Category: English

Seventy

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C] – July 7, 2019 – Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

by twoIn today’s Gospel, Jesus is sending His seventy disciples for a mission. Yes, we are reading it correctly; it is not just twelve disciples, but seventy. While we are used to the celebrated mission of the Twelve, Luke informs us about the less famous mission of the seventy. We are not sure who are these people, but for sure, these are people who have the same commitment, dedication, and passion like the big names like Peter, John, Andrew, and Matthew. They follow Jesus, leave everything and are willing to be dispatched into a difficult mission to preach the Kingdom, to heal the sick, and to drive out the demons. The story of the seventy disciples gives us a hint about those dedicated and more numerous disciples of Jesus and yet somehow forgotten. While the Twelve represents the well-known figures of the Church like the pope and the bishops, the seventy bring to mind the nameless yet countless priests, religious men and women, and laity who are tirelessly building up the Body of Christs.

We might also ask why seventy? If Twelve apostles represent the twelve tribes of Israel, what will the seventy signify? Surprisingly, when we go back to the Old Testament, seventy is also a significant figure. It is the sum number of the descendants of Jacob who migrated to Egypt [Gen. 46:27]. It was the number of the elders who were elected to help Moses in his task in leading Israel and to offer sacrifice in the wilderness [Exo 24:1]. Thus, seventy become the symbol of both Israel itself and the leaders of Israel. According to Jewish tradition, seventy is also the number of nations that came down from Noah [see Gen 11]. By choosing and commissioning His seventy disciples, Jesus sends His message to the world that He is establishing His New Israel with its leaders, and this Israel will include all people from all nations.

One powerful lesson we can learn from these seventy is humility. When the disciples return in joy for the successful tasks, Jesus tells about enigmatic words, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky!” One possible interpretation is that the disciples have rendered demons powerless in the name of Jesus. The disciples’ success is the failure of Satan. Another explanation is the temptation of pride. According to Christian tradition, Satan was formerly the highest angel who fell from heaven because he is too proud to serve God who became a man. Thus, Jesus reminds the disciples that their mission is essentially Jesus’ mission, and they are nothing without Christ. It is much important that their names are written in heaven instead of being boastful about their success.

Humility is a principal virtue of all disciples’ identity, while ambition and pride kill our identity as disciples. Lucifer used to be one of the seraphim, the highest ranks of angels, and the name Lucifer means “the bearer of Light.” Surely, there is no problem with serving God, but when Lucifer knew about the plan of God the Son to become man, and be born of a woman, and die for the salvation of humanity, he could not accept it. How can be God as well as spiritual beings like angel serve lowly and sinful creatures like humans? In his pride, he declined God’s plan; he refused to serve God. “Non Serviam.” I will not serve. He and his cohorts were then banished from heaven, and Lucifer turns to be Satan, the chief of demons.

When we serve God in humility, we do not get the medals, we do not receive the glory, and we are forgotten, but we are sure that our names are written in heaven.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

No Excuse

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Thirteenth Sunday of the Ordinary Time [C] – June 30, 2019 – Luke 9:51-62

carrying cross 2Today we listen to one of the most demanding and perhaps harsh teachings of Jesus. For those who follow Him, He demands total allegiance, and He shall become no less than their top priority in life. In both Jewish and Christian tradition, to honor our parents is one of the highest commandments. In fact, it is not a mere honoring, but it is to glorify [Hebrew word used is “kabad”] our parents. But, when a man asks Jesus to bury his father, Jesus tells him, “Let the dead bury the dead.” To one who requests to say goodbye to his family, Jesus says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Very harsh. Is this truly Jesus whose heart is moved with pity towards the poor people? Is Jesus no longer observing the Ten Commandments?

We may uncover the reason at the beginning of the Gospel reading. Jesus knows the time has come for Him to go to Jerusalem, and He has set His face toward this city that will persecute, torture, and kill Him. The way of the cross has begun, and for those who wish to follow Him, it is no longer the time to be amused by His miracles or to be inspired by His preaching. They who desire to follow Jesus, shall also carry their cross with Jesus, and to walk with Jesus to His Calvary, one cannot but surrender his life to Jesus and make Jesus’s mission as his utmost concern.

However, we need to clarify also Jesus’ remarks that may sound too harsh. When Jesus says, “Let the dead bury the dead,” most probably the parent of that man is still very much alive, and he wishes to follow Jesus after his parent passes away. A subtle excuse not to follow Jesus. When Jesus says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God,” Jesus is alluding to the story of Elijah who called Elisha to follow him [1 Kgs 19:19-21]. When a prophet calls, the one summoned must respond immediately. Otherwise, the opportunity is gone for good. Jesus also points to the story of Lot’s wife. When the city of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God, the angel instructed Lot and his family to run and not to look back, and yet, his wife looked back. She became the pillar of salt [Gen 19:26]. Someone cannot effectively follow God’s words and new life in Christ if he always looks back and attaches himself to the past. Jewish farmers also know well the irony that when one plows the soil and keeps looking back at the result, he will just ruin the entire field. It is when one is focused and determined in his goal and decision, he will get the best result.

There is a story of an angel who appears to John. The angel said, “John, God calls you to serve Him.” John said, “Not now, I am still 18, and I want to focus on my study.” Then, the angel came again after some years. John said, “Not now, I am just 30, and I have my career.” Then, the angel appeared again after some year. John said, “Not now. I am just 40, and I have my family.” Then, the angel returned for the last time when John was 70. John said, “Now, I am ready to answer God’s calling.” The angel responded, “Yes, God calls you, but not to serve Him, but to see Him!”

A Christian who has a lot of excuses for Jesus is not a real Christian. It is only when we follow Him with determination, walk on His way of the cross without excuse, make Him as our top priority, we can humbly say that we are His disciples.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Eating God

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The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ [June 23, 2019] Luke 9:11-17

benedict n first communicantToday the Church is celebrating the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In many countries like Indonesia, today is the best time for the children who are already prepared to receive their first Holy Communion. I still recall the day I partook of the sacred host and the holy wine. Many of us were around 10 years old, old enough to recognize the presence of Christ in the Eucharist and we were dressed in white. I was wearing long-sleeved white shirt with a tie and black pants. When the priest dipped the white bread into the chalice of wine and said, “the body and blood of Christ”, I said “Amen.” It was my first time to savor the sweetness of wine, and of course, alcoholic beverage!

At that moment, I just knew the reception of sacred host is necessary to complete the Eucharist, and I was aware I was receiving a blessing, but I never truly comprehend the profound meaning of the great mystery. For me, it was just enough that I attend the mass and consume the consecrated host. It has become a routine and tradition, from Sunday to Sunday, to from month to month, from year to year. Till we become parents and we also bring our children for their first communion. And when somebody asks us, “why do you bring your children to the first communion?”, our answer may be like, “Well, we want our kids to be like us. It is just a family tradition.” The answer is simple, but too simple that it draws more questions: why bread and wine? Why Body and Blood of Jesus? Why does it have to be eaten?

We often forget to realize that this sacred host and wine are the entire Jesus Christ Himself, with all humanity and divinity. Thus, God offers Himself to be eaten. Why eating God? The answers lie on the pages of our Old Testament. Firstly, we recall that our first parents fell because of the act of eating. Now, in the Eucharist, God uses the same act of eating to restore men and women into grace. Secondly, in the middle of the garden of Eden, there were two trees, the forbidden tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life [Gen 2:9]. Unfortunately, our first parents chose to eat the fruits from the forbidden tree. Thus, to restore humanity to grace, now God offers us the fruits from the tree of life, the tree of the cross of Christ. Thirdly, we remember the first Passover was about the story of how God liberated Hebrew people from the slavery of Egypt. The Passover began with the slaughter of the lamb, and its blood was sprinkled on the doors of the Israelite house so that their firstborns would be saved from death. Yet, the slaughter and the sprinkling of blood were not the summit of Passover. The Hebrew people had to consume the lamb as to complete their first Passover [Exo 12:8]. Now, Jesus the Lamb of God, has been sacrificed on the cross, yet it is not the end. Like the Hebrew Passover, we need to consume the Lamb of God to complete our New Passover, the Eucharist.

There are so much themes and aspects we may ponder on the Eucharist, and particularly today, the Church reminds us that the Eucharist, especially the reception of the Holy Communion is not just our Sunday routine, a family tradition. It is of the essential plan of God for our salvation, so that we may have heaven, our Communion with God, the Holy Trinity.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Image of the Trinity

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Trinity Sunday [John 16:12-15] June 16, 2019

sign of the crossThe distinctive mark of being Christian is the Holy Trinity. We share the claim of monotheism [only one God] with other prominent religions, yet our belief in one God in three divine persons enables us to stand unique among others. Doubtless, our God is one, yet the same undoubtedly, there are three persons in this one God. The Father is different from the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son is also unique. And, the Holy Spirit maintains His personal identity. Yet, they remain always one! How is this possible?!

Relax! The greatest minds in the Church, like St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Benedict XVI, have tried to dive into the mystery, and yet they just scratched the surface of this highest Truth. This is the core of our faith, yet it is the most puzzling if not intriguing teaching of the Church. However, if this is the unfathomable mystery, why should we continue to ponder, live, and celebrate it? The answer lays on the faith God has planted in us.

Often, we think Trinity as far distant reality, but we forget that our daily lives as Christian are living within the Trinity. We were baptized, we were baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. When we begin our prayer, we commence with the sign of the cross. This holy sign does not only point the victorious cross of Jesus but fundamentally to the Holy Name of Trinity. After we make the sign of the cross to open the Holy Mass, the priest will greet the people by saying, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” This is the Trinitarian formula that comes St. Paul himself (see 2 Cor. 13:13). At the Eucharistic prayer, the core prayer of the Holy Mass, the priest in the name of the Church, asks the Father to send His Holy Spirit that He may transform the bread and wine to be the body and blood of Jesus Christ. At the heart of Eucharist, the source and summit of Christian worship, is the Holy Trinity. What I mention is just the tip of the iceberg on how the Trinity permeates our worship and prayer.

The real challenge is to live and celebrate the Trinity in our daily life. Our rule of prayer should be our rule of life, as well. “Lex orandi, Lex vivendi”. Otherwise, we will fall into the trap of double-life mentality. We become Christian only on Sunday, but we turn to be people who never know God on weekdays. A hypocrite!

To live in the Trinity means to manifest to our daily lives that we are the image of God, the image of Trinity.  If the Trinity is the God of justice, do we act justly to our ourselves, our neighbors and our earth? If the Trinity is the God of mercy, are we merciful and perform the traditional seven corporeal works of mercy [feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit those imprisoned, and bury the dead]? If Trinity is the God who is love, do we love even the worst people in our lives and forgive our enemies? If Trinity is the God of Truth, are we eager to search for the truth around us or we uncritically believe in fake news?

We are people who are living in the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we are confidently looking forward to the day we are united to this Triune God.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Pentecost and The New Law

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Pentecost Sunday [June 9, 2019] John 20:19-23

pray overToday we are celebrating the great feast of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit, the third divine person of the Holy Spirit, comes in the form of a tongue of fire and fills the hearts of the disciples. Why do we call this day as Pentecost? Why does the Holy Spirit just come 50 days after Jesus rose from the dead?

The simplistic answer will be: “It is the Holy Spirit’s business. It is up to Him!” Yet, our faith is not merely blind and stupid obedience, but a faith that seeks understanding. Our quest for an answer brings us back to the Old Testament. In the Jewish tradition and history, the feast of Pentecost or also known as the feast of Weeks is the day that they remember and celebrate the giving of the Law in Sinai. Fifty days after the Sabbath day of Passover, the Jewish people come together and celebrate another festival, the feast of the harvest. The big day is also called the feast of the Weeks because the Israelites wait for seven weeks. If seven is the number of covenants in the Bible, then seven weeks represents seven days times seven days, the fullness of covenant. In the Book of Exodus, we are going to discover that the day after seven weeks from the exodus from Egypt, God appeared in Mount Sinai, strike a covenant with Israel and gave them the Law to govern His people. If the Passover commemorates their liberation, the feast of the Weeks points to the day God gave His Law to Moses and Israel at Sinai. Then, if fifty days after the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites received the Mosaic Law, the disciples of Jesus, fifty days from the day of resurrection welcome the Holy Spirit, the new Law of Christ written in our hearts and souls.

To grasp the Pentecost, we need to comprehend the formative aspect of the Law. When God offered a covenant with Israelites, He expected them to behave like His people and not following the examples of other neighboring nations. To facilitate this, God gave Israel a set of Law to obey. The Law is to form Israelites as the people of God. With this in mind, we can now see the fundamental importance of the Pentecost for Jesus’ disciples. The Holy Spirit descends upon and dwells in the disciples as the New Law, and as the Old Law is to shape the old Israelites, so the New Law is to build the New Israel, the Church. That is why Pentecost is also considered the day that the Church was born, the birthday of the Church.

To receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts is an immense privilege, yet we are also to live in the Spirit. If ancient Israel calls themselves as the people of God because they obey the Law, so we may recognize ourselves the People of God when we follow the Spirit.  However, living in the Spirit is not about speaking in tongue or to join Charismatic groups. St. Paul clearly states to live in the Spirit is opposed to the urging of the flesh. When we detach ourselves from the works of the flesh like immorality, impurity, idolatry, hatred, division, wrath and jealousy [Gal 5:19], we already walk in the Spirit, and this is even harder than to speak in tongue. The Holy Spirit has given us His seven gifts, but do we strive to be wise, understanding, pious, persevering, knowledgeable in faith, fearful to offend the Lord [see Isa 11:1]? It would be the massive loss if we are celebrating the Pentecost, and yet we live as if we never receive the Holy Spirit.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Inevitable

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Ascension of Jesus Christ [June 2, 2019] Luke24:46-53

goodbyeIf you are a fan of Marvel universe movies, you will easily remember Thanos, the primary villain with twisted moral conviction. After he swept half of the living beings in the universe with the power of the infinity stones, he went into hiding. Yet, the Avenger found him and forced him to restore the world, but he said it was no longer possible because he has destroyed the stones, because what he did was inevitable, and he said, “I am inevitable”.

Thanos’ words echo the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel that any human relation will find its end. Separation is inevitable. Yet, it is natural for us that we do not want to be separated from our loved ones in life. Every separation surely will bring pain and anguish. I still remember when I needed to enter a seminary, and I had to be separated from my mother for good. My mother cried, and I shed some tears, too, but I guess my father was happy that I am leaving!

Thus, we can imagine that when Jesus is going up to heaven, and He will be no longer with the disciples, they are grief-stricken and full of anxiety. They would ask each other, what’s next? They are going to lose their Master, their hope, their expected Messiah and King. Yet, Jesus said that He is leaving for their own good.

Yes, separation can be painful and fearful, but Jesus assures us that separation is part of life, and it is good for us.

We take an example of my mother. Had my mother refused to let me go, I would not have been a priest and served you here in this celebration. Or another example, a mother who is pregnant. We know that she loves her baby, but she must let her baby go from her womb and let the baby breathe using his own lungs. Otherwise, the baby and the mother will both die. The separation is inevitable, but properly understood, it can be something good.

Separation can also mean allowing our loved ones to face life’s adversities and pain. After I entered the seminary, my life did not get any comfortable, yet it went in the opposite direction. No more mother to wake me up, no more father to bring me to school or help in my assignment. But what does not kill you, builds you up. Often, we love so much our children, and we want to shield them from life’s trials and pain, but it may backfire. It may create a soft generation with deadly entitlement mentality: children who believe that they are entitled to the privileges of life, people who too quickly complain about life.

Jesus understands this, and He leaves disciples so that the disciples may grow and bear fruits. Jesus knows that He will stay and protect them; they will remain a group of crying men. After Jesus left, life did not get any easier for the disciples. Eleven out of twelve were martyred. Other Jesus’ followers shared the same lot. Yet, through adversaries, they grew and flourished.  True enough, after two thousand years, the Church Jesus founded, has become the biggest community in the world with more than 1/3 of the earth’s population as its members.

The separation is inevitable, but properly understood, it can be something good and even fruitful.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Requirement of Love

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Sixth Sunday of Easter [May 26, 2019] John 14:23-29

“Whoever loves me will keep my word… (Jn. 14:23)”

adult and child hands holiding red heart, health care love and family concept

The basic form of love is obedience, and the minimum of love is to obey the Law. We can say “I love you”, but do not do what we ought to do as a lover. That’s a plain lie. A man asked a priest whether it is ok to say “I love you” during the Lenten season, especially during the days of fasting and abstinence. The priest immediately replied that it was a violation of God’s Law. The answer shocked the young man, and he asked why. The priest answered, “It is a violation because surely you tell a lie to your girlfriend!”

When we say that we love someone, but we fail to do what is required, we just hurt ourselves and the persons we love. When a child loves his mother, he will follow the instructions coming from his mother even though he does not understand why. Yet, sometimes, a child gets stubborn and refuses his mother’s plea to stop playing outside because it is time for study. This hurts the mother and father who have worked hard to pay the education and long for a better future for their son. In the long run, it also hurts the child and his future.

The same with our love for God, we need to do at least the basic, to observe His Law. From the Old Testament, we have ten commandments. We cannot say that we love the Lord, but we put our faith also in other “gods and idols”. We profess only one and true God, but we also believe in Horoscope, Feng Shui, and superstitions. We go to the Church every Sunday, but in our houses, we collect all kind of statues of animals for charm and luck. We believe in God who is just, but we steal the money or things from the government or the companies.

In the New Testament, we have the New Commandment: love one another as Jesus has loved us. Unfortunately, what we say is different from what we do. We attend the prayer meeting and shout to the top of our voices that we love Jesus, but we still are not able to forgive our enemies and still wish that they be dead. We pray the rosary regularly, but we do not even care for our ageing mothers at home. We say that we condemn the killing of the babies in other countries, but we get easily angry and make our wives as punching bags.

When we say that we love the Lord, but we do not keep His commandment, it hurts God’s heart. Perhaps, it is more hurtful than people who never say love at all to God. We can learn from our brothers and sisters who lived when the Church was still very young. Living in a hostile Roman Empire, they acknowledged that they were Christians means capital punishment. They were a good and a law-abiding citizen of Rome, except for one thing: they refused to worship Caesar. The Roman government believed that the unifying factor of the vast and diverse empire was the cult of the emperor as the embodiment of the Roman spirit. Any Roman citizen was required to offer incense and proclaimed, “Hail, Caesar is Lord.” Then, they may worship their other gods. Christians refused to do this because they loved Jesus dearly as their God, and as proof of their love, they were ready to offer their own lives.

It is the same with us. God loves us immensely that every time we do not observe His Law, we hurt God and make Him jealous. If we cannot do the essential requirement of love, our words are empty and our love cheap.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

New Commandment: Agape

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5th Sunday of Easter [May 19, 2019] John 13:31-33a, 34-35

childrenAt the Last Supper, after Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, He gives them a new commandment: “love one another as I have loved you”. If there is one single, most beautiful line in the Gospel of John or even in the entire Bible, this would be one of the strongest candidates. However, why does Jesus give us a new commandment?

To understand what Jesus does in the Last Supper, we need to go back to the Old Testament, particularly when the Lord God gave His commandments. After the Lord God delivered Israel from the slavery of Egypt, He made a covenant with them through the mediation of Moses. They shall be God’s people and the Lord shall be their God. This was the fundamental step in the life of Israel because God formed them as the People of God. This was an unprecedented privilege and grace, but with great privilege comes the great responsibility. God wanted them to live as the People of God and not as the other nations that surrounded them. Thus, the Lord gave them the Law that would separate them from other peoples who worshiped false gods, and the most fundamental among these laws are the Ten Commandments. If they stubbornly failed to observe the Law and lived as if like the Gentiles, they would be cut off from the People of God.

At the Last Supper, Jesus does the same as His Father in the desert. He forms His disciples, His family, His Church by giving them a New Law, the Law of Love. Only when the disciples keep the New Law, they will be different from the rest of nations, and they may call themselves as the followers of Jesus. At first, we may perceive that Jesus’ new law is easier done than the Ten Commandment. Yet, when we go deeper to the meaning of love understood by Jesus, it is actually the opposite. Jesus’ Law is much more difficult and tougher to do. Why?

In Greek of the New Testament, there are several words for love. “Eros” is the love between husband and wife. “Philia” is love among friends. None of these two Jesus used to describe His love. It is “agape”. While eros and philia are love based on emotion, agape is love rooted in free will. It is the love of action. That is why Jesus is able to teach us to love our enemies. Jesus does not say we should like our enemies because it is naturally impossible, but we can still do good to our enemies despite the hatred and anger.

But, this agape is not just any agape, it is agape of Jesus. For Him, there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for his friends. Agape of Jesus is sacrificial. It is Jesus’ cross as well as His glory. Only when we love to the point of sacrifice, we may say that we have kept Jesus’ commandment.

Muelmar “Toto” Magallanes was a young Filipino who worked as a construction worker. In 2009, monstrous tropical storm Ondoy battered Metro Manila and caused an instant flood in many areas. When his area was flooded, Toto first brought to safety his family. Yet, he did not stop there. He decided to rescue others who were still trapped by the mighty water. Braving the strong current, he saved more than 30 people. He was already exhausted when he realized a mother and her baby were still in danger. He made his last rescue attempt and brought the mother and her baby to the higher ground. Yet, losing his strength, he was swept by the current. He was lifeless the following day. “He gave his life for my baby,” Menchie Penalosa, the child’s mother, told Agence France-Presse. “I will never forget his sacrifice.”

This is the new commandment of Jesus and only by keeping His Commandment, we can become His authentic disciples.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Hearing His Voice

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Fourth Sunday of Easter [May 12, 2019] Jn 10:27-30

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (Jn. 10:27)”

jesus shepherdFew of us have a direct encounter with a sheep, let alone shepherding sheep. When Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice.” I thought it was a kind exaggeration. After all the sheep is not that intelligent compared to the Golden Retriever or Labrador who would listen to their owners. However, one time, I watched a video on YouTube about a group of tourists who visited the vast hill in the countryside of Judea where the flock was grazing. They were asked to call the attention of the sheep. One by one, the tourists shouted to the top of their lungs, but they got not even the slightest response. Yet, when the true shepherd came forward and called them out, all the scattered sheep immediately rushed toward the shepherd! It was an eye-opener. Jesus was right. The sheep literally hear the voice of His shepherd.

The sheep in Judea are raised both for wool and for sacrifice. Especially those intended for wool production, the shepherd shall live together with his flock for years. No wonder if he knows well each sheep, its characters, and even its unique physical features. He will call them by name like ‘small-feet’ or ‘large-ears.’

Modern men and women, especially the Millennials, are heavily visual creatures. Thanks to smartphones, TV, and computers, our span of attention becomes shorter and shorter. One scientist even says that our span of attention is one second shorter than of the goldfish! The teachers or speakers must use all the visual aids to catch the attention of young listeners. PowerPoint presentation is a minimum requirement nowadays, and the teachers need to move all their body’s parts, to crack a joke, to sing, to dance, even to summersault! Simply listening to a plain talk is tedious, and to read a bare and long text like this reflection is boring. This is also one of the reasons why young people are leaving the Church because they experience the Church, especially her preachers, as boring and dry. After five minutes listening to the preacher, we begin to be restless, checking our watch, scratching our heads, and dozing off!

However, hearing remains fundamental because hearing is the key to following Jesus. We call ourselves, Christians, the follower of Christ, and how can we follow Christ if we do not recognize His voice? While the sense of sight attracts us, sense of hearing remains signs of intimacy and love. Like a sheep that identifies the shepherd’s voice because the shepherd takes care of it, so we recognize the voice of someone we love. I have been hearing the voice of my mother since I was inside her womb, and even when I close my eyes, I can still acknowledge her voice. I can even identify whether she is happy, sad, or angry when she calls my name.

One time, a young man asked me, “Brother, how do we know God’s will?” I replied, “Do you hear His voice?” He immediately said, “I pray, but I never heard a voice.” I said in reply, “Ah, how are you going to hear His voice if you talk all the time? And how are you going to know His voice, if you seldom give your time with Him?” To follow Jesus means that we are able to hear Jesus, and to recognize His voice presupposes we have a loving and strong relationship with Him

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Fish and Bread

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Third Sunday of Easter [May 5, 2019] John 21:1-19

ichthus 2If we observe the Gospel readings of the past days and Sundays, we will notice that most of them are speaking about the risen Christ’s appearances to His disciples. One unnoticeable yet interesting feature in these stories is that of the presence of food.

The two disciples who walk to Emmaus, invite Jesus to have a dinner. Jesus takes the bread, says the blessing, breaks it, and gives it, and He disappears. The two disciples come to their senses, and realize He is Jesus [Luk 24:30]. When Jesus appears to the Eleven and other disciples, they are terrified. To dispel their doubt on His resurrection, Jesus presents His body and eats the fish given to Him [Luk 24:42]. And in today’s Gospel, Jesus invites His seven disciples to a breakfast at the shore of the Lake of Tiberias. After another miraculous catch, Jesus prepares bread and fish for the disciples who are no longer baffled by the appearance of their Master [John 21:13].

We may ask, “Why bread and fish?” These are simple food that are often available at Jewish household. Yet, looking deeper, bread and fish possess a profound meaning. Bread and fish are earliest symbol of Christ and Christians. Bread, especially the breaking of the bread, is the technical biblical name for the Eucharist. In the Acts of Apostles, the first Christians gather around the apostles for the teaching and breaking of the bread [Acts 2:42]. On a Sunday, Paul leads the community of Troas in worship as he preaches and breaks bread [Acts 20:7]. Fish, in Greek, is “Ichthus” and it stands for “Iesous Christos Theos Hyios Soter”, meaning Jesus Christ God Son [and] Savior. The symbol of fish was scattered inside catacombs of Rome as a sign of Christian gathering in time of persecution.

The question lingers: why does the risen Lord ask for food and invites the disciples to eat? Firstly, eating food is one of the most basic activities of human being. It points to our biological functions that sustains our bodily life and growth. The spiritless body neither consumes food, nor the bodiless spirit enjoys meals. Jesus shows His disciples that his resurrection is not a matter of spiritual enlightenment, but truly a bodily reality. His disciples neither see a spirit floating in the air, nor simply believe that their Teacher is alive in their hearts. The tomb is empty because Jesus, including His body, has risen.

Secondly, eating together does not only satisfy our tummy, but it also brings people closer together. While we are enjoying food, we cannot but share our thoughts and hearts to each other. Eating together builds not only the body, but also the dialogue and community. One of my favorite activities in the convent is the meal time, not because I am fond of eating, but we share a lot of stories and opinions. We practically speak about anything under the sun, from the latest movie, Avenger Endgame, the current political issues, to theological discussion on St. Thomas Aquinas. We also tell our joys, concerns and worries in our ministry and our future as a community. Simple food, yet great bonding.

Upon the simple reality of eating together, Jesus builds His community. In a shared meal, He retells His stories of painful passion and shameful death, and unearths its profound meanings especially as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. The events of his death used to be absurdity and loss of hope, but in the dining table, the risen Lord restores the faith, hope and love that go dim.

Jesus leaves us the Eucharist, the breaking of the bread, the sacred meal. Like the first disciples, it is here that we discover the risen Lord who shares His body as a spiritual food, and His Word as the meaning of our life. In the Eucharist, we are assured that the worst of this world does not have the last say, and the battle against absurdity has already been won.

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP