Homily 14th Sunday of Year C: Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily 14^th Sunday of Year C: Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: Isa 66:10-14c; Ps 66:1-3, 4-7, 16, 20; Gal 6:14-18 and Luke 10:1-12, 17-20(originally at St. Frances Cabrini Church, Coram, NY).

Traveling with God’s Promise of Peace and Prosperity

It is so good to be backed home! This past month, soon after my school work, beginning from May 28^th through June 18^th, 2013 I led a pilgrimage to Four European countries. We were about 19 pilgrims in number: 4 from Australia, and the rest from different parts of the United States. We went to Fatima in Lisbon/Portugal. Besides visiting and retracing the origins of the 1916/17 apparition narrative of our Lady to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, we went to the birth place St. Anthony of Padua, and celebrated Mass there.  In fact, at Fatima, we join at the international rosary, Stations of the Cross. We also visited the Fatima museum and the Cathedral of the Angel of Peace. We had mass there also.

From Fatima we traveled about 5 hours by bus to Salamanca in Spain. There we toured the ancient University of Salamanca and celebrated Mass at their cathedral. From there we drove to Avila, toured the ancient city wall and celebrated another Mass at the Carmelite Monastery, the community where the body of St. Theresa of Avila and most of her manuscripts are kept.

We also journeyed to Loyola where we visited the ancient cathedral and celebrated Mass at the very chapel where St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) was converted.

We drove from there with prayers, rosary and hymns to Lourdes in France. In Lourdes we spent three nights of prayers, Masses, rosary, station of the cross, drinking and fetching water from the miraculous spring from the Grotto where Our Lady of Immaculate Conception appeared to Sister Bernadette of Sibourough. From there we flew to Paris. Toured the city; visited the Cathedral of Notre Dame, drove to Lisieux and learned more about St. Theresa of the Little Flower. From Paris we flew to Rome, had audience with Pope Francis, and toured the cisten chapel, the 4 major basilicas in Rome, Church of St. Susana, and the Catacombs where we all celebrated Masses.

Why I am sharing this story with you is that it was such a joyful, peaceful journey; Prayers and songs on every step of  the way. Every member of the group felt blessed. In fact one of us broke down with tears of joy and said, ‘God who am I that you have so much blessed and prospered me.”

There were also those who requested the group to pray for them and for the well-being of their children, and successes in their businesses, projects and other endeavors. It was then done on me more and more that some people can embark on a pilgrimage in thanksgiving to God for what he has done for them; while others used the opportunity to ask God to bless and prosper them. Either way, this becomes truer that what we have or lack and need comes from God, including peace(shalom), security and prosperity, that the children of Israel had longed for. We need peace, we need security, and we need success and prosperity. We pray for them daily.

 When the Israelites left Babylon and Persia, and travelled back home to rebuilt their torn Jerusalem they were met with challenges of a deeply divided community between the rich and the poor, injustices, rivalry, power politics, despair, and hopelessness; Something that might still be lingering in our society today.

That first reading (Isaiah 66:10-14c) is the message of hope and God’s generosity:  “ Rejoice Jerusalem,…I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nation like an overflowing torrent…As a mother comfort her child, so will comfort you.”

In traveling or missioning to this same Jerusalem Christ deployed not only the Twelve(Luke 9), but the Seventy Two in today’s Gospel (Luke 10:1-12,17-22). He instructed them what was important for the journey was not a bag of money, sack, shoes, nor power, but rather peace, shalom, God’s mercy, humility and his ultimate love, manifested on the Cross, that St. Paul is proud of in the Second Reading, Galatian 6:14-18 " May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me..." For the 72 what was necessary was invoking the name of Jesus, what he has done for us, what he will continue to do for us.

In those moment we feel lost, hopeless, helpless, or dried up on our Christian pilgrimage let us count ourselves among the 72, the remnant Israel, and pilgrims who rely on God’s promises of peace and prosperity that “ he will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nation like an overflowing torrent.” Finally, if God has blessed us with peace and prosperity, we want to go out there like the 72 and be the bearers of that peace and the conduit of God's prosperity to our neighbors.

Homily 13th Sunday of the Year C: Michael Ufok Udoekpo

Homily 13th Sunday of the Year C: Michael Ufok Udoekpo
Readings: 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; PS 16:1-2,5-11; Gal 5:1,13-18 and Luke 9:51-62

Proceeding on the Journey of Faith

 This past weekend, I hosted a group of priests from my native diocese of  Ikot Ekpene for a three day annual retreat. Many of them left their distance places and in the midst of flight delays etc., finally flew/travelled with deep faith and determination to Sacred Heart School of Theology, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our relationship with God is a journey of faith that requires  free will response , resoluteness and  determination.  This is also translated in how we listen to God, his precepts including our response and relationship with our neighbors.

 In the first reading of today Elisha left everything and followed the Prophet Elijah in his mission of love, care for the poor, the sick and the widows. Elijah was also a proponent for worship of God alone. To accompany Elijah on this mission, Elisha left everything including his oxen, father and mother- total abandonment.

We see this total abandonment in Christ's mission. His mission was not only to baptize, to help, to cure diseases, but also to love everyone and to do the will of God his Father. He was not interested in riches, nor and power. He made this known to the Satan who tempted him after his baptism, earlier on in Luke chapter 4. We also see  Jesus' selflessness in his response to his Mother at Cana in Galilee, in John 2. Jesus says to Mary, "Woman my time has not yet come." After the Passover commemoration Jesus stayed back in the Temple to do his Father's will, preaching and dialoging with rabbis in the synagogue. A mystery that Mary and Joseph continuously wrestled with. On top of everything, Jesus leaves his mother and his biological family and  went to the Cross of Calvary, in Jerusalem. In the Lukan Gospel of today (Luke 9:51-62) even though Christ is freely and resolutely determine to journey to this Jerusalem, are his disciple willing to journey with him? Or must  they go back to bury their parents and say farewell to them first? 

In some contexts neither of these excuses: burying the dead or saying hello to ones' family is wrong. I think what matters is serving God responsibly, imitating him, and being volitionally dedicated to him in our various settings and contexts, through the service of our neighbors and communities. These excuses may also serve as a reminder to us that it is much better to avoid inventing reasons to justify lack of charity, firmness in faith or adequate response to the needy and the plight of the poor or refusal to willingly participate in the dialogue for the healing of brokenness, selfishness, subjectivism and disunity facing various segments of our society today.

St. Paul puts it well in the Second Reading  in his address to the Galatian church(Gal 5:1, 13-18) "For freedom Christ set us free, so stand firm and do not submit again to yoke of slavery. For you were call for freedom ...but do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (things that takes us away from God, evil), rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

 God and all that he stands for, is this love, Deus Caritas est!  The Psalmist rightly calls him " our inheritance"( Ps 16:5a).  May we willingly follow him in our daily works. And may he show us the path of life as we  journey responsibly with faith, freedom in Christ, resoluteness and determination to follow God's will, not ours.

Homily 12th Sunday of Year C: Fr. Michael U Udoekpo

Homily 12th Sunday of Year C: Fr. Michael U Udoekpo

Readings: Zech 12:10-11;13:1; Ps 63:2,3-4,5-6,8-9; Gal 3:26-29 and Luke 9:18-24


Christ the Fountain of Life

 The responsorial psalm of today "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God,"( Ps 63) sets the tone for today's celebration.  It is Christ the Fountain and the Spring of life that we celebrate. Each of us searches and thirsts for this source of life on our Christian pilgrimage, from Baptism. Sometimes this pilgrimage is long and requires perseverance with great endurance.

As one of those who have already been baptized, I was privileged from May 30th through June 18th to lead a Christian pilgrimage from Lisbon in Portugal to France, Spain and Rome. The 21member pilgrims who came from Australia,  Nigeria (Africa), the Philippines, India (Asia) and different parts of the United States demonstrated in their prayers, songs, stations of the cross, sacrifices, endurance, active participation at worship, celebration of the sacraments of reconciliation, and Holy Sacrifices of Mass, their longing, and incessant thirst for God, at every point of the holy sites visited, in Fatima, Lourdes, Avilla, Burgos, Santarem, Salamanca, Nerves, Paris, Lisieux, and in the eternal city of Rome.

 Prophet Zechariah in the first reading of today indicates not only the long journeys and pilgrimage of the post-exilic house of David, Abraham's descendants, but affirms their assurance of hope, and life, and of course the fulfillment of those promises in 2 Sam chapter 7, for those who persevere to the end; " On that day there shall be open to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness." (Zech 12).

 Christ is this fountain encountered by every global, continental, universal, believing Christian pilgrim on their enduring ways. Some have encountered him in the healing water of Lourdes. Others in the water of baptism  which Saint Paul indicates in the Second Reading, Gal 3:26-29: "through faith you are all children of God, in Christ Jesus. For all of you baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ...." And others still, in praying to various saints.

Saint Peter was able to rightfully articulate who Christ was in today's Gospel because he had not only journeyed with Christ, leaving his fishing business, but had clothed himself with the message of Christ. He had also drank from that "fountain" that "spring" of life, thirsted for in the entire duration of his discipleship.

 For Peter, " the Son of man," is the Christ of God." and the source of life. Any of us who wishes to have  life must be ready to take up his or her daily crosses and follow Jesus. We must be ready to drink from this fountain of life, which purifies us from sins, uncleanness, diseases, illnesses, division, fear, faithlessness, hopelessness, lack of charity, courage, fortitude and timidity. It enables us to recognize Christ at all times, in our neighbors, rich and poor, and in every circumstances of life. Christ, the fountain of life!

Homily 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Readings: 2 Sam 12:7-10, 13; Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11; Gal 2:16, 19-21 and Luke 7:36–8:3

Our Sins Are Forgiven With Love!

The readings of today teach us how to forgive with love, and how to live with faith in Christ.

This is true in Nathan- David’s story in the first reading. David is the one that defeated Saul and became the second King of Israel. He repulsed the Philistines and brought the Ark to Jerusalem. David expressed the desire to build a house for the Lord. But the Lord said “no”. Rather, He- God, will built a house for David and establish an everlasting covenant with him. David will have many family problems. In the midst of all these, God will treat David as his son. He will also punish him whenever he commits any sin, like any other human being (2 Sam 7:14); including the sins of adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent masterminding  of the death of her husband, Uriah.

What was also important in David-God relationship is David’s love for God, in spite of his personal brokenness. He fought tirelessly for the Ark- symbol of God’s presence and honestly desired to build the Lord a house. Today, David also acknowledges his limitation that he has “sinned against the Lord,” (2 Sam 12:7-10, 13), the one who can also forgives.

And he allows this joy of confession to flow from his lips in Psalm 32:

“Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. I acknowledge my sin to you, my guilt I covered not…You are my shelter’ from my distress you preserve me…”

How many of us reciprocate God’s love for us, at least by acknowledging our weaknesses and by confessing our sins. How often do we not forget or be so insensitive to those we have offended?  It is a true sign of our love for God, and all he stands for: peace, truth, love, faith, and hope- when we turn to say “sorry” to our friends, neighbors, colleagues and family members, particularly those we have offended. We also express our love for God when we openly and sincerely receive back, with love those who may have offended us.

Imagine Paul who was once an enemy, and an ardent persecutor of those who had anything to do with Christ. Today in Galatians 2, that same Paul is able to say, “I live no longer, but Christ who lives in me.”

Finally, imagine the women in the house of Simon, the Pharisee, whom Jesus completely forgives in today’s gospel narrative, in fact, one of the most beautiful divine gestures of Jesus. The anonymous woman in the story is a model for each of us. Although a sinner, like any of us, she welcomes the forgiving grace of God, by her gestures of gratitude, humility and love- weeping before Christ, anointing, kissing and cleaning Christ’s feet with her hair not with a towel or paper napkin!

These are all gestures of love and deeper love. The woman loves more. We are called to love more! This is evidence in the response to the question Jesus put to the judgmental Simon, “when two categories of debtors say, of five and fifty dollars or euros are forgiven, who will be more grateful? Notice, Simon said, the one whose greater debt, fifty dollars, was forgiven. This is true of the woman, a public sinner, despised, marginalized, mocked by the elites, and rejected by others in the society- whom we are not really sure are holier than the woman. Its only God that knows and sees through our hiddenness! Forgiveness is a gratuity, a mysterious gift from God. It is a mystery of God’s love which anticipates our response and repentance. It urges us to love and pushes us to live not for ourselves, but for Christ, through our charitably relationship with our neighbors.

As people forgiven by Christ, set free by his love, may we faithfully go out there and love, and forgive those who may have offended us.

Homily 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily 10^th Sunday in Ordinary Time- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: 1Kings 17:17-24; Ps 30; 2-6, 11-13; Gal1:11-19 and Luke 7:11-17

Jesus’ Response to the Needy

Last Sunday on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ we encountered Christ the compassionate High Priest who feeds the multitude and blesses them. In today’s readings he heals the sick and strengthens those who are marginalized and are weak in various ways: physically, psychologically, materially and spiritually!

In the Gospel reading of today, Jesus saw the coffin of the only son of Widow of Nain. Moved by the sorrowful mother, He touched the casket, and the young was brought to the widow. Similar incidence happened in Zerephath between Prophet Elijah and the child of another widow, who was healed and brought back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24).

These incidences are great reminder to us that our God is a merciful God. He is compassionate and forgiving. He is committed to the poor, the afflicted, the weak, the needy, the sick, the suffering, and the dying, and of course their entire families. He manifests himself to us through the loving and pastoral presence of not only our prophets and pastors, but through our sincere presence for one another.

For Paul as weak as he was in his former ways of hating the Christians, but with the grace of God who changed things around in his life,  revealed himself to him, Paul became an ardent proclaimer of the Gospel to the Gentiles (Gal 1:11-19).

Like Elijah, Christ and Paul each of us are invited to be in solidarity with one another, our friends, our spouses, the sick, the weak and the needy, the dying and the sorrowful. It is also important for us to remember, to be grateful, and continuously sing praises to God, for what he has already done for us (Ps 30:2), in Christ Jesus.

Homily- The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Year C- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Homily- The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Year C- Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110:1-4; I Cor 11:23-26 and Luke 9:11b-17

The Living Bread that Come Down from Heaven,

On the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ we not only come together to celebrate the compassionate High Priesthood of Christ; what he does for us. He blesses us. He provides for us. He feeds us when we are hungry because he is the living bread and drink that come down from heaven and brings us life.

I have no doubt that when Pope Urban IV in 1264, of 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. He is the living bread that come down from Heaven.

In today’s gospel the disciples of Jesus had just return from their mission to give Christ the account of their missionary work. In the scene was a multitude of those who came to listen to Christ about the kingdom of God. It was late and time for dismiss them. But for Christ the bread of life, they must be given something to eat. First of all they were given a seat. With the multiplication of five loaves and two fish Christ the living bread compassionately fed  this multitude of  5,000 people , with surpluses  that filled about 12 wicker basket ( Luke 9:11-17).

Similar event is seen in the Book of Genesis 14, put into music in Psalm 110 “You are a priest in the line of Melchizedek.” We don’t know much about Melchizedek except what we learn and read from the scriptures. He was a king of Salem, at least this we know. But we don’t know who was his father, mother or family. When Abraham came back victorious from a local war Melchizedek offered Abraham bread and wine. He also blessed Abraham who offered him a tithe- tenth of what he had.

Melchizedek’s role is that of a priest- the type of Christ- a superior and compassionate high priests, as source of peace, life and righteousness, whom we as Abraham are called to adore, imitate, worship and offer ourselves onto. If Christ could give us his life, his body, his blood on the cross, his blessings, his love who are we then not to worship, imitate, adore and obey him.

This we could do through various ways- devotion, prayers, acts of love and charity. Remember whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters so we do unto God (Matt 25) so we do onto Christ- the Living Bread whom we share at this Mass.

This is the point that Paul makes in the second reading (1 Cor 11:23-26) “for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.”  We relive all that he taught us. He taught us unity and sharing. He taught us of his ever presence in the life of each and everyone of us, the rich and the poor.  He taught us how to endure, how to be patient and how to forgive. He taught us how to trust, how to hope, love and how to be compassionate, and how to share our bread and drinks, time and talents with our neighbors.

Homily – The Most Holy Trinity year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

 Homily – The Most Holy Trinity Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo

Readings: Prov 8:22-31; Ps 8:4-9; Rom 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15

Hope and the Wonders of our Creator

 The Responsorial Psalm of today, “O Lord our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth (Psalm 8:2a), in my own opinion, sets the tone for our celebration today. We celebrate the mystery of God’s Love. We celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity- God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.

This mystery is displayed in the history of God’s relationship with us, told by our forefathers and mothers, in the traditions of the Church, and most of them narrated in the passages of the Scriptures. On Monday after the Pentecost, the beginning of the ordinarily liturgical Season, the first reading from Ben Sira 1:1-10   reminded us that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Wisdom was created from the beginning. This Spirit of Wisdom, Hokma, Sophia, Sapientia-is God personified who became Christ his Son and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Interestingly, in the First Reading of today, from the Book of Proverbs 8:22-31 we learn again that before the earth was made, Wisdom was conceived, when the Lord established the heavens Wisdom was there, when we marked out the vault over the face of the deep, when he made the skies and fixed the foundation of the world- the story we hear from Genesis 1–3 Wisdom- given to us on that day of Pentecost was there.

It is this Spirit, the same Wisdom that has always been there before the foundation of the world that Jesus in today’s Gospel- the last discourse before the Cross reminded his disciples  to expect and hold onto when he will no longer be there physically (John 16:12-15).

The Disciples of Christ needed this Wisdom then. We need this Wisdom today, in the altar of life.  No wonder some have name their children "wisdom"  or Institutions like colleges and universities "Seat of Wisdom," ! Mary the Mother of Jesus is praised as the "Seat of Wisdom"!  Iffom Itie Oniong- in my native African language!

We need this Wisdom as we begin the ordinary Season. We need this Wisdom in our daily lives, in our daily relationship with one another. We need this Wisdom in the decision we take, in the evaluation we make, and in the decision we take. It is Wisdom that enables us to look back and even admire creation, the mountain, the skies, the seas, the vegetation all that God had created.

 Besides these creations, in moments of tragedies and hardship, even the type that Saint Paul experienced in the early Church, it is Wisdom that gives us hope, faith and grace to endure.  To an afflicted Church, Paul says,

“Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us”

 I think if there is anything we want to wisely 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, good and bad. It could be the pains and sickness that has no remedy, the natural tragedies around the world, the earthquakes, the tsunamis, the sandies, and the tornados!  What do we say to those in Oklahoma?

But also think about the many blessings God has blessed us with, even the oxygen, the moon, the sun, the flowers, the beautiful weather, the gifts of friendship, the gifts of unity, the gift of hope and love, the gifts of our neighbors; many mysteries that we have no explanation for. May we continue to sing the wonders of our God (Ps 8:2). And may this mystery of his love- of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit continue to be upon us as we place all our hope in Him.