indonesian catholic online evangelization

4th Sunday of Lent [A]
April 19, 2023
John 9:1-41

There are seven signs (or miracles) in the Gospel of John. Naturally, the Church has recognized these seven miracles corresponds to the seven sacraments entrusted to her. The healing of the man born blind turns out to be the sign to the sacrament of Baptism. Since the basic theme of Lenten season is baptism, the Church does not hesitate to place this reading during this holy season. But, is true that this miracles is related to baptism? And how do we know?

The story begins with Jesus and disciples saw a poor blind man. Then, His disciples start to ask Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind (John 9:2)?’ Jesus’ disciples believe that his sufferings are consequences of his personal sins, or at least his parents. Yet, Jesus immediately teaches them the truth. Jesus points out that neither blind man nor his parents have sinned to cause him blindness. Although sufferings and death are indeed related to sin, but the relation is not linear, but a mystery. The man does not commit personal sins, but he bears the consequence of sin. How is it possible?

The Church recognizes this condition as the original sin. Every descendant of Adam and Eve was born into the world as ‘enemies’ of God. Since we are in the womb of our mothers, we were ‘sinners’, not because we commit any personal sins, but because we are far from God and do not have a spiritual friendship with Him. Thus, because of the original sin, we are susceptible to various sufferings as well as struggling with concupiscence (check also my reflection two weeks ago).

How does Jesus heal this blind man? Jesus spats on the ground and makes clay with the saliva, and smears the clay on his eyes. Finally, He asks the blind man to wash himself with water. Why does Jesus perform such a weird and unhygienic treatment? Jesus performs what God did in the beginning: the creation of man. When God created Adam, He molded a soil of the ground. There is a Jewish tradition that says that God used His own saliva to make soil easier to form. Jesus does the same here. He is bringing the man with blindness into healing by ‘re-creating’ him. Then, the final healing takes place when the man wash himself with water.

What happens to the healed man, takes place also in every person during the baptism. What we see in our eyes is someone is washed with water, but spiritually, God is making us a new creation. All sins, both original and personal sins, are cleansed. Our souls are transformed into the likeness of Christ and are elevated into the adopted children of God. Thus, we call God our Father, not in the metaphorical sense, but in the real one.

Lastly, towards the end of the story, Jesus asks him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ Eventually, the man professes his faith in Jesus and worships Him. Faith is integral part of baptism; whether we believe before the baptism (like in the case of adult baptism) or after baptism (in the case of infant baptism). However, baptism is just the beginning, and our faith must also grow.

We are not sure what the man does after the healing he received, but we may believe that he becomes Jesus’s disciple and follow Him. After baptism and initial faith in Jesus, the Church encourages us to continue our journey of holiness. We grow in faith through living in Christ, works of charity, and proper reception of other sacraments.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Third Sunday of Lent [A]
March 12, 2023
John 4:5-42

For the third Sunday of Lent, the Church has selected for us the story of Samaritan woman from the Gospel of John. This story does not only appear in the current liturgical year (Year A), but also other years (Year B and C). Why does the Church select this reading for the season of Lent? What makes it very special that every year we are invited to listen and reflect on the story?

The story of the Samaritan woman is a story of repentance. Thus, it is fitting for the season of Lent. Let us go deeper into the story. John the evangelist does not give us the name of this woman as well as her other details, but there is a particular information that stands out. The woman had five husbands, and presently, is living with another man. Again, we don’t have details on this issue. It seems that the woman has lived through cycle of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. For unknown reason, her former husbands kept dismissing her (see Deu 24). Perhaps, there were serious marital issues. Perhaps, there were problems with her personalities as well as her husbands’ characters, that rendered them unable to live in a permanent and healthy relationship. Again, we are not sure, but we may say that she has been through hell, and the experience was deeply painful and traumatic, to the point that she decided to live with a man without a proper marriage. At the same time, she had to avoid her people because of shame, and run away from her God.

At first, to hear that this woman had five marriages sounds unbelievable. Yet, this is not totally impossible. However, what more important is that the Samaritan woman has become a reflection of some of us, or some people close to us. Before I began my study in Rome, I served as an assistant parish priest in Surabaya, Indonesia. Being in the parish of a big city, my ministry was inevitably tied to Catholic marriages and families. I am fortunate that I was given the opportunity to solemnize more than fifty marriages. Yet, unfortunately, I also encountered many couples as they sought help facing their marital problems. As I was listening to their stories, I could not but feel the pain, frustration and sometimes anger. The consequences are deeply painful and traumatic: relationships are fractured, families are broken, and children are suffering.

Fortunately, the story of Samaritan woman does not end in a tragedy. Jesus unexpectedly waited for her and mercifully offered her the forgiveness and a new life. Though she was initially hesitated, she confessed her sins and found the true Messiah. We are not told what happened exactly to her life, but we can assume that she changed her life because she had the new-born courage to face her own people and proclaim Jesus.

As I accompany men and women who are struggling with their marriages, things are tough and painful, but not hopeless. Some couples eventually reconciled, but there are some who face more difficult situations. Yet, despite their challenging situations, many refuse to fall into sinful life, but choose to grow in holiness. I honored to encounter some of them. Despite being abandoned by their spouses, they refuse to retaliate with violence. They also resiste the temptation to live with another man or woman outside of marriage but committed to rise their children alone. They have all the right to become angry and disappointed with God because of their conditions, but they did not allow negative emotions to control them. More remarkably, they decided to serve also in the Church.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

2nd Sunday of Lent [A]
March 5, 2023
Matthew 17:1-9

Lenten Season is characterized with acts of penance as well as intensified spiritual exercises like fasting and almsgiving. One of the purposes of these activities is to strengthen our spiritual muscles against the weaknesses of the soul or ‘concupiscence’, that is a tendency to fall into sins due to our wounded nature. Yet, why do still have this weakness if we have been redeemed? St. Paul in his letter to Timothy emphatically says, “… the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Tim 1:10).”

I must admit that we are dealing with mystery of faith. Like other mysteries, the reality of redemption as well as the presence of concupiscence are a reality, but the reasons behind these realities remain largely hidden because these truths are greater than our minds’ capacity. However, it does not mean that we are clueless. Through her theologians and saints, the Church has reflected on the matter for two thousand years, and taught that the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle (CCC 405).

The presence of concupiscence opens up an opportunity for us to exercise the virtues and to grow in holiness through the practice of spiritual exercises. Thus, even though concupiscence remains after baptism, it is not an insurmountable obstacle to living a holy life, and in fact make our journey a lot more meaningful. With the help of God’s grace, we can resist their disordered desires and grow in holiness.

In today’s gospel, we hear that Jesus was transfigured in the mountain. For Peter, John and James, this was an ecstatic experience overflowing with joy. They did not want to lose this elating experience, and thus, Peter proposed to build tents so that they could stay longer up on the mountain. But, Jesus did not stay long in His divine state, but summoned his disciples to go down and follow Him. Where? After transfiguration, Jesus set His eyes to Jerusalem where His suffering and death awaited. Jesus understood well, ‘there is no resurrection without the cross.’ Concupiscence is one of our crosses here on earth, and it becomes a means to holiness.

One good friend of mine once asked me, “Why did God allow concupiscence to remain in our soul? It could have been better and easier for us if concupiscence had been removed during baptism.” The point was clearly taken. I can imagine that without concupiscence, I would not have to deal with many temptations. Life would be much easier, and the world would be a better place because people would no longer commit evil things out of selfish interests. However, our first parents still sinned even without concupiscence. The absence of concupiscence does not automatically prevent us from falling into sin. In fact, the moment we sin out of our total freedom and without the influence of concupiscence, we will fall extremely hard, just like Adam and Eve. Perhaps to prevent us from experiencing what our first parents had suffered, God allows concupiscence to remain.

Eventually, we still face the mystery, but we believe that even the presence of concupiscence is ultimately for our good.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

1st Sunday of Lent [A]
February 26, 2023
Matthew 4:1-11

We are now on the first Sunday of Lent. For some of us, the Lenten season is just another routine. We abstain from meat or other things that bring us comfort and fast at least twice a year (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday). We are also asked to spend more time in prayer and encouraged to give more alms. The liturgical color and atmosphere also change in our churches. And in many parishes, confessions are made available. Some of us may not really understand why we must do these things, but since we are Catholics and others are practicing it, we do it too. Some of us may be aware of the reason behind these spiritual exercises because we listen to the catechesis given by the priests or lay catechesis, or explanations given on social media. As a priest, I take every opportunity to educate the faithful on this beautiful season (check also my catechesis and reflections in previous years). Yet, we still wonder why we have to keep doing this every year.

The answer rests on our wounded nature. Speaking about our nature, we cannot but go back to our first parents Adam and Eve. In our first reading, we discover how Adam and Eve were created from the dust of the earth and received the breath of life. Not only that, God placed them in the garden close to Himself. This becomes a symbol that they lived in harmony with God, nature, and themselves. This is the state of original grace. Yet, despite all the privileges, Adam and Eve, the dirt of the earth, dared to defy the Lord of the universe. Truly, their sin merited death. God was merciful, prevented total death, and gave a second chance for man and woman. Unfortunately, sin has wounded their souls and destroyed their original friendship with God. The wounded nature is now weak to temptations and prone to commit more sins.

Regrettably, Adam is not just an isolated individual. He is also the head of humanity. Thus, St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans (our second reading), expressed the truth that the effects of Adam’s sin flow to all humanity. “Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned (Rom 5:12).” When we are conceived, we receive a wounded human nature. We are in a state far from God. Our tradition calls this original sin.

However, we are not doomed to hopelessness. St. Paul, also in the same letter, preached the good news that Jesus has saved us and brought us back into the friendship of God, the state of grace. “For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (Rom 5:15).”

Then, the question remains: ‘If we are already redeemed, why must we do intensive spiritual exercises in the Lenten season?’ Yes, we have been redeemed, but our souls retain some weaknesses due to the effects of original sin. We still have this tendency to commit sin and disorder. Thus, to strengthen our spiritual muscles against the flesh, the world, and the devil, Jesus gives us these three tips: fast, intensive prayer, and almsgiving. (For why these three actions, see my last year’s reflection.)

Yet, one question remains: ‘Why did God allow concupiscence to remain in our souls despite the work of redemption?’ Wait for the answer next Sunday!

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]
February 19, 2023
Matthew 5:38-48

This Sunday, we encounter one of the most controversial of Jesus’ moral teachings. Because of these teachings, we, Christians, are often accused as being weak, stupid, and submissive in face of evil. Yet at the same time, when we try to fight for justice, our opponents readily utilize these verses against us. They accuse us as not being compassionate, loving and forgiving. So, how do we understand this? Does it mean that a wife simply must endure her abuse husband? Does it mean we do close our eyes to evil and injustice around us?
Jesus opens His teaching with quoting the Law of Moses, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (see Exo 21:24).” For modern ears, this law sounds cruel and even barbaric, but the real purpose of this law is to prevent excessive retaliation. When someone stole a lamb, he shall return a lamb or its equivalent. His enemies cannot demand his entire house in place of a lamb. The law is to promote sense of justice, to curb unnecessary violence, and escalation.
Then, Jesus transforms this law of Moses by pronouncing a new teaching, “do not resist evil!” For Jesus, we must go beyond seeking an equal retribution. But, does it mean we have to helplessly become a punching bag?
If we look deeper into the Old Testament, we will discover similar teachings like Proverbs 24:29, “Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” (check also Isa 50:6). Thus, Jesus’ teaching to resist no evil is not unique to Jesus. So, does Jesus truly transform the Law of Moses then?
Jesus’ ground-breaking teaching is not on passively receiving evil, but rather actively conquering evil with goodness. We can understand this if we look carefully Jesus’ examples. “If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well (Mat 5:40).” Tunic (Greek: χιτών, chiton) is usually a simple cloth and worn to cover the body, while clock (Greek: ἱμάτιον, himation) is more expensive garment, and put over the tunic. Thus, Jesus is saying that if someone demands your simple cloth, do not only give the ordinary one, but also the more precious garment. The action will surely puzzle many people, but it also shows our sincerity and effort to end enmity, as well as open the possibility of reconciliation and even friendship.
The real challenge is how to apply Jesus’ teaching in our daily lives. I must admit there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The application depends on your context and our prudence. One good example will be St. John Paul II and Ali Agca. On May 13, 1981, he attempted to assassinate the Pope. He shot several times and wounded the holy man. Miraculously, the Pope escaped death, and survived the evil attempt. Ali was arrested and sentenced to prison. What did Pope John Paul II do to Ali? He forgave Ali and even visited him in prison. The act was daring enough, because Ali might attack the Pope, and kill him for sure. Yet, the meeting was cordial, as both shook hands. Yes, Ali was forgiven, but, does it mean Ali can immediately walk out of prison? Not at all, Ali served his imprisonment for twenty years, because it is justice, but at the same time, the reconciliation takes place.
Being followers of Jesus is truly tough because we do not only look for justice, but also we need to bring our enemies closer to Jesus. Yet, with God’s grace, this is made possible.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP