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Pray like Jesus

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7th Sunday of Easter

May 24, 2020

John 17:1-11a

man in prayer 2We are aware that prayer is a fundamental part of Jesus’ life. He prays on a regular basis, and especially when He is preparing to embrace decisive events, like Baptism on the Jordan [Luke 3:21], the election of the twelve apostles [Luke 6:12], transfiguration [Luke 9:28], and the Passion [Matt 26:36–44]. However, we seldom hear what Jesus says in His prayers. In the Synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark, and Luke], we are fortunate enough to hear Jesus’ compact and emotional prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before He enters into His Passion. However, John the evangelist makes sure that we are going to discover what Jesus prays, and it is substantially longer than we ever heard before.

John devotes the entire chapter of His Gospel for this prayer [John 17:1-26]. As expected, He prays to the Father with extraordinary affection and confidence. Yet, what makes it noteworthy is that Jesus does not say only about Himself and His mission, but also prays for His disciples. Jesus is acting as the priest who is interceding on behalf of His disciples. That is why we call this section the high priest’s prayer of Jesus Christ.

From Jesus’ prayer, we unearth some powerful lessons:

Firstly, if prayer is essential in the life of Jesus, it is because Jesus understands that prayer is His line of communication to the Father. Jesus knows well that communication is the key to every flourishing relationship. Perhaps, we fail to see this truth, and that is why we feel prayer is burdensome. We are not eager to attend the mass because we simply understand it as an obligation. We relegate personal prayer to the sideline as we make other things as our priority. Sadly, we immediately blame God if our plans do not work according to our whim, or we even threaten God to grant our wishes. Thus, changing perspective about prayer is crucial and even life-transforming.

Secondly, if prayer is communication, then it should always be a dialogue. Often when we start growing in prayer, we think that we need to always say something to the Lord. I remember one seminarian asked me, “Father, what else should I say if I am running out of words in my prayers?” I told him, “Perhaps, it is time to listen to God.” The next expected question is, “How do I listen to God?” Surely there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, but I like what St. Jerome says, “You pray: You speak to the bridegroom. You read [scriptures]: He speaks to you.” Yet, we need to remember that dialogue of words is not the end of the communication. The end is the unity of the persons in dialogue. Jesus says, “I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you [John 14:20].”

Lastly, our prayer involves the third person. This is the direct consequence of Jesus’ priestly prayer. Prayer is a dialogue, but just like other dialogue, it may speak about other persons. This is when we pray to God for others. Because Jesus leaves us an example in His priestly prayer, it is all the more imperative for us to care for others through prayers. In time we cannot reach other people who need our help; prayers remain the best way to love them. Indeed the saints in heaven continue to care for us despite not able to physically appear to us through their prayers.

Prayer unites us with God in love and prayer also unites us with people we love in God.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus and His Bride in Time of Pandemic

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5th Sunday of Easter

May 10, 2020

John 14:1-12

joseph n maryWe have closed our churches for public service for weeks. We shifted to livestreaming masses, and we are learning to adjust and to give priority to our health and life, we realize our hearts remain troubled. We long to see Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we desire to receive Him in the Eucharist, we want to serve Him in the churches, and we miss the sacrament of confession. We are unsure when it is going to end and be back to normal.

We are like the disciples in the Gospel. Their hearts were troubled because Jesus was about to leave them. They were having a Passover meal, and it was supposed a festive celebration. Yet, Jesus announced to them that someone would betray Him, and He would be taken away from them. The disciples had thrown everything away and followed Jesus because they were hoping that Jesus, as the Messiah, would overthrow the Roman empire and restore the glory of Israel. They could not square with the probability of utter failure. Were they holding on false hope? Was Jesus a hoax? Were their sacrifices useless? We are like the disciples. After we give everything to follow Jesus, to serve His Church, and to work in His vineyard, we feel He is missing. Where is Jesus when we needed Him most?

Jesus knew His disciples’ hearts and assured them as He did to have in God and Jesus. Yet, what comes after this word of affirmation is that Jesus told the disciples that there are many dwelling places in His Father’s house, and He will go to prepare the places. To comfort the disciples, Jesus did not say that He would come back victorious, or He would destroy all enemies of Israel. He said that He is going to prepare a dwelling place. It is just not making much sense.

To understand this, we need to know the wedding ceremony at the time of Jesus. During this time, the wedding was done in two steps. The first one is the betrothal, and the second stage is the wedding celebration. During the betrothal, the couple has exchanged vows and have become husband and wife in the eyes of the Law, but they have not stayed together in one house. They had to wait for around one year before the final ceremony. After around year, the bride would be brought in procession to the home of the groom, and they will have a week-long celebration. Why one-year wait? The reason is practical. It gives enough time for the man to prepare for the celebration as well as build a proper place for the bride.

One particular image that the Church has in relation to Jesus is that she is the bride of Christ. If we apply this Jewish wedding rite to the Church and Jesus, we discover that betrothal has taken place, but not yet the final step. Jesus is not with His Church because He is Father’s House to prepare the dwelling place for us, His bride.

In the time of the pandemic, our hearts are sorely troubled, and with the churches are closed, we feel that our Lord is taken away from us. Yet, a difficult time can actually be a passage going to the much better dwelling place prepared by Jesus. We may not see yet the better things we will experience, yet Jesus assures us that God is in control. In this stormy life, we may see a beautiful place prepared by Jesus, our groom.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus, Our Bridegroom

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Third Sunday of Lent [A]

March 15, 2020

John 4:5-42

jesus n samaritan woman 3We relate to Jesus in many ways. Some consider Him as a teacher, some call Him as a friend, and some others would simply acclaim Him as Lord and Savior. However, little known to us that the Gospel introduces Him as the bridegroom.

The idea that Jesus as our spouse is awkward and difficult to accept. One may say, “If I am a woman, it is fine to have Jesus as my husband. One may think, “If I am single, it is ok to get married to Jesus. But if I am already married, does it mean Jesus would be my second husband, or shall I divorce my first husband?” These kinds of concerns are surely valid, yet these are rooted in our human and even sexual understanding of marriage. Then, what kind of bridegroom Jesus is?

In order to answer this, we need to understand some symbols in today’s Gospel. Jesus went into a well and John the evangelist made it clear that it is not just ordinary well, but Jacob’s well. A Samaritan woman then came to fetch water and met Jesus there. For us, it is just an ordinary story of Jesus’ meeting any woman, just like when Jesus visited Mary and Martha, or Jesus helped a woman caught in adultery. Yet, when we know our Scriptures, the meeting is far from ordinary. It is something to do with a man finding a bride. In Gen 29, Jacob found beautiful Rachel near the well when she was about to water the sheep. In Exo 3, after Moses fled from Egypt, he went to the land of Midian, and near the well, he defended the women being harassed by unruly shepherds. One of these women would eventually become his future wife.

However, the Gospel clearly shows that Jesus neither sought any wife nor married the Samaritan woman. Yes, it is true that Jesus remained single for his entire life, but again, we are not speaking in the human and literal level. If Jesus is the divine Bridegroom, the Samaritan woman stands also for the true bride of Christ. No wonder, the fathers of the Church, would identify the Samaritan woman as the symbol of the Church. Like the Samaritan woman who is a gentile, the Church is also coming from many nations. Like the Samaritan woman who struggled with her marriage life, the Church also are struggling with many sin and weakness. Like the Samaritan woman who was waiting for a Messiah, the Church also is in need of a Savior.

It is truly weird to see Jesus as our groom especially when we are stacked in too humanly understanding. Yet, on spiritual level, to have Jesus as our groom means we have someone who loves us dearly and intimately, someone who will protect and provide for us, someone who will accept our imperfections and someone who will willingly give his life for our sake.

The covid-19 virus has wreaked havoc the world. What is terrible with this virus is not only it extremely contiguous and has no definite cure yet, it forces humanity to show its basic survival instinct: fear and even selfishness. However, this is the best opportunity to grow in faith. Our faith is not empty because we hold on to someone, and He is our Bridegroom.

 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus’ Ideal Parents

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The feast of Presentation

February 2, 2020

Luke 2:22-40

presentation 2If we are given a chance to choose our parents, what kind of parents will be our choice? Perhaps, some will prefer billionaire parents so that we can sing like Bruno Mars, “I wanna be a billionaire… Buy all of the things I never had… I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine, and Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen.” Perhaps some of us want to become the children of a king. So, royal blood is flowing through our vein, and people call us as a prince, princess, or royal highness. Perhaps, we want to be born from Korean megastars, because we want to become the prettiest or the most handsome.

Yet, if we ask the same question to the Lord, what would be His choice? The choice is obvious, Joseph and Mary. But, why?  Joseph and Mary are not wealthy, and even poor. They can only afford turtle dove, the offering of the poor. Indeed, Joseph is the descendant of King David, but in reality, he is a humble carpenter from the unknown village, Nazareth. I do believe that Joseph is handsome and Mary is beautiful! From here, we can deduce that richness, fame, and physical beauty as God’s criteria for His parents. So, what is it?

If we look closer into today’s Gospel and some other verses, we may discover the best character of Joseph and Mary as a couple and parents are their love and fidelity to God. Mary and Joseph know well the Law of God, and they are faithfully observing His Law.

Today’s feast is traditionally called the Presentation. Jesus is presented and consecrated to God in the Temple. Why do Joseph and Mary offer Jesus in the Temple? Because they are aware of the Jewish Law that any firstborn shall be consecrated to the Lord because they belong to the Lord [see Exo 13:2]. The feast of Presentation is also called the feast of the Purification of Mary. She is purified not because she is sinful, but because, according to the Mosaic Law, any woman who gives birth will be ritually unclean or unfit for the worship. She has to undergo 40 days of purification period, and at the end of the period, she offers a sacrifice to the priest [Lev 12:1-8]. From the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph is described as “the righteous man.” This means that Joseph is not only well-versed in Mosaic Law, but he is faithfully observing them.

Jesus does not concern Himself with His parents’ economic condition, social status, or physical appearance. Jesus is looking for whether His parents love God, whether His parents know and observe God’s law, and whether His parents have faith in God. Why are these characteristics crucial for Jesus’ parents? Because Jesus understands the best inheritance parents can give to their children is faith, because money can only provide you with security in this life, but faith will bring us to heaven.

The primary duty of parents is not merely to provide food, shelter, and clothing, not only send their children to schools and not only bring them to the doctors when they are sick but primarily to walk with them to heaven. Like Mary and Joseph present Jesus to God, we are also offering our children to God.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Orang Tua Ideal Yesus 

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Pesta Yesus Dipersembahkan di Bait Allah

2 Februari 2020

Lukas 2: 22-40

presentation 1Jika kita diberi kesempatan untuk memilih orang tua kita sendiri, orang tua ideal seperti apa yang akan menjadi pilihan kita? Mungkin, beberapa akan lebih suka orang tua miliarder, supaya hidup terjamin, mendapatkan Pendidikan terbaik, dan masa depan cerah. Mungkin sebagian dari kita ingin menjadi anak-anak raja. Jadi, memiliki darah ningrat, dan orang-orang memanggil kita sebagai pangeran, puteri atau bangsawan. Mungkin kita ingin dilahirkan dari megabintang Korea, karena kita ingin menjadi yang tercantik atau paling tampan.

Namun, jika kita mengajukan pertanyaan yang sama kepada Tuhan, apa yang akan menjadi pilihan-Nya? Pilihannya jelas, Yusuf dan Maria. Tapi kenapa? Yusuf dan Maria tidak kaya, dan bahkan miskin. Mereka hanya mampu membeli burung merpati, persembahan orang miskin. Memang, Yusuf adalah keturunan raja Daud, tetapi dalam kenyataannya, ia adalah seorang tukang kayu sederhana dari desa yang tidak dikenal, Nazareth. Saya tetap percaya bahwa Yusuf itu tampan dan Maria cantik! Dari sini, kita dapat menyimpulkan bahwa kekayaan, ketenaran, dan kecantikan fisik sebagai kriteria Allah bagi orang tua-Nya. Jadi, apa?

Jika kita melihat lebih dekat Injil hari ini dan beberapa ayat lainnya, kita dapat menemukan karakter terbaik dari Yusuf dan Maria sebagai pasangan dan orang tua adalah cinta dan iman mereka kepada Tuhan. Maria dan Yusuf mengetahui dengan baik Hukum Allah dan mereka dengan setia mematuhi Hukum-Nya.

Pesta hari ini secara tradisional disebut sebagai Yesus dipersembahkan di Bait Allah [Presentation]. Yesus dipersembahkan kepada Allah di Bait Suci. Mengapa Yusuf dan Maria mempersembahkan Yesus di Bait Suci? Karena mereka sadar akan Hukum Taurat bahwa setiap anak sulung akan dikuduskan bagi Tuhan karena mereka adalah milik Tuhan [lihat Kel 13: 2]. Hari ini juga disebut pesta Pemurnian Maria [Purification of Mary]. Dia dimurnikan bukan karena dia berdosa, tetapi karena menurut Hukum Musa, setiap wanita yang melahirkan akan menjadi “tidak bersih” secara ritual atau tidak layak untuk penyembahan, dan dia harus menjalani 40 hari periode pemurnian, dan pada hari ke-40, dia mempersembahkan korban kepada imam [Im 12: 1-8].

Yesus tidak peduli dengan kondisi ekonomi, status sosial, atau penampilan fisik orang tua-Nya. Yesus mencari apakah orang tua-Nya benar-benar mencintai Allah, apakah orang tua-Nya tahu dan mematuhi hukum Allah, dan apakah orang tua-Nya memiliki iman kepada Allah. Mengapa karakteristik ini penting bagi orang tua Yesus? Karena Yesus memahami warisan terbaik yang dapat diberikan orang tua kepada anak-anak mereka adalah iman, karena uang hanya dapat memberi Anda keamanan dalam kehidupan ini, tetapi iman akan membawa kita ke surga.

Tugas utama orang tua bukan hanya menyediakan makanan, tempat tinggal, dan pakaian, tidak hanya mengirim anak-anak mereka ke sekolah, dan tidak hanya membawa mereka ke dokter ketika mereka sakit, tetapi terutama berjalan bersama mereka ke surga. Seperti Maria dan Yusuf mempersembahkan Yesus kepada Allah, maka kita juga mempersembahkan anak-anak kita kepada Allah.

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

Tanpa Melihat ke Belakang

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Minggu Ketiga Belas pada Masa Biasa [C] – 30 Juni 2019 -Lukas 9: 51-62

carrying cross 3Hari ini kita mendengarkan salah satu ajaran Yesus yang paling sulit dimengerti dan diikuti. Bagi mereka yang ingin mengikuti Yesus, Dia menuntut kesetiaan total, dan menjadi prioritas utama mereka dalam hidup. Baik dalam tradisi Yahudi maupun Kristiani, untuk menghormati orang tua kita adalah salah satu perintah tertinggi dalam Sepuluh Perintah Allah. Tetapi, ketika seseorang meminta Yesus untuk menguburkan ayahnya, Yesus mengatakan kepadanya, “Biarkan orang mati menguburkan orang mati.” Kepada orang yang meminta untuk mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada keluarganya, Yesus berkata, “Setiap orang yang siap untuk membajak tetapi menoleh ke belakang, tidak layak untuk Kerajaan Allah.” Tidak terbayangkan! Apakah ini benar-benar Yesus yang hatinya tergerak oleh belas kasihan kepada orang-orang miskin? Apakah Yesus tidak lagi memperhatikan Sepuluh Perintah? Bagaimana kita bisa mengerti kata-kata Yesus yang keras ini?

Kita dapat mengungkap jawabannya di awal pembacaan Injil hari ini. Yesus tahu waktu-Nya telah tiba bagi-Nya untuk pergi ke Yerusalem, dan Dia telah mengarahkan wajah-Nya ke kota ini yang akan menganiaya, menyiksa, dan membunuh-Nya. Jalan salib Yesus telah dimulai, dan bagi mereka yang ingin mengikuti-Nya, bukan lagi waktunya untuk terhibur oleh mukjizat-mukjizat-Nya atau terinspirasi oleh khotbah-khotbah-Nya. Mereka yang berhasrat untuk mengikuti Yesus, juga harus memikul salib mereka bersama Yesus, dan berjalan bersama Yesus ke Kalvari. Mereka tidak bisa tidak menyerahkan hidup mereka kepada Yesus dan menjadikan misi Yesus sebagai perhatian utama mereka.

Namun, kita perlu mengklarifikasi juga ucapan Yesus yang mungkin terdengar terlalu keras. Ketika Yesus berkata, “Biarkan orang mati menguburkan yang mati,” orang tua dari yang bersangkutan sebenar masih hidup, dan dia ingin mengikuti Yesus setelah orang tuanya meninggal, yang tidak tahu kapan akan terjadi. Ini menjadi sebuah alasan halus untuk tidak mengikuti Yesus. Ketika Yesus berkata, “Setiap orang yang siap untuk membajak tetapi menoleh ke belakang, tidak layak untuk Kerajaan Allah.” Yesus sebenarnya mengingatkan para pendengar-Nya tentang kisah Elia yang memanggil Elisa untuk mengikutinya [1Raj 19:19 -21]. Ketika seorang nabi memanggil, orang yang dipanggil harus segera merespons. Kalau tidak, kesempatan itu hilang untuk selamanya. Yesus juga menunjukkan kisah istri Lot. Ketika kota Sodom dan Gomora dihancurkan oleh Tuhan, malaikat itu memerintahkan Lot dan keluarganya untuk lari dan tidak melihat ke belakang, namun, istrinya melihat ke belakang. Dia menjadi tiang garam [Kej 19:26]. Seseorang tidak dapat secara efektif mengikuti kata-kata Tuhan dan memiliki kehidupan baru di dalam Kristus jika dia selalu melihat ke belakang dan melekatkan dirinya pada masa lalu. Para petani Yahudi juga tahu betul ironi bahwa ketika seseorang membajak tanah dan terus melihat ke belakang untuk mengecek hasilnya, dia hanya akan merusak seluruh ladang. Ketika seseorang fokus dalam tujuan dan keputusannya, ia akan mendapatkan hasil terbaik.

Ada kisah tentang seorang malaikat yang menampakkan diri kepada John. Malaikat itu berkata, “John, Tuhan memanggilmu untuk melayani Dia.” John berkata, “Tidak sekarang, aku masih 18 tahun, dan aku ingin fokus pada studiku.” Kemudian, malaikat itu datang lagi setelah beberapa tahun. John berkata, “Jangan sekarang, aku hanya 30, dan aku punya karier.” Kemudian, malaikat itu muncul lagi setelah beberapa tahun. John berkata, “Jangan sekarang. Saya baru berusia 40 tahun, dan saya punya keluarga. ”Kemudian, malaikat itu kembali untuk terakhir kalinya ketika Yohanes berusia 70 tahun. Yohanes berkata,“ Sekarang, saya siap untuk menjawab panggilan Tuhan.” Malaikat itu menjawab, “Ya, Tuhan memanggil kamu, tetapi tidak untuk melayani Dia, tetapi untuk menghadap Dia di surga!”

Seorang Kristiani yang memiliki banyak alasan untuk tidak mengikuti Yesus, dia bukanlah seorang Kristiani sejati. Hanya ketika kita mengikuti Dia dengan tekad, berjalan di jalan salib-Nya tanpa alasan, menjadikan Dia sebagai prioritas utama kita, kita dapat dengan rendah hati mengatakan bahwa kita adalah murid-murid-Nya.

Diakon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Heart

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Reflection on the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time [March 3, 2019] Luke 6:39-45

prisoner prayer
Prisoner praying during church ceremony at Naivasha Maxium Security Prison. During the church service some prisoners pray on their own. – 24.11.2012. Copyright: Ulrik Pedersen

These past three Sundays, we have been listening on the series of Jesus’ teachings given at the Plain [Luk 6:20-49]. Two Sundays ago, we read about the Beatitudes. This is the set of conditions that leads us to true happiness and blessedness. Last Sunday we discover some practical steps to achieve this Beatitude, like we shall love our enemies. And this Sunday, we find the heart of Jesus’ teachings: it is the formation of the heart.

In our contemporary world, the heart generally symbolizes the source of affection, passion and love. Filipinos love basketball, and they give their best support every time their national team compete in international tournaments. Their battle cry is “Laban! Puso!” literally translated as “Fight! Heart!” Surely, the heart here refers to the burning passion to overcome enormous challenges during the ball game.

When a lady is not sure whether to accept or not a man to be her boyfriend, we often advise her to follow her “heart”. When she has a new boyfriend and is in love, she calls him as her “sweetheart”. But, when she suddenly loses her boyfriend because of unexpected betrayal, she suffers an immense “broken heart”. Because of this traumatic experience, she refuses to love anymore, and she now possesses “the heart of stone.” Surely, a lot of hearts!

However, the word “Heart” in Bible has a slightly different meaning from our common understandings. Heart in the Bible is not just the source of our emotional life, but the center of the human life, vitality and personality. It is also the seat of human intellect, judgment and conscience. Thus, when Jesus says “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…” it does not simply mean that person has the emotions that support him in doing good. It means a person has a fundamental judgement, stable attitude and permanent character to choose and do good, despite the contrary feelings he has. Good-hearted person can do good even person he hates. For Jesus, heart is not only affection, but it is also action.

In the context, the formation of the heart means the formation of the entire human person. Jesus understands that unless we possess the characters of a good man or woman, we are just staging a play, and become hypocrites [meaning actors] before other people.

How are we going to form our hearts? Jesus gives us a hint as He says, “from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” The question then is: what fills our hearts? It is evil and wicked things, or good and holy things?

I am currently assigned in General Santos City, Mindanao, Philippines, and one of the highlights of my stay is when I visit and celebrate mass with the female inmates in the city jail. At first, I was hesitant and afraid to interact with them as I perceived them as being “criminals”. These are women with “wicked hearts”. But, I was totally wrong. When I prayed with them, I witnessed women prayed earnestly and deeply in faith. I met this woman, just call her Mary, and I listened to her story. She has been in the prison for five years, and due to ineffective justice system, her trial is still on going. She is a single mother with five children. She was caught using drugs, and she admitted it to escape from the reality of harsh life. She was crying as she narrated her story. And, I asked her what made endure her terrible situation. She simply answered, “I have God in my heart.”

We are living in much better condition than Mary, but do we have God in our heart? What fills our heart? Do we fill our hearts with Godly things? Do we allow God to reign in our hearts?

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Hati

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Renungan pada Minggu ke-8 pada Masa Biasa [3 Maret 2019] Lukas 6: 39-45

bible-in-jailTiga hari Minggu terakhir ini, kita telah mendengarkan serangkaian ajaran Yesus yang diberikan di Dataran [Luk 6]. Dua Minggu yang lalu, kita membaca tentang Sabda Bahagia. Ini adalah serangkaian kondisi yang menuntun kita menuju kebahagiaan dan berkat sejati. Minggu lalu kita mendapatkan beberapa langkah praktis untuk mencapai Sabda Bahagia ini. Dan hari Minggu ini, kita menemukan inti dari ajaran Yesus: ini adalah pembentukan hati manusia.

Di dunia kontemporer, “hati” umumnya melambangkan sumber kasih sayang, perasaan, dan cinta. Orang Filipina sangat senang dengan permainan bola basket, dan mereka memberikan dukungan terbaik mereka setiap kali tim nasional mereka bersaing di turnamen internasional. Seruan mereka bagi tim national mereka adalah “Laban! Puso! ”Secara harfiah diterjemahkan sebagai“ Berjuang dengan sepenuh hati! ”Tentunya, hati di sini mengacu pada hasrat yang membara untuk mengatasi tantangan besar di setiap pertandingan.

Ketika seorang wanita tidak yakin harus menerima atau tidak seorang pria menjadi kekasihnya, kita sering menasihatinya untuk mengikuti  kata “hati”-nya. Ketika dia memiliki kekasih baru dan sedang jatuh “hati”, dia memanggilnya sebagainya sebagai “belahan hati”. Tapi, ketika dia tiba-tiba kehilangan kekasihnya karena pengkhianatan yang tak terduga, dia menderita “patah hati” yang sangat mendalam. Karena pengalaman traumatis ini, ia menolak untuk mencintai lagi, dan sekarang ia “berhati batu.”

Namun, kata “Hati” dalam Alkitab memiliki arti yang sedikit berbeda. Hati di dalam Alkitab bukan hanya sumber kehidupan emosional kita, tetapi juga pusat kekuatan hidup, dan kepribadian manusia. Ini juga merupakan tahta hati nurani manusia, akal budi dan kebebasan. Jadi, ketika Yesus berkata, “Orang yang baik mengeluarkan barang yang baik dari perbendaharaan hatinya yang baik …” ini bukan hanya berarti bahwa orang tersebut memiliki perasaan-perasaan yang mendukungnya melakukan perbuatan baik. Ini berarti seseorang memiliki orientasi mendasar, sikap stabil dan karakter permanen untuk memilih dan berbuat baik, walaupun terkadang perasaannya tidak mendukungnya berbuat baik. Bagi Yesus, hati bukan hanya perasaan, tetapi juga tindakan.

Dalam Kitab Suci pembentukan hati berarti pembentukan manusia secara total. Yesus memahami bahwa kecuali kita memiliki karakter pria atau wanita yang baik, kita hanya melakukan sandiwara, dan menjadi orang munafik di hadapan orang lain.

Bagaimana kita akan membentuk hati kita? Yesus memberi kita petunjuk ketika Dia berkata, “dari kepenuhan hati, mulut berbicara.” Pertanyaannya kemudian adalah: apa yang memenuhi hati kita? Apakah hal-hal yang jahat, atau hal yang baik dan suci?

Saat ini saya ditugaskan di General Santos City, Mindanao, Filipina, dan salah satu hal yang paling berkesan selama saya tinggal di sini adalah ketika saya mengunjungi dan merayakan misa bersama para narapidana wanita di penjara kota ini. Pada awalnya, saya ragu-ragu dan takut untuk berinteraksi dengan mereka karena saya menganggap mereka sebagai “criminal”.  Ada pemikiran bahwa mereka adalah wanita-wanita dengan “hati yang jahat”. Kalo hati mereka baik, kenapa harus masuk penjara? Tapi, saya benar-benar salah. Ketika saya berdoa bersama mereka, saya menyaksikan para wanita berdoa dengan kepenuhan iman. Sesuatu hal yang saya jarang lihat di luar penjara. Saya juga berbicara dengan seorang wanita, sebut saja namanya Maria. Dia telah berada di penjara selama lima tahun, dan karena sistem peradilan yang tidak efektif, persidangannya masih berlangsung, dan dia tidak tahu sampai kapan. Dia adalah ibu tunggal dengan lima anak. Dia kedapatan menggunakan narkoba, dan dia mengaku menggunakan narkoba karena ingin melarikan diri dari kenyataan hidup yang keras. Dia menangis ketika dia menceritakan kisahnya. Dan, saya bertanya kepadanya apa yang membuat dia bertahan dalam situasi yang mengerikan itu. Dia hanya menjawab, “Saya memiliki Tuhan di hati saya.”

Kita hidup dalam kondisi yang jauh lebih baik daripada Maria, tetapi apakah kita memiliki Allah di dalam hati kita? Apa yang memenuhi hati kita? Apakah kita mengisi hati kita dengan hal-hal yang saleh? Apakah kita membiarkan Tuhan berkuasa di hati kita?

Diakon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Happy Mothers’ Day!

On By bayuopIn Christmas, English, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Solemnity of Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God [January 1, 2019] Luke 2:16-21

mary and jesus - javaneseSome of us may wonder why the Church places the celebration of the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God on January 1, or on the New Year. One may guess that the Church wants us to attend mass on the first day of the year, so as to start the year right. For those who wish to have a long holiday, it might be pretty a killjoy, but for some of us who wish to be blessed for the entire year, it is a nice thought. Yet, surely there is something deeper than that.

One reason is that the Church invites us all to reflect on the past year with gratitude as we count our blessings, and thus, we are able to look forward with faith and hope. In the Gospel, Mary is depicted as someone who always keeping things in heart and reflecting them (see Luk 2:19). Like Mary, we are asked to pause for a while on the momentous day of the year and ponder God’s works in our lives.

Another reason that I think more fundamental is that it is proper to conclude the Christmas octave with the Solemnity of Mother of God. “Octave” simply means eight, and in the Church’s liturgy, it means eight days prolonged celebration of particular grand events in the Church like Easter and Christmas. Like Christmas octave cover December 25 till January 1. If at Christmas day, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus, at the end of the Octave, we are celebrating the woman who gave birth to Jesus. Without a mother who receives the baby in her womb, carries the baby for nine months, and gambles her life in the process of delivery, a baby will not be born. In short, without Mary, there will be no Jesus.

To become a mother is a natural part of being a woman, and yet despite being natural, it remains a very difficult process for a woman. I am not a woman, but I can tell that it is a life of sacrifice because to take care of Br. Ruseno can cause a lot of high blood pressure! It is true that not all mother is perfect. Some have their own share of weakness and mistake, but the mere fact a mother has decided to give birth to her child, she has put her life on the line.

Now if to become the mother of any human being is super tough, how about to become the mother of God? We learn from Mary herself. She was pregnant out of wedlock, and this may lead people to stone her to death. She gave birth to Jesus in a dirty stable without professional help. This may cause her life. She raised the child Jesus who was often beyond her comprehension. Ultimately, she would witness with her own eyes how her only son was humiliated, tortured, and crucified. What a painful experience to bury one’s, own child! Simeon’s prophecy that a sword shall pierce Mary’s soul turned to be a reality (see Luk 2:35).

Indeed, Mary is most blessed among women, in fact among all human beings, but her blessedness does not mean an easy life. In fact, it is the opposite! St. Teresa of Avila once asked God, why He gives so many sufferings to His saints. God answered that it was the way He treated His friends. Then, St. Teresa replied, “That is why you do not have many friends!”

To become a mother is a blessing, but God’s blessing does not mean an easy life. God’s blessing means the opportunity and ability to love. To love despite challenges and trials of life, to give even when it hurts, and to sacrifice when it counts. At this New Year, we are celebrating the motherhood of Mary, indeed the motherhood of every woman. It is a Mothers’ Day in the Church. We pray for every mother that they may be blessed with the gift of love, and we also are given the same blessing in this year.

 

Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP