Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled;Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

The Presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit

Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

·       Acts 15:1-2, 22-29;

·       Rev 21:10-14, 22-23

·       John 14:23-29

Easter Cycle is winding down as we approach the Ascension and the Pentecost. With this, today’s readings reminds us of the ever presence of Christ in our midst, through the Holy Spirit. This Spirit brings us reconciliation, unity, joy, love of God and peace.

The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles paints a picture of disputes and misunderstanding between Paul’s community and the Jerusalem Community concerning the OT practice of circumcision and practice of mosaic laws. This dispute, we notice was not resolved with weapons and military might, nor with protracted court litigation, but with mutual dialogue between the two parties. This is an excellent example for how Christians, especially in a volatile world of today, should resolve conflicts: with prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and through mutual respect, dialogue of peace and love.

This love is the way of Christ. And Christ minces no words in today’s gospel when he says to his disciples, whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” Whoever imitates Christ and follows his teachings have Christ constantly dwelling and living with him or her in Spirit.

This Spirit of Christ radiates joy in place of sadness. It promotes reconciliation instead of revenge.  It brings us peace (shālôm), growth and prosperity, instead of decay, war, violence and terrorism. And when Christ says in the gospel, “ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you,” as a Jew, he meant to say, he wishes us everything that is good in this life: success in the works of our hand, our well -being, unity, good health, long life, and many other blessings that only God can give.

As Christians, when we receive these blessings, we are obliged to reach out and to share these blessings of joy, reconciliation, respect for all, dialogue of love and peace with the society of our neighbors, lit by the light of the glory of God (Rev 21:10-14, 22-23), and of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection Questions

1.    Do we realize that Christ is ever present in our midst?

2.    Are we agent and conduits of peace to others?

3.    What are our challenges in terms of embracing Christ’s presence in our communities and a families?

  

Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo

·         Acts15:1-2, 22-29

·         Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

·         Rev 21:10-14, 22-23

·         John 14:23-29

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.” These are words of Jesus addressed to his disciples in today’s Gospel John 14:23–29), on this 6^th Sunday of Easter. Similar message could be heard both in the 1st and in the 2^nd reading as well. Same message was heard over and over again during the papacy of Blessed John Paul II—do not be afraid!

What troubles you? What makes you afraid? Is it your neighbor; high cost of living, our corrupt political system, the question of who wins the next election..,  uncompassionate leaders, the examinations that we need to pass, and the promotions we expect, the strict laws we need to keep, the unforeseeable future in our careers; those sudden departures of our loved ones, insecurity, broken family structures, our broken temples, broken churches, cities, dilapidated infrastructures,   rifts, conflicts, uncertainties, the estranged relationship with our  friends, unpredictable economy or our times or imminent wars, or  is it the rampant terrorism of our day? Any of this is enough to cause fear in you!

In the case of Jesus and his disciples in this gospel portion- the book of glory, the last supper discourse- it was Jesus’ prediction of his departure to the glorious cross that sent chilling fears into the hearts of his disciples. They must have been wondering where he was going, and what will happen to them socially, economically, religiously and politically.  You see, with fear we can make wrong choices. With fear our heads spin! With fear we can forget the love of God and his teachings. With fear we can forgot those baptism promises. Jesus rather prefers loves. He recommends love to his disciples saying “whoever loves me keep my word, and my father will love him.” Which words? Those words that Jesus had preached in their company. Those miracles he worked. Those healing he made. Those feet he washed! Those words on the Cross,”Eloi Eloi, Lama Sabathani," ----"Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing!

For the group of the early Church in today’s 1^st reading,  Acts of the Apostle 15, the question whether the Gentile Christians should observed the dietary laws or strict Jewish-Mosaic laws was contentious enough to cause fear in the early Christian community. Thanks be to God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit it was decided that it was unnecessary to place the burden of physical circumcision and observance of Mosaic laws on the early Christian. The council of the Jerusalem decided that “the early church should not be troubled, or be afraid of been forced to observed the dietary laws physical circumcision.

It is the image of this New Jerusalem that we see in today’s 2^nd reading, Book of Revelation 21 and earlier in the Prophet Ezekiel 47-48. It is a new city of hope and life gleamed with the image and splendor of God- love, mercy, freshness, forgiveness, charity, and inclusiveness. Inclusiveness, in the sense that, it has 12 gates, not one gates, not selected gates, but 12 gates, and the names of the 12 tribes, not one tribe, not some tribes, not selected tribes, not favored tribes or villages and towns, but all the 12 tribes of Israel is inscribed in this new city of Jerusalem, an ecumenical council, the Church. A free wall. A city and a Church that welcomes immigrants, Jews and Gentiles alike, the Weak and the Strong (Romans 14-15:13).

Therefore, no one, irrespective of your conditions, losses, sins or brokenness, should be afraid to come or aspire for this city—namely the Lamb of God, Christ our merciful and loving Savior, who says to each of us today, “Do not be afraid. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Reflection Questions

1.    Do we realize that Christ is ever present in our midst?

2.    Are we agent and conduits of peace to others?

3.    What are our challenges in terms of embracing Christ’s presence in our communities and a families?

4.    What are our fears in matter of faith?

Christ, the New Door of faith, hope, mercy and love;Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo

The Porta Fidei (Acts 14:27)

Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo

·        Acts 14:21-27;

·        Ps 145:8-13;

·         Rev 21:1-5a

·        John 13:31-33a, 34-35

On this fifth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Love of Christ. And this love of Christ, in the light of today’s readings, particularly the first reading, is the entrance, the door that leads to faith, porta fidei (door of faith for the Gentiles) that Paul talks about in the first reading, Acts of the Apostles 14:27. Consider yourself coming into this church, into this chapel; you came in through that door. There might be other doors, here and there. Our Christian faith is like our journey into this church, having to pass through those doors. Christ's love or our love for Christ, even in moment of persecutions, is truly that important door of faith that leads us to Christ, to our destination, which is eternal life. Caritas Christi urget nos- the love of Christ must be that which impels us.

The Gospel of John that we read these Sundays reminds us of the mission of Christ, the teacher of this love. The mission of Christ originate from His Father. He is God’s self-revelation. In John 1:14 God became flesh in Christ (carum factum est John 1:14) in order to walk with, to bless us, to teach us how to love, and to draw us to himself.

Christ teaches us by his life style and through his selfless mission, the love he loves everyone with, the signs and miracles he works. Think of his changing of water into wine in Cana in Galilee (John 2), his teachings to Nichodemus, that unless one is born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3). What about the significance of his encounter with the Samaritan woman (John 4), the cure on the Sabbath at Bethesda (John 5), the multiplication of loaves (John 6), his walking on the Sea (John 6:16ff), his forgiveness to sinners (John 8), his healing of the man born blind (John 9), the raising of Lazarus from the death (John 11) and his consolation ministries to the grieved, like Martha and Mary.

But before leaving to embrace his Glory on the cross (John 18-19:42), Christ, in today’s Gospel bequeaths his disciple the summary of his mission. He washes the feet of his disciples and gives them a new commandment (“behold I make all things new” Rev 21:5a) “to love one another” (John 13:34). He meant to remind his disciples that as he was leaving, this is the new way they should continue to make his values and teachings present to our neighbors at all times. This is how the world and the society will know that we are Christ’s disciples.

There are many ways to make this known depending on who we are, where we are and what we are doing. In the case of Paul and Barnabas they were not discouraged that Christ was no longer physically there. In spite of the rejection and persecution they encountered in their first missionary journey they persevered with love and endurance. They spread the gospels to several nations and cities including Pisidia, Pamphylia, Attalia, Perga, Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. At Antioch he re-gathered the church and explained to them his experience of his missionary journeys, which he saw as God opening the door of faith to all nations, men, women and children.

Each of us, the entire church must find new ways to re-evangelize and encourage ourselves, our brothers and sister to embrace or persevere in that faith, with love and endurance.[ For our students here, the Semester coming to an end, I can imagine the anxiety surrounding our examination and promotions to various levels and orders in the formation process.] For our parents and friends, there are also moments I believe you feel a little tired on the journey.  In each of these moments we want to borrow a leaf from Paul and Barnabas, and see the endurance we endure, the love we love as opportunities to strengthen our faith, and moments to open the door of faith to our neighbors.

Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI in his Porta Fidei (the door of faith)[ of this Year of faith] recommends the need for us to reach out to the world with the content of the Sacred Scriptures and the teachings of the church expressed in the Catechism and in the documents of the Vatican II.

Pope Francis builds on this- on his dramatic reaching out to the poor, the needy, the prisoners, the aged the less privilege, which is an expression of the new way of love that Christ handed his disciples in today’s Gospels. Reaching out to the poor, praying for our neighbors (the Bostonians, the Texians, those in war torn areas, facing the threats of terrorism (in northern Nigeria etc) and the sufferings everywhere), visiting the sick, the home bounds, those in hospice and hospitals, reaching out to our neighbors even within the same house, the same complex, the same roof, the same family, the same institution, the same factory, requires selflessness and letting go of ourselves. Love is that door of faith that leads us and our neighbors to Christ.

Reflection Questions

1.     What are the doors of faith in our Christian journeys?

2.     Do we love as Christ has first loved us?

3.     What prevents us from reaching out pastorally to the poor and those on the margins?

Christ, the New Door of faith, hope, mercy and love

Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo

·         Acts 14:21-27;

·         Ps 145:8-13;

·         Rev 21:1-5a

·          John 13:31-33a, 34-35

When we build new homes or houses we open new doors through which we walk into our rooms. Coming into the church/chapel on this 5^th Sunday of Easter we walked or came in through those doors. Our Christian journeys (especially in this Year of Mercy), as priests, religious, lay men and women requires that we walk through the new doors of Christ with faith,  new zeal, hope, mercy and love, emphasized in today’s Bible Lessons.

 In the older dispensation the chosen people had different ways of relating with God expressed not only in the 10 commandments but also in in their holiness code.  But in Christ, the New Moses, this has been summarized in the new commandments of love and service exemplified throughout his mission of healing signs, forgiveness, provision of food for thousands of hungry people, reaching to people of all walks of life (the Samaritan woman), prisoners, sinners, raising the death like Lazarus, and in washing the feet of his disciples (John 13).

 Even to the sufferings, the dying and the oppressed of today’s 2^nd reading (Rev 21:1-5a), he assures them the same love. He assures then new heavens and hopes. Christ will “wipe every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more death, or mourning, wailing of pain, for the old order has passed away.”

 Paul and Barnabas realized this- that Christ is the new order and door of faith, hope, love, and mercy, throughout their missionary journeys. No wonder in in today’s 1^st reading (Acts 14:21-27) Barnabas and Paul allow God to use them to open new doors of faith to the Gentiles.

 It is true that we live in a challenging time of materialism, terrorism, acts of revenge and war mongering. Yet the readings of today impress on us to seek new ways of reconciliation, cherishing forgiveness, mercy, hope, service, and love of ones’ neighbors, especially the poor and voiceless, through the examples of Christ. Like Paul and Barnabas we are also called or challenged today to seek new ways of inviting our brothers and sisters to embrace or persevere in their received faith in Christ. Together we are to walk through that door of renewed faith, new commandment love, hope and mercy, especially in this Year of Mercy.

Reflection Questions

1.     What are the doors of faith in our Christian journeys?

2.     Do we love as Christ has first loved us?

3.     What prevents us from reaching out pastorally to the poor and those on the margins?

Christ, the Good Shepherd, who wipes away our Tears;Homily Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Christ, the Good Shepherd, who wipes away our Tears

Homily Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

·       Acts 13:14, 43-52;

·        Ps 100:1-4, 5;

·       Rev 7:9, 14b-17

·       John 10:27-30

Today we celebrate Christ the true and Good Shepherd, who loves us his flock, and wipes our tears. Tears here remind me stories told about my early upbringing, when I was between the ages of 1 and 6 among six siblings. As the baby of the house, I was told by my parents and my elderly ones that I used to cry a lot each time my mum was leaving home for groceries, or to the farm. I acted as if I had lost something or someone. But on her return I would be filled with joy.  Usually, she comes home with gifts, wipes away my tears, and reassures me that she left home temporarily to get vegetables from the farms or some food items from the grocery store, for the good of the family.

The post-resurrection Church, no doubt had their own difficulties- including crises of faith, sense of doubt and lose of their master, and of course all other kinds of persecutions. Some wept that Christ was no longer there, as I would do when mum was temporarily away from home.

  A typical example is Paul and Barnabas in the Acts of the Apostles chapter 13, today’s first reading. They were alongside other Christ’s flock were persecuted, resisted, rejected, abused and violated because they preached the gospel, like Christ, their master and Good Shepherd. But the irony is that they more they were persecuted, and put through all kinds of stress, the more their tears were wiped. The more the word of God was spread throughout the entire region, down to the Gentiles.  This gives them great joy and they were filled with the Holy Spirit

With faith and courage it does not take too long to realize that God is always with us. He cares and loves as a loving mother or father, and shepherd who seemingly leaves, but he/ she is always there for the weeping child. He is that Lamb in the Book of Revelation, who wipes away the tears from the eyes of those who persevere to the end. He dresses them up with white garments and wipe away their tears.

He is that Good Shepherd in today’s gospel long foreshadowed in Jeremiah, 23, Ezekiel 34 and in Psalm 23. He listens to them. He knows his flock. He heals them when they are sick. He gives them eternal life. And he makes sure no one takes them away from him or from His Father, since he and God the Father are one.

Like Paul and Barnabas, Christ’s flock and disciples, we are called to be good flocks and good shepherds in our own ways as Christ’s faithful and leaders in the Church and society.  If we approach our personal challenges with faith and courage, in Christ, the Shepherd, they are just stepping stones to joy and eternal happiness. They are stepping stones to those moments when our tears shall be wiped out.

 If you really look around and compare our challenges with those of everyone else in other parts of the world, you may realize ours could have been worse. There are so many ways God has blessed us or wiped away our tears: the democracy we have, the dioceses and worship communities we have, the food, water, electricity, the freedom to worship God. There are some without them. And he wants us to be present for one another, to be good sheep in the fold of Jesus, corporate with our leaders, listen to their voices, to be good leaders, good followers, to reach out in whatever way we can to our neighbors, in prayer (think of those who lost their lives in terrorism and the wounded etc), telephone calls, charity, kindness, visit with the sick, to wipe away the tears of our neighbors, as a loving Shepherd, and mother would.

Reflection Questions

1.    What prevents us from celebrating often, Christ, as our Good Shepherd?

2.    In all the qualities of a Good Shepherd, which one is most endearing to us?

3.    How often do we shepherd one another?

Witnessing the Resurrected Christ,Homily Third Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Witnessing the Resurrected Christ,

Homily Third Sunday of Easter Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

·       Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41;

·       Ps 30:2,4,5-6,11-13;

·       Rev 5:11-14

·       John 21:1-19

The Responsorial Psalm of today, “I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me,” sets the tone for what we celebrate today, the resurrection of Christ, the source of our hope and joy. Like Peter and his fellow disciples, the readings of today invites us  to constantly bear witness to Christ, his resurrection, in good times and in bad times, during summer an during winter.

The resurrection of Christ is factual and truthful. It is not a fiction!  We have seen this proven in today’s Gospel. Jesus appears the third time to his disciples. Now it was in the midst of their fishing business.

 Initially it was like a dream. They did not recognize him, not until they shared a meal. Sharing a meal with one another, especially with the poor is another way of expressing love and witnessing to Christ. It also can close the gap of doubt, suspicion and denial among members of the community.

Peter becomes a different person after sharing meal with Christ again. Unlike the doubting Peter who denied Christ three times, today we have a loving Peter, who professes his love for Christ, three times. Christ, being man and God believes Peter. He sees through Peter. Peter is honest and sincere.  Peter is given a second chance. He was not written off. The Lord entrusts him with the chair of Peter of caring for his flock, teaching them and leading them to a life of true witness to Christ (John 21:15-19).

Peter of course is serious. He shows it in today 1^st reading, Acts of the Apostles.  He says to the enemies of the faith, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things… (Acts 5:27-32).

Witnesses to these things, the events of the lamb that was slain, if we choose to go by the language of the 2^nd reading (Rev 5:11-14), comes with challenges and great sacrifices. Choosing to obey God, the teachings of the Church, rather than just humans and secular or some faithless thoughts of this century, is a form bearing witness to Christ’s resurrection.

How, where and when we do this, are left for us.

Certainly there are millions of ways out there to witness to Christ: sharing meals with our neighbors is one of them, the Eucharist we actively participate in is one of them. Others could be, reaching out to the poor, praying for, loving and respecting one another, our dads, our moms, brothers and sisters, our children and grandchildren, husbands and wives, friends and partners, colleagues and peers. Forgiveness, letting go, all acts of charity, courage, fortitude, hope and faith endurance, praise and thankfulness to God, are also forms of bearing witness to Christ, who willingly went to the cross order to rescue us!

Reflection Questions

1.    How and when and where do we witness the resurrected Christ?

2.    What prevents us from living the lessons of today’s bible readings?

3.    In what ways have we assisted our neighbors to witness Christ and the Gospel?