Category: Uncategorized

Happy Mothers’ Day!

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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

The Magi

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The Epiphany of the Lord [January 7, 2018] Matthew 2:1-12

“Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Mat 2:11)”

magi shadowBalthazar, 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 Chro 33:6).  Even the Catholic Church herself prohibits our engagement with any kind of magic (CCC 2116). Yet, we cannot be sure what kind of magic they craft, but one thing is certain that these Magi read the sign of times and follow the star. Because of this, they are called as one of those ancient astrologers, star-readers who predict the human behaviors and the future.

Surprisingly, today’s Gospel presents these three Magi as our protagonists. Why should these practitioners of magic turn to be the good guys here? If we examine closely the story of the Gospel, we discover that these Magi stand in contrast with Herod together with his chief priests and scribes. Unlike the Magi who are reading the star to find the new-born king, Herod and his religious associates are examining the Scriptures to locate the Messiah. Indeed, the Scriptures, as the Word of God, is the lawful means to seek Jesus. Unfortunately, despite its valid method, Herod’s intention is to annihilate Jesus, his threat to his throne. Herod embodies those people who use the Scriptures to achieve his own agenda, to confuse the people and to destroy God. Meanwhile the Magi, despite their illegitimate method, sincerely seek Jesus, the true King, and indeed, God leads them to Jesus.

The encounter with Jesus brings real transformation. The Magi offer Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Traditionally, the three gifts are symbols of kingship, priesthood and suffering of Jesus, but further studies suggest that the three gifts are the usual items used for practicing magic in the ancient time. Thus, when the Magi offer the three gifts, this symbolizes their giving-up of their old profession. When they see the true King, they have found the true meaning of life, the fullness of happiness. They realize that their former profession, powerful it might be, is not true. Their journey has come to a conclusion, and it is the time for them to decide whether to stay in their old way or to embrace Christ fully. And, they made the right choice.

The story of the Magi reminds me of the story of Bartolo Longo. Growing up in the troubled time of Italy and the Church, young Bartolo loses faith in Papacy, and entered a satanic group. He goes all the way and he becomes the satanic priest. Yet, despite the power and wealth he gains from the devil, he continues to be restless. Deep inside, he longs for the true peace. Driven by his desire for truth, and helped by his friend and a Dominican priest, he returns to the faith that he has abandoned. He becomes an ardent devotee of our Lady and zealous promoter of the rosary. He initiates the restoration of a dilapidated church in Pompey, and places the image of Our Lady of the Rosary. Through his effort, now the church has become a revered pilgrim site in Italy. His holiness is acknowledged by the Church, and he is beatified in 1980 by John Paul II.

Like the Magi and Bartolo Longo, are we ready to recognize Christ as our true happiness? Are we willing to look for Jesus in our lives’ journey? And, when the moment comes, are we willing to give up our former lives and to embrace Jesus fully?

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno , OP

 

Blindness and Vision of Faith

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Fourth Sunday of Lent. March 26, 2017 [John 9:1-41]

“it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. (Joh 9:3)”

jesus_heals_a_blind_man_by_eikonikBlindness is the most dreadful disability for many of us. It is the loss of vision, living in total darkness for our entire lives. Blindness is the inability to see the beauty of the world and people who love us. In the Old Testament, blindness puts one in great disadvantages. The well-known story of Isaac who was tricked by his own son Jacob so that he might get his blessing began with Isaac losing his eyesight. Blind people are also hindered from fulfilling their religious duties. The Law of Moses dictates that the blind cannot offer sacrifice to the Lord,p; even blind animals can not be offered to the Lord! (see Lev 21-22). Blindness was associated with sinners. (see Deu 28:29). That is why Jesus’ disciples asked whether the man’s blindness was caused by his sin or his parents’ sin.

The healing of a blind person in the Old Testament is rare, but the prophets foretold that the Messianic age will be marked by the healing of the blind and the crippled. Thus, in the Gospels, we read many stories of the blind cured by Jesus, and this tells us that Jesus is the long-expected Messiah and that His kingdom has begun. In the Gospel of John, the stories of healing a blind person occurred rarely, but John devoted the entire chapter 9 to one unnamed blind man. This man was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath day. Unfortunately, healing on the Sabbath is forbidden by the Law, and the Pharisees logged a series of inquiries on the man, questioning the authority of Jesus. The man was convinced that despite the violation of the Sabbath’s rest, Jesus was holy because no sinner can heal. The story ended with him expelled from the synagogue. The irony in the story is that as the blind was able to see and believe in Jesus, the some Pharisees continued living in darkness and did not believe in Jesus.

The story of the blind man reminded me of the story of Louis Braille. Louis lost his vision at a very young age because a sharp object accidently pierced his eyes. Yet, he was determined to learn to navigate the world with the other senses left. His father made him a cane, his brother taught him echolocation, the village priest taught him to recognize trees by touch and birds by their song, and his mother taught him to play dominoes by counting the dots with his fingertips. He wanted to read and learn more, but it was practically impossible. After some time, he received the news that Charles Barbier, an army commander invented a military communication code using patterns of dots to represent sounds. Louis adopted the system for himself, yet he felt the coding was yet too slow. So, instead of representing sound, he engineered a dot system that represented letters. He punched the dots on the paper by a sharp and small tool akin to an awl, a tool that caused his blindness. At the age of 15, he invented the Braille alphabet. His determination has helped countless people with blindness and low visibility to read and see the world of ideas.

Certainly, our eyes are fine because we are able to read this reflection! But, the real question is, in this Lenten season, whether our eyes help us to see what matters most in life. Do we appreciate the gift of sight that we have? Does our vision lead us to a deeper faith? Have we helped others to see Jesus?

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Kasih, bukan untuk yang Lemah Hati

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Ketujuh Minggu Biasa (Tahun A). 19 Februari 2017 [Matius 5: 38-48]

“Kasihilah musuhmu dan berdoalah bagi mereka yang menganiaya kamu (Mat 5:44)”

love-your-enemies-2Cinta kasih bukanlah untuk orang yang lemah hatinya. Mengasihi itu sulit, bahkan bagi mereka yang seharusnya kita cintai secara alami dan mudah. Kadang-kadang, kita menyesal telah mengikat diri dalam pernikahan dengan seseorang yang moody, banyak tuntutan dan tidak lagi menarik. Kadang-kadang, kita ingin menendang keluar anak-anak yang menjadi keras kepala dan susah diatur. Kadang-kadang, kita, kaum berjubah, juga berpikir bahwa kita telah memasuki Kongregasi atau biara yang salah.

Namun, Yesus ingin kita pergi lebih jauh, dan bahkan mengasihi musuh kita. Jika kita kesulitan untuk mengasihi orang yang dekat dengan hati kita, bagaimana mungkin untuk mengasihi mereka yang kita benci? Bagaimana kita akan mengasihi orang-orang yang memberi banyak masalah di kantor atau di sekolah? Apakah bisa untuk bersikap baik kepada orang-orang yang menyebarkan gosip jahat tentang kita? Mengapa kita harus bersikap baik kepada orang-orang yang telah menipu kita dan bahkan mengeksploitasi kita? Apakah kita perlu memaafkan mereka yang telah melakukan tindak kekerasan dan memberi kita pengalaman traumatis yang permanen?

Meskipun sangat sulit untuk mengasihi, bahkan hampir tidak mungkin, Yesus tetap pada pendirian-Nya. Dia tahu siapa kita, jauh lebih baik kita mengetahui diri kita sendiri. Kita diciptakan dalam citra Allah. Dan St. Yohanes mengingatkan kita bahwa Allah adalah kasih (1 Yoh 4: 8). Oleh karena itu, kita dibuat dalam citra Kasih. Ini adalah identitas kita untuk mengasihi, dan hanya dalam mengasihi kita menemukan kebahagiaan. Namun, bagaimana kita mengasihi orang yang kita benci?

Ketika Yesus memerintahkan untuk mengasihi, Injil sengaja memilih kata ‘agape’ untuk kasih. Dalam bahasa Yunani, Agape sedikit berbeda dari jenis cinta yang lain seperti philia dan eros. Jika philia dan eros adalah cinta yang lahir dari perasaan ketertarikan kita yang alamiah untuk seseorang, agape pada dasarnya berasal dari kekuatan kehendak, keberanian dan kebebasan. Lebih mudah untuk mencintai seseorang kita sukai, tapi kita tidak diciptakan hanya dalam citra philia dan eros, kita adalah citra dari Agape. Kita memiliki kemampuan dalam diri kita untuk mengasihi meskipun ada perasaan tidak menyenangkan terhadap seseorang.

St. Thomas Aquinas mendefinisikan bahwa ‘mengasihi adalah ‘kemauan untuk berbuat baik pada orang lain.’ Kita tidak perlu merasa baik kepada seseorang, untuk berbuat baik kepadanya. Dalam tradisi Gereja, kita memiliki berbagai karya belas kasih, dan semua ini tidak bisa jalan jika hanya berdasarkan emosi. Banyak keuskupan dan paroki di Filipina secara aktif membantu rehabilitasi pecandu obat terlarang di masyarakat. Tentunya, tidak ada yang suka dengan pecandu, beberapa bahkan ingin mereka mati, tapi kenapa yang para anggota Gereja terus membantu mereka, meskipun dikritik? Karena Yesus ingin kita mengasihi mereka.

Kasih sejati itu sulit dan bukan untuk mereka yang lemah hati. Kasih ini menuntut keberanian, kekuatan, dan pengorbanan. Namun, tanpa kasih, apa gunanya hidup? Danny Thomas, seorang aktor dan produser kawakan, mengatakan, “Semua dilahirkan karena suatu alasan, tetapi kita semua tidak mengetahui apa. Sukses dalam hidup tidak ada hubungannya dengan apa yang Anda dapatkan dalam hidup atau capai untuk diri sendiri. Hidup adalah apa yang Anda lakukan untuk orang lain.”

Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Dialog Kebenaran

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Minggu Advent ketiga. 11 Desember 2016 [Matius 11: 2-11]

 “Engkaukah yang akan datang itu atau haruskah kami menantikan orang lain? (Mat 11:3)”

dialogue

Kebenaran terlahir dari sebuah percakapan, dan percakapan sejati berasal dari kemampuan kita untuk mendengarkan. Dan mendengarkan satu sama lain bukanlah hal mudah karena membutuhkan kerendahan hati. Titik balik dari St. Dominikus de Guzman, pendiri Ordo Pengkhotbah, adalah ketika ia berada di dalam penginapan dan kedai. Dia berdialog semalam suntuk dengan pemilik penginapan, yang adalah seorang Albigensian, sebuah agama yang menolak kebaikan ciptaan. Dialog panjang, melelahkan namun terbuka ini tidak hanya membawa pemilik penginapan itu kembali ke iman Katolik, tetapi juga membawa Dominikus untuk menemukan misi hidupnya. Pertemuan ini mengungkapkan kebenaran baik bagi pemilik penginapan maupun Dominikus.

Sayangnya, tidak semua orang dididik untuk mendengarkan. Tidak semua orang cukup rendah hati untuk membuka pikiran dan hati mereka untuk sebuah kemungkinan baru yang kebenaran tawarkan. Tidak banyak yang memiliki daya tahan dan ketekunan untuk terlibat dalam dialog panjang dan membosankan. Kita terkadang menutup telinga dan pikiran. Kita lebih memilih untuk tinggal di dunia kita yang nyaman tetapi kecil. Kemudian, kita menaruh curiga kepada orang-orang yang berbeda dari kita, yang mencoba membawa kita ke dunia yang lebih besar. Kita bahkan menggunakan kekerasan terhadap mereka yang memulai dialog kebenaran dengan kita.

Minggu lalu, kita mendengarkan Yohanes yang memberitakan kebenaran dan mengajak orang-orang untuk bertobat. Hari ini, kita mendengar bahwa Yohanes sudah berada di penjara. Ia dipenjarakan mungkin karena beberapa orang tidak suka mendengarkan apa yang ia katakan. Orang-orang ini tidak ingin diganggu oleh kebenaran, dan dengan demikian, mereka memutuskan untuk membungkam Yohanes. Saya kira situasi yang tidak jauh berbeda terjadi juga saat ini. Mereka yang mencoba untuk memulai dialog kebenaran di media sosial langsung menjadi korban intimidasi dan ‘bullying’ secara online. Dalam situasi yang lebih serius, orang yang terlibat dalam kejahatan dan korupsi mencoba untuk menyuap, mengancam atau bahkan membunuh mereka yang mulai berbicara kebenaran. Pierre Claverie, OP, uskup Oran di Algeria, mendedikasikan dirinya dalam dialog persahabatan dengan kaum Muslim, namun akhirnya ia dibunuh oleh para teroris yang membenci usaha-usahanya dalam membangun perdamaian dan harmoni.

Dalam dialog kebenaran, kita perlu belajar dari Yohanes. Di dalam penjara, dia ragu-ragu karena Yesus tidak berperilaku seperti Mesias yang diharapkan. Mungkin seperti orang Yahudi lainnya, Yohanes juga berharap Mesias yang adalah seorang jendral militer dan pemimpin politik, atau mungkin ia ingin Mesias dapat menghadapi orang-orang berdosa dengan tegas seperti dirinya. Yesus tidak memenuhi standar Yohanes. Namun, bukannya menutup kemungkinan dan terus berpegang teguh pada pendiriannya, Yohanes membuka percakapan dengan Yesus melalui murid-muridnya. Yesus menyambut dialog ini dengan baik dan Yesus pun menjawab dia dengan memberikan beberapa bukti konkret identitas-Nya sebagai Mesias. Yesus juga membuka paradigma baru yang membantu Yohanes menggali kebenaran lebih mendalam. Kebenaran yang membebaskan Yohanes dari penjara yang sempitnya.

Masa Adven membawa kita pada dialog kebenaran ini. Kita diajak untuk lebih mendengarkan anggota-anggota keluarga kita bahkan terhadap anggota keluarga yang termuda. Kita ditantang untuk tidak segera mengadili orang-orang yang memiliki pendapat yang berbeda dengan kita, tetapi untuk menemukan kebenaran di dalamnya. St. Thomas Aquinas selalu memasukan argumen dari mereka yang memiliki pandangan yang berlawanan dengannya karena ia percaya bahwa ada benih-benih kebenaran di dalamnya dan juga mereka memperdalam pandangan St. Thomas sendiri. Sudah saatnya bagi kita keluar dari dunia kecil dan soliter dan untuk mencari kebenaran yang lebih luas dan membebaskan.

 Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Yohanes dan Kerinduan Kita akan Kebenaran

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Minggu kedua Adven. 4 Desember 2016. Matius 3: 1-12

 “Pada waktu itu tampillah Yohanes Pembaptis di padang gurun Yudea dan memberitakan: ‘Bertobatlah, sebab Kerajaan Sorga sudah dekat!”

john-the-baptistMengapa banyak orang datang menemui Yohanes Pembaptis dan mendengarkan dia? Saya percaya bahwa orang-orang Yahudi ini lapar akan kebenaran. Mungkin kebenaran ini tidak nyaman dan menyakitkan untuk didengar, tetapi mereka ingin dan perlu mendengarkannya. Mereka bosan mendengarkan pemimpin mereka, seperti orang-orang Farisi dan Saduki, yang tidak jujur dan hidup dalam kemunafikan. Mereka kelelahan oleh banyak kewajiban agama, namun tidak menemukan inspirasi dan contoh yang baik dari pemimpin mereka. Yohanes datang dan mewartakan kebenaran dengan kesederhanaan dan integritas, dan orang Israel tahu bahwa mereka harus mendengarnya.

Dengan segala kemajuan dalam hidup kita, masyarakat kita hampir sama dengan Israel di jaman Yohanes. Kita sedang mengalami rasa lapar untuk kebenaran. Kita menghabiskan bertahun-tahun di sekolah dan kita belajar berbagai jenis pengetahuan dan keterampilan yang diperlukan untuk bertahan hidup dan memenuhi tuntutan masyarakat, tetapi kita gagal untuk menemukan kebenaran yang sejati. Setelah pemilihan presiden di AS, banyak ahli menyesalkan bagaimana media sosial, khususnya internet, telah membuka gerbang besar kebohongan, hoax, dan berita palsu menyesatkan. Di Indonesia, terutama Jakarta, situasinya tidak jauh berbeda. Pemilihan Gubernur Jakarta serta kasus Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, gubernur pentahana yang terlibat dalam penistaan agama, telah melemparkan bangsa ini ke dalam fragmentasi lebih mendalam. Di Filipina, berbagai isu dari perang terhadap narkoba yang telah merenggut ribuan jiwa, sampai isu pemakaman mantan presiden Ferdinand Marcos di taman makam pahlawan, telah membelah bangsa Filipina. Berbagai kelompok telah menyebarluaskan segudang berita dan laporan, dan entah berita itu benar atau tidak, mereka tidak peduli asalkan agenda mereka tercapai. Kita menjadi lebih bingung dan tidak tahu apa yang sebenarnya.

Dalam kekacauan informasi ini, Hossein Derakhshan, seorang peneliti dari MIT, telah meramalkan bahwa masyarakat kita akan menjadi sangat terfragmentasi, didorong oleh emosi, dan terkurung dalam dunia kita yang sempit. Singkatnya, karena kita tidak tahu kebenaran, kita membuat keputusan besar dengan menggunakan perasaan bukan lagi kebenaran. Hal ini mudah dilakukan namun sejatinya menciptakan lebih banyak kebingungan. Namun, jauh di dalam diri kita, kita merindukan kebenaran karena kita diciptakan untuk kebenaran dan memiliki kapasitas untuk mencari kebenaran. Akhirnya, semua ini akan menyebabkan frustasi dan ketidakbahagiaan yang mendalam.

Di tengah ini banjir informasi ini, kita dipanggil untuk menjadi Yohanes Pembaptis, pewarta kebenaran. Namun, sebelum kita memberitakan kebenaran dan melawan gelombang kebohongan, kita harus berakar dalam doa dan pembelajaran. Yohanes menghabiskan waktunya di padang gurun, dan di tempat yang sunyi ini, ia bisa melatih pikiran dan hatinya untuk menemukan kebenaran. Beberapa hari yang lalu, saya menyampaikan ceramah tentang hukuman mati di dalam Alkitab. Beberapa penafsir Alkitab fundamentalis dapat dengan mudah mengangkat beberapa ayat dan membenarkan hukuman mati. Ini adalah jawaban instan, tetapi bukanlah kebenaran. Saya sendiri perlu menghabiskan berjam-jam dalam penelitian dan studi hanya untuk memahami kebenaran bahwa di dalam Kitab Suci, Allah tidak ingin kematian orang-orang berdosa, namun pertobatan mereka.

Adven menjadi waktu yang tepat bagi kita untuk mengikuti jejak St. Yohanes Pembaptis. Kita dipanggil untuk melatih diri kita untuk mendengarkan kebenaran, dan memberitakan hal itu dengan keyakinan karena kita berakar pada doa dan pembelajaran.

Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Our Prayer, True Prayer?

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 30th Sunday in the Ordinary Time. October 23, 2016 [Luke 18:9-14]

 The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you…” (Luk 18:11)

pharisee-n-taxcollectorLast Sunday, Jesus reminded us to pray without getting weary. But, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that there is something more than perseverance in prayer. It has something to do with the way we pray. Not only quantity of prayer, but also the quality of prayer. Yet, how do we know that we have a quality prayer?

Once I stumbled upon a Facebook post, and it said, “Pray not because you need something, but because you got a lot to thank God for.” True enough, everything I have is God’s gift. I am nothing without Him, and it is fitting to thank Him. In fact, the highest form of worship in the Church is the Eucharist. The word Eucharist simply means thanksgiving. I liked the post right away. However, when I read the parable in today’s Gospel, I realized that even the Pharisee did a thanksgiving prayer. In fact, in original Greek, when the Pharisee thanked God, he used the word ‘eucharisto’, the root word of the Eucharist. On the other hand, the tax collector was justified because he was asking mercy and forgiveness. Does it mean prayer of supplication and begging for mercy is better and more effective than the prayer of thanksgiving and other kinds of prayer?

Yet, if we read closely, there are some interesting details in the Parable. The first is that the Pharisee expressed his self-righteousness, paraded his good works, and felt better from the rest of humanity, especially the tax collector. Meanwhile the tax collector did nothing but humble himself, acknowledging that he was a sinner and in need of God’s mercy. Thus, prayer needs a right disposition. Humility is the foundation of prayer. Indeed, repentant David himself said, “My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart. (Psa 51:17)”

 The second detail that we often miss is that the Pharisee was actually praying to himself, not to God (see closely verse 11). True that he mentioned God, but he was talking to himself. He offered prayer to himself not to God. If then prayer is our communication with God, the Pharisee nullified the very meaning of prayer. Perhaps, by mentioning God, he wanted God to be his audience and to listen to the litany of his successes, not really to build a relationship. Certainly, it felt good and edifying, but this was not prayer. What the Pharisee did was not a prayer at all, but a self-praise and self-service.

We may hear the Holy Eucharist every day, recite the Liturgy of the Hours faithfully, and pray the rosary. We may also join the Charismatic prayer meetings or the praise and worship. We may also attend the Latin Traditional Mass, or just simply spend silent prayer or meditation. Yet, from the parable, we may ask ourselves, whether our prayers are a true prayer? Do we pray because we feel great about it? Do we pray because we are proud of our achievements? Do we pray because we are more pious than others? Does our pray make us closer to God or just to ourselves? Is humility the foundation of our prayer? Our prayer should be a quantity and quality prayer. We pray with perseverance and proper disposition. But more than these, our prayer should be a true prayer.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

One Shepherd

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24th Sunday in Ordinary Time. September 11, 2016 [Luke 15:1-10]

“Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep (Luk 15:6).”

parable-lost-sheep-good-shepherdThe parable of the lost sheep subtly speaks of who we are fundamentally to Jesus. We are all His sheep and He is our shepherd. Whether we faithfully remain inside the sheepfold or go astray, we are still His sheep.

From this truth, we may ask ourselves. Why is it that some of us are going astray? Why are some of us no longer going to the Church or not active in the parish? Why are some abandoning the Church? Why do some turn to be our enemies and haters? We might be easily tempted to say that that is their fault. But, we are sheep of the same flock, sharers of the same pasture and have the same Shepherd. In one way or another, we might be responsible for our brothers and sisters who stray.

It is easy to pass the blame on others, but do we ever bother to ask why they fail? We tend to see them as problems to be solved, objects to dissect into logical parts. We no longer see them as our brothers and sisters, our co-sheep in Jesus’ sheepfold. Our brothers are no longer going to Church perhaps because we no longer care to help them. Our sisters are leaving the Church perhaps because we are living like hypocrites.

 The war on drugs in the Philippines has caused more than two thousand lives in just two months. As one national news outlet remarks ‘the bodies continues pilling up’. Indeed, many of them are small-time drug-pushers and addicts, and if we look at them as mere problems and pests to the society, death seems the fastest and easy answer. But, if we have headache, do we cut the head? Do we ever wonder why they fall victims of that deadly narcotics? A Lion share of those who got killed were actually poor people. Do we ever lift a finger to alleviate their poverty? Our ignorance and negligence may have indirectly led them into poverty and misery.

Fr. Gerard Timoner III, OP, our provincial, used to teach an idea of brothers shepherding brothers in the seminary. This means that the responsibility of taking care of our brothers in formation does not only rest only on the formators, but also on every brother. We need to become shepherds to one another, especially when the shepherds seem to stray away. Recently, he met us and shared what he gained from the Dominican General Chapter in Bologna last August. He emphasized that to promote vocation is not only about recruiting new members, but also nurturing and safeguarding the vocation of our own brothers in the Order.

To become a sheep of Christ means that we are also part of a bigger sheepfold. As Jesus takes care of each one of us, so we need to take care of one another. As the Good Shepherd reaches out to the lost sheep, we shall stretch ourselves to meet those who are lost in their journey. Surely, it is difficult, but they are still our brothers and sisters, fellow-sheep of Christ.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Nothing is Impossible

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. January 31, 2016 [Luke 4:21-30]

“Isn’t this the son of Joseph? (Luk 4:22)”

‘Impossible’ is not part of Jesus’ vocabulary. He multiplied the bread and filled the hungry multitude. He walked on water and calmed the storm. He healed the woman with hemorrhage, opened the eyes of Bartimaeus, and expelled the demons. He forgave the adulterous woman and challenged the legalism of the authorities. He raised Lazarus and Himself resurrected. Not even death can limit Him.

Yet, ‘impossible’ and ‘limitation’ seemed to be the mindset of the people of Nazareth. When they saw Jesus came home and proclaimed the Word of God with authority, the Nazarene amazement was short-lived and they turned the tide against Jesus. One might say, ‘That’s impossible! He is Jesus, the son of the poor carpenter Joseph. He is lowly, ordinary, and incapable. Who does he think himself? God?’ Grace was just around the corner, but they closed their hearts, limited their possibilities, and hampered their own growth. Not only they boxed themselves in narrow-mindedness, they also tried to impose their limitations on Jesus. When Jesus refused to be placed under their closed-mindedness, they attempted to get rid of Jesus. Thus, nothing much happened in Nazareth.

Jesus further explained that this refusal to God’s grace had been a perennial problems of Israel. The great prophets Elijah and Elisha could have done mighty deeds for Israel, but they did not because they were rejected by their own people. Now, this mentality of putting limits to oneself does not solely belong to the Israelites. Unconsciously, this attitude may creep into our lives. We may listen to the Word of God every Sunday in the Eucharist, but do we allow the very Word to be fulfilled in our lives? Is Sunday Worship all about feeling-good experience, and yet going home, we act as if nothing happens to us? We are celebrating the Jubilee Year of Mercy, but does it help us being more merciful and compassionate? Sometimes we are like ‘Shoe’, the main character in old comic strip Shoe by Jeff MacNelly. When Shoe is pitching in a baseball game, in the conference in the mound, his catcher says, “You’ve got to have faith in your curve ball.” “It’s easy for him to say,” grumbles Shoe. “When it comes to believing in myself, I am an agnostic.”

A friend of mine did the incredible in her young age. She finished her doctorate at the age of 27 in Japan. What makes her more incredible is she turned down lucrative offers of big companies and volunteered as elementary school teacher in a far-flung area. She is currently serving the people of Nunukan, North Borneo Province, at the border of civilization. Once she texted me and told how difficult it was to teach, especially when people do not really appreciate yet the importance of education. I was speechless, having no word of consolation, but she immediately replied, ‘It is difficult to love.” Her answer made me smile since I know that despite her troublesome situations, she never stops loving. In the Annunciation, archangel Gabriel said to Mary, “For God, there is nothing impossible.” We shall not put limit to God’s grace, to our own growth in faith and to our ability to love. When we believe and open our hearts to God’s grace, the ‘impossible’ things begin to happen in our lives.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno,OP