Browsed by
Tag: valentinus bayuhadi ruseno

Rejection

Rejection

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 4, 2021
Mark 6:1-6

Jesus went home to Nazareth and began to preach there. However, the initial amazement was quickly spiraling down, and the people of Nazareth got scandalized after making a few background checks on Jesus. They knew Jesus’ simple life, were aware of His profession and were familiar with His relatives. So, they concluded, “Nothing’s special!”

When I entered Seminary, I was always pondering whether I would receive a rejection from my hometown’s people. Yet, when I was ordained, many people came and be joyfully part of the celebration. People from many places worldwide rejoice when one of their sons and daughters becomes a priest or religious man and woman.

Then, why did the people of Nazareth still reject Jesus? From a socio-anthropological perspective, Jesus was living in a time where people expected sons would continue their fathers’ trade or profession. If your father is a farmer, then you should become a farmer. If your father is a fisherman, then your life should not be far from the sea or the lake. Serving the Lord in the Temple is also a family affair, especially Aaron’s family from the tribe of Levi. Jesus was a carpenter’s son, and people expected Him to be a carpenter for the rest of His life. This identity was reinforced by the fact that he seemed to live an ordinary life and worked as a carpenter before He began to preach and perform miracles.

Facing this rejection, Jesus revealed a fundamental truth about the lives of true prophets, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place.” Jesus was referring to various prophets of Israel and how they faced brutal rejection from the people of Israel. Isaiah, for example, was persecuted, and according to the tradition, he was sown into two by order of wicked king Manasseh. According to the tradition, the people constantly rejected Jeremiah, and he was stoned to death in Egypt. In essence, Jesus was saying that as the archetype of all prophets, Jesus shall share in a lot of other prophets. The rejection in Nazareth is one small step toward much bigger rejections, the rejection of the elders of Israel, and our rejection.

Do we reject Christ? May we be no different from the people of Israel? Many of us would say that we accept and believe in Christ. Many of us are indeed active in various ministries and services in the Church. Yet, despite all of these, there is always a possibility we reject Christ. We reject Christ when we continue to live in sins. We abandon Christ when we make other things in our lives as priorities over Christ. We may deny the true Christ by having false ideas of Christ. We may refuse Christ when we expect God to fulfil all our wants. We may drive Christ away as we are putting ourselves in the center of our worship.

The Gospel asks us a fundamental question: do we accept and believe in Jesus truly and fully, or are we just like the people of Nazareth who rejected Jesus?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Penolakan

Penolakan

Minggu ke-14 Masa Biasa [B]
4 Juli 2021
Markus 6:1-6

Yesus pulang ke Nazaret dan mulai karya pewartaan-Nya di sana. Namun, ketakjuban awal dengan cepat berubah, dan orang-orang Nazareth menjadi kecewa setelah melakukan beberapa pemeriksaan latar belakang Yesus. Mereka mengenal kehidupan Yesus yang sederhana, mereka sadar akan profesi-Nya, dan mereka akrab dengan kerabat-kerabat-Nya. Jadi, mereka menyimpulkan bahwa Yesus adalah sebuah anomali!

Ketika saya masuk Seminari, saya selalu merenungkan apakah saya akan menerima penolakan dari orang-orang kampung halaman saya. Namun, ketika saya ditahbiskan, banyak orang datang dan dengan gembira menjadi bagian dari perayaan itu. Fenomena ini bukan hanya terjadi pada saya. Masyarakat dari berbagai tempat di seluruh dunia bersukacita ketika salah satu putra dan putri mereka menjadi imam atau rohaniawan.

Lalu, mengapa orang Nazaret masih menolak Yesus? Dari perspektif sosio-antropologis, Yesus hidup di masa di mana masyarakat mengharapkan anak laki-laki melanjutkan pekerjaan atau profesi ayah mereka. Jika ayahnya adalah seorang petani, maka dia harus menjadi seorang petani. Jika ayahnya seorang nelayan, maka hidupnya tidak boleh jauh dari laut atau danau. Bahkan, melayani Tuhan di Bait Allah juga merupakan urusan keluarga, terutama keluarga Harun dari suku Lewi. Yesus adalah anak seorang tukang kayu, dan masyarakat Nazaret mengharapkan Dia menjadi seorang tukang kayu selama sisa hidup-Nya. Identitas ini diperkuat oleh fakta bahwa Yesus tampaknya menjalani kehidupan biasa-biasa saja dan telah bekerja sebagai tukang kayu sebelum Dia mulai pewartaan-Nya dan melakukan mukjizat.

Menghadapi penolakan ini, Yesus mengungkapkan kebenaran mendasar tentang kehidupan para nabi sejati, “Seorang nabi bukannya tanpa kehormatan kecuali di tempat asalnya.” Yesus mengacu pada berbagai nabi Israel dan bagaimana mereka menghadapi penolakan brutal dari orang-orang Israel. Yesaya, misalnya, dianiaya dan menurut tradisi, ia ditaburkan menjadi dua atas perintah raja Manasye yang jahat. Yeremia terus-menerus ditolak oleh bangsanya dan menurut tradisi, dia dilempari batu sampai mati di Mesir. Intinya, Yesus mengatakan bahwa sebagai model utama dari semua nabi, Yesus akan berbagi dalam misi dan hidup banyak nabi lainnya. Penolakan di Nazaret adalah satu langkah kecil menuju penolakan yang jauh lebih besar, penolakan para tetua Israel dan penolakan kita, umat manusia.

Apakah kita menolak Kristus? Kita mungkin tidak berbeda dengan orang Israel? Banyak dari kita akan mengatakan bahwa kita menerima dan percaya kepada Kristus. Banyak dari kita memang aktif dalam berbagai pelayanan dan pelayanan di Gereja. Namun, terlepas dari semua ini, selalu ada kemungkinan kita menolak Kristus. Kita menolak Kristus ketika kita terus hidup dalam dosa. Kita meninggalkan Kristus ketika kita menjadikan hal-hal lain dalam hidup kita sebagai prioritas di atas Kristus. Kita mungkin menyangkal Kristus yang benar dengan memiliki gagasan yang salah tentang Kristus. Kita mungkin menolak Kristus ketika kita mengharapkan Tuhan untuk memenuhi semua keinginan kita. Kita mungkin mengusir Kristus karena kita menempatkan diri kita di pusat ibadah kita.

Injil mengajukan pertanyaan mendasar kepada kita: apakah kita menerima dan percaya kepada Yesus dengan sungguh-sungguh dan sepenuhnya atau kita seperti orang Nazaret yang menolak Yesus?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

True Healing

True Healing

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]
June 27, 2021
Mark 5:21-43

In today’s Gospel, we encounter two persons who are seeking healing. One is Jairus, the synagogue’s official, who wants his dying daughter healed, and the second one is a woman who desires to be cured of her incurable haemorrhage. Both have done almost everything but in vain. Then, as their last hope, they turn to Jesus. They humbly beg Jesus and trust that Jesus can work miracles.

Often, we can relate to the situations of Jairus and the woman. Perhaps, like Jairus, we are panicking when we know our little children are having fever and experiencing pain. Maybe, like the woman with a haemorrhage, we are battling a particular illness. We try almost everything, spending a lot of money and enduring painful treatments, yet we are not getting any better. We realize how limited and fragile we are. We have no one to turn to but God, and we become instantly pious and start praying different novenas, attending the mass, and healing services. The thing is that while some of us may receive miraculous healing, some may not.

One of the best times during my seminary years is when I was assigned to the hospital as an associate chaplain. I had to visit different patients and attend to their spiritual needs. There, I talked to several people battling cancers for years. I listened to several men and women who were losing their kidneys and had to undergo countless dialysis. Initially, I thought I possessed the gift of healing, but after several intense prayers of healing, not much happened. I realized that I did not have the unique gift of healing, and it was a bit frustrating to learn that the conditions were not getting better. I finally asked, “why didn’t God answer our prayers?”

Yet, as I journey together with them, each one has a story to share and has a face to show. They were not just a man with cancer or patient B21, but a real person with real name and real life. It is only when I see deeper in each story, in each tear, in each pain, I gradually discover the presence of God. God’s love is felt through the care of selfless family members. His hope is heard through the effort of tireless doctors and nurses. His presence is inside those people who continue to offer me a smile despite the pain they endure.

Jesus indeed healed Jairus’ daughter and the woman, but He did not come to cure every illness in the world. His healing is beyond mere physical wellness. He comes so that we receive salvation and eternal life. He comes so that we may touch and feel God’s love in our midst, and His graces empower us to love beyond our imagination. Indeed, we may not find physical healing, but we may discover what is truly essential in life. Wealth can quickly disappear, success can be instantly blown away, and physical appearance can deteriorate, but faith, hope and love remain. Indeed, we may not see our beloved getting better, but we are allowed to love, serve and sacrifice beyond human limitations. In sickness and even death, if we have faith in God, we grow and find the fullness of life.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Penyembuhan Sejati

Penyembuhan Sejati

Minggu Biasa ke-13 [B]
27 Juni 2021
Markus 5:21-43

Dalam Injil hari ini, kita menjumpai dua orang yang mencari kesembuhan. Yang pertama adalah Yairus, petugas sinagoga, yang ingin putrinya yang disembuhkan, dan yang kedua adalah seorang wanita yang ingin disembuhkan dari pendarahannya yang tak kunjung hilang. Keduanya telah melakukan hampir segalanya, tetapi tak ada hasilnya. Sebagai harapan terakhir, mereka berpaling kepada Yesus. Mereka dengan rendah hati memohon kepada Yesus dan percaya bahwa Yesus dapat melakukan mukjizat.

Seringkali, kita dapat merasakan apa yang dialami oleh Yairus dan sang wanita itu. Mungkin, seperti Yairus, kita panik saat tahu anak kita yang masih kecil demam dan kesakitan. Mungkin, seperti wanita yang mengalami pendarahan, kita sedang berjuang melawan penyakit, dan kita mencoba hampir segalanya, menghabiskan banyak uang, dan menjalani perawatan yang menyakitkan, namun kita tidak menjadi lebih baik. Kita menyadari betapa terbatas dan rapuhnya kita. Kita tidak memiliki siapa pun untuk berpaling selain Tuhan, dan kita langsung menjadi saleh dan mulai berdoa novena, menghadiri misa, dan mengikuti layanan penyembuhan. Masalahnya adalah bahwa sementara beberapa dari kita mungkin menerima penyembuhan ajaib, beberapa mungkin tidak.

Salah satu pengalaman terbaik selama saya menjadi frater adalah ketika saya ditugaskan di rumah sakit sebagai asisten kapelan. Tugas saya adalah mengunjungi para pasien dan memenuhi kebutuhan spiritual mereka. Di sana, saya berbicara dengan beberapa orang yang berjuang melawan kanker selama bertahun-tahun. Saya mendengarkan beberapa pria dan wanita yang kehilangan ginjal dan harus menjalani cuci darah yang tak terhitung jumlahnya. Awalnya, saya pikir saya memiliki karunia penyembuhan, tetapi setelah beberapa doa penyembuhan yang intens, tidak ada yang terjadi. Saya menyadari bahwa saya tidak memiliki karunia khusus untuk menyembuhkan. Saya merasa tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa bagi mereka. Saya akhirnya bertanya, “mengapa Tuhan tidak menjawab doa-doa kita?”

Namun, saat saya menemani mereka, masing-masing dari mereka memiliki cerita untuk dibagikan, dan memiliki wajah untuk ditunjukkan. Mereka bukan hanya seorang pria dengan kanker atau pasien di kamar B21, tetapi manusia yang nyata dengan nama pribadi dan kehidupan nyata. Hanya ketika saya melihat lebih dalam di setiap cerita, di setiap air mata, di setiap rasa sakit, saya secara bertahap menemukan kehadiran Tuhan. Kasih Tuhan dirasakan melalui kepedulian dan kasih anggota keluarga yang tidak mementingkan diri sendiri. Kasih-Nya didengar melalui upaya para dokter dan perawat yang tak kenal lelah. Kehadiran-Nya ada di dalam diri pribadi-pribadi yang terus memberikan saya senyuman meskipun rasa sakit yang mereka alami.

Yesus memang menyembuhkan putri Yairus dan wanita itu, tetapi Dia tidak datang untuk menyembuhkan setiap penyakit di dunia. Penyembuhan-Nya melampaui kesehatan fisik belaka. Dia datang agar kita menerima keselamatan dan hidup yang kekal. Dia datang agar kita dapat menyentuh dan merasakan kasih Tuhan di tengah-tengah kita, dan rahmat-Nya memberdayakan kita untuk mengasihi melampaui imajinasi kita. Memang, kita mungkin tidak menemukan penyembuhan fisik, tetapi kita menemukan apa yang benar-benar penting dalam hidup. Kekayaan dapat dengan mudah hilang, kesuksesan dapat lenyap, dan penampilan fisik dapat memburuk, tetapi Sabda Tuhan, kasih dan doa tetap ada selama-lamanya. Memang, kita mungkin tidak melihat orang-orang yang kita kasihi menjadi lebih baik, tetapi kita diberi kesempatan untuk mengasihi, melayani, dan berkorban di luar keterbatasan manusia. Dalam sakit dan bahkan kematian, jika kita memiliki iman kepada Tuhan, kita tumbuh dan menemukan kepenuhan hidup.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Lord of the Storms

The Lord of the Storms

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]
June 20, 2021
Mark 4:35-41

In today’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples crossed the sea of Galilea. The lake of Galilea was a body of fresh water in northern Israel. The lake provided a fish famously named after St. Peter and a connecting water highway to different towns around the lake. It has become the socio-economic center of Galilea. No wonder many people living here were fishermen, including some of Jesus’ disciples. Many of them spent their adult lives in and around the sea of Galilea. The lake was their home and their livelihood. However, there were times that the lake behaved in unpredictable ways and turned to be a place of great danger. Even Simon and James, the most seasoned fishermen, were powerless before the mighty storm. Their home soon may become their graveyard.

The disciples saw Jesus sleeping, and indeed, it was a weird scene to behold. Yet, the disciples instinctively woke their Master up and expressed their fear. Jesus responded to their call and ordered the wind and the sea to calm down. The sea and the wind immediately obeyed! Jesus proved Himself not just as the wonder-healer, but He is the Master of nature and creations. In the Old Testament, only God stands above the mighty waters. Only God can control and command the ocean because God is their creator. Seeing this phenomenal display of power, the disciples became more afraid. They were not only facing the storm, but they are encountering the Lord of the storms.

Often, we are like the apostles sailing through our familiar territory, yet we suddenly face unexpected and crushing storms. We believe that we are doing fine in our works or business, but surprisingly the pandemic hits us hard, and we are losing our financial stability. We used to have a great family and relatives, but suddenly, we must face a bitter reality that covid-19 kills one of our loved ones. We are having a wonderful and growing ministry and community, but now, we cannot gather and serve, and we are losing our direction.

We are afraid, and we are disoriented. Perhaps, we need to do what the apostles did: to call louder and cry harder to God. Yet, to our surprise, the Lord of all storms is just there with us in the same boat all along. He allows us to face mighty storms, to test our faith. Yet, He never leaves us but just appeared to be sleeping.

As a priest, the most challenging moment in my ministry is when I need to preach in a funeral mass for those people who die an untimely death. What should I say to the parents? What should I offer when God seems to be silent? What shall I bring when prayers seem unanswered? As I struggle with the mystery of suffering and death, Iike the pious Job, I ask the Lord for the answer. And just like to the disciples, Jesus’ response is, “Why are you afraid? Do you not yet have faith?” Through these times of crisis and trials, we are called to have even greater faith to see that even the most tremendous storms in our lives are under His command, and these take place as His providential care for us.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Translate »