indonesian catholic online evangelization

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
September 18, 2022
Luke 16:1-13

Jesus’ parables are not as simple as they appear. In the previous chapter (Luk 15), we listen to Jesus’ three parables, that are, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons. At first, they seem ordinary stories with usual lesson, yet as we go deeper, we realize they contain values that even go beyond the human logic (see previous Sunday’s reflection). Now, we encounter another Jesus’ parable that challenges our normal human way of doing things: parable of dishonest steward.

There is a steward who had been entrusted by his master to take care of his master’s house and possession, and yet, instead doing his job, he prefers to squander his master’s wealth and betrays his master’s trust. Angered master fires his useless servant. Yet, upon this impending judgment, the servant realizes that he is not able to dig, meaning he cannot labor in the farmland or at the construction sites. He is also ashamed to become a beggar. Then, he engineers a way out. He calls all his master’s debtors and cut into half all their debts by manipulating their letter of agreement. By doing this, he is doing a favor to them and making them as their friends. This is to secure way to survive after his expulsion. Surely this is manipulation and corruption, and yet he is praised for doing so. What’s going on?

Firstly, Jesus is not making the steward as the model of literal imitation. He is not asking us to steal other’s people wealth and involve ourselves in corrupt practices. Through this parable, Jesus employs ‘compare and contrast’ technique. The lesson looks like this: if a wicked man knows how to manipulate wealth and money to save his life on earth, so we, the followers of Christ, should be wise enough to use wealth and possession to clear our path to heaven.

Jesus also adds the sense of urgency in His parable. The steward was desperate for his life and how he transformed his attachment to wealth to a means to his earthly salvation. Thus, we are called to free ourselves to this attachment to earthly possessions and use our wealth to make desperate attempts for our eternal salvation. As children of light, we should make eternal life as our end, and the rest will be means to it.

Surely, eternal life is coming from the Lord only, and we can never bribe God to open the door of heavens. Yet, the Lord also wills that we freely participate in His work of redemption. One of the ways is to properly use the material blessings to help us grow in holiness, to assist other people and to support the evangelization mission of the Church. From the parables of chapter 15, we have seen the Lord who loves us and look for us even with efforts beyond human logic, and now, we are called to throw everything to respond to His love.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
September 11, 2022
Luke 15:1-32

Luke 15 is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and heart-moving chapter in the entire Gospel, even in the entire Bible. In this chapter, Jesus narrated three unforgettable parables: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the all-time favorite, the parable of the lost sons (better known the prodigal son). The three parables are given to answer the self-righteous Pharisees who questioned Jesus, ‘why is He close to the sinners?’

Surely, there are countless life-transforming insight in these parables, yet if there is one unifying theme is that extreme and unfathomable joy of repentance. The joy even goes beyond ‘human logic’. In the first parable, the shepherd was overjoyed for his found sheep after perilous rescue operation and even possibility of risking the life of other sheep. Yet, human logic tells us that losing one or two sheep is just normal, and the shepherd should focus his effort on the remaining sheep. In the second parable, the woman was rejoicing exceedingly for her discovered coin, and even invited her friends to celebrate the discovery. Yet, human logic tells us that missing pennies are normal, and throwing party with friends will cost even larger sum of money. It does not worth the effort.

The third parable even gives us a more outrageous figure. Human logic tells us that a man who demanded his inheritance while his father still alive, and cut ties with his family, no longer deserves to become part of the family. Even if he returns, and if his father receives him back, it is normally expected that the father would educate and discipline him. Even the lost son understands this well, as he goes back with intention to become a slave and save his life from hunger. Yet, the father does something beyond human imaginations. He joyfully welcomes his lost son and throws a big party. This outrageous act provokes the human logic of the elder son who angrily refuses to be part of the homecoming.

The real question is that why did Jesus give us three parables that defied human logic and expectation? The reason is that the value of repentance itself. From the human perspective, the three parables are illogical or at best, weird, but from the God’s eternal view, it makes perfect sense. There is immense joy in repentance because the value is, simply put, eternal. When one returns to God and perseveres to the end, he will have the life and happiness that are eternal, and other things are nothing compared to this end.

We are invited to become the shepherd of the lost sheep, the woman of the lost coin, and the father of the lost sons. Our mission is to bring people who are dear to us closer to God, and often this requires unparallel sacrifices. Yet, at the end, there is no greater joy to know we together with our beloved ones share the eternal life.

A Roma
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]
September 4, 2022
Luke 14:25-33

Once again, we stumble upon the hard sayings of Jesus. “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” This statement indeed makes us wonder deeply. Did Jesus really want us to hate someone we should respect and love the most? Why did Jesus ask to hate our parents, but He teaches us to love even our enemies? Is He not contradicting Himself (once again)? How do we need to understand Jesus’ tough saying?

The first thing is to consider the meaning ‘hate’ in the context of the Bible. ‘Hate’ does not mean to do harms or evil things to someone. ‘Hate’ simply means to ‘love’ someone ‘less’. A good example is in the case of Jacob, Rachel and Leah. “So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah… When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb… (Ge 29:30–31)” Jacob ‘hated’ Leah, means that he loved Rachel more than Leah. Thus, when Jesus said that in following Him, we need to hate our family, this means that we have to love Jesus more than our family. This is indeed a just demand. If Jesus is our Lord, then we should love Him above everything, including our beloved parents, siblings or children.

The second important thing we need to see is the immediate context. Jesus was in His way to Jerusalem, and there, He would face His cross. If the disciples really decide to walk in the footstep of His Master, then they have to ‘hate’ their family, their works, and even lives. Otherwise, if they remain attached to their family, possessions and earthly relations, they would not be able to bear the sufferings as consequence of following Jesus. No wonder in the previous chapters, Jesus even said to those wanted to become His disciples, “let the dead bury the dead!”

From these two perspectives, Jesus’ hard teachings makes sense. However, what is interesting is that in real lives, the more we love Jesus, the more we love our family. In truth, there is no competition between Jesus and our family, because Jesus is loved through loving our families. The key is that our love to our family has to be Christ-centred. The fathers of the family love God by leading their families closer to God, and educating their children to honor God and love the true faith. The mothers love God not only by caring and raising their children, but by teaching them the genuine devotion to God. Finally, parents consecrate their children to as their best offerings.

While it is true that some Christians decided to follow Christ in more radical and total way, like the priests, religious man and women and even the lay missionaries, it does not mean we stop loving our families. In fact, we are offering them in our prayers and Mass.
To love God and to place Jesus as the center of our lives and families put everything in proper order. And, when things in order, we find the true happiness and fulfillment in this life.

A Roma
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]

August 21, 2022

Luke 13:20-33

Jesus says that the gate to salvation is narrow, and it is difficult to enter. Simply put, it is hard to be saved. His answer is a pessimistic to the deepest desire we have in our hearts. If St. Paul says that God desires that all men and women be saved [1 Tim 2:4], then why does Jesus teach that the gate is narrow? If Jesus teaches God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life, [John 3:16], why now does Jesus says that many will not be able to enter. If He knows that many will not pass through the door of salvation, why does Jesus have to die and open the door? Does Jesus contradict himself?

Jesus neither contradicts Himself nor tells us a lie. God indeed loves us and desires our salvation. Jesus does sacrifice Himself to save all of humanity, and open the gate of paradise for all us. The reason why the gate of heaven looks narrow, it is because the gate of hell is even bigger and more enticing. Jesus makes it clear that some people fail to enter because they persist in their evil deeds.

The way to hell is indeed more alluring. Satan has the best marketing and promotion team, and he and his army know well how to manipulate us. Satan recognizes that humans are attracted to ‘instant pleasures’, and he readily disguises evil with pleasures. Why do some married couples are not faithful despite knowing that it is terrible sin? It is because the affair is full of excitements. Why do people commit abortion despite awareness that it is killing a baby? For it gives an instant escape.  Why do people steal despite knowing that it heavily harms other people? For it offers us an instant wealth.

The way to hell is even wider because Satan makes us believes that sinful behaviors are not evil and in fact, something to celebrate. Some people are proud when they aborted their babies, and say, ‘my body, my right’. Some people are cheering when they are changing their partners so casually. Some people are encouraging us to look for happiness in new age movements and occultism, and say, ‘new ways to happiness’.

Jesus clarifies further that it is not enough to ‘eat with Jesus’ and ‘hear His teachings’ to be saved. We may go to the Church, we may be baptized as Catholics, and we may receive the communion, but if we continue to dwell in sinful lives, we may endanger our souls. We may attend prayer meetings and shout to the top our lungs, ‘Jesus is Lord’, we may even preach the Gospel, but if we keep living in sin, we may lose heaven.

Jesus truly dies for us and God indeed loves us, but we need to strive harder for heaven. We are invited to make daily decisions to repent and to integrate God in our lives. The gate of heaven is as small as the confessional door, but it is infinitely more precious that the gate of hell.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Solemnity of the Assumption  (following the Liturgical celebration in Indonesia)

August 14, 2022

Luke 1:39-56

The Catholics are often accused of honoring Mary excessively. Some people even see us as giving Mary an adoration that is due to God alone. These allegations surely are untrue, but the roots of misunderstanding can be explored further. I discover at least three probable reasons of these ‘Mariaphobia’.

The first cause is that some people confuse the act of worship and the act of asking intercession. When we kneel and pray to Mary, we do not worship her. The word ‘praying’ here is equal to ‘asking help’. In fact, the root of English word ‘prayer’ is Latin, ‘praegare’ which simply means ‘to seek help’. What truly happens when we approach Mary is that we ask her to pray for us to God. It is the same when we ask our parents or people whom we consider close to God to pray for us. Mary is very close to His son, and we can be very confident that Jesus listens to her requests. Meanwhile, the act of worship both in the Bible and the Catholic tradition, always comes in the form of sacrificial offerings. We only offer sacrifice to God, and this takes place in the Eucharist, as we present the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit.

The second root is that some of people confuse the act of worship and the act of honoring. While honoring and worshiping are closely interconnected, they can be properly distinguished. In Catholic theology, we use the fancy Greek words ‘latria’ and ‘dulia’. Latria is act of worship proper to God, while dulia is act of honor to creatures (like the saints and angels). While latria comes in the form of sacrifice, dulia may manifest in various ways. We can honor someone by hugging them, giving them flowers, bowing our heads, and even giving honorific titles. Thus, when we are offering Mary flowers or keeping her pictures, it does not mean an act of worship, but rather act of love and honor.

The third reason is that some people confuse the relationship between God and His creatures. While it is true that God and human beings are infinitely different, but it does not mean that there is no connection between God and humans. While God is the infinite creator, and men and women are finite creatures, God loves us dearly. Like a good father who equips His children with earthly things so that they may grow and be successful, so God provides His spiritual gifts so that His children may grow in holiness. Like a good father who is proud of the achievements of his kids, so God is pleased with the spiritual growth of His children. When Mary was assumed into heaven, it is only because of God. And, when Mary is honored because she is in heaven, body and soul, the true honor belongs to God.

Mary becomes the eschatological model, or hope of what happen to us in the future when we follow Christ faithfully. Mary is faithful and loves His son, Jesus, from the beginning to the cross, and she follows Jesus in His resurrection and coming home to heave. If we are faithful to Jesus, till the end like Mary, we will receive what Mary has received.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP