Tag: Healing

The Mystery of Faith

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]

June 30, 2024

Mark 5:21-43

Faith is fundamental to our salvation but is also one of the most misunderstood concepts. The stories of the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with haemorrhage help us better understand the meaning of faith and how we need to live our faith.

The most basic understanding of faith is a belief in God, or for us Christians, a belief in Jesus Christ. This primary sense of faith relies heavily on our intellectual acceptance of the presence of God and Jesus as His only begotten Son, our Savior. However, how about those people with no opportunity to intellectually recognize Jesus? Like for example, Jairus’ daughter was gravely ill and eventually died. She was not able to have faith in her mind that Jesus would go to save her. Yet, she was saved from death, not because of her faith, but the faith of her father. St. James reminds us also that even the demons believed and knew well that God exists, but the intellectual faith does not save them.

The second type of faith is faith of conviction. This kind of faith involves not only intellectual recognition of God but also vigorous conviction and deep trust. This kind of faith is usually expressed in solid emotions and visible bodily actions like shouting the name of Jesus or bowing down in prayers. Yet again, St. Paul reminds us that this kind of faith does not bring salvation. He writes, “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Cor 13:2).”

Finally, the third class of faith is faith working through love. This faith not only accepts God intellectually and is profoundly hopeful but also manifests itself in works of charity. Compared to the previous two, this faith is more demanding yet also saving. We can see this from Jairus’s faith. His profound love for his daughter propels him to believe in Jesus, and in turn, his faith in Jesus empowers him to seek and beg for Jesus’ miraculous healing.

The story of the woman with a haemorrhage is more interesting. She seems to have a second type of faith or the faith with conviction. She sincerely believed that she would be healed if she touched Jesus, but if we go deeper, we find her faith goes beyond convictions. When she decides to approach Jesus, she does not immediately grab Jesus’ body or feet. Instead, she carefully selects to touch the tassel of Jesus’ clock. Why? The woman is aware that she has the flow of blood, and this makes her ritually impure, and anyone she touches may be contaminated by this impurity (see Lev 15:25-30). Therefore, by not making immediate contact with Jesus, the woman shows excellent care to preserve the purity of Jesus. This simple detail can show us her love for Jesus despite her limitations. Then, Jesus recognizes the true faith of the woman, and she is made well.

Do we have the saving faith? What kind of faith do we have, and how do we grow? Do we manifest our faith in God in love for Jesus and our neighbours?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Leprosy

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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]

February 14, 2021

Mark 1:40-45

Leprosy in the time of Jesus is not only physically and mentally deadly, but also spiritually incapacitating. Leprosy or currently known as the Hansen’s disease is horrifying sickness because it does not kill the person slowly, but it gradually deforms and incapacitates the person. The bacteria cause terrible damage in peripheral nervous to the point that the person is no longer feeling the sensation, especially pain. Without this sensation, the person fails to recognize and avoid bodily injuries. Losing limbs is shared among the victims with advanced stages of leprosy.

Since the sickness was incurable and highly contagious in ancient time, it was a natural reaction for the people to exclude the infected persons from the community. We can imagine the effects of exclusion suffered by the victims. They were cut from the bare necessities, separated from their family and friends, and aware that they will die a horrible death. People could quickly become insane. This awareness that they would not survive outside society pushes the people with leprosy to gather and form their community. Thus, lepers’ colonies were deemed a practical solution to support one another in the face of the bleak reality of life.

In the Jewish context, skin diseases, especially leprosy, are about biological and mental problems, but it is a religious issue. The Book of Leviticus states that people with certain skin diseases, including leprosy, have to present themselves to the priest and have their bodies examined. The priest may declare that persons as unclean. After the verdict, the persons have to go out from the community, wear rent cloth, and let their hair dishevel. These become visible signs that they are with contagious diseases and unclean. Yet, if a person remains going closer to them, they shall shout, “Unclean! Unclean!” This is to make sure healthy and clean persons will not come nearer. Being declared unclean means the person is not fit for the religious service and cannot enter the holy ground like the temple. Thus, for a Jew who contracted leprosy, he was excluded physically and mentally and religiously. The sickness also cut them from God they serve and worship.

In the Gospel, we see the leper who took the initiative to approach Jesus, thus breaking the most fundamental prohibition to stay away from people and God. The leper’s request was not to be healed, but rather to be ‘clean.’ The deepest desire of this leper is not physical healing, but to worship his God. The real healing comes only when we can approach and worship the true God. Looking at his courage and deepest longing, Jesus was moved by pity and made him clean.

The leper in the Gospel teaches us a lot about the genuine desire for healing. Perhaps, many of us look for God because we wish to be cured of diseases, seek financial success, or free from other problems. Yet, we seldom desire to see God because we want to be healed spiritually, liberated from sins, and be one with Him. The Gospel teaches us that true healing is more than physical health and economic stability, but the union with God.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Photocredit: Claudio Schwartz

Kusta

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Minggu Keenam dalam Masa Biasa [B]

14 Februari 2021

Markus 1: 40-45

Penyakit kusta pada zaman Yesus tidak hanya mematikan secara fisik dan mental, tetapi juga melumpuhkan secara rohani. Kusta atau yang sekarang dikenal dengan penyakit Hansen adalah penyakit yang mengerikan karena tidak hanya membunuh orangnya secara perlahan, tetapi lambat laun akan merusak wujud dan melumpuhkan orang tersebut. Bakteri kusta menyebabkan kerusakan yang parah pada jaringan saraf sehingga orang tersebut tidak lagi dapat merasakan sensasi, terutama rasa sakit. Tanpa sensasi ini, orang tersebut gagal mengenali dan menghindari cedera pada tubuh. Kehilangan anggota tubuh seperti jari adalah hal yang biasa terjadi pada penderita kusta stadium lanjut.

Karena penyakit ini tidak dapat disembuhkan dan sangat menular pada zaman dahulu, reaksi alami bagi para penduduk adalah untuk mengeluarkan orang yang terinfeksi dari komunitas. Bisa dibayangkan dampak pengusiran yang diderita para korban. Mereka terputus dari sumber kebutuhan dasar, dipisahkan dari keluarga dan teman-teman mereka, dan mereka sadar bahwa mereka akan meninggal dengan cara yang mengerikan. Penderita kusta bisa dengan mudah menjadi gila. Kesadaran bahwa mereka tidak akan bertahan hidup sendiri di luar masyarakat mendorong para penderita kusta untuk berkumpul dan membentuk komunitasnya. Oleh karena itu, koloni penderita kusta dianggap sebagai solusi praktis untuk saling mendukung dalam menghadapi kenyataan hidup yang suram.

Dalam konteks Yahudi kuno, penyakit kulit khususnya kusta tidak hanya merupakan masalah biologis, mental dan sosial, tetapi merupakan masalah agama. Kitab Imamat menyatakan bahwa orang dengan penyakit kulit tertentu termasuk kusta harus menghadap imam dan diperiksa tubuhnya. Kemudian, sang imam dapat menyatakan orang itu najis. Setelah putusan ini, orang tersebut harus keluar dari komunitas, memakai kain lusuh, dan membiarkan rambutnya acak-acakan. Ini menjadi tanda-tanda bahwa mereka mengidap penyakit menular dan najis. Namun, jika seseorang tetap mendekati mereka, mereka akan berteriak, “Najis! Najis!” Ini untuk memastikan orang yang sehat dan tahir tidak akan mendekat. [Im 13] Jika seseorang dinyatakan sebagai najis, ini berarti orang tersebut tidak layak untuk beribadah dan tidak diperbolehkan memasuki kawasan suci seperti Bait Allah. Jadi, bagi seorang Yahudi yang mengidap penyakit kusta, ia tidak hanya dikucilkan secara fisik dan mental, tetapi juga secara agama. Penyakit itu juga memisahkan mereka dari Tuhan yang mereka layani dan sembah.

Dalam Injil, kita belajar banyak dari sang penderita kusta. Kita melihat sang penderita kusta adalah orang yang berinisiatif untuk mendekati Yesus, dan dengan demikian, melanggar larangan paling mendasar untuk menjauh dari manusia lain dan Tuhan. Permintaan penderita kusta bukanlah untuk disembuhkan, melainkan untuk ‘menjadi tahir’. Keinginan terdalam dari penderita kusta ini bukanlah pertama-tama penyembuhan fisik, tetapi menjadi tahir agar bisa menyembah Tuhannya. Kesembuhan yang sejati datang hanya jika kita bisa mendekati dan menyembah Tuhan yang benar. Melihat keberanian dan kerinduannya yang terdalam, Yesus tergerak oleh belas kasihan dan membuatnya tahir.

Penderita kusta dalam Injil mengajar kita banyak hal tentang keinginan sejati untuk kesembuhan. Mungkin, banyak dari kita mencari Tuhan karena ingin sembuh dari penyakit, mencari kesuksesan finansial atau terbebas dari masalah lain. Namun, kita jarang ingin melihat Tuhan karena kita ingin disembuhkan secara rohani, dibebaskan dari dosa, dan menjadi satu dengan Dia. Injil mengajarkan kepada kita bahwa penyembuhan sejati lebih dari sekedar kesehatan fisik dan stabilitas ekonomi, tetapi persatuan dengan Tuhan.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Jesus, Healer of Our Souls

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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]

February 7, 2021

Mark 1:29-39

Jesus cannot be separated from His healing ministries. Some of the healings are remarkable, like the healing of a woman with the hemorrhage and Jarius’ daughter [Mark 5:321-43]. They are astonishing because these are practically impossible cases. The woman has suffered for twelve years without sign of hope, and Jarius’ daughter is as good as dead. Yet, Jesus does heal not only those with grave illness but also those with curable sickness.

Jesus is at the house of Simon, and He discovers that Simon’s mother-in-law has a fever. Fever is a symptom that points to an infection, from ordinary flu to covid-19. In the case of Simon’s mother-in-law, we can safely assume that she has a curable sickness. Without proper rest and treatment, she will get back to her usual activities. Yet, despite this fact, and even without a particular request from the person, Jesus decides to heal her anyway. Jesus understands that sickness, no matter insignificant it is, remains improper in our lives. To be a healthy person is God’s plan for us.

If we see our lives, we quickly recognize that getting sick is part of our life. Sickness becomes a constant reminder that our bodies are limited and fragile. Indeed, we have an immune system, but often this potent protection is not enough. With the pandemic caused by covid-19, we realize that human beings are not powerful as we think. As we struggle to find the cures, the virus, bacteria, and other sickness causes are also evolving and getting deadlier. The illness causes pain and suffering, and these weaknesses remind us of our death. Yet, despite this realization, deep down, we know that sickness is not the real deal, and it is a privation rather than perfection. We desire to be healthy. We fight to be healthy, and only by being healthy, we may achieve our potentials.

This is why we go to the doctors if we are sick, hit the gym, do other exercises, and live a healthy lifestyle. It is the same reason that the persons with the gift of healing are sought for. It is the same reason that many people want to see Jesus. 

We may ask, why does not Jesus heal all of us? The answer might not be that simple, but we can say that Jesus first comes to heal our broken relationship with God. He saves us from our sins. His miraculous healings are signs of this redemption. Even in His providential way, God can use our illness and suffering to make us even spiritually closer to Him. St. Dominic de Guzman is known to have very rigid mortification practices, and a witness said that a cord of chains was tied in his tight and just removed when he died. Mortification is one of the favorites ways of the saints to seek God. They do not want that their healthy bodies become a hindrance to seek God. Meanwhile, Beato Carlo Acutis, who got sick of leukemia, a severe illness that eventually took his life, offered his suffering to the Lord. He said, “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.”

Jesus brings us healing to our souls and bodies. Yet, in His providential care, our bodily weakness can lead us even closer to God.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photo credit: jonathan-borba

Yesus, Penyembuh Jiwa Kita

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Minggu Kelima dalam Masa Biasa [B]

7 Februari 2021

Markus 1: 29-39

Yesus tidak dapat dipisahkan dari pelayanan penyembuhan-Nya. Beberapa kisah kesembuhan merupakan kejadian yang luar biasa seperti kesembuhan seorang wanita dengan pendarahan dan juga anak perempuan Jarius [Markus 5: 321-43]. Penyembuhan ini adalah mujizat karena kasus-kasus yang dihadapi Yesus adalah hal-hal mustahil disembuhkan pada zaman-Nya. Sang wanita telah menderita pendarahan selama dua belas tahun tanpa harapan, dan putri Jarius sebenarnya sudah meninggal. Di sisi lain, Yesus tidak hanya menyembuhkan orang yang sakit parah, tapi juga mereka yang sakitnya tergolong tidak membahayakan.

Yesus ada di rumah Simon, dan Dia melihat bahwa ibu mertua Simon sedang demam. Demam adalah gejala yang biasanya terjadi karena adanya infeksi, bisa karena flu biasa hingga covid-19. Dalam kasus ibu mertua Simon, kita dapat berasumsi bahwa dia mengalami penyakit yang sebenarnya tidak berat. Dengan istirahat dan obat yang tepat, sang ibu mertua akan kembali beraktivitas dengan normal. Namun, walaupun sakitnya tergolong tidak membahayakan dan bahkan tanpa permintaan khusus dari sang wanita, Yesus memutuskan untuk menyembuhkannya. Yesus memahami bahwa penyakit, entah seberapa kecilnya, tetap sebuah hal yang tidak tepat bagi hidup kita. Menjadi orang yang sehat adalah rencana Tuhan bagi kita.

Jika kita melihat hidup kita, kita dengan mudah menyadari bahwa sakit adalah bagian dari hidup kita. Penyakit selalu menjadi pengingat bahwa tubuh kita terbatas dan rapuh. Memang, kita memiliki sistem kekebalan, tetapi seringkali perlindungan alami ini tidak cukup. Dengan pandemi yang disebabkan oleh Covid-19, kita menyadari bahwa manusia tidak sekuat yang kita pikirkan. Saat kita berjuang untuk menemukan berbagai obat dan alat-alat kesehatan, virus, bakteri, dan penyebab penyakit lainnya juga berkembang dan semakin mematikan. Penyakit menyebabkan rasa sakit dan penderitaan, dan kelemahan ini mengingatkan kita pada kematian kita. Namun, terlepas dari realisasi ini, jauh di lubuk hati, kita tahu bahwa penyakit ini adalah sesuatu yang tidak wajar, sebuah kekurangan, bukan kesempurnaan. Kita ingin sehat, kita berjuang untuk menjadi sehat dan hanya dengan sehat, kita dapat mencapai potensi kita sebagai manusia.

Inilah alasan mengapa kita pergi ke dokter jika kita sakit, kita melakukan olahraga lain, dan kita menjalani gaya hidup sehat. Inilah alasan yang sama yang dicari orang dengan karunia kesembuhan. Ini adalah alasan yang sama mengapa banyak orang ingin disembuhkan Yesus.

Kita mungkin bertanya, mengapa Yesus tidak menyembuhkan kita semua? Jawabannya tidak mudah, tetapi kita dapat mengatakan bahwa Yesus pertama-tama datang untuk menyembuhkan hubungan kita yang rusak dengan Allah Bapa. Dia menyelamatkan kita dari dosa-dosa kita, sebuah penyakit rohani. Kesembuhan ragawi adalah tanda-tanda penebusan ini. Bahkan dalam misteri penyelenggaraan-Nya, Tuhan dapat menggunakan penyakit dan penderitaan kita untuk membuat kita semakin dekat secara rohani dengan-Nya. Kita bisa belajar dari para kudus.

St. Dominikus de Guzman dikenal melakukan mati raga yang sangat berat. Seorang saksi mata mengatakan bahwa tali rantai diikat erat-erat di pahanya dan baru dilepas ketika dia meninggal. Mortifikasi atau mati raga adalah salah satu cara favorit orang-orang kudus untuk mencari Tuhan. Mereka tidak ingin tubuh mereka yang sehat menjadi penghalang untuk mencari Tuhan. Sementara itu, Beato Carlo Acutis yang sakit leukemia, penyakit yang sangat menyakitkan yang akhirnya merenggut nyawanya, mempersembahkan penderitaannya kepada Tuhan. Dia berkata, “Saya mempersembahkan semua penderitaan yang harus saya derita untuk Tuhan, untuk Paus, dan Gereja”

Yesus memberi kita kesembuhan bagi jiwa dan raga kita. Namun, dalam misteri penyelenggaraan-Nya, kelemahan tubuh kitapun dapat membawa kita lebih dekat kepada Tuhan.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: Jonathan-borba

Spittle and Eyes

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Fourth Sunday of Lent [A]

March 22, 2020

John 9:1-41

In healing the blind man, Jesus did something a bit unusual: He spat on the ground, made clay with His spittle, and smeared the clay on the blind man’s eyes. In this time we are battling the Covid-10, the fast-spreading strain of the coronavirus, we are educated that one of the media of contamination is the human droplets like our saliva, and the entire point of this virus is contact with our eyes. When the infectious saliva meets the eyes, it is the sure reason we fall victim to this terrible virus.

However, Jesus was using the very same means of illness and transforming it into the means of healing both physical and spiritual blindness. Indeed, this kind of reversing action is the favorite pattern of Jesus. St. John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, in his homily, mentioned that three means used by the devil to destroy humanity are the same means utilized by Jesus to save humanity. The three means of the devil are the tree of knowledge of evil and good, the woman which is Eve who disobeyed, and the death of Adam who brought along all his descendants. Jesus then transformed three means into His own ways of salvation: for the tree of knowledge of evil and good, there is the tree of the cross, for Eve, there is Mary who obeys, and for the death of Adam, there is the death of Jesus who saves us all. The devil thought he could outsmart God, but truly, it is God who has the final victory.

In Genesis 2, when God created the man, He was acting like a craftsman or a sculptor. In ancient Rabbinic tradition, God used His own spittle to create a formable clay from the ground. The act of Jesus in healing the blind man brings us back to this story of creation. Jesus is not merely healing, but He is recreating the man into His own image. Even the means of ugliness and illness can be transformed into the means of beauty and salvation.

The covid-19 virus has destroyed many aspects of human life. It spreads fear and panic. It forces the government to take drastic measures, including locking down cities and stop economic activities. It separates people from their friends and loved ones. The faithful are obliged to be far from the houses of the Lord. These are a painful and confusing time for many of us. Even some of us would cry, “Eli, Eli, Lama sabacthani?”

Yet, we must not forget that Jesus can always employ the same means of death and destruction to be His way of salvation. We ask the Lord to open our eyes of faith to see how God works through this time of crisis.

We thank for the gifts of our medical practitioners who put their lives on the line to care for those are sick; for our government officials who tireless work to contain the virus; for volunteers who spend their own resources to help battling the illness; for the priests and Church’s servants who serve the spiritual needs of the people despite many limitations. My prayer also goes for an Italian priest who made the final sacrifice as he asked not to be treated so that the limited respiratory machines may be used by younger and having a better chance to survive.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Ludah dan Mata

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Hari Minggu Prapaskah Keempat [A]

22 Maret 2020

Yohanes 9: 1-41

blind manDalam menyembuhkan orang buta, Yesus melakukan sesuatu yang agak tidak biasa: Ia meludah ke tanah, membuat tanah liat dengan air liurnya, dan mengolesi tanah liat itu di mata orang buta tersebut. Saat ini kita sedang melawan Covid-19, jenis virus korona yang menyebar dengan cepat, kita dididik bahwa salah satu media kontaminasi adalah tetesan manusia seperti air yang keluar dari mulut kita. Ketika air yang sudah terkontaminasi dengan virus bersentuhan dengan mulut, hidung dan mata, itu menjadi titik awal berjangkitnya si virus di tubuh kita.

Namun, hari in, Yesus menggunakan media yang dipakai virus ini untuk menyebar dan mengubahnya menjadi jalan penyembuhan baik kebutaan fisik maupun spiritual. Memang, tindakan pembalikan semacam ini adalah pola favorit Yesus. St. Yohanes Krisostomus, uskup Konstantinopel, dalam homilinya, menyebutkan bahwa tiga cara yang digunakan oleh iblis untuk menghancurkan umat manusia adalah sarana yang sama yang digunakan oleh Yesus untuk menyelamatkan umat manusia. Tiga cara iblis adalah pohon pengetahuan tentang yang baik dan jahat, wanita yaitu Hawa yang tidak taat, dan kematian Adam yang membawa serta semua keturunannya. Yesus kemudian mengubah tiga sarana ini menjadi sarana keselamatan-Nya: untuk pohon pengetahuan, ada pohon salib, untuk Hawa, ada Maria yang setia, dan untuk kematian Adam, ada kematian Yesus yang menyelamatkan kita semua. Iblis mengira dia bisa mengakali Tuhan, tetapi sesungguhnya, Tuhanlah yang memiliki kemenangan akhir.

Dalam Kejadian 2, ketika Tuhan menciptakan manusia, Dia bertindak seperti seorang seniman atau pematung. Dalam tradisi Yahudi kuno, Tuhan mengambil tanah, dan kemudian agar bisa dibentuk, Dia menggunakan ludah-Nya sendiri untuk membuat tanah liat. Tindakan Yesus dalam menyembuhkan orang buta membawa kita kembali ke kisah penciptaan ini. Yesus tidak hanya menyembuhkan, tetapi Dia menciptakan kembali manusia itu seturut citra-Nya sendiri. Bahkan sarana keburukan dan penyakit dapat diubah menjadi sarana keindahan dan keselamatan.

Virus covid-19 telah menghancurkan banyak aspek kehidupan manusia. Virus ini menyebarkan ketakutan dan kepanikan. Virus ini memaksa pemerintah untuk mengambil tindakan drastis, termasuk “lockdown” kota-kota dan menghentikan kegiatan perekonomian. Virus ini memisahkan orang dari sahabat dan orang yang mereka kasihi. Orang beriman diwajibkan untuk menjauhi rumah Tuhan. Ini adalah waktu yang menyakitkan dan membingungkan bagi banyak dari kita. Bahkan beberapa dari kita akan menangis, “Eli, Eli, Lama sabacthani?”

Namun, kita tidak boleh lupa bahwa Yesus selalu dapat menggunakan sarana-sarana kematian dan kehancuran yang sama untuk menjadi sara keselamatan-Nya. Kita meminta Tuhan untuk membuka mata iman kita untuk melihat bagaimana Tuhan bekerja melalui masa krisis ini, dan saat mata kita terbuka, kita bisa melihat betapa banyaknya kebaikan ditengah-tengah kita.

Kita berterima kasih atas  berkat Tuhan yang menjelma sebagai berbagai praktisi medis kita yang mempertaruhkan nyawanya untuk merawat mereka yang sakit; untuk pejabat pemerintah kita yang bekerja tanpa kenal lelah untuk mencegah penyebaran virus; untuk para sukarelawan yang menyumbangkan sumber daya mereka sendiri untuk membantu memerangi penyakit ini; untuk para imam dan pelayan Gereja yang melayani kebutuhan rohani umat meskipun ada banyak keterbatasan. Doa saya juga tertuju bagi seorang imam Italia yang membuat pengorbanan terakhir saat dia meminta untuk tidak dirawat sehingga mesin pernapasan yang terbatas dapat digunakan oleh yang lebih muda dan memiliki kesempatan yang lebih baik untuk bertahan hidup.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Dying

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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [July 22, 2018] Mark 6:30-34

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  (Mrk 6:31)

mother-holding-childs-hand-who-260nw-232137526I am currently having my clinical pastoral education at one of the hospitals in Metro Manila. It has been one month since I started my pastoral visits. Since then, I have encountered people in different stages of illness. Many of them are fast recovering, some are taking more time to get cured, but some others have to face serious conditions. It is my ministry as a chaplain to accompany them in their journey of healing. I feel immense joy when I can witness their healing process, from one who is weak on the bed, to one who is standing and ready to leave the hospital.

However, the greatest privilege for me is that I am given a chance to accompany some persons in their journey of dying. It seems rather morbid because we are all afraid of death, and many still look at talking about death as taboo. Yet, in the hospital, battling death is a daily business for both the patients and the medical professionals. It is just that some are dying longer than the others. Death and dying are terrifying because they end our life, shatter our dreams, and cut our relationship with the people we love. I befriend a young man who just graduated with a lot of dreams in his heart, yet cancer robs him of his dreams as he has to struggle with painful and unforgiving chemotherapy. I also accompany a young woman who has kidney failures and has to spend a lot on her dialysis and medicine. She is not able to finish her school, to find a job, and to pursue her dreams. A young mother has to leave behind her young children in the province, move to Manila, jump from one hospital to another, just to be cured of her breast cancer. Her only wish is to be reunited with her children.

However, as I journey with them, I discover that dying is not only terrifying but also a privilege. It is true that dying can trigger many negative feelings like denial, anger, bitterness, and even depression. One can blame himself, or get angry with God. One who can only depend on the generosity of the people around him can feel helpless and even depressed. However, when the patient begins to accept his situation, dying can be transformed into a moment of grace. The dying person can now see what truly matter in life. As healthy persons, we do a lot of things; we work hard, we achieve many things. With so much in our hands, we tend to overlook what are the most essential in our lives. Dying slows us down, and gives us time to think clearly. It provides us the rare opportunity to settle the unfinished business and to do the missions God has entrusted to us. Paradoxically, the dying is the one who is truly living. As Mitch Albom writes in Tuesdays with Morrie, “The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites His disciples to rest. After working so hard for their mission, Jesus brings them to a deserted place. After success in their preaching, the disciples may easily be proud and be full of themselves. Yet, a genuine rest may settle them down and reorient themselves into Jesus, the source of their mission and success.

We do not have to suffer first from terminal illness as to experience dying. We can always avail the privilege of dying through moments of rest, prayer, and reflection. It is always good to reflect the words of St. John of the Cross, “in the twilight of life, God will not judge us on our earthly possessions and human successes, but on how well we have loved.”

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Menghadapi Kematian

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Minggu Keenam Belas dalam Masa Biasa [22 Juli 2018] Markus 6: 30-34

Ia berkata kepada mereka: “Marilah ke tempat yang sunyi, supaya kita sendirian, dan beristirahatlah seketika!” (Mrk 6:31)

person-in-hospital-bed-holding-hands-05Saat ini saya menjalani pastoral di salah satu rumah sakit di Metro Manila. Sudah satu bulan sejak saya melakukan kunjungan pastoral pertama saya. Saya telah bertemu banyak pasien yang bergulat dengan berbagai jenis penyakit. Tugas pelayanan saya sebagai pekerja pastoral adalah untuk menemani mereka dalam perjalanan penyembuhan mereka. Saya merasakan sukacita yang luar biasa ketika saya dapat menjadi saksi dalam proses penyembuhan mereka, dari seseorang yang terbaring lemah di tempat tidur, sampai menjadi seseorang yang berdiri tegak dan siap untuk meninggalkan rumah sakit.

Namun, hak istimewa terbesar bagi saya adalah bahwa saya diberi kesempatan untuk menemani beberapa orang dalam perjalanan mereka menghadapi kematian. Kita tidak suka berbicara tentang kematian karena kita semua takut akan kematian, dan banyak yang masih memandang kematian sebagai hal tabu. Namun, di rumah sakit, memerangi kematian adalah aktivitas sehari-hari baik bagi pasien maupun para tenaga kerja medis. Kematian menjadi menakutkan karena hal ini mengakhiri hidup kita, menghancurkan impian kita, dan memutuskan hubungan kita dengan orang yang kita cintai. Saya berteman dengan seorang pria muda yang baru saja lulus dari sebuah universitas dengan banyak mimpi di dalam benaknya, namun kanker merampas impiannya dan dia harus menjalani kemoterapi yang merusak tubuhnya. Saya juga menemani seorang remaja yang mengalami gagal ginjal dan harus menghabiskan banyak uang untuk dialisis dan obatnya. Dia pun tidak bisa menyelesaikan sekolahnya, mencari pekerjaan, dan mengejar mimpinya. Seorang ibu muda harus meninggalkan anak-anaknya yang masih kecil di kampung halaman, pindah ke Manila, pindah dari satu rumah sakit ke rumah sakit lain, hanya untuk sembuh dari kanker payudaranya. Keinginannya hanya satu untuk bersatu kembali dengan anak-anaknya.

Namun, ketika saya melakukan perjalanan bersama mereka, saya menemukan bahwa kematian tidak hanya menakutkan tetapi juga sebuah kesempatan istimewa. Memang benar bahwa menghadapi kematian dapat memicu banyak perasaan negatif seperti penyangkalan, kemarahan, kepahitan, dan bahkan depresi. Seseorang dapat menyalahkan dirinya sendiri, atau marah kepada Tuhan atas apa yang terjadi. Seseorang yang hanya bisa bergantung pada kemurahan hati orang-orang di sekitarnya bisa merasa tidak berdaya dan bahkan putus asa. Namun, ketika pasien mulai menerima situasinya, menghadapi kematian dapat berubah menjadi momen rahmat. Seseorang yang sedang menghadapi kematian dapat melihat apa yang benar-benar penting dalam hidup. Sebagai orang sehat, kita bisa melakukan banyak hal; kita bekerja keras, kita mencapai banyak hal. Dengan begitu banyak hal di hidup kita, kita cenderung mengabaikan apa yang paling penting dalam hidup kita. Menghadapi kematian memperlambat kita, dan memberi kita waktu untuk berpikir jernih. Ini memberi kita kesempatan langka untuk menyelesaikan urusan yang belum selesai dan untuk melakukan misi terakhir yang Tuhan percayakan kepada kita.

Dalam Injil hari ini, Yesus mengundang murid-murid-Nya untuk beristirahat. Setelah bekerja keras menjalankan misi mereka, Yesus membawa mereka ke tempat yang sepi. Setelah berhasil dalam pewartaan mereka, para murid dapat dengan mudah menjadi angkuh dan penuh dengan diri mereka sendiri. Namun, peristirahatan yang sejati dapat menenangkan mereka dan mengarahkan kembali diri mereka kepada Yesus, sumber dari misi dan kesuksesan mereka.

Kita tidak harus menderita penyakit berat yang menghadapi kematian dan merenungkan hal-hal yang sungguh penting dalam hidup. Kita selalu dapat beristirahat, melalui doa dan refleksi. Tentunya, selalu baik untuk merefleksikan kata-kata Santo Yohanes dari Salib, “di saat kita mencapai senja kehidupan, Tuhan tidak akan menghakimi kita berdasarkan  harta duniawi dan keberhasilan kita, tetapi pada seberapa besar kita mengasihi.”

Frater Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Shake the Dust Off Your Feet

On By bayuopIn English, Ordinary Time 20181 Comment

The fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [July 15, 2018] Mark 6:7-13

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them. (Mk. 6:11)

feet and sandOur Gospel today speaks of the mission of the Twelve. They are sent to perform the threefold task: to exorcise the evil spirits, to heal the sick and to preach repentance. This threefold missionary duty reflects Jesus’ mission also in the Gospel according to Mark. To facilitate their preaching ministry, they need to travel light. No extra baggage, no extra burden. They need to travel two by two as a sign of communal and ecclesial dimension of the mission. They shall depend also their sustenance on the generosity of the people. And, when they face rejection, they shall shake the dust off their feet as a symbolic judgment against those who reject them. In ancient time, the Jews shake the dust off their feet when they reenter the Israel soil from the Gentile territories, as a sign of disowning and disapproval of the Gentiles nations.

I am presently having a clinical pastoral education in one of the hospitals in Metro Manila. The program trains me to become a good and compassionate chaplain. One of the basic tasks of a chaplain is to visit the patients, and during our visit, we are to listen to the patients and journey with them as a companion of the sick. To a certain extent, I feel that I am participating in the mission of the twelve Jesus’ disciples, especially in the ministry of healing the sick. However, unlike Jesus’ disciples, I am aware that I do not have the gift of miraculous healing. I often pray for and together with the patients, but so far there is no instantaneous healing, and patients continue to struggle with their sickness. However, the healing is not limited only to physical and biological aspects. It is holistic and includes the emotional and spiritual healing. Our doctors, nurse, and other hospital staffs have done their best to cure their patients’ illness, or at least to help them to bear their illness with dignity. I do believe that they are essentially and primarily Jesus’ co-workers in the ministry of healing. However, with so much load work they carry and limited time and energy, they have to focus on what they are trained for. The chaplains are there to fill in the gaps, to tie the loose ends, to attend to the emotional and spiritual needs.

In my several visits, I am grateful that many are welcoming my presence. However, at times, I feel also unwelcome. At this kind of moment, I am tempted to “shake the dust off my feet” as the testimony against them. After all, the disciples are instructed to do that. However, at the second thought, I try to understand why the patient is not so welcoming. Perhaps, they are in pain. Perhaps, they need rest. Perhaps, the medication affects their emotional disposition. Perhaps, they still have some serious issues that they need to deal with. With this awareness, I cannot simply judge them as “bad guy”. Trying to understand them and empathize with them, I also “shake the dust off my feet”, but this time, it is not the testimony against them, but it is to shake the “dust” of misunderstanding, rash judgment, and apathy. A chaplain is one who carries the mission of Christ to bring healing, and if I address rejection and difficulty with anger and hatred, then I just create more pain and illness.

Whether we are medical professionals or not, all of us are called to participate in this healing ministry of Jesus Christ. All of us are wounded and in pain with so many problems and issues we have in life. Thus, it is our call to bring healing to our family, to our friends, to our society, to our natural environment, and to our Church. This begins with our willingness to “shake the dust off our feet”, the dust of fear and wrong pre-judgment, the dust of rush emotional reactions in the face of challenging situations.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP