The Role of the Spirit of God (Pneuma tou Theou) in our Lives;Homily- Tuesday of the 22nd Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B

 

Homily- Tuesday of the 22^nd Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

 v 1 Cor 2:10b-16

v Ps 145:8-9,10-11,12-13ab, 13cd-14

v Luke 4:31-37

 The Role of the Spirit of God (Pneuma tou Theou) in our lives

 Yesterday we celebrated the importance of the spirit and power of God in the faith of the community. Today’s readings and celebration build on where we stop yesterday—namely the role of the spirit of God (Pneuma tou Theou), not just human spirit (pneuma tou anthrōpou) in life of a Christian believer.

 This is very true in the first reading, 1 Corinthian 2:10b-16 where Saint continues to challenges the church in  Corinth, plagued with Hellenism, human wisdom and philosophical tendencies, corruption of all kinds, boasting, bragging, back-biting, spiritual  infancy, and disunity among members. Although, he met opposition of Corinth, Paul insist that it takes the spirit for one to discover the hidden mystery of God’s plan of salvation- the hiddenness of God, who can “write on a crooked line.” Paul, is emphatic, “no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God (vv. 10-11). The Spirit not human flesh, searches everything, even the depths of God.

 God’s depth I believe includes his divine nature, expressed in today’s Psalm 145, verse 17, in particular. “The Lord is just in all his ways.” The Lord is just, righteous, kind, merciful, truthful, gracious, compassionate, and always faithful (Exod 34:6-7; Ps 85; Jonah etc). As Pope Francis, in different ways stresses, the face of God (Misericordiae vultus), mixes misery with mercy” Misericordia et misera”, (cf. his episcopal motto, ”miserando atque eligendo”= God saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him..), is that which shines for the poor, the needy, the widows, the orphaned, the prisoners, those in captivities, the rejected, the weak, and the oppressed and for those possessed with illnesses and demonic powers.

 Apart from Paul’s first Letter to the Corinthians and Psalm 145, the depths and mysterious nature of God, that can only be known through the Holy Spirit is in display as well in today’s Gospel of Luke 4:31-37, where Jesus, God’s incarnate actually, while in Capernaum, in Galilee, not only taught on the Sabbath with the power and spirit of God, but heals and cast out a man with unclean spirit (pneuma) of an unclean demons( daimoniou akathartou).

 Without being simplistic our society today is faced with all kinds of things, challenges, “uncleanness” (akathartos): morally, socio-politically, culturally and religiously, etc. that may not have been in conformity with the spirit of God. Like in the divided Corinthian Community addressed by Paul, we ourselves today are confronted with all forms division, racism, violence, terrorism, ethnocentrism, secularism, consumerism, anthropocentric attitude towards the planet- that requires our total surrender to the Jesus of Nazareth, “the Holy One of God,” who as he does to the man with unclean spirit, the demons, is able to clean us and our society of our “uncleanness” of all kinds.

Reflection Questions:

1.     What do you consider as “unclean”, politically, morally, socially, and culturally in our society today, especially in your own very location?

2.     How often do we allow the spirit of God (pneuma tou theou) to lead us in our decisions and choices?

3.     Can you relate to any of the problems challenged by Paul in 1 Corinthians- disunity, boasting, spiritual infancy, pursuit of human wisdom etc?

4.     How often do you remind members of your faith community of the importance of the spirit of God in religious communities and Christian homes, especially of God’s depth, and nature?

Prophetic and Spiritual Mission to the Poor and Immature In Spiritual Wisdom; Homily – Monday of the 22nd Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B

 

Homily – Monday of the 22^nd Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v  1 Cor 2:1-5

v  Ps 119:97,98,99,100,101,102

v  Luke 4:16-30

 Prophetic and Spiritual Mission to the Poor and Immature In Spiritual Wisdom

In yesterday’s readings of the 22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Year, we heard of what the Lord expects of us, as his disciples (Jer 20:7-9 ,Ps 63:2-9,Rom 12:1-2;Matt 16:21-27),  such as, the need to take up our crosses and follow him.  In today’s readings, the mission of the prophets, namely reaching out to the poor, the weak, or correcting and strengthening the hope of those who are poor in spiritual wisdom is paramount.

 This mission is heard, and nuanced and defined differently and earlier in the Jubilee Poem of Jesus in, Isaiah 61, but recited in today’s Gospel (Luke 4:16-30), by the Lukan Jesus , the Savior of the world, in the beginning of his ministry, in Nazareth, proclaiming, “ the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to the proclaim liberty to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18ff// Matt 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6).

 You will notice that even though the Jesus of Luke begins his ministry this way in Nazareth, zeroing in on the poor, the needy, the oppressed, the marginalized, teaching love and charity to all, he would be taken for granted by his very own people. The more reason, though, Jesus cited Isaiah 61 as the center piece of his mission, he knew and affirmed that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place,” as was the case with most of Israel’s prophet, including Jeremiah whom we read yesterday. He was rejected, and punished by his own people. As we saw in yesterday’s reading, Jeremiah 20:7-9, Jeremiah thought God had abandoned him or dubbed him into this prophetic mission. But, that wasn’t the case.

  So, as for Saint Paul in the first reading (1 Cor 2:1-5), although, he had his own challenges of rejection and pains, he was never tired of reminding the Corinthian’s of the importance of unity and search for what matters, namely, spiritual wisdom; in fact, Christ the true wisdom.

 Paul was prophetically emphatic to the Corinthian Church, even though they did not accept all that this Apostle of the Gentile preached. But, he made it known to them, he does indeed speak with sublimity, fear and trembling,  the “the mystery of God,” among the mature or spiritual people, but, he could not do so effectively among the Corinthians because they were still infants with empty philosophical wisdom of backbiting, boasting, division and attachments to spiritual mentors or social titles and nobility. 

 As we saw in the mission of Jesus, defined in Luke 4 and Isaiah 61, Paul affirming-ly teaches us, in the second reading how to communicate the Gospel with humility, fear of the Lord and with a demonstration of the spirit and power of God in us, so that, the faith of the community, our faith may not rely on human wisdom and persuasiveness, but on the power of God.

 In light of today’s reading, we pray for God’s Spirit and guidance upon each of us  to live our prophetic and baptismal promises as Christian, especially in this challenging moment when we are met with difficulties or rejections, in our home towns and native places as Jesus did in Nazareth( Luke 4:24) and Paul in Corinth ( 1 Cor 2:1-5).

 Reflection Questions

1.      What are the challenges that we meet in the course of living our prophetic and Christian missions?

2.      Do we always pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our decision making?

3.      Do always see Jesus, and the God’s Wisdom and lead our neighbors to believe same?

4.      How often do we opt for the poor and the needy or for those in prison and captivities?

 

 

 

 

 

What the Lord Expects of His Disciples (A);Homily for Twenty-Second Sunday of Year A

 

Homily for Twenty-Second Sunday of Year A- Fr. Udoekpo, M

What the Lord Expects of His Disciples (A)

v  Jer 20:7-9

v  Ps 63:2-9

v  Rom 12:1-2

v  Matt 16:21-27

Although God deals with us in mysterious ways, today’s Bible readings point us in the direction of his divine expectations of us. God wants us to deepen our relationship with him by discerning his will and living a holy life that conforms to the gospel. He wants us at all times and in every age and circumstance to recognize the prophetic role of sufferings, mortification, and self-denial. He wants us to appreciate the costly price of being a Christian and the value of the cross in the face of contemporary challenges.

 In the second reading (Rom 12:1-2), Saint Paul reminds the Christian community in Rome of God’s expectations: right and ethical conduct, spiritual worship of God in faith and truth, conformity to God’s will, and rejection of worldliness, secularism, and the “anything goes” attitude that has plagued every culture, including our own.

 In Jeremiah’s time, when the people of Judah were threatened by the Babylonians, Jeremiah had the prophetic task of reminding his contemporary kings, leaders, and people of God’s everlasting love for them, his covenant of faithfulness, and the danger of apostasy, unfaithfulness, and worship of idols.

Jeremiah paid a high price for his message: He was abused, thrown into prison, tortured, terrified (Jer 20:3, 10), and even threatened with death, as reflected in his laments: “O Lord, you have enticed me, and I was enticed . . . I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me” (Jer 20:7). His prophetic sufferings did not deter him from confidently trusting in God, who “delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers” (Jer 20:13).

 Similarly, since last Sunday, Peter has been wrestling with God’s will. He professed Christ as the “Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). He was entrusted with the keys of the kingdom, and leadership roles (Matt 16:18ff). But in today’s Gospel (Matt 16:21-27), Peter must realize the suffering, sacrifices, and price required by being the bearer of the keys to God’s kingdom. He must realize the struggles that come with being a disciple of Christ, and a leader in faith—denying ourselves and doing his will rather than our own.

 In our modern culture, we strive for material things and face many challenges: money, power, abuse of sex, the inordinate search for worldly honor and position, comfort, freedom, dominance, self-interest, shortcuts, insufficient religious dialogue, rash wars, and rash judgment and of course, corona virus. In such a culture, each of us must be struggling with our own different forms of persecution and mockery, somehow comparable to those that biblical figures and countless saints and heroes of faith contextually faced: Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, Jesus, and Mary.

 In our own circumstances and contexts of mockery—when we’ve been duped, experienced illness and pain, covid-19, loss of loved ones, faced rejection and persecution, experienced loneliness and misunderstanding—whether in our marriages or our celibate lifestyles, in our long days in the classroom, office, farm, factory, seminary, or college, may we always be willing to take up our crosses daily and follow Jesus.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever felt like Jeremiah, Saint Paul, or Peter and his friends of today’s Gospel?

2. What prevents you from living out what the Lord expects of his disciples?

3. How do you assist members of your faith communities who come to you with their experiences of pain and suffering?

4. Have you ever misled or been an obstacle to a member of your faith community who is growing in faith? Have you ever treated the planet unfairly?

 

Learning from the Passion of John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29; Mtt 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9); Homily- Saturday of the 21st Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B./Memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist, August 29th.

 

Homily- Saturday of the 21^st Week of Ord. Time, Yr. B./Memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist, August 29^th.

v  1 Cor 1:26-31

v  Psalm 33:12-13,18-19,20-21

v  Mark 6:17-29

 Learning from the Passion of John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29; Mtt 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9)

Yesterday we celebrated the memorial of St. Augustine, one of the greatest doctors of the Church. Today, the church focuses her reflection on the meaning of the suffering, passion and martyrdom of John the Baptist, son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, the precursor of Jesus, who came to prepare the way, and whose sandals he was not worthy to untie( Matt 1-2, Luke 1-2). It is a celebration of faith. It is a celebration of prophetic courage, wisdom and fearlessness in preaching the Gospel. It is a celebration of the triumph of the cross, and a celebration of truth and justice.

These, truth, justice, humility, prophetic faith, courage and God’s Wisdom are heard resounding in today’s Bible readings.

 In the first reading, 1 Corinthian 1:26-31, written in Ephesus (I Cor 16:8) in the early 50sAD, by Paul to courageously like John the Baptist persuade the early Corinthian church in a number of ways to follow the teachings of Christ, the true wisdom of God. In this passage, Paul not only challenge, corruption, their lack of faith in the day of the Lord, immorality and disunity among them, but their absolute reliance on Greek philosophy and human wisdom (Sophia),or their aristocratic social status of wisdom, power and social nobility of birth. It took courage for Paul to remind them that despite the poor origin of some of the Corinthians, some of them now inordinately claimed to be spiritually powerful. But calling them, weak, poor, nothing, lowly Paul reminded them of God’s Wisdom of doing things, governing the universe and managing, so to say the fortunes of his people. We have seen this throughout biblical account, in the story of the Exodus, the exile and in the life of Mary, Christ’s mother, as presented in the Magnificat! In fact, for Paul, whoever boast, be in ancient Corinth, or in our modern day communities, parishes, dioceses or society at large, should boast in  our Lord Jesus Christ, the true wisdom of God.

Paul’s missionary courage in Corinth and beyond is foregrounded in the courage and passion of John the Baptist of today’s Gospel Mark 6:17-29, also  heard  in Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9 and in the Antiquities of Josephus 18:109-119.

 In these stories John the Baptist displays what it means to be a prophet, who preaches and teaches the truth and justice without fear of imprisonment and death.  His passion reminds us of how we must reject the cowardice of king Herod, his corruption and the pervasiveness of Herodias, his late brother’s wife, whom John had rightly advised  not to marry, her brother-in-law king Herod.  John’s passion reminds us and compares Herod and Herodias’ corrupt, unwise, and unjust, behaviors to that of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel’s pursuits of Elijah, God’s prophet, in 1 Kings 18-19.

John the Baptist passion or his exemplary prophetic life lives on. His passion, and this celebration reminds us of the “Herods” and the “Herodias” of time, of our villages, towns, political capitals and various communities.

 We are called to be like John in preaching not only justice and truth with courage, but in bearing witness, in pointing others to Christ, the Lamb of God with humility and joy, and in bringing people to Christ and Christ to people of all walks of life with courage.

 

Reflection Question

1.      How prophetic are we in our various ministries and states of life?

2.      In moment of persecution because of our faith how do we react?

3.      In what areas or aspect of today’s scriptures can we relate to?

4.      Could you think of the Paul, the John the Baptist, the Herods, the Herodias and her daughters of today?

Tasting, Searching and Living the True Wisdom Like St. Augustine; Homily- Friday of the 21st Week of Ord. Time Yr. B/Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

 

Homily- Friday of the 21^st Week of Ord. Time Yr. B/Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

v  1 Cor 1:17-25

v  Ps 33:1-2,4-5,10-11

v  Matt 25:1-13

Tasting, Searching and Living the True Wisdom Like St. Augustine

Yesterday we celebrated the memorial of St. Monica, St. Augustine’ mother. Today, is the memorial of St. Augustine himself. Like her Mother, Monica, St. Augustine was born in Tagaste in North Africa around the year 354 AD. He live through the year 387 AD. Though born by a Christian mother, who cherished the wisdom of God, Augustine at some point in his life lived a licentious and heretical life. As I mentioned yesterday, it took the prayers, hope and patience divine devotion of Monica, to have her son finally converted from Manicheanism and other heresies, to Christianity. Augustine received baptism from St. Ambrose of Milan, and later became a Bishop of Hippo in his native Africa.

Like St. Paul of Acts of the Apostles chapter 9, after his conversion, Augustine devoted his life to preaching, teaching, writing and promoting the true wisdom (Sophia), found in God alone, and not in Hellenism of Greek philosophy, St. Paul warned against in the first reading.  He is one of the greatest Doctors of the Church today. Many of us have read his works such as his Confessions, City of God and many other works that touched on the sacramental life of the Church.

In the light of today’s Bible readings, which I referred to earlier, one could say, that St. Augustine devoted his life, after his conversion to pursuing unity of the church, spreading God’s wisdom and divine plan of salvation.

Augustine values, such as God’s wisdom and patience waiting for Christ, through the cross and the power of Gospel, is truly heard in today’s first reading, 1 Corinthian 1:17-25. Written in Ephesus (I Cor 16:8) in the early 50sAD, Paul persuaded the Corinthian church in a number of ways to follow the teachings of Christ. He not only challenge, corruption, their lack of faith in the day of the Lord, immorality and disunity among them, but their absolute reliance on Greek philosophy and human wisdom (Sophia) of doing things, or on Manicheanism, that Augustine pursued initially, prior to his conversion, rather than in the power of the Gospel and of the cross of Christ crucified (cf. Romans 1:16-17). For Paul, God’s seeming foolishness, that is the Cross, his divine of plan of salvation, is wiser than human and Greek Sophia (wisdom), usually empty arguments, and eloquence without ethics, mercy, unity and love of God.

Think of how often we humans today, run around and do things that does not fit into God’s plan of salvation. Including, racism, ethnocentrism, secularism, and anthropocentric mistreatment of the planet and other non-human creatures of God. Remember, God can “write on a crooked line.”  Think of Rehab in the Book of Joshua. Think of some of Israel’s Judges and Kings?  God has a way of doing things that surpasses human philosophy. God among other things, in his relationship with us,  requires us to have courage, endurance, hope, practice mercy, peace, faith, perseverance, and patience-waiting for the Lord, the master of the house, the allegorical bridegroom of today’s Gospel, Matthew 25:1-13.

In the Apocalyptic parable of the ten virgin of this Gospel (Matt 25:1-13), God, through his Son, Jesus exhorts, the community of Matthew, and emerging Jewish- Christian community, and in fact, each and every of us today, not to lose hope, or patience and to remain prepared. Among these ten virgins, five were wise by being patience, sticking with God’s plan of salvation, while the other five were foolish, because the followed the part of human wisdom, reasoning, arguments and impatience!

Conversion, including that of St. Augustine which we celebrate today requires, hope, patience from everyone, like the wise virgin, and like Monica, Augustine’s mother.

For the times we have been impatience with ourselves, and with one another, Augustine’s life and the readings of today challenge us to rethink and reconsider the Wisdom, true love, true sense tolerance of one another, true ways of speaking good about our neighbors and forgiving those who may have offended us;  true ways of hoping, and trusting in the Lord as St. Augustine did throughout his years teaching, preaching and defending the Christian faith and the power of the Gospel of Christ’s cross, crucified, the Messiah!

Reflection Questions

1.      How often do we always allow our plans to fit into God’s plan?

2.      How often do we in making decisions and choices in life, discern and seek true wisdom form God who is Wisdom himself?

3.      Can we identify with St. Augustine and how?

4.      How are prepared, like the five virgins for the coming of the Lord, the bridegroom?

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Monica- Our Role Model In Faith in Christ; Homily – Thursday of the 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Yr. B. / Memorial of St. Monica

 

Homily – Thursday of the 21^st Week of Ordinary Time, Yr. B. / Memorial of St. Monica

v  1 Cor 1:1-9

v  Ps 145:2-3,4-5,6-7

v  Matt 24:42-51

St. Monica- Our Role Model In Faith in Christ

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, whose memorial also comes up tomorrow. Monica was born into a Christian family in Tagaste, North Africa, in 331 AD. Her husband was Patricius. One of her children whom she devoted her time praying for his conversion was our famous St. Augustine. The she passed away in 387, she is remembered today as the patroness of married women, and a role of model of believers, especially of Christian mothers. Monica, in fact, reminds me of all the stories of faith told of great women in the Bible, including, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Rehab, Ruth, Judith, Esther, our Mother Mary, in fact to name but, a few.

She was a great woman of faith.  Monica’s faith, hope, and love for others are heard resounding in one way or the other in scriptural passages of today.

In the first reading (I Cor 1:1-9), St. Paul wrote to the early Christian community of Corinth, a commercial, urban center from Ephesus (I Cor 16:8), mostly persuading them to follow his way, and believe in the teachings of Christ. Although the genre of the passage we read today, 1 Corinthian 1:1-9 serves as an introductory address of thanksgiving to that community, the body of the letter will be addressing internal issues of conflicts, corruption, division, inordinate boastings, abuse of spiritual gifts and many other moral issues contrary to the kind faith, Paul and Monica would have promoted. He stresses the importance of hope in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ and faith in God revealed in his son Jesus Christ- the same faith that Monica prayed and converted her son, Augustine to, from Manicheanism (a dualistic corruption of Christianity).

To Saint Augustine, whom Monica worked very hard to convert from Manicheanism and other circular philosophy of their time, for us today, it might be secularism, anthropocentrism, consumerism, subjectivism, ethnocentrism, to name but a few.

As we heard Jesus reminding his disciples to stay awake in today’s Gospel (Matt 24:42-51), we need, ourselves, to stay awake against doing what Christ, the master of the house does not expect of us. Christ, like the master of the house of this Gospel expect each of us to be prudent, modest, humble, stay away from violent, abuse of others, drunkenness, exploitation of the poor, the weak and the nature planet- for we do not know when the master, Christ, the owner of the house will come! He expects us to be hopeful, merciful, compassionate and kind to our neighbors.

In addition, we also need to imitate Saint Monica in praying for our children, grandchildren our great-great grandchildren and the society and the church in the modern world (cf.  Vatican II, Gaudium et spes), even our friends, and husbands. Remember, it is never too late. Patricius, Monica’s husband had his conversion on his very sick and dying bed, we are told!

Today’s readings and memorial of Saint Monica challenge us to reconsider the importance of remaining faithful to our calling as Christians, but, being a source of conversion and hope for others, even members of our families?

 

Reflection Questions:

1.      Could we think of one or two persons we have converted or brought into the Church from another religion of state of life?

2.      How often are a source faith and hope for our children, friends and members of our family?

3.      Who is your role model in faith?

4.      How often do we encourage active roles of women in our communities?

 

 

 

Blessed/Happy Are those Who Fear the Lord (Ps 128:1);Homily- Wednesday of the 21st Week of Ord. Time Yr. B.

 

Homily- Wednesday of the 21^st Week of Ord. Time Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v  2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18

v  Ps 128:1-2,4-5

v  Matt 23:27-32

Blessed/Happy Are those Who Fear the Lord (Ps 128:1);

The word of the Psalmist,, a song of ascent and of worship, of prosperity “Blessed/Happy are those who fear the Lord (Ps 128:1), just heard today, sums up today’s scriptural lessons. To fear the lord (yārē’ adonay), is a pregnant expression of hope in the psalms and wisdom and prophetic literature. It means to obey him, keep the faith tradition, listen to his exhortations and words of encouragement, love him, worship him, and walk in his ways of peace, love, honesty, mercy, compassion, forgive, doing to others what you which done to you. By doing so, we are blessed in many ways(food, houses, clothing, family, children etc), especially life eternal!

 What a beautiful psalm of prayer and invitation to worship God as a family! And asking him for blessings, upon us and our family and children and nation and on our human labor, work and livelihood  Remember, the Psalms we read, pray and daily sing are a miniature content of the Bible. It is always, like putting the entire Bible, especially the Torah, in to music. And we know what the genre of music does to our souls. It elevates, catches attention, soothes and gives us joy!

In the first reading (2 Thes 3: 6-10, 16-18), St. Paul continues his exhortation and words of encouragement to the church in Thessalonica from where he stopped yesterday. Remember, as he preached and wrote to the ancient Thessalonians, Paul is speaking to us today. He preached and tried to steer the Thessalonians away from faithlessness, but towards ethics, morals, and practical pursuit, during the interim of their waiting for the Parousia, the coming of the day of the Lord (yom adonay).

As Jeremiah 29 would have encouraged his brothers and disillusioned sisters in exile to go out and work, do business and cultivate their land for livelihood, Paul in this passage encourage the church in Thessalonica not to loose hope, not to walks in disorderly fashion, or be lazy or lukewarm, but to go out and work and labor for their living in peace, ethically in a manner worthy of those who fear the Lord!

They must not be like the Pharisees, scolded and denounced in today’s Gospel of Matthew 23 by Christ, for their lack of sincerity, lack of fear of the Lord, or lack of focus on the essentials of faith.

 Christ describes them as “whitewashed tombs” (taphois kekoniamenois) “which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of fifth.” Of course, historically, we know “whitewashed tombs”( perhaps of the murdered prophets as well 2 Chr 24:20-22) with which Christ compared the scribes and the Pharisee were whitened so that pilgrims coming to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover would not touch them by mistake and so become ritually unclean. What are rather essential is not this externalism, but faith, trust in the Lord, hard work, mercy, and kindness, love of one’s neighbor, fearing the Lord and walking in his ways!

In other words, today’s prayer, “blessed are those who fear the Lord,” that Christ and Paul remind us, in different ways, in today’s scriptures, is a timely call to each and everyone us at this time in this moment to rethink our essentials of faith, to re-examine how far we have gone to remain in good relationship with God and with one another ( in spite of this difficult time of covid-19).

 

Reflection Questions:

1.      In what ways have we “feared the Lord,” and keep our faith traditions?

2.      In what ways have we concentrated on the our essential of faith- peace, reading our scriptures, practicing mercy, kindness, righteousness, justice of God, emunah, emeth, truth, solidarity with the poor and the weak?

3.      What prevents us from keeping and heeding the Lord’s words of exhortation and encouragements?

 

 

 

Steadfastness in Faith and in what are Important in Christ; Homily- Tuesday of the 21st h Week In Ord. Time of Year B.

 

Homily- Tuesday of the 21st Week In Ord. Time of Year B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v  2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17

v  Ps 96:10,11-12,13

v   Mtt 23:23-26

Steadfastness in Faith and in what are Important in Christ

Sometimes we are being pulled down or discouraged by the daily vicissitudes and challenges life that would resemble that of the ancient Thessalonian church community of. Paul’s time, and of the complexities that the Pharisees displayed during the time of Jesus. Today’s readings as we heard summed up in the Alleluia verse, Hebrews 4:12, are God’s words (verbum domini). They are “living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the hearts.”  They exhort us to be steadfast in faith and always do those things that are essentials in matters of faith, no matter the challenges we face in life.

The first reading, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-14, like the entire 1 Thessalonians is a letter of encouragement by St. Paul to a community that was facing challenges concerning, faith, love and hope, and the coming of the day of the Lord (yom adonay).  St. Paul and his community encourages the disillusioned church in Thessalonica not to engage in unnecessary apocalyptic enthusiasm (as some of us would do today), but suggest instead an indefinite interim period before the end of time or of the coming of the Lord.

Unlike the 1 Thessalonians that teaches that the coming of Christ will be a surprise to everyone, and will happen soon (1 Thess 5:1-11), 2 Thessalonians exhorts the community that the day of the Lord will not only be delayed, but it will not come at once. There will be a struggle between good and evil. This, of course, prepares the church and us to brace with hope, and endurance the challenges that we face each day.

 You and I, it does not matter where you are, or which continent you are located, know that such challenges are many today; including division, racism, threats of war and terrorism, gossiping, back-biting,  corruption in many places and political capitals, jealous, ethnocentrism, secularism and inordinate anthropocentrism to the detriment of the weak, the poor and other God’s creatures- in fact, not to talk of those painful, and hurtful challenges, that this ongoing covid-19 pandemic has brought humanity.

Similar genre of exhortation of call to pursing those values which strengthen faith, hope and love dominates the Gospel of Matthew 23:23-26, just heard. Jesus denounces much of the externalism of the Pharisees.  Though pursuing laws and legality pertaining to even payment of tithes,  the Pharisees neglected what really matters in life, such as  social justice, mishpat, mercy, righteousness, chesed, kindness, emeth, truth, reaching out to the poor, “smelling the sheep” if I may borrow Pope Francis’s expression in his Evangelii Gaudium (when stressing the responsibility of leaders and good citizens!). Such negligence by the Pharisees of Jesus time, was like “cleaning the outside of cup and dish, but leaving the inside full of plunder, dirt, and self-indulgence” (Matt 23:23-26).

I want to believe that these layers of exhortation, denunciation by Paul and by Christ, just heard, should encourage us to rethink and reexamine our state of steadfastness in matters of faith, as taught by scripture traditions and the church. They should challenge us to re-evaluate how often  we do pay attention to those things that are essential in preserving our faith, our Christian commitments, our covenant with the Lord and with one another, keeping our vows, teaching the faith, and reaching out, with love, and mercy to those who are in need. In other words, remaining steadfast to truth and our faith traditions are what we daily pray for, especially at this mass and worship.

Reflection Questions

1.      Do we keep the faith tradition or are we often carried away by unfounded apocalyptic enthusiasm?

2.      How often do we pay attention to the inside, those things that foster peace, faith, love, unity and Christian values than all that would represent hypocrisy and externalism of the Pharisees of today’s gospel?

3.      In what ways or how often do we exhort or encourage our next door neighbors in matters of faith, hope and love?

 

 

 

 

Celebrating the Joy of the New Jerusalem; Homily- Monday of the 21st Week of Ordinary time Yr. B./Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

 

Homily- Monday of the 21^st Week of Ordinary time Yr. B./Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

v  Rev. 21:9b-14

v  Ps 145:10-11, 12-13,17-18

v  John 1:45-51

Celebrating the Joy of the New Jerusalem

On this feast day of Saint Bartholomew, and in the light of today’s Bible readings, we celebrate not only the joy of the new Jerusalem, new things of freedom and faith in the Lord, who knew us from creation, but also has given us the grace to accept and spread his splendor to the four corners of the earth as Bartholomew did, even to the point of death.

From today’s Gospel of John 1:45-51 and the church’s tradition we a learn that Nathanael (Bartholomew) was from Cana in Galilee, a place where Jesus in John 2, changed water in to wine. His friend, St. Philip, introduced him, humanly speaking to Jesus, who made him one of his Twelve Apostles. According to traditions St. Bartholomew preached the Gospel as far as India, where he was martyred for the faith.

Even though his identity is something of a puzzle, it is significant that, beside been mentioned as Nathanael in today’s Gospel and  as Philips friends(not as Bartholomew in John), he is listed among the twelve Apostles in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke (Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16) as Bartholomew, and also as being present at the Ascension, (Acts 1:4, 12, 13) and every time he is mentioned, he is listed alongside the Apostle Philip.

What is also interesting in Nathanael’s story narrated in today’s Gospel is that before Philip introduced Nathanael (God’s gifts) to Jesus, who being divine saw through, in fact, knew Bartholomew or Nathanael by name, as an honest and true child of Israel without duplicity (dolos), without deceit and treachery!  Most importantly too, is Nathanael faith in the Son of God, the king of Israel, who knew him while sitting and reading the Torah under the fig tree as was customarily in Jewish culture and metaphors.

 Nathanael purity, without dolos, may have led to his to his personal calling among the Twelve Apostles which is connected to the vision of the New Jerusalem of the Book of Revelation chapter 21:9b-14, of the first reading of today, which some as a book would see as a literature of the oppressed. This visi0n reminds us of the transformation from the twelve tribes Israel; from the sons of Jacob, to the new city of God, the New Jerusalem after a long walk of sufferings, oppression, exiles to freedom in Christ, who recognizes us by name, as he would have recognized Nathanael by name and named him among his Twelve Apostles.

 Nathanael being among the twelve challenges us to rethink our missionary calling to faith, hope and love, and the disposition to sincerely like Nathanael preach and live the Gospel, conscious that we are all, from creation known by God, and sent by him to love him, to do his will, to serve him,  to make known the glorious splendor of his kingdom and to be “under the fig tree” (reading the scriptures, keeping the faith, doing what the church teaches and that which is expected of us as good citizens).

Nathanael, according to tradition might have did this, and preached the Gospel as far as India, where he was martyred. The question for us today, is how far are we willing to celebrate the New Jerusalem, the Christian faith, to imitate, Saint Bartholomew (Nathanael) to lead others to Christ, or to bear witness to the Gospel in the midst the challenges that newly face us today?

Reflection Questions:

1.      Could we think of where we were before our callings or who introduced us to our faith?

2.      How often do we trust, as Nathanael did, without dolos (deceit) that Christ is the Son of the Living God?

3.      What are the new ways that we are willing to spread the joy of the New Jerusalem to others no matter the cost?

 

 

 

A God of Surprise and Giver of Keys for Responsibilities;Homily: Twenty-First Sunday of Year A

 

Homily: Twenty-First Sunday of Year A

A God of Surprise and Giver of Keys for Responsibilities

v  Isa 22:19-23

v  Ps 138:1-3, 6, 8

v  Rom 11:33-36

v  Matt 16:13-20

Many of us do not like to be surprised, except with anniversary gifts. But our God is a God of surprises. To be surprised implies that we have surrendered at least some of our autonomy. It means events have taken place in which we have had little or no control, only trust in God. Many such events abound in our lives. In those moments, God is at work. He creates and recreates. He admonishes sinners and welcomes the repentant. He can make kings and has the power too to bring kings down. He promotes and demotes. He changes suffering into joy, failure into success, illness into good health, and death into life. We see this truth in today’s Bible lessons. The Lord entrusted us with the keys to join in building the kingdom.

 In the first reading (Isa 22:19-23), there is a contrast drawn between two court officials during the time of Hezekiah. They were Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna was irresponsible, building a tomb for himself; he was faithless, abusive, unstable, pompous, and selfish (Isa 22:1-18). As a result he was deposed from his office (Isa 22:19) as were done to many Israel’s bad Judges and Kings. Surprisingly, God replaces him with Eliakim, whom he calls his servant (Isa 22:20). Eliakim is a father to the people (Isa 22:21), dependable, and solid like a peg. What a surprise, this contrast between Shebna and Eliakim! We are invited to be servants of God and of one another.

 Above all, during prayer we are challenged to believe in a God of surprises. He surprises us through others and through daily events and circumstances. Some of these circumstances may initially look ugly. But don’t lose the mystery of hope. Saint Paul emphasizes the surprising nature of God in the second reading (Rom 11:33-36) when he says: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom 11:33).

 Similar divine surprises occur in Matthew’s Gospel today. Who would have thought that the same denying Peter of the Passion Week would get the correct answer when Christ asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt 16:13). Surprisingly, ahead of the other disciples, Peter got it. He professed Christ as the Son of the living God (Matt 16:16). As a result—and like Eliakim, who was given the symbolic keys to the house of David in the first reading (Isa 22:23)—Peter is divinely entrusted with the responsibility to lead, love, forgive, and preach faith and hope. He is pastorally blessed and confirmed as the rock upon which Christ’s church shall be built (Matt 16:18-19).

 Each of us has role to play in using the keys entrusted to us by God for the service of God and our neighbors. We are to be a rock and a pillar for one another, especially in this time of corona virus! Keys, rocks and pillars, what a symbolic imageries!

 Metaphorically, in rural Africa, families use rocks for multiple purposes. They use rocks to crack or produce kernels (from palms), which they sell for their economic livelihood. Rocks are also used in most cultures for homes, offices, roads, or bridge construction. They are used to support and sustain nations and society. In another sense, they are used to build bridges of unity, forgiveness, reconciliation, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, cultural dialogue, and peace, which is so needed today in our world.

 When we experience war, terrorism, tragedy, civil unrest, and other forms of disorientation, including this ongoing covid-19 pandemic, we often succumb to the fallacy that God is not really interested in our affairs and concerns. We may feel that we are not persons, only numbers in a gigantic universe. Like Peter and his successors—including Pope Francis—we are encouraged to trust in God. We are invited to be our neighbor’s and planet’s rock of hope and support. We are called to be the rock, keys, and pillars for our neighbors—the poor, the immigrant, the rejected, the homeless, the voiceless, the sick, the needy, and the suffering.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you relate most to Shebna, Eliakim, or Peter in today’ readings?

2. How have you been using your keys and your assigned responsibilities to foster dialogue and unity, protect the planet and family values, and to love and empower the poor and marginalized of your faith community?

3. Name one or two ways you have used the pillars and the rocks of your gifts to give glory and thanks to God’s name.