Friday, February 21, 2014

Homily (2) Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time A: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo


Homily (2) Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time A:  Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo
 Readings: Lev 19:1-2, 17-18; Ps 103:1-2,3-4,8,10,12-13; 1 Cor 3:16-23 and Matt 5:38-48

 Love and Charity- the fullness of Law in Christ!

I was born in the time of the Vatican II, just like many of you (in this Congregation). Obviously, there are also many of you who were born before the Vatican II Council. This group would testify that there have been a lot changes, updating, innovation and renewals, particularly in the areas of liturgical teachings and laws in the Church to meet the needs of the time and culture. Remember, there were times priests were celebrating the Holy mass backing the congregation. But today Masses are celebrated facing the people. There were times Scriptures at worship were read only in Latin. Today we can read it in English. Different nations and cultures can also read it in their native languages. Thanks be to God!
In some nations there were times women and the minority were not allow to vote at elections. But today those laws have been changed around.  In other parts of the world where cast- system and dictatorship style of government are practice, many are beginning to realize the need for and update. What about the issues of equal pay? In the past men were paid higher than women. Today, we are all agitating for equal pay. What about the “stand your ground laws” in different parts of the United States, Florida in particular? Some are asking that this law be reviewed.

Why  am I saying this? I am saying this because of today’s Bible readings. The Book of Leviticus 19:17-18, part of the Holiness Code (Lev 17–26) which says “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But Jesus today, in Matthew’s Gospel says “love your enemy” (Matt 5:44), no retaliation, be charitable to all.   The Book of Exodus 21:24-25, quoted even by Jesus, said, “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” but Jesus says, “offer no resistance to one who is evil.” (Matt 5:38-42).

 What we must  bear in mind  as we reflect on these Bible passages is that just as we have laws in the church and in the society today been constantly reviewed or updated, the ancient society also needed laws that were been constantly reviewed, innovated and updated to regulate it. Every Society beginning from the time of Moses, Paul and Jesus needed laws and ethical principles to regulate it. They needed an acceptable way of dealing with those who disrupt it.  For examples, laws in the book of Exodus were constantly updated in Leviticus, in Deuteronomy, in Nehemiah down to the time of Jesus. Think of what our society would have been without laws against running the red light or robbing a bank.
The retributive ethics of the Covenant Code, ‘an eye for an eye or a tooth for tooth” that Christ is working on today from Exodus 21:24-25 was not meant to promote revenge and retaliation. Rather they were meant to protect the citizens against un-proportional, illegitimate and unending retaliation. They were meant to say if a “fly perches on your food you don’t need to attack the fly with an atomic bomb or AK47.  Otherwise you might cause more damage than the fly. I remember the last Russian –Georgia war the language of disproportional use of force was constantly used on the media. But for Christ, charity must overcome the thought and the acts of retaliation and violence and disproportionate wars not meant to dissuade attacking enemies and acts of terrorism.

Christ also takes up the Holiness ethics of the first reading, Leviticus 19:18, which says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And “neighbor” here  is  referring to a fellow Israelite, since a different attitude was required towards those other nations that were hostile to them (see Deut 23:1-3). Certainly, during the time of Christ these laws were also changing. But Jesus teaches us today to take a different spiritual and moral steps and a refined position with regard to our relationship with everybody including those we do not like so much, or those we know do not like us. We need to reread and re-listen to Christ’s sermon on the mountain (Matt 5:1-12), Christ is telling us today that everyone is your neighbors, love them (Matt 5:38-48).
We also see the true Christian definition of a neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 29-36. We see this in the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan women in John chapter 4:4-42. This is what faith does. This is what the water of baptism does. It sets us apart to live the law of love and of Christ!

Sometimes without faith and prayers, Christ invitation to holiness of life of non-revenge and non-violence or practice of charity to everyone sounds frightening and impossible. They are possible with the grace of God. And we can do this in many little ways.

Christ did not come to abolish the laws, but to fulfill them. He rather came replacing violence, racisms, discriminating love with his mission to the cross (Luke 23:24), teaching us how to love and forgive all, including those who persecute the church or ill-treat us. It is uncharitable if we rush to  rashes judge our neighbors, “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 3:16-23)  or put up a stone face or domineering behavior, becoming absorbed  in our personal limited opinions, and world-views in place of openness, a warm smile.
It is uncharitable even to select those we say “good morning” to. Or engage in gossips, negative criticism, retaliations or spread falsehoods about our neighbors. For Christ this will be a pagan way of travelling. And none of us would want to travel that low road. We want to live and travel the law which is of fullness of love in Christ!

Let us pray at this Mass for a the grace to live this law of love with deep universal charity and spirit of faith- perseverance to be holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy (Lev 19:2).

 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Homily (2) Sixth Sunday of Year A: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo


Homily (2) Sixth Sunday of Year A:  Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo
 Readings: Sir 15:15-20; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34; 1 Cor 2:6-10 and Matt 5:17-37

 Law of Love and Grace in Christ!

 Today we celebrate the law of love, grace and freedom in Christ Jesus. We find these laws on the pages of the Bible, both OT and NT, especially in today’s readings. But they were constantly being renewed, updated and reinterpreted to meet the signs of times. Just as the laws of our nations today are constantly scrutinized and reinterpreted. Several OT laws and precepts are reinterpreted Christologically in Christian tradition, as they find their fulfillment in the NT.

In the OT’s  Laws and the Prophets, if we may begin from here, we find the three major codes: the covenant Codes (Exod 19–24; 34), the Holiness Codes (Lev 16–27) and the Deuteronomic Codes (Deut 12–16) all which were constantly updated, innovated, renewed and reinterpreted by Israel’s prophets and sages. Their goal was to preach justice, peace, righteousness, faith, orderliness and holiness of life, trustworthiness in God and in the covenant of love he had established with his chosen people, Israel.

In the time of Hellenism, when Israel’s faith was threatened by secular and Greek philosophical thoughts Ben Sira (200-175BCE) insists in today’s first reading that keeping the Torah or the fear of the Lord was the greatest wisdom and the best way to approach the challenges of life.  He says, “If you chose you can keep the commandments it will save you…. if you trust in God you too shall live… immense is the Wisdom of the Lord…no one does he command to act unjustly, to none does he give license to sin” (Sir 15:15-20).

 So also with Christ. He did not come to abolish the law but to perfect it, to fulfil it and to teach us new ways of living these laws, presented in today’s gospel (Matt 5:17-37). The difference with Christ is love and compassion which he has profoundly displayed in the course of his ministry. His forgiveness to sinners, prostitutes and adulterers, his healing compassion to the sick, the blind, the deaf, the cripple and lepers and tax collectors. His breaking the barrier of discrimination and racism. He reaching out to the Samaritan and the Syro-Phonician women in John 4 and Mark 7, something unprecedented in the old laws.

  In the old Law the sinful high priest sacrificed and atoned for his sins and that of the community, repeatedly(Leviticus 16), but in the new law the sinless Christ sacrifices himself once and for all(Letter to the Hebrews).  In the old law we should not kill. But in Christ Jesus no one should ever dare to call others name or abused his or her neighbors. In Christ these are forms of killing. When we abuse, intimidate or call others names, assassinate their characters, especially our children and the weak, it makes them feel they are good for nothing, and dampens their spirit. Even sometimes the pseudo-media propaganda against other nations, especially the poor ones can also be very damaging and killing.

 When we deny our poor nations or neighbors’ children access to good education, when we exclude the poor, we have indirectly kill their social, political and economic future (cf. Evangelii Gaudium of Pope Francis). We have killed their prospect of good jobs. Good jobs comes with good health care insurance, descent homes, good income, clothing, and livelihood that stands to be handed on to future generations.

The law of Christ is the new law of love, trust and freedom, forgiveness and compassion. We should not have to swear before we believe or trust one another. For Christ, our yes should be our yes, and our no our no! This law of trust and confidence in Christ Jesus, is powered by the Holy Spirit and it is written in the hearts of every human being.

Paul says, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heart, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for who those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes, even the depths of God” (1 Cor 2:6-10).

This is the law of love, the law of grace and the law of freedom in Christ Jesus! And blessed are those who follow these laws of Christ!

 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Our Lady of Lourdes (World Day of the Sick) Homily- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo


Our Lady of Lourdes (World Day of the Sick) Homily- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Isa 66:10-14c; Ps Judith 13:18cde, 19 John 2:1-11

The Healing Role of a Mother
Today we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of the sick. It was on this day, February 11 1858, in Southern France, Lourdes, that the Blessed Virgin Mary made her first of the eighteen appearances to Sister, Saint Bernadette, and then a 14 year old Maria Bernade of Soubirous.

The message of Lourdes is  a message of a loving and comforting mother, conceived without sin(immaculate conception) but now wishing her children well, inviting them to conversion, penance, simplicity of life, humility, prayer and charity especially to the poor and the sick. It is a significant prayer and messaging day in the Church that goes back to the times of Popes Leo XIII, Pius the X and the XI who canonized Sister Bernadette in 1933.
As you all know it wasn’t easy for Bernadette to initially convince his family, the community and the local church of her encounter with Mary at the grotto and the healing spring of water that she found there. Faith takes some time to grow and mature.

In the years following this apparition there have been many physical and spiritual healings at Lourdes, which has become a place of spiritual pilgrimage today. Many of you have been there. I was there in June 2013, and even went further celebrate  Mass in the Convent of Saint Gildard, in Nevers, where the incorruptible body of Saint Bernadette is preserved. My visit to Lourdes was a life changing experience for me, watching people (Catholics and Protestants) regained their faith and walked away from the Grotto, healed and renewed with a loving acceptance of divine will through the intercessory role of Mary, our Mother.

In the first reading of today, Trito Isaiah (Isa 66:10-14c) presents us Jerusalem and God as a  mother, who not only gives birth, but breast feeds, nurse, cares, fondles, loves and comforts her children in good times and in bad times, in health and in sickness. She provides for her children.

At Cana in Galilee today, during a weeding ceremony, the same woman that appeared to Sister Bernadette of Sibourous turned to Jesus and said, Son, “they have no wine”(John 2:1-11) and wine was provided, shielding the community from imminent embarrassment and affliction.

Today is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sick. We are invited at this Mass to pray for the sick, the poor, and the suffering especially those very closed to us and members our community. In our formation here, studies and work we also ask God for all the energy we need, the patience, prudence, wisdom, humility and discerning spirit to respond to our vocation bearing the sign of the times and the church of the poor, in mind.

In all these may we continue to recognize  in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary her role as  the Health of the Sick and the Comfort of the Afflicted.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Homily (2) 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A: Homily by Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo


Homily (2) 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A: Homily by Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Isa 58: 7-10; Ps 112:4—9; 1 Cor 2:1-5 and Matt 5:13-16

 The Light of True Worship
Today we celebrate the light and the salt of true worship, which consist in love and charity to the poor and the needy.  The light and salt of holiness of life and spirituality, in the light of today's readings  are not the same as self-seeking, oppression, quarrelling and infighting.

What the Lord demands from us often, is worship accompanied with morality, a sense of reaching out to the poor and the marginalized of the society, carrying everyone along ,in righteousness and faith like Abraham. This demand of shining the light of true worship goes back to the time of Israel’s’ prophets like Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. It goes back to the time when the chosen people, the Israelite returned from exile to rebuild the temple, practice their faith, take their Sabbath, and live their religion. One would have thought for a people once oppressed; for a people once persecuted  but now freed would have learnt a lesson; a lesson to love, forgive, be kind and be charitable while fasting, sacrificing and worshiping their God.

 But that was not the case.  This prompted Isaiah in the first reading to admonish, “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless, clothe the naked when you see them… they your light shall break forth like the dawn… you shall cry for help and I shall say, here I am” (Isa 58:7-10) .
By associating worship with charity and support for the poor the weak and the needy Isaiah lays the foundation for the ministry of Saint Paul, the teachings of Christ in today’s gospel and of course, the foundation for the Church's teachings on the Corporal Works of Mercy.

In the Sermon on the mountain Christ reminds us of the place the poor,and the needy occupy in his heart and the cost of true discipleship. By being poor and humble in their ministry the Disciples of Christ serve not only as the light of the world but also as the salt of the earth, (Matt 5:13-16). The disciples would teach others, especially the self-seekers, how to worship God selflessly and how to fast without violating the poor nor the weak members of the society.
While preaching in Corinth Paul builds on the foundation laid by Isaiah and Christ. In Corinth self-seeking, boasting, and infighting had plagued that community. Paul said to them, “When I came to you brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God. For I resolved to know nothing … except Jesus Christ crucified… I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom... I came to you in weakness and fear and trembling” (1 Cor 2:1-5).

Over the years, and with this foundation the Church teaches the need for Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy. She stresses practice of social justice and social responsibilities such as, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, harboring the harbor-less, visiting with the sick, the imprisoned, burying and praying for those gone before us marked with the sign of faith, as true marks of discipleship.
This message cannot be more urgent and relevant than today when worship, fasting and sacrifices are daily carried out in in places of worship all over the world, while the poor and the needy and general issues of social justice are not adequately addressed. Pope Francis in the Gospel of Joy calls this economic inequality and the darkness of exclusion of the poor in the political and socio-economic fabrics of the society.

We become the light of the world by fasting and worshiping God in his terms:  by loosening the bonds of injustice, by undoing the thongs of the yoke, by letting the oppressed go free; by promoting peace not war, terrorism and racism; by sharing our bread with the hungry, by bringing the homeless into our homes, by forgiving those who have offended us, by seeking the common good not ourselves, by holding the door of an elevator for the seniors and the aged, by visiting the sick and home bounds, by clothing the naked and welcoming everyone, no matter their language, looks, color, culture, gender and age.

 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Homily Feb 2 Presentation of the Lord: Michael U. Udoekpo


Homily Feb 2 Presentation of the Lord: Michael U. Udoekpo
 Readings: Malachi 3:1-4; Ps 24:7-10; Heb 2:14-18 and Luke 2:22-40

 Christ, a Light of Revelation to the Gentiles
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, “Candlemas”, which clearly points us to imitate Christ, the Light of the world, and of course the roles of Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna. Christ born at Christmas is the son of God. He is the heir to God the Father. He is higher than the angels. He is the Messiah, human and divine. He obeys his parents, Mary and Joseph, keeps the laws and the customs. He is the savior of the world, a sign of contradiction, who conquers our fears, and darkness of poverty, diseases and of course death. He also challenges dark and unclean status quo of this world to the point of death.  And there is no greater services than Christ's, who laid down his life for us, his friends.

 Christ's coming was foretold by all Israel’s prophets, including Malachi, the Twelfth of the Twelve Minor Prophets. It is quite a hopeful message that Christ the messenger of the covenant will come not just as light, but as a refiner of fire. He will purify the sons of Levi. Meaning, he will purify not just ordinary citizens, put the priests and the elite class of the community. He will refine them that they may offer pure and acceptable sacrifices to the Lord (Mal 3:1-4).

Simeon and Anna in today’s Gospel lived to witness the fulfillment of this prophecy of Malachi. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Just the good parents of Jesus obediently and faithful brought Jesus to present him to the Lord as Abraham had done with Isaac, the Spirit of the Lord brought the righteous and devout (tsaddiq) man to the Temple. With the spirit upon him Simeon recognized in Christ, a fulfilment of those ancient promises made to Israel. In his Nunc Dimittis, Simeon can now die in peace since he has been privileged to see Christ- the light of salvation revealed to Israel and the Gentiles.

Simeon added that Christ will be a sign of contradiction. Because of Christ a sword will pierce Mary’s heart. As if this was not enough Ann also gave thanks and spoke about Jesus to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel.

 These, we all know came to pass in the ministry of Christ, in his suffering, death and resurrection, but at first hand it must have been a total mystery and amazement to Mary and Joseph who were just out there to live their humble lives as good citizens and to give thanks to God for blessing them with a baby boy- Jesus.
It is mysteries of Incarnation expressed in the 2nd reading. God becoming man in the person Christ, who completely became like us, his brothers and sisters except sin (Heb 2:14-18). Walked along the dusty street of Palestine. He knew what dust and what trekking on foot looks like.  He was hungry. He was tested in the desert. He once took the boat. He ate with sinners and broke fish with the disciples. He washed their dusty feet. He drank from the Samaritan woman. He attending a weeding in Cana. He visited with the sick and cured them. He reached out to the blind, the cripple, the leper and the homeless, and raided the dead.  In every facet of human life and sufferings Christ was there, except in sinning. He knows how to be human and where to shed his light of help to the darkness of our world, symbolized also by that processional candles with which we began this worship with.

 Granted that there are moments of darkness in our homes, communities in and societies- in forms of sufferings, abuse of power (civil and ecclesiastical) and priestly office (sons of Levi), low income, loss of our loved ones, jobs, exclusion of the poor, deprivation of our rights and the dignities; absence of peace and pursuit of the common good may we continue to encourage one another in Christ. And may Mary, Joseph, be our models. They endured their own challenges, and gave back to God and the world all they received from God, including the child Jesus.

 May Simeon and Ann who spread the truth they saw in Christ, be our role models in our efforts to be generous to our communities, and to bring Christ, the Light of the Revelation to the doors of our Gentiles Neighbors.

 

 

 

 

 

Homily (2) 4th Sunday of Year A: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo


Homily (2) 4th Sunday of Year A: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13; Ps 146:6-10; 1 Cor 1:26-31 and Matthew 5:1-12a

May those who humbly Seek(baqash) the Lord be Blessed!
In the Bible readings of today, the Prophet Zephaniah, Christ and Paul remind us of many things. They remind us of the importance of peace, justice, righteousness, endurance and kindness. They also remind us of the blessings that awaits the humble and the poor who courageously and steadfastly trust in the Lord and in his divine promises.

Think of the message of Habakkuk. Think of Jeremiah! Both were asking “why”, and “where” is God in the face of sufferings, and injustices committed against the poor and the weak. And why would bad things happen to good people. Zephaniah, whose first reading we just read was a contemporary of Habakkuk and Jeremiah. Three of them were all pre-exilic prophets. They were dealing with the religious, socio-economic and political problems, and tension manufacture for them by the Chaldeans, otherwise known as the Babylonian. They plundered the goods of the poor. They burnt the homes of the less privilege. They mocked and starved the meek and the voiceless. They lied against them, and denied them justice and basic needs including food, shelter, clothing income and fair trade and religious freedom.

Anyone can easily be confused, discouraged and disoriented in the face of such misfortunes. Being a champion and conscience of his people, Zephaniah simply steps in as God’s messenger with hope for his people.  He also challenges and speaks out against the proud and the arrogant Chaldeans and those in Judah who might have collaborated with them.

Zephaniah recommends for all parties humility. He recommends, patience, steadfastness and faith (emunah). He recommends justice (misphat). He recommends righteousness (tsaddeqah) all found in the LORD who is the source of joy and peace (shalom) and the sovereign of all creation. For these prophets the righteous like Abraham are expected to be humble. They are expected to be very devout to the Torah- the teachings of the Bible. They are peaceful and loving to their neighbors. They are expected to be seekers and promoters of the common good, of the less privilege but not always seeking themselves. The righteous are expected to completely put their trust in the LORD.

 In the New Testament Paul and even Christ constantly appeal and re-relate this message of Israel’s prophets to the ugly and suffering- events of their time. For instance, Paul in Roman 1:17 and in Galatians3:11 is heard reminding everyone that, “the righteous shall live by faith’ (cf. Hab 2:4).

When the Corinthian community had their problems of arrogance, cheating, corruption, rivalry and bragging to the detriment of the poor Paul in his usual way reminds them that God opts for the poor. He prefers the righteous, the lowly, the remnant and those who persevere in righteousness (1 Cor 1:26-31).

It is these same prophetic messages of justice, peace, humility and pursuit of righteousness that Christ boldly repeats in to the gathered crowd in today’s beatitude in Matthew’s Gospel. To many who were in this crowd (the rich, the poor, the lowly, politicians, spies, oppressors and the oppressed, the persecuted, and the persecutors, men, women and children” Jesus taught them:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God….Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven” (Matt 5:1-12).

Each of us can identify ourselves in these beatitudes (the poor, meek, those mourning, the hungry, those who practice mercy, seekers of righteousness, the clean in heart, the peace makers, the being persecuted, those their endure insult for the sake of Christ).

Pope Francis in the 4th chapter of his Evangelli Gaudium (the Gospel of Joy) revisits these prophetic ideas of inclusion of the poor and the humble in the social, economic, and political fabrics of our society. He re-emphasis trust in God, justice, pursuit for common, proper minimum wage and social dialogue as a means to true peace.

Wherever we are in our various continents and cultures or from our various positions of strengths and weaknesses let us pray that today’s messages of Zephaniah, Paul and Christ may find a blessed place of peace, justice and righteousness in our homes and societies.