but he needs the skill of writing. He wanted to develop this skill. One time he said that he wanted to learn more about grammar but here there was not possible to it. The other students have the other need. For me for example, I need the skill of speaking, to improve my opinion, to write my homily and that present it in front of the flack.

Let Giulio go and we continue our class. The first lesson today was about the reading and speaking. We read together the article teacher gave us some days ago and we discussed it. The other activity was the presentation of our article. I presented the article from The Jakarta Post. The article talks about the traveling in Bali.

In the afternoon with Ms. Irin, we talked about speaking but with the other activity. The first activity was the introduction of our self with the little game. The game explained the three animals who represent our characters. I choose hen, peacock, and ant. The Hen is the symbol of passion to share, the peacock is the symbol of beauty and the ant is symbol of work together or social life.


The second activity was listening and taking down the note of the video. 

Aril 4, 2018
NEW FACE AGAIN



Our Class has something new in these two days. Today, we had a new student. She is Chinese and comes from the other class. She changes with one of our friend who was here yesterday. I am happily welcoming this new friend. Now, our class consists of five students always: 1 for Italian, Indonesian and Taiwan, 2 from China.


The other new face is our teacher, Mrs. Tina. She teaches reading and writing. For today, she teaches very well. I don’t know in future days. I hope she can continue like this so that we, the students, can develop our skill in this subject.

April 3, 2018
NEW FACES OF THE SECOND MODULE

Foto saat akhir modul yang lalu

I like to notice our new friends today. They come from Taiwan and Japan. All of them are very young. The Japanese, Ken, is a new graduate. He comes here to study English because he wants to find the job in Canada. The Taiwanese, in another part, is a student at the university. He also is a teacher in the junior high school in Taipei. He said that he teached only for making money. So, even though he teaches Mathematics, Geography, and Story, none of these is interesting for him.

I am happy because we will have new experiences with them. We others come from the last module: Giulio, Sr Giovanna and me. Meeting these new friends, I miss our friends of the last module: Bocong and Ivan from China, Haruko and Seta from Japan. We spent five weeks with them. There was the best moment of our journey during this module. I hope also we have the other best moment in this new module.

The other new face is our teacher, Mrs. Sherlinda. Today we teach us about speaking and reading. I think, in this module, she and Mrs. Irin (from the last module) will accompany us on this subject. Mrs. Julia and the other new teach us about writing.

I hope in this module, I can get the new input especially to develop my skill in reading, speaking, listening, and writing. I like to underline the subject writing because this is I need now.

THE DRIVER PRUDENTLY
 
PICTURE: pixabayfree
If two days past, we take the public transportation, today we use the private transportation. One driver came to bring us to the sister’s house. It’s very interesting experience.

The driver was ready in front of our gate when we went out. Then, we started our trip. During the trip, I felt strange with this trip. Maybe the driver is new. He didn’t know the street. Sometimes, he would go to the right but Father Cesar stopped him. No way to the right. We must take the left.

I think he is a new driver. He drives very slowly and more prudently. We were late for some minutes. The phone rang when we were on the trip again.

Finally, we arrived at the sister’s house. This is the sister of Saint Augustinian. The female branch of the Augustinian congregation.

When we came back, the other driver drove the car. With him, I felt good. More security than the other. Thanks for your help. 


PRIMA DEL NATALE



I fillipini hanno la tradizione interessante prima del natale. Per loro, il giorno di natale è una festa ordinaria. Ma, prima del natale è la festa extraordinaria. Una delle feste ordinarie è ‘il christmas party’, come la chiamanao loro.

Questa festa coinvolge anche i bambini. Oltre ad andare nelle case per raccogliere i soldi, c’è anche la festa propria. Balano, cantano, giocano, mangiano, ecc. Qui, nella foto, ci sono i bambini organizzatti dagli adulti festegganno il christmas party.

Sono contenti tutti sia bambini che adulti. Per loro, questa è la festa di natale. La messa di natale è un’altra cosa. Non possono mancare questa prima. Forse troppo presto per giudicare la loro tradizione. Una cosa importante qui è la gioia della festa.

La gioia è il motivo principale—credo—di questa festa. Il nome di christmas party, lo mettono per dare un valore profondo di questa festa. Ma, il contenuto è lo stesso cioè la gioia.


Questa succede prima di natale. Il natale comunque è la festa della gioia. Non c’è il natale senza la gioia.

TRAVEL IS MONEY
 
PICTURE: traffic in Bangkok, pixabayfree
A long time ago, there was a famous quotation, time is money. I think many people know it. It means the time must be used well so that we get much money. If not, the time goes on and we produce nothing. We can not produce many things in short time. For the businessmen, the time is very precious.   

Today, I see many people move rapidly. It does either pedestrians or passenger’s bus. The other side, the bus move rapidly.

I think, in this case, the travel is money. The driver moves rapidly so that he can get much money. The people must conform to the bus rhythm. This is Philippine’s style. Let’s go on and take care.


SERVANT FOR ALL LIFE
PICTURE: aleteia.org

Service in religious life should be for a lifetime. Nobody can say, I'm religious / only for a few years. This thing should clear before perpetual profession. If one arrives at the last stage of basic training ie perpetual profession, he or she has already made the final decision for her life.

I'm happy yesterday when I saw the nun playing the organ in the church. She is old. Take the pillow with you into the carriage. With her physical limitation, she put herself at the service. It is an example for all of us especially religious and religious. The service is limited in this case.


Thanks nun and the Augustinian nuns of Maligaya, Quezon City, Philippines.

NEW TRAVEL IN THIS WEEK
 
PICTURE: caranddiver.com
There is a new trip in this week. Father Cesar invite me to participate in the mass out of the community. Usually, it is in the religious house like the sisters, the school, etc. Today is the first day.

I am happy because I can see the new world of my life. Seeing the beauty of the service in the church. Following him, for me, is a good experience. I must learn many things from him an for the others, arrived before me.

Today, I learn how to move from our house to the Augustinians’ sister. It is far because we took the public transportations. First, we took the tricycle, the Philippine style of motorcycle, and then took the jeep.

It is very interesting for the first time like this. I think I will find my way in the next time. I don’t think to follow him always. Maybe, this is the occasion to prepare me for this service.


Thanks to you my brothers. You gave me the good occasion to learn many things.
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