Solemnity of Jesus Christ, the King of Universe
November 20, 2022 [C]
Luke 23:35-43

As we end our liturgical year, the Church is celebrating the solemnity of Jesus the King. Yet, the real question is what kind of king Jesus is? Is He like present day king of England or emperor of Japan, a head of state, a symbol of a nation, yet his power is limited by the constitutions? Is Jesus like ancient kings who wielded limitless power, and their words were laws of the country? So how do we understand the kingship of Jesus and how is it to be the citizen of Jesus’ kingdom?

To answer this, we need to go back to the time of Jesus and even to the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, there is a great king that becomes the model of all kings. His name is David. He was not only a formidable warrior, but also brilliant general who led Israel into many victories. He was a respected and popular leader who united the twelve tribes of Israel, even when he was still thirty (see 2 Sam 5:4). He made Jerusalem as both the political and religious capital of Israel. However, more importantly, he was a righteous king. As a king, he loved the Lord God, and lived according to His Laws. It is true that he abused his power, and committed several grave sins, but he repented and went back to the Lord.

Unfortunately, his successors did not follow his footsteps. They worshiped other gods and involved in various corrupted and immoral practices. Because of this, the kingdom of Israel was declining and eventually destroyed. Israelites were exiled, and many tribes were lost. However, God did not abandon His people, and promised through His prophets that a king like David will come (like in Isa 11, Mic 5 and many others).

Now, is Jesus the promised king like His forefather, David? Like David, Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. Like David, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Like David who united the twelve tribes of Israel, Jesus chose twelve apostles to be ‘the judge of the tribes of Israel’ (see Luk 22:30). Like David who made Jerusalem as his capital, Jesus made Jerusalem as His destination. Yet, the differences are also glaring. Unlike David, Jesus was neither warrior nor general. Unlike David, Jesus practically held no political and economic power. Unlike David who sat on the majestic throne, Jesus was nailed to the cross.

On the cross, Jesus was more like a criminal, slave, and loser. He is the antithesis of all kings. Everyone around Him mocked him, as a useless savior, and impostor king. Yet, in this darkest moment, one of the criminals crucified with Jesus, by divine inspiration, recognized who Jesus was, and asked the single most important question in his life: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom (Luk 23:42).” Then, Jesus promised him paradise.

This is Jesus. He is the king who gives the true paradise, not a paradise built by economic, political powers. Jesus may not free us from sufferings, but as king, He suffers with us. He is a king who does not give us weapons nor earthly benefits, but gives us a power to love radically and rebuild our broken world. He may not send hellfire to our enemies, but He gives the grace to forgive, and to transform our anger into peace.

If we, then, recognize Jesus as our king, it is naturally follows that we shall live according to His Laws as well as make Him as the primary model. Just the ancient Israel relied on David, so we shall depend on Jesus, our king. As earthly kings provide freedom to their people, we shall trust in Jesus, our victory.

Roma
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
September 18, 2022
Luke 16:1-13

Jesus’ parables are not as simple as they appear. In the previous chapter (Luk 15), we listen to Jesus’ three parables, that are, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons. At first, they seem ordinary stories with usual lesson, yet as we go deeper, we realize they contain values that even go beyond the human logic (see previous Sunday’s reflection). Now, we encounter another Jesus’ parable that challenges our normal human way of doing things: parable of dishonest steward.

There is a steward who had been entrusted by his master to take care of his master’s house and possession, and yet, instead doing his job, he prefers to squander his master’s wealth and betrays his master’s trust. Angered master fires his useless servant. Yet, upon this impending judgment, the servant realizes that he is not able to dig, meaning he cannot labor in the farmland or at the construction sites. He is also ashamed to become a beggar. Then, he engineers a way out. He calls all his master’s debtors and cut into half all their debts by manipulating their letter of agreement. By doing this, he is doing a favor to them and making them as their friends. This is to secure way to survive after his expulsion. Surely this is manipulation and corruption, and yet he is praised for doing so. What’s going on?

Firstly, Jesus is not making the steward as the model of literal imitation. He is not asking us to steal other’s people wealth and involve ourselves in corrupt practices. Through this parable, Jesus employs ‘compare and contrast’ technique. The lesson looks like this: if a wicked man knows how to manipulate wealth and money to save his life on earth, so we, the followers of Christ, should be wise enough to use wealth and possession to clear our path to heaven.

Jesus also adds the sense of urgency in His parable. The steward was desperate for his life and how he transformed his attachment to wealth to a means to his earthly salvation. Thus, we are called to free ourselves to this attachment to earthly possessions and use our wealth to make desperate attempts for our eternal salvation. As children of light, we should make eternal life as our end, and the rest will be means to it.

Surely, eternal life is coming from the Lord only, and we can never bribe God to open the door of heavens. Yet, the Lord also wills that we freely participate in His work of redemption. One of the ways is to properly use the material blessings to help us grow in holiness, to assist other people and to support the evangelization mission of the Church. From the parables of chapter 15, we have seen the Lord who loves us and look for us even with efforts beyond human logic, and now, we are called to throw everything to respond to His love.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP