Tag: Sacrifice

Jesus our High Priest

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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]

October 20, 2024

Heb 4:14-16

The letter to the Hebrews calls Jesus our high priest. As Catholics, we are not foreign to the word ‘priest’ since they are our liturgy or worship leaders. Yet, the author of the letter to the Hebrews does not call Jesus just as another priest but as the high priest. Why does the author of this letter address Jesus as this title? What makes a high priest different from other priests? What is it for us?

Firstly, we need to clarify the word’ priest.’ While it is true that a priest is appointed to oversee worship, he has one specific responsibility that only he can execute. In the Bible and many ancient civilizations, the most essential part of ritual worship is the sacrifice. Commonly, the sacrifice consists of offering something precious to God. In ancient agrarian societies, animals like lambs and crop yields like wheat grains may serve as sacrificial offerings. In the case of animal sacrifice, the ritual begins with the people handing the animal to the priest, and then the priest will slaughter the animal by separating the blood and the body. After this, the priest brings the animal to the altar to be burned as a symbol that God has accepted the sacrifice. In this sense, a priest serves as a mediator between God and the people.

The leader among the priests is called ‘high priest.’ The Hebrew word for high priest is כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, kohen gadol, literally means “great priest.” In Greek, the high priest is ἀρχιερεύς, archiereus, and it can be translated as “the first priest.” Obviously, the high priest has to lead the other priests and manage the entire worship system. Yet, his fundamental function is to be the primary mediator between God and the people. Thus, only he can officiate the most solemn worship. In the Bible, only the high priest can offer the holy sacrifice on the day of atonement (Yom Kippur) and enter the holy of holies to atone for the nation’s sins (see Lev 16).

With this biblical background, we can better understand why the author of the letter to the Hebrews calls Jesus our high priest. Jesus is the supreme mediator between God the Father and us. Moreover, Jesus is far more perfect than other high priests because He is divine. Yet, Jesus is also fully human, experiencing all sufferings and various human problems and weaknesses. Because of this, He knows precisely our struggles and failures. But, most of all, our high priest also becomes the perfect sacrifice to Father as He offers Himself on the cross. Then, when we approach Jesus in humility, we can be hopeful that Jesus will accept us because He knows us, and finally, He will bring us to the Father and may receive mercy.

Questions for reflection:

How do we look at our priests in our parish/church? Do we recognize them as people who bring us closer to God? Do we know that the Eucharist is a sacrifice of Jesus Christ and, thus, our true worship of God? What sacrifice do we bring to the Eucharist? What makes us unable to approach Jesus? Shame, fear, anger, disappointment, resentment, inadequacy?

Yesus, Damai Sejahtera Kita

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Minggu ke-16 dalam Masa Biasa [B]

21 Juli 2024

Efesus 2:13-18

Dalam suratnya kepada jemaat di Efesus, Santo Paulus menyebut Yesus sebagai “Damai Sejahtera Kita”. Namun, mengapa Santo Paulus memberikan gelar yang aneh ini kepada Yesus? Apakah arti sebenarnya dari gelar ini? Dan, bagaimana gelar ini mempengaruhi iman kita?

Untuk memahami Paulus, kita juga harus memahami Perjanjian Lama. Bagaimanapun, Paulus pernah menjadi anggota kelompok Farisi, dan dengan demikian, bukan hanya seorang Yahudi yang taat tetapi juga terpelajar. Ketika Santo Paulus menyebut Yesus sebagai ‘damai sejahtera’, ia mengacu pada kurban atau persembahan perdamaian di Bait Allah Yerusalem. Persembahan perdamaian (dalam bahasa Ibrani, Shelomin) adalah salah satu kurban binatang yang diperintahkan oleh Tuhan kepada bangsa Israel melalui Musa (lihat Imamat 3). Ritual kurban yang dimulai dari zaman Musa ini terus berlangsung sampai bangsa Romawi menghancurkan Bait Suci Yerusalem pada tahun 70 Masehi, sekitar dua dekade setelah kemartiran Paulus. Sehingga Paulus sendiri tidak asing dengan kurban yang satu ini, dan bahkan pernah mempersembahkan kurban jenis ini.

Sesuai namanya, tujuan dari kurban ini adalah untuk perdamaian (rekonsiliasi) antara Tuhan, Allah Israel, dengan orang Israel yang telah bersalah kepada Tuhan. Namun, tidak seperti kurban jenis lain yang menekankan pada penghapusan dosa dan pelanggaran, seperti kurban penghapus dosa (Imamat 4) dan kurban penghapus salah (Imamat 5), kurban perdamaian berfokus pada hasil pengampunan Tuhan, yaitu perdamaian. Ketika manusia menyakiti hati Tuhan karena dosa-dosanya, manusia menjadi jauh dari Tuhan, bahkan seperti layaknya orang asing dan bahkan musuh. Ada permusuhan antara Tuhan dan manusia karena dosa, dan karena ada permusuhan, maka tidak ada damai. Namun, ketika orang tersebut diampuni, dan dosa-dosanya dihapuskan, persahabatannya dengan Tuhan dipulihkan, dan ada perdamaian antara Tuhan dan manusia. Kedamaian ini menyebabkan sukacita dan ucapan syukur. Persembahan perdamaian melambangkan sukacita pengampunan, ucapan syukur atas perdamaian yang telah dicapai.

Ketika Santo Paulus menyebut Yesus sebagai ‘damai sejahtera kita’, Santo Paulus mengenali bahwa Yesus mempersembahkan diri-Nya sendiri sebagai kurban perdamaian di kayu salib. Yesus tidak hanya menghapus dosa-dosa kita, tetapi juga memperdamaikan kita dengan Bapa. Yesus adalah damai sejahtera karena Dia telah menghancurkan permusuhan kita dengan Allah, dan membawa kita kembali kepada Allah dalam persahabatan. Hanya di dalam Yesus, kita berdamai dengan Allah.

Namun, kurban perdamaian juga merupakan jenis kurban yang istimewa karena tidak dibakar seluruhnya (tidak seperti kurban bakaran, Imamat 1). Bagian yang berlemak dibakar karena itu untuk Tuhan, beberapa bagian lain dari hewan tersebut untuk dikonsumsi oleh para imam dan bagian lainnya untuk mereka yang mempersembahkan kurban. Dengan demikian, kurban perdamaian menjadi makanan yang dibagikan kepada semua orang. Kurban ini menjadi simbol perdamaian karena hanya orang-orang yang berdamai dengan satu sama lain yang dapat berbagi meja dan makanan yang sama.

Namun, yang lebih luar biasa lagi adalah Gereja Katolik memiliki kurban perdamaian ini. Sesungguhnya, persembahan perdamaian kita adalah Ekaristi. Dalam Ekaristi, Yesus dipersembahkan kepada Allah Bapa, dan kemudian, dikonsumsi tidak hanya oleh imam, tetapi juga oleh umat beriman yang berpartisipasi dalam perayaan tersebut. Yesus Kristus adalah damai sejahtera kita karena dalam Ekaristi, kita berpartisipasi dalam perjamuan yang sama dengan Tuhan.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The True Glory

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5th Sunday of Lent [B]

March 21, 2021

John 12:20-33

Traditionally, the Gospel of John is divided into two major divisions: the Book of Sign [chapter 1-12] and the Book of Glory [Chapter 13-21]. The book of Sign focuses on the public ministry of Jesus and presents the seven signs of Jesus. In John’s Gospel, Sign is a technical term for a miracle. Jesus’ signs begin with changing water into wine in Cana and reaching its culmination in raising Lazarus from the dead. Meanwhile, the book of Glory tells us how Jesus is glorified. The second part starts with Jesus and his disciples in the Upperroom and culminates in His Passion, death, and resurrection.

Today’s Gospel is coming from John chapter 12, and this chapter serves as a transition between the Book of Signs to the Book of Glory. This is also why the Church selected this reading: to prepare us to enter the Passion Sunday or the Holy Week.

One powerful lesson that we can see in today’s Gospel is how Jesus perceived His Passion and death. Undeniably, He would be crucified and die a horrible death. Crucifixion is a monstrous punishment reserved only for heinous criminals or violent rebels against the Romans. Crucifixion is dreadful because its purpose is to prolong the agony of the condemned before they met their death. On the cross, people are treated even lower than the animals. This is the kind of death that Jesus embraced.

Yet, in John’s Gospel, he did not see His crucifixion as a mere human event but divine providence. Jesus calls His crucifixion the glorification of the Son of Man. Jesus’ view does not only reverse the perspective of the cross but radically transform it. His crucifixion is not just something good or positive, but it is the victorious summit of His life. Jesus declared that the cross is the time of a judgment against the devil, the ruler of the world. Jesus also claimed that the cross is when people from all nations gather as one and receive salvation.

Does it mean Jesus simply dismisses His human side and acts ridiculously tough before the suffering of the cross? Jesus also recognized and admitted His human emotions. We know that Jesus manly faces the horror of His death in the garden of Gethsemane, yet when Jesus was firm to do the Father’s will and to love until the end.

From here, we can learn a profound lesson from Jesus. In following Christ, we might face trials and hardship in life, yet trusting in God’s providence, we can embrace them as our moment of glorification. Trusting in God’s providence is not running from the harsh realities of life, but in fact, it presupposes that we embrace all our humanity. It is not running but resolutely accepting it.

We can always see the lives of our saints. St. Agatha could easily escape death, but she refused to deny Christ and braved the horrifying tortures and death. Her torturers cut her breasts, and she was burned alive. In the eyes of the world, her death was senseless, but for them, it is sharing in the suffering of Christ, and thus, sharing in His Glory.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Photocredit: marcio-chagas

Kemuliaan Sejati

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Minggu ke-5 Prapaskah [B]
21 Maret 2021
Yohanes 12: 20-33

njil Yohanes biasanya dibagi menjadi dua divisi utama: Buku Tanda-Tanda [bab 1-12] dan Buku Kemuliaan [Bab 13-21]. Buku Tanda-Tanda berfokus pada pelayanan publik Yesus dan juga tujuh ‘tanda’ Yesus. Dalam Injil Yohanes, ‘Tanda’ adalah istilah teknis untuk mukjizat. Tanda-tanda Yesus ini dimulai dengan mengubah air menjadi anggur di Kana dan mencapai puncaknya dengan membangkitkan Lazarus dari kematian. Sedangkan Buku Kemuliaan menjelaskan kepada kita bagaimana Yesus ‘dimuliakan’. Buku kedua dimulai dengan Yesus dan murid-murid-Nya di Ruang Atas dan berpuncak pada sengsara, wafat, dan kebangkitan-Nya.

Injil hari ini diambil dari Yohanes bab 12, dan bab ini berfungsi sebagai transisi antara Buku Tanda-Tanda ke Buku Kemuliaan. Ini juga mengapa Gereja memilih bacaan ini: untuk mempersiapkan kita memasuki Minggu Palma Sengsara Yesus dan Pekan Suci.

Satu pelajaran berharga yang dapat kita lihat dalam Injil hari ini adalah bagaimana Yesus memandang sengsara dan kematian-Nya. Tidak dapat disangkal, Yesus akan disalibkan dan wafat dengan cara yang mengerikan. Penyaliban adalah hukuman mengerikan yang hanya diperuntukkan bagi penjahat kelas berat dan pemberontak terhadap bangsa Romawi. Penyaliban ini mengerikan karena tujuannya adalah untuk memperpanjang penderitaan yang terhukum sebelum mereka menemui ajalnya. Di kayu salib, orang diperlakukan lebih rendah daripada hewan. Ini adalah kematian mengerikan yang Yesus akan rangkul.

Namun, dalam Injil Yohanes, Yesus tidak sekedar melihat penyaliban-Nya sebagai peristiwa manusia belaka tetapi sebagai penyelenggaraan ilahi. Yesus menyebut penyaliban-Nya sebagai kemuliaan Anak Manusia. Pandangan Yesus ini tidak hanya membalikkan perspektif salib tetapi secara radikal mentransformasinya. Penyaliban-Nya, bagi Yesus bukan hanya sesuatu yang baik atau positif, tetapi itu adalah puncak kemenangan dari hidup-Nya. Yesus menyatakan bahwa salib adalah waktu penghakiman terhadap iblis, penguasa dunia [Yoh 12:31]. Yesus juga mengklaim bahwa salib adalah saat orang-orang dari segala bangsa berkumpul menjadi satu dan menerima keselamatan [Yoh 12:32].

Apakah ini berarti Yesus mengabaikan sisi kemanusiaan-Nya dan menekan emosi-Nya sebelum menderita di kayu salib? Tentu tidak! Yesus juga mengenali dan menghidupi emosi manusiawi-Nya. Kita tahu bahwa Yesus menghadapi kengerian kematian-Nya di dalam sakratul maut di taman Getsemani, namun walaupun penuh pergulatan, Yesus tetap teguh untuk melakukan kehendak Bapa dan untuk mengasihi sampai akhir.

Dari sini, kita dapat mendapatkan pelajaran yang sangat berharga dari Yesus. Dalam mengikuti Kristus, kita mungkin menghadapi pencobaan dan kesulitan dalam hidup, namun kita diajak untuk percaya pada penyelenggaraan Tuhan, dan kita dapat merangkul penderitaan kita sebagai momen kemuliaan kita. Percaya pada penyelenggaraan Tuhan bukan berarti lari dari kenyataan hidup, tetapi sebaliknya, hal ini mengandaikan bahwa kita merangkul seluruh kemanusiaan kita.

Kita selalu bisa belajar dari kehidupan para kudus kita. Sebagai contoh, St Agatha dapat dengan mudah lolos dari kematian, tetapi dia menolak untuk menyangkal Kristus dan menantang siksaan dan kematian yang mengerikan. Para penyiksanya memotong payudaranya, dan dia dibakar hidup-hidup. Di mata dunia, kematiannya tidak masuk akal, tetapi bagi mereka, yang berbagi dalam penderitaan Kristus, dan dengan demikian, berbagi dalam Kemuliaan-Nya.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: manuel-asturias

The Serpent, the Manna and the Eucharist

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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

Climbing the Mountain

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Second Sunday of Lent [B]

February 28, 2021

Mark 9:2-11

Mountain is a special place in the Bible. It is a place where God meets His people. In the Old Testament, there are many instances where mountains become a pivotal point of salvation history. After the great flood that cleansed the world, the Ark of Noah landed on Mount Ararat, and there, Noah offered sacrifice to God [see Gen 8:4]. Abraham was asked by God to offer his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. Just right before the sacrifice, the angel of God prevented Abraham and God recognized Abraham’s faith [see Gen 22]. When Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Moses saw a burning bush yet was not consumed, and there, on the mount of Horeb, God called Moses to save Israelites from the Egyptians [see Exo 3]. After the liberation from Egypt, Moses and the Israelites the Law and established a covenant with God on the mount of Sinai [see Exo 24:18].

Jesus’ important life events took place in the Mountains. There is the mountain of temptation, where the devil brought Jesus and offered Him the worldly glories. There is the mountain of prayer, where Jesus spent His solitude with the Father. There is the mountain of teaching, where Jesus taught the most remarkable lessons like Beatitudes and love for enemies. There is a mountain of Transfiguration, where Jesus manifested His divine glory. There is the mountain of the cross, or Golgotha, where Jesus gave His life for our salvation. Lastly, there is the mountain of ascension, where Jesus went back to the heavens and sent His disciples to preach and baptize all the nations.

One distinctive feature in the Mount of Transfiguration is that he invited three disciples: Peter, James, and John. There are many reasons why these three were selected. St. Ambrose of Milan, representing the Fathers of the Church, believed that these three were chosen because of Peter who received the kingdoms’ keys, John, to whom was committed our Lord’s mother, and James who first suffered martyrdom. Meanwhile, St. Thomas Aquinas, a Middle age theologian, argued that James was the first martyr, John was the most beloved, and Peter was the one who loves Jesus most. However, we can also see it in a simple way. These three were disciples who were ready to follow Jesus and climb the high mountain.

Climbing the mountain is a challenging mission. One has to make necessary preparation without being excessive. Climbing requires physical stamina as well as mental toughness. As the climbing progresses, the persons’ authentic characters will be revealed. Facing difficulty, one can be very selfish or selfless. Confronting challenges, one can march with courage or retreat in fear. In a dire situation, one can exhibit decisive leadership or get panicked and lose his way. Peter, James, and John were up for the challenge, and they persevered to see the transfigured Jesus.

Often Jesus calls us to climb a mountain with Him. Sometimes, we climb the mountain of prayer as we need to face many hurdles in our prayer life. Occasionally, we need to climb the mountain of teaching because we are struggling with the Church’s particular teachings. Sometimes, we climb the mountain of Calvary, and we need to carry our cross, and on the top, we find no consolation but the death of the Savior.

Yet, the good news is that Jesus, who invited us to climb the mountain, is also walking with us. As we walk with Jesus, He guides us, strengthens us, and forms us. If we are faithful in mountains of temptations and Calvary, we will participate in His Transfiguration, resurrection, and ascension.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: Tim Foster

Yesus, Anak Domba Allah kita

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Minggu Kedua Masa Biasa [B]

17 Januari 2021

Yohanes 1: 35-42

Yohanes Pembaptis menyebut Yesus sebagai ‘Anak Domba Allah.’ Jika kita menghadiri perayaan Ekaristi, kita akan selalu mendengar ungkapan ini. Tepat sebelum komuni, imam akan memegang roti dan anggur yang telah dikonsekrir, dan memperlihatkan kepada kita semua, lalu berkata, “Lihatlah Anak Domba Allah, Lihatlah Dia yang menghapus dosa dunia. Berbahagialah kita yang diundang ke perjamuan-Nya!”

Saya seorang Katolik sejak kecil dan saya tidak dapat mengingat lagi kapan saya mendengar Anak Domba Allah ini untuk pertama kalinya. Namun, saya tidak pernah bertanya mengapa Yesus dipanggil seperti itu. Mungkin, itu hanyalah salah satu gelar Yesus. Namun, Saya secara bertahap mempelajari kebenaran yang indah ini saat saya masuk seminari dan mendalami pembelajaran teologi dan Kitab Suci.

Jika kita menempatkan diri kita pada posisi para murid yang hidup di Palestina abad pertama, kita akan melihat betapa dalamnya gelar ini. Ketika para murid mendengar ‘Anak Domba Allah yang menghapus dosa dunia,’ mereka dengan mudah mengerti apa yang dimaksud oleh Yohanes Pembaptis.

Pertama, domba adalah hewan korban utama di Bait Allah Yerusalem. Setiap hari anak domba disembelih dan dipersembahkan kepada Tuhan. Khususnya pada hari raya Paskah, ribuan ekor domba dibawa ke Bait Allah dan dikorbankan. Meskipun pengorbanan anak domba bukan satu-satunya cara untuk menyembah Tuhan yang benar, ini berfungsi sebagai cara beribadah yang utama. Dengan menyebut Yesus sebagai Anak Domba Allah, kita mengakui bahwa penyembahan yang benar dan utama kepada Allah terjadi di dalam Yesus.

Kedua, salah satu hari raya Yahudi terpenting adalah hari raya Paskah. Ini merayakan kebebasan dari perbudakan bani Israel dari Mesir. Salah satu ciri utama dari perayaan ini adalah anak domba yang dikorbankan. Kitab Keluaran memberikan rincian bagaimana Paskah pertama harus diperingati. Anak domba berumur satu tahun yang tidak bercacat harus disembelih. Darahnya ditempatkan di tiang pintu rumah orang Israel dan tubuhnya yang dipanggang akan dimakan [lihat Keluaran 12]. Untuk menerima Yesus sebagai Anak Domba Allah, kita menyadari bahwa kita diselamatkan oleh pengorbanan dan darah Yesus, dan kita juga perlu makan tubuh-Nya.

Ketiga, satu nubuat yang menghubungkan seorang manusia dengan seekor domba berasal dari Yesaya. Nabi besar ini berbicara tentang sosok misterius ‘hamba Tuhan yang menderita.’ Hamba Allah ini akan menebus Israel, tetapi Dia harus menanggung penderitaan dan kematian yang hebat, meskipun tidak bersalah. Sang Nabi menulis, “Dia dianiaya, tetapi dia membiarkan diri ditindas dan tidak membuka mulutnya seperti anak domba yang dibawa ke pembantaian… [Yes 53: 7]. ” Dengan menerima Yesus sebagai Anak Domba Allah, kita menerima Yesus sebagai Penebus kita yang menderita dan wafat bagi kita.

Sekarang, kita telah mengenali Yesus sebagai Anak Domba Allah, kita perlu melakukan apa yang dilakukan para murid pertama: mereka ‘tinggal’ bersama Dia. Para murid tidak hanya mengenal dan menerima Yesus, tetapi mereka mengikuti dan tinggal bersama-Nya. Tidaklah cukup bagi kita untuk melihat Yesus sebagai Anak Domba, tetapi kita diundang untuk tinggal bersama-Nya, untuk menjadi murid-Nya yang sejati.

 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photocredit: Daniel Sandvik

Jesus, Our Lamb of God

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2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time [B]

January 17, 2021

John 1:35-42

John the Baptist identified Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God.’ If we are attending the celebration of the Eucharist, we cannot miss hearing this phrase. Just before the communion, the priest will hold the consecrated bread and wine, and present them to the faithful, then saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, Behold Him who takes away the sin of the world. Happy are those invited to the supper of the Lamb!”

I am a cradle Catholic, and I could no longer remember when I heard this Lamb of God for the first time. Yet, I never bother asking why Jesus is called such because it does not make much sense. Perhaps, it is just another fancy title of Jesus. I gradually learn this beautiful truth as I go deeper into my theology study and scriptures.

If we put ourselves in the shoes of the disciples who were living in the first century Palestine, we will see a lot more going on. When the disciples heard ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” they quickly understood. It was undoubtedly mind-blowing, but they were expecting to hear that.

Firstly, a lamb was a primarily sacrificial animal in the Jerusalem temple. Every day lambs were slaughtered and offered to God. Especially during the feast day of Passover, thousands of lambs were brought to the Temple and sacrificed. It was a massive display of devotion to behold. Though the lamb’s sacrifice is not the only way to worship the true God, it serves as the ordinary way of worship. By calling Jesus the Lamb of God, we acknowledge that God’s true worship takes place in Jesus.

Secondly, one of the most important Jewish feasts is Passover. It celebrates the freedom from the slavery of God. One of the central features of this celebration is the sacrificed lamb. The Book Exodus gives the details of how the Passover has to be commemorated. An unblemished one-year-old lamb has to be slaughtered. Its blood was placed on the Jewish household doorpost, and its roasted body shall be eaten [see Exo 12]. To accept Jesus as the Lamb of God, we recognize that the sacrifice and blood of Jesus save us, and we need to eat also His body.

Thirdly, one prophesy that connects a person, and a lamb is from Isaiah. The great prophet spoke about the mysterious figure of ‘suffering servant of God.’ This man shall redeem Israel, but He has to endure great suffering and death, despite being innocent.  The prophet wrote, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter… [Isa 53:7].” By receiving Jesus as the Lamb of God, we accept Jesus as our Redeemer who has to suffer and die for us.

Now, we have recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God; we need to do like the first disciples did: they remained with Him. The disciples did not merely know and accept Jesus, but they followed and stayed with Him. It is not enough for us to see Jesus as the Lamb, but we are invited to remain with Him, to become His true disciples.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

photo credit: Daniel Sandvik

Baptism and the Cross

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Baptism of the Lord

January 10, 2021

Mark 1:7-11

Baptism of the Lord is one of the defining moments in the life of Jesus. The synoptic gospels [Matthew, Mark, and Luke] writes this event, though with their own perspective and emphasis. We are in the liturgical year B, and thus, we are listening from the Gospel of Mark. Mark’s version is noticeably the shortest, but it does not mean it does not deliver a powerful message. The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan is a turning point in Jesus’ life. After this Jesus will be in the desert for 40 days, tempted by the devil, but he will prevail. Then, from this, Jesus will begin His public ministry and unreservedly move toward Jerusalem, to Cross, Death, and Resurrection.

Often, we ask, “why should John baptize Jesus?” We are well aware that John’s baptism is an outward sign of inner repentance. If a person repents, it means that the person has been living a sinful life. Does it mean that Jesus is a sinful man, He asks for John’s baptism? Surely, Jesus who is God, is perfectly sinless, but the question remains, “why should Jesus be baptized?”  Mark does not give us a straight answer, yet the Church offers us the reason. Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners… Already he is anticipating the “baptism” of his bloody death… [CCC 536].”

Simply put, Jesus’ baptism speaks of this solidarity with us sinners, and this solidarity does not stop in the symbolic baptism of John, but this will find its fulfillment in the cross. As sinners, we deserve to die, but it is God who dies for us. The Church’s answer is beautiful, but is it truly in the mind of the evangelists, especially Mark?

When Jesus is baptized, Mark describes the sky as ‘torn apart’ and a voice came, “You are my Son, the Beloved…” The Greek word for ‘tearing apart’ is ‘schizo,’ and the same word is employed again by Mark when he recounts the happening in the Temple when Jesus died on the cross: the giant curtain that separates the holy place and the holiest place inside the Jerusalem temple [see 15:38]. Meanwhile, Mark also recounts a Roman centurion proclaims that Jesus is truly the Son of God, after witnessing remarkable events during Jesus’ death. From here, we can draw an interesting insight. With this basic pattern between what happens in baptism and in the cross, Mark is telling us that these two events are indeed related. The Baptism points to the Cross, and the Cross is the fulfillment of the Baptism.

It reveals the reason why the Father is so ‘so well pleased with His Son.’ The reason is through baptism, Jesus signals to all of us His eagerness to do His Father’s will. Though Jesus is sinless, He takes up our burden of sin and dies for us as proof of the Father’s love for us.

If in His baptism, Jesus accepts the cross, we, as the baptized Christians, are also called to carry our crosses. As we share Christ’s cross and carry it faithfully, we can hope to love radically. As we love deeply, we may hope for our salvation.

 

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Yoke of Jesus

On By bayuopIn English, Ordinary TimeLeave a comment

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]

July 5, 2020

Matthew 11:25-30

finding cross 2From the previous two Sundays, we learn that Jesus lays down the cost of following Him, how to become His disciples. And they are extremely tough. One has to follow Jesus wherever He goes. One must love Jesus above anyone else. One must be ready to suffer persecutions and hardships, carry his cross, and give up his life for Jesus. It is Jesus or nothing at all. However, following Jesus is not all about hardship and sacrifice. Today we hear that to walking with Him, we receive certain “perks” that others cannot even dare to offer.

Today’s Gospel is one of my personal favorites. Here, Jesus is presenting His other side. Last Sundays, we witness Jesus, who is firm and resolve in following the Father’s will, and He demands the same thing from His disciples. Now, He is showing Himself as one who is gentle and humble. He even promises to give rest to those who come to Him. Yet, there is an interestingly powerful point that Jesus makes: that in order to have rest, we need to carry the yoke of Jesus. A yoke is a device placed on the shoulders to carry weight. For Jesus, rest is not throwing away the yoke. We need to carry our yoke, our daily responsibilities, and mission in life. Yet, despite carrying the yoke, it will be easy. How is that possible?

We remember that Jesus is a carpenter’s son and Himself a carpenter. He knows well that a yoke that does not fit the shoulder will only add more burden and hurt. Yet, the yoke that is designed perfectly to fit the shoulder, will feel easy and even comfortable. This is the yoke of Jesus, a yoke that fits each of us.

The second point is that there is a kind of yoke that can be shouldered by two animals or persons, “a double yoke.” I do believe that this is a kind of yoke that Jesus offers to us. Why double yoke? Because Jesus will bring together yoke with us. He shoulders the yoke with us. And when we feel exhausted, that’s the time He takes over and we find rest.

But, wait, there is more! In the Gospel of Matthew, twice Jesus instructs His disciples to carry something in their shoulders. The first one is to carry the cross [Mat 10:38, and the second thing is the yoke [Mat 11:29]. Jesus seems to make a real connection between the two: His yoke is our cross. If this is true, then the implication is massive. Our daily cross is actually easy because it perfectly fits us and even, Jesus is carrying it with us. I do believe most of the time, it is Jesus who carries our crosses. At first, Jesus sounds exceedingly tough with His nearly impossible demands, especially to carry our cross, but looking our Gospel deeper, we realize that most the time, it is Jesus who shoulders our crosses. That is the reason only His cross, we find the true rest and consolation.

If we find ourselves still burdened and exhausted with our lives, we may ask: Are we carrying the cross of Jesus? Are we bringing the yoke alone and relying solely on our strength? Are we shouldering unnecessary burdens that should be unloaded a long time ago?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP