Homily [2] 1st Sunday of Advent Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily [2] 1^st Sunday of Advent Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings; Jer 33:14-16; Ps 25:4-5,8-10,14; 1 Thes 3:12–4:2 and Luke 21:25-28,34-36

 Preparation for Christ (Don’t be A Stranger)!

How often do we not say to our friends, “don’t be a stranger?  Advent invites us not to be stranger when the Lord, our longtime friend comes! Advent is a preparation for Christmas. It is a time we celebrate the first coming of our Savior, Son of Man, and Son of God, prince of peace that the world so much need today! It is also a season in which our minds and thoughts are spiritually and joyfully directed in expectation to the Second coming Christ.  Advent is a season of hope. It is a season of love. It is a season of faith; especially when we are confronted these say, with terrorism and acts of faithlessness. It is a season of renewal, a time of prayer and vigilance in penance and charity. Advent invites us to reset our spiritual calendar, to readjust the choices in our lives to be sure that they are consistent with the priorities of Christ.

One thing you would notice in the Bible readings of today is that in as much as advent commemorates past events, it mediates salvation, and deepens our awareness of Christ presence in the Church and the fulfillment of that promise made to us by through  our ancestors and the prophets.
In the midst of threats of the Babylonian military might, threats of exile, loss of homes, lives, the temple and its treasures, the Prophet Jeremiah, mediates with words of hope.  No doubt today, we are faced with all threats of war and terrorism, but, Jeremiah whispers to us words of hope. He recalls the promise God had made to David in 2 Samuel 7:11-16, “in those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just-shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure…” (Jer 33:14-16). No matter are contemporary threats, there is hope!
Similarly, Paul, in the second reading, foretells a day when God will invite us into a joy-filled life with the saints. We might have out troubles today, but, we can all relate to Paul’s words to the troubled Thessalonians Church, “brothers and sisters may the lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones,” (1 Thess 3:12–4:2)

Even the Disciples of Christ were threatened. They were troubled. That was why the Lukan Jesus towards the end of his ministry, instructed his troubled disciples not to be a stranger when the Lord comes. Christ said,

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxiety of daily lives, and that day catches you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times…” (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36).

This awareness or vigilance is at the core of the message of advent; vigilance with hope, faith, and love and total self-reexamination in the midst of our uncertainties! Advent invites us to wait for God not with a sense of fear and dread, but with prayers and lively hope- like expectant parents, like a longtime friend waiting to encounter a longtime friend, for a renewed friendship. Advent invites us to reflect on that friendship and not to be a stranger when the Lord comes!

 

 

 

 

Homily [2] Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe Year B- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily [2] Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe Year B- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Dan 7:13-14; Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5; Rev 1:5-8 and John 18:33b-37

Partakers of the Kingdom of Christ!

2015 has witnessed leadership challenges, political turmoil and elections, wars, gun violence, terrorism, rise of ISIS, Boko-Haram, conflicts among nations and world leaders. Sometimes these could be distressful. Therefore, there can be no better and serene way to end this year’s liturgical season than to reflect on the goodness, love, peace, forgiveness, mercy, leadership style,  justice and kindness of our maker, manifested in the kingship of his Son Jesus- the alpha and the omega and the source of our well-being.  The readings of today remind us of Christ’s heavenly kingdom in contrast to this earthly kingdom, the beasts of the Book of Daniel!

The 1^st reading,  the Book of Daniel presents us the vision of Daniel, who personally lived through the pains of persecutions during exiles, in the hands of cruel earthly kings from Nebuchadnezzar to Antiochus IV. Daniel sees in his vision the downfall of his enemy –earthly kingdoms, described as the beasts, and the rise of the heavenly kingdom. Daniel’s vision revolves around the earthly level and the heavenly level, the material level and the spiritual level. The earthly and material kingdoms are connected to the 4 beasts, while the spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of the holy ones are connected to the one like human being”, the Son of Man, namely, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 He is the one robed in majesty of today’s Psalm 93. He is the one spoken of in the 2^nd reading, as well, the Book of Revelation 1:5-8.  Revelation says, Christ is “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. By voluntarily going to the cross without military escorts, missiles, nuclear weapons, submarines and AK 47, Christ displays undiluted courage, unbeatable leadership, selfless/exemplary universal kingship and unequivocal love for us.

In his encounter with Pilate, an earthly king, in today’s gospel (John 18:33b-37) Christ allows his humility, spirituality, and leadership style to ironically speak for itself. When Pilate said to Christ, “Are you the King of the Jews,” Christ rather would like to know if Pilate asked the question on his own, or as a result of the fact that the Jewish and Roman elites were already discussing the Kingship of Christ, and by implication acknowledging Christ as King- for which reason they thought Christ be put on trial. But, ironically, the truth of the matter is that in John’s gospel Christ is not on trial, but Pilate and all those who refused to open up for the truth, and the love of Christ- who in the first place was sent into this earthly kingdom to love, to forgive, to testify to the truth and to invite us not only to acknowledge his dominion but partakers in his eternal kingdom.

How we respond to this heavenly kingdom would depend on how we internalize and practice the values of Christ – the owner of this kingdom: peace, love, faith, hope, forgiveness, humility, sense of justice, administrative prudence and kindness.

How we respond to the kingdom of Christ would depend on how we treat one another hourly, minute by minute,  or on daily basis, irrespective of our position  in familial, traditional, civil and ecclesiastical leaderships- “When I was prison did you come to visit with me” (Matt 25). How we respond to this kingdom would depend on how we practiced the Beatitude:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God” (Matt 5).  Therefore, as we acknowledge Christ and his universal Kingship today, let us pray and strife to be partakers of the kingdom of Christ, and practitioners of his values.

 

Homily[2] 33rd Sunday of the Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily[2] 33^rd Sunday of the Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Dan 12;1-3; Ps 16:5,8-11; Heb 10:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32

Hope for the Redeemed

We are in the middle of November 2015, and the year is gradually coming to an end. People are marking and ticking  their calendars in school and at liturgy. Liturgical readings are theologically selected to address eschatological and apocalyptic themes- pointing to the end times. Today's readings shift attention from old things to new; from hopelessness to hope, from suffering to liberation, from experience of inferiority to superiority, from death to life, from weakness to strength and from evil to the triumph of goodness. These readings capture what we experience daily in live.... Once in a while we do feel the sense of “O Lord when will this be over”? We do feel a sense personal, familial, collegial, community, or “global distress.”

 Such distress could be the threats of war and terrorism; travelling insecurities, the burden of poverty, keeping faith, in a culture that attempt to redefined Church’s teachings. It could be the stress of trying to raise a good family, cut off a bad habits, or cope with illness and the sorrow or the pains of the loss of a loved one, or having to deal with inhumane boss at work. Others are distressed as  a result of  their uncharitable neighbors, or unjust and corrupt political structures of the society in which they live. It comes in different forms!

For Daniel and his friends of today’s 1^st reading (Dan 12:1-3)- the challenge was how to remain faithful to God in the midst of persecution, tribulations, suffering especially in a hostile culture. Today's reading from Daniel assures the faithful that, “at that time there shall arise Michael (who is like God) the great prince, guardian and liberator of the people of God. Also many of those who “slept in the dust of the earth shall awake.”  Daniel seems to be aware of the message of Israel prophets, particularly Isaiah 26:19, which says, “Your dead will live, your corpses arise. Awake and shout for joy, you who dwell in dust. For your dew is of light, and the land of shades give birth.” Daniel gives us a divine view of the world, where the future remains a mystery for every generations of the faithful. He basically reminds us that the promises of ancient prophets are worthy of belief for every generation!  

Hundreds of years after, Christ, in today’s gospel( Mark 13:24-34) struck again this note of the mystery of God’s grace and redemption to his followers who were distressed, perplexed with the challenges of life, and eager to find answers to persecutions and imperialism of foreign powers! Divine mystery of redemption entails two things.  First, the perfect sacrifice of Christ on cross, also spoken of in the 2^nd reading (Heb 10:11-4, 18). He is the Son of Man who after his resurrection and ascension comes down “in the clouds with and glory” to gather and free the elects from all the ends of the world. Second, the divine mystery of redemption entails total surrendering to the will of God, since no one, except God the Father knows the hour.

 As challenging as this message may sound, the question remains how do we manage distress, sufferings, persecutions, victims of religious extremists, secularisms, especially those ones I mentioned earlier, in pluralistic culture of today? It is with prayer, watchfulness, and with the attitude of a door keeper waiting for the master to return home. When the master returns to see the faithful servant, waiting for him, he is happy. He “elects” him or her, with joy and lavishes them with praises and perhaps with gifts.  For us Christians- it is eternal life, life after death spoken of in the Book of Daniel (Dan 12:1-3).

 

 

Homily [2]32nd Sunday of Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily 32^nd Sunday of Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings 1 Kings 17:10-16; Ps 146:7-10; Heb 9:24-28 and Mark 12:38-44

Our Jars of Flour shall Never Go empty!

In the light of today's readings we are called to be generous stewards to one another through our imitation of Christ, our high priest and prophet. Of course, by so doing our jars of flour would never go empty. What does this mean? Answers to this question are found in the storyline of today's readings.  In the readings of today Christ is  the  type and the kind who identifies with the marginalized and replenishes the poor, be it of the Zarephath of today’s 1^st reading (1 Kings 17:10-16), or of the Temple of Jerusalem, in the Gospel (Mark 12:38-44), or of those ones in Africa, Asia, Europe, America, and of every place. He loves and reaches out to each of them as a priest and prophet. And emptied himself on their behalf.  This distinguishes him from the Levitical priesthood of the Book of Leviticus, and makes him a perfect high priest  of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 9:24-28) - simple, pure, selfless, generous, charitable, humble, decisive and simple.  A prophet and a true steward of God his father. He teaches us how to be self-giving,  and how to be God’s stewards through the manner in which we deal and relate with one another.

The travelling prophet Elijah we are told in the 1^st reading  while fleeing from the hatreds of Ahab and Jezebel was generously received by the desperate widow of Zeraphat- whom he in turn blessed and multiplied her food. In fact, just as the prophet Elijah would never lack food because he challenged the idolatries of Ahab and Jezebel, the widow’s jar of flour would never go empty, nor her jug of oil, because she received God's prophet!  God rewards and replenishes a generous steward, a charitable person, a courageous prophet and a humble Christian!

This is why, Christ, while preaching in the temple  warned his disciples to be aware of the scribes who love to go around in long robes and prefer front seats of honor in synagogues and temples, and expects greetings from everyone at market places- thereby taking advantage of the poor and the widows. They like to take more than they give. In fact, the disciples should rather imitate the poor widow of today’s gospel who emptied her treasury for the Lord.

Speaking of her(the widow), Christ says, “She from her poverty has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood,” unlike the wealthy who contributed very little from their wealth and Surplus.

Clearly, these two women- that of the Zeraphath who fed the prophet Elijah, and that of the Jerusalem who gave everything out of her poverty to support the Temple are models of true stewards and examples of total self-giving, trusting in the blessings of the Lord. They are the complete opposite of those who have, yet refuses to share their gifts and talents with others.

These widow's life styles and the courage of Elijah fit the life-style of Christ described in the 2^nd reading. Though, sinless, he  courageously offered to go to the cross on our behalf and offered the blood that was his own not of the calf, nor of the bull!

Such sacrifices and stories are challenging to us especially when we think of the current disparity between wealthier and poorer nations, or between wealthy and the very poor, today. No matter the religion, how many of us would courageously  challenge the idolatries of our time, closed their count for the sake of their religious community or to feed the poor and support the needy or their pastors in need. How many of us today, would prefer to put others first, before them? And how many people in long robes, or those in the elite group today would prefer the back seats at synagogues and during important functions so as to make room for the lowly? Today’s Scripture challenges us to humility, to charity, to offer to help, to have pastoral foresights, to assist those that need help(example abounds in all cultures) and to dirty our hands and our shoes for the sake of the poor, immigrants, and travelers, as constantly emphasized by Pope Francis! And if we do that our jars of flour shall never go empty nor would our jug of oil run dry!