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Friday in Fifth Week of Lent

April 7, 2017

John 10:31-42

The confession of Jesus that He is the great “I AM” was wholly an unacceptable. The Jews were angry and ready to stone Him. Yet, Jesus made another attempt to convince them of the truth. He showed them that the Law of Moses was actually speaking of Him. To verify His claim, He pointed them the great and miraculous works that He had done. The changing water to wine, the multiplication of the bread, the healing of the blind and the paralytic, the raising of Lazarus, and many more were the signs of His divine power. Unfortunately, the minds of these people were already closed and they refused neither argument nor evidence. For them, their interpretation was the right one and the rest was as good as blasphemy. Jesus knew that His hour has not come, so He slipped away and went out of Jerusalem. Jesus was indeed a victim of religious fundamentalism.

  Fundamentalism is man’s decision to hold a particular view as the only one that is right and consequently, the others are considered as dissenting views and even dead wrong. Though we easily associate fundamentalism with religions, fundamentalism can take place also in other realms of our human society. There are religious, politic, scientific and even economic fundamentalism. Science doubtless is good and beneficial for humankind, but when some people make science, especially certain theories, as the only way to know the truth, then we have fundamentalism. Economics is necessary for human society to function, but when people consider profit as the only thing that matters and even sacrifice other human lives and environment for this, then we have fundamentalism.

Now, we may be aware that we don’t subscribe to any religious absolutism and extreme views, but fundamentalism still can creep in our daily lives. When we become stubborn husbands who think that we are always right, when we become domineering parents who refuse to listen to our children, those are fundamentalism. When a priest acts like a king and all his parishioners have to obey, when a sister superior behaves like an empress and treats other like her servants, these are fundamentalism. We must remember that we are Catholic and being a fundamentalist Catholic is actually contradiction in term. Catholic means universal, man and woman for all, and we must not be limited by any form of fundamentalism. If we continue living in fundamentalism, we might join the Jewish authorities in condemning and stoning Jesus.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Thursday in Fifth Week of Lent

April 6, 2017

John 8:51-59

Today’s Gospel turns to be a watershed for both Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Jesus did not only claim that He is greater than the prophets and Abraham, but He is the “I AM”. For us, modern-day disciples of Jesus, we find nothing wrong when Jesus declared that He is “I AM”, but for the early Jews and Christians alike, Jesus practically claimed He is God.

If we go back to the Book of Exodus, we read the story of Moses who encountered God at the site of the burning bush. When Moses asked the personal name of God, He revealed Himself as “I AM WHO AM” or simply “I AM” (see Exo 3). In Hebrew Bible, it is written as “YHWH” and as a sacred tradition, the Jews refused to pronounce this holy name of God. Thus, when Jesus called Himself as “I AM”, He did not only break the sacred tradition, but He made clear that He was He who appeared to Moses and called him into a mission to liberate Israelites from Egypt. Thus, naturally far greater than Abraham or any prophet.

The Jews might accept if Jesus was coming as Messiah or prophet, and in fact, many were expecting this from Jesus. But, a human that was claiming himself to be God, this is an insult to their core religious value. No wonder that the Jews began to pick up stones and ready to kill Jesus. He simply committed a blasphemy. Yet, Jesus had to reveal who He is, otherwise, all the things He had said would not make any sense. How was it possible for Jesus to give the fullness of life if He was not God? How was it possible for Jesus to set us free from sin if He was not the divine Savior? How was it possible for Jesus to resurrect from the death if He was not the Lord of life and death?

As Jesus’ teachings were difficult for the Jews, they remain difficult for us now. How do we understand the truth of Holy Trinity? How do we know that grace is truly working in our lives? How do remain steadfast in holy lives while sinful lifestyles have become common norms? Often, we do not fully understand Jesus as God, but we do not pick a stone and throw at Him. What makes us disciples is despite the difficulty of following Him, we still believe in in Him. As Peter confessed, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)”

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

In today’s Gospel, we listen to one of the most quoted verse: “the Truth will set you free.” Unfortunately, it has become extremely popular, that often, the sacred line is misquoted and acquired multiple meanings, and some even are far from the meaning Jesus intended. So, what did Jesus mean when He said that the truth will set us free? We will find the clue when we carefully listen to Jesus.

 Firstly, the Truth is coming to us when we accept Jesus in our lives and make His Word our dwelling place. In short, the truth is a result of being Jesus’ disciple. We recall that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Therefore, if we want the truth, we cannot be away from Jesus. We need to listen to Him. We have to always follow Him. We are expected to imitate Him. The disciples of Jesus are the disciples of the truth.

Secondly, Jesus told us that the truth will free us from a specific condition. We are not freed from financial problems, from health issues, nor from life’s difficulties. It is freedom from sin. As anyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. No wonder one of the basic definitions of sin is our inordinate attachment to creatures, and forget that the truth, that we only attach ourselves to Jesus. We desire for wealth, sex, latest gadgets, expensive cars, popularity, and success, to the point that we forget God and others. That’s sin! From here, we discover that the logic is simple. If we want to be free from sin, we need to become Jesus’ disciples. We shall detach ourselves from sin and falsehood, and follow Jesus and truth. In fact, following the truth does not only free us from sin, that is falsehood, but we begin to internalize the truthful life.

As we are entering the solemn celebration of the Holy Week, we may reflect together. Have we lived in truth and made the Word as our home? Have we received the Eucharist and other sacraments in a regular basis? Do we read and study the Word of God diligently? Have we involved ourselves in fighting injustices around us? Have we made a firm resolution to turn away from sin and falsehood, and live in Jesus and truth?

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Tuesday in the Fifth Sunday of Lent

April 4, 2017

John 8:21-30

In few days, we are going to enter the Holy Week, and the Gospel readings narrate to us the growing animosity between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. The Jewish leaders were anxious and suspicious with who Jesus was and what His intention was all about. He did wonderful signs and attracted people to follow Him, but there were certain anomalies that bothered the Jews. If He was truly the Messiah and why did He break the Law of Moses? Why did He heal on Sabbath rest? Why did He forgive and save a condemned women? He must be a sinner, but why would God listen to a sinner?

The Jewish authorities became even more concerned because more and more people came to believe in Jesus. The growing popularity and increasing number of followers might lead to civil unrest and even challenge their power and position. Thus, the leaders began to investigate and interrogate Jesus. Yet, Jesus took this as an opportunity to reveal who He is and drew even more people to Himself.

To call God as Father might be tolerable to the Jews, but to claim that Jesus was coming from God and through Him, we may go to God, this was alarming. To do God’s will was laudable, but to follow Jesus because He revealed who the Father was no longer acceptable. To believe in God is fundamental for the Jews, but to believe in Jesus in order to be saved was nothing but blasphemous. The leaders concluded that Jesus made Himself equal to God and it was too radical, and He deserved no less than death. Indeed, Jesus paid the price of becoming God’s revelation with His own blood.

 Jesus’ revelation of His Father is unusual, radically different, but the Jewish leaders failed to see that it was also liberating and energizing. It is liberating because God cannot be boxed and limited by their categories. God can bridge the eternity just to be close to us and becomes a loving Father to us. It is energizing because through faith in Jesus, we are made children of God and we can share in that intimate relationship with Him.

As we are entering the Holy of Holies in our liturgical seasons, we may together reflect. When Jesus comes to our lives with His unique and unexpected ways, do we see Him as an energizing and liberating presence or do we immediately ignore or even suppress His presence? Does our encounter with Christ in the sacraments and our prayers motivate us more to serve others? Does the preaching and teaching of faith we receive and give free us from our limiting understanding of God?

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP