Homily 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily 11^th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16; 2 Cor 5:1-10 and Mark 4:26-34

 We walk by Faith Not by Sight (2 Cor 5:6-10)

 In every 3^rd Sunday in June we celebrate Father’s Day in the United States of America. Historically this memorial dates back to the mining tragic incidence involving many fathers in 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia. Like the mother’s day celebration, today with joy we are reminded of the place of our fathers, teachers, mentors or father figures in our lives. The love, the shoes, the care, the clothing, the protection and tuition fees, name them!

Spiritually, it reminds us of God’s role; the role of the “Father of fathers” in our life’s journeys. Our faith history, past, present and future is watched over by God. This is true in the Bible readings of today, which reaches back to the time of Zedekiah, Christ and Paul, leaving lessons for us to learn.

 In the concluding section of the parable of the eagle (Ezek 17:22-24) Prophet Ezekiel explains how God protects those who trust him. He compares Christ with King Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle dethroned and deported to Babylon (2 Kings 24:11-16). Zedekiah rebelled and broke his oath and faith in God, in the face of the threat of “the eagle” Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. Zedekiah allowed himself to be tricked into death, by Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (2 Kings 25:1-6).

  Remember, God does not like this sort of disobedience, oath breaking and faithlessness orchestrated by Zedekiah.  Although he is removed the Lord will provide Israel with a messiah from a lowly root, namely Christ as prophesied Israel’s prophets (Isa 9:6-7).

The tender branch that will be removed and planted on a lofty mountain, in the first reading is nothing, but the presence of the promised messiah (Isa 4:2; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8) in the Church, the mountain. The high tree,, is Zedekiah, with accompanying acts of disobedience and faithlessness shall be brought low, while the humble tree Christ, faithfulness and his values shall be exalted.

 This remings us of Mary, the Mother and Joseph her husband in the mysteries of the infancy narratives (Luke 1­–2 and Matthew 1–2).  They walked by faith, and aspire to serve and please the Lord. He says, “we walk by faith and not by sight,” (2 Cor 5:6-10). 

With faith the humanly impossible becomes divinely possible. Faith makes meaningful to us not the parable of the eagles in prophet Ezekiel but also the parable of the smallest  scattered seed which grows and springs up once planted to become the largest plants in the farm (Mark 4:26-34). Each of us has a place in the kingdom even with the minutest of our faith and acts of love.

In the face of adversities, mysteries, disappointment,  threats, bad economy, unfaithfulness,  insult, war, famine, illness, lose of loved ones, many of our parents, particularly our fathers know how to persevere, love their wives and children or teach us endurance, patience, care and forgiveness.  

We want to honor our husbands today. We want to pray for our fathers and father figures today, including our mentors and teachers, our brothers, friends, nephews and uncles. We want to appreciate them. And share in the gifts that God has blessed them with, especially the gift of faith in God, the Father of all fathers. For we “walk by faith and not by sight.”

Homily The Solemnity of Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Homily The Solemnity of Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Readings: Exodus 24:3-8; Ps 116:12-18; Heb 9:11-15 and Mark 14; 12-16, 22-26

The Presence of Christ, the efficacy of his Body and Blood

Today is the Solemnity of the Body of Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, in Latin. I would like to invite you to reflect with me on the theme, “the presence of Christ, the efficacy of his Body and Blood.” I have chosen this theme because when Pope Urban IV in 1264, the time of Saint Thomas Aquinas instituted this celebration, among the things he had in mind was that we continue to be devoted to Christ, worship him with hymns and songs, processions, genuflections, adoration,  veneration, visitations, for he is ever present with us in the Blessed Sacrament of love, at Mass, in the bread we break, in the cup we share, in our neighbors we love, in the Church we listen to, and pray with. He is present on our faith journeys.

His presence of love, his covenant with us is unbroken, ever active and effective at least from his part. In ancient days, in Exodus 19, God on Mount Sinai established this covenant of love, and his divine presence with Israel. This covenant was ratified in today’s first reading, Exodus 24:3-8, by the sprinkling of blood on the altar and on the people.  These ancient rites continued on. We see this in Leviticus 16 and 17, on the Day of Atonement, blood sprinkled by priests in the Holy of Holies.  Since ancient times this sprinkled blood was not only a sacred symbol, but a symbol of life, a sign of purification from sins, filthy things, blessings, peace (shalom), good luck, covenant and life’s renewal in the years ahead.

But in the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah 31:31” in the days to come I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah,” the author to the Letter to the Hebrews in the second reading (Heb 9:11-15) moves a step further to remind us of the efficacy of the Body and blood of Christ, the new covenant foretold by the prophets.

By dying for us on the cross (as we saw during the Holy Week) Christ fulfills/perfects this covenant. He is both the perfect high priest and the perfect sacrifice. Christ’s blood, shed on the cross is more effective than the blood of the animals shed annually and sprinkled on the altar and on the people by the OT priests.

Notice the argument from “less” to “great” or from the “lesser” to the “greater” presented by the second reading. He says, “Christ came as the high priests of the good things that have come to be.” He passes through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, entered into the divinely constructed sanctuary or tent that is heaven, with his own blood, not with animal blood like goats and calves, in order to bring us eternal redemption.

If the ordinary animal blood could be effective in the context of earthly sacrifice, how much more the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, his body and blood. Christ in the Gospel (Mark 14:12-16, 22-26) says, “Take this is my body… and for the cup, this is my blood of the covenant,” words we repeat at every Mass we celebrate. This body and blood of Christ is efficacious. It is superior to the blood of the animals in the OT. It cleanses our consciences from sins, from dead works and enables us to worship the living true God and restore our rightful relationship with God. 

He is alive in the rich and the poor. Christ is alive in the healthy and the sick. He is alive in the living and in our loves ones gone before us marked with the sign faith. He is alive in our relationship with one another. In our homes and rooms he remains the unseen guests of the believer. He is alive in the sacred music. He is alive in the Holy Scriptures we share.   He is alive among peace makers, champions of unity and in those who forgive wrong doings done to them.  Above all He is really present with us,”transubstantially,” in the bread and in the wine when the priests invoke God’s blessings upon it at the epiclesis, particularly in the community of believers.

This reminds me of the song: He’s alive amen, He’s alive, and Jesus is alive forever…He’s alive amen! 

As we celebrate this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ may we continue to share our faith and our experience of the efficacy of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist with our neighbors, friends and family members!

Homily Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year B: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Deut 4:32-34, 39-40; Ps 33:4-9, 18-20, 22; Rom 8:14-17 and Matt 28:16-20

The Mystery of God’s Love

“Blessed are those whom the Lord has chosen as his own” (Psalm 33:12).

This is the responsorial psalm of today. Some translations would say, “Happy are the nations whose God is the Lord, the people chosen as his very own’” (NAB). What ever translation, this psalm captures the essence of our celebration today, Israel in the presence of God; the Church, our community in the presence of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

We celebrate the mystery(that which surpasses our human understanding) of the three persons in One God, the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity; a Triune God who loves and cares for us; the mystery of all that God has done in our lives. This is not a God whom we want to question today “how did three of you become one,” but a God who loves to see us practice our faith or go out to the whole world and preach the values of Christ Jesus, his only begotten, whose birth stories we share at Christmas, passion, resurrection and Ascension at Easter and the coming down of the Holy spirit at Pentecost, to lead the Church.

The 1^st reading of today from Deuteronomy Chapter 4 is a clear exhortation or call to remember all these mysteries and wonders God has done for us in the past- in creation, signs and wonders, the liberation from slavery, exodus and redemption.  God can do what humanly seems impossible. I am sure you may have your personal testimonies. Recall God’s wonders including the miracle of the air or oxygen we breathe, the wars he defeated the enemies, the 10 plagues, the miracle of the read sea- all these should strengthen our faith and enable us believe more and more in God- keeping his statues and his basic commandments, namely love of neighbor and God!

He is a miracle working God who out of love journeyed in his son to save us- a son who left us with the Spirit at Pentecost. Each of us become adopted sons and daughters of God when we aloud this spirit of God to lead us. This is the same spirit that we received initially at baptism. Like in the Gospel of today, we all were baptized not only with water, but in the name of God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:16-20).  We want not only to read the fruit of this spirit but we want this spirit to lead us always, even as we bring others to catholic faith by our words and deeds. This is why Paul says, today, ‘brothers a sisters, those who are lead by the Spirit of God are sons (and daughters) of God… the spirit of adoption” (Rom 8:14-17).

We also become God’s children and Christ’s brothers and sisters by adopting and adapting his values of peace, unity, faith, prayer, love, obedience and complete self-surrendering, which Mary the Mother of Christ also stood for this even in the magnificat  Luke 1:39-56). She once  said to the Angel  "how can this be since I do not know any man." But at the end the day, she said,  "do  with we me whatever thou wilt". How many times did Christ not pray in every step of the way during his ministry? In the last discourse in John 17 he prayed ‘that they may all be one.” Did Christ ever disobey his father? Did Christ ever doubt what his father can do?  How many times did he not completely empty himself and surrendered himself to the Father, even up to the cross? It was never about himself, his will, but always the will of the Father. He said “into your hands I commend my spirit.”

 I think if there is anything we want to take home today from this Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity it is faith not doubt, unity not division, hope not despair, trust rather than distrust and total acceptance of the will God, especially in moments of temptations and lack of intelligible explanations to certain circumstances of our lives.   You and I know that sometimes when one door closes another opens. Even in sickness and other tragedies of live we can always trust God’s loving acts, and says the Psalmist, “May your love and kindness be upon us, as we place all our hope in you’ (ps 33:22). The mystery of God’s love!

Homily Pentecost Sunday Year B (Mass during the Day): Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily Pentecost Sunday Year B (Mass during the Day): Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 103; I Cor 12:2-3, 12-13 and John 20:19-20.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in our lives

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Pentecost, 50 days after the celebration of Easter- the resurrection of Christ. The Jews celebrated this feast 50 days after the Feast of Passover- thanking God for the gift of harvest as well for His Sinaitic Covenant with Moses which also occurs 50 days after the beginning of the Exodus in Egypt.

For us today marks the end of the Easter Season and commemorates the day that the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and on the Church. We are celebrating the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives as Christian men, women and children. We need this gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives today more than ever, in order for us to be able to function as true Christians and agents of evangelization without fear and intimidation, despair, quarrel, discrimination and desire for vengeance, bigotry, division and unhealthy competition.

I remember when I was a kid between the ages of 4-10. I always wanted to hold onto my mum whom I loved and depended on. I always cried, sad and disturbed the whole neighborhood each time my mother would leave me at home to go the grocery store or to the local market for shopping. Sometimes we do feel the same each time somebody we love is about to leave us.

The Apostles felt the same – they were sad when Jesus indicated last week, in the reading of the Solemnity of Ascension that he was leaving to go to the Father. But, he promised them the Holy Spirit.

Recall, the same Holy Spirit was important even throughout the ministry of Jesus.  Remember at his baptism the Spirit descended upon Jesus and named him as he beloved son of the Father. At the beginning of his public ministry in Luke chapter 4, Jesus invoked the prophecy of Isa 61- “The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me. He has anointed me to bring Good news to the poor, and liberty to the captives….”   It was this same Spirit of the Lord that raised Jesus from the dead, and enabled him ascends to the Father.

Just as it was not easy for me when my mum would leave me home momentarily to get to the store for groceries or for any us to loose a dear one, the Bible Readings of today from Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s Letter to the Corinthian and the Gospel of John not only present us with the challenges that face the early Christian community after the Ascension of Jesus.

St. Luke tells us in Acts of the Apostles how the persecuted and frightened and post-ascension church could not really teach the mission of Jesus to the understanding of everyone from different tribes and culture until they had received the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit the early church was filled with fear, wrangling, uncertainties and confusions.

It was the Holy Spirit that enables the Apostles to face with love and patience the ridicule, the rejection they had to deal with after the ascension of Jesus. It was the Holy Spirit that enables them to be understood by people of all nations listed in today’s first reading. The Spirit of unity.

We need this spirit of God (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord) to deal with the challenges that face us today in our families, in the society, in schools, offices, and places of work, in our nations as followers of Christ.

Some of these challenges you know better than I do may include, division, discrimination, quarrels, pride, boasting, abusing our gifts and selfishness in our homes and in politics and in our communities. These are some the problems that St. Paul was addresses in the early Corinthian Church, of the 2^nd reading.

For Paul in Baptism we are all one body in Christ. Just as the eye cannot say I don’t need the fingers or the nose, my legs or ears are not necessarily, we need one another in Christ. You can't say your next door neighbor or the next person on your left or right is not important. Every one is needed. All the gifts we have are important and we need your gifts to live in fullness with Christ.  None of us sitting here is a chance factor before God or is not gifted with one gift or another. We are all gifted.

For Paul the sharing of these various spiritual gifts enriches the Church, since they all come from the same Spirit for the common good. In other words these gifts are meant for the common good, for the community.  They may reside in some of us informs of prophecy, teaching, administration, acts of charity, healing, speaking in tongues, apostles, prophets,  etc .But usually what this spirit brings should be joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal 5:22ff).

This is the Spirit that Jesus breathed on the Apostles on the evening of that Easter Sunday in today’s Gospel. It is the Spirit of peace, shalom, wholeness to be agents of evangelization and forgiveness.

Let us pray at this Mass for the gift of the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives so that we may constantly not only feel the presence of God, his peace and joy in our lives but be able to willingly share it with our neighbors.

Homily 7th Sunday of Easter Year B: Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Homily 7^th Sunday of Easter Year B: Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Readings Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26; 1 John 4: 11-16 and John 17:11b-19

 He prayed that they may all be one

“Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying, “ Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one”(John 17:11b).

There is no better day to read the priestly prayer of Jesus than the occasion of Johannine Jesus’ last discourse, preparing his disciples for the Post Ascension or Pre- Pentecost periods of evangelization and demands of discipleship. What will become of the Disciples of Christ and the Church after Jesus’ Ascension to the Father? It also makes sense to us in today's broken world, plague with wars, and all kinds of divisions and discriminations.

If we read the preceding verse 11a of this 17^th chapter of John, Jesus wishes is expressed, “And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father keep them in you name…”

Jesus himself was in deep union with his Father throughout his ministry. He remains with him.. His Ascension was the work of the Father, who lifted him up. He knew the journey was not always going to be easy for his disciple and church.  The more reasons in his High Priestly Prayer of today’s Gospel he committed our well being and faith into God’s hands. He wants us to remain with the Father and stick around in love and unity with one another. He prayed that through the gift of the Holy Spirit each of us may be brought into that kind of deep union and friendship that he had shared with God His Father.

Besides faith, hope and love stressed in the 2^nd reading, prayer and openness for the guidance of the Holy Spirit should be our key principles. The union of the disciples and the church can be achieved through incessant prayer, even in making choices or key decision like the selection of Matthias to replace Judas who had betrayed Christ and gone his way. In doing this we are told in the 1^st reading, the church prayed and said:

“You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two (Judas called Barsabbas and Matthias) you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas has turned away to go to his own place.”

How many of us have not turned away once in a while or tempted to do so from the teachings of the Church, from the teachings of the Holy Scripture from our faith tradition, from the teachings of Christ, love, charity, peace, serenity, gentleness, humility forgiveness, unity, “do to others what you would want don to you” (matt 7:12) and sometimes go our own way. With prayer everything is possible.  With prayer we can make a U-turn back to Christ. With prayer we can remain with him.

 Prior to our decisions and choice making, be it that of the college to go to, a particular doctor to visit, suggestions to make at family and executive meetings, which mass to attend or what menu to choose from, a particular book to read, movie to watch or friends to hang out with,  at the United Nations or G-8 meeting,we want to pray, we want to always consult our advocate, our counselor, the Holy Spirit through prayers.

At this Mass, remember this is our upper Room, let us re-dedicate our life’s mysteries into God’s hands. Let us imitate our Mother Mary and the apostles, who prayed before Matthias was selected, who kept the faith, who waited patiently and prayerfully in unity for the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, come next Sunday.

Homily the Ascension of the Lord Year B: Fr .Michael U. Udoekpo

 

Homily the Ascension of the Lord Year B: Fr .Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-23 and Mark 16:15-20

Lifted up to make known the Gospel

 In different parts of the world, including the ecclesiastical Provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha and Philadelphia here in the States, the Solemnity of Ascension was celebrated on Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter. In other places including our Archdiocese (Milwaukee) here, Ascension is celebrated today, the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Today's celebration is a culmination of the events of the Paschal mysteries of Christ (recall his birth-ministry-passion-death-resurrection and Ascension)! Remember, during the Passion Week, it was evident that the death of Christ was never going to be a defeat, but a victory, an exaltation, a glorification and a lifting up of the Son of Man, “when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw everyone to myself,” ( John 12:32).

On the Cross, he rose above the pettiness of those who had anything to do with His persecution. He drew to himself the Jews, the Gentiles, men and women, including, the Roman soldiers, the Beloved Disciples, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, every one was at the foot of the Cross.  With his resurrection and appearances many also including the doubting Thomas came to belief in Christ and finally was able to say, My Lord and My God.”

 The readings of today continue to testify to God’s work in Christ Jesus. In Marks account of the Ascension after Jesus had chatted with his friends and the disciples about faith and continuous spreading of the gospel to all parts of the world fearlessly Jesus, “was lifted up into heaven” where he took his seat at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). Luke presents the same testimony in the first reading, Acts of the Apostles (1:1-11) confirmed by Paul in the Second reading in Eph 1:17-23.

In all these God is at work. He seated Jesus at his right hand to watch over us; to judge the living and the dead. From there he sends us the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, the Spirit of mission, the spirit of Evangelization.  Even after the Ascension, the end of today’s Gospel says, “the went forth and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirm the word through accompanying signs.”

 God never disappoint any one who trust in Him.  He continues to be at work in us. When we are down he is prepared to lift us up. When we are discouraged he is there to offer us courage. The mission he commissions us today “go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel,” is not measured by distance. It is measured by faith.  There is mission to be done in this parish/school and residence home/families. It is measured by hope. It is measured by love. It is measured by the way we imitate Christ, his principles and values, in every circumstances of life.

 We are called to be missionaries even onto ourselves, to our children, to our spouses, friends, families and next door neighbors. We are called to preach, pray for and lift out our children and friends out of drug abuse? With his Ascension we are called to transcend faithlessness and continue to pray for our nations to recognize more and more the place of God in our lives, in our politics and homes.

I was so impressed and up lifted yesterday when a friend of mine in New York, actually called from Arizona asking for prayer for his brother, whom he believe was in a very dark and bad place (state of life)... After listening I offered few words of encouragement and upliftment to the family.

Although Christ has departs, today’s solemnity reminds us that Christ  still remains with us in the tabernacle, in the Holy Eucharist, in kinds words we share with our neighbors. He is with us in the passages of the Scripture. He is with us in our schools, in our studies, offices, work places and where we live (here in this residence home).  He says, in Matthew 28:19-20 “I am with you always, until the end of the time.”

Let us pray at this Mass that as Christ was lifted up, we may be lifted up in Spirit to be able to lift up others up, especially the poor, the sick, the needy and continue to believe and make known the Good News of Christ, in our words and actions, in our homes, families and in every situation in life.

Homily 6th Sunday of Easter Year B (Mother’s Day USA): Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Homily 6^th Sunday of Easter Year B (Mother’s Day USA): Fr. Michael Udoekpo

Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-14 and John 15:9-19

God loves as a Loving Mother

Today we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States. It gives each and every one of us including those in the media an opportunity to think of where we came from, the roles of our mothers in our lives, in our society, those virtues of a good and impartial mother, the role of women- embodied in God who loves us equally. Artists have portrayed this impartial love of a good mom in music and other forms of art as well!

I remember many years ago the story of a Maltese loving mother who gave birth to conjoin-Siamese baby boys. Any surgery to separate them would result from one baby boy giving up his life for the other. It was a very difficult choice for both parents, especially the mom, who really spoke up, passionately. Her argument was that she loved both children equally, without partiality.  I am sure  many of us have also  seen or  heard about children, sons and daughters, husbands in prison who are loved by their moms and wives in spite of  who they are.

These loving mothers and wives or friends, remind us of a loving and impartial God whom Peter bore witnessed to in the 1^st reading- the inauguration of the Gentile Mission. Directed in a vision to the household of Cornelius who received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and baptism, there Peter stood up and spoke about the universality of God’s love,

“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

God loves everyone without restriction, men and women, children and adults of all cultures.

He reveals himself to every nation, Jews and Gentiles in all aspects, in the wonders of our being, in the oxygen we breath ( ps 98), which sometimes we take for granted. He loves us as the Father had first loved him.  And the more reason he insists in today's  Gospel ( John 15:9-17)  that we should remain with him, in his love or “attach” ourselves to him and practice the love he has taught us by loving one another- parents, mom, dad, children and our neighbors.

 We live in a challenging time that some children, husbands tend to ignore if not abandon their parents, wives or aged moms in nursing homes, without visitation. Sometimes we forget their roles in our lives, in our families.  I saw on the TV yesterday an “attaching image” of 2-3 year old boy to a loving mom. The boy was stood up on a stool while being breast fed by the mom. And the argument on media was whether breast feeding was good or not, and to what year. Most impressively said breast feeding is still the best at least in the first year of the baby !   I personally was very close to my loving mom (RIP). I wonder where I would have been today without mom not just breast-feeding  me,  but her overall care, physical/spiritual love and upbringing.

Today is the day we want to say thank to all our mothers, in our communities, and homes. Call them. Send them cards. Take them out for dinner. Present them with flowers and learn to imitate their God’s given virtues of care, affection, diligence, and selfless love for all their children without partiality.

“Because love is of God, everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-10).

God Loves as a Loving Mother, without partiality!