An Easter miracle: When a crook is blessed

Submarine! It is not because I am anti war when I always feel bitter everytime I hear the word. Last year, my family attended an Easter mass in a church in East Jakarta. I told my three children and my wife that we should use this Easter as a momentum to make our family more religious. The church was very crowded but we could be seated in the front row. When the priest delivered his sermons I folded my hand and listened attentively. I felt very close to heaven at that time.

But the submarine slaps me on the face!

"Many of you who come for this mass are just like submarine," he said.

"Submarine spends must of its time under the sea and only in emergency it comes to surface. Many of you come to church only for Easter and Christmas masses," the priest said and many people burst into laughter.

My daughter whispered to me,"We have never been to church since last Christmas."

After we arrived at home I quickly blamed my wife for the long absence. Since her failed backbone surgery four years ago she had to use wheelchair. She was so desperate that she never wants to go to church for long time.

"Don't blame mama. Even when she was still healthy it was who always brought us to church while you just stay at home with so many pretexts," my eldest son defended his mother.

"So, you mean I am a crook?" I replied with a red face.

My second son save me from the hell. He opened the Holy Bible and read Luke 23:42-43. It was a conversation between one of two criminal who were crucified together with Jesus. My son said the crook became the very first person who got a seat in heaven after the cruxifiction.

"As long as you are smart and lucky enough to use the momentum you can get the blessing even if it is true that you are crook," said my son, who knows he will get a reward for his defense everytime his other siblings or my wife cornered me.

"The he (the criminal) said to Jesus,'Remember me when you come into power.'"

"Jesus replied,'I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Only the crook said nice thing to Jesus when He was dying on the cross.

Since that I assured my wife that I really would take care of her. Initially I thought I had done everything to release her from the wheelchair.

But I don't know how to answer everytime my wife asked me, "When can I walk again?"

My children then suggested us to go for pilgrimage to Jerusalem because their mother often mentions it to them. Who knows we will have a miracle there. We took nearly all of our savings. My daughter also took her own savings (most of her money actually comes from me everytime I asked her to keep a secret from her mom).

In Jerusalem, despite her physical disability she could fully attend the Via Dolorosa (The way of the cross) ceremony to recall Jesus's journey from Praetorium where he was condemned to death to Calvary where he was crucified. It was very difficult to pray at each of the 14 stations (Stops Jesus made during the journey) because the route is located in a crowded market.

During our pilgrim her prayers included,"Make me walk again, or at least make me able to sleep." She suffered from insomnia after the surgery.

The priest who lead our tour said miracle often comes in various forms.So we still a hope for her recovery!

Then Easter comes again this year! Our family has pledged to attend the whole Holy Week ceremonies starting from the Sunday Palm, Last Supper on Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Night Mass in St. Carolus Hospital. The chapel of the hospital can cater people with wheelchair. I have checked the priest who talked about the submarine would not lead one of the ceremonies. Choirs in the chapel are always very enthusiastic to demonstrate their talent and they choose songs which people are not familiar with. It means we do not need to sing at all.

When I called my eldest son who is still studying at a private university in Yogyakarta he said,"I want to be the crook like in the Bible!" It means he will not likely go to church.

My wife has promised to treat us in an expensive restaurant after the Sunday Easter mass. This time she refused to prepare lunch at home saying the cooking is too tiring for her. Of course my children have passed the age where they still demand to have the Easter eggs.

My daughter has asked me to bring my own money,"because everytime mama pays for the bill she always this, or food that ice cream is not good for you health."

Happy Easter! I have taken my wallet with me. --Kornelius Purba--