Nativity of the Lord (A)

December 25, 2022

Luke 2:1-14

For the ancient Jews, simply saying ‘thank you’ was never enough to express gratitude. As a token of gratitude, they would set aside the best produce from their fields or livestock and prepare it as a food offering. This offering must be real and tangible, otherwise it is meaningless. The more valuable the produce they offered, the greater the sign of gratitude. From this, we can understand why they offered their crops or livestock as sacrifices to God as a form of their worship. Since God gives us everything in life, He deserves the best that we have. The crops and livestock were the best offerings they could give as a sign of gratitude to God at that time.

If we recall the story of Cain and Abel, these two brothers were the first humans in the Bible to worship God by offering two types of sacrifices: crops and animals. Abel offered the best part of the animal sacrifices, but Cain only brought mediocre things to God. As a result, God was not pleased with Cain’s half-hearted effort. Unfortunately, Cain did not learn from his mistake, but chose to rebel against God by killing his own brother. (see Gen 4)

Now, what does this have to do with Christmas? We must first ask why God chose to become man and investigate the circumstances of His birth. He had the power to choose the best place on earth to be His birthplace, but He chose to be among the animals. Why? John the Baptist years later revealed Jesus’ identity, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29)” He was born among animals because He is the “Lamb of God”. It is also interesting to note that Bethlehem was not far from Jerusalem, and many of the sheep and lambs raised in Bethlehem were eventually brought to Jerusalem and offered as sacrifices in the Jerusalem Temple. And just as the animals from Bethlehem’s pasture were offered in Jerusalem, Jesus, the Lamb of God, born in Bethlehem would be the perfect sacrifice in Jerusalem.

The celebration of Christmas connects us to the truth that nothing we have will ever be enough to express our gratitude to God. Even when we offer our lives, it is never enough. However, we do not despair, because God Himself provides the solution for us. Jesus became a man so that He could be the most acceptable offering to God for us.

Now, why do we call our worship liturgy the Eucharist? The word Eucharist from the Greek εὐχαριστία, means thanksgiving, and this basically relates to how our ancestors in the Old Testament worshiped and gave thanks to God. In the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ, the effect of the sacrifice of the cross, become present, and we offer this Jesus as a perfect thanksgiving offering to God. Just as Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice, in the Eucharist, we offer a far more perfect sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is only when we participate in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that our gratitude has true meaning, and our worship is pleasing to the Father.  And this worship of gratitude is possible because of the mystery of the Incarnation in Christmas.

Whenever we celebrate Christmas, we rejoice not because we receive gifts, or have a long vacation. We rejoice because the baby Jesus has made possible our participation in the most beautiful mystery of thanksgiving. In every Mass, let us remember that what we offer to God is the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem during Christmas.

Merry and Joyful Christmas!

Rome

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

4th Sunday of Advent [A]
December 18, 2022
Matthew 1:18-24

To name and to have a name is unique to human beings. To name someone or something is not just a sign of intellectual capacity, but it is also an exercise of authority. When you name someone, in certain way, the person is under your influence. When someone calls our names, immediately and automatically, our attention is drawn to the caller. Surely, we have the choice to set aside this call, but the closer that person to us, the harder it gets to ignore the call. When my mother calls me, my body instinctively moves towards her and listen to what she has to say. That’s how powerful my mother is!

The power of naming belongs primarily to God. In the story of creation, when God named something, it came to existence. When He said, ‘light’, the light came to being. Since God named all creations and brought them into existence, He has the absolute authority over all creatures. Yet, in His providence, God shared this power of naming to men and women. As the authority was shared to humans, they also possessed authority over other creatures.

However, this power is not absolute. Human persons cannot name something beyond them, like angels and surely, God Himself. Thus, to name God is one of the most elusive things in the Old Testament. The patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have attempted to ask His name, but they failed. The closest one is Moses when he asked the name of the Lord in Sinai, and the Lord answered, “I am who I am” (Exo 3:14). It is like saying, ‘none of your business’. God Himself put as a second commandment, “You shall not take My name in vain.” (see Exo 20). Thus, when the Israelites read the Bible and discovered the holy name of God ‘יהוה’, they would prefer to pronounce ‘Adonai’ (my Lord) or ‘ha-Sem’ (the name). Even, the pronunciation ‘Yahweh’ is an interpretation.

However, as we begin the story of the New Testament, something unexpectedly happened. Joseph and Mary were given the authority to name not just any creature, not just any man, not just any baby. They were to name God-become-flesh, the Creator Himself. They shall name Him Jesus, because ‘He will save His people’. Indeed, the name Jesus is related to the Hebrew word, “יְשׁוּעָה” (roughly: yesuah), meaning ‘salvation or victory’.

The naming of Jesus becomes the breakthrough between God and humans. God does not only want men and women to participate in the work of creation and the authority over lower creatures, but God wishes that we take part in the work of salvation. The former is at the natural level, but the latter is supernatural. As God shared to Joseph and Mary the task to name Jesus, our salvation, so also, Jesus shared to His Church is to name the grace that brings redemption.

When a man and a woman promise fidelity and totality to each other in the name of the Lord, God himself binds them until death, and grace of holiness flows in their marriage and family. When a priest offers the mass, and says the words of consecration, the bread and the wine become the real body and blood of Jesus, and God is truly present among us (Emmanuel). When a priest pronounces the words of absolution, and the penitent is truly asking God’s mercy, the forgiveness of sin takes place. When parents bless their children in the name of the Lord, God’s blessing remains with the children.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

3rd Sunday of Advent [C]
December 11, 2022
James 5:7-10

St. James advised us in this Advent Season, “Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord (Jam 5:7, second reading).” Why do we need to be patient, especially in this season? If we go back to the time of St. James, we will understand better this advice. During the early Church, there was a strong sense of Jesus’ second coming, and the same time, the Church was facing persecutions from different fronts, from the pagans and the Jews as well as internal conflicts. Thus, the Church’s members were truly eager to welcome the Savior’s second coming. Yet, He did not came as early as expected, and thus, some Christians became impatient and were complaining. Even some began to lose its faith. Here, St. James give his word: patient.

The word used by St. James is ‘μακροθυμέω’ (makrothumeo). Interestingly, it is not adjective, but a verb. Patience is not simply passively waiting and receiving, but this virtue is proactive and dynamic. Often, we think that patience means that we cannot do anything, but endure our hardships. But, it is not always the case. While bearing our trials, patience empowers and transforms us into better persons, and even leads us to holiness.

St. James used the prophets of the Old Testament as his models. Many prophets prophesized the coming of Messiah, Jesus Christ, but they knew that this would not happen in their lives’ times. Even, many prophets were persecuted, even martyred. According to the traditions, Isaiah was sawed into two by evil king Manasseh, and while Jeremiah was murdered in Egypt. Yet, did they stop prophesying? No, they actively engaged in their missions until the end.

We are living two thousand years after the early Church and St. James, and our world has changed and been significantly different. However, the virtue of patience remains relevant and arguably, needed more than ever. We are living in the world filled with instant mechanisms, digitalization and automation. Surely, these are something good as to facilitate our lives. Yet, it also poses a danger to our mentality. As we are used to instant processes, we easily become impatient especially when we did not get the result we desire. We get disappointed, we get upset, and we complain. When our lives are full of complains, we become bitter and unhappy. Sometimes, prolonged bitterness will lead to mental problems.

Before I went to Rome for my study, I was serving the parish in Surabaya. Some young people came to me and began to share their problems. Surely, there were serious problems that required professional assistance, like medical doctor, psychiatrist or lawyer. However, in most of the cases, they were unhappy with their lives because they were impatience. I would invite them to see a bigger perspective in their lives, and count the blessings in their lives. Then, suddenly, they would realize their lives are full of blessings, and their problems were actually exaggerated. In one hand, we just do not have the endurance to bear the sufferings, and the on the other hand, we do not have the patience to articulate the blessings, to discover how God works in our lives.

To appreciate lives, we need patience. We have to spend time and energy with God in prayer, to read and reflect the Word of God, and to perform small yet consistent good works. We may not see the second coming of Jesus in this Advent, but with the virtue of patience, we will be able to see the coming of Jesus in our hearts every day.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

2nd Sunday of Advent [A]
December 4, 2022
Matthew 3:1-12
Rome 15:4-9

For the second Sunday of Advent, the Church has chosen for us a text from St. Paul as our second reading. It is the last part of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. In a simple sentence, Paul gave an essential purpose of the scriptures. He wrote, “For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope (Rom 15:4).” Let us unpack together this verse as we journey through the Advent season.

At the time of Paul, 27 books of New Testament as we know now has not yet come to existence. Thus, when Paul mentioned ‘scriptures’ or ‘what was written previously’, he was referring to the books of the Old Testament. These books were originally part of Hebrew Bible, but also accepted, used, and considered sacred by the early Church. Why so? This is because Jesus read, preached, and fulfilled these books. Jesus handed down these scriptures to the apostles and gave them the authority to teach them in His name. This is the reason that we do not throw away the books of the Old Testament, even though, they do not speak directly about Jesus Christ. Yet, it is also important that though we keep and read the Old Testament, we must read them not as a Jewish person, but as followers of Christ and the members of the Church.

Now, Paul explained two fundamental functions of the Scriptures: for instructions and encouragements. The first is instructions, and the Greek word here is ‘διδασκαλία’ (didaskalia), and its literal meaning is ‘teaching’. Thus, through the words of the Scriptures, God teaches us. When a teacher teaches his students, the aim is that the students may have wider and deeper knowledge. As we read and study the scriptures through the guidance of our shepherds, we know God better and deeper, who He is, what His plans for us, and what is His relationship to us.

The second is the encouragement. Paul believed that the words of the God in the scriptures do not only teach, but also encourage us. The original word used by Paul is ‘παράκλησις’ (paraklesis), and it has a range of meanings, but the basic meaning is something or someone that assists us in facing difficulty. Through the words of the Scriptures, God is supporting, encouraging, consoling us in time of trials. From here, we know one of the best things to do in troubled moments is reading and meditating the scriptures.

However, these two goals, instruction, and encouragement, are leading us into a bigger purpose: ‘hope in Christ’. Without hope, the Bible are simply object of research and studies, but it will not bring closer and more intimate friendship with Jesus. Without hope, the bible only contains an encouraging and sweet words, but it never makes us persevere and grow in trials.

The Advent season gives us time to listen to various texts of the Old Testament (both in Sunday and weekly readings) and how these readings are eventually fulfilled in the coming of Christ. And once again, I would like to invite all of us, to spend more time to listen to the words of God this Advent season as our spiritual practice. Aside reading from the Gospel of Matthew, I recommend reading the book of Isaiah for this advent Season.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

1st Sunday of Advent (A)
November 27, 2022
Matthew 24:37-44

The season of Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year. This time, we enter the year of Matthew (year A) because on most Sundays of this year, we are going to listen and reflect together the texts from the gospel of Matthew. Now, since we will journey together with Matthew, let us be familiar with this evangelist and his gospel.

The origin, composition and authorship of this gospel have become a subject of endless speculation and debates among the modern scholars. However, the long tradition of the Catholic Church has firmly held that apostle Matthew is the author, and many ancient witnesses, like St. Irenaeus (c. 130 – 200), St. Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215) and Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260 – c. 340) testified that Matthew is indeed the writer.

An interesting characteristic on Matthew’s Gospel is that its Jewish character. It is believed that the original readers of Matthew are the early Jewish Christians. Matthew quoted a lot from the Old Testament (around 60 times). He placed them from the beginning to the end, from ‘… they shall call Him Emmanuel.’ (Mat 1:23, cf. Isa 8:10), to ‘Eli, Eli lema sebachtani (Mat 27:46, cf. Ps. 22:1).’ Not only from Old Testament, but Matthew also used the Jewish traditions at the time of Jesus, like the tradition about Moses’ chair (Mat 23:2). Clearly, Matthew wished to teach that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Old Testament. As a Catholic philosopher and theologian, Peter Kreeft, summarizes the Gospel of Matthew as ‘A Gospel from a Jew, for the Jews about the Jewish Messiah.’

However, despite being very Jewish, Matthew remains firm that Jesus is not only the Savior of the Jews alone, but for everyone. Only in Matthew, we have the story of the Magi, the representatives of the nations that came and worshiped baby Jesus (Mat 2). In Matthew also, Jesus instructed the disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mat 28:19).” It is from Israel, for the world.

Another character of Matthew is that it is the Gospel of the Church. Certainly, the other three gospels are also for the Church, yet only in Matthew, the word ‘Church’ (Ecclesia) comes from the mouth of Jesus. Firstly, it is when Jesus would establish His Church on Peter (Mat 16:13-20) and secondly, when Jesus taught fraternal correction among the members of the Church (Mat 18:15ff). The Gospel turns to be the foundation charter of our Church, the Church Jesus has founded. No wonder why this Gospel becomes favorite of many saints.

Going back to the life of Matthew, we know that he was a former tax collector. Jesus called him and he got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. Yet, he did not really leave everything. He brought along his intellectual and scribal capacity that he used as a tax collector and utilized it to write the Gospel and to bring people closer to Jesus.

The season of Advent prepares us for the coming of Jesus, and the invitation is what we shall offer to Jesus when he comes. If Matthew was giving his life and his skill in writing to Jesus, what shall we offer to Jesus in this Advent season?
In this Advent also, I am inviting you to read the entire gospel of Matthew. Let us spend one chapter for each day of this season, as part of our spiritual exercise.

Rome
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP