Month: August 2022

Why the Gate is Narrow

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21st Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
August 21, 2022
Luke 13:20-33

Jesus says that the gate to salvation is narrow, and it is difficult to enter. Simply put, it is hard to be saved. His answer is a pessimistic to the deepest desire we have in our hearts. If St. Paul says that God desires that all men and women be saved [1 Tim 2:4], then why does Jesus teach that the gate is narrow? If Jesus teaches God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life, [John 3:16], why now does Jesus says that many will not be able to enter. If He knows that many will not pass through the door of salvation, why does Jesus have to die and open the door? Does Jesus contradict himself?

Jesus neither contradicts Himself nor tells us a lie. God indeed loves us and desires our salvation. Jesus does sacrifice Himself to save all of humanity, and open the gate of paradise for all us. The reason why the gate of heaven looks narrow, it is because the gate of hell is even bigger and more enticing. Jesus makes it clear that some people fail to enter because they persist in their evil deeds.

The way to hell is indeed more alluring. Satan has the best marketing and promotion team, and he and his army know well how to manipulate us. Satan recognizes that humans are attracted to ‘instant pleasures’, and he readily disguises evil with pleasures. Why do some married couples are not faithful despite knowing that it is terrible sin? It is because the affair is full of excitements. Why do people commit abortion despite awareness that it is killing a baby? For it gives an instant escape. Why do people steal despite knowing that it heavily harms other people? For it offers us an instant wealth.

The way to hell is even wider because Satan makes us believes that sinful behaviors are not evil and in fact, something to celebrate. Some people are proud when they aborted their babies, and say, ‘my body, my right’. Some people are cheering when they are changing their partners so casually. Some people are encouraging us to look for happiness in new age movements and occultism, and say, ‘new ways to happiness’.

Jesus clarifies further that it is not enough to ‘eat with Jesus’ and ‘hear His teachings’ to be saved. We may go to the Church, we may be baptized as Catholics, and we may receive the communion, but if we continue to dwell in sinful lives, we may endanger our souls. We may attend prayer meetings and shout to the top our lungs, ‘Jesus is Lord’, we may even preach the Gospel, but if we keep living in sin, we may lose heaven.

Jesus truly dies for us and God indeed loves us, but we need to strive harder for heaven. We are invited to make daily decisions to repent and to integrate God in our lives. The gate of heaven is as small as the confessional door, but it is infinitely more precious that the gate of hell.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Mariafobia

On By bayuopIn Bahasa, Ordinary TimeLeave a comment

Hari Raya Maria Diangkat ke Surga [C]

15 Agustus 2022

Lukas 1:39-56

Umat ​​Katolik sering dituduh menghormati Maria secara berlebihan. Beberapa orang bahkan melihat kita memberikan Maria sebuah penyembahan yang hanya untuk Tuhan. Tuduhan ini tentu tidak benar, tetapi akar kesalahpahaman dapat ditelusuri lebih lanjut. Saya menemukan setidaknya tiga alasan dari apa yang saya sebut ‘Mariaphobia’ ini.

Penyebab pertama adalah sebagian orang bingung antara penyembahaan dan doa. Ketika kita berlutut dan berdoa kepada Maria, kita tidak menyembahnya. Kata ‘berdoa’ di sini sejatinya sama dengan ‘meminta bantuan’ atau ‘mengajukan permohonan’. akar kata bahasa Inggris ‘prayer’ adalah bahasa Latin, ‘praegare’ yang berarti ‘memohon bantuan’. Sama dengan kata ‘doa’ yang berakar dari kata Arab yang artinya juga ‘memohon’. Apa yang sebenarnya terjadi ketika kita mendekati Maria adalah kita memintanya untuk berdoa bagi kita kepada Tuhan. Sama halnya ketika kita meminta kepada orang tua atau orang yang kita anggap dekat dengan Tuhan untuk mendoakan kita. Maria sangat dekat dengan putra-Nya, dan kita bisa sangat yakin bahwa Yesus mendengarkan permintaannya. Sementara itu, tindakan penyembahan baik dalam Kitab Suci maupun tradisi Katolik, selalu hadir dalam bentuk persembahan kurban. Kita hanya mempersembahkan kurban kepada Allah, dan ini terjadi dalam Ekaristi, saat kita mempersembahkan kurban sempurna Yesus Kristus kepada Bapa dalam Roh Kudus.

Akar kedua adalah bahwa beberapa orang masih bingung tindakan penyembahan dan tindakan penghormatan. Sementara menghormati dan menyembah saling berhubungan erat, mereka dapat dibedakan dengan benar. Dalam teologi Katolik, kita menggunakan kata-kata Yunani ‘latria’ dan ‘dulia’. Latria adalah tindakan penyembahan yang pantas hanya untuk Tuhan, sedangkan dulia adalah tindakan penghormatan kepada makhluk ciptaan (seperti para kudus dan malaikat). Sementara latria datang dalam bentuk persembahan kurban, dulia dapat hadir dalam berbagai cara. Kita bisa menghormati seseorang dengan memeluk mereka, memberi mereka bunga, menundukkan kepala, dan bahkan memberikan gelar kehormatan. Jadi, ketika kita mempersembahkan bunga kepada Maria atau menyimpan foto-fotonya, itu tidak berarti suatu tindakan penyembahan, melainkan tindakan kasih dan kehormatan.

Alasan ketiga adalah bahwa sebagian orang masih melihat hubungan antara Tuhan dan makhluk ciptaan-Nya sebagai relasi oposisi. Ada paham yang menyatakan bahwa jika kita menghormati dan mencintai ciptaan, kita tidak menghormati dan mencintai Tuhan. Namun, relasi ini tidak tepat. Seperti seorang ayah yang baik yang membekali anak-anak-Nya dengan hal-hal duniawi agar mereka bertumbuh dan berhasil, demikian pula Tuhan memberikan karunia-karunia rohani-Nya agar putra-putri-Nya bertumbuh dalam kekudusan. Bagaikan seorang ayah yang bangga dengan prestasi anak-anaknya, demikian pula Allah bersuka cita dengan pertumbuhan rohani anak-anaknya. Ketika Maria diangkat ke surga, itu hanya karena Tuhan. Dan, ketika Maria dihormati karena dia ada di surga, tubuh dan jiwanya, kehormatan yang sejati adalah milik Allah.

Kita tidak perlu takut mendekat kepada Maria, karena dia membawa kita kepada Yesus. Kita tidak perlu takut menghormati Maria, karena sejatinya ini menghormati Allah. Kita tidak perlu takut mencintai Maria, karena kita mencintai Allah melalui Maria.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Mariaphobia

On By bayuopIn English, Ordinary TimeLeave a comment

The Solemnity of the Assumption [following the Liturgical celebration in Indonesia]
August 14, 2022
Luke 1:39-56

The Catholics are often accused of honoring Mary excessively. Some people even see us as giving Mary an adoration that is due to God alone. These allegations surely are untrue, but the roots of misunderstanding can be explored further. I discover at least three probable reasons of these ‘Mariaphobia’.

The first cause is that some people confuse the act of worship and the act of asking intercession. When we kneel and pray to Mary, we do not worship her. The word ‘praying’ here is equal to ‘asking help’. In fact, the root of English word ‘prayer’ is Latin, ‘praegare’ which simply means ‘to seek help’. What truly happens when we approach Mary is that we ask her to pray for us to God. It is the same when we ask our parents or people whom we consider close to God to pray for us. Mary is very close to His son, and we can be very confident that Jesus listens to her requests. Meanwhile, the act of worship both in the Bible and the Catholic tradition, always comes in the form of sacrificial offerings. We only offer sacrifice to God, and this takes place in the Eucharist, as we present the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit.

The second root is that some of people confuse the act of worship and the act of honoring. While honoring and worshiping are closely interconnected, they can be properly distinguished. In Catholic theology, we use the fancy Greek words ‘latria’ and ‘dulia’. Latria is act of worship proper to God, while dulia is act of honor to creatures (like the saints and angels). While latria comes in the form of sacrifice, dulia may manifest in various ways. We can honor someone by hugging them, giving them flowers, bowing our heads, and even giving honorific titles. Thus, when we are offering Mary flowers or keeping her pictures, it does not mean an act of worship, but rather act of love and honor.

The third reason is that some people confuse the relationship between God and His creatures. While it is true that God and human beings are infinitely different, but it does not mean that there is no connection between God and humans. While God is the infinite creator, and men and women are finite creatures, God loves us dearly. Like a good father who equips His children with earthly things so that they may grow and be successful, so God provides His spiritual gifts so that His children may grow in holiness. Like a good father who is proud of the achievements of his kids, so God is pleased with the spiritual growth of His children. When Mary was assumed into heaven, it is only because of God. And, when Mary is honored because she is in heaven, body and soul, the true honor belongs to God.

Mary becomes the eschatological model, or hope of what happen to us in the future when we follow Christ faithfully. Mary is faithful and loves His son, Jesus, from the beginning to the cross, and she follows Jesus in His resurrection and coming home to heave. If we are faithful to Jesus, till the end like Mary, we will receive what Mary has received.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Building Heavenly Purse

On By bayuopIn English, Ordinary TimeLeave a comment

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
August 7, 2022
Luke 12:32-48

Jesus teaches us how to build the heavenly purse and to gain eternal treasure, and it is by giving up our earthly wealth in almsgiving. There is a real connection between worldly possessions and heavenly treasure. Yet, the relation is not linear. The more generous we are with , the bigger our heavenly treasure chest, and the bigger eternal treasure we receive. The principle is simple, but the practice is often extremely tough. There are several reasons for this.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C] August 7, 2022 Luke 12:32-48 Jesus teaches us how to build the heavenly purse and to gain eternal treasure, and it is by giving up our earthly wealth in almsgiving. There is a real connection between worldly possessions and heavenly treasure. Yet, the relation is not linear. The more generous we are with , the bigger our heavenly treasure chest, and the bigger eternal treasure we receive. The principle is simple, but the practice is often extremely tough. There are several reasons for this.
photocredit: bjorn pierre

The first reason is the ‘possessive mentality’. We say, “wealth is hard earned, and why should I share it to others.” It is true that many of us work hard and often sacrifice a lot in the process. Because we earn them, we should be the one who keep and spend them. To let someone else to easily have our money or possessions just does not feel right. While it is true that we have the right to spend our hard-earned wealth the way we want it, this right is not absolute. We need to remember that eventually everything we have here including our lives and possessions are God’s gifts. Since our wealth is a gift we receive, we shall pass it forward also as gift to those who need it.

The second reason, related to the first one, is giving our possessions to others is hurting us. As we earn money and acquire things for ourselves, we begin to believe that these are mine, we possess these things. Yet, in reality, our possessions ‘possess’ us. We become attached to them, and to let them go turns to be difficult and hurting us. Our wealth gives us comfort, security and pleasures, and all that give us pleasure is potentially addictive. When we are addicted to our wealth, the harder it is to share. Yet, to overcome the addiction, the more we need to let go. Thus, the pain of giving is natural consequence of healing from greed.

The third reason is that we tend to be suspicious of others. We have this mindset that people are poor or are asking our help because they are lazy, or these persons are just going to scam us. While the idea contains certain degree of veracity, the reality is more complex. For one reason or another, some people just stumble upon terrible situations, and they need it our help. Some people were born in miserable conditions, and nothing they do can alleviate their misery. Some people just do know how to help themselves. While it is true that they are people who do not deserve our charity, but it does not mean all people who are in need are fake. Here, we need to be prudent rather than to stop helping all together.

Jesus concludes His teaching beautifully, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also [Luk 12:34].” If our treasure, our ambition, our goal of life is earthly possessions, our hearts, our souls, and our lives will stay on earth. When the earth passes, we will pass also with it. Yet, if our treasure, our priority, our end of life is heavenly gifts, our hearts and our souls will move also to eternal life.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP