Like Job, We Know that Our Vindicator Lives (19:24);Homily- Thursday of the 26th Sunday in Ordinary time Year B./ Memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

 Homily- Thursday of the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary time Year B./ Memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

v Job 19:21-27

v Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14

v Luke 10: 1-12

 Like Job, We Know that Our Vindicator Lives (19:24)

 Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin and Doctor of the Church. She joined the Carmelite in Lisieux, France, at the tender age of 15 years, and was often referred to as, “the Little Flower of Jesus.” He writings, prayer life, faith, steadfastness, love, humility, simplicity of life, modesty, and total abandonment to God, shows she was really God’s gifts, God’s flower.

In the readings of today, we hear similar messages of humility, simplicity of life, modesty and complete suspender to God, dependence on him, being in his presence- his vindicator. This notion of vindicator/redeemer (gō’el) is obvious in today’s first reading, which anticipates the Gospel as well.

 In the first reading (Job 19:21-27), Job response, or continues his arguments with his friends, including Bildad who suggested that God does not deal crookedly, that Job’s problems were retributive, as a result of his sins. Although Job disagreed, yet so emaciated, tired in his sufferings that he thought his words might as well not survived. He thought that his complain might be permanently recorded on a leather book, metal and rock (vv21-24), using an iron pen!

 He sought for a vindicator, an audience with God.  It is true that in Hebrew literature “a vindicator/redeemer (gō’el), is usually the next of kin as we find in the book Ruth in the person of Boaz (Ruth 2:20; see also Lev 25:25; Deut 25:5-10). God is also sometimes called a Redeemer in Exodus 6:6 and in Psalm 103:4, but, in this texts, Job in addition to his call for a mediator ( (9:33-35) and  a defender between him and God ( 16:19-20), now he hopes to obtain, through a vindicator, a direct audience with God( he knows his redeemer and vindicator lives).

 In spite of his suffering, Job hopes to see God’s face, he will meet him, encounter his love, peace, and mercy! He knows his redeemer and vindicator lives (v.24). Even after his skin, flesh or death, he shall see God (v.27). What a humble expression of humility, faith, hope, modesty and love and trust in God!

 Such virtues we saw in Job  of Uz, especially in his trusting in God, in spite of his losses and sufferings, were also anticipated in the seventy-two that Jesus appointed and sent on a mission in today’s Gospel of Luke 10:1-12(cf. Matt 9:37-38;10:7-16; Mark 6:7-11). They were to carry out this mission with a sense of purpose, dedication, focus, urgency and with faith, hope, love, modesty, humility, simplicity of life and total abandonment or dependent on God like the saint we celebrate today, Therese of the Child Jesus.

 As we undergo our Christian missions, callings and journeys from different location, capacities, with talents and gifts, as parents, pastors, clergy, deacons, teachers, students, superiors, apprentices, leaders, etc, sometimes we are met with mysterious sufferings, testing, deaths, even of our friends and loved one. We are met with rejection, violence, poverty, hunger, insults, lack of basic amenities. Like, Job and the Seventy-Two and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, let nothing ever separate us from the love of God. Nothing should ever stop us today, even in the face of our all forms of daily challenges, from humbly and constantly seeking God face, his presence, knowing fully well that “our vindicator and redeemer lives” (v.24).

 Reflection Questions

1.     Do we trust in God’s love and care as our redeemer and vindicator in moments of challenges and trials?

2.     Can we see ourselves in the 72 called and commissioned in today’s Gospel?

3.     What do we like in the life of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, and why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Can One, Human Beings, Be Justified Before God?” (Job 9:2);Homily –Wednesday of the 26th Week Of Ord Time/ Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church.

 

Homily –Wednesday of the 26^th Week Of Ord Time/ Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v  Job 9:1-12, 14-16

v  Ps 88:10bc-11,12-13,14-15

v  Luke 9:57-62

“How Can One, Human Beings, Be Justified Before God?” (Job 9:2)

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Today is the memorial of St. Jerome, priests and the Doctor of the Church. Tradition has it that he was born in Dalmatia, St. Jerome (342-420) and studied in Rome. While living his monastic life he traveled to Syria where he was ordained. Later return to Rome as Secretary to Pope Damasus, who commissioned him to revise the Latin texts of the Bible. After completing this work, he translated the entire texts of the book of the Bible in to Latin. Had great love for scripture, the word of God. The saying, “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of God” is popularly attributed to St. Jerome.

In other words, in all that we do, say, teach, the foundation is , or should be the word of God (sacred scripture, verbum domini), of which today’s selected readings from Book of Job and Luke’s Gospel form a part(cf. Udoekpo, “Introduction”, “prefaces” Sharing the Word of God).  Understanding it, teaching and living it is indispensable for a faithful Christian and teacher of the faith. It is the soul of theology.

In today’s scriptures, especially the first reading, Book of Job( a wisdom literature, reflective, and didactic in nature), that addresses the issues of theodicy and human sufferings, like Habakkuk, of which Saint Jerome cherished so much,  Job a righteous man from Uz,  who went through, the test of loss of his family and businesses, through the instrumentality of the accuser, Satan, an adversary, yet  knew everything was not about him, but about God, the source of everything( Job 1-2).

 In Job 3, and in the presence of his friends (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar) who came to comfort him with their own perspectives on life, Job questioned why he was even born, because of the mysterious nature of his sufferings!

For his friends, Job suffers because of his sins. It is retributive justice on him (Eliphaz : 4:7–11; 5:2–7; 15:20–35; Bildad: 8:3–4, 11–21; 18:5–21;Zophar: 11:11; 20:5–29). They argue, Job’s only hope is to repent and then God will restore him (5:8–16, 23–27; 8:5–7; 11:13–20; 22:22–30). But, Job believes, God is unjust to him (Job 9:21-24), some conclusion that any us would easily draw in moments of trials and inexplicable loss of our loved ones and sufferings. Job will soon find out out, as was the case with Habakkuk, that God was not unjust to him in a human sense!

This is why in the reading of today, Job asks “How can the mortal, one, and human beings be justified by God”? As Saint Jerome would recommend it is important to understand this text, as righteousness has been used different in scripture including Pauline writings (cf. Rom 1:16-17 etc).  Recall earlier on in Job 4:17 Eliphaz had asked “can human beings be righteous (yitsdaq) before God “? Job seems to agree, but he uses the term in a legal sense. No one can be just (“yitsdaq”), that is “declare innocent before God because God holds every advantage. He is the source of all power, wisdom and gifts. He can give and he can take. We can fight with God?

As the story continues in Job (4-27), and the three friends could not win Job over because Job is exemplarily convinced that God is the source of true wisdom, endurance, patience, hope, steadfastness, determination to follow Jesus, resoluteness in faith and trust in a mysterious God who is the source of life and death!

Clearly Job’s resolves anticipates today’s Gospel (Luke 9:57-62), where Jesus, reminds his disciples, the cost of discipleship, as he resolutely heads to Jerusalem to be taken up (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension). In other words, to die for us (Luke 9:51).  Following Christ does not need unnecessary procrastination and excuses! Jesus began his ministry in Jerusalem (Luke 4). He is re-inviting us as he returns to Jerusalem to suffer (as we saw in the case of Job) and to die for us. His journey to Jerusalem teaches us among many things, the mystery of the cross, the mystery of loss, love, pains, and of death of a believer!

In our various and daily challenges (including ongoing Covid-19), that are mixed with pieces of advice from our friends and neighbors, we cannot fight nor curse we God. His ways are not human ways and understanding of justice. We can only pray, believe, trust patiently and rely hopefully on his divine mercy, and justice, and in his mysterious ways of doing things.

Reflection Questions

1.      In moments of trials and challenges do we blame God, or thought we are suffering because of our sins or do we rely on his mercy and misery of love?

2.      Are we consistent, resolute, in following Christ, keeping his word and values?

3.      Like Saint Jerome do we cherish the Word of God and how and when?

4.      What have you learned about suffering in the light today’s scripture?

The Patient, Endurance, Insistence and Steadfastness of Job; Homily- Monday of the 26th Week of Year B./Optional Memorial of Saints Wenceslaus, Martyr and Lawrence Ruiz and Companions

 

Homily- Monday of the 26^th Week of Year B./Optional Memorial of Saints Wenceslaus, Martyr and Lawrence Ruiz and Companions

v Job 1:6-22

v Ps 17:1bcd,2-3,6-7

v Luke 9:46-50

The Patient, Endurance, Insistence and Steadfastness of Job

In the past two to three weeks we have been reading (that is our first reading) from the Wisdom Books such as the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes teaching us about life and death, the sovereignty of a merciful and forgiving God, the essentials of the life of a believer. These essentials include, patience, endurance, faith, hope, love, insistence in faith and steadfastness, as well as “the Fear of the Lord,” already reflected upon. Ecclesiastes, in particular reminded us that “all is vanity, vanity of vanities, and there is nothing new under the sun.”

Today’s readings build on this. In the first reading, the Book of Job, we are presented with a righteousness and blameless( Job 1:1-5) married man, known as Job who had a wife, children and property that went through and inexplicable suffering of sickness, violence, and of losing his family and all that he had worked faithfully for( Job 1:6-22).

The scene of this long first reading is the meeting the council of the heavenly beings, presided over by the Lord (see I kings 22:19-22; Job 15:8, Ps 82:1; 89:7; Jer 23:18). Here Satan, and adversary, an accuser, or “a devil advocate,” plays a negative and critical role of an independent prosecutor. We find the same even in the Book of the Prophet Zechariah 3:1. This prosecutor taught that Job’s virtues of holiness and piety must have been bought by divine provision and protection and love.

In all that Job went through, loss of his family and businesses, though human, he realized that “naked did he came and naked shall he returned.” He knew that the “Lord gave and the Lord also took” all he had given him. He kept blessing, praising, worshiping and fearing the Lord, generously and with selflessness. He never said anything disrespectful about.  He knew everything was not about him, but about God (Gen 1:26-28; Ps 8; Ps 103; Ps 144).

Job’s selflessness, patient, endurance and steadfast love is echoed in today’s Lukan Gospel parable (Luke 9:46-50), where Jesus taught his human and rivalling disciples that true greatness does not reside in selfishness and self-centeredness, nor in anthropocentric maltreatment of the planet and other God’s creatures ( see Pope Francis, Laudato Si’). Rather, true greatness lies in how we behave or act innocently, honestly, like a “child” who, would not do anything for personal gain.

 For example, in the face of racism today in the world, a child is color blind. They are humble.  Sometimes they can touch a scorpion, lion, a wild dog, jumped, summersault, and go unharmed. They tell it the way it is. They are not corrupt. They rely, depend and insist on their parents and elders for food and other needs.

This Lukan parable, and Job’s narrative challenge us to rethink what we consider important and essential in order to be in good relationship with God and with one another, especially in moments of sufferings, poverty, and even in this moment of corona-virus! The readings challenge us to be like Job, to be like little children, trusting and insisting on God’s love, no matter the difficulties we face in life.  They teach to be humble, and patient with ourselves and with our neighbors, when things, do not seems to, immediately go well, from our own perspective. In doing this, let us know that God’s ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are inexplicable different from our own human thinking and judgment.

 Reflection Questions;

1.     Can we see ourselves in Job, relying on God with patient, endurance, especially in moment of suffering?

2.     What childlike virtue do you have or aspire to have as a member of a rivalling society or community?

3.     Could you think of those sufferings you have experienced in life and how you handled them in faith?

 

“Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!”(Ps 144:1).;Homily – for Friday of the 25th Week in Ord. Time, Yr. B.

 

Homily – for Friday of the 25^th Week in Ord. Time, Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v Eccl 3:1-11

v Ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4

v  Luke 9:18-22

“Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!”(Ps 144:1).

 Like yesterday, today’s Psalm 144 “blessed be the Lord, m Rock!” captures the essence and the theology of today’s selected Bible Readings. It is a royal Psalm, a royal lament, where even the king, such as David recognizes his limitation and recognizes poetically and metaphorically that God is the source of everything, including his post as a king and human leadership as the anointed David ( the Jewish messiah/anointed one).

The Rock metaphor, or language, that this psalm uses in most cultures represents strength, a warrior, power, shield, protector, source of light, materials for buildings, bridges, roads and factories! This is clear in the rest of the Psalm, where David continues to describe God, as “my mercy, and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust.”

Like Psalm 8, and Genesis I 26-28 on God as source of all creation, humans and non-humans, Psalm 144 again rhetorically ask:

 “Lord, what is man (i.e. ‘adam/human beings, humankind; male and female, white and black, young and old), that you notice him; the son of man, that you take thought of him? Man is like a breath; his days, like a passing shadow.”

This message of “transience of human life” (Ps 39:5, 7; 109:23, Eccl 1-2), as a “breath,” “vapor,” “hebel,” (vanity of vanities), is also what we have been hearing from the preacher, Qoheleth, these few days, including today’s first reading, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. In a  beautiful, and simple- to- grasp- rhythmic series of antithetical pairs that  represent complete and variety of times and seasons encountered by human beings ( ‘adam), this wise preachers reminds his people and all of us today, that God is the determinant of time and timing. He is the source of everything and the eternal sovereign of all creation, and the one “who acts,” that sometimes, we tend to forget, or fell to recognize and acknowledge, especially in the person Christ- the Messiah, the anointed (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19).

This is why, Christ, the Messiah in today’s Gospel, Luke 9:18-22, asks his disciples this fundamental Christological question, “Who do the crowds/multitude say that I am?”(v.18). Though, some thought he was John the Baptists, Elijah and  others,  one of the ancient prophets, it was Peter who got it right, “the Messiah of God” (Christos tou theou)., God’s anointed one( whose mission exemplary is spelt out in Luke 4:18-19 and in the rest of the Gospels), a title that was typical of Davidic kingship, humanly, speaking.

We are invite to be like Peter, recognizing that Christ is the anointed, one, the warrior, the rock, the source of all that we are and have. We are invited to be like David, in the sense, that, he clearly in that Psalm 144 recognizes, that his kingship was rather a participation in the Divine Kingship of Christ, trusting in him as our mercy, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, savior and our Rock?  Again, let us pray together, “Blessed be the Lord Our Rock “(Ps 144:1).

Reflection Questions

1.     Who Is Christ for us?

2.     Do we see human life as transience, and can only find peace in eternal God?

3.     Do we entrust our leaders and ourselves to God always?

“In Every Age, O Lord, You Have Been Our Refuge (Mā’ôn),” (Ps 90:1); Homily- for Thursdays of the 25th Week in Ord. Time Yr. B.

 

Homily- for Thursdays of the 25^th Week in Ord. Time Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v Eccl 1:2-11

v Ps 90: 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and17bc

v Luke 9:7-9

“In Every Age, O Lord, You Have Been Our Refuge (Mā’ôn),” (Ps 90:1)

Today’s responsorial Psalm “in every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge” (dwelling place, habitation, [Mā’ôn]), a communal laments and prayer, truly captures the theology and spiritual essence of today’s bible readings. It’s also a reminder of the Vatican II’s document, Gaudium et Spes (“signs of times”/ a Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World), which in a way expresses that every age has its challenges. But, in the midst of these challenges, which are not new, based on life experiences, the Lord remains the dwelling place, the habitation, and refuge of every believer.

This is true in the biblical theology of today’s first reading, from the Book of Ecclesiastes 1:2-11, that, says “there is nothing new under the sun, vanity of vanities, all things are vanity.” Of course, don’t forget “Ecclesiastes”, again, is the Latin rendering of the Hebrew name of the author, Qoheleth, which simply means, “gatherer”, “preacher” and “teacher.” It might have been written between 450 and 330 BCE during the time of economic and socio-political growth in the Persian Empire, but Ecclesiastes teaches, us, humanity of the mortality, and the limitation of human beings. It reminds us of the eternity of God, and of the brevity of human life and material possessions. The idea of life and death is a clearer example (8:8; Ps 39:4-11; 62:9; 78:33; Job 7:16) of “vanity” or “hebel” in Hebrew, which simply means “vapor” or “breath” (Isa 57:13; Ps 62:9).

Qoheleth, the wisdom teacher, and the preacher, teaches and preaches idiomatically to his original audience, and perhaps to us today, with experience and knowledge of life’s tradition. Despite, the newness of economic life of his audience in the Persian Empire, at the time, the fundamental problem they faced as any other generation in a world that is inconsistent, if not contradictory, were not new(1:10), “ there nothing is new under the sun”( i.e., the realm of the living). Every generation, including ours, today, must deal with the fact that mortals inevitably live in a world in which they do not have control, as such (“all is vanity”). In other, worlds, our life is so short. It can only be lived with love, hope, faith, charity, humility and dependency under a sovereign God, who alone determines what happens with us, and on earth!

This Sovereign God, taught and preached by Qoheleth is manifested in Christ of today’s Gospel (Luke 9:7-9), that became the subject of curiosity of Herod, a human king, with a human mind, jealousy, and selfish thinking- that denies the Truth/Christ (in the case of Herod, who already beheaded John the Baptist). But, thank God, this  undeniable Truth is clearly, and once again reaffirmed in the Alleluia verse of today, that says, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord’ no one comes to the Father except through me”( John 14:6).

In any circumstances, we may find ourselves today (corruption in political capitals, jealousy, violence, war, deforestation and anthropocentric treatment of the planet, indifference to the poor and the needy, disregard to the dignity of every human persons [male and female, black and white, young and old, born and unborn], materialism, and in ordinate possession of wealth, and economic power and covid-19, wearing masks, social distancing, etc.), this truth, Christ, is our refuge. In every age, including this our age, O Lord, you have been our refuge (Mā’ôn), our home, our shield, our healer, our protector, our dwelling place and habitation (Ps 90:1).

 Reflection Questions

1.     In our daily challenges today, do we see God, Christ as our refuge (Mā’ôn)?

2.     What prevents us from learning from the traditions of the elders, history and past experiences, including such shared in the first reading and the Psalm 90?

3.     Who are the “Herods” of today in our communities and how do we help them?

 

 

 

“God’s Word (Verbum Domini): A Shield (māgēn) to Those Who Take Refuge in Him” (Prv. 30:5); Homily- Wednesday of the 25th Week of Ord. Time Yr, B.

 

Homily- Wednesday of the 25^th Week of Ord. Time Yr, B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v Prov 30:5-9

v Ps 119:29, 72, 89,101,104,163

v Luke 9:1-6

“God’s Word (Verbum Domini): A Shield (māgēn) to Those Who Take Refuge in Him” (Prv. 30:5)

 As I indicated yesterday, Proverbs, today’s first reading, is one of those wisdom literature. Its purpose is always to instruct, advise, and offer insights whereby one might learn to cope with life’s vicissitude (1-2). Proverbs’ teachings draw from tradition of the elders and life experiences. Experiences of the elders and of our parents count, in life. We must not ignore them, as today’s youths, tend to do.

 Proverbs stresses honesty, diligence, trustworthiness, self-restrain and appropriate attitude towards, wealth and poverty, and more importantly “the fear of the Lord” (yarea adonay), which means so much: (listening to God’s word, verbum domini, putting them into practice, obeying him, loving God and neighbor as oneself, respecting the dignity of the human persons, and other creature, as stressed in the Laudato si’ of Pope Francis, and in other church’s documents, including Dei Verbum, Verbum Domini, Evangelii Gaudium (cf. Udoekpo, “Introduction” and Prefaces” in Sharing the Word of God), and many more.

God’s words, “a lamp for our feet” (Ps 119) is described Proverbs 30:5-9, the first readings, as “shield to those who take refuge in him.” Significant also in this description is that it comes from Agur son of Jakeh, a non-Israelite (v. 1), which reminds of Ruth who said to her mother-in-law- Naomi, “Your God will be my God,”( Ruth 1:16).  It reminds me of a centurion, a Gentile, who said to Jesus in Matthew 8:8 “Lord I am not worthy for you to come under my roof, but, only say the Word and my servant will be healed.”

Our human limitations: selfishness, brokenness, ethnocentrism, division, tribalism, racism, in ordinate anthropocentricism, indifference to the poor and the needy, lack of compassion, love and presence to one another, materialism, hoarding things that we do not even need, corruption in political capitals, violence, terrorism, bokoharimism, laziness, back-biting, lack of faith and trust in the Lord,  falsehood, dishonesty, going by Proverbs 30:2-3, can only be healed and defended like a warrior, by God’s Word ( verbum domini),  a  “shield,” an armor, a weapon, a defender, a  “ light for our feet and lamp for our paths” (Ps 119:105; Pro 30:5; 2 Tim 3:16-17).

Again, this word of God, according to Pope Francis in his “Aperuit Illis,” of 30th September 2019, “unites believers and makes the one people” (n. 4). In sending out his twelve disciples in today’s Gospel of Luke 9:1-6 (Matt 10:1-14; Mark 6:6b-13), Jesus handed them not only the mandate to preach and proclaim this word of God, but to heal sick, but also travel lightly, no tunic and sack, no food and no money- no attachment to material things, but freely relying on God’s mercy and love and provision as well selflessly- discharging God’s word (Christ and God’s incarnate and all his values, carum factum est), which will always remain a “shield (māgēn) to those who take refuge in him,” ( Prov 30:5).

Reflection Questions

1.     How often do we read, listen, preach and live God’s word?

2.     Do we trust in God’s word as our shield, defender and protector?

3.     What prevents us from freely and sacrificially sharing Christ and his values with our neighbors, Jews and Gentles ,like Agur, son of Jakeh, of the first reading?

 

 

 

Doing What is Right and Just is More Acceptable By the Lord (Prv 21:3); Homily- Tuesday of the 25th Week of Ord. Time Yr. B

 

Homily- Tuesday of the 25^th Week of Ord. Time Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v  Prov 21:1-6, 10-13

v  Ps 119:1,27,30,34,35,44

v  Luke 8:19-21

Doing What is Right and Just is More Acceptable By the Lord (Prv 21:3)

Proverbs, today’s first reading, is one of those wisdom literature. Its purpose is always to instruct, advise, and offer insights whereby one might learn to cope with life’s vicissitude (1-2). Proverbs’ teachings draw from tradition of the elders and life experiences. Experiences of the elders and of our parents count, in life. We must not ignore them, as today’s youths, tend to do.

 Proverbs stresses “the fear of the Lord” (yarea adonay), which means so much: (listening to God’s word, verbum domini, putting them into practice, obeying him, loving God and neighbor as oneself, respecting the dignity of the human persons, and other creature, as stressed in the Laudato si’ of Pope Francis, observing those corporeal and spiritual works of mercy, keeping the 10 commandments and the church precepts, etc), as the beginning of wisdom. Other important values such as honesty, diligence, trustworthiness, self-restrain and appropriate attitude towards, wealth and poverty are stressed. The limitation of human wisdom is noted in Proverbs.

True wisdom is practicing justice (misphat) and righteousness (tsadeqqah), truthfulness (emeth), kindness (chesed), love and steadfastness (emunah, as in Habakkuk), mercy (Misericordia) as stressed in today’s first reading( Prv 21:1-6,10-13), which I would encourage us to go through it again yourself. You would notice, that even the minds of the kings are ought to conform to God’s will. Each of us is called to act with humility, modesty, fear of the Lord, kindness, prudence, charity, always, while not remaining indifferent to the cry of the poor, the needy and those on the margins (v.13).

In other words, for Proverbs, as in other texts of the Bible “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28; cf. Deuteronomy’s Shamar Y’israel), which is the same as “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Prv 1:7; 9:10; 15:33 etc).

Christ was very emphatic about this too in the Gospel of today, Luke 8:19-21. When he was told that his brothers and mother and relatives were looking for him Jesus replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Although the natural family of Jesus is not necessarily rejected, Jesus wants to stress the importance of obedience to God, the fear of the Lord by every person, all of us, as essential criterion for intimacy and mutual concern among Christians!

Therefore, today’s scriptures challenge us to re-evaluate how we fear the Lord, obey him, listen to him, keep his words, love our neighbors, as ourselves, practice justice, righteousness, mercy, truthfulness, honesty, accountability, kindness, self- restrain, modesty, prudence, co-vivalism(Archbishop, Obinna of Owerri Diocese, Nigeria), communal living, dialogue, ubuntu, assistance to the poor, the elderly, respect to other creatures and biodiversity. These are all right, just and more acceptable to the Lord (Prv 21:3; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:14ff).

Reflection Questions

1.      How do we understand “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”?

2.      Could you think of how often you pursue right and just actions in your community?

3.      Who are your mothers, brothers and sisters? Do you listen, hear God’s words and try to put them into practice and how and why not?

 

 

“I did not Come to Call the Righteous but Sinners,” (Matt 9:13b; cf. Luke 5:27).; Homily- Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist,

 

Homily- Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Fr. Udoekpo, Michael

v Eph 4:1-7,11-13

v Ps 19:2-3,4-5

v Matthew 9: 9-13

“I did not Come to Call the Righteous but Sinners,” (Matt 9:13b; cf. Luke 5:27).

Today we celebrate the feast of the calling of Saint Matthew, Tax Collector, Apostles and Evangelist. We learn from tradition that St. Matthew was a publican, that is, a tax collector for Rome, a profession that was despised by the Jews, as sinners, because they would abuse their office. Probably, they would collect more than required. Our Lord, in today’s Gospel (Matt 9:9-13) called him, out of his mercy, graciousness, kindness and love, to follow him as an Apostles, in spite of Matthew’s unworthiness!

 Matthew, is called Levi in Luke’s account (Luke 5:27). His vocation reminds us of the responsorial Psalm of yesterday, the 25^th Sunday of Year A, that” the Lord is near to all who call upon him” (Ps 145:8). It also remind us that God is a good father who distributes his gifts the way he wants,  for the good of the community, as read in yesterday’s Gospel as well (cf. Matt 20:1-16a). He watches over each and every one of us according to our needs. We all have our own talents, which must be used in unity with the Church and our communities. There is no need for quarrel, jealousy, and divisions, as illustrated in the Corinthian community, and in some of our contemporary communities, today.

This is the point of God’s generosity in gifts distribution for the common good, that  Saint Paul is making in the first reading (Eph 4:1-7, 11-13) . He argues for the unity of the church, of Jews and gentiles of the recognition of unity in diversity.  God has given some the gifts of being “Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelist, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of the ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.” These gifts must be handle with patience, humility, gentleness, love and peace bearing in mind our baptismal faith.

Prior to Paul and his message to the Ephesians, in the first reading, Matthew’s calling also reminds us of the story Rahab, the prostitute, in the Book of Joshua whom God used to save his people. What about the 12 Judges, major and minor and some of the Kings of Israel. Often they were not the best. But, God chose and sent them. What about Isaiah of Babylon, a man of unclean lips. What about Jeremiah who complained that he was too young at his calling!  What about Ruth, the Moabite, becoming the great-great- grand-mother of Jesus!. The list of God’s calling improbable people, and using them as his instrument goes on. God can really write on a crooked line!

In the Gospel, account, when the Pharisees challenged the divine act of Jesus interacting and eating with sinners, they were met with the divine and merciful answer, that “those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Jesus, “desires mercy and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:14). He called Matthew, the tax collector to be his Apostles because he saw him through the eyes of mercy (Matt 9:9-13; John 7:53-8:11).

Many of us would recall, this is one of the passages that influenced Pope Francis’ choice of his episcopal motto: Misarando Atque Eligendo (God saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him), as he had chosen Matthew in today’s Gospel (cf. Exod 34:6-7; Jonah, Psalm 85 and Micah, who is like God)!

We pray the Lord through today’s feast and readings to sanctify, bless all our professions, gifts, talents, works and our endeavors so that we may see them as a means to the unity of faith of the Church, the Body of Christ. And even in our weaknesses, we may never lose sight of the fat that “he came to call sinners not the righteous.”

Reflection Questions

1.     Do you see yourself in Matthew of today’s Gospel, how and why?

2.     How do we use our gift to foster unity in the church and in our communities?

3.     What prevents us from encouraging others to realize that God can write on a crooked line? He came to call sinners,  and not the righteous ( Luke 5:27)?

 

 

In the Lord’s Vineyard God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways ;Homily-Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Year A

 

Homily-Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Year A

In the Lord’s Vineyard God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways 

v  Isa 55:6-9

v  Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

v  Phil 1:20c-24, 27a

v  Matt 20:1-16a

Today’s Scripture readings remind all of us in the Lord’s vineyard that God’s ways are not our ways. His standards are not our standards. His sense of justice, love, compassion (rehem), mercy (rahum), generosity, and forgiveness—right and wrong—are not ours. Though we are all in need of God’s love and mercy, there is a clear contrast between the heavens and the earth, mortal and immortality, and the divine and humans. Often our human standards are corroded not just by jealousy, but by anger and judgmental feelings—as if others are undeserving of what they have, or as if we deserve more than our next-door neighbors. God’s standards and ways are the opposite. Everyone deserves the same divine love and mercy. We are invited to imitate, reflect on, and follow these divine ways in the Lord’s vineyard.

 We heard this invitation extended to the exilic and post-exilic Israelites in today’s first reading, Isaiah of Babylon (Isa 55:6-9). The same is rendered in music in Psalm 145. For the exiles—and for us today—what difference does it make if, by imitating the Lord, who “is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made” (Ps 145:9), we let go of our bad habits and earthly images? What difference does it make if we renew our relationship with God, aim at the image of heavenly heights, chart our way to salvation, accept what God wants of us, forgive those who have offended us, and join hands in rebuilding a community once destroyed by sin, poor leadership, corruption, greed, hatred, discrimination, lack of faith, and enemy fire?

 In the second reading (Phil 1:20c-27a), Paul offers an example of what God wants of us. In spite of all his missionary endeavors, imprisonments, and time spent awaiting execution because of his faith, Paul finds time to write a letter to the Christian community at Philippi in northern Greece. In this letter, Paul writes that life or death does not make any difference to him (Phil 1:20c–27a). Paul is totally for Christ. Whatever he wants, Christ’s ways are his.

This is illustrated in today’s parable of the workers in the vineyard. In this parable (Matt 20:1-16a), many who are first could be last, and the last could become first (Matt 20:16). This standard can be challenging to us because of our human thinking and judging. But it becomes easier when we accept that God is the landowner. He employs us and pays us, and he distributes his wages generously to whomever he wishes, for he knows the needs of those in the Lord’s vineyard, be they Jews, Gentiles, or Christians.

 Wherever we are on our journey as Christians—whether longstanding Christians, converts, neophytes, young or old, male or female—may we yearn for God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, and generosity. May we be open to God’s ways, his wavelength, and his standards by sharing his blessings, love, and mercy with others wherever we are.

Reflection Questions:

1. Can you think of any examples of God’s love and acts of mercy and generosity in your life?

2. How can you relate to today’s readings, especially the Gospel parable of the workers in the vineyard or Paul’s letter?

3. Have you ever thought that you are more deserving of God’s love and mercy than your neighbor? What makes you think that?

4. In what ways have you assisted disgruntled members of your faith community to be contented and realize that God distributes his love, mercy, and wages to all as he deems fit?

5. Going back to the book of Genesis, what do the images of heaven and earth, divine and human, first and last, life and death, and mortal and immortal of today’s readings remind you of?