Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ- Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ- Reflections- Fr. Michael Udoekpo
Readings Year A: Deut 8:2-3,14b-16a; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; 1 Cor 10:16-17 and John 6:51-58

Eucharistic nourishment, peace, love and unity


After the Pentecost the Church is blessed with three successive Solemnities- the Holy Trinity, the Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today, we celebrate the Second one, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ that goes back to the time of pope Urban IV in 1264. Every Mass is a remembrance of God’s Goodness and Love upon us. It is a sacrifice in the sense that Jesus died for us on the cross to bring us salvation. In every mass we are not only praising, or thanking God but we share in Jesus’ mission of Salvation. We give, we sacrifice, we unite, we receive, we become healed and experienced spiritual nourishment.

But the uniqueness of today’s Feast also lies in processional nature of the celebration. In those days, and even today in some places and churches depending on particular pastoral settings, after Mass, Jesus who is present in the Holy Eucharist is being carried in a joyful procession through towns’ and villages. The lessons include the fact that Christ travels with us, on our faith journeys. Christ loves all of us. Christ is there for us. He will always be present for the rich and the poor, men, women and children, and for ordinary people in towns and villages

We see this in today’s first reading when Moses reminded those travelling to the promise Land the goodness and he blessings of the Lord.  He set them from Pharaoh’s tyranny. He provided, water, food and manna for them in the desert when they were starving and thirsty (Deut 8:2-3, 14b-16a). The only God expects of us is keeping his commandments and loving our neighbors as he has first loved us.

In other words, Mass teaches us not to be selfish always, but to be united with generosity of Christ- like-Love. I grew up in a family of more than six children, with many nieces and nephews, meal time were always very important. We eat together, shared jokes and feel the love and support of our families’ members

I am very glad this is still going on today in most of our homes.  When family and friends get together, business and ministries’ groups meet or when celebrations are held it usually involves, food, snacks, coffees and drinks. When he establishes Mass, Jesus himself knew the importance of communal meal; it encourages love, peace and unity.

The more reason Paul says today, to a divided church,
“Brothers and sisters, the cup of blessings that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ, because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf,” ( I cor 10:16-17).

With the blessings of a priest the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Christ, we too are changed at every at Mass. And in receiving the precious body and blood of Christ we are transforming into the likeness of Jesus Christ who is the “living bread that came down from heaven and whoever eats this bread will live for ever.” (John 6:51-58).

We pray that our daily experiences of this loving presence of Christ in the Church and in the Holy Eucharist may constantly bring us and our neighbors, blessings of hope, love, peace and unity.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Most Holy Trinity- Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Exod 34:4b-6, 8-9; Dan 3:52-55; 2 Cor 13:11-13 and John 3:16-18

A God that Reaches out to us in Love
After the Pentecost three Solemnities are celebrated in quick successions:  the Holy Trinity, the Body of Christ and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, three persons in one God which we celebrate today, is the central mystery of our Christian faith. This happens also on the day we are celebrating our father’s day.

However, explaining this mystery could be very challenging to preachers and to all of us Christians. Sometimes this apparent difficulties can lead many preachers to digress into endless stories or to simply go back to the notes they took in their theology class on the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

But keeping to the boundaries of the Scriptures readings of today, what we celebrate today is the mystery of love, the mystery  of hope, unity, peace, the power of forgiveness and revelation of God’s Love and Mercy.

In the first reading, the Triune God, with Moses’ intercession reaches out in love to the sinful Israelite, who had committed idolatry. He is slow to anger, rich in kindness and fidelity (Exod 34:4b-6, 8-9). The goal of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is always to love and to unit us instead of scattering – the communion, the oneness which Christ has always taught us in his deep relationship with the Father.

In John chapter 1 verse 1 we read,” in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God.” And in verse 14 we are told the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

This is a God out of pure love coming down in the person of Christ to dwell with us. In the completion of his ministry which Christ carried out in total communion with the Father, he sent us the Holy Spirit that was with him in the beginning of his ministry “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Luke 4), a spirit of peace and love.

This is the same peace of the Triune God that Paul suggests in the Second reading. He says, “Mend your way, encourage one another, agree with one another, and live in peace. This is what we are celebrating today- how more than one person can live in peace. The Triune God  who reaches out to us in peace and and oneness.

It is not even suggested anywhere that God the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit went to court, quarrel or dislike each other. Rather “God so loved the world the he gave his only Son, so that every one who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life….and be saved.” (John 3:3-18).

There are many blessings that God has blessed our fathers with. There are also many challenges facing them including all of us. Some could be the challenges of management of anger, peace, love and family unity. Let us pray at this Mass that as three persons are united in One God we may always as a church and families strive for oneness, unity, with the grace of Christ, the love of God and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. .

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Pentecost Sunday Year A- Reflections, Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Pentecost Sunday Year A: (Mass during the Day) Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25 and John 20:19-23 or John 15:26-27; 16:12-15
The Spirit of Peace and Renewal!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost; the culmination of the Paschal mysteries of Jesus began on Ash Wednesday. It brings to completion the mission of Christ in the Church, who is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. After Easter it is the Second most important day in the life of the Church.  The paschal candle will be put off after the last Mass today. At the 10 or noon Masses some of our friends will receive the sacrament of confirmation.
Pentecost brings us the Holy Spirit, its gifts and fruits. It brings us the Spirit of joy and love; the sprit of patience and wisdom, the spirit of kindness and truth; the spirit of goodness, faithfulness and gentleness, the spirit of self-control and of peace (Gal 5:22). The same spirit in today’s Gospel that calms the fears of the fleeing disciples from the face of the torture and death of Christ (John 20:19-23).

 The First reading of today from Acts of the Apostle shows us one of the healing effects of the Feast of Pentecost.  Recall, Genesis chapter 11:1-9 human beings wanted to be like by constructing the tower of Babel which resulted in confusions and misunderstanding among human beings. With the Spirit of God true communication, understandings particularly of the universal mission of Christ are easily established among believers.
Think of how the message of Christ is being preached today on the same readings all over the world. Some times in different languages, like the POPE but the content of the message will be the same, peace, love, forgiveness and joy that the Spirit of God brings us at Pentecost- the universal mission of Jesus and oneness of Spirit.

I have recently being appointed or offered a full-time teaching position as an Asst. Professor of Sacred Scriptures at Sacred Heart School of Theology, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee- the announcement will come very soon. Sometimes it is very hard to let go,  the fear of uncertainties or missing your trusted friends will be there- but we are strengthen when we contemplate the role of the Holy Spirit in the universal mission of the  one Church.

Even in our various gifts of persons, our body, our income, our voices, our tap-dancing legs, our singing voice, our listening abilities or our being able to be present for one another, name all the gifts that God has given us- we want to see and use them in the light of the “Same Spirit” of the Pentecost for the good of the community

We pray that the Holy Spirit  that comes to fill our hearts today  may also renew the face of the earth with love and peace  and generosity (Psalm 104:30).

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Acts 1:12-14; Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8; 1 Pt 4:13-16 and John 17:1-11a

Waiting and Praying in the Upper Room

The Ascension of Christ is celebrated by some dioceses today. Already we joyfully celebrated ours here on Thursday. We saw in our Bible reflection and sharing that although Christ has departed, or has been lifted up, he remains with us in the tabernacle (Jn 12:32). He remains with us in the Holy Eucharist. He is with us as we read the Bible. He is with as we turn to say “hello” to our neighbors, whom we are encourage to love. He is with us in the songs we join the choir to sing, in our hearts that our disposed to listen to the sermons, in our friends, in our church and family members, in our children, husbands and wives. Jesus will always be there with and for us till the end of time (Matt 28:20).

Sometimes this is hard for us to understand. When I was a little child I would cry out my eyes because mom was leaving home to work or do grocery for our dinner. Waiting for her to return was always painful. But it took me a while to realize the importance of waiting, and that unless she goes shopping our dinner will be incomplete, and there will be no milk for breakfast.

 The readings of the liturgy of today reflect the Church waiting in prayers for the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  The Spirit that comes with peace, love, serenity, gentleness, grace and courage for our Christian journeys. Imagine the Eleven Apostles, including Mary the mother of Christ, his friends, brothers and sisters who had gathered in prayer in that upper room (Acts 1:12-14), today.  Without prayer it would have been very difficult for them to handle the “seeming absence of Christ in their midst,” the entire paschal mysteries.

Christ himself who was in deep union with his Father knew the journey was not always going to be easy for his post- ascension disciple and church.  The more reasons in his High Priestly Prayer of today’s Gospel he committed our well being and faith into God’s hands. He prayed that through the gift of the Holy Spirit each of us may be brought into that kind of deep union and friendship that he had shared with God His Father.

 A union achieved only through prayers.  With prayer everything is possible and every gifts of the Holy Spirit, (Isaiah 11:2-3; Galatians 5:22) are achievable.   In our decisions and choice making, be it that of the college to go to, a particular doctor to visit, suggestions to  make at family and executive meetings, which mass to attend or what menu to choose from, a particular book to read, movie to watch or friends to hang out with, our advocate and counselor in some of these instances, for a child of God, we pray, would always be the Holy Spirit.

At this Mass, remember this is our upper Room, let  us re-dedicate our life’s mysteries into God’s hands. Let us imitate our Mother Mary and the apostles, who waited patiently and prayerfully for the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Solemnity of Ascension Year A: Reflections- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

The Ascension of the Lord (Thursday) Year A:- Reflections – Fr .Michael U. Udoekpo
 Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-23 and Matt 28:16-20

Lifted up to make known the Good News

 In different parts of the world, depending on the wise decision of the Conference of Bishop, the Solemnity of Ascension can be celebrated on Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter, or on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. In our nation and diocese this Thursday has been chosen for the celebration of this mystery of Exaltation of Christ, our High Priest.

What we celebrate today is a culmination of the events of the Paschal mysteries of Christ, his enthronement on the Cross. Remember, during the Passion Week, it was evident that the death of Christ was never going to be a defeat, but a victory, and a lifting up of the son of Man, an exaltation and  a glorification. Didn’t Jesus in John 12:32, said “when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw everyone to myself.”

On the Cross, he rose above the pettiness of those who had anything to do with His persecution. He drew, the Jews, and the Gentiles, men and women, including, the Roman soldiers, the women on the foot of the cross, the Beloved Disciples, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea unto himself.  With his resurrection many, including the doubting Thomas came to belief in Christ, as “their Lord and God.”

Today in Acts of the Apostles, Jesus while being surrounded by the Apostles, is on another level of being lifted up to heavens, where he seats at the right hand of the Father ( Eph 1:17-23), to judged the living an the dead, to watch over each and everyone of us. From there he sends us the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, the Spirit of mission, the spirit of Evangelization. Didn’t  Christ say to his disciples today in the Gospel, “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”(Matt 28:16-20).

I have do doubt this is the same Spirit that brought Father Walsh,  an Irish Priest to Eastern Nigeria to minister Baptism to me more than 40 years ago.   Many other priests, religious and nuns from Europe guided by the same Holy Spirit opened schools, and hospitals, orphanages and churches in Africa.  May God bless them! Here I am today guided by the same Spirit, to minister baptism, the Sacraments and the Word of God to many parishioners, students and families outside my original birth place.

This is not to say that the mission commissioned by Christ today is measured only by distance. It is also measured by faith, hope and love, and by the way we imitate the personality and principles of Christ. We are called to be missionaries even onto ourselves, our children, families and next door neighbor. How do we preach our children and friends out of drug abuse? How do we handle “no prayer in the public” or re-instilled discipline and Christian ethics in our society. And what about many other challenges facing the Church in our nations.

Today’s feast also reminds us that, although Christ departs, he still remains with us in the tabernacle, in the Holy Eucharist.  He is with us in the passages of the Scripture. He is with us in our schools, in our studies, offices, work places and where we live. He says, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matt 28:20).

Let us pray at this Mass that as Christ was lifted up, we may be lifted up in Spirit to believe and to make known the Good News of Christ, in our words and actions, in our homes and families, and wherever we go.