Month: September 2023

Repentance and Salvation

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]
October 1, 2023
Matthew 21:28-32

From the Βiblical context, we can easily understand the meaning of the parable of two sons. The son who initially refused to obey his father but eventually changed his heart symbolizes the Jewish society’s public sinners, like the tax collectors and prostitutes. They were indeed sinners, but finally, they repented when they heard the preaching of John and Jesus. The son who initially said yes to his father but, in reality, did not go to the vineyard is representing the elders and leaders of Israel. They heard the preaching of both John and Jesus, but they refused to listen and even persecuted them.

The parable is simple and easily understood, but what is at stake is our eternal salvation. The message is clear: everyone must repent and obey God’s will. Whether the people committing grave sins or claiming themselves as faithful and religious, all have to strive for holiness. However, this parable is not only for the elders and leaders of Israel in the time of Jesus, but for us, who call Jesus Lord, go to the Church every Sunday, and even involve many ministries.

We may ask, “Is it not enough to be baptized Catholic?” Is it not good enough to attend mass every Sunday? Do our ministries have any meanings before God? Surely, these are important in our Christian life and also part of doing the will of God. Yet, the Pharisees and the Jewish elders during the time of Jesus were doing more or less the same things. They were circumcised as babies and learned how to read Torah since childhood. They went to synagogues on the Sabbath and also offered sacrifices when they were in Jerusalem. They may also be involved in many religious activities in their communities. What we do are not particularly different from the Pharisees! So, what shall we do?

Learning from the parable, the key element is doing the will of the Father and His will that we turn away from sins (or repentance) and turn ourselves to God (or holiness). Yes, we are baptized Catholic, but are we convinced that Catholic faith is a saving faith? Yes, we go to the Church every Sunday, but do we worship the true God or go to the Church to look for personal comfort and benefits? Yes, we are active in many communities and ministries, but what is the point if we become proud of ourselves and arrogant toward others who cannot serve like us? Yes, we call ourselves followers of Christ, but perhaps we are secretly clinging to sinful behaviors.

So what shall we do? Repentance can be done every moment. In Catholic tradition, we have a daily examination of conscience, and when done correctly, it helps us to be aware of our actions and motives. Secondly, spiritual readings enrich our souls. We can choose from the Bible, lessons from the saints, or the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Thirdly, we go to the confession regularly. We must not let sins pile up in our hearts and gradually dull our conscience. The sacrament of confession grants forgiveness and sharpens our sense of what is pleasing to God and what is not. Surely, there are other things we can do, but fundamentally, unless we truly repent from our hearts, we might lose our eternal salvation.

Rome

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Hidup adalah Kristus

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Minggu ke-25 dalam Masa Biasa [A]
24 September 2023
Matius 20:1-16a
Filipi 1:20c-24, 27a

Hari ini, Santo Paulus menulis kalimat sangat menarik, “Aku rindu meninggalkan dunia ini dan bersama dengan Kristus, karena itulah yang jauh lebih baik [Flp. 1:23].” Apakah St. Paulus ini ingin mengakhiri hidupnya atau bunuh diri? Atau ada hal lain yang sebenarnya terjadi?

Kita harus memahami konteks surat Santo Paulus kepada jemaat di Filipi untuk menjawab pertanyaan ini. Surat kepada jemaat di Filipi adalah salah satu surat Paulus dari penjara [termasuk surat ke jemaat di Efesus dan Kolose]. Jika kita mengingat kembali kehidupan rasul besar ini, kita tahu bahwa Paulus dianiaya dan ditangkap oleh orang-orang Yahudi yang menentang pemberitaan Injil Yesus Kristus. Saat menghadapi pengadilannya, Paulus kemudian menggunakan hak istimewanya sebagai warga negara Romawi untuk mengajukan banding kepada Kaisar. Dengan demikian, dia dibawa ke Roma, ibu kota kekaisaran. Sementara dia menunggu Kaisar mendengar bandingnya, dia menjadi tahanan rumah, dan bahkan dirantai. Namun, ia diizinkan untuk terus mewartakan Injil dan mengirim surat ke berbagai komunitas. Salah satu suratnya adalah kepada jemaat di Filipi [lihat Flp. 1:14]. Dalam masa penantian ini, Paulus bisa saja dinyatakan tidak bersalah, tetapi ada kemungkinan besar Kaisar menjatuhkan hukuman mati kepadanya.

Dari konteks ini, kita memahami bahwa Paulus tidak sedang berpikir bagaimana mengakhiri hidupnya, melainkan tentang kematiannya sebagai martir. Sementara bunuh diri adalah tindakan yang dilakukan dengan sengaja untuk mengakhiri hidup kita sendiri, menjadi martir adalah kematian yang disebabkan oleh kebencian terhadap iman. Namun, yang menarik adalah bagaimana Paulus bereaksi terhadap kematian sebagai martir. Ia tidak takut, tidak cemas berlebihan, dan bahkan tidak mengalami depresi. Sebaliknya, ia menunjukan diri penuh dengan sukacita. Bahkan, jika kita membaca surat kepada jemaat di Filipi, kita akan segera merasakan bahwa suasana umum dari surat ini adalah sukacita. Paulus menulis, “Bersukacitalah selalu dalam Tuhan, aku berkata, Bersukacitalah (Flp. 4:4)! Hal ini sangat membingungkan. Bagaimana Paulus dapat bersukacita ketika ia dianiaya dan menghadapi kematian yang sudah dekat?

Jawabannya adalah karena Paulus telah melihat nilai sejati dari Yesus Kristus. Paulus menulis, “Malahan segala sesuatu kuanggap rugi, karena pengenalan akan Kristus Yesus, Tuhanku, lebih mulia dari pada semuanya. Oleh karena Dialah aku telah melepaskan semuanya itu dan menganggapnya sampah, supaya aku memperoleh Kristus [Flp. 3:8].” Paulus mengerti betapa berharganya Kristus, dan karena kebijaksanaan ini, Paulus memiliki hirarki prioritas yang benar dalam hidupnya. Segala sesuatu, termasuk kehidupan itu sendiri, haruslah di dalam Kristus dan untuk Kristus. Dengan demikian, Paulus, yang telah memberikan segalanya untuk Kristus dan hidup di dalam Kristus, bersukacita dalam menghadapi kematian karena ia tahu bahwa ia akhirnya dapat bersatu dengan Kristus.

Paulus memberi kita sebuah kiat berharga untuk keselamatan: kenali Kristus, dan betapa pentingnya Dia bagi kita. Kita perlu menetapkan prioritas kita dengan benar. Kristus dahulu, dan yang lain akan jatuh pada tempatnya. Ya, kekayaan materi memang penting, makanan dan tempat tinggal sangat penting, dan pendidikan juga penting, tetapi semua itu adalah sarana untuk hidup di dalam Kristus dan untuk Kristus. Kita mungkin kehilangan uang atau harta benda, dan itu tidak masalah, tetapi jika kita kehilangan Kristus, kita akan kehilangan keselamatan dan sukacita kekal. Saat kita kehilangan Kristus, segala kesuksesan di dunia ini akan menjadi sia-sia. Oleh karena itu, bersukacitalah karena bagi kita, hidup adalah Kristus dan mati adalah keuntungan.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Life is Christ

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25th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]
September 24, 2023
Matthew 20:1-16a
Phil 1:20c-24, 27a

Today, St. Paul wrote a disturbing line, “I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better [Phil 1:23].” Did the great saint want to end his life?

We must understand the context of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians to answer this question. The letter to the Christians in Philippi is one of Paul’s prison letters. If we recall the life of this great apostle, we know that Paul was persecuted and arrested by his fellow Jews who opposed his preaching of the Gospel. During his trials, Paul used his privilege as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to Caesar. Thus, he was transported to Rome, the capital of the empire. While he was waiting for Caesar to hear his appeal, he was under house arrest, and he was literally in chains. Yet, he was allowed to continue preaching the Gospel and sending letters to different communities. One of the letters is to the Philippians [see Phil 1:14]. Paul could be proclaimed innocent, but there was also a big possibility that Caesar placed him on death row.

From this context, we recognize that Paul was completing nothing about suicide but rather his martyrdom. While suicide is willfully taking one’s own life, martyrdom is death brought by hatred of faith. However, what is interesting is how St. Paul reacted to his martyrdom. He was not afraid, not overly anxious, and undoubtedly not depressed. On the contrary, he was full of joy. If we read the letter to the Philippians, we quickly feel that the general atmosphere of the letter is joy. Paul even wrote, “Rejoice always in the Lord, I say, Rejoice! [Phil 4:4]. Now, this is highly puzzling. How could St. Paul rejoice when he was persecuted and facing imminent death?

Firstly, we need to recognize that here, Paul did not have a mental problem that made him unable to feel pain or regulate his emotions. If we read his other letters, Paul articulated his emotions well. He was angry when he needed to correct and to grieve when his children did not live according to the Gospel. So, why joy amid suffering and in the face of death?

The answer is that Paul has seen the actual worth of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have suffered the loss of all things for his sake, and I regard them as rubbish [Phil 3:8].” Paul has the correct hierarchy of priorities in his life. Everything, including life itself, should be in Christ and for Christ. Thus, Paul, who has given everything for Christ and lived in Christ, rejoices in the face of death because he knew he could finally be united with Christ.

Paul gives us a life hack to salvation: know the value of Christ, which is eternal. We need to set our priorities right. Yes, material wealth is substantial, food and shelter are essential, and education is necessary, but these are means to live in Christ and for Christ. We may lose money or material belongings, which is okay, but if we lose Christ, we may also lose our salvation and eternal joy despite our earthly success. Thus, rejoice because, for us, life is Christ and death is gain.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Myths about Forgiveness

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24th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]

September 17, 2023

Matthew 18:21-35

There are three myths about forgiveness that we often hear. Here, we try to debunk these myths and go deeper into the meanings of genuine forgiveness. 

To forgive is to forget.

This is the most repeated line about forgiveness. We are told that the best way to forgive is to forget about the events that hurt us as well as the persons who offended us. Yet, this is not forgiveness but rather a convenient escape. In fact, the more we try to forget it, the more it hurts us. Violent efforts to suppress our painful memories lead to mental and spiritual problems. True forgiveness is to face and embrace our painful memories and confront people who have hurt us. The path to forgiveness often takes months and even years to find true peace.

To forgive is for the weak people.

Nothing is far from the truth than this statement. Our natural feelings when we are wronged are anger, hatred, and bitterness; because of these feelings, our natural tendency is to take revenge or run away. The bigger the pain, the more powerful is the tendency. This is why to do the opposite (to forgive) needs an enormous force of mind and courage of will. To forgive is only for the strong. Another point is that we need to distinguish between revenge and justice. While revenge seeks to destroy our enemies by inflicting the most extensive damage possible, justice is ‘to give/receive one’s due.’ Justice seeks reparation, repentance, and reconciliation.

To forgive is stupid.

The usual imagination when we forgive is that we allow people to keep abusing us. In short, we become ‘doormat’ of others. Yet, this is not true forgiveness but cowardice. Real forgiveness starts with justice and courage. Forgiveness also includes repentance of those who harm us. Repentance may come in different forms. The best example will be the case of John Paul II and Ali Acka. The Holy Pope forgave Ali, but Ali still needed to serve his sentence in prison. People who hurt us sometimes refuse to change their behaviors, so we must raise the victim’s mentality and not allow ourselves to be abused repeatedly. 

To err is human, but to forgive is divine.

The last part is not a myth but the truth. Humanly speaking, forgiving is extremely difficult because our natural tendency is to take revenge or run away. Thus, we need the help of grace to rise above our human weakness. We remember that “God has forgiven us and that is why we forgive.” Therefore, living in grace is necessary for forgiveness. We ask for graces through our regular participation in the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation. We ask the Lord also for strength in our prayers, as well as we pray for those who hurt us for their repentance. To seek support and advice from our trusted friends and capable professionals is also crucial because God may make them His instruments in helping us. 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Koreksi Persaudaraan: Karya Amal yang terbesar

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Minggu ke-23 dalam Masa Biasa [A]

10 September 2023

Matius 18:15-20

Mengoreksi saudara-saudari kita yang tidak hidup sesuai dengan Hukum Allah adalah sebuah tindakan kerahiman dan kasih. Dalam tradisi Katolik, koreksi persaudaraan [latin: Correctio fraterna] merupakan hal yang esensial dalam tujuh karya belas kasih rohani. Mengapa mengoreksi sesama dianggap sebagai tindakan belas kasih? Mengapa hal ini justru sulit untuk dilakukan? Di sini, saya membagikan refleksi saya tentang mengapa correctio fraterna itu penting, tetapi pada saat yang sama juga sangat sulit, serta beberapa kiat untuk melakukan tindakan belas kasih ini.

Mengoreksi saudara-saudari kita adalah sebuah karya belas kasih dan cinta karena kita ingin agar jiwa-jiwa mereka diselamatkan dari api neraka dan menikmati hidup kekal bersama Allah. Dengan demikian, bersama dengan evangelisasi, yaitu membawa orang-orang untuk mengenal dan mendekat kepada Kristus, correctio fraterna dianggap sebagai karya amal yang paling baik. Karena kita mengasihi mereka, kita bersedih ketika saudara dan saudari kita tersesat dari jalan Tuhan. Dengan demikian, kita menunjukkan kasih kita dan mengingatkan mereka untuk kembali kepada Tuhan.

Namun, meskipun mengoreksi saudara-saudari kita adalah sesuatu yang mulia dan penuh belas kasihan, itu adalah salah satu hal yang paling menantang untuk dilakukan. Ada beberapa alasan. Pertama, ketidaktahuan. Kita tidak mengetahui ajaran dasar tentang moralitas. Karena kita tidak tahu, kita dapat mengoreksi orang lain. Ini adalah masalah besar karena banyak dari kita yang belum memiliki pengetahuan yang lengkap tentang Hukum-hukum Allah. Namun, ini juga merupakan masalah yang paling mudah dipecahkan karena pengajaran dan katekese yang tepat akan sangat membantu kita.

 Kedua, rasa takut. Kasih kita tidak cukup kuat, dan rasa takut mendominasi kita. Kita takut menghadapi saudara-saudara kita karena kita tidak mau mengusik ‘ketenangan’ mereka. Kadang-kadang, kita takut bahwa kita akan merusak hubungan persahabatan kita. Kita tidak suka memiliki ‘musuh’. Oleh karena itu, kita membiarkan kesalahan mereka dengan tetap diam. Nah, ini berbahaya karena tidak hanya saudara kita yang akan kehilangan jiwa mereka, tetapi kita juga akan membahayakan keselamatan kita karena sekarang kita menjadi ‘rekan’ mereka. Hal ini sering disebut sebagai tindakan dosa karena kelalaian.

Ketiga, relativisme. Virus relativisme adalah wabah yang tak kentara namun sangat berbahaya bagi Gereja. Orang Kristen percaya pada satu Allah dan satu hukum moral yang berasal dari-Nya, tetapi relativisme mengatakan sebaliknya: tidak ada kebenaran absolut atau standar moral yang universal. Seorang relativis akan berkata, “Tindakan itu mungkin salah menurut standar saya, tetapi mungkin benar menurut standarnya.’ Dengan demikian, kita menolak untuk mengoreksi perilaku berdosa orang lain karena kita ‘menghormati’ sudut pandang mereka. Hal ini bahkan lebih berbahaya karena hal ini merusak pemahaman kita yang benar tentang agama kita dan membingungkan banyak orang lain.

Berikut adalah beberapa tips untuk correctio fraterna. Pertama, kita harus memiliki pengetahuan dasar yang kuat tentang moralitas Katolik. Jika kita ragu, kita dapat membaca katekismus Gereja Katolik atau berkonsultasi dengan para imam yang baik dan cakap di sekitar kita. Kita harus ingat bahwa correctio fraterna terutama berhubungan dengan perilaku-perilaku berdosa dan doktrin-doktrin yang salah. Kedua, kita dapat memulai dengan diri kita sendiri. Jika kita melihat orang yang kita kasihi perlu kita koreksi, kita perlu bertanya apakah saya juga perlu menerima koreksi yang sama. Ketiga, kita melakukannya dengan lemah lembut dan sabar. Seperti yang Yesus katakan, kita melakukannya secara pribadi terlebih dahulu agar tidak terlihat oleh orang lain, dan kita tidak tergoda untuk menjadi sombong. Keempat, jika koreksi kita menghadapi resistansi yang kuat, kita perlu membaca Yehezkiel 33:7-9 (bacaan pertama). Meskipun melihat orang yang kita kasihi jauh dari Allah membuat kita frustrasi, kita juga harus percaya pada pemeliharaan Allah. Rencana-Nya baik dan akan berbuah pada waktunya.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Fraternal Correction: The greatest work of Charity

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23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]

September 10, 2023

Matthew

To correct our brothers and sisters who are not living according to the Laws of God is an act of mercy and love. In Catholic tradition, fraternal correction is essential to the seven-spiritual works of mercy. Why correcting others is considered to be an act of mercy and love? Why is it difficult to do? Here, I share my reflection on why a fraternal correction is necessary, but at the same time most challenging, as well as some tips to do this act of charity.

To correct our brothers and sisters is a work of mercy and love because we want their souls to be saved from the fire of hell and to enjoy eternal life with God. Thus, together with evangelization, which is to bring people to know and come closer to Christ, fraternal correction is considered the most excellent work of charity. Because we love them, we grieve when our brothers and sisters go astray from the Lord’s way. Thus, we show our love and remind them to return to the Lord. 

However, though correcting our brothers and sisters is noble and merciful, it is one of the most challenging things to perform. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, ignorance. We are simply ignorant of Christian basic morality. Since we do not know, we can correct others. This is a big problem because many of us do not have the full knowledge yet about the Laws of God. Yet, it is also the easiest to solve because proper instructions and catechesis will significantly help us.

 Secondly, fear. Our love is not strong enough, and fear possesses us. We are afraid to confront our brothers because we hate hurting their ‘feelings.’ Sometimes, we are afraid that we might break our amicable relationship. We do not like to have ‘enemies.’ Thus, we condone their wrongdoings by keeping quiet. Now, this is dangerous because not only will our brothers lose their souls,  but we are also losing our souls because now we become the accomplices. We commit the sin by omission.

Thirdly, relativism. The virus of relativism is a subtle yet very dangerous plague to Christianity. Christians believe in one God and one moral Law coming from Him, but relativism says the opposite: there is neither absolute truth nor universal moral standard. A relativist person will say, ‘That act may be wrong according to my standard, but it may be true according to his.’ Thus, we refuse to correct others’ sinful behaviors because we ‘respect’ their perspective. This is even more dangerous because it destroys our proper understanding of Christianity and confuses many others.

Here are some tips for fraternal correction. Firstly, we must have a solid knowledge of Catholic morality. If we are doubtful, we consult the catechism of the Catholic Church or good and capable priests near you. We must remember that fraternal correction deals primarily with sinful behaviors and false doctrines. Of course, we may correct them in other aspects of their lives. Secondly, we can start with our loved ones, those closest to us. We do it with gentleness and patience. As Jesus said, we do it first privately so as not to be seen by others, and we might become prideful. Thirdly, if our correction faces strong resistance, we read ‘Ezekiel 33’ (our first reading). Though seeing our loved ones far from God is frustrating, we must also trust God’s providence.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP 

Kurban yang Sempurna

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Minggu ke-22 dalam Masa Biasa

3 September 2023

Roma 12:1-2

Matius 16:21-27

Setiap penyembahan yang benar dalam Alkitab datang dalam bentuk persembahan korban. Apakah yang dimaksud dengan korban? Pengorbanan terjadi ketika kita mempersembahkan sesuatu yang berharga kepada Allah, dan dalam masyarakat kuno, ternak dianggap sebagai harta yang berharga yang bisa dikurbankan. Habel mempersembahkan anak-anak sulung dari kawanan ternaknya [lihat Kej. 4:4]. Di kaki Gunung Sinai, Musa menyembelih lembu-lembu sebagai persembahan kepada Tuhan saat perjanjian antara Tuhan dan bangsa Israel ditetapkan [Lihat Kel. 24:4-5]. Namun, terkadang, pengorbanan yang tidak berdarah juga dipersembahkan. Melkisedek membawa roti dan anggur sebagai persembahan [lihat Kej. 14:18]. Bahkan, seluruh kitab Imamat mengatur ibadah kurban bangsa Israel.

Jika Ekaristi adalah ibadah kita, lalu apa yang kita persembahkan sebagai kurban di dalam Ekaristi? Tentu saja, bukan binatang atau benda-benda duniawi. Kurban kita dalam Ekaristi adalah Yesus [lihat 1 Kor 5:7]. Karena Yesus adalah ilahi dan tidak berdosa, Dia menjadi korban yang sempurna, dan akibatnya, Ekaristi adalah penyembahan yang sempurna. 

Namun, jika kita melihat bagian dari Ekaristi dengan seksama, kita akan menemukan kalimat yang diucapkan oleh imam, “berdoalah saudara-saudara, agar kurban yang kupersembahkan dan yang persembahkanmu berkenan kepada Allah, Bapa yang mahakuasa.”  Hal ini menarik karena kalimat ini memberi tahu kita bahwa umat beriman yang menghadiri Ekaristi memiliki persembahan yang berbeda dengan persembahan imam. Jika kurban yang dipersembahkan oleh imam adalah Tubuh dan Darah Kristus, lalu apakah kurban umat?

Paulus membantu kita menjawab pertanyaan ini. Dalam suratnya kepada jemaat di Roma, ia menulis, “Karena itu, saudara-saudara, demi kemurahan Allah aku menasihatkan kamu, supaya kamu mempersembahkan tubuhmu sebagai persembahan yang hidup, yang kudus dan yang berkenan kepada Allah: itu adalah ibadahmu yang sejati [Rm 12:1; bacaan kedua].” Persembahan kita adalah tubuh kita, hidup kita. Dan, kita mempersembahkan hidup kita dalam Ekaristi dan yang kita satukan dengan kurban Yesus Kristus, ini menjadi ibadah rohani kita.

Namun, Paulus juga menasihati agar kita tidak mempersembahkan sembarangan tubuh, tetapi tubuh yang kudus dan berkenan kepada Tuhan. Dengan demikian, adalah tugas kita untuk menjaga hidup kita dari dosa dan segala sesuatu yang tidak berkenan kepada Tuhan. Kita tidak dapat mengatakan bahwa cukup percaya kepada Kristus, tetapi kita tidak menaati hukum-hukum-Nya. Kita tidak dapat mengatakan bahwa pergi ke Gereja setiap hari Minggu saja sudah cukup, tetapi kita melakukan kejahatan di hari-hari lainnya. Setiap hari adalah kesempatan untuk membuat hidup kita berkenan kepada Tuhan.

Terakhir, kita juga perlu mengingat bahwa penderitaan juga merupakan bagian dari hidup kita. Dengan demikian, jika kita menanggung penderitaan yang tak terhindarkan dengan kesabaran, hal ini juga dapat menjadi bagian dari persembahan hidup kita yang berkenan kepada Tuhan. Di dalam Ekaristi, hidup dan penderitaan kita dipersembahkan sebagai persembahan yang berkenan kepada Allah, dan karena itu berkenan kepada Allah, hidup kita berubah menjadi berkat. Sekarang, kita tahu mengapa Allah mengizinkan penderitaan dalam hidup kita. Inilah sebabnya mengapa Yesus menegur Petrus dengan keras karena menghalangi Dia untuk memikul salib dan mati. Di dalam Kristus, pada akhirnya penderitaan bahkan dapat menjadi berkat.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Our Perfect Sacrifice

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 3, 2023

Roman 12:1-2

Matthew 16:21-27

Any true worship in the Bible comes in the form of offering sacrifice. What is a sacrifice? Sacrifice takes place when we offer something precious to God, and in ancient societies, cattle are considered to be precious possessions. Abel offered the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions [see Gen 4:4]. After the flood, Noah built an altar, and sacrificed animals that were pleasing to the Lord [see Gen 8:20]. At the feet of Sinai, Moses slaughtered oxen as sacrifices to the Lord as the covenant between God and Israelites was established [See Exo 24:4-5]. Yet, at times, non-bloody sacrifices are also offered. Melchizedek brought bread and wine as offerings [see Gen 14:18]. The entire book of Leviticus regulates the sacrificial worship of the Israelites. 

If the Eucharist is our worship, then what do we offer as a sacrifice in the Eucharist? Surely, it is neither animals nor any earthly things. Our sacrifice in the Eucharist is Jesus [see 1 Cor 5:7]. Since Jesus is divine and sinless, He becomes the perfect sacrifice, and consequently, the Eucharist is the perfect worship. 

However, if we see part of the Eucharist carefully, we encounter a sentence that the priest utters, “pray brethren, that my sacrifice and yours, may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”  This is intriguing because this sentence tells us that the faithful attending the Eucharist have a different sacrifice from the priest’s offering. If the sacrifice offered by the priest is the Body and Blood of Christ, then what is the sacrifice of the people?

St. Paul helps us answer this question. In his letter to the Romans, he wrote, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [Rom 12:1; second reading].” Our sacrifices are our bodies and our lives. And, we offer our lives in the Eucharist and we unite them to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, this becomes our spiritual worship. 

Yet, Paul is also appealing that we offer not any kind of body, but holy and pleasing to the Lord. Thus, it is our duty to keep our lives from sins and things that are unpleasant to God. We cannot say that it is enough to believe in Christ, but we are not obeying His laws. We cannot claim that it is enough to go to the Church every Sunday but do evil on the other days. Every day is an opportunity to make our lives pleasing to the Lord.

Lastly, we need to remember that suffering is also part of our lives. Thus, if we endure unavoidable sufferings with patience, this too can be part of our living sacrifice that is pleasing to God. In the Eucharist, our lives and our sufferings are offered as our living sacrifice and since it is pleasing to God, our lives transformed into blessings. Now, we know why God allows suffering in our lives. This is why Jesus rebuked vehemently Peter for preventing Him from bearing the cross and dying. In Christ, eventually, sufferings may even become blessings.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP