Tag: Eucharist

Body Given in Love

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Solemnity of Corpus Christi

June 22, 2025

Luke 9:11b-17

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi celebrates the Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Mass. Since it is a celebration of the Eucharist, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi is intrinsically linked to Maundy Thursday, when Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper. If Corpus Christi is fundamentally connected to Maundy Thursday, then it is also tied to the entire Easter Triduum. Jesus’ real presence is not only associated with the Last Supper but also with His Cross and Resurrection. But, how are Corpus Christi related to the Cross and Resurrection?

Jesus’ Body and Blood are, in essence, the sacrifice of the Cross (Jn 1:29; Eph 5:2). In the Old Testament, offering sacrifices was the divinely ordained way of worship. The Book of Leviticus describes various types of sacrifices, such as the burnt offering (holocaust), the sin offering, and the peace offering (communion sacrifice) (Lev 1–5). Jesus perfectly fulfills all these Old Testament sacrifices. He surrendered Himself completely on the Cross as the perfect holocaust (Heb 10:5-10). He died to save us from our sins, just as a sin offering does (2 Cor 5:21). Moreover, His Body and Blood are received by His people, much like the communion sacrifice—a type of offering that was partly given to God, partly consumed by the priest, and partly shared by the worshippers, symbolizing communion between God and His people (Eph 2:14-16).

However, Corpus Christi is also connected to His Resurrection. The Body and Blood of Christ that we receive in the Eucharist are not merely ordinary flesh but the glorified and resurrected Body of Christ. Ordinary human bodies are weak, limited, and subject to decay after death. Yet, Jesus’ resurrected body is full of grace and life-giving power—a body that transcends time and space, moves between heaven and earth, and can transform its appearance into bread and wine. This is why, in John 6:54-55, Jesus confidently declares: “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.”

The Feast of Corpus Christi reveals that Jesus, the Son of the living God, gave up everything—His life, His divinity, and His humanity—for us as the ultimate sign of His radical love. Yet Corpus Christi does not end with the Eucharist. As we carry Jesus in our lives, we are also called to share our bodies with one another in love. In fact, as human beings, the greatest expression of love is through our bodies. Married couples give themselves to each other until death separates them. Parents sacrifice their bodies for their children so they may live and grow. Religious men and women dedicate their bodies to the Church and the people of God. Just as Jesus said, “This is my body which is given for you,” we also do the same, “This is my body which is given in love!”

The Eucharist is truly central to our lives—not only because it provides perfect and acceptable worship to the Father, but also because it grants us the grace to share our bodies with others. Only by sharing our humanity in love do we find true happiness, and this is made possible through the grace we receive in the Eucharist.

Rome

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Guide Questions:

What are our understanding about the Eucharist? How often do we participate in the Eucharist and receive the Body and Blood of Christ? How do we express our reverence and love when we receive the Eucharist? How do we use our bodies to love?

Eucharist and Sacrifice of the Cross

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31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

November 3, 2024

Hebrews 7:23-28

Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we worship God by offering Him the perfect sacrifice. This sacrifice is Jesus Christ, who is truly present in the Eucharist. However, when we read the Letter to the Hebrews, its author writes that Jesus offered Himself on the cross “once and for all” (see Heb 7:27). So, why do we “sacrifice” or even “crucify” Jesus again in the Eucharist? Does this mean we misunderstand our worship?

Firstly, we need to understand the context of the Letter to the Hebrews. The author recognized that in order to worship God, a high priest must offer a sacrifice. Then, the author compares the Israelite high priest from the tribe of Levi with Jesus as the high priest. The Levitical high priest was an ordinary human and, therefore, a sinner. As such, he had to offer sacrifices repeatedly because he continued to fall into sin. Meanwhile, Jesus is truly divine and truly human, without any sin, yet sharing in our human struggles. While the Levitical high priest offered imperfect sacrifices of animals, Jesus gave Himself on the cross as the perfect and most acceptable sacrifice of love. Since the value of His sacrifice on the cross infinitely surpasses the Levitical or any human sacrifice, earthly sacrifices are no longer needed.

However, though Jesus has offered Himself once for all on earth, this does not mean He is inactive in heaven. The same letter to the Hebrews states, “…the heavenly things themselves (the heavenly sanctuary) need better sacrifices than these (earthly sacrifices)” (Heb 9:23). Entering heaven, Jesus does not cease His priestly ministry; rather, He perfects His identity by presenting an endless sacrifice. But how does He offer sacrifice without dying again on the cross? The answer is through a living sacrifice (see Rom 12:1). Jesus presents His own self—His glorious body still bearing the wounds of the cross—as a perfect gift to the Father, but this time, without further death. Since Jesus in heaven and Jesus on the cross are essentially the same, the living sacrifice He offers in heaven has the same infinite value as that on the cross.

Now, let us see what the Catholic Church teaches about the Eucharist as a sacrifice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ’s Passover, and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present” (CCC 1364). It further states, “The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial, and because it applies its fruit” (CCC 1366). But what do these teachings mean?

This means that the Catholic Church understands the Eucharist as our participation in the heavenly liturgy. In the Eucharist, we make present the sacrifice of the cross—not by crucifying Jesus again, but by participating in Jesus’ self-offering in heaven, which holds the same infinite value as His sacrifice on the cross. Only in the Eucharist do we truly worship God and receive the fruits of the cross.

Rome

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Questions for Reflection:

How do we understand the Eucharist? Do we feel the need to participate in the Eucharist? Do we realize that, through the Eucharist, we are participating in heavenly worship? How can we deepen our participation in the Eucharist? What fruits do you receive from the Eucharist? Do you encourage your family and friends to participate in the Eucharist?

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Jesus, Our Peace

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]

July 21, 2024

Eph 2:13-18

In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul called Jesus ‘He is our peace.’ Yet, why did St. Paul apply this strange title to Jesus? What does it really mean? And, how does this title affect our faith?

To understand Paul, we have to understand also the Old Testament. Afterall, Paul was a member of Pharisees, and thus, not only a zelous but also learned Jew. When St. Paul called Jesus as ‘peace’, he referred to the peace offering of the Jerusalem Temple. The peace offering (in Hebrew, Shalom) is one of sacrifices instructed by the Lord to the Israelites through Moses (see Lev 3). The peace offerings together with other with other sacrifices continued being offered in the time of Jesus and Paul. The ritual sacrifices ceased when the Romans burned down the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD, around two decades after Paul’s martyrdom.

As its name suggests, the purpose of this sacrifice is the reconciliation between the Lord, the God of Israel, and the Israelites who have offended the Lord. However, unlike other sacrifices that emphasize on satisfactions of sins and transgressions, like sin offering (chatat) and guilt offering (asham), the peace offering focuses on the result of God’s forgiveness, that is peace. When man offends God because of his sins, man becomes far from God, like an stranger and even enemy. There is enmity between God and man because of sin. There is no peace. However, when the man is forgiven, and his sins are removed, his friendship with God is restored, and there is peace between God and men. This peace causes joy and thanksgiving. The peace offering symbolizes the joy of forgiveness, the thanksgiving of peace achieved.

When St. Paul called Jesus as ‘our peace,’ St. Paul recognized Jesus offered Himself as the peace offering in the cross. Jesus did not only remove our sins, but also reconciled us to the Father. Jesus is the peace because He broke our enmity with God, and brought us back to God in friendship. Only in Jesus, we are at peace with God.

However, peace offering is also a special kind of sacrifice because it is not burnt totally (unlike holocaust sacrifice) but rather being shared also with the priest and the offerers. The fatty parts is burnt because it is for the Lord, some other parts of the animal are for the priests to consume and other parts are for those who offer the sacrifice. Thus, the peace sacrifice is like a meal shared by everyone. The sacrifice becomes the symbol of peace because only people who are at peace with each other can share the same table and food.

However, what is even more remarkable is the Catholic Church has this peace offering. Indeed, our peace offering is the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Jesus is offered to the God the Father, and then, consumed not only by the priest, but also the faithful who participate in the celebration. Jesus Christ is truly our peace because in the Eucharist, we share the same meal with God.

Valentinus  Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Our Worship in the Eucharist

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Solemnity of Corpus Christi [B]

June 2, 2024

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

We are celebrating the solemnity of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Through this feast, the Church reminds us of the infinite value of the Eucharist. St. John Paul II once wrote, “The Eucharist, as Christ’s saving presence in the community of the faithful and its spiritual food, is the most precious possession which the Church can have in her journey through history.” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 9). In this reflection, I invite everyone to appreciate this most precious gift; hopefully, we may be more worthy of receiving the Eucharist, and be transformed.

Many of us have been going to the Eucharist for years and even decades. Still, unfortunately, instead of growing in respect and appreciation, some of us are losing true devotion and even becoming disrespectful towards the Eucharist. We skip the Sunday masses without valid reasons. We think it is enough to attend the Mass during Easter and Christmas. We are late to participate in the mass with proper justification. We are busy and distracted with many things in the Eucharist and look for any opportunity to use our gadgets. Some no longer bother to attend the Mass and no longer consider it something meaningful. Some of us still receive the holy Communion in unworthy conditions.

However, these improper things are done not only by the lay people, but also us, the priests. Some offer the Eucharist in inappropriate manners. On one extreme, some treat the Mass just like a performance or theatre; thus, we act excessively, break the rites to entertain the people and seek ovation. On another extreme, some of us are just too lazy to celebrate the Holy Mass; thus, we unjustifiably come late or do not prepare the homily and for the celebration itself. These are abuses, plain and simple. This is grave because these misconducts may cause the sheep to stray away, and the shepherds are responsible for this loss of souls.

Indeed, there are many reasons, but instead of blaming each other, I would like to focus on one thing. We need to recognize and appreciate what the Eucharist is. In most straightforward words, the Eucharist is Jesus Christ Himself. To celebrate worthily, the Eucharist means to offer our due worship to Jesus Christ, the true God. To receive communion is to receive Jesus Himself. The Eucharist is primarily about God, not us and how we get entertained. Therefore, the way we honor (or dishonor) God in the Eucharist will significantly affect our salvation. Indeed, the Eucharist is necessary for our salvation precisely because the Eucharist is about God, who loves us and wants us to be holy like He is holy.

The good news is that we are still on time. We can apply the principle “lex orandi, est lex credendi, est lex vivendi.” (literally, the law of praying is the law of believing, is the law of living). This means how we pray and worship will shape our beliefs, and in turn, our beliefs will form our lives. If we faithfully follow the right ways of worship, with the right intentions and disposition, the right gestures and actions, and with an effort to avoid distractions, we deepen our faith in God. Then, as we have deep faith in God, we will live in ways that will please the Lord.

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Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Kita dan Ekaristi

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Hari Raya Corpus Christi [B]

2 Juni 2024

Markus 14:12-16, 22-26

Hari ini, kita merayakan hari raya Corpus Christi, atau hari raya Tubuh dan Darah Yesus Kristus. Melalui perayaan ini, Gereja mengingatkan kita akan nilai Ekaristi yang tanpa batas. Santo Yohanes Paulus II pernah menulis, “Ekaristi, sebagai kehadiran Kristus yang menyelamatkan dalam komunitas umat beriman dan makanan rohaninya, merupakan harta paling berharga yang dapat dimiliki Gereja dalam perjalanannya melalui sejarah.” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 9). Dalam refleksi ini, saya mengundang semua untuk menghargai berkat yang paling berharga ini; semoga kita menjadi lebih layak untuk menerima Ekaristi, dan juga menjadi lebih kudus karenanya.

Banyak dari kita yang telah menghadiri Ekaristi selama bertahun-tahun bahkan puluhan tahun. Namun, sayangnya, alih-alih bertumbuh dalam rasa hormat dan devosi, beberapa dari kita kehilangan devosi yang sejati dan bahkan menjadi tidak hormat terhadap Ekaristi. Kita melewatkan misa-misa hari Minggu tanpa alasan yang sah. Kita merasa cukup menghadiri misa pada saat Paskah dan Natal saja. Kita terlambat mengikuti misa dengan alasan yang tidak tepat. Kita sibuk dan terganggu dengan banyak hal dalam Ekaristi dan mencari kesempatan untuk menggunakan gadget kita. Beberapa orang tidak lagi mau repot-repot menghadiri Misa dan tidak lagi menganggapnya sebagai sesuatu yang berarti. Beberapa dari kita masih menerima Komuni Kudus dalam kondisi yang tidak layak.

Namun, hal-hal yang tidak pantas ini tidak hanya dilakukan oleh umat awam, tetapi juga oleh kami, para imam. Beberapa mempersembahkan Ekaristi dengan cara-cara yang tidak pantas. Di satu sisi, ada yang memperlakukan Misa seperti sebuah pertunjukan atau teater; dengan demikian, kami bertindak berlebihan, melanggar ritus (tata ibadat yang benar) hanya untuk menghibur umat dan mencari tepuk tangan. Di sisi lain, beberapa dari kami terlalu malas untuk merayakan Misa Kudus; oleh karena itu, kita secara tidak adil datang terlambat atau tidak mempersiapkan homili dan bahkan mempersembahkan misa secara ugal-ugalan. Ini adalah pelanggaran! Ini sangat serius karena pelanggaran-pelanggaran ini dapat menyebabkan domba-domba tersesat, dan para gembala bertanggung jawab atas hilangnya jiwa-jiwa ini.

Memang, ada banyak alasan, tetapi alih-alih saling menyalahkan, saya ingin fokus pada satu hal. Kita perlu mengenali dan menghargai apa itu Ekaristi. Dengan kata-kata yang paling sederhana, Ekaristi adalah Yesus Kristus sendiri. Menerima komuni berarti menerima Yesus sendiri. Ekaristi terutama adalah tentang Allah, bukan tentang kita dan bagaimana kita dihibur. Oleh karena itu, cara kita menghormati (atau menghina) Allah dalam Ekaristi akan secara signifikan memengaruhi keselamatan kita. Memang, Ekaristi diperlukan untuk keselamatan kita justru karena Ekaristi adalah tentang Allah, yang mengasihi kita dan ingin kita menjadi kudus seperti Dia yang kudus.

Kabar baiknya adalah kita masih memiliki waktu untuk bertobat. Kita dapat menerapkan prinsip “lex orandi, est lex credendi, est lex vivendi.” (secara harfiah, hukum berdoa adalah hukum percaya, adalah hukum hidup). Ini berarti cara kita berdoa dan beribadah akan membentuk kepercayaan kita, dan pada gilirannya, kepercayaan kita akan membentuk hidup kita. Jika kita dengan setia mengikuti cara-cara beribadah yang benar, dengan niat dan disposisi batin yang benar, gerakan dan tindakan yang benar, dan dengan upaya untuk menghindari gangguan, kita memperdalam iman kita kepada Tuhan. Kemudian, saat kita memiliki iman yang dalam kepada Tuhan, kita akan hidup dengan cara-cara yang berkenan pada Tuhan. Semakin kita beribadah dengan benar, semakin dalam iman kita. Begitu juga sebaliknya, semakin kita beribadah dengan salah, semakin dangkal iman kita.

Roma

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Fullness of Love

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The Solemnity of the Body dan Blood of Christ [Corpus Christi] – B

June 6, 2021

Mark 14:12-16;22-26

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi is the estuary of all the great feasts we have celebrated. We started from the great Holy Week and culminated in the Easter Triduum. Forty days after Easter Sunday, we worship Christ, who ascended into Heaven, and then He sent the Holy Spirit among the disciples on the day of Pentecost. And, just last Sunday, we gave our most excellent adoration to the Holy Trinity. Now, we have Corpus Christi. But, why this feast?

photocredit: annie Theby

Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church has recognized the importance of the solemnity of Corpus Christi. The entire economy of creation and salvation streams down to this mystery. God created the world so that the world may share in His love. However, men and women fell into sin and departed from God’s love. Yet, His love and mercy are infinitely bigger than our wickedness, and He commissioned His Son to take up human nature and live among us. Not only to become a human, but Jesus also offered Himself on the cross for our salvation. St. John perfectly summed up, “For God so loved the world, He sent His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in may not perish but may have eternal life [John 3:16].” However, it is not the end of God’s amazing love story! The risen Christ miraculously transformed into the Eucharist to become our daily bread. In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist, “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained [CCC 1374].”

For those without faith, this bread is just a white tasteless wafer, but for us, who are called to eternal life, the bread is no longer bread but the fullness of Christ. When Jesus is there, the Holy Trinity is there as well. When the Trinity is there, the entire angelic hosts and choirs of saints are there as well. Receiving the Eucharist is receiving the whole Heaven, the eternal life. This is the will of Christ Himself, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, [Jn 6:53-54].”

The Eucharist is the proof of God’s love. It is not enough for God to become human, not enough for Him to die and rise for us, not enough for Him to open the gates of Heaven. He wants us to share His divine life and love now and here.

Yet, Heaven is meant to be shared. As Jesus shares His life and love in the Eucharist, we are invited to become little Eucharists in our daily lives. As Jesus nourishes us with His Body and Blood, do we nourish people with our body and blood? As parents, do we offer our bodies and blood to our children so that they may experience true heavens? Do we bring Heaven to our family and communities? Do we become the agent of love to our societies?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Kepenuhan Kasih

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Hari Raya Tubuh dan Darah Kristus [Corpus Christi] – B

6 Juni 2021

Markus 14:12-16; 22-26

Hari Raya Tubuh dan Darah Kristus atau dikenal dalam Bahasa Latin, ‘Corpus Christi’ adalah muara dari semua hari raya yang telah kita rayakan selama ini. Kita mulai beberapa bulan yang lalu, dari Pekan Suci dan mencapai puncaknya dalam Trihari Suci. Empat puluh hari setelah Minggu Paskah, kita memuliakan Kristus yang naik ke Surga, dan kemudian Dia mengutus Roh Kudus di antara para murid pada hari Pantekosta. Dan, Minggu lalu, kita memberikan pujian terbesar kita kepada Tritunggal Mahakudus. Sekarang, kita memiliki Corpus Christi. Tapi, mengapa hari raya dirayakan sekarang?

photocredit: Eric Mok

Dengan bimbingan Roh Kudus, Gereja telah mengakui betapa pentingnya kehadiran Yesus yang real di Ekaristi. Seluruh sejarah penciptaan dan keselamatan mengalir ke misteri ini. Tuhan menciptakan dunia agar dunia dapat berbagi dalam kasih-Nya. Sayangnya, pria dan wanita jatuh ke dalam dosa, dan menjauh dari kasih Tuhan. Namun, kasih dan kerahiman-Nya jauh lebih besar daripada kejahatan dan kelemahan kita, dan Dia mengutus Putra-Nya untuk mengambil kodrat manusia dan hidup di antara kita. Tidak hanya menjadi manusia, Yesus juga mempersembahkan diri-Nya di kayu salib untuk keselamatan kita. St. Yohanes dengan tepat menyimpulkan, “Karena begitu besar kasihAllah akan dunia ini, sehingga Ia telah mengaruniakanAnak-Nyayang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percayakepada-Nya tidak binasa, melainkan beroleh hidup yang kekal [Yohanes 3:16].” Namun, ini bukan akhir dari kisah kasih Allah yang luar biasa! Kristus yang bangkit secara mujizat berubah menjadi Ekaristi, menjadi makanan kita. Dalam Sakramen Ekaristi mahakudus, tercakuplah “dengan sesungguhnya, secara real dan substansial tubuh dan darah bersama dengan jiwa dan ke-Allahan Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus dan dengan demikian seluruh Kristus.” – [KGK 1374]

Bagi mereka yang tidak beriman, roti ini hanyalah kerupuk putih yang hambar, tetapi bagi kita yang dipanggil untuk hidup yang kekal, roti itu bukan lagi roti, tetapi kepenuhan Kristus sendiri. Ketika Yesus ada di sana, Tritunggal Mahakudus juga ada di sana. Ketika Trinitas ada di sana, seluruh malaikat dan orang-orang kudus juga ada di sana. Menerima Ekaristi adalah menerima seluruh surga, hidup yang kekal. Inilah kehendak Kristus sendiri, “Sesungguhnya jikalau kamu tidak makan dagingAnak Manusiadan minum darah-Nya, kamu tidak mempunyai hidup di dalam dirimu. Barangsiapa makan daging-Ku dan minum darah-Ku, ia mempunyai hidup yang kekal dan Aku akan membangkitkan dia pada akhir zaman.[Yoh 6:53-54].”

Ekaristi adalah bukti kasih Allah. Tidaklah cukup bagi Tuhan untuk menjadi manusia, tidak cukup bagi Dia untuk mati dan bangkit bagi kita, tidak cukup bagi Dia untuk membuka gerbang surga. Dia ingin kita berbagi kehidupan dan kasih ilahi-Nya sekarang dan di sini.

Namun, kita perlu ingat bahwa surga bukan hanya untuk kita sendiri. Saat Yesus membagikan hidup dan kasih-Nya dalam Ekaristi, kita diundang untuk menjadi Ekaristi kecil dalam kehidupan kita sehari-hari. Sebagaimana Yesus memelihara kita dengan Tubuh dan Darah-Nya, apakah kita memelihara orang-orang dengan tubuh dan darah kita? Sebagai orang tua, apakah kita mempersembahkan tubuh dan darah kita kepada anak-anak kita agar mereka dapat mengalami kepenuhan hidup yang sesungguhnya? Apakah kita membawa surga bagi keluarga dan komunitas kita? Apakah kita menjadi agen kasih bagi masyarakat kita?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Serpent, the Manna and the Eucharist

On By bayuopIn English, LentLeave a comment

Fourth Sunday of Lent [B]
March 14, 2021
John 3:14-21

Today’s Gospel presents us with one of the most cryptic sayings of Jesus, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” To unpack this, we cannot but go back to the Old Testament, especially the Book of Numbers.

In the book of Numbers chapter 21, we will discover Israelites’ story in the desert who complained about God’s given food. They even called Manna from God as the wretched or even worthless food. Indeed, this ungrateful act brought upon themselves a terrible punishment. The seraph serpents assaulted and killed many Israelites. Aware that they were perishing, the Israelites begged for mercy. God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and mount it on a pole for people to see. Those who had been bitten saw the bronze serpent and recovered. With this story as a background, Jesus presented Himself like the bronze serpent. He would be lifted on the cross so that those who see Him and believe will receive eternal life.

Yet, there are more! We notice that the reason behind this punishment is that the Israelites failed to appreciate the bread from heaven and even called it worthless. Indeed, that was an act of ingratitude, but it was also an act of the desecration to the heavenly bread itself. No wonder that the punishment was so severe. Interestingly, Jesus pointed out that the Manna in the desert is a type of Eucharistic bread that He would give [see John 6:48-50]. Thus, the incident in Number 21 teaches us a hard lesson about what will happen if we dishonor not only any God’s gift but also the most precious gift, the Body of Christ in the Eucharist.

The one responsible for the death of the Israelites was the seraph serpents. This serpent was not an ordinary snake like cobra or python. The word ‘seraph’ or the ‘burning one’ reminds us of the seraphim, one of the higher echelons of angelic beings. Aside from that, the image of a serpent that attacked humanity brought us to Satan’s first assault against Adam and Eve. The attack against the Israelites in the desert was not merely a natural phenomenon but supernatural. The devil himself wreaked havoc on the people of Israel.

If we connect the dots, we will see the relation between the Manna, the serpent, and the bronze serpent. When the Israelites desecrated the Manna, the seraph serpents broke loose and began their onslaught. The Manna was not only nourishing the Israelites but also protecting them from spiritual harm. If Manna in the desert is a type of the Eucharist, the serpent is the devil, and the bronze serpent is Jesus crucified, we can move one step further. Every time we desecrate the Eucharist, we do not only insult God but also open the gate of hell and let diabolic power overpower us and our societies. This desecration can only be remedied by true repentance and the cross of Jesus.

If we see ourselves, our families, and our communities are falling apart and becoming an easy target of the devil, the root is that we fail to honor the Eucharist. Like the Manna that protected the Israelites against the serpents and nourished them along their journey, the eucharist is our bulwark against the onslaught of the devil, and it is our spiritual food that nourishes and strengthens us in this earthly journey.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: Maria Ostwalt

Ular, Manna dan Ekaristi

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Minggu Keempat Prapaskah [B]

14 Maret 2021

Yohanes 3: 14-21

Injil hari ini memberi kita salah satu perkataan Yesus yang paling sulit dimengerti, “sama seperti Musa meninggikan ular di padang gurun,  demikian juga Anak Manusia harus ditinggikan,  supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada-Nya beroleh hidup yang kekal.” Untuk memahami perkataan ini, kita perlu kembali ke Perjanjian Lama, terutama Kitab Bilangan.

Dalam kitab Bilangan bab 21, kita akan menemukan kisah bani Israel di padang gurun yang mengeluh tentang Manna yang diberikan Tuhan. Mereka bahkan menyebut Manna dari Tuhan tersebut sebagai makanan tidak ada gunanya atau bahkan tidak berharga. Tentunya, tindakan mereka ini membawa hukuman yang mengerikan. Ular tedung menyerang dan membunuh banyak orang Israel. Sadar bahwa mereka akan binasa, orang Israel memohon belas kasihan. Tuhan memerintahkan Musa untuk membuat ular perunggu dan memasangnya di tiang untuk dilihat orang. Mereka yang telah digigit dan melihat ular perunggu itupun pulih. Dengan latar belakang cerita ini, Yesus menampilkan diri-Nya seperti ular perunggu. Dia akan ditinggikan di kayu salib sehingga mereka yang melihat Dia dan percaya akan menerima hidup yang kekal.

Namun, ada hal yang menarik yang kita tidak boleh lewatkan! Jika kita memperhatikan, alasan dari mengapa orang Israel kena hukuman adalah bahwa orang Israel gagal menghargai roti dari surga dan bahkan menyebutnya tidak berharga. Tentunya, ini adalah tindakan tidak tahu berterima kasih, tetapi lebih dalam, ini merupakan tindakan penodaan terhadap roti surgawi itu sendiri. Inilah mengapa hukumannya sangat berat. Yang menarik adalah Yesus menunjukkan bahwa manna di gurun adalah tanda dari roti Ekaristi yang akan Dia berikan [lihat Yoh 6: 48-50]. Jadi, kejadian di Bilangan 21 mengajarkan kita pelajaran pahit apa yang akan terjadi jika kita tidak menghargai anugerah Tuhan, dan terutama anugerah yang paling berharga yakni, Tubuh Kristus dalam Ekaristi.

Yang bertanggung jawab atas kematian orang Israel adalah ular tedung.  Jika kita perhatikan, kata ibrani yang digunakan adalah ‘saraph.’ Kata ‘saraph’ atau ‘yang terbakar’ mengingatkan kita pada seraphim, salah satu malaikat di surga. Selain itu, cerita tentang ular yang menyerang umat manusia mengingatkan kita pada serangan pertama Setan terhadap Adam dan Hawa. Ular ini bukanlah ular biasa seperti ular cobra atau ular sanca. Serangan terhadap bangsa Israel di padang gurun bukan hanya fenomena alami, melainkan supranatural. Iblis sendiri yang datang membawa malapetaka bagi orang-orang Israel.

Jika sekarang kita menghubungkan hal-hal ini, kita akan melihat hubungan antara manna, ular ‘saraph’ dan ular perunggu. Ketika orang Israel menodai manna, ular seraph terlepas dan memulai serangan mereka. Manna tidak hanya memberi makan orang Israel, tetapi juga melindungi mereka dari bahaya rohani. Sekarang, jika manna di gurun adalah tanda dari Ekaristi, ular adalah iblis, dan ular perunggu adalah Yesus yang disalibkan, kita bisa melangkah lebih jauh. Setiap kali kita menodai Ekaristi, kita tidak hanya menghina Tuhan, tetapi juga membuka gerbang neraka dan membiarkan kekuatan jahat menguasai kita dan komunitas kita. Penodaan ini hanya dapat diperbaiki dengan pertobatan sejati dan salib Yesus.

Jika kita melihat diri kita sendiri, keluarga kita dan komunitas kita berantakan dan menjadi sasaran empuk iblis, akarnya adalah kita gagal menghormati Ekaristi. Seperti Manna yang melindungi orang Israel dari ular, dan memberi makan mereka sepanjang perjalanan mereka, ekaristi adalah benteng pertahanan kita melawan serangan setan, dan makanan rohani kita yang memelihara dan memperkuat kita dalam perjalanan duniawi ini menuju tanah air surgawi.

 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus, the New Temple of God

On By bayuopIn English, LentLeave a comment

3rd Sunday of Lent

March 7, 2021

John 2:13-25

We, modern readers, often misunderstand today’s Gospel. This particular Jesus’ story becomes a basis for some to refuse the church building and parish vicinities for non-religious activities, however good its intention is. I personally agree that the inside of the Church’s building is a place set aside for worship and prayer. This is the sacred ground for people to encounter God and experience heaven.

However, today’s Gospel is more complicated than it seems. We tend to assume that Jesus cleansed the Temple from the animal vendors and money traders because Jesus saw them as not originally part of the Temple, but suddenly they were not mushrooming in the Temple’s area. Yet, if we go back to the time of Jesus, animal vendors and coin traders were part of the Temple’s system. The pilgrims from different parts of Palestine and the world streamed to the Temple every day, and though bringing their animal sacrifice was possible, it was not practical. The animals certainly would add inconvenient burdens, and they might get some brushes or injuries along the way. With the wounds or damages, the animals were no longer fit for the sacrifice. Thus, to offer a solution to these weary pilgrims, vendors in Jerusalem were ready to help by providing a healthy and worthy animal sacrifice.

Money changers are also tied to the Temple. To support the upkeep of the Temple, pilgrims were to donate some money, yet the Temple did not accept the Roman coins. Temple’s authority perceived the coins were a sign of foreign oppression. They are also considered blasphemous because the coin recognized Caesar as divine. Meanwhile, the Jews were not allowed to mint their coins. As a solution, they were accepting coins from the neighboring city of Tyre. Here comes the role of the coin traders. Without animal sellers and money exchange service, the Temple of Jerusalem would not perform as it should be. We can imagine how difficult it is to produce our own wine and bread for the celebration of the Eucharist.

Ordinarily, the animal vendors and coin traders were located near but outside the Temple. Yet, the problem began when the Temple’s authorities allowed these sellers to be inside the temple area, especially around the court of the gentiles. Jesus was doing what is right. However, farthest from the inner sanctuary, the court of the gentiles is still an integral part of the Temple and remains a place of prayer, especially for those non-Jewish people who believed in the God of Israel.

Jesus wanted to protect the house of God as a house of prayer and worship and desired that the Gentiles have a place in this house of prayer. While unfortunately, the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman empire, Jesus’ vision lives on. His desire to unite the nations in prayer and worship of the true God is realized and achieved perfection in His body, the new Temple of God.

Where do we find now the Body [and Blood] of Christ? It is in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, people from different nations and languages gather to offer worthy worship to the true God. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we become the living testimony of this Jesus’ vision of worship for all nations. We can worship the true God because Jesus prepares the place for us.

 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP