Category: English

Ignoring Jesus

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Second Sunday of the Ordinary Time [A]

January 19, 2020

John 1:29-34

reading the bibleWe begin the ordinary time of the liturgical year. In the Church, we have three cycles of the liturgical year: A, B, and C. every year, we have a different set of readings. In year A, the Gospel readings are mainly from the Gospel of Matthew, meanwhile, year B is from Mark and year C is from Luke. The Gospel of John does not have its separate year, but the readings from John are scattered through the years, especially in the Easter season.

The first reading is usually taken from the Old Testament and it is thematically related to the Gospel. While the second reading is coming from the letters of the apostles like St. Peter, St. John and the letter to the Hebrews, yet the majority of the second reading comes from letters of St. Paul. The second readings have their own sequence and it is not necessarily thematically related to the Gospel. The reason behind why we have this kind of liturgical setting is that to help us, the regular mass-goers, to read the Scriptures together with the Church. If we are faithfully attending the mass every Sunday, or even every day, and attentive to the readings, we will have a good grasp of the Scriptures and especially the life and works of Jesus.

However, not all the Scriptures are there in the Mass. If we go every day to participate in the Eucharist for three years, we only listen to around 30 percent of the Bible. We still have 70 percent to complete the Bible! Thus, it is highly recommended that we take the initiative to read the Bible on our own. Three to four chapters a day, and hopefully, within a year, we are able to read the entire Bible cover to cover.

I guess one of the “great sickness” of Catholics nowadays is the ignorance of the Scriptures. When I ask some Catholics whether they have the Bible, they unanimously answer that they have a Bible, and in fact, they have a collection of Bible coming from different countries. However, when I inquire whether they read the Bible regularly, only a few would confidently reply that they do.

The task of reading the Bible is getting difficult in our time because young generations or the millennials and generation Z, despite their high education, prefer to playing electronic gadgets rather than to read books, and printed materials become an obsolete. Yes, it is easy now to install a Bible on our cellphone but to spend time to read it is another thing. With so many other competing applications in our handheld device, reading the Word of God is easily relegated to the sideline.

St. Jerome reminds us that ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ. Indeed, it is too easy to say “I love Jesus”, but in reality, we are ignoring Him because we never read or attentively listen to the Scriptures. St. Paul in the beginning of his letter to the Corinthians reminds us that we are called to saints or holy. And holiness for Paul is nothing but living in Christ, but how we can live in Christ, if we do not know Christ, worse ignore him? Reading a Bible on a daily basis can become a simple yet concrete act of loving Jesus, and in fact, the way to holiness as we become more and more like Christ.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Why Jesus Has to be Baptized

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Baptism of The Lord [A] – January 12, 2020 – Mat 3:13-17

baptism of the lord 2One question that always baffles attentive readers of the Scriptures is that why should Jesus be baptized by John the Baptist? John himself proclaimed that his baptism is a sign of repentance. Those who are baptized by John must first acknowledge their sinfulness and unworthiness, and baptism of water becomes the visible token of turning away from sins and promise of a new and better life. Yet, we all know that Jesus is sinless [Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22]. Does it mean Jesus is sinful? Is John the Baptist greater than Jesus?

The Gospel of Matthew has pointed out clearly that John the Baptist is not worthy to baptize Jesus and he is in need of Jesus’ baptism. It is Jesus Himself who insists to be baptized by John. Why? Jesus told John, “to fulfill all righteousness.” These words of Jesus certainly difficult to understand, and many theologians have come up with different interpretations to understand better Jesus’ actions and words in this baptism.

 St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the greatest Fathers of the Church, told us in his sermon, “The Savior willed to be baptized not that He might Himself be cleansed, but to cleanse the water for us.” St. Augustine pointed to us that Jesus entering the water as to prepare the sacrament of baptism, and so everyone who is baptized in the name of Trinity will receive the grace of forgiveness and new life. Meanwhile Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that Jesus’ submission to John’s baptism is an act of self-emptying [CCC 1224].

However, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has exposed some interesting in his book, Jesus of Nazareth, that Jesus applied the word “baptism” also to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection [see Mrk 10:38; Luk 12:50]. From here, we discover that Jesus’ insistence to be baptized by John because Jesus’ baptism turns to be a symbolic act of His Cross. As Jesus needs to be baptized, so He shall pass through suffering and death as to reach resurrection and bring salvation for all. From the moment of the baptism in the Jordan, Jesus has set His foot to Calvary.

In the Scriptures, righteousness is being faithful to the Convent, and God as the most righteous fulfills His covenant by saving His people (Deut 32:4; Is 5:16; 42:6). Now, Jesus fulfills that same “righteousness” with a perfect and definitive way by His Cross and Resurrection.

So, what all these biblical and theological stuff are for us?  As we know deeper the meaning of the Baptism of the Lord, we shall also follow the footsteps of Jesus. If baptism means His way of the Cross, then all of us who have been baptized, whether as infants or adults, shall share in Jesus’ cross. We are lucky that we are living comfortably as Christians, but more many, to be Christians means discriminations, persecution, and even death. It may be shocking, but Christians remain the most persecuted people on the earth. For us who are more fortunate, we can manifest our baptism with living authentically as disciples of Christ: to be honest despite the possibility of losing earthly gains, to be loving despite many sufferings, and to be honest despite living without fame.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Sincere Pilgrimage

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The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord – January 5, 2020 – Matthew 2:1-12

They were overjoyed at seeing the star (Mat 2:10

three magiThe journey of the three wise men from the East embodies the deepest human longing for a meaningful life and true happiness. Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar, as the tradition called them, were neither Jews nor baptized Christians. In Greek ancient manuscripts of the Gospel, the word used to describe them is ‘magos’, meaning ‘someone with magical power’ or ‘magicians’, and practicing magic is detestable in the eyes of the Jews (2 Cro 33:6). Though we cannot be sure what kind of magic they crafted, but one thing is sure that they read the sign of times and followed the star. Because of this, they were instantaneously accused as one of those astrologers, star-readers who predict the human behaviors and the future, but I would argue that they were actually early astronomers instead astrologers. Like ordinary seamen who gazed the stars and hoped that they would guide them home, the magi did look at the star and believed that they would navigate their way to the true end.

They were people heatedly called the “Gentiles”; people who knew nothing about God and His mighty acts; and people who would fatefully perish because they were far from God’s Law. Yet, God always turns His eyes toward those who are sincerely looking for Him. They became one among the first persons to whom God chose to reveal Himself, and together with them were the simple shepherds. Surprisingly, these people were not learned Jews, wealthy aristocrats and definitely not King Herod the great.

The journey of the wise men is rightly considered as a pilgrimage for a very simple yet essential reason: they have God as their end. It was not a recreational picnic to reenergize oneself. It was never an educational tour to add up knowledge. Surely, it was not a business trip to make one richer. The Gospel tells us they was searching for the “newborn King of the Jews” and intending to pay homage. But, why did they have to give utmost respect to this weak baby whereas there were a lot of powerful kings around them? It was because they were aware that this King was not a typical warlord nor a power-addict politician, but a King that would answer their heart’s desire: the fullness of life and true wisdom. They indeed looked for God Himself and this made them truly wise.

Deep inside us, there is always yearning for real happiness and genuine completeness. Yet, we are often like Herod the Great who boxed himself in his own man-made palace and we seek the answer within ourselves, in richness, power and bodily pleasure. This brings us nothing but frustration and emptiness. The pilgrimage of the three wise men from the east should be ours as well. The three magi give us an authentic example by looking the answer not in ourselves but in God, and only in Him we may find our joy.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Not a Perfect Family

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Feast of the Holy Family – December 29, 2019 – Matthew 2:13-23

If we were given the choice to choose our parents, what kind of parents would we like to have? Perhaps, some of us want to have rich parents. Some of us may desire to have beautiful or genius parents. Some of us may wish to be born in a royal and politically influential family. These are our usual dreams. Yet, surprisingly, these are not the options that God made when He chose His parents. In His beautiful wisdom, God selected Mary and Joseph of Nazareth.

Joseph was a descendant of acclaimed King David, but the Davidic Kingdom was the only thing of the past in the time of Joseph. He was also a carpenter and despite hardworking, this profession just gave enough to survive. Mary was an ordinary young woman from an unknown village called Nazareth. Joseph and Mary were simple if not poor people living within the time where most Israelites were suffering from the oppression of the Roman empire. In the eyes of the world, this couple was nothing.

However, our God is the God of surprises, and He has a hobby to upset “the established world’s order.” For God, the crucial criteria to be His parents are not wealth, popularity, or noble line. God has no need of these things. So, what is the basis of His choice?

The fundamental criterium is faith in God. Joseph and Mary possessed nothing of this world, but both are the man and woman of faith, or the man and woman of God. Joseph was called as the “righteous man,” meaning he was a man who knew the Torah by heart and obeyed them faithfully. Joseph loved God and His laws. Moreover, when Gabriel appeared to Joseph and revealed the plan of God, Joseph immediately got up and followed Angel’s instruction without any question asked. Mary did basically the same thing. When Gabriel told her about God’s plan that she would be the mother of God, Mary did not understand, but she did not simply give her nod, but she accepted God’s design as her own. Joseph and Mary knew well that the moment they participated in God’s way, they had to surrender their own plans, dreams, and hopes. Their lives were practically thrown into the unknown. Yet, their faith is bigger than their fear or pride, and they believed that God’s way is always the best way. These are the kind of parents whom God chose.

Like Joseph and Mary, I do believe that the first attitude that any parents have is faith in God. Every child is a gift, yet this gift will challenge and change the parents who receive them. As a child enters the life of their parents, husband and wife shall also enter the life of sacrifice. Sometimes, I am sudden by the decision of some Catholic couples who refuse to have children. We understand that it is difficult to raise children, but our refusal to accept a gift from God might point to our lack of faith, even to our selfishness, our obsessiveness to our plans, career, and ambitions.

God does not need a perfect couple to raise His Son, He rather chooses a man and woman of faith.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Beauty of Christmas

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Christmas Vigil – December 24, 2019 – Luke 2:1-14

nativity scene 1Today is Christmas, the day of Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and it is a traditional practice that in every Church or Christian family, there is a nativity scene. Usually, the baby Jesus was born in a kind of stable or shed, and He was placed on the wooden manger (a place where animals eat). Surely, Mary and Joseph are intently watching on the Baby, while other animals like sheep and cows become the silent witnesses of this most beautiful moment in human history. The scene will not be complete without the shepherds and the angel.

The nativity scene is indeed beautiful and always remains us of the simplicity of Christmas that we often miss.

However, if we go back to the time of Joseph and Mary, to first-century Palestine, we will discover a slightly different yet have a deeper meaning. Most probably, Joseph and Mary were not resting in a wooden stable, but inside a stone cave since this is a common feature in hill country Judea. Inside the stone cave is warm and sometimes spacious, and the shepherds use them as a safe and warm shelter for their sheep at night. The mangers provided for sheep were not made of wood, but stone. Sometimes, we see Baby Jesus half-naked on the manger, but Luke describes that Jesus was wrapped in a swaddling cloth. It is normal practice that a new-born baby will be cleansed, and then be enclosed by the cloth to keep the baby warm, protected and comfortable.

We discover that Jesus was born in a stone cave, rested on a stone manger and swaddled in cloth. These three things point to an even greater reality in the life of Christ: His death and resurrection. After the crucifixion, his body was enclosed in cloth, put inside the cave tomb, and rested on the large stone. Yet, it is also the same stone tomb where Jesus rose from death. From the very beginning of Jesus’ life here on earth, His destiny has been foretold: by His death and resurrection, He will save us.

However, there is something even more remarkable. Jesus was placed on a manger, and a manger is none other than a place for animal’s feed. From the beginning, Jesus is already presented to us as a food that will satisfy those who come to Him. Then, what “kind of food” is He? It is not a coincidence that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The word Bethlehem comes from two Hebrew words: “Beth” meaning “house” and “Lehem” meaning “bread”; thus, Bethlehem is a house of bread. Jesus is given to us as bread, and indeed, Jesus calls Himself as the bread of life [Jn 6:35]. It is interesting also to ask why the shepherds were the first persons invited to see Jesus. One of the possible answers is that the shepherds are the first men who are aware of the birth of a lamb. The shepherds recognized that this holy Baby is a new-born lamb. Indeed, later, Jesus would be called as the Lamb of God [John 1:29]. In ancient Israel, lambs were also the main sacrificial animal in the Temple. Baby Jesus came to feed us, and He came as the bread of life and sacrifice that saves us.

While it is good to spend Christmas with vacation or festive celebration, the best way to celebrate Christmas is none other than to celebrate the Eucharist, to mediate the simplicity and humility of God who came to us as little baby, and to ponder His infinite love that He offered Himself to feed us. This is the beauty of Christmas, that God has chosen to love us to the end.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Joseph, the Man of Faith

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Fourth Sunday of Advent [A] – December 21, 2019 – Matthew 1:18-24

Let-Mom-Rest(1)A few days ago, a nativity scene went viral. The image is called “Let Mom Rest”. The prominent character of this scene is that Joseph is taking care of the baby Jesus while Mary is resting. This image presents to us untouched yet powerful aspects of Jesus’ birth and thus, Christmas. Often, we focus our attention on Jesus with Mary, His mother. We honor Mary because of her willingness to carry Jesus on her womb despite so many dangers and difficulties and to remain a faithful disciple of Jesus till the end. However, the image brings us to another important character that we often overlook, St. Joseph, as the man of faith.

If God has chosen and prepared the most fitting woman in human history to become the mother of His Son, the same logic governs also the choice of the foster father of Jesus. The most suitable man is chosen for this massive yet wonderful task.

Unfortunately, we do not know much about Joseph. Matthew only gave us very little information, but from this little knowledge, we can extract some important truths. Firstly, Joseph is from the house of David. This means that any child that he begets or accepts legally shall be part of the house of David as well. Joseph is the link that connects between Jesus and David, and thus, Jesus’ birth shall fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah shall come from the line of David.

Secondly, he is a carpenter, and being a carpenter is not a promising job to survive first-century Palestine. Yet, Joseph well knows that hard-work, precision, and perfection are parts of his trade. A tough life is nothing but a daily routine for Joseph. God knows to raise His Son will require a tremendous amount of sacrifice, and Joseph, the carpenter, is up to the challenge.

To accept and to raise a child who is not his own, is certainly a tough call, but Joseph obeyed the will of God that has been expressed in his dream, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.” Yet, more than that, Joseph made sure that this mission would be brought to completion. From the image of “Let Mom Rest”, it seems that Mary just gave birth to Jesus and giving birth is certainly a draining and tough process. Mary was exhausted. Joseph takes over the responsibility to care for the baby Jesus, while Mary received her most-needed rest. This is just one small concrete example of who Joseph exercised the God-given mission to raise the Child of God. Certainly, his duty is not only manifested in that event. He protected Mary and her Child from dangers, especially from the threat from Herod the Great who would kill Jesus. For the rest of his life, Joseph would work hard to provide, educate and raise Jesus as a man who is ready to give His life for all.

Like Mary, Joseph did not understand also why he had to be a father who someone else’s child, why he had to put his life and future on the line for a son who is not his own? Yet, like Mary, Joseph had faith and accepted the will of God in his life. Not only simply accepting God’s will, but he also made sure that he gave his best and made God’s plan come to fulfillment.

We often do not understand why God’s plan for us. We do know where God will bring us. Yet, like Mary and Joseph, we are called to be the men and women of faith, to receive God’s plan as our own and bring His will into fruitful completion.

 Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Gaudete!

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Third Sunday of Advent [A] – December 15, 2019 – Matthew 11:2-11

gaudete sunday - benedictToday, we are going to see something different in the Church. Yes, the priests are not wearing a purple vestment, but a rose liturgical vestment. It is not because the priests are mistaken or want to make a fashion statement. It is because we are entering the third Sunday of Advent, also known as, the Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is a Latin word meaning “rejoice!”. This color also symbolizes the joyful atmosphere. But, why do we need to celebrate Gaudete Sunday?

The first reading from Isaiah [33:1-6] speaks about the joy of all creations when the Lord comes. Not only men but all natures, animals, plants, even rivers, will rejoice before the Lord. While it is true that Advent is a season of expectation and preparation for the coming of the Lord, Gaudete Sunday does not break the general mood of Advent, but rather it gives us the right direction.

When we are waiting for something, there are two reactions. The first one is to complain and to be disappointed. it is like when we are ready to board the airplane, and suddenly the crew announces that there is a delay. We need to wait, and we wait in annoyance. We get disappointed because we are impatient and expecting things to happen according to our plans.

From today’s Gospel, John was in prison, and he knew that his time was short. As the one who prepared for the coming of Messiah, John knew that Jesus was the Christ, but Jesus seemed not to behave like a Messiah John expected. He was waiting for someone brought divine judgment, but Jesus was rather different. Jesus then had to explain what kind of Messiah He is: One who brings mercy, love and joy to world. From here, we discovered that John’s personal expectation hinders him to see that the One he has expected has come.

Sometimes, we wait for an answer to our prayers, but after all the novenas, all the rosaries, all the way of the cross, and all the masses, we do not get the answer. Sometimes, we are expecting that our lives will get better, but the things are getting worse. Sometimes, we are hoping for healing and fast recovery someone we love, but things just do not go the way we want it. The more we expect, the more we get disappointed.

To counter this, we come to the second response in waiting. We can also wait in joy. It is like a mother who is expecting her baby. It is certainly a period of waiting, but the mother was anticipating it with joy. Like an expectant mother, we can wait for the Lord in joy, and like the pregnant woman, the key to joyful expectation is when we are aware that we are waiting something or something we love, and one who we expect has actually come.

I do believe that God always answers our prayers, but the problem is that we do not want to listen to His answers. When we pray, we often pray that our will be done, and not His will be done. This is the reason why we fail to see God and His abundant blessings around us. Indeed, in this Advent season, we are preparing for the coming of Jesus, but this season also we rejoice because Jesus has come in His unexpected and surprising ways. We cannot be grateful and joyful when we are able to see Jesus comes in our daily lives.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Like John the Baptist

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2nd Sunday of Advent [A] – [December 8, 2019] – Matthew 3:1-12

john-the-baptist-mafaJohn the Baptist is a prominent figure in four Gospels, and he powerfully appears before Jesus begins His public ministry. But, who is this John the Baptist? His name is simply John, and the Church calls him the Baptist to distinguish him from other John in the Bible like John the son of Zebedee, one of Jesus’ disciples. John the Baptist is the miracle son of Zacharia and Elizabeth in their old days. And since Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are relatives, John and Jesus are closely related to each other.

Certainly, there is something strange about this John. He is eating locust and honey. Surely, it is an exotic food, but we need to remember he is living in the desert, and this kind of food is common. He is wearing clothing made of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. It is just a fashion statement or he has nothing to wear. John’s clothing reminds us of the things Prophet Elijah wore in his time [see 1 Kings 1:8]. John is presenting himself as a prophet, and not any prophet, he is the new Elijah. The appearance of Elijah is an important sign of the imminent coming of the Messiah [Mal 4:5].

One thing for sure about John is that he becomes very popular, and people from all over the country come to him, to listen to his preaching and to be baptized as a sign of repentance. Yet, despite the great number of followers, he remains true to his mission. He is preaching on the coming of someone who is much greater than him, even he declares that “is unworthy to carry His sandals.” He is God’s instrument in fulfilling the prophecy, and he has a specific role to play.

Now, we know a little background about John the Baptist, what will be next for us? Certainly, we are not called to follow him in wearing clothing made of camel’s hair or to eat locust everyday, but we are to prepare the way for the coming of the Savior. How? Some of us are called literally to baptize people like myself. Some are commissioned to preach and educate people. Yet, all of us is to live a life of repentance. The repentance has to be alive and penetrating all aspects of life. The word used by John in Greek is “metanoiete” and it does not simply mean “repent!” but more precisely, “keep repenting!”

The first stage of repentance is certainly turning away from a sinful life, but it is more than that. Repentance is not about one-done-deal action, but a life-long process. The word “Metanoia” is coming from two words, “meta” meaning “changing” and “nous” meaning “mind”; Thus, “metanoia” means changing of mind, changing the way we see life and the way we live. Our mind is no longer earth-bond, but fixed into God. The transformation is not from sinful life to a good life, but a life that is even closer to God. It implies changing of priority. Do we make God our priority? It entails holiness. Do we do things that are pleasing to God? This presupposes the love of God. Do we love God more than other things, or do we love other things more than Him?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Advent Mission: Be Holy!

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First Sunday Advent [A] –  December 1, 2019 – Matthew 24:37-44

Advent coming of the saviorWe are entering the season of Advent. This time marks the beginning of the new liturgical year of the Church. The season itself is a preparation for us to welcome the Christmas, the coming of Jesus Christ. The word Advent is coming from the Latin word “Adventus” that simply means “arrival.” The dominant liturgical color will be purple that signifies hope and joyful expectation of the coming of our Savior.

The Church has always taught that there are two comings of Jesus. The first coming was two thousand years ago in Bethlehem, when Jesus was born into the simple family of Joseph and Mary. The second coming will be at the end of time, and nobody knows when it will be. It is the secret of God, and anybody who attempts to predict it is bound to fail.

Particularly, the first Sunday of Advent focuses on the second coming of Jesus. From the reading, we can extract at least two characteristics of this coming. Firstly, there will be judgment and the segregation between the good and the evil. Secondly, the coming will be utterly unexpected like the day of Great Flood in the time of Noah and his family or like a thief at the night. Since there will be a judgment based on our life as well as the unpredictable timing, we are expected to be always ready by persevering doing good.

The purpose of Advent is truly to remind us that God will definitely come, and we are prepared for that coming. How are we going to prepare for Jesus’ coming then?

The answer is unbelievably simple: be holy and keep holy. Surely, it is easier said than done, yet we can learn from the saints (they are called “saints” precisely because they have lived a holy life). Yet, again some of us may say that is just tough to be a saint, and it is almost impossible to be like John Paul II who was the holy Pope, or to be like Mother Teresa of Calcutta who spent her life in slump of India and tirelessly the poor, or like St. Stephen who was stoned to death for preaching Jesus. Indeed, it seems to be unsurmountable if we focus on the greatness of these saints, but truthfully, there are a lot of saints who are living simple lives.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus who spent her quiet and simple life inside a convent once wrote, “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, thereby a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” They are many things we can offer sacrifice in our daily life, like our addiction to cellphone, our obsession to be workaholic, our time for our hobbies, and our tendency to complain. While St. Martin de Porres, a Dominican brother, who spent his life cleaning the convent and serving the poor, shows us that the path of holiness is not always grand, “Everything, even sweeping, scraping vegetables, weeding a garden and waiting on the sick could be a prayer, if it was offered to God.”

The way to prepare Jesus’ second coming is by being holy, and living a holy life can be done in doing ordinary things in love and for God.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus the King

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Solemnity of Christ the King – November 24, 2019 – Luke 23:35-43

crossOften we take for granted the name Jesus Christ, without realizing the meaning behind it. The word “Christ” is neither part of the personal name of Jesus nor the family name of Jesus. Jesus earns the name Christ not because of His foster father, Joseph, otherwise, we also call him Joseph Christ and his wife, Mary Christ.

Christ is coming from the Greek word “Christos” meaning “the anointed one”. In Hebrew, the title is even more pronounced, “the Messiah”. For us, the title does not ring us a bell, but for the Jewish people living in the time of Jesus, the Messiah is the fulfillment of God’s promise. In the Old Testament, the title Messiah was given to one of the greatest figures in Israel, King David. He was the Christ because he was anointed by Prophet Samuel, and he was personally chosen by God Himself to rule Israel. During his reign, the kingdom of Israel reached the pick of glory.

Unfortunately, after David’s death, the kingdom was declining and eventually destroyed. In the time of Jesus, almost one millennium after David, Palestine was under the Roman Empire, and lives were awful. No wonder, people were expecting the coming of the Messiah, the new king, that would restore the glory of Israel.

We believe that Jesus is Christ, meaning we believe that Jesus is the expected a king that will fulfill God’s promise. Yet, in today’s Gospel, we discover that Jesus was crucified. He had no army, except disbanded and coward disciples. He had not a palace except a small and poor house in Nazareth. He was insulted, spat upon, and tortured. He bore the greatest human humiliation. Even the criminal who was punished together with Him, mocked Jesus as a good-for-nothing king.

If we focus only on this cross and humiliation, we shall fail to see Jesus as king. For Jesus, being a king is not about gold, guns, and glory. It is neither about force nor control. Jesus is not a war-freak Messiah. So, what does it mean to be a King for Jesus?

 When one of the repented criminals asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His Kingdom, Jesus said that he would be in Paradise. The word Paradise is a Greek word for “garden”, it originally refers to the garden of Eden. That is what Jesus does as a king: He brings men and women who acknowledge Him as a king to Paradise. And no other kings in the world possess such power to bring us to paradise.

If then we confess that Jesus is the Christ, and now we understand that Jesus is our King, do we honor Him as our King? If Jesus is our King, do we allow Jesus to control us or we control Jesus? If Jesus is our leader, do we align our lives and priorities to His missions, or Jesus has to follow us? When our King summons us for a mission, do we gladly embrace it, or we rather choose our own plans and design?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP