Third Sunday of Lent Year C: Reflections- Fr .Micahel U.Udoekpo

Third Sunday of Lent Year C: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Exod 3:1-8a, 13-15; Ps 103:1-4, 6-11 and 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 and Luke 13:1-9

 Christ, the Living Light in our Lives

As we journey through Lent with the scriptures our confidence in God continues to grow. We are confident in his protection, provisions, love and forgiveness when we turn to him in repentance.

In the 2^nd reading of today while originally addressing the Corinth Church, Paul wants us today to learn a lesson from the Book of Exodus (Exodus= going out) the goings and the comings of Israel through the desert guided by Moses, God’s instrument to whom he had revealed Himself to in the burning bush (Exod 3:1-15) of the 1^st of the reading. Meals and Water were provided for Israel on this journey. Unfortunately many them were also stuck in the desert of their lives, in their complaints, ingratitude and idolatry. Very slow to recognize the Goodness of the Lord!

 Our Christian and daily living is an “exodus.” Think of our going and coming. Each day many of us  wake up, exit our homes, come to the church and from the Church’s exit  to our cars, offices, places of meetings, shops, court and class  rooms, business areas, enter and exit trains, boats and planes and return home most of the time safe with our  friends, children, and grand children.  

Our journeys are not without ups and downs. Sometimes our cars are broken down and at another time, we find ourselves lucked out of our rooms. Our computers are broken or our telephone lines are not going through or the batteries need recharging. In our offices and work environment we are tempted to over-judged, serve but ourselves, consumed in our self-confidence forgetting the role of God in our journeys and the invitation to exit and empty ourselves for others. Paul warns we must not be like some the ungrateful Israelite.

Christ in the Gospel reading of today (Luke 13:1-9) repeats the same warning.  In his goodness for us we are invited to repent and be a healthy fig tree bearing good fruits. Fruits of selfless services, fruits of love, fruits of gratitude, fruits of not over-judging our neighbors and fruits of openness to the message of  Christ, his Light and recognition of his divine presence in our lives.

Third Sunday of Lent Year B: Reflectons- Fr .Michael U. Udoekpo

 

Third Sunday of Lent Year B: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: Exod 20:1-17; Ps 19:8-11; 1 Cor 1:22-25 and John 2: 13-25

Our Spiritual Cleansing - Christ the New Temple

Dear Friends in Christ,

There are some times in this life that we humans live within the boundary of our own wisdom and subjective thinking.  Truth is only seen through the prism of our world-view. We reject objective norms and standards. There are moments we act or abuse, misuse what God has given us to the extreme, all in the name of freedom. And sometimes we forget that God created each and every one of for our neighbors and to do His will.  In God’s Wisdom these objective norms are still important for our well-being and for a healthy society, where we show our love for God and our neighbors.

St. Paul in the 2^nd reading reminds us that Christ is the power of God and the Wisdom of God. And that the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and what we might count the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

The Laws, the 10 commandment given to Israel through the “Old Moses” in the 1^st reading on Mount Sinai, God’s mountain, summarizes God’s Covenant relationship with us, individual and Church, the new Israel. It is the epitome of obedience, love, respect we owe our neighbors, God, and the society in all circumstances, recognizing what God has done for us, continued in Christ.

Christ, the “new Moses” sticks to the Wisdom of his Father in his ministry of love to all, the beatitude, obedience, liberating, healing, orderliness and cleansing including the Temple, like the mountain, the dwelling place of God. The Temple for Christ in today’s Gospel (John 2:13-25) must remain not only as a universal place of prayer, opened for all, but must be kept clean (Mk 11:17, Isa 56:7 and Jer 7:11), not restricted to the aristocratic ruling groups. It must not be turn into a market place for gambling and exchanging money of the ruling elites for profits. When destroyed it shall be raised in three days. In his spiritual wisdom found in all pages of the symbolic Johannine Scriptures, he was referring to his body, his death and the resurrection. He referring to the end of the era of the Temple and the beginning of a Temple not built with human hands. Christ is the new Temple for us.

As another Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, Lent continues to be a time we continue reevaluate our observance of God’s precepts and of the Church; the respect we owe ourselves, and the dignity we give to other human persons, universally. It is a favorable time for our spiritual cleansing, renewal, purification and enlightenment in the laws and love of Christ in our neighbors.

Third Sunday of Lent A: Reflections/Scrutiny)- Fr .Michael U. Udoekpo

Third Sunday of Lent Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: Exod 17:3-7; Ps 95:1-2.6-9; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 and John 4:5-42

Scrutiny 1 at 12 noon Mass

Sharing in the Life of Christ, the Living Water (u[dwr zw/n))

Dear friends in Christ,

 Today is another special day of joy in our Parish Community. We are happily gathered to celebrate the Word of God and gifts of Christ the Living Water, who satisfies our thirst  as we journey through Lent. Within this liturgy 12 of our brothers and sisters called the Elects and Candidates, who have been preparing to become full members of the Church the Body of Christ at Easter, through the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults will be invited up here for scrutiny.  I am confident that they are surrounded by their director, the sponsors, teachers, friends and godparents.  We welcome you in the name Christ!

As we share the Word of God today, I also want to reassure you of the love this Parish Assembly has for you. As you search for Christ today in your spiritual journeys, remember that Christ the Living Water is also constantly searching for you through the prayers and the rituals of the universal Church.

This is also true from the readings chosen today from the Book of Exodus and particularly the Johnnine narrative of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan Woman.  These readings are not read by accident.  They are thoughtfully selected. Feel free to prayerfully reread them again at your private time. The Church is thinking and praying for you. From Exodus to John- it shows who God is and demonstrates God's gifts of life and protection for us, in our going and coming. It fit perfectly into our Lenten spirit of   penance, renewal and purification. It also fits into the particular spiritual journeys of our brothers and sisters looking forward to be initiated into the Christian family on Easter Saturday.

We are told in that symbolic and spiritual filled John’s narrative that Jesus, a Jew was journeying from Judea to Galilee and had to pass through Samaria.  He met a woman from that town who was coming to draw ordinary water from the well of Jacob on this faithful afternoon. You know how it is travelling in a warm weather. The travelling Christ was also thirsty. It was shocking to everybody including the woman and the disciples to see Christ, a Jew approaching a Samaritan for water. And as if that was not enough spending additional time chatting and conversing spiritually with her. It was not a monologue but a respectful dialogue. But an usual episode for Jews and the Samaritan who would not associate with each other.

As the conversation went on the woman realized more and more the friendliness, the respect and the openness of Jesus to dialogue with other cultures and to embrace people of all walks of life, irrespective of their gender and weaknesses.  

 This reminds me what happened here on Friday after the Mass of Annunciation. I saw three of our good parishioners standing in the narthex, they were all ladies. I presumed they were chatting about Jesus. One of them gestured and said to me come…come.. Come Fr. I went respectfully to them. They wanted to know my take on the Samaritan Woman. Well, I told them this story overflows with a lot of rich spiritual meanings. And I thought this woman who represent all of us, recognizes the gifts of Jesus, his divinity, his prophetic role, his saving mission, the spiritual depth of Christ as a true source of the Living Water.

If it were now that nations and people are talking about threats of nuclear weapons and energy, we would have said that this woman found in Jesus a true “Spiritual Nuclear.” A nuclear of love and respect for women; a nuclear of forgiveness and dialogue. She found in Christ a nuclear capable of penetrating barriers of discrimination, cast-systems, religious hatred and division. She found in Jesus a spiritual nuclear that would knock off diseases from our bodies and free us from the power of Satan and dominion of darkness.

As the Samaritan woman, we are all called to respond to Christ’s Love. She represents all us coming to faith and becoming true missionaries to our own people, family members   and others. She represents truthful response to faith. She is an ideal dialogue- partner, who brings others to Christ. She also leaves us a mandate to recognize the role of women and our roles as baptized Christian.

 This story is also true for our brothers and sisters (Elects and Candidates) journeying to be initiated into the Catholic Family at Easter. We know you have indeed travelled a long but enriching spiritual process and periods of Evangelization/Precatechumenate, Catechumenate and their accompanying rites. You have walked through several steps to arrive at this Third Period of Purification and Enlightenment. You have been catechized, instructed and molded in the faith. You have also had the opportunities to share your stories and ask you questions. Recently you were elected and recognized by our Bishop.  Today begins your first scrutiny and ceremonial search for Christ who is also delightfully searching for you.

 These Scrutinies are good for you and for all of us. They are meant to inspire in you that desire for purification and redemption by Christ. It will uncover and heal in you all that are weak, defective or sinful in your hearts. It will also strengthen all that is upright, strong and good in you.  It reminds us that Jesus is our healer. He searches for us. These rites will protect you and exorcised you from the power of Satan and all kinds of temptations. With it you will be given the strength in Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Living Water; that same Spiritual Water, that spiritual nuclear energy, given to the Samaritan woman, and you will never be thirsty again.

 As we pray for ourselves, let us  continue to pray for them at this Mass that  together  we  may always act like the Samaritan woman, recognizing the gifts of life in Jesus by inviting others through our words and actions to participate in the life of Christ our Savior, the Living Water  (John 4: 14,42).

Third Sunday of Lent A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Third Sunday of Lent Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: Exod 17:3-7; Ps 95:1-2.6-9; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 and John 4:5-42

Christ, the Living Water

Today is another special day of joy in our Parish Community. We are happily gathered to thirst for God, to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, to share the Word of God and the Gifts of Christ, the Living Water, as we journey through Lent. The gifts of Christ, his love, his power of cleansing and forgiveness, his patience and understanding, his friendliness with all, his spiritual refreshments that we might worship God in  faith, spirit and truth, stand out in today’s Bible Lessons.

In the Second Reading Paul dwells on the important virtues of hope, faith and particularly on the greatest , LOVE, which Christ has poured into our heart and has shown us in different ways in being forgiving, in being compassionate to everyone most especially by accepting to travel to the Cross on our behalf. Paul says, “God proves his love for us in that while were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

This love is hidden in the unique love God showed Israelite while liberating them through the wilderness of hunger.  In the face of starvation He provided bread for them in the desert. When they were thirsty complaining to Moses for water, God was there for them (Exod 17:3-17). He directed Moses on how to extract refreshing water for them from the Rock.

This symbol of a refreshing God, a God of love, a God who is patient with us , God who satisfy our thirst, listens to us, nourishes us, dialogue with us irrespective of who we are,  is heighten in the  Johnnine Gospel narrative of the Encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman ( John 4:5-42).

We are told in this symbolic and spiritual filled Gospel that Jesus, a Jew was journeying from Judea to Galilee and had to pass through Samaria.  He met a woman from that town who was coming to draw ordinary water from the well of Jacob on this faithful afternoon. You know how it is travelling in a warm weather, especially in the desert and on foot. Everyone is thirsty. The travelling Christ was also thirsty. Shocking everybody he approached a Samaritan Woman for water. And as if that was not enough he spent some quality time patiently chatting and conversing spiritually with her. It wasn’t a monologue but a respectful dialogue.

As the conversation went on the woman realized more and more the friendliness the respect and the openness of Jesus to dialogue with other cultures and his readiness to embrace people of all walks of life irrespective of their gender, weaknesses and old status quo of division and religious hatred.

On Friday after the 9 am annunciation Mass I saw three of our respectable parishioners standing right there in the narthex. They were all ladies. One of them invited me with a very fine gesture and said- Fr. Come, Come, and come here! I respectfully went to join with them. The conversation was about Jesus. They wanted to know my own take on the Samaritan Woman, especially on the issue of the five husbands.

I told them this story overflows with a lot of rich spiritual meanings. And I thought this Samaritan woman who represent all of us, recognizes the gifts of Jesus, his divinity, his prophetic role, his saving mission, his patience in dialogue, his forgiving power, and his spiritual depth as a true source of the Living Water that cleansing our personal faults replacing our thirstiness for material things with spiritual need which strengthen us on our faith journeys.

If it were now that nations and people are talking about or threats of nuclear weapons and energy, we would have said that this woman found in Jesus a true “Spiritual Nuclear Energy.” A nuclear of love, a nuclear of respect, a nuclear of forgiveness and a nuclear of dialogue. She found in Christ a nuclear capable of breaking every barrier of discrimination, religious hatred and division. She found in this symbolic Living Water, Jesus, a spiritual nuclear that would knock off diseases from our bodies and free us from the power of Satan and dominion of darkness.

As the Samaritan woman we are called to respond to Christ’s Love. She represents all us coming to faith and becoming true missionaries to our own people, family members   and others. She represents truthful response to faith. She is an ideal dialogue- partner, who brings others to Christ. She also leaves us a mandate to recognize the role of women and our roles as baptized Christian.

As we contemplate the Scripture readings of today,  may we constantly been called to reach out for our neighbors, brothers and sisters, inviting them by our words and actions to long and thirst for Christ the spiritual water that nourishes us.

Second Sunday of Lent Year C Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Second Sunday of Lent Year C: Reflections – Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Gen 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Phil 3:17–4:1 and Luke 9:28b-36.

Self –Giving for the Sake of All

Definitely Lenten Season prepares us for the mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. The readings of this Sunday narrate God’s Covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:5-12, 17-18).  It narrates Paul’s preaching of the Cross of Christ to  the Church Philippi (Phil 3:17–4:1) as well as Luke’s Tabor transfiguration narrative of Jesus which has its parallels in Matthew 17:1-9 and Mark 9:2-10,  read in Years A and B of past liturgical cycles. I want to identify in all these narratives put together, the cost of true-prophetic discipleship, obedience to God and the spirituality of self-giving for the sake all.

In the First reading (Gen 15) God made a covenant with Abraham, his faithful servant. Abraham was faithful in his mission to be the founder of God’s people. His journeys were not were not without sacrifices, “crosses” of detachment, changes and adjustment to a new life situation and new people on the pilgrim way.  Abraham on his journeys also braved faithfully childlessness of Sarah (Gen 11:31; 16ff), the threats of Pharaoh (Gen 12:10-20) over his beautiful wife, Sarah and the testing of what to do with his son Isaac “the sacrifice,”(Gen 22), the defeat of the Eastern kings without looting (Gen 14:17-24).  Abraham put his faith in the Lord, who credited to him as an act of righteousness. He is promised the land and abundant blessings upon his descendants, down to us- a self-emptying.

Behind today’s story of Tabor transfiguration of Jesus seen by many as a foretaste of the joy of Easter, lies the mandate of the cross, the mandate of the suffering discipleship which Jesus announce to his disciples in Luke chapter 9:22-26 (cf Mk 9:1;Matt 16:24-28). Christ says, “the son of man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and killed, and on third day be raised” (Lk 9:22). Then he says anyone who wants to come after him must abandoned him or herself and takes up the cross daily and follows him. Sometimes we like the easy way. Peter and his friends would have loved to remain permanently and gloriously in a tent with their Master Christ on Tabor alongside Elijah and Moses. But as God’s son it was necessary for Christ to get to the Cross in Jerusalem before the joy of Easter- a journey that must be imitated by every single disciple of Christ.

Paul understood also how to imitate Christ (Phil 3:17–4:1), in his courage and self-surrender in the face of the suffering death. Beaten, tortured, ship- wrecked and imprisoned says, even from prison, “join with others in being imitators of me—many conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ, they are occupied with earthly things rather that heavenly things.

As we journey through lent together let us pray for the grace to imitate the suffering death of Christ by the way we respond in faith to the difficulties of this life. And by the way show kindness and acts of charity to any human being we meet on our pilgrim ways as God’s people, descendants of Abraham and imitators of Paul and Christ.

Second Sunday of Lent Year B: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Second Sunday of Lent Year B: Reflections – Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 116:10, 15,16-19; Rom 8:31b-34 and Mark 9:2-10

Listening to Christ in Our Neighbors,

Listening or hearing is one of the exercises that all of us do when with the Grace of God we wake up each morning. We listen to our heart beats, to our bodies. We listen to the radio and the media, the news. We listen to one another, parents, children, teachers and neighbors. We listen or pay attention to homilies and Sermons in all the liturgical seasons of the Year especially during the Season of Lent, a time of grace and a special moment for yearning and responding to God’s love. What is striking to me in the Bible lessons of today, not only in the transfiguration narrative but in the story of Sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, is our invitation to pay attention to God’s plan of salvation and the glorious mystery of the Cross championed by Christ.

Remember in Genesis 12 Abraham listened to God and embarked on a faith journey. His only GPS was faith as he risked travelling to the land God would show him.  He is called today to sacrifice his only son from Sarah, Isaac (Gen 22). Abraham is able to listen through the testing period as directed by God, resulting in blessings upon Abraham and his descendants down to us.

Similarly  in the transfiguration episode, on mount Tabor, the disciples of Christ, Peter, James and John once saddened by Jesus prediction of his journey to the Cross (Mk 9:1) and the cost of discipleship ( Mk 8:34-38) are once shown the glorious face of Jesus, his beauty. It is so glorious and comfortable up there such that Peter not realizing the mystery of the cross quickly proposed a tent’s construction one Elijah, Moses and Christ. This proposal is once again met with advice from heaven, “this is my beloved son listen to him” (Mk 9:7b, Matt 17:5), a divine affirmation of Jesus, the new Moses, the new prophet and his ministry.

During this lent we want not only to be like Abraham, we want to sacrifice our patience by listening to Christ in a renewed way, his message of forgiveness; His message of change of heart and transformation (Lk 15, Rom 12:2). We want to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s baptism which we all share (Jn 3:5) and the mystery of his cross which anticipates the resurrection. Paul understood this mystery. We want to be like Paul. He says today,” If God is for us nothing can be against us” (Rom 8:31-34), and this we want to listen to. We want to see in our daily crosses the joy of the resurrection, the mount Tabor experience that awaits us at Easter.  We also want to listen to Christ’s message of Love (I Cor 7) and charity that the church encourages us to incorporate into our Lenten discipline, those practical and spiritual works of mercy, for “ whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers/sisters and neighbors (the poor, the needy, the aged, the sick, the oppressed and those affected by tsunamis, natural disasters and deprivations of political and religious freedom)  so you do unto me” (Matt 25:35-40). And these include listening to them.

 As we journey through lent, let us pray for the grace God to always recognize the voice and the glorious face of Christ in our lives’ events, particularly in listening to and in being sincerely presence for neighbors.

Second Sunday of Lent Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Second Sunday of Lent A: Reflections by Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Gen 12:1-4a; Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8b-10 and Matt 17:1-9

From the Mountain top to the Cross

Our Sunday Readings during Lent are chosen to enable us appreciate our salvation history as planned by God. Plans and promises, divine as they are, began from creation to Abraham (Gen 12:1-4a) and came to be fulfilled in Christ. Last Sunday Matthew (Matt 4:1-11) and Paul (Rom 5:12-19) presented Christ to us as a new Adam and a new Israel, loyal and obedient to God. Jesus the new Israel overcame temptations and trials whereas Israel of old was not. This Sunday He is the Son of God, the teacher of the suffering discipleship whose ultimate destiny is the glory of the Cross. We must listen to him.

 In the context of Jesus’ journey to the Cross in Jerusalem the narrative of transfiguration (Matt 17:1-9) reminds us that the theology of glory and the theology of the cross are inseparable friends. Thus Abraham, Christ and Paul are models for us on how to journey to God in faith, obedience and perseverance amidst temptations, trials and the “crosses” of this life, particularly in this season of Lent.

 The lessons of the  call of Abraham from Southern Mesopotamia, (modern Kuwait) and his covenant with God in the first reading brings us back to the ABC of our faith journeys. He was called by God to “go forth” ( ^±l.-%l) – imperatively, for an essential mission, to be the founder of God’s people. Abraham put himself on the way obediently to the unknown of God’s plan for him. Naturally, such a total response to God’s command would come with great sacrifices “crosses” of detachment, changes and adjustment to a new life situation and new people on the pilgrim way. Abraham is promised unconditional “mountains” of great nation, a great name, protection and blessings of all families through him. All he needed in his part to do was embrace those changes, living faithfully those crosses of detachment, listening to God’s command, and adapting to a new life situation.  Remember, Abraham on his journeys would also have to bear  the burdens of other trials and “crosses” of the barrenness of Sarah (Gen 11:31; 16ff), the threats of Pharaoh (Gen 12:10-20) over his beautiful wife, Sarah and the testing of what to do with his son Isaac (Gen 22).

From Abraham down -our human existence has always been a journey towards God. It is not a journey of roses or greatness alone without trials and crosses.  This may also be part of the lessons Christ’s suffering journeys to Jerusalem and his glorious shining face on Tabor transfiguration are meant to communicate to us.

 First of all, prior to this journey and his transfiguration on Tabor/Hermon, Jesus had just announced his suffering - death as well as the cost of being a true disciple when he says,

 “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself (herself), take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it….Amen I say to you there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom”(Matt 16:24-28; cf Mk 9:1; Lk 9:28-36).

For the Apostles this was not good news. They were saddened and dismayed by this Lenten announcement of sufferings and the idea of going to the cross. Jesus knows how to handle their sadness with prayers. He brought along to Tabor, Peter, James and John.

Being on this mountain, is spirit elevated and gives one an over-view of the proximate environment, with refreshing oxygen. It is hard to forget  that February 7, 2010 during our trip to the Holy Land sponsored by the Berrie foundation from Rome. After our 9 am Mass in Tabgha on the shore of the sea of Galilee we visited the Annunciation Church at Nazareth, the town where Jesus was raised, now Israel’s Arab largest city and home for both Christians and Muslims. We had a good lunch at Diana Restaurant, down town, by 2:30 pm, and then we drove up to the mountain top of Tabor about 1848 feet.

  Personally, it was a little scary, looking down the curving roads that led busses and cars to this biblical mountain top. But it was also a wonderful experience viewing the Jezreel valley and the hills of Galilee from here.  It gave me the serenity and a sense of divine presence, the wonders of nature, confirming the scriptural designation of mountains as places for God theophanies. Today there is a Franciscan Basilica, which was erected in the early 20th century on the remains of the older churches. Apart from biblical tradition, there is a Mosaic inside this Church that portrays this miraculous event of Transfiguration or transformation (metemorfw,qh/metamorfoomai) of Jesus witnessed by Peter, James and John.

 These three saw the joy and the happiness of God in Jesus, the dazzling cloths and his shining face. Through his vision of the glory of the Lord (see Rom 12:2 and 2 Cor 3:18), Paul uses this same verb “transformation/change” when he wants to stress the importance of spiritual renewal and change of hearts, expected of all Christian person, especially at this important season of Lent.

 Significantly, the glorious and the shining face of Jesus, flanked by Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets had the power of  putting  smiles on the faces of  the once dismayed Apostles, “from the mountain top to the journey to the cross in Jerusalem. No more thought of pains and trials. Peter even made a quick proposal for a tent’s construction, one for Christ, one for Moses and one for Elijah. He is rather advised to listen to Christ, the beloved Son of God whom the Father is well pleased (Matt17:9). He heard this earlier in Matthew 3:17, during the baptism of Christ. This confirms that Christ is not only the Son God at Baptism. He is also the son of God during his ministry of love, healing mercies, sermon on the mountains, and during his journey to Calvary.  The challenge for Peter and his friends thousands of years ago are sometimes our challenges today. How do we move beyond Tabor, the temporary or earthly joy we are familiar with to follow the path of the suffering discipleship of Christ with the hope of heavenly joy, awaiting us. How can I accept the fact that belonging to Christ Jesus is not immunity from stress, betrayals, illnesses and disappointments and even the loss of someone we loved?

St. Paul, a former civil attorney, and a persecutor of Christians would ironically come to suffer multiple persecutions for the sake of the gospel.  Transformed, he knew how to use his gifts, spiritual and civil for the sacred journey of the Cross.  He was beaten, ship wrecked and thrown into prisons few times. He lived and preached the cost of Christ’s discipleship in his missionary journeys. To Timothy today, he turns to say, “Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strengths that comes from God.” (2 Tim 1:8-10).

 We need God’s strength always to live our Christian faith in every liturgical Season. Lent offers us another unique opportunity. It is a moment for a renewed reflection on the meaning of the suffering discipleship; the place of the cross of Christ as a source of our redemption and salvation.

 We know this cross comes to us in different ways. They are there in the daily events of life, at homes, schools, offices and factories and in parish ministries. We see them in the violence on our TV scenes and in sport fields. We see them in the unconscious selfishness, self-driven agendas, envy and sometimes in the laziness of untransformed nature of the human persons. They are found in illnesses, economic disasters, in denial others political freedom and in acts of injustices in our contemporary world.

As we journey  through Lenten discipline, listening to  Christ let us pray for the grace to embrace our daily crosses as a foretaste of the mountain top of Tabor and of the joy of the resurrection of Christ at Easter.

First Sunday of Lent Year C: Reflections- Fr. Michael U.Udoekpo

First Sunday of Lent Year C: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Deut 26:4-10; Ps 91:1-2, 10-15; Rom 10:8-13 and Luke 4:1-13

Living by Every Word from the Mouth of God

The story of the temptation  or testing of  Jesus in the wilderness by Satan after Jesus’ Baptism is narrated in the first Sunday of Lent of Years A, B, C, by the three Evangelist Matthew, Mark and Luke with very minor variations. The essence of the narrative is not about these variations, as it is the spiritual and ethical lessons behind these temptations especially as we begin the discipline of Lent; a time prayer, fasting, alms giving, spiritual renewal and openness to every Word of God, knowing that we who were baptized can also be tempted.

The three temptations demanding Jesus to turn stone into bread, to prostrate to Satan or jump from a high storey temple building for a prize, if he was truly the Son of God, reminds us today that  temptation or testing of one’s faith and love for God is not a new phenomenon. If I may mention some, for example the temptation to abuse our God given power meant originally for service, the temptation to disrespect our parents and superiors, mentors and teachers or even our God given talents; the temptation to control people and material things for ones selfish advantage or to be unfaithful to God, even in secret is as old as creation.

We see this in the story of the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis. Tempted by the Serpent, they disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden (Gen3:1-7). When the Egyptians maltreated the children of Israel it took God’s intervention to liberate them through the wilderness journey to the Promised Land, which we read in the Books of Deuteronomy through 2 Kings. This journey was not an easy one. There were temptations of hunger and thirstiness. Moses was often being challenged. After the death of Joshua who succeeded Moses, most of the Judges in Israel did whatever they like (Judges 17:6; 19:1; 21:25). They were quite unfaithful, disobedient to God and idolatry became the order of the day till the rise of Samuel, Saul, the Monarchy, the divided kingdom with persistent idolatry by most of the kings of Israel and consequent exile. Sins and falling into temptations have consequences. Faithfulness to God and resisting temptations has its blessings.

 This faithfulness to God is what Jesus teaches us today by resisting those three commands and eloquence of the devil. Though fully human, the divine power of Christ was not meant for his own glory, personal prestige and wealth, but for the glory of God and for the service to humanity. We saw this in his feeding of the thousands of men, women and children inn Matthew 14:15-21, 15:32-38, in turning water into wine in John 2, in his healing and forgiving ministries and in his raising Lazarus from the death free of charge and in his teaching on universal love of Greek, Jew and the Gentiles. St. Paul testifies to this when he says, “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him’ (Rom 10:8-13).

Not that we have not been calling upon Jesus. Lent is the time we want to intensify our call upon Jesus from the depth of our hearts. It is not a time for hypocrisy. It is a time we want to acknowledge our brokenness and need for fixing and restoration which those Wednesday’s ashes symbolize in our faith journeys. It is time we also want to take more precaution against the temptation to disrespect God, our parents, people of all genders, ourselves, the teachings of the church or our neighbors. It is also a time we might want to put love of neighbors first before the temptation to dominate them. It is a time we want to be more charitable by works of mercy, both spiritual and material to our communities, brothers and sisters; a time not to give into modern idolatry, possessiveness, power, manipulating the weak, abuse of our talents and materialism. And we want to be able to say with Jesus, “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).

First Sunday of Lent Year B: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

First Sunday of Lent Year B:  Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: Gen 9:8-15; Ps 25:4-9; 1 Pet 3:18-22; and Mark 1:12-15

Strengthening Our Covenant with God

On As Wednesday, a universal day of fast we all received ashes. This introduced us into a new liturgical season of Lent, appointed for purification and repentance. Lent in a way commemorates the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert praying and fasting. Besides being a time of active prayer, fasting and spiritual renewal, it is a time we learn obedience to God and how to manage trials and temptation in life. Jesus the new Adam and the Moses is the best teacher in this case.  Unlike Israel who gave in to temptations in the desert, Jesus, did not (Matt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-15 and Luke 4:1-13). Lent is a time we reconcile with ourselves; our neighbors and with God.  It is also a time we re-focus on the Kingdom of God by our works of mercy and charity, re-charging our spiritual batteries and we contemplate our baptism promises..  Above all, it is a time we strengthen our covenant relationship with God and remain open in obedience and humility to be nourished by the word of God and the examples of the saints.

Today’s first reading narrates God’s covenant with Noah when he was delivered from the flood, and with the rain bow affirms his abiding presence among us. But this goes back to the early chapters of the Book of Genesis (Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7; 4). Here we read about the fall of our first parents, who disobeyed God by eating the, eating from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, forbidden by the creator God. We also read about the jealousy and the killing of Abel by his brother Cain. With this, God thought of wiping out the old creation and making a new creation in us through the  saving Ark of Noah (Gen 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10), which foreshadows the baptism of Christ and his saving mission, well testified in the Second reading 1 Peter 3:18-22.

In Baptism we die and resurrect with Christ. Lent provides an opportunity for us to rethink our commitment to our Christian vows and values. Values to imitate Christ our Lord who went about doing good, comforting, healing, teaching, forgiving, and resisting temptations, especially of abuse of power.

In the temptation episode in today’s Gospel Mark 1:12-15 recorded also by the other Evangelist Matthew and Luke with minor variations, Jesus resisted the temptation for power, wealth, prestige and idolatry.

Satan is in doubt if our Lord has such power to turn stone into bread. Of course, he does, but uses it appropriately for the glory of God, for compassion and love for everyone, men, women and children. In Matthew 14:15-21, 15:32-38 Jesus miraculously multiplied a few fish and bread feeding 4, 000-5,000 people. Jesus never exercises his divine power for his own glory without the will of the Father.  He was unquestionably obedient to his Father. He conquered Satan when he said, “man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God, emphasizing his deep relationship with the Father.

As a new Israel, a new creation after Noah’s flood, Lent would be time to reconsider the truth of the Gospel. The message is that none of us is above temptations and trials of doing something contrary to the will of God (examples abounds), or seeking our personal glories rather than the Glory of God in our vocations and positions of power, meant for the service of our brothers and sisters. We have also heard about tyrants, bullies and political dictators round the globe. Recently, our government is running No Bully.Com, program. We also do see assorted acts of injustice on the Televisions, and we read them on the newspapers. As we journey through this Lent let us as a new creation pray for increase in grace, to imitate Jesus by overcoming trials and temptations,  strengthening our relationship with Christ.  And may nothing separate us from the love of God.

First Sunday of Lent Year A ; Reflections - Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

First Sunday of Lent Year A. Reflections – Fr .Michael U Udoekpo

Readings: Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps 51:3-6, 12-13,17; Rom 5:12-19 and Matt 4:1-11

Overcoming  Temptations through Our Relationship with God

On As Wednesday, a universal day of fast we all received ashes, and entered upon a new liturgical season of Lent, appointed for purification.  It is a season we commemorates the 40 days of prayer and fasting spent by Jesus in the desert. It is a special prayer time and a time for spiritual renewal, including those promises we took on our baptism day. It is a time we learn to say yes to God, and to manage our temptations, taking examples from Jesus, a new Adam and a new Moses. Israel gave in to temptations in the wilderness. Jesus, defeated temptations for abuse of power and wealth on his way to the Cross (Matt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-15 and Luke 4:1-13). Lent is a time we reconcile with ourselves; our neighbors and with God. It is a time for charity and works of mercy. Come whatever temptation on our ways, it is a time we strengthen our relationship with God and remain open in obedience and humility to be nourished by the word of God.

 In the First Reading (Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7) what lessons do we learn from it? I mean from the story of Adam and Eve, eating from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, forbidden by the creator God. Perhaps how risky it is when we disobey God, test God or ambitiously do things that are not prompted by the Holy Spirit or not in conformity with the will of the Father.

Through such  negligence and disobedience, Paul’s says sin came into the world, but through the obedience of Christ, who resisted those three temptations in the wilderness, life and righteousness came into the world (Rom 5:12-19).

In Matthew Chapter 3 after the Baptism of Jesus, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved son listen to him.”  In the following Chapter 4, what did Satan do in the three temptations?   Satan begins to doubt Sonship of Christ, by testing Jesus. Satan  says “if, you are the Son of God, command this stone into bread, throw yourself down from the pinnacle of this building or if you prostrate and worship me.”Aren’t these all about power, and worldly riches, idolatry, challenging the vocation of Jesus as the son of God? Satan doubtfully wants also to know if the Son of God has any need of hunger! Jesus of course was fully human and fully divine. He never for once sought for easy way to escape from sufferings of this life, because he had the divine power! He walked the street of Palestine, experienced poverty, and abuse of power by Herod, the Scribes and the Pharisees. He ate with everybody including sinners. He was mocked, spitted upon. He braved it to the cross.

Satan also is in doubt if our Lord has such power to turn stone into bread. Of course, he does, but uses it appropriately for the glory of God, for compassion and love for everyone, men, women and children. In Matthew 14:15-21, 15:32-38 Jesus miraculously multiplied a few fish and bread feeding 4, 000-5,000 people. Jesus never exercises his divine power for his own glory without the will of the Father.  He was unquestionably obedient to his Father. He conquered Satan when he said, “man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God, emphasizing his deep relationship with the Father.

As a new Israel, Lent would be time to reconsider the truth of the Gospel message of today that none of us is above temptations and trials of doing something contrary to the will of God (examples abounds), or seeking our personal glories rather than the Glory of God in our vocations and positions of power, meant for the service of our brothers and sisters. We have also heard about tyrants, bullies and political dictators round the globe. Recently, our government is running No Bully.Com, program. We also do see assorted acts of injustice on the Televisions, and we read them on the newspapers. As we journey through this Lent let us all pray for increase in grace, to imitate Christ by overcoming trials and temptations in this life. And that nothing will ever distort our relationship with God or separate us from His Love.

Ash Wednesday Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Reflections on Ash Wednesday- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Reading: Joel 2:12-18; Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17; 2 Cor 5:20–6:2 and Matt 6:1-6, 16-18.

Ashes, Inward Cleansing, Fertility in Hope, Faith and Love

Ash Wednesday is a universal day of fast. Each year it introduces Lent, a new liturgical season, with the demands of newness of life. This period spans from today till the Holy Week which begins with Palm (Passion Sunday). It is a special time of grace that we yearn for God’s Love.

   St. Paul puts it well in the Second Reading “it is a favorable time” for spiritual and renewal; a time we renew our baptismal promises. It is a time of fasting and prayer. In our community here we are poised for Evening Vespers, Stations of the Cross and other Communal Spiritual activities. This is a special season that comes ones a year.  During this Season you and I are specially invited to pay closer attention to Scriptures, to the Word God; and for those who preach to do it with a renewed zeal. It is a favorable time of penance and reconciliation; a time we go back to pray Psalm 51, with David, asking for God’s blessings and forgiveness.

  In doing this, the Gospel reading of today warns against selfish and hypocritical penitential life of Lent. Our alms giving, fasting and prayer this lent, should reflect our interior deep spirituality and true love for Christ and our neighbors, already outlined in the sermon on the mountain (Matt 5–7).  It is for this same reason, spirituality that comes from within, that, Prophet Joel in the first reading (Joel 2:12-18) said, “Return to me with fasting, weeping and mourning; Rend your hearts not your garments.”  The heart is the center of love. We need to keep it clean. It is from the heart that you and I initiate our penance in the direction of corporeal and spiritual works of mercy, on behalf of our brothers and sisters. We need a pure heart to love and to forgive.

The Ashes that we shall receive at this Mass are ashes, dust and sacramental of our personal stories that we were “created out of dust and dust shall we return” (Gen 3:19); we are nothing without God. It is an ancient and biblical symbol of the sinful, broken, and dusty human conditions, in need of interior cleansing, purification and God’s mercy.

Job for instance; at the end of his fruitless argument with God puts on dust and ashes as signs of repentance (Job 42:5-6). While mourning for Jerusalem Isaiah put on sackcloth and stripped himself naked for three years (Isa 20:2). Jeremiah also recommended sackcloth and ashes as a sign of repentance (6:26). Christ himself fasted amidst temptations in a dusty wilderness for 40 days before his public ministry (Matt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13).

We are another Christ.  Moreover, once in a while we do feel a little dustiness in our lives; dust of weaknesses; dust of violence and injustices and the more reason why we are here. We are also concern for our neighbors-like Job, Isaiah and Jeremiah- we all want to be cleansed in Christ.

 In fact in some cultures after cooking with fire woods  the remaining ashes are used as manure, fertilizers and agents of growth and fertility of crops in farm lands and gardens. Think about that! And may the ashes we receive this day on our foreheads serves not only as a sign of our need for inward cleansing and purification, but also as a sign of fertility in hope, faith and Christian Love.

Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time C: Reflections- Fr. Micahel U. Udoekpo

Nine Sunday of Ordinary Time C: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: 1 Kings 8:41-43; Ps 117:1, 2; Gal 1:1-2.6-10 and Luke 7:1-10

Centurion, Model of a Believer,

“Lord I am not worthy for you to enter my roof…but say the word and let my servant be healed.”

 These were words of prayers I also learned at my very tender age when I was learning the Baltimore Catechism in Efik Language,  for the reception of my First Holy Communion. Obong ami ndotke te afo okpodukde ke idak okom me, edi kap tin iko ndien ukpon me eyekop nsonidem. This Efik translation even added, "my soul."  I had memorize this faith passage and recited it at each Mass before Communion, long before  I grew up biblically to learn that it is a Centurion’s faith passage taken from Luke’s Gospel Chapter 7:6.

 In the first reading of today (1 Kings 8:41-43), Israel  during the  time of King Solomon were made to realize that the prayer of a foreigner who come to pray wholehearted at the Temple, God’s dwelling place, could be answered. And in the Gospel, the response of Jesus, a Jewish healer to the Roman military officer, a Gentile is a clear testimony as well of universal salvation.

 We have so much to learn from this story of the healing the servant of the Centurion by Jesus. It teaches us how to pray, humility and how to have deep faith in God’s healing mercies. It also teaches us how to work to overcome or at least the minimize the divisions that exist in the world, in our families and all sectors of life our modern society.

 I said this because this is a foreign military commander in an occupied territory, with a sick child nearing death. He learns Jesus was in town. Rather than approach Jesus with his military might and infleuence  of colonial power he humbly asked Jesus' compatriot, fellow Jews to  assist him by putting forward his request  to Christ. Besides his humility he the Centurion had a good rapport with the occupied local community. He even helped the Jews erect a local synagogue for worship.Though a Gentile, he loves the Jews smf believes in the universal saving Grace of God.

Jesus, though a Jew by birth also loves everybody. He responded to the Gentile’s sick call promptly. Approaching the Centurion’s home Jesus met another group of people, friends, sent by the Centurion to let Jesus know that, He was not worthy for Jesus, a holy man to come into his house. But he believes that with his divine authority Jesus’ prayer will definitely bring divine healings upon his child.

Personally, I am always amazed each time I contemplate this episode of faith. Jesus himself, Scriptures says was amazed, to the extents that he proclaimed, “Not even in Israel have I found such faith” of the Centurion. It was an extraordinary faith. It was a combination of faith and humility breaking social barriers between the Jews and the Gentiles.

 We need this faith in our daily lives today. We need it when we are ill. We need it when we lose our jobs. We need it when you lose our loved ones. We need when we encounter discrimination may be because of our gender, faith, language, color or religion. We need it when we are faced with social injustice. We need it when we are ageing; sometimes we are not able to do those we used to by ourselves. We need it when we experience frustration of any kind. We need when we are struggling to do away with any bad habits. We need to love our neighbors and to overcome any barriers that stand on our way of being in Good relationship with Jesus and our neighbors.

 We need it at this celebration, especially when we shall repeat these words of the Centurion, “Lord I am not worthy for you to come under my roof, but say the words and my soul and body shall be healed.”

Peace be with you

Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time B: Reflctions- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Nine Sunday of Ordinary Time B: Reflections –Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Deut 5: 12-15; Ps 81:3-11; 2 Cor 4:6-11 and Mark 2:23–3:6

What do we do with our “Sabbath”?

Very soon we shall begin Lenten Season one of those intense liturgical times that the Church offers us for prayers, listening and preaching the Word of God. It’s a time for fasting, spiritual renewal and penance. The colors of the Church will also change along with our choice of music at Masses and worships. All these, like any other liturgical functions on Sundays and on our Holy Days of obligations are meant to draw  us closer to God, recognizing His omnipotence through our relationship with one another, the poor,  rich, the sick, the health, the seniors, the youths, the needy, women, children , male and female, without any distinction and discrimination.

Sabbath as we have heard in today’s first reading was one of the principal feast days of the chosen people. It was and still today a day of rest, prayer after 6 days of labor, to commemorate among other things, God marvelous liberation of Israel from Egypt (Deut 5:15). In Sabbath we recognize God as the Master of time and the sovereign of the universe and the provider of all our needs, material and spiritual.

 Today’s first reading evidence the establishment of this day by God. We are told in Deuteronomy Chapter 5, that on Mount Horeb God entered into a covenant with Israel and Moses was an intermediary. God gave the Ten Commandments as well the Sabbath Commandment to Israel “observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you.” Six days you shall labor and do all your works, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.” This law goes back to the Book of Exodus 20:8-11).

But the difference in the Book of Deuteronomy is that human labor is holy. Sabbath in Deuteronomy means the division between work and rest is not to be a matter of social class (slave and alien), gender (son or daughter, male and female) but should be an opportunity for all. We are equal before God. And that was why Moses reminded his audience that “remember that you were once a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God, brought you from there with his strong arm,.” In the Gospels, this will go to sound like the golden rule in Matthew 7:12.

You will recall Jesus himself had great regards for the Sabbath and Jewish feast days. In Luke 2:41 for example, the Holy family frequented the Passover in Jerusalem. But as our Lord, was growing up, into his ministry of love and universal salvation, he noticed that many were abusing the Sabbath, doing what they were not even supposed to on the Sabbath, refusing to great one another, refusing show some little acts of kindness and charity to their neighbor, all in the name the Sabbath- Abuse of religion and the Sabbath.

 For example the disciples of Jesus were reprimanded today by the Pharisees because they ate some grains of wheat on the Sabbath. They plotted against Jesus because he brought compassion and healing mercies upon a sick man who had a withered  hand. Does this sound familiar. Doesn’t it make sense when Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. And the son of Man of course is the Lord of the Sabbath.” What do we do with our worships and Liturgies? Can I be charitable on a Sunday? Can I do something good on a Holy day of obligation? Can I visit the sick on a Sunday?  Can I visit with my mom, dad, uncle, aunt, friend in the nursing home on a Sunday? These may be some of the questions we may want to ask ourselves. Even on my way to the Church on Sunday can I be patient with follow road users at check points and traffic lights? I if have excess food and soda can I drop off some on a Sunday to that beggar or poor fellow there on the street whom I am has no food or something to drink.

Of course, Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. The content and the object of our worship is Christ. We are call to manifest his values of love, forgiveness, acts of charity and hope in God’s divine providence and protection, even in times difficulties.

Thus St. Paul says, we are to be the bearers and the conduit of God’s Glory. Even when we are afflicted we are not constrained with the grace God. When perplexed we should not submit to despair. When persecuted let us not feel as if God has abandoned us.

May our worships and faith practicee always be accompanied with Christ’s love, in our compassion for one another, for Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath, the object of or our worship.

Peace be with you!