Tag: Dominican

Dominic, the Light of the Church

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Feast of St. Dominic de Guzman – Founder of Order of Preachers

August 8, 2019

dominic 3Today, we are celebrating the feast of St. Dominic de Guzman. St. Dominic was born around 1170 in Caleruega, Old Castile, Spain. As a saint, he was not that famous as his counterpart, St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps because he did not write any book or writings that would echo his spirituality. Maybe this is the reason why we do not have a solid and systematic understanding of Dominican Spirituality.

By tradition, St. Dominic is called as the light of the Church. And why? St. Dominic was living in the time where the Church was facing enemies from without and conflicts from within. The Heretics, especially the Albigentians, were attacking the Church restlessly, and the Church was weakened by her dogmatically unprepared and timid priests. Many Catholics were confused, and nobody was defending the true faith to them. It was a dark period for the Church.

Dominic, who loved his Church deeply responded to the call of his time and offered his life to enlighten souls living in the dark and to bring back to the lost sheep to the Church’s fold. Yet, to achieve that end, he had to be in deep relationship with Jesus, the true Light of the World. Thus, his life of prayers and mortification were extraordinary. Rather than to take rest, he spent a night in vigil, refused to take good food, and slept on the floor. Dominic also understood that to explain faith, he must both study and live by the Gospel. He became poor, just like Jesus was poor for the sake of the Kingdom. Dominic became preacher, just like Jesus was preacher par excellence. Dominic offered himself as a “lantern,” a weak instrument yet brings light that both shines brightly and illumines clearly in the dark. He is the light of the Church because he bore the Light of the World.

The Dominicans always have an intimate bond with Mary, the Mother of God. One of the reasons why we are close to her is that we participate in her mission also to bear the Truth and to reflect the same Light. The song of Mary that Luke recorded is traditionally called the Magnificat [Luk 1:46ff]. The title is from the first Latin word that appears in the canticle, “Magnificat anima mea Dominum.” The original Greek is “μεγαλύνω” [megaluno], to make great. The idea is like the magnifying glass that intensifies the light and the heat of the sun, and thus, emits powerful energy. Mary is not the source of the light, and she is the receiver. Yet, Mary does not passively reflect the light, but she actively magnifies it. Through Mary, the light of Christ becomes more intense, powerful, and penetrating.

Following the footsteps of Dominic and our Lady, we are also called to bear the Light of Christ and to magnify it. In the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, “Better to illuminate than merely to shine… [S.T. II.II. 188].”

                Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Dominikus, Sang Cahaya Gereja

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Pesta St. Dominikus de Guzman – Pendiri Ordo Pewarta

8 Agustus 2019

Stampita Front Dominikus(1)Hari ini, kita merayakan pesta St. Dominikus de Guzman. St. Dominikus dilahirkan sekitar tahun 1170 di Caleruega, Kastilia, Spanyol. Sebagai seorang kudus, ia tidak setenar rekannya, Santo Fransiskus dari Assisi, mungkin karena ia tidak menulis buku atau meninggalkan tulisan apa pun yang akan menggemakan spiritualitasnya. Mungkin inilah alasan mengapa kita tidak memiliki pemahaman yang solid dan sistematis tentang Spiritualitas Dominikan.

Menurut tradisi, St. Dominikus disebut sebagai cahaya Gereja. Dan mengapa? St. Dominikus hidup di zaman ketika Gereja menghadapi musuh dari luar dan konflik dari dalam. Kaum Bidaah, khususnya kaum Albigentian, menyerang Gereja tanpa henti, dan Gereja dilemahkan oleh para imam tidak siap secara intelektual maupun secara mental. Banyak orang Katolik yang bingung, dan tidak ada yang menerangkan iman yang benar kepada mereka. Itu adalah masa yang gelap bagi Gereja.

Dominikus, yang sangat mencintai Gereja-Nya, menanggapi panggilan zamannya dan memberikan hidupnya bagi pencerahan jiwa-jiwa yang hidup dalam kegelapan dan untuk membawa kembali kepada domba-domba yang hilang ke kandang Gereja. Namun, untuk mencapai tujuan itu, ia harus berada dalam hubungan yang mendalam dengan Yesus, Sang Terang Dunia yang sejati. Karena itu, kehidupan doanya dan mati raganya sangat luar biasa. Alih-alih beristirahat, ia menghabiskan malam dalam vigili, menolak untuk makan makanan enak, dan tidur di lantai. Dominikus juga mengerti bahwa untuk menjelaskan iman, ia harus belajar dengan tekun dan menghidupi Injil. Ia menjadi miskin, sama seperti Yesus miskin demi Kerajaan Allah. Dominikus menjadi pengkhotbah, sama seperti Yesus adalah pengkhotbah sejati. Dominikus mempersembahkan dirinya sebagai “lentera,” sebuah instrumen yang lemah namun membawa cahaya yang bersinar terang dan menerangi dengan jelas dalam gelap. Dia adalah cahaya bagi Gereja karena dia membawa dalam dirinya Sang Terang Dunia.

Para putra-putri St. Dominikus selalu memiliki ikatan mendalam dengan Maria, Bunda Allah. Salah satu alasan mengapa kita dekat dengannya adalah karena kita berpartisipasi dalam misinya yang juga membawa Terang Kebenaran dan merefleksikan Cahaya yang sejati. Nyanyian Maria yang ditulis dalam Injil Lukas secara tradisional disebut sebagai Magnificat [Luk 1:46]. Judul ini berasal dari kata Latin pertama yang muncul di kidung tersebut, “Magnificat anima mea Dominum.” Bahasa Yunani aslinya adalah “μεγαλύνω” [megaluno], secara harafiah berarti membuat menjadi besar. Idenya seperti kaca pembesar yang mengintensifkan cahaya dan panas matahari, dan dengan demikian, memancarkan energi yang kuat dan dapat membakar. Maria bukanlah sumber cahaya, tetapi sang penerima. Namun, Maria tidak secara pasif merefleksikan cahaya, tetapi dia secara aktif mengumpulkannya dan menjadikan lebih terfokus. Melalui Maria, terang Kristus menjadi lebih kuat, bertenaga dan berdaya guna.

Mengikuti jejak Dominikus dan Bunda Maria, kita juga dipanggil untuk membawa Terang Kristus dan membagikan-Nya di dalam bentuk yang lebih dahsyat dan penuh daya. Dalam kata-kata St Thomas Aquinas, “Lebih baik untuk menerangi daripada hanya untuk bersinar … [S.T. II. II. 188]. “

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Resurrection and the Dominican Spirituality

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(Easter special)

 Easter Sunday. April 16, 2017 [John 20:1-10]

“On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb (Joh 20:1).”

 

women at the tombIf we read the Resurrection narrative in the four Gospels, we will discover that each Evangelist has his own distinct story. Yet, there are some common features in the Resurrection episode: the empty tomb, the presence of women, the appearance of angel followed by the risen Christ, and the women announcing the Good News to the other disciples. Let us focus on one particular feature that we usually miss. The first witnesses of the resurrection were not men, but women. Where were the male disciples? Where were those men who promised to sacrifice their lives for Jesus? They were in hiding. They were afraid. They were scattered.

When Jesus was betrayed and arrested, the male disciples ran for their lives, but the women faithfully followed Jesus. They were there at the foot of the cross. They witnessed Jesus’ death. They brought Him to the tomb. They returned to the tomb to give him proper burial rites at the first day of the week. Because of their fidelity, they were honored to be the first witnesses of the Resurrection. Not only witnesses, they were the first preachers of Resurrection.

This particular feature is an essential part of the Dominican spirituality. One of the patrons of the Order of Preachers is St. Mary Magdalene, and she was chosen because we honor her as the apostle to the apostles, the preacher to the preachers. By making her our patroness, we acknowledge that the task of preaching is not exclusively limited to the members of the clergy, but to lay men and women as well. The first convent St. Dominic established was in Prouille, France, and this was a convent for religious women. For us, Preaching is a family effort, all brothers and sisters take part and contribute in the mission of naming grace.

While it remains true that only the Dominican priests can give the homily in the Mass, it does not mean that non-clerical brothers and sister can not preach. We, the brothers in formation in Manila, are involved in facilitating retreats and recollections, producing video catechesis in the social media, and are coming up with the “Joyful Friars”, a preaching band group. Our sisters are involved in the teaching ministry. Some of them, like Mary Catherine Hilkert and Helen Alford are in fact professors in great universities in the US and Europe. Our lay Dominicans serve as lay preachers or campus ministers. Yet most importantly, they preach to their children and educate them to be mature and committed Christians.

Further more, for the Dominicans, preaching is not limited to verbal communication, but also takes flesh in various forms, depending on the needs of the people. Fr. Mike Deeb, OP is currently a permanent delegate of the Order to the United States in Geneva. He challenges countries that neglect various issues of injustice like human trafficking, violence, human rights abuses, and many more. James MacMillan is a lay Dominican and a renowned composer from Scotland. He composed mass songs when Benedict XVI visited the UK in 2010. Sr. Katarina Pajchel, OP is both a religious sister and a physicist. She is involved in ATLAS project, a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. These names are just few of many Dominicans who preach in their own right.

At the core of Dominican spirituality is the belief that each of us is called to witness to His Resurrection and to bring this Good News. Even better the news is that this spirituality is not only for the Dominicans. Every man and woman, clergy or lay, a Dominican or not, are called to this mission. We are to preach the Resurrection in our unique way. We are called to preach as a redeemed people, a family of God.

Blessed Easter!

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Kebangkitan dan Spiritualitas Dominikan

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(Edisi Khusus Paskah)

Minggu Paskah. 16 April 2017 [Yohanes 20:1-10}

“Pada hari pertama minggu itu, pagi-pagi benar ketika hari masih gelap, pergilah Maria Magdalena ke kubur itu dan ia melihat bahwa batu telah diambil dari kubur (Joh 20:1).”

women at the tomb 2Jika kita membaca narasi Kebangkitan di keempat Injil, kita akan menemukan bahwa setiap Penginjil memiliki cerita unik tersendiri. Namun, walaupun berbeda, ada beberapa hal-hal serupa di dalam narasi Kebangkitan, seperti kubur yang kosong, kehadiran para wanita, hadirnya malaikat diikuti oleh Yesus yang bangkit, dan para wanita mewartakan Kabar Baik bagi murid-murid lainnya. Mari kita fokus pada satu fitur yang biasanya luput dari perhatian kita. Saksi pertama dari kebangkitan bukanlah seorang laki-laki, tapi para perempuan. Pertanyaanya sekarang: Di mana para murid laki-laki? Di mana para pria yang berjanji untuk mengorbankan nyawa mereka demi Yesus? Jawabannya: Mereka bersembunyi, lari dan ketakutan.

Saat Yesus dikhianati dan ditangkap, para murid laki-laki menyelamatkan diri, tetapi para murid perempuan setia mengikuti jalan salib Yesus. Mereka berada di sekitar Yesus yang tersalib. Mereka menyaksikan kematian-Nya. Mereka membawa-Nya ke kubur. Mereka kembali ke kubur untuk memberi-Nya ritus penguburan yang layak. Karena kesetiaan mereka, mereka menerima kehormatan menjadi saksi-saksi pertama kebangkitan-Nya. Tidak hanya saksi, mereka adalah para pewarta pertama kebangkitan-Nya.

Fitur ini menjadi bagian penting dari spiritualitas Dominikan. Salah satu orang kudus pelindung dari Ordo Pengkhotbah adalah St. Maria Magdalena, dan dia dipilih karena kita menghormatinya sebagai pewarta pertama kebangkitan Yesus, seorang rasul kepada para rasul, seorang pewarta kepada para pewarta. Dengan menjadikannya sebagai santa pelindung Ordo, kita mengakui bahwa tugas pewartaan tidak hanya terbatas pada kaum tertahbis, tapi ini adalah misi milik semua, baik pria maupun wanita, baik kaum tertahbis maupun orang awam. Biara pertama yang St. Dominikus didirikan berada di Prouille, Perancis, dan ini adalah sebuah biara bagi wanita. Bagi kita, pewartaan merupakan usaha keluarga. Semua saudara-saudari mengambil bagian dan berkontribusi dalam misi pewartaan yang adalah mengartikulasikan rahmat di antara kita.

Sementara hanya para imam Dominikan yang dapat memberikan homili dalam Misa, ini tidak berarti bahwa para bruder, suster, frater maupun awam tidak bisa mewartakan. Kami, para frater di formasi di Manila, aktif terlibat dalam memberi retret dan rekoleksi, memproduksi video katekese di media sosial, dan memiliki kelompok band untuk lagu-lagu rohani. Para susters kami adalah pengajar-pengajar unggul. Beberapa dari mereka Sr. Mary Catherine Hilkert, OP dan Sr. Helen Alford, OP adalah profesor di universitas-universitas besar di Amerika Serikat dan Eropa. Banyak juga Dominikan awam yang menjadi pewarta awam, aktif di pelayanan katekesis Gereja dan kampus ministri. Namun yang paling penting, mereka menjadi pewarta kepada anak-anak mereka dan mendidik mereka untuk menjadi seorang Katolik yang dewasa dan berkomitmen.

Namun, bagi Dominikan, pewartaan tidak terbatas dalam pelayanan Firman, tetapi juga mengambil berbagai bentuk, tergantung pada kebutuhan umat Allah. Rm. Mike Deeb, OP adalah delegasi permanen Ordo bagi PBB di Genewa. Dengan posisinya, dia mengingatkan perwakilan negara-negara yang teruskan mengabaikan berbagai isu keadilan seperti perdagangan manusia, kekerasan, pelanggaran hak asasi manusia, dan banyak lagi. James MacMillan adalah seorang Dominikan awam dan komposer terkenal dari Skotlandia. Dia mengarang lagu-lagu misa ketika Paus Benediktus XVI mengunjungi Inggris pada tahun 2010. Sr. Katarina Pajchel, OP adalah seorang suster dan juga fisikawan. Dia terlibat dalam projek ATLAS, percobaan fisika partikel di Large Hadron Collider. Ini hanya beberapa nama Dominikan yang menjadi pewarta dengan cara unik mereka sendiri, tentunya masih banyak lagi.

Inti dari spiritualitas Dominikan adalah keyakinan bahwa kita masing-masing dipanggil untuk menyaksikan Kebangkitan-Nya dan untuk membawa Kabar Baik ini ke semua orang. Kabar yang lebih baiknya adalah anda tidak perlu menjadi anggota keluarga Dominikan untuk menjadi pewarta kebangkitan. Kita semua, baik kaum tertahbis maupun awam, baik lelaki maupun perempuan, Dominikan ataupun bukan memiliki misi yang sama, dan bersama-sama kita mewujudkan misi ini sebagai satu keluarga Allah.

Selamat Paskah!

 

Frater Valetinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Star

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The Epiphany of the Lord. January 8, 2017 [Matthew 2:1-12]

 “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage (Mat 2:2).”

three-kings-epiphany

Today we are celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek word ‘epiphananie’, meaning ‘appearance’.  Therefore, today is also known as the feast of the manifestation of the Lord. This celebration is considered to be one of the oldest and most important because the Baby God invited not only the Jews but also the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, to visit and finally worship Him. In His earliest appearance, Jesus brought light to all the nations.

One little question may linger: why did the Magi from the East follow the star? Their journey was based on an ancient belief that the birth of a great king was signified by the appearance of a new star in the sky. Yet, we are never sure what ‘star’ the Magi actually saw. Was it a comet, a supernova, an unusual constellation, a planet, or a supernatural light? One thing we are sure of, this star possessed the greatest importance, that Gaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior abandoned the comfort of their homeland, traveled thousand miles westward and faced all the dangers and uncertainties.

 Now if we look at the night sky, we may observe hundreds and hundreds of stars. Then, we may ask what makes this star of Jesus different from the rest of the lights? These Magi were expert in astronomy or studies of celestial bodies, and they were able to distinguish the star as the one that would bring them to the newborn King. This star does not simply shine just like the rest, but it also illuminates and guides. Like the seasoned fishermen, before the discovery of GPS, they would depend their lives on the light of the stars, and among billion stars on the clear sky, they recognize that only a few truly point them the true directions.

We are all called to be a star. But the temptation is that we simply shine and attract others to ourselves. We fail to recognize that the light that God has given us is to illuminate and guide others to Jesus. When St. Thomas Aquinas was asked what makes his Order more prominent than other congregations, he answered that just like it is better to illuminate than to shine, so it is better to share one’s fruits of contemplate than just merely to contemplate. Of course, the Benedictines will disagree! One of the major features in the image of St. Dominic is the star at his forehead. Certainly, this is a symbol of guidance and direction for anyone who seeks God. No wonder if St. Dominic is less famous than other Dominican saints like St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena or St. Martin de Porres, it is because until the end of his life, like a guiding star, his life always pointed to God.

To have the light is not enough. We may become stars that merely shine brightly. We turn to be a campus star, company star, parish star or even star preacher. Certainly, to receive a lot of attention from many people gives pleasure and sense of fulfillment, but that is not the true purpose of our light. Epiphany is the appearance of the Lord, but who among us have tried to cover Him with our dazzling lights? How many people have we led to Jesus? Yet, it is not too late. Epiphany is a time for us to realign with the real objective of our light: not to merely shine, but to illuminate.

 Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Bintang

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Hari Raya Penampakan Tuhan. 8 Januari 2017 [Matius 2:1-12]

“Kami telah melihat bintang-Nya di Timur dan kami datang untuk menyembah Dia (Mat 2:2).”

graphics-epiphanyHari ini kita merayakan Hari Raya Epifani Tuhan. Kata Epifani berasal dari kata Yunani ‘epiphananie’, yang berarti ‘penampakan’. Oleh karena itu, tidak salah jika hari ini juga dikenal sebagai Hari Raya Penampakan Tuhan. Perayaan ini dianggap salah satu yang tertua dan paling penting karena Bayi Allah mengundang tidak hanya orang-orang Yahudi, tetapi juga bangsa-bangsa lain, diwakili oleh orang-orang Majus, untuk mengunjungi dan akhirnya menyembah Dia. Di awal hidup-Nya, Yesus memperlihatkan sendiri sebagai Raja segala bangsa.

Satu pertanyaan kecil mungkin belum terjawab: mengapa orang-orang Majus dari Timur mengikuti sang bintang? Perjalanan mereka didasarkan pada kepercayaan kuno bahwa kelahiran seorang raja besar ditandai dengan penampilan bintang baru di langit. Namun, kita tidak pernah yakin ‘bintang’ seperti apa yang benar-benar dilihat orang Majus. Apakah itu sebuah komet, supernova, konstelasi tidak biasa, planet, atau cahaya supranatural? Satu hal yang kita yakin. Bintang ini memiliki arti sangat penting sehingga Gaspar, Balthazar dan Melchior berani meninggalkan kenyamanan di tanah air mereka, berjalan ribuan mil dan menghadapi semua bahaya dan ketidakpastian.

Sekarang jika kita melihat langit malam, kita dapat mengamati jutaan bintang. Kemudian, kita mungkin bertanya apa yang membuat bintang Yesus ini berbeda dari cahaya-cahaya yang lain? Orang Majus adalah ahli dalam bidang astronomi, atau ilmu tentang objek langit, dan mereka mampu untuk membedakan bintang mana yang akan membawa mereka ke Raja yang baru lahir. Bintang ini tidak hanya bersinar seperti yang lainnya, tetapi juga menerangi dan memberi panduan. Seperti nelayan yang berpengalaman, sebelum adanya GPS, mereka akan menggantungkan hidup mereka pada cahaya bintang-bintang, dan di antara miliaran bintang di langit, hanya sedikit yang benar-benar menunjukkan mereka arah yang benar dan membawa mereka kembali ke pelabuhan.

Kita semua dipanggil untuk menjadi bintang. Tapi godaan adalah kita sekedar bersinar dan menarik orang lain pada diri kita sendiri. Kita gagal untuk mengenali bahwa cahaya yang Allah telah berikan kepada kita adalah untuk menerangi dan membimbing orang lain kepada Yesus. Ketika St. Thomas Aquinas ditanya apa yang membuat Ordonya lebih menonjol dari Kongregasi lainnya, ia menjawab bahwa seperti halnya lebih baik untuk menerangi daripada sekedar bersinar, jadi lebih baik untuk berbagi buah kontemplasi daripada hanya sekedar berkontemplasi. Tentu saja, para Benediktin tidak akan setuju! Salah satu fitur utama dalam patung St. Dominikus adalah bintang di dahinya. Tentu saja, ini adalah simbol dari bimbingan dan arahan bagi siapa saja yang mencari Allah. Tak heran jika St. Dominikus kurang terkenal dibandingkan Dominikan lain seperti St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Katarina dari Siena atau St. Martin de Porres, karena sampai akhir hidupnya, seperti bintang yang membimbing, hidupnya selalu menunjuk kepada Allah.

Untuk memiliki cahaya tidaklah cukup. Kita mungkin menjadi bintang yang hanya bersinar terang. Kita beralih menjadi bintang kampus, bintang perusahaan, bintang paroki atau bahkan pengkhotbah bintang. Tentu saja, untuk menerima banyak perhatian dari banyak orang memberikan kepuasan, tapi ini bukan tujuan sebenarnya dari cahaya kita. Epifani adalah penampakan dari Tuhan, tapi siapa di antara kita telah mencoba untuk menutupi-Nya dengan cahaya kita yang menyilaukan? Berapa banyak dari kita yang membawa orang lain kepada Yesus? Namun, ini belum terlambat. Epifani adalah waktu bagi kita untuk menyelaraskan kembali dengan tujuan sejati dari cahaya kita: tidak hanya bersinar, tapi untuk menerangi.

Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Real New Year

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Solemnity of Mary Mother of God. January 1, 2017 [Luke 2:16-21]

“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart (Luk 2:19).”

mary-mother-of-godToday, the world is celebrating its new beginning. Many of us are going to the parties, watching fireworks, and dancing and singing. Surely, nothing is wrong with those. Yet, today, the Church decides to go against the tide and celebrates something else, or someone else: Mary the Mother of God. To make it worse, today is a holiday of obligation, meaning we need to go to the mass whether we like or not.  I remember attending the Eucharistic mass on January 1 in my own parish, and the priest never dropped a single greetings of a Happy New Year to the congregation. What a kill-joy!

We may ask, “Why do we still need to celebrate this solemnity at the beginning of the year?”  Firstly, it is just fitting to remember Mary as the mother of Jesus within the context of Christmas. Thus, exactly a week after the birth of Christ, we honor the woman who has offered her womb, her body and her whole life to God. Secondly, we are reminded that the true beginning is not only something marked in our calendar, or with outward celebrations. The real beginning takes place inside minds and hearts. Like in the process of pregnancy and birthing, initially, the change is not obvious. It happens inside the silent womb, and it takes some time before the embryo grows bigger and makes its presence felt. The process is difficult, hard to understand, and oftentimes painful. Yet, within that womb is a life that carries with it a future, unpredicted, yet exciting and hopeful.

When the Angel Gabriel announced the News to Mary, she was troubled and confused. But, she was certain that her life was in great danger. Unlike some modern societies wherein unmarried women who get pregnant are just normal, the ancient Jewish community was ready to punish such women. Mary was with a child practically outside of marriage, and she had to bear with all the consequences, There could be a great shame to her family, her future husband, Joseph, and herself. The baby might be called a bastard son for his entire life. And finally, she with her baby could be stoned to death. Yet, her faith in God was greater than her fear. She courageously carried in her womb, the little baby that would be the future of the world.

Ten years ago, in 2006, the Dominican mission in Indonesia began in utter simplicity. We were only two Indonesian priests, Frs. Adrian and Robini, and a Filipino counterpart, Fr. Terry and a lay missionary, Ms. Jemely. We had practically nothing. No institution, no house, no money. We even stayed at a little and simple quarter inside a Diocesan seminary in Borneo. We had to work hard just to support our daily lives and we relied on the generosity of many people. Nobody among us was sure what future will bring, but we had faith in God. Now, after 10 years, we have grown significantly. We have two stable houses in Pontianak and Surabaya. Now we are ministering to the multitude of people through various apostolates. Of course, young and talented people come and join our way of life.

Mary teaches us to have faith in God because for Him, nothing is impossible. The future may be uncertain, frightening and dark, but ‘… the One who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).’ This is the spirit of the true New Year, the soul of real change, the faith that animates us to move forward.

Bro. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Tahun Baru yang Sesungguhnya

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Hari Raya Maria Bunda Allah. 1 Januari 2017. Lukas 2: 16-21

“Tetapi Maria menyimpan segala perkara itu di dalam hatinya dan merenungkanny (Luk 2:19).”

happy-new-year-2017Hari ini, dunia merayakan tahun baru. Dan, banyak dari kita merayakannya dengan berpesta, menonton kembang api, menari dan menyanyi. Namun, hari ini, Gereja memutuskan untuk melawan arus dan merayakan sesuatu yang berbeda, Maria Bunda Allah. Apalagi, hari ini telah ditetapkan sebagai hari raya kewajiban yang berarti kita harus pergi ke gereja suka atau tidak. Saya ingat menghadiri Ekaristi pada 1 Januari di paroki saya di Bandung, dan sang imam tidak pernah sekalipun memberi ucapan Selamat Tahun Baru kepada jemaat sampai misa selesai!

Kita mungkin bertanya, “Mengapa kita harus masih merayakan Bunda Allah pada awal tahun?” Pertama, mengingat Maria sebagai ibu Yesus dalam konteks Natal adalah sesuatu yang tepat secara theologis dan liturgis. Jadi, tepat seminggu setelah kelahiran Kristus, kita menghormati wanita yang telah mempersembahkan rahimnya, tubuhnya dan seluruh hidupnya kepada Tuhan. Kedua, kita diingatkan bahwa awal yang benar tidak hanya sesuatu yang ditandai di dalam kalender kita, atau dengan perayaan-perayaan besar penuh kesenangan. Awal yang sejati terjadi di dalam diri kita. Seperti dalam proses kehamilan dan melahirkan, pada mulanya, perubahan ini tidak begitu jelas. Hal ini terjadi di dalam rahim, dan dibutuhkan beberapa waktu sebelum embrio tumbuh lebih besar dan membuat kehadirannya terasa. Proses ini sulit, tidak mudah untuk dipahami, dan kadang-kadang menyakitkan. Namun, di dalam rahim ini ada hidup yang membawa masa depan, yang belum begitu jelas, namun menarik dan penuh harapan.

Ketika Malaikat Gabriel memberitakan kepada Maria, dia menjadi bingung dan takut.  Maria tahu jika ia berkata ya, hidupnya aka ada dalam bahaya besar. Tidak seperti beberapa masyarakat modern dimana perempuan yang belum menikah dan hamil adalah sesuatu yang lumrah, komunitas Yahudi kuno siap untuk menghukum pelanggaran ini. Maria mengandung praktis di luar nikah, dan dia harus menanggung semua konsekuensinya. Ia akan membawa aib untuk keluarganya, tunangannya, Joseph, dan dirinya sendiri. Bayinya mungkin akan disebut anak haram. Dan akhirnya, dia dan bayinya bisa dirajam sampai mati. Namun, imannya kepada Allah lebih besar dari ketakutannya. Diapun berani menerima dalam rahimnya, bayi kecil yang akan menjadi masa depan dunia.

Pada tahun 2006, misi Dominikan di Indonesia dimulai dalam kesederhanaan. Kami hanya terdiri dari dua imam, Pastor Adrian dan Robini, dan rekan Filipina, Rm. Terry dan seorang misionaris awam, Ms. Jemely. Praktis kami tidak memiliki apa-apa. Tidak ada institusi, tidak ada rumah, tidak ada uang. Kami bahkan tinggal di rumah kecil dan sederhana di dalam seminari keuskupan di Kalimantan. Kami harus bekerja keras hanya untuk mendukung kehidupan kami sehari-hari dan kami bergantung pada kemurahan hati banyak orang. Tak seorang pun di antara kami yakin apa yang masa depan akan bawa kepada kami. Tetapi, kami terus beriman kepada Allah. Sekarang, setelah 10 tahun, kami telah tumbuh secara signifikan. Kami memiliki dua rumah yang stabil di Pontianak dan Surabaya. Sekarang kita melayani banyak orang melalui berbagai karya kerasulan. Tentu saja, orang-orang muda dan berbakat datang dan bergabung dengan kami.

Maria mengajarkan kita untuk memiliki iman kepada Allah karena bagi-Nya, tidak ada yang mustahil. Masa depan mungkin tidak pasti, menakutkan dan gelap, tetapi “bahwa Dia yang memulai pekerjaan yang baik di antara kamu akan terus melengkapinya sampai hari Kristus Yesus (Fil 1:6).” Ini adalah semangat Tahun Baru yang benar, sebuah jiwa dari perubahan nyata, sebuah iman yang menjiwai kita untuk bergerak maju.

Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Dialogue of Truth

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Sunday of Advent. December 11, 2016 [Matthew 11:2-11]

 “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? (Mat 11:3)”

dialogue The truth is born out of a conversation. Genuine conversation is coming from our ability to listen. And listening to one another is not easy because it presupposes great humility. The turning point of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers, was inside the pub. He had an overnight conversation with the innkeeper, an Albigensian whose religion denied the goodness of creation. This long yet open dialogue did not only bring the innkeeper back to the Catholic faith, but also led Dominic to discover his mission in life. This encounter revealed the truth both for the innkeeper and Dominic.

Unfortunately, not everyone is trained to listen. Not everybody is humble enough to open their minds and heart to vast possibilities the truth offers. Not many have the endurance and perseverance to involve in long and tedious dialogue. We rather shut out ears and minds. We prefer to stay in our comfortable yet small world. Then, we are suspicious of those who are different from us. We even become violent towards those who initiate the conversation of truth with us.

Last week, we listened to John who preached the truth and invited people to conversion. Today, we discover that John was already in jail. He was imprisoned apparently because some people did not like to listen to what John said. These people did not want to be disturbed by the truth, and thus, they decided to silence John. I guess that situation is just not much different nowadays. Those who are able to listen and converse, simply come up with instant yet deadly solutions. Those who try to begin a dialogue of truth in social media immediately fall victims into online buzzing and bullying. In more serious situations, people involved in crimes and corruptions try to bribe, threaten or even kill those who begin to speak the truth. Pierre Claverie, OP, bishop of Oran in Algeria, dedicated his life in dialogue with his Muslim brothers and sisters, yet eventually he was murdered by the terrorists who hated his effort in building peace and harmony in Algeria.

In a dialogue of truth, we need to learn from John. In the prison, he was in doubt because Jesus was not behaving like the expected Messiah. Perhaps like other Jews, John also expected a Messiah who was a military and political leader, or perhaps he wanted a Messiah that dealt severely with sinners and outlaws. Jesus simply did not meet his standards. Yet, instead shutting down the possibilities and dealing with his own problems, he opened the conversation with Jesus through his disciples. Jesus graciously answered him by giving some concrete evident of His identity as the Messiah. Jesus also unlocked the new paradigm that helped John unearthed a more profound truth. The truth that set John free from his self-imprisonment.

The season of Advent invites us to this dialogue of truth. We are invited to be more listening to our family members even to the youngest member. We are challenged not to immediately condemn those people who have a different opinion with us but to find the truth in them. St. Thomas Aquinas always included the arguments of those who had opposing views because he believed that there were grains of truth in them as well as they sharpened his own position. It is time for us go out from our small and solitary world and to seek the vast and spacious truth. The Truth that liberates us.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Our God: the God of the Living

On By bayuopIn English, Ordinary Time 2016Leave a comment

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. November 6, 2016 [Luke 20:27-38]

 “He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luk 20:38)

resurrection-of-deadThe month of November is dedicated to honor all the saints in heaven as well as to pray for the souls in the purgatory. It begins with the celebration of All Saints’ Day on November 1 and the commemoration of the All Souls Day on November 2. We, the Dominicans, celebrate the all Dominican Saints on November 7 and pray for the souls of our Dominican family on November 8. This Church’s celebration traces its origin to Pope Boniface IV in the 7th century, yet its roots go deeper into Jesus Christ Himself.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus affirmed the truth of the resurrection of the dead. This truth presupposes that life is not ended in death but transformed. There is hope after this earthly sojourn. The probable context behind this verse is that of Jesus’ critique of the Sadducees’ unbelief as well as the pagan belief of the realm of the dead. During those times, ancient civilizations worshiped the gods of death more than other gods because they feared the power of death that could destroy life and bring human existence to nothing. The Greeks had Hades, the Romans worshiped Pluto and the Egyptians honored Osiris. Yet, Jesus revealed fundamentally a different truth: Our God is not God of the dead, but God of the living. He still gives us life despite our physical death. This means that we are not mere afterlife disposable garbage or useless souls wandering on earth. We are loved even if we are no longer here on earth. Thus when Jesus commanded us to love one another, this love is not only for our Christian fellows who are still alive, but also for our brothers and sisters who have gone ahead of us.

In ancient Roman tradition, the cemetery was located far away from the cities. These were called necropolis, literally the city of the dead, because the dead had nothing to do anymore with the living. Yet, early Christians opted to do their liturgy inside the catacomb, the underground cemetery. True, it was a hiding place from the Roman authority who persecuted the early Christians, but it was also reflected their faith that they were actually praying for and with the dead brothers and sisters. In many churches, the burial ground was within the same complex. Even in our place in Manila, the burial place of the departed Dominican brothers and priests is just beside our seminary. Their permanent rest place is just a few meters away from our temporary rest place! This proximity reminds us of the bond of brotherhood and love among us. We are reminded to pray for them and to imitate them who were faithful until death. We are reminded, too, that they also pray for us from heaven.

Following the teaching of Jesus, the Church believes that those who are no longer with us, are still part of the Church. Those in heaven are members of the Church triumphant; those in purgatory belong to the Church suffering, and we here on earth are part of the Church militant. Yet, all are one of the same Church, profess the same faith, and worship the same God. Since all are members of the body of Christ, we are united closely in Christ and His love. Thus, it is proper for us to manifest our love for our departed brothers and sister through our prayers and they help us in prayer and intercessions.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP