Tag: Hope

Advent: Are We Ready?

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1st Sunday of Advent [C]

December 1, 2024

Luke 21:25–28, 34–36

The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year of the Church. Advent, which means “the arrival,” is a time to prepare for the coming of Christ, both His first coming in Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, and His second coming at the end of time. Basically, through this season, the Church teaches us to wait. Yet, how do we prepare ourselves to wait for Christ?

There are three key steps in this preparation:

First. Knowing who is coming. The most basic thing to prepare the arrival of someone is to know who they are. The preparation we make to welcome a close friend into our home is vastly different from the preparation to welcome a country’s president. The person coming will dictate overall planning, the resources needed, and the level of effort involved. The more important the person, the greater resources we commit. Advent reminds us that the one who is coming is Jesus! If Jesus is God, then all our lives, time, strength, and hearts are devoted to welcome Him.

Second. Knowing the reason of the coming. The nature of our preparations also depends on the reason of the visit. If a friend comes to borrow a book, we simply make the book available. But if a relative from another town is visiting for several days, we prepare the space for her stay, buy or cook necessary food, and ensure everything she may need. Advent teaches us that Jesus comes at the end of time to bring final judgement. He will be just both to the righteous and the wicked. Surely, we do not want to be numbered among evil-doers. So, our preparation is to become a righteous by faithfully doing what is pleasing to Him.

Third. Knowing the time of the coming. The timing of arrival also shapes our preparations. A mother who knows the expected date of her child’s birth can plan accordingly. Parents who are expecting the arrival of their daughter after study abroad, will go to the airport ahead of time, and perhaps bringing small, lovely gifts. However, Advent tells us a different story. While the Bible assures us that Jesus surely will come, it also makes clear that we are not to know when Jesus comes. Therefore, we must live as though Jesus is coming at any moment. Every second of our lives is an opportunity to make ourselves ready to stand before Him.

Advent season is rightly called as the time of expectation. Through this season, the Church teaches us how to expect Jesus’ coming in our lives.

Rome

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

One crucial element in our preparation is the Eucharist. The Mass is often referred to as “Jesus’ third coming”.  Jesus is present sacramentally, and the way we approach the Mass is most likely how we will face Jesus in the final judgement. Do we receive Jesus worthily in the Eucharist? What kind spiritual preparation we do before we go the mass? Do we approach Jesus in the Eucharist with eagerness and devotion or do we feel lazy and uninspired?

Emmanuel

On By bayuopIn Christmas, EnglishLeave a comment

Christmas – Mass during the Night [B]

December 24, 2020

Luke 2:1-14

Christmas is one of the most beautiful and joyous times of the year. Christmas is the time to gather with the families and friends and to have an exchange of gifts. Christmas is the time to put up Christmas trees, place Nativity scenes, and play Christmas songs. Surely, Christmas is the time when families once again go to the church together.

However, this year, things do not go as we want them to be. The pandemic caused by Covid-19 continues to plague our societies, and it significantly affects how we do things and relate with one another. Some of us can no longer go home because of our nature of professions or travel restrictions. Some of us will not attend the beautiful Christmas vigil liturgy because the Church remained closed. Some of us have no special meals on the table because the poor economy hits us hard. For some of us, it is just a lonely and sad Christmas because some of our family members are sick or even have passed away.

Is this still a Christmas? In these difficult situations, all the more, we are invited to reflect on the mystery of Incarnation. The drama of salvation begins with a little baby with His poor parents. Joseph was David’s son, yet he was no more than a poor carpenter, who cannot even provide a decent place for his wife to give birth. Mary was a young mother who had to endure unimaginable shame and various threats to her life. And, at the center of Christmas is the baby boy who is God and yet chose to be born in the most unworthy place of all, a cave filled with animals. He did not opt for much grander places like a royal palace or a magnificent castle. He did not decide to be wrapped with a purple royal garment, but a simple linen cloth. He did not select a golden and comfortable bed, but an unhygienic stone manger.

Looking at the circumstances, Jesus’ birth is not that impressive, but this is what makes the mystery of Incarnation touch every human heart. He did not come as an imposing and authoritarian king like Augustus. He did not come as a shrewd military leader like Julius Caesar. He did not come as a smart politician like Herod. God comes to us as the weakest baby in the humblest place. He is a God who radically loves us and wills to embrace even our weak nature.

Christmas reminds us that Jesus is with us when we are broken by economic conditions; Jesus is with us when we cannot be with our loved ones. Jesus is with us when we are losing our family members. The first Christmas points to us that God does not always spare us from suffering, but He promises to be with us in these terrible times.

One of my friends just lost his father due to Covid-19. It was sudden and untimely death. And what made it very painful is they could not give the last farewell for him as the remain brought immediately to the cemetery. When I had a chance to talk to him, I discovered he could accept the death, and then I asked him the reason. He narrated to me that before his father was admitted to the hospital, he gave his father a brown scapular. He also learned that his father passed away when he was praying the rosary. He believed that his father was not alone when he died; God is with him. Indeed, Jesus is the Emmanuel: God is with us.

Merry Christmas!

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: debby hudson

Immanuel

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Malam Natal [B]

24 Desember 2020

Lukas 2: 1-14

Natal adalah salah satu masa terindah dan menggembirakan. Natal adalah waktu untuk berkumpul dengan keluarga dan para sahabat, dan juga bertukar hadiah. Natal adalah waktu memasang pohon Natal, merancang Gua Natal, dan memutar lagu-lagu Natal. Pastinya, Natal adalah saat keluarga pergi ke gereja bersama-sama.

Namun, tahun ini, banyak hal tidak berjalan seperti yang kita inginkan. Pandemi yang disebabkan oleh Covid-19 terus menghantam masyarakat kita, dan memengaruhi secara signifikan cara kita melakukan sesuatu dan berelasi satu sama lain. Beberapa dari kita tidak bisa lagi pulang karena profesi kita atau pembatasan perjalanan. Beberapa dari kita tidak akan dapat menghadiri liturgi malam Natal yang indah karena Gereja tetap tutup. Beberapa dari kita tidak memiliki makanan spesial di atas meja karena ekonomi yang buruk memukul kita dengan keras. Bagi sebagian dari kita, ini adalah Natal yang dingin dan menyedihkan karena beberapa anggota keluarga kita sakit atau bahkan telah meninggal dunia.

Apakah ini masih Natal? Dalam situasi sulit ini, semakin kita diundang untuk merenungkan misteri Inkarnasi. Drama keselamatan dimulai dengan seorang bayi kecil dengan orang tua-Nya yang miskin. Yusuf adalah putra Daud, namun dia tidak lebih dari seorang tukang kayu yang sederhana, yang bahkan tidak dapat menyediakan tempat yang layak bagi istrinya untuk melahirkan. Maria adalah seorang ibu muda, yang harus menanggung rasa malu yang tak terbayangkan dan berbagai ancaman terhadap hidupnya. Dan, di tengah Natal adalah bayi laki-laki yang adalah Tuhan sendiri, tetapi memilih untuk dilahirkan di tempat yang paling tidak layak, sebuah gua yang dipenuhi dengan binatang. Dia tidak memilih tempat yang sangat megah seperti istana atau kastil yang megah. Ia tidak memilih untuk dibungkus dengan pakaian kerajaan berwarna ungu, melainkan kain linen sederhana. Dia tidak memilih tempat tidur emas dan nyaman, tetapi palungan batu yang tidak higienis.

Melihat keadaannya, kelahiran Yesus memang tidak terlalu mengesankan, tapi inilah yang membuat misteri Inkarnasi menyentuh hati setiap manusia. Dia tidak datang sebagai raja yang mendominasi dan otoriter seperti kaisar Agustus. Dia tidak datang sebagai pemimpin militer yang lihai seperti Julius Caesar. Dia tidak datang sebagai politikus yang cerdas seperti Herodes. Tuhan datang kepada kita sebagai bayi terlemah di tempat yang paling rendah. Dia adalah Tuhan yang sangat mengasihi kita, dan ingin merangkul bahkan kodrat kita yang lemah kita.

Natal mengingatkan kita bahwa Yesus menyertai kita ketika kita bergulat dengan kondisi ekonomi; Yesus menyertai kita saat kita tidak bisa bersama orang yang kita cintai. Yesus menyertai kita saat kita kehilangan anggota keluarga kita. Natal pertama menunjukkan kepada kita bahwa Tuhan tidak selalu melepaskan kita dari penderitaan, tetapi Dia berjanji untuk selalu menyertai kita di saat-saat yang sulit ini.

Salah satu teman saya baru saja kehilangan ayahnya karena Covid-19. Hal ini adalah kematian yang tiba-tiba dan terlalu cepat. Yang membuatnya sangat menyakitkan adalah mereka tidak bisa memberikan perpisahan terakhir karena jenazah segera dikubur. Ketika saya memiliki kesempatan untuk berbicara dengannya, saya melihat dia sudah dapat menerima kepergian ayahnya. Sayapun menanyakan alasannya. Dia menceritakan kepada saya bahwa sebelum ayahnya dirawat di rumah sakit, dia dapat memberikan skapulir coklat kepada ayahnya. Dia juga mengetahui bahwa ayahnya meninggal ketika dia berdoa rosario. Dia percaya bahwa ayahnya tidak sendirian ketika dia meninggal, Tuhan menyertainya. Sungguh, Yesus adalah Imanuel, Tuhan beserta kita.

Selamat Natal!

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: debby hudson

Sign of Hope

On By bayuopIn Advent, EnglishLeave a comment

First Sunday of Advent [B]

November 29, 2020

Mark 13:33-37

We are entering a joyful season of Advent. The first Sunday of Advent is also the beginning of the liturgical year of the Catholic Church. Advent is from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “the coming.” From this name alone, we can already deduce the purposes of this lovely season. It is to prepare us for the coming of Jesus, yet we must not forget that the Church teaches us that there are two comings. The first coming is two thousand years ago in Bethlehem, as a baby at Mary’s hands. The second coming is Jesus’ arrival at the end of time as the glorious king and the judge.

Our Gospel points to this fundamental truth of the second coming. Jesus will surely come, but He does not give us the timetable, and thus, we need to be prepared and be watchful. The illustration Jesus presents is a master who is travelling abroad. In ancient times, travelling is stunning different from our time. Nowadays, with the advances of technologies and modern transport systems, we can determine even the exact location of a particular train and even an airplane. We are used to following a fixed schedule of travel itineraries. However, the ancient people knew nothing about the internet or GPS, and travelling was often hard to endure. People who needed to cross the sea may get stranded because of the unpredictable storms. Some people had to spend weeks in a  town because the winter was unbearably chilling for travellers. Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, knew well how punishing travelling was. Robbers ambushed him, his ship was capsized several times, and he had to spend hours on the sea. The master will come, but nobody knows when, and thus, the servants have to be watchful.

Humanity is living in a time of great sadness and fear. We are still battling the covid-19 that kills thousands, renders countless people jobless, and changes the way we live and interact. Aside from this tiny virus, we are constantly scared by possible global catastrophe caused by nuclear wars, global warming, even zombies and alien attacks. Yet, this season of Advent gives us a reason for hope. Despite everything, Jesus will surely come, and He remains in control.

We learn from the advent wreath. This tradition attached to advent season comes from northern Europe, who knew well how dark and cold winter could be, especially in December. Unlike us, who live in tropical, our brethren living near the arctic zone sometimes experience brutal winter. They are living in freezing temperatures and often without sunlight. These gloomy and dark conditions may affect our mental health. However, our brothers and sisters refused to give up and look for the sign of hope. They discovered the evergreen leaves that decline to wither and found out that small light shines brighter in the dark. This advent wreath points to us Christ, our Hope. Every time we enter the season of Advent, we are assured that there is always hope, even in the face of our world’s brokenness.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: joanna kosinka

Tanda Harapan

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Minggu Pertama Adven [B]

29 November 2020

Markus 13: 33-37

Kita memasuki masa Adven. Minggu pertama Adven juga merupakan awal tahun liturgi Gereja Katolik. Adven sendiri berasal dari kata Latin “adventus” yang berarti “kedatangan”. Dari nama ini saja kita sudah bisa menyimpulkan tujuan dari masa liturgi yang satu ini. Masa Adven mempersiapkan kita bagi kedatangan Yesus, namun kita tidak boleh lupa bahwa Gereja mengajarkan kita bahwa ada dua kedatangan Yesus. Kedatangan pertama terjadi dua ribu tahun yang lalu di Bethlehem, sebagai bayi kecil di tangan Maria. Kedatangan kedua adalah kedatangan Yesus di akhir zaman sebagai raja dan hakim yang mulia.

Injil kita menunjukkan kebenaran mendasar tentang kedatangan yang kedua kali ini. Yesus pasti akan datang, tetapi Dia tidak memberi kita waktunya, dan karena itu, kita perlu bersiap-siap selalu. Ilustrasi yang diberikan Yesus adalah seorang tuan rumah yang bepergian ke luar negeri. Di jaman dahulu, perjalanan jauh sanggatlah berbeda dengan zaman kita. Saat ini, dengan kemajuan teknologi dan sistem transportasi modern, kita dapat menentukan bahkan dengan tepat lokasi sebuah bus, kereta dan bahkan pesawat terbang. Jadwal keberangkatan dan kedatangan sudah tetap, dan kita tinggal mengikutinya saja. Namun, orang-orang kuno tidak memiliki internet atau GPS, dan perjalanan panjang sering kali sulit dilakukan. Orang yang perlu menyeberang laut mungkin harus tinggal di kota Pelabuhan karena badai yang tidak terduga. Sementara sebagian orang harus menghabiskan waktu berminggu-minggu di tempat tertentu karena musim dingin datang dan jalan dipenuhi salju. Rasul Paulus tahu betul betapa sulitnya bepergian pada waktu itu. Dia pernah disergap oleh perampok, kapalnya karam beberapa kali, dan dia pernah juga berjam-jam terombang-ambing di lautan. Yesus mengajarkan bahwa sang tuannya akan datang kembali, tapi tidak ada yang tahu kapan, dan karenanya, para pelayan harus waspada.

Sekarang ini, umat ​​manusia hidup di masa penuh kecemasan dan ketakutan yang luar biasa. Kita masih berjuang melawan Covid-19 yang membunuh ribuan orang, membuat banyak orang kehilangan pekerjaan, dan mengubah cara kita hidup dan berinteraksi. Selain virus covid ini, kita terus-menerus cemas oleh kemungkinan bencana global yang disebabkan oleh perang nuklir, pemanasan global, bahkan serangan zombie dan alien! Namun, masa adven ini memberi kita alasan untuk berharap. Terlepas dari segala hal buruk yang terjadi, Yesus tetap memegang kendali, dan Dia akan datang sebagai Raja yang adil dan penuh kasih.

Mari kita belajar dari pesan yang dibawa oleh lingkaran adven. Ini adalah satu tradisi masa adven yang berasal dari orang-orang Eropa utara kuno yang tahu betul betapa gelap dan dinginnya musim dingin, terutama di bulan Desember. Tidak seperti kita yang tinggal di daerah tropis, saudara-saudara kita yang tinggal di dekat zona artic terkadang mengalami masa dingin yang brutal. Mereka hidup dalam suhu beku, dan sering kali tanpa sinar matahari. Kondisi yang suram dan kelam ini bisa mempengaruhi kesehatan mental kita. Namun, saudara-saudari kita menolak untuk menyerah dan mencari tanda harapan. Mereka menemukan daun cemara yang tidak pernah layu, dan menemukan bahwa cahaya kecil bersinar lebih terang dalam gelap. Karangan bunga adven ini menunjuk pada kita Kristus, Harapan kita. Setiap kali kita memasuki masa Adven, kita diyakinkan bahwa selalu ada harapan bahkan di tengah-tengah hal-hal yang tidak pasti di dunia kita ini.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: waldemar brant

The Paraclete

On By bayuopIn Easter, EnglishLeave a comment

6th Sunday of Easter

May 17, 2020

John 14:15-21

holy spirit dove 4In the last supper, Jesus promised the disciples that He would send another advocate to be with them forever. Who is this other advocate?

We all know that He is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Most Holy Trinity. Yet, how did Jesus describe Him in the Gospel of John, and why did He call the Spirit as such? Jesus named Him as the Paraclete, or in Greek, “Parakletos.” This exceptional word comes from two more basic Greek words, “para” means “at the side,” and “kaleo” means “to call.” Thus, “parakletos” can be understood as someone who is called to be at our side, especially in times of need. It is crucial to see the original setting where this word came: it was the courtroom. No wonder that the word “parakletos” may be translated into English as an advocate like a lawyer who assists us, defend us and speak on our behalf in the legal trial. Yet, as we know, a good lawyer does not only assist within the courtroom, he is there before and after the trial. He gives his advice and prepares us for the proceedings. In the end, he consoles us if we face severe judgment as well as rejoices if we emerge victoriously. No wonder in English, the word “paraclete” can be translated as an advocate, comforter, counselor, and even helper. But why did Jesus choose this image in the first place?

The reason is that Jesus knew that as the disciples preached His Gospel, they would face many trials. Peter and John faced trial before the Sanhedrin [Acts 4:5 ff]. Stephen was accused of blasphemy and stoned to death [acts 7]. And Paul was put under many judgments before he gave up his life for Jesus. In this kind of reality, Jesus did the right thing: to send the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit would be at the side of the disciples facing trials and hardship as they were preaching Jesus. Indeed, it is inconceivable for these disciples to endure and even give up their lives without the Holy Spirit that were at their side.

In our time, as disciples of Christ, we are facing a global trial caused by the virus covid19. Some of us are luckier because we just need to stay at home. Some of us are fortunate because we can enjoy the livestreaming mass, even twice a day! But for many, the pandemic means losing their livelihood and even their lives. For many, they cannot go to the church even when there was no pandemic.

We indeed need the Paraclete, but one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is that we are also empowered to be a little paraclete to our brothers and sisters. The moment we, the Dominican community in Surabaya, was required to close the church temporarily for the public service, we immediately were eager to provide an online service to our parishioners. We are thankful that many people donate relief goods to our parish, and our parish priests assisted by lay partners work hard to channel this help to those who are in need.

Instead of complaining that we cannot go to the Church or blaming others for the situations, we should ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to become little paracletes and find ways to be advocates, comforters and at the side of our brothers and sisters in need.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Parakletos

On By bayuopIn Bahasa, EasterLeave a comment

Minggu Paskah ke-6 [A]

17 Mei 2020

Yohanes 14: 15-21

holy spirit doveDalam perjamuan terakhir, Yesus berjanji kepada murid-murid bahwa Ia akan mengirim penolong yang lain untuk bersama mereka selamanya. Siapa penolong yang lain ini?

Kita semua tahu bahwa Dia adalah Roh Kudus, pribadi ketiga dari Tritunggal Mahakudus. Namun, bagaimana Yesus menggambarkan Dia dalam Injil Yohanes, dan mengapa Ia menyebut Roh Kudus sebagai “penolong”? Yesus menamai Dia sebagai penolong, atau dalam bahasa Yunani, “Parakletos.” Kata luar biasa ini berasal dari dua kata dasar Yunani, “para” berarti “di samping,” dan “kaleo” berarti “memanggil.” Dengan demikian, “parakletos” dapat dipahami sebagai seseorang yang dipanggil untuk berada di samping kita, terutama pada saat dibutuhkan. Sangat penting untuk melihat konteks asli kata ini muncul: di ruang sidang. Tidak heran bahwa kata “parakletos” dapat diterjemahkan ke juga sebagai advokat yang membantu, membela kita, dan berbicara atas nama kita dalam persidangan. Namun, seperti yang kita ketahui, seorang pembela yang baik tidak hanya membantu di dalam ruang sidang, ia ada baik sebelum maupun sesudah persidangan. Dia memberikan nasihatnya dan mempersiapkan kita untuk proses pengadilan. Pada akhirnya, dia menghibur kita jika kita menghadapi hukuman berat atau juga bersukacita jika kita berhasil menang. Tidak heran jika kata “parakletos” dapat diterjemahkan sebagai advokat, penghibur, penasihat, dan penolong. Tetapi mengapa Yesus memilih kata ini dari kata-kata yang lain?

Alasannya adalah bahwa Yesus tahu bahwa ketika para murid mulai mewartakan Injil-Nya, mereka akan menghadapi banyak kesulitan termasuk diadili. Petrus dan Yohanes menghadapi pengadilan di hadapan Sanhedrin [Kis 4:5 dst]. Stephanus dituduh melakukan penistaan ​​agama dan dilempari batu sampai mati [Kis 7]. Dan Paulus menjalani banyak persidangan sebelum dia menyerahkan hidupnya untuk Yesus. Dalam kenyataan semacam ini, Yesus melakukan hal yang benar: mengirim Parakletos. Roh Kudus akan berada di sisi para murid menghadapi cobaan dan kesulitan ketika mereka mewartakan Yesus. Memang, sulit memahami tindakan para murid ini untuk bertahan dan bahkan menyerahkan hidup mereka tanpa Roh Kudus yang ada di pihak mereka.

Di zaman kita, sebagai murid Kristus, kita menghadapi masa sulit global yang disebabkan oleh virus covid19. Beberapa dari kita beruntung karena kita hanya perlu tinggal di rumah. Beberapa dari kita beruntung karena kita dapat menikmati misa livestreaming, bahkan dua kali sehari! Tetapi bagi banyak orang, pandemi berarti kehilangan mata pencaharian dan bahkan hidup mereka. Bagi banyak orang, mereka tidak dapat pergi ke gereja bahkan ketika tidak ada pandemi.

Kita memang membutuhkan Parakletos, tetapi salah satu karunia Roh Kudus adalah bahwa kita juga diberdayakan untuk menjadi parakletos kecil bagi saudara-saudari kita. Saat kami, komunitas Dominikan di Surabaya, diminta untuk menutup gereja sementara untuk pelayanan publik, kita segera mencari cara agar dapat memberikan layanan online kepada umat paroki kita. Kita juga bersyukur bahwa banyak orang menyumbangkan barang-barang bantuan ke paroki, dan para imam paroki dan juga para pengurus gereja bekerja keras untuk menyalurkan bantuan ini kepada mereka yang membutuhkan.

Alih-alih mengeluh bahwa kita tidak dapat pergi ke Gereja atau menyalahkan orang lain atas situasi buruk yang kita alami, kita harus meminta Roh Kudus untuk memberdayakan kita untuk menjadi parakletos kecil dan menemukan cara untuk menjadi pembela, penghibur dan di pihak saudara-saudari kita yang membutuhkan.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Hosanna

On By bayuopIn English, Holy WeekLeave a comment

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

April 5, 2020

Matthew 21:1-11 and Matthew 26:14—27:66

palm at homeToday, we are celebrating the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. In many countries, today is a big celebration where people excitedly throng the Church. I remember when I was still studying in the Philippines, the faithful would pack almost all the 11 masses in our Church, Santo Domingo Church. It was a festive celebration as many people were carrying palm branches of a coconut tree.

However, something bizarre takes place this year. The churches in many countries are temporarily closed, the faithful are asked to avoid gathering, including the Holy Eucharist, and people are confused about what to do with the Celebration of the Holy Week. A parishioner once painfully asked me, “Father, since the Church is closed, what shall I do with the palm branches I have?” Surely, there is always a pastoral solution to any problem that the faithful have. Yet, the real issue is not so much about how to clear up the confusion, but how to deal with the deep pain of losing what makes us Catholics. No palm in our hands, no kissing of the crucifix, and no Body of Christ.

Reflecting on our Gospels’ today, we are somehow like the people of Jerusalem who welcomed Jesus and shouted, “Hosanna!” The Hebrew word “Hosanna” literally means “save us!” or “give us salvation!” It is a cry of hop `e and expectation. We need to remember that the people of Israel during this time was were under the Roman Empire’s occupations. Commonly, lives were hard and many people endured heavy taxation under severe punishment. Many faithful Jews were anticipating the promised Messiah, who like David, would restore the lost twelve tribes of Israel, deliver them from the grip of the Romans and bring them into a glorious kingdom. They saw Jesus as a charismatic preacher, miraculous healer, and nature conqueror, and surely, Jesus could be the king that would turn the Roman legions upside down. We need to remember also the context of the Gospel that in few days, the Jewish people would celebrate the great feast of Passover, and thousands of people were gathered in Jerusalem. With so much energy and euphoria, a small incident could ignite a full-scale rebellion. And Jesus was at the center of this whirlpool.

Jesus is indeed a king and savior, but He is not the kind of king that many people would expect. He is a peaceful king, rather than a warmonger, that is why He chose a gentle ass rather than a strong horse. His crown is not shining gold and diamond, but piercing thorns. His robe is not purple and fine-linen, but skin full of scars. His throne is neither majestic nor desirable, but a cross.

We may be like people of Jerusalem, and we shout “Hosanna!” to Jesus, expecting Him to save us from this terrible pandemic, to bring our liturgical celebrations back, and to solve all our problems. However, like people of Jerusalem, we may get it wrong. Jesus is our Savior, but He may save us in the way that we do not even like.

The challenge is whether we lose patience and dismiss Jesus as a preacher of fake news, rather than good news, or endure the humiliation with Him; whether we get discouraged and begin to shout, “Crucify Him!” or we stand by His cross. The challenge is whether we get bitter and start mocking the church authorities for their incompetence handling the crisis or we continue to support them in time of trial; whether we are cursing the grim situations or we begin to spread the light however small it is.

Why does God allow us to endure this terrible experience, or to be more precise, why does God allow Himself to endure this terrible experience? Let us wait at the Good Friday.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Gaudete!

On By bayuopIn Advent, EnglishLeave a comment

Third Sunday of Advent [A] – December 15, 2019 – Matthew 11:2-11

gaudete sunday - benedictToday, we are going to see something different in the Church. Yes, the priests are not wearing a purple vestment, but a rose liturgical vestment. It is not because the priests are mistaken or want to make a fashion statement. It is because we are entering the third Sunday of Advent, also known as, the Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is a Latin word meaning “rejoice!”. This color also symbolizes the joyful atmosphere. But, why do we need to celebrate Gaudete Sunday?

The first reading from Isaiah [33:1-6] speaks about the joy of all creations when the Lord comes. Not only men but all natures, animals, plants, even rivers, will rejoice before the Lord. While it is true that Advent is a season of expectation and preparation for the coming of the Lord, Gaudete Sunday does not break the general mood of Advent, but rather it gives us the right direction.

When we are waiting for something, there are two reactions. The first one is to complain and to be disappointed. it is like when we are ready to board the airplane, and suddenly the crew announces that there is a delay. We need to wait, and we wait in annoyance. We get disappointed because we are impatient and expecting things to happen according to our plans.

From today’s Gospel, John was in prison, and he knew that his time was short. As the one who prepared for the coming of Messiah, John knew that Jesus was the Christ, but Jesus seemed not to behave like a Messiah John expected. He was waiting for someone brought divine judgment, but Jesus was rather different. Jesus then had to explain what kind of Messiah He is: One who brings mercy, love and joy to world. From here, we discovered that John’s personal expectation hinders him to see that the One he has expected has come.

Sometimes, we wait for an answer to our prayers, but after all the novenas, all the rosaries, all the way of the cross, and all the masses, we do not get the answer. Sometimes, we are expecting that our lives will get better, but the things are getting worse. Sometimes, we are hoping for healing and fast recovery someone we love, but things just do not go the way we want it. The more we expect, the more we get disappointed.

To counter this, we come to the second response in waiting. We can also wait in joy. It is like a mother who is expecting her baby. It is certainly a period of waiting, but the mother was anticipating it with joy. Like an expectant mother, we can wait for the Lord in joy, and like the pregnant woman, the key to joyful expectation is when we are aware that we are waiting something or something we love, and one who we expect has actually come.

I do believe that God always answers our prayers, but the problem is that we do not want to listen to His answers. When we pray, we often pray that our will be done, and not His will be done. This is the reason why we fail to see God and His abundant blessings around us. Indeed, in this Advent season, we are preparing for the coming of Jesus, but this season also we rejoice because Jesus has come in His unexpected and surprising ways. We cannot be grateful and joyful when we are able to see Jesus comes in our daily lives.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Gaudete!

On By bayuopIn Advent, BahasaLeave a comment

Minggu Ketiga Advent [A] – 15 Desember 2019 – Matius 11: 2-11

gaudetesunday22Hari ini, kita akan melihat sesuatu yang berbeda di Gereja. Ya, para imam tidak mengenakan jubah ungu, tetapi jubah liturgis berwarna merah muda. Itu bukan karena para imam salah memakai baju atau ingin tampil trendi. Ini karena kita memasuki hari Minggu ketiga Adven, juga dikenal sebagai, hari Minggu Gaudete. “Gaudete” adalah kata Latin yang berarti “bersukacitalah!”. Warna merah muda ini juga melambangkan suasana sukacita. Tapi, mengapa kita perlu merayakan Minggu Gaudete?

Bacaan pertama dari Yesaya [33: 1-6] berbicara tentang sukacita semua makhluk ketika Tuhan datang. Tidak hanya manusia tetapi semua ciptaan, termasuk binatang, tanaman, bahkan sungai, akan bersukacita di hadapan Tuhan. Meskipun benar bahwa Advent adalah musim pengharapan dan persiapan untuk kedatangan Tuhan, Minggu Gaudete tidak merusak suasana umum Advent, tetapi justru memberi kita arah yang benar.

Ketika kita sedang menunggu sesuatu, ada dua reaksi. Yang pertama adalah mengeluh dan kecewa. Hal ini seperti ketika kita siap untuk naik pesawat, dan tiba-tiba kru mengumumkan bahwa ada penundaan. Kita harus menunggu, dan kita menunggu dengan kesal. Kita kecewa karena kita tidak sabar dan mengharapkan hal-hal terjadi sesuai dengan rencana kita.

Dari Injil hari ini, Yohanes berada di penjara, dan dia tahu waktunya tidak lama lagi. Sebagai orang yang mempersiapkan kedatangan Mesias, Yohanes tahu bahwa Yesus adalah Kristus, tetapi Yesus tampaknya tidak berperilaku seperti yang diharapkannya. Yohanes sedang menunggu seseorang membawa penghakiman ilahi, tetapi Yesus agak berbeda. Yesus kemudian harus menjelaskan Mesias seperti apa Dia: Orang yang membawa kemurahan, kasih, dan sukacita ke dunia. Dari sini, kita menemukan bahwa ekspektasi pribadi Yohanes menghalangi dia untuk melihat bahwa Dia yang harapkan telah datang.

Terkadang, kita menunggu jawaban untuk doa-doa kita, tetapi setelah semua novena, semua rosario, semua jalan salib, dan semua misa, kita tidak mendapatkan jawabannya. Kadang-kadang, kita berharap bahwa hidup kita akan menjadi lebih baik, tetapi keadaan semakin memburuk. Terkadang, kita berharap untuk penyembuhan dan pemulihan cepat seseorang yang kita cintai, tetapi hal-hal tidak berjalan seperti yang kita inginkan. Semakin banyak yang kita harapkan, semakin kita kecewa.

Untuk mengatasi ini, kita sampai pada respons kedua dalam menunggu. Kita juga bisa menunggu dengan sukacita. Itu seperti seorang ibu yang sedang mengandung bayinya. Ini tentu saja merupakan masa penantian, tetapi sang ibu mengantisipasinya dengan gembira. Seperti seorang ibu hamil, kita dapat menunggu Tuhan dalam sukacita, dan sama seperti wanita hamil, kunci dari harapan penuh sukacita adalah ketika kita sadar bahwa kita sedang menunggu sesuatu atau seseorang yang kita cintai, dan seseorang yang kita harapkan datang ini sesungguhnya telah datang.

Saya percaya bahwa Tuhan selalu menjawab doa-doa kita, tetapi masalahnya adalah kita tidak mau mendengarkan jawaban-Nya. Ketika kita berdoa, kita sering berdoa agar kehendak kita terjadi, dan bukan kehendak-Nya yang terjadi. Inilah alasan mengapa kita gagal melihat Tuhan dan berkat-Nya yang berlimpah di sekitar kita. Memang, di masa Advent ini, kita sedang mempersiapkan kedatangan Yesus, tetapi musim ini juga kita bersukacita karena Yesus telah datang dengan cara-Nya yang tak terduga dan mengejutkan. Kita bisa bersyukur dan bersukacita ketika kita dapat melihat Yesus datang dalam kehidupan kita sehari-hari.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP