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The Mystery

The Mystery

Trinity Sunday [B]

May 30, 2021

Matthew 28:16-20

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is at the heart of our Christian faith. The Church duly recognizes that this is the mystery of all mysteries and the mystery of God in Himself: One God in three divine persons. While acknowledging that it is fundamentally impossible to explain the Trinity in this short writing, this simple reflection may help us appreciate the beauty of this sacred mystery.

Firstly, we need to recognize that this is the mystery. The Trinitarian mystery is not like mystery movies where the audience is kept in suspense and guessing until the film’s end. The Trinitarian mystery is not mysterious, as if there are many secrets and an atmosphere of strangeness. Far from being mysterious, the Trinity has been preached and proclaimed publicly since the birth of the Church. The mystery of the Trinity is like the mystery of love. The mystery is very real, and yet we do not have the intellectual capacity to grasp it fully. Often, we do not understand why this pretty woman falls in love with this not so handsome guy, yet the love between the two is undeniable. The same with the mystery of the Trinity, we do not fully comprehend it, but it is fundamental in our faith and life.

Secondly, we need to see that we are invited to be part of that mystery of Trinity. This is what amazing about the true mystery. We may not fully understand it, but we are drawn to the mystery, and if we open our hearts, we will share in that mystery. Again, like the mystery of love, we often will not reach a solid logical analysis of the reasons behind a sacrificial mother’s love for her children. Still, we know that is true, and we are called to participate in that kind of radical love. It is the same as the mystery of the Trinity. St. Peter, our first pope, has declared that by the help of grace, we are to share God’s divine nature, the life of the Trinity [2 Pet 1:4]. St. Peter knew well the meaning of this mystery. Heaven is becoming part of this love that unites the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, we need to do our parts to enter that mystery. Being part of the mystery is exceptionally precious because we cannot earn it no matter what we do. It is freely given. Like love, it is entirely free but never cheap. We cannot force someone in return, yet when we receive the love, we need to do our part to grow into that love. Love is an utter gift to the other. It is the same with the mystery of the Trinity. God freely offers His friendship, but we need to do our parts to live and grow in this mystery.

We begin our lives in the Trinity when we were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but do we live and grow in this mystery? When we make the sign of the cross, do we mean to become the sign of the Holy Trinity in our lives? We are blessed in the name of the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, but do we genuinely turn to be a Trinitarian blessing for others?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Sebuah Misteri

Sebuah Misteri

Trinity Sunday [B]

30 Mei 2021

Matius 28: 16-20

Misteri Tritunggal Mahakudus adalah inti dari iman Kristiani kita. Gereja sendiri mengakui bahwa inilah dasar dari semua misteri iman, sebuah misteri Tuhan di dalam diri-Nya sendiri, yakni: Satu Tuhan dalam tiga pribadi ilahi. Meskipun menyadari bahwa pada dasarnya saya tidak mungkin untuk menjelaskan Tritunggal dalam tulisan pendek ini, dengan refleksi sederhana ini, saya berharap dapat membantu kita semua menghargai keindahan misteri paling sakral ini.

Pertama, kita perlu menyadari bahwa arti dari kata misteri. Misteri Tritunggal tidak seperti film misteri yang penontonnya dibuat penasaran dan menebak-nebak hingga akhir film. Misteri Tritunggal tidaklah misterius seolah-olah terdapat banyak rahasia dan keanehan. Jauh dari kata misterius, Tritunggal telah diwartakan dan dijelaskan secara terbuka sejak lahirnya Gereja. Misteri Tritunggal seperti misteri kasih. Misteri kasih itu sangat nyata, namun kita tidak memiliki kapasitas intelektual untuk mengerti secara sepenuh. Seringkali, kita tidak mengerti mengapa seorang wanita cantik ini jatuh cinta pada pria yang tidak begitu tampan, namun cinta di antara keduanya tidak dapat disangkal. Sama halnya dengan misteri Tritunggal, kita tidak sepenuhnya memahaminya, tetapi itu nyata dalam iman dan hidup kita.

Kedua, kita perlu melihat bahwa kita diundang untuk menjadi bagian dari misteri Trinitas ini. Inilah yang menakjubkan tentang arti misteri yang sebenarnya. Kita mungkin tidak sepenuhnya memahaminya, tetapi kita diundang menjadi bagian dari misteri itu. Jika kita membuka hati kita, kita akan sungguh berbagi dalam misteri itu. Sekali lagi, seperti misteri kasih, seringkali, kita tidak akan mencapai analisis logis yang memuaskan tentang alasan di balik kasih seorang ibu yang berkorban untuk anak-anaknya, tetapi kita tahu itu benar dan kita dipanggil untuk berpartisipasi dalam kasih radikal semacam itu. Santo Petrus, paus pertama kita, telah menyatakan bahwa dengan bantuan rahmat-Nya, kita harus berbagi kodrat ilahi, kehidupan Tritunggal Mahakudus [lih. 2 Pet 1:4]. Inilah artian surga yang sesungguhnya, yakni menjadi bagian dari kasih yang mempersatukan Bapa, Putra, dan Roh Kudus.

Ketiga, kita perlu melakukan usaha kita untuk tumbuh di dalam misteri itu. Menjadi bagian dari misteri adalah rahmat karena apa pun yang kita lakukan, kita tidak bisa mendapatkannya. Itu diberikan secara cuma-cuma. Sama seperti kasih, mengasihi dan dikasihi sepenuhnya cuma-cuma, tetapi bukan berarti murahan. Kita tidak bisa memaksa seseorang untuk mencintai kita, namun ketika kita menerima kasih, kita perlu melakukan bagian kita untuk tumbuh di dalam kasih itu. Jika tidak, kasih itu akan diambil dari kita, dan mungkin tidak pernah akan kembali. Sama halnya dengan misteri Tritunggal. Tuhan dengan bebas menawarkan persahabatan-Nya, tetapi kita perlu melakukan bagian kita untuk hidup dan bertumbuh dalam misteri ini.

Kita memulai hidup kita dalam Tritunggal ketika kita dibaptis dalam nama Bapa, Putra dan Roh Kudus, tetapi apakah kita hidup dan bertumbuh juga dalam misteri ini? Ketika kita membuat tanda salib, apakah kita sungguh ingin menjadi tanda Tritunggal Mahakudus dalam dunia? Setiap kali kita diberkati oleh imam, Kita diberkati dalam nama Bapa, dan Putra, dan Roh Kudus, tetapi apakah kita benar-benar berubah menjadi berkat Tritunggal bagi orang lain?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Roh Kudus dan Kita

Roh Kudus dan Kita

Minggu Pentekosta [B]

Yohanes 20: 19-23

23 Mei 2021

Pentekosta adalah hari raya Roh Kudus. Kita merayakan turunnya Roh Kudus ke atas Gereja, dan momen ini memulai era Roh Kudus. Dengan bantuan Roh Kudus, para murid perlahan-lahan tumbuh dan secara bertahap berkembang menjadi komunitas terbesar di dunia. Namun, sayangnya, di antara ketiga pribadi ilahi, Roh Kudus sering kali sering dilupakan dan terkadang disalahpahami. Tentunya, refleksi ini tidak akan dan tidak dapat mencakup seluruh pneumatologi [subjek tentang Roh Kudus], tetapi saya mencoba menawarkan secuil refleksi yang diharapkan akan membawa kita pada rasa syukur kepada Roh Kudus.

Pertama, iman kepada Yesus Kristus pada dasarnya adalah karunia Roh Kudus. Santo Paulus mengingatkan kita bahwa tanpa bantuan Roh Kudus, kita tidak akan bisa percaya kepada Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Allah kita [lihat 1 Kor 12:3]. Untuk percaya akan adanya Allah sebagai pencipta dan mahakuasa mungkin tidak sulit karena pikiran dan logika kita dapat membuktikan  keberadaan Tuhan. Namun, percaya pada Tuhan yang mengambil kodrat manusia di dalam rahim seorang wanita yang sederhana, dan akhirnya menderita di kayu salib adalah di luar nalar manusia biasa. Bahkan Yesus ini tidak berhenti di kayu salib, tetapi Dia bangkit dari kematian, dan memutuskan untuk hadir secara sakramental dan nyata dalam Ekaristi. Allah alam semesta menjadi hosti putih kecil! Tanpa karunia supernatural Roh Kudus ini, secara alami mustahil untuk memiliki iman yang luar biasa ini. Namun, bagi mereka yang memiliki karunia iman, percaya kepada Yesus tampak sealami bernafas.

Kedua, Roh Kudus menghidupkan dan memperkuat Gereja di bumi ini. Seringkali, kita salah mengira bahwa Roh Kudus hanya berfungsi ketika seseorang mulai berbicara dalam bahasa roh. Namun, peran Roh Kudus jauh lebih masif dan mendasar dari itu. Roh Kudus menguatkan kita pada saat masa-masa sulit. Itu sebabnya kita meminta karunia keperkasaan. Roh Kudus menerangi kita ketika kita mengalami kesulitan dalam memahami iman kita dan makna hidup. Itu sebabnya kita meminta karunia pengertian. Ini hanyalah dua dari tujuh karunia Roh Kudus! Jangan lupa juga bahwa Roh Kudus mengilhami para penulis Kitab Suci sehingga tulisan yang mereka hasilkan adalah Firman Tuhan sendiri. Dan, hanya Roh Kudus yang dapat menjadikan sakramen sebagai sarana rahmat Tuhan.

Ketiga, Roh Kudus adalah sumber kekudusan kita. Roh Kudus tidak hanya memungkinkan permulaan dari iman kita, Dia tidak hanya menopang dan memelihara pertumbuhan kita dalam pengharapan, tetapi Dia juga memberi buah-buah rohani. Bagi kita yang bertekun dan mengandalkan Roh Kudus, kita akan menikmati buah Roh Kudus: cinta, sukacita, damai, kesabaran, kebaikan, kemurahan hati, kesetiaan, kelembutan, pengendalian diri [lihat Gal 5:22]. Bahkan, kebahagiaan abadi di surga adalah karunia Roh Kudus. Kita ingat bahwa satu-satunya dosa yang tidak akan diampuni adalah penghujatan terhadap Roh Kudus [lihat Mat 12:30]. Gereja telah mengajar kita bahwa dosa ini adalah kekerasan hati kita untuk bertobat sampai akhir [KGK 1864]. Jika kita dengan tegas menolak pekerjaan Roh Kudus di dalam diri kita, kita menghina Roh Kudus, dan jika sampai nafas terakhir kita, kita menutup hati kita kepada-Nya, maka keselamatan kitapun hilang.

Roh Kudus ada di awal perjalanan iman kita, Dia hadir di sepanjang jalan dan Dia memberikan karunia terakhir keselamatan. Segala hormat dan pujian bagi Roh Kudus!

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

The Holy Spirit and Us

The Holy Spirit and Us

Pentecost Sunday [B]

John 20:19-23

May 23, 2021

Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. We are celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, and this event commences the age of the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit’s help, the disciples slowly grew and gradually expanded into the biggest community in the world. However, among the three divine persons, the Holy Spirit is often left behind and sometimes misunderstood. Surely, this reflection does not and cannot cover the entire subject of pneumatology, but it offers us a little piece of information that hopefully will lead us to gratitude.

photo credit: Thai Hamelin

Firstly, Faith in Jesus Christ is fundamentally a gift of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul reminds us that without the help of the Holy Spirit, we will not believe in Jesus as our Lord and God [see 1 Cor 12:]. To believe in a creator and almighty God may not be difficult because our mind can discern His existence. However, believing in God, who took human nature in the womb of a humble woman and eventually suffering death on the cross, is beyond ordinary human reasoning. This Jesus did not stop on the cross, but He rose from the dead and decided to be present sacramentally and really in the Eucharist. The God of the universe has become a small white host! Without this supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit, it is naturally impossible to have this extraordinary faith. Yet, for those who have the gift of faith, believing in Jesus seems as natural as breathing. 

Secondly, the Holy Spirit animates and strengthens the Church here on earth. Often, we mistakenly thought that the Holy Spirit only functioned when someone begins speaking in tongue. Yet, the Holy Spirit’s roles are more much massive and fundamental than that. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in the time of trials. That’s why we ask for the gift of fortitude. The Holy Spirit enlightens us when we have a hard time understanding our faith and the meaning of life. That’s why we ask for the gift of understanding. These are just two of seven gifts of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the Sacred Scriptures to produce the Word of God. And, only the Holy Spirit can make the sacraments the means of God’s grace.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is the source of our holiness. The Holy Spirit does not only make the beginning of our faith possible; He does not only sustain and nourish our growth in hope, but He also gives spiritual fruits. For us who are persevering and relying on the Holy Spirit, we enjoy the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control [see Gal 5:22]. The eternal bliss in heaven is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We recall that the only sin that will not be forgiven is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit [see Mat 12:30]. The Church has taught us that this sin is the final impenitence [CCC 1864]. If we stubbornly reject the works of the Holy Spirit within us, we throw insult to the Holy Spirit, and if until our dying breath, we close our hearts to Him, then salvation is lost.

The Holy Spirit is at the beginning of our journey of faith, He is present along the way, and He grants the final gift of salvation. Praise be to the Holy Spirit!

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Sanctified

Sanctified

7th Sunday of Easter [B]

May 16, 2021

John 17:11b-19

John chapter 17 is traditionally called Jesus’ prayer as a high priest. This prayer was in the context of the Last Supper and just before His passion and death. Jesus prayed to the Father and interceded for His disciples and all of us who believe in Him. It was a beautiful and powerful prayer.

One interesting subject that Jesus asked from the Father is that Jesus did not plead that the Father took the disciples from the world but rather to protect them from the evil one. We remember that Jesus was soon returning to the Father in the ascension, but Jesus did not want them to follow Him yet. Instead, Jesus then asked the Father to sanctify the disciples in Truth.

To sanctify is to make holy. Often our understanding of being holy is limited to those people who already in heaven. We call them the saints or the holy men and women. Yet, the fundamental meaning of ‘to be holy’ is ‘to be set apart’. In Biblical Hebrew, the word for holy is “Kados”, and it has the same meaning. Therefore, to be sanctified means to be set apart for purposes. For example, holy water is not just ordinary water because it has been blessed and set apart from everyday use like drinking or washing. It is now only for religious purposes.

In His prayer, Jesus was sanctifying His disciples. Jesus was making His disciples holy, and He was setting them apart from this world, for the Truth. Though the disciples were in the world, they no longer belonged to the world. They were consecrated to the Truth that is Jesus Christ Himself [see John 14:6]. The disciples belonged to Jesus. Thus, they remained in the world, not because they enjoyed and attaching themselves to the world, but they were to preach the Truth and bring Jesus.

Jesus’ prayer is not only for His apostles two thousand years ago but for all of us. When we are baptized, we have been set apart from the world and for God. We belong to God. Yet, the same baptism makes us share in the mission of the apostles. We remain in the world because God sent us to bring Christ to more people.

However, the temptation is that we often forget how we are and believe that we are part of the world rather than belong to Christ. We are not only simply in the world, but we become too worldly. We become too attached to the world and busy with many temporal affairs. Indeed, I am not suggesting that we all enter the monasteries or turn to be hermits. We remain in the world as who we are now, as parents, spouses, workers, teachers, students, yet in all of these, we bring Christ. Thus, holy parents do not mean those who pray in the chapel 24/7, but who raise their children with dedication and bring them to Christ. Holy workers are not those who come to workplaces and mediate the whole day, but those who work hard and honestly.

We remember Blessed Carlo Acutis. He loved to go to Mass and pray the rosaries, but He was an ordinary student and a computer geek. He used his passion for the computer to establish a Catholic website to spread the devotion to the Holy Eucharist. If Carlo Acutis can do it, why can’t we?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

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