Table of Contents

We proclaim Christ crucified

 (1 Cor 1:23) 

    It is always agonizing to try to find the meaning and discern the purpose of tragedies that befall us. When Bro Bert Lara was struck on the eye by a tennis ball several years ago that made him almost blind in one eye, he subsequently shared with us that it was that incident that brought him into the community of Couples for Christ. He found the meaning, indeed the sublime purpose, of the tragedy that God had allowed to happen in his life.

            But Bro Bonnie Blando is already serving very actively in our community! He is a dedicated servant-leader and heads the unit that has been assigned the difficult and challenging task of evangelization in South Jakarta. Both he and Sis Linda are already fully committed to the mission and vision of Couples for Christ.

            I have witnessed the tremendous spiritual growth of Bro Bonnie since he and Sis Linda attended the Christian Life Program in April 1994. Because he speaks Bahasa Indonesia fluently, I have requested him to develop a strong Indonesian CFC community in South Jakarta. The target is to have an Indonesian Chapter in South Jakarta by January 1999. Bro Bonnie and Sis Linda are right on target. After the completion of the current Christian Life Program at St Johannes Church in early December, we expect to install them as Chapter Leaders of a new South Jakarta Chapter.

With all their children grown up and working, Bro Bonnie and Sis Linda have already decided to dedicate their lives and resources to serving the Lord in Couples for Christ. That is why I have been agonizing this past week to find the meaning and purpose of the tragedy that has befallen Bro Bonnie.

I was in Manila last week attending a meeting at the Asian Development Bank when Jean called me and said that a golf ball struck Bro Bonnie shattering his eyeglasses and left eye. She related what happened and said that she had just returned home from visiting Bro Bonnie at the hospital. To help comfort him, she gave him a rosary with beads made of rosewood and a bottle of water that we brought back from our recent pilgrimage to our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima. I immediately called Bro Bonnie assuring him of my prayers and asking him to continue to trust in the Lord. That evening I offered a rosary for him.

A few days ago, Bro Bonnie was flown to Perth, Australia to consult an eye specialist. Just two days ago, while we were in the home of Bro Bert Lara, Sis Linda called from Perth. She was crying and could hardly speak. She said that the specialist had found the damaged eye beyond saving and that it had already been surgically removed. We were overwhelmed with sadness. Silently, we asked: Why, dear Lord? What is your purpose? Why did you allow it to happen? Has he not been serving you well? Has he not already made a commitment to you? What is the meaning of this? What is your message to Bro Bonnie and our community?

My brothers and sisters, I have already written to you about the suffering of Job (see Chapter 40). In that letter, I said that the author of the Book of Job tells us that the pressure point in suffering is not so much in the pain but in not knowing whether or not there is any reason to have to suffer. Like Job, we will suffer without knowing why. We will never be able to fully understand God’s ways. God acts for purposes that only he can comprehend. The meaning of our suffering remains within the realm of the unsearchable darkness.

I also wrote then that, for us Christians, we know that our suffering can have real meaning if we unite it with the suffering of Jesus. While people normally associate suffering with defeat, Jesus has taught us that suffering leads to victory. Therefore, we comprehend our suffering as a means to participate in the Lord’s obedient self-suffering to God. We understand that to become genuinely a branch in the vine that is Christ, we should expect to share the same experiences as the vine.

As I continue to search for additional answers to the meaning of this tragic event, I came upon these verses in Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians: For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:22-24).

A crucified Christ is “God’s foolishness,” if there is such a thing. The Jews refuse a crucified Christ because of their messianic expectations. The Gentiles refuse a crucified Christ because of their rationalism. A crucified Christ is an obstacle, a scandal, and a stumbling block. The Jews expect to see signs while the Greeks expect to acquire wisdom. Such expectations blind them so that they cannot see the glorious sign and the profound wisdom behind a crucified Christ.

Like Paul, we, in Couples for Christ, also proclaim Christ crucified. We proclaim that it is in giving that we receive. We proclaim that it is in being poor that we are rich. We proclaim that there is blessedness in sorrow. And the pinnacle of all these – the one that sums up all the others – we proclaim that it is in dying that we will have life. And Christ crucified – yes, the same one in the miniature cross that you wear around your neck – is the most glorious sign of this proclamation.

Tragic accidents and suffering – like Christ crucified – can be an obstacle and a stumbling block to a profound and lasting faith in the goodness of God. But, as St. Paul says,  “to those who are called,” Christ crucified is the power and the wisdom of God. I believe in this. I also believe that Bro Bonnie is among “those who are called.” I have long been convinced that God has a special task for him. For this reason, I have closely followed his spiritual growth since he and Sis Linda attended the CLP where Jean and I were the Team Leaders. After the CLP, I requested that they be placed under our household. As the Lord slowly transformed him, he became a household head in 1995 and a unit head in 1996.

Bro Bonnie’s charism is specially suited for the evangelization of the Indonesians. He speaks Bahasa Indonesia fluently and is familiar with the local culture and practices. Thus, I have requested him to head the unit composed of predominantly Indonesian members and to accelerate the evangelization in South Jakarta with the view to establishing a CFC South Jakarta Chapter.

Bro Bonnie has never complained to me about his service. He may disagree with the other unit heads and ministry coordinators, and occasionally his old temper may flare, but his obedience to his CFC elder is complete, natural and never forced. He shares my vision for the evangelization of Indonesia. He knows that the Lord wants to use him, in a way that the Lord is unable to use me, since I do not speak the language.

My brothers and sisters, I ask all of you to pray earnestly for Bro Bonnie and Sis Linda. Let us ask the Lord to give them strength and consolation. Let us ask that, united with the suffering of Christ crucified whom we proclaim, God may be glorified by their present suffering. Let us ask that, though now visually impaired, Bro Bonnie may be blessed by the Lord with an even clearer vision of Christ crucified so that they may share in the glory of Christ’s Resurrection not only in the afterlife, but right here and now, as partakers in God’s kingdom on earth. Amen.

 Table of Contents