30^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: JESUS AND THE BETTER-THAN-THOU PEOPLE

(Luke 18:9-14)

The emphasis of Jesus today is about those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others on account of that. With the story of the pharisee and the tax collector at prayers He demonstrated the attitude of the better-than-thou people, the ITKs (I too know) as they are commonly called by Nigerians. Jesus condemned the evil tendency in them to relegate others and make even their humanity not to count. There is an observation in what Jesus said about the pharisees that is insightful, namely their talking to themselves. In their talking to themselves, they think less of God and talk down on others. Themselves is all that matters. The pharisee talked about himself using the personal pronoun 'I' up to six times in not more than two sentences. That goes a long way to talk about his self-centredness and egocentric behaviour. All He thinks of is the I me and myself. Is such a life inspired by the Gospel?

 

INSIGHTS FROM THE GOSPEL

 

UNHEALTHY COMPARISON

The two men in the parable of Jesus today actually went to pray. But the pharisee forgot who should be prayed to and was busy talking to himself. What a shift of attention! Are there times we forget our life objectives? When the student in university stops the academic pursuit that took her to the university and gives in much time to beautification and less to her academic qualification to be like the happening people in the campus?  Is this necessary?

When one gets a job and looks down on those who are jobless as nonentities, he is making a negative and destructive comparison.  When one who has married sees the unmarried as cursed, he or she is guilty of unhealthy comparison. When the rich man looks down on the poor, he is creating an unnecessary barrier which Jesus has come to dismantle.

When one disadvantages some people on the grounds of tribe, colour or race then Jesus will never smile at such.

 

BETTER THAN THOU MENTALITY

 

As the pharisee talked to and with himself, he thanked God for one thing: that he is not like the tax collector. His happiness was that he is better. Such are the people among us whose happiness is that every good thing comes from their houses. Their joy is that their children go to good schools while the children of others are dropouts. Their reason to be glad is that when they come to a meeting, they're only ones talking. They thank God that other students fail while they pass well and remain on top. In the Church, they are happy that only their own voices are heard, they are the only ones that have the type of anointing that breaks the yoke.

Jesus proposes real self-acceptance that is to say someone opening himself to God and living in humility even of his shortcomings.

 

JUDGEMENTAL LIFE OF THE PHARISEE

As they talked less about God, nor consider what God really require from them, they write off their fellow human beings and even consider them non-existent for one or two things they have to show. But their poor judgment will not allow them to be objective enough to reach the level beyond human eye. That is where God's interest lies. They do not see that their prayer life is crippled but they see those who shouldn't come to the Church.  Their eyes are closed to their own sins but they see the ills of others clearly and condemn them with ease. They humiliate others and lift themselves up.

 

FROM WHERE COMES THE EXALTATION?

The fulfilment as Jesus calls it lies in one humbling himself. When you become aware of your nothingness God does something great with and about you. You can never live a fulfilled life without telling yourself the truth about yourself.  There are truths about you which no one but you and your God know about. Every glory comes from God. God keeps calm and watches. One he exalted the other was not. One goes fulfilled while the other leaves empty. The pharisee gave himself his own brand of exaltation and lost the fulfilment which only God can give.

What do you actually want? To exalt yourself or to be exalted by God?

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY 

Oh Lord our God, thank You for Your word today. Help us to live fulfilled after our encounter with You and our neighbours, may we not claim to be righteous but ever draw our righteousness from You. May we be healed from our self-centeredness and live godly in love for our fellow human beings through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday (30th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 30th Sunday, Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: How to make our prayer effective before God

Readings: Sir 35:12-14.16-19; 2 Tim 4:6-8.16-19; Lk 18:9-14

Dear friends in Christ, last Sunday, the Church reminded us of the importance of perseverance in prayer. This Sunday, she opens our hearts to a deeper truth: that the effectiveness of our persistent prayers depends not only on our words, but also on the disposition of our hearts and the integrity of our lives.

In the first reading, Sirach speaks of God’s justice, especially toward the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the vulnerable. He urges us to mirror that justice in our society. His words are timely because we live in an age where justice is often bought, and the powerful prevail in court. But in the “Heavenly Court”, God—the Just Judge—cannot be bribed. He sees the heart. When we serve the poor and the weak with sincerity, our prayers rise like incense before Him. As today’s psalm affirms, “The Lord turns His face against the wicked… but when the just cry out, the Lord hears and rescues them from their distress.”

In the second reading, St. Paul, having lived a life of humble service to God and humanity, speaks with confidence, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith; now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” What gave Paul this assurance? A life poured out in love—for God and for others. If you are already walking this path of humility and service, do not grow weary. Continue to the end. God, the Just Judge, will reward you.

Sirach also teaches us that humility is essential in prayer: “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.” Humility opens heaven’s gates. It allows us to stand before God not with pride, but with contrition. The psalmist echoes this, saying, “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed He will save.”

It is this humility in God’s presence that Jesus highlights in today’s Gospel. He tells of two men who came to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee, full of pride, prayed to himself and not to God. He recounted his virtues and judged others. The tax collector, on the other hand, stood at a distance, bowed his head, beat his breast, and cried out for mercy. Jesus tells us that it was the tax collector who went home justified.

St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, the first attitude in prayer must be humility, an honest acknowledgement of our sinfulness and our need for grace. When we approach God in prayer or in confession, we must come with humility, not self-congratulation. It is not the time to list the many good things we have done. God already knows them. What He desires is a contrite heart—a heart that acknowledges its faults and seeks His mercy.

Too often, I have seen people come to confession and spend time recounting their good deeds. But confession is not the place for self-justification. It is a sacred moment when we lay bare our failures, not our achievements, so that we can obtain mercy and grace to be better humans.

The tax collector understood this message perfectly. His posture, his words, and his silence all expressed a heart laid bare before God. That is true prayer and confession.

Another obstacle to effective prayer is the tendency to judge others. Jesus calls us to be holy, just as our heavenly Father is holy. God, not other people, must be the standard by which we measure our lives. When we judge others, we make them the benchmark of our righteousness. But human judgement is flawed. The Pharisee judged the tax collector and exalted himself. Had he measured himself against God’s holiness, he would have been humbled into silence.

So, dear friends, let us renounce the habit of judging and condemning others. Let us not place ourselves in high positions or assign others to places they do not deserve. Instead, let us correct with love, walk in humility, and strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

Let us stand before God as we truly are—fragile, broken, and in need of mercy. For Jesus assures us, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Peace be with you. Have a blessed Sunday

Rev Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 29^th Sunday Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Perseverance in Prayer and Action

Readings: Ex 17:8-13; 2 Tim 3:14-4, 2; Lk 18:1-8

Intro: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is Mission Sunday — a reminder that the Church is missionary by nature and that each of us is called to participate in God’s saving work on earth. Let us, therefore, pray for the success of God’s mission on earth, especially for priests and religious in their missionary work.

Homily: Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, in today’s first reading, the Israelites had just crossed the Red Sea and were heading towards the Promised Land. But soon, they encountered a formidable obstacle: the Amalekites, who rose against them in battle, threatening to prevent them from reaching their God-destined goal – the Promised Land.

Had the Israelites been defeated in that battle, their story would have been from slavery to slavery. But when Moses discerned the danger, he said “no” to the enemy and matched his “no’” with both action and prayers.

Dear friends, each of us has our God-destined goals or promised land. It may be a calling, a vocation, a healing, a reconciliation, or a mission. But like the Israelites, we too face obstacles in the form of fear, temptation, discouragement, spiritual attacks, and worldly pressures. If we remain silent and passive, these obstacles may block our path or rob us of the future God desires for us. What Moses did should be a lesson for us.

So, what did Moses do? He sent Joshua and some other men to fight the enemies at the battlefield, while he himself climbed the hill to raise his hands in prayer to God. The battle was fought on two fronts: the physical and spiritual. Prayer and action must go together.

Dear friends, our problems, whether personal, familial, or societal, have both visible and invisible dimensions. Thus, we must engage them with both the strength of Joshua and the intercession of Moses. That means we must combine prayer and personal effort, trust in God with courageous action, if we want to have success in our daily struggles.

In a special way, today’s psalm reminds us that “our help comes from the Lord.” It is God who blesses our efforts and makes them fruitful. So, if we reject turning to God in our daily struggles, our personal efforts may not yield the expected results. In the first reading, we saw that when the hands of Moses grew weary and dropped, the Israelites began to lose in battle; their personal efforts stopped yielding the desired results. But when his hands remained raised in prayer, victory returned.

Dear friends, prayer must last as long as our struggles last. If we want to overcome the challenges of this world, we must not grow tired of praying. Any distraction in our prayer life can give the enemy an advantage.

Let us learn to lift our families, friends, and communities in prayer every day. When we persevere in prayer, they too will find strength in their battles against the powers of darkness. Our families need a Moses. Our country needs a Moses. Our institutions need people who will stand before God day and night, so that evil does not triumph over good. You can be that Moses.

In today’s gospel, Jesus reinforces this same message. He tells us to “pray always and not to lose heart”. Through the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus warns us not to be deceived by the “gospel of quick answers” that is so popular today. God is not a machine that can be manipulated at will. So, we should always be patient with Him whenever we kneel down to pray.

We must learn to say, even while waiting, that “God’s time is the best.” Sadly, some give God ultimatums in prayer. Some tell Him, “If you don’t answer me today, I’ll go elsewhere.” But, dear friends, the Scripture reminds us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways” (Isaiah 55:8), and “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).

In today’s parable, Jesus teaches us that the kind of prayer that brings victory is persistent prayer — prayer that does not give up, even when the answer seems delayed. He may take time to open the door, like the judge in the parable, but He has assured us that He will surely answer us if we do not stop praying.

Have you been losing ground in your daily struggles? Try this form of prayer today — persistent, trusting, patient, with unrelenting personal efforts — and you will see the difference. Victory is not far from those who pray without ceasing.

Finally, today is World Mission Sunday. The Church invites us to support her mission with both our prayers and our material generosity. Let us lift up in prayer all missionaries who, often in difficult and dangerous conditions, proclaim the Gospel with courage and love. Let us also pray for the gift of vocation among our youth — that many may hear and respond to the call to serve Christ and His Church.

The Church’s mission and priests face many challenges in today’s world. Your prayers strengthen their spirit. Your material support sustains their work. Together, we become co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord.

May our hearts be open, our hands be generous, and our prayers be unceasing — so that the light of Christ may reach every corner of the earth.

Peace be with you.

Rev. Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 29^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: LET'S BE FAITHFUL AND PRAYERFUL IN OUR CHRISTIAN MISSION

(Luke 18:1-8)

With the parable of the unrighteous Judge and the widow, Jesus taught His disciples the need to pray always and never lose heart. The woman never relented until the judge gave her attention. Thus, Jesus calls on us all to keep on calling on God night and day for God will not fail to vindicate us.

Meanwhile, it is not just about praying or pretending to be at prayers. Faith matters a lot.

Jesus wants us not to stop praying. He wants us not to think God is delaying. He assures us that our prayers will be answered. He encourages persistence and faith. Put your whole faith in God. He is your all. Depend totally on Him. He will not disappoint you. Those who put their trust in Him are like mount Zion that cannot be shaken. Do not allow your faith to be shaken up and down by doubt, fear, weakness or sin. The Lord knows what is good for us and when best to give it to us. But He wants us to know Him first through prayers, to encounter Him first through being with Him, and to commune deeper with Him via the media of spiritual communication which is prayers. God wants a living relationship with us. Let us not be selfish in praying; Just trying to get what is good for us. Oh no. Let's also give God a listening ear to hear what the Lord God has to say, His is the sweet voice that speaks of peace to His friends. May God speak liberation unto you, salvation to your life, wisdom to your ignorance, love to your marriage, fruitfulness to your barrenness, stability and direction to your crisis, progress to your business, growth to your spirituality, calm to your troubled soul, open door to your closed doors, success to the work of your hands, fulfilment to your dreams and favourable answers to the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today in a very special way, we celebrate the world mission Sunday.  This is a day set aside yearly for Catholics all over the world to renew their commitment to the missionary movements. This celebration was created in 1926 by pope Pius XI as a day for prayers for missions. As we are called to pray endlessly in the Gospel, let us not forget to pray fervently for mission and be part of the mission of the Church.  Let us not for that as pilgrims on earth we are on a mission. Our mission here is to know Christ and make him known all over the world; We are invited to get involved in propagating Christian Education; We are encouraged to financially support the mission of the Church; We are encouraged to engage in digital evangelization and reconversion of the world. And finally, we are called upon to pray for the success and safety of missionaries in mission lands and places where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Christ.

Let us therefore accompany the Church in bringing hope to the hopeless, joy to the broken-hearted and justice to those facing injustice. May God bless His word in our hearts. AMEN

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 28^th Sunday, Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Gratitude as a Daily Response to God’s Blessings

Readings: I King 5:14-17; 2 Tim 2: 8-13; Lk 17:11-19

Dearest friends in Christ, the readings of this Sunday invite us to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, to recognize and give thanks to God for His countless blessings in our lives. Most times, we dwell on our problems and disappointments, forgetting to appreciate the grace that surrounds us daily. Today, the Church gently reminds us that thanksgiving should not be a seasonal gesture but a daily exercise. She presents to us a God who desires our gratitude, a God who blesses us continually and lovingly.

But how do we recognize these blessings? How can we be certain that His blessings are reaching us each day? Many people often associate divine favour only with extraordinary events, such as promotion at work, surviving a serious accident, the birth of children, healing from a deadly illness, or extraordinary academic success. While these are indeed blessings, they are not the only signs of God’s goodness.

If we pause and reflect on the rhythm of our daily lives, we will discover that every moment reflects God’s blessings. Often, we attribute the good around us solely to our own efforts, to the efficiency of our governments, or to the progress of science and technology. Yet, this view falls short of the deeper truth.

The fact that we went to sleep and woke up the next day is not merely due to our own actions, for not everyone who went to bed that night woke up in the morning. That we go to work, to the market, or to school and return safely is not merely the result of caution, for some who made similar journeys did not return unharmed. That we recovered from illness after medical care is not simply due to our wealth or the brilliance of doctors, for some persons with greater resources and more experienced doctors did not overcome the same sickness we had. The stability of our homes is not solely a product of our architectural knowledge or expensive materials, for some others who invested in more expensive materials and sought the expertise of top architects have seen their homes destroyed by natural disasters. And when we drive out and return safely, it is not just because of our driving skills or the quality of our car, for many with better cars and more experienced in driving have faced accidents on the same roads. Therefore, a bit of reflection on our daily experiences reveals the presence and grace of God in all aspects of our lives. This understanding underscores the importance of gratitude towards God. We must learn to count our blessings, not as achievements, but as gifts from God, and return thanks to this God who gives them.

How, then, are we to express our gratitude to God for the countless blessings He pours into our lives? Today’s first reading offers us two ways of responding with thanksgiving. When Naaman was healed by God, he returned to Elisha with material gifts, seeking to thank God. This teaches us that one way to thank God is through the offering of material goods, whether presented through the priest or contributed toward the building and upkeep of God’s house. These are visible signs of our recognition that all we have comes from Him.

Naaman’s second gesture reveals an even deeper form of thanksgiving. When Elisha declined his gifts, Naaman took soil from Israel back to his homeland, so that he could worship only the God of Israel who healed him. In this, we see that true gratitude is expressed through undivided worship of God. Such worship is the heart of the Church’s celebration of the Eucharist. It is a daily sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. We are invited to join in giving glory to God. The Lord who blesses us calls for our faithful worship. We must not offer to another the praise that is His alone.

Today’s Gospel emphasized this call. In this Gospel, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to offer thanks. Jesus asks, “Where are the other nine?” (cf. Luke 17:17). This question reminds us that God wants our gratitude. When we thank Him, we open ourselves to receive even more of His blessings (cf. Mal. 3:10). Let us not focus solely on the gifts, but lift our eyes to the Giver and offer Him our heartfelt thanks.

The second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, takes this teaching even further. Writing to Timothy, Paul spoke not from comfort, but from captivity. Yet, he embraced his suffering as a grateful Apostle of Christ. He told Timothy not to be discouraged by seeing him in chains, for they are part of his witness to Christ.

Through this, Paul teaches us that true gratitude is not reserved for moments of comfort or abundance. Rather, it flows from the deep awareness that we belong to a good and faithful God, one whose grace does not vanish in times of trial, difficulty and suffering.

Dear friends, hardships, disappointments, and painful experiences must not silence our thanksgiving to God. They do not signal the absence of God’s grace. Even in the darkest moments of our lives, God remains God. Paul’s life becomes a living testimony to this truth. That was why he exhorts us, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Dear friends, let us make gratitude our daily offering. And like Paul, let us give thanks even in trials, trusting that the God who blesses us in joy also sustains us in sorrow.

Peace be with you.  Have a blessing-filled Sunday

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

 28^th SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: LET US GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

(Luke 17:11-19)

This is an invitation. We often hear it at the beginning of the Eucharistic prayer and reply that it is right and just to give thanks to God. The Eucharist itself is a Greek word which means Thanksgiving. After the readings of the Liturgy, we respond " thanks be to God". At the end of the Gospel Reading when the priest says the Gospel of the Lord, our response is usually, praise be to you our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we are encouraged to give God thanks and heartfelt praise. These are His due. We are equally charged after Mass to go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and we also reply thanks be to God. Thus, we are called upon to live thankful lives, to be grateful to God by our way of living and live lives of gratitude among our fellow human beings.

Jesus asks about it. He wants us to show it. It pleases Him to hear us say thanks. Thanksgiving is that which brings us back to God again and again. That is why we gather every day and every Sunday to worship at the feet of the Lord Jesus. The Lord looks around to see if you do this thankful return. If not, He enquires where are the nine? Where are you?  Do you even find reasons to thank God? Let us give thanks to God. In the tune of Patty Obasi, I invite you: "Bianu ka anyi kele Chineke unu ndi o zoputara" (Come, let us give thanks to the Lord, hail the Lord who saves us). Because according to Harcourt Whyte: "O kwesiri inye ekele" (He is worthy of our thanks)

 

WHY THE THANKS?

We've got thousand and one reason to thank the Lord. I have my reasons to praise the Lord. You too must have numerous reasons for so doing. For life, for health, for wealth, for family, for friends, for foes. The one and only one man that returned to Jesus praising Him acknowledged the Restoration and Salvation he received from Jesus. Jesus gave him what he lost. He lost socialization with people, lost friendship of all, lost confidence and Jesus gave all these back to him. Do you have your family? Your freedom of movement which the lepers lost? Your freedom of worship which made Jesus to send them to the priest to get certificate? Wait, you have all these, it is a good reason to thank God. Thank him for your health even if you have some challenges many who are worse than you are giving thanks. Who knows how it would have been? Just give thanks. Even for your foes thank God for them, you don't know what you have achieved because of them that you would have been too complacent to achieve.

 

HOW TO THANK

The psalmist had this problem and asked: how can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me? (kedu ihem ga emere Chineke, maka ihe OMA nile o mere na ndum?) He answered: "I will raise the cup of salvation and praise him; I will call on the Lord's name". Look back and recount the deeds of the Lord in your life and praise him with tears of joy. Bless the name of the Lord. Even in the Lord's prayer, Jesus took good time thanking and praising God for His goodness and love. Best way is to make yourself a living sacrifice of thankful praise unto Him, living in His presence all the days of your life and raising holy hands to Him. Don't be stingy with your time, treasure and talent. Make yourself available to him and never be too busy like the nine who immediately went their businesses forgetting they have not been doing them all along.

 

WHEN TO THANK GOD

The Lord is good all the time and all the time our Lord is good. If this is true, then we must thank God all the time for His goodness and mercy. Yes, even when we seem not to understand all that is happening. God knows the best for us, why we must pass through what we are passing through and because of that we must praise. Even in the prison like. Paul and Silas, even in the heart of the fire like the three young men. We give thanks to God for what He has done and what we believe by faith that He will do. The nine leppers failed to thank God even after the healing they received. But Harcourt Whyte praised God in his leprosy a very hopeless one. It didn't stop him from calling on us all: "Bianu ndi enyim nile... Biko were oñu toonu Chukwu si Chineke I bu Chukwu nezie."

 

LET US BE THANKFUL TO ALL

Ingratitude is a killer disease. Let us not take any good done to us as our right. Let's say thanks and live thankful. Let's be thankful to our parents for their sacrificial efforts. A good result or an award of excellence as a good student can be a good appreciation to parents and teachers. Let's be grateful to God for the Church and the state when they do well. Let us thank the people we meet on daily basis. Let's appreciate the efforts of family members. The nine others took Jesus for granted because they thought Jesus did what He should do for them. Even when people perform their duties towards us, let us still give thanks to them. Let us not kill the zeal and spirit of people who are good to us by our ungrateful words, actions and negligence. Say thanks after eating that your wife's food or mum's food. Say thanks when you receive that money or gift from your husband and don't complain about how small it is. Say thanks when you're given that your school fees by your parents or uncle.

Meanwhile, there is a thanks that is not thanks at all. Do not give the "cash or kind" type of appreciation.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh God we are sorry for the many times we lived ungratefully to You and our fellow human beings. Accept our thanks and praise today and continue to give us reasons to thank You all the days of lives through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (28th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 27^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: KNOW YOUR FAITH

(Luke 17:5-10)

The Apostles today requests for an increase in their faith. They may have seen a lot of things fine by Christ which they were unable to do, the teachings of Jesus may have been hard to crack in some areas and they needed stronger faith. They may have heard Jesus marvelling at the faith of some people who were not even Jews and requested a faith higher than theirs. Jesus may have said a lot about faith and would sometimes call them men of little faith, thus they needed to be stronger in faith. The importance of faith in their lives so dawned on them that they unanimously asked for an increased faith. Do you even know what faith is and what your faith in God entails?

 

FAITH DEFINED

"Faith is the supernatural gift of God which enables us to assent firmly to all that God has revealed "It is a human response to God who reveals himself (CCC 142). It is a gift given; it is also a gift freely accepted. Hence Jesus would say: If anyone believes, baptise. Thus, the Church does not force people to believe just as Christ never did. It is a gift he offers to those willing to accept it. We are here talking about a free accent, a loving obedience.

Faith is that without which no one can please God (Heb11:6)

Faith is that by which the just man lives (Heb 2:4)

Faith is that which is shown through good works (James 2:20-26).

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

 

SOURCES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

Our faith as Christians are derived from the revealed truths of God. These are contained in the Sacred Scriptures and the traditions of the Church. The knowledge of and adherence to these as well as making them guides in our Christian living go a long way to enhance our faith in God. Listening to the interpretation of the will of God from competent ecclesia authorities can be seen too as good source of faith since faith comes through hearing the word of God and not of man, of prosperity or of deceit.

 

NOURISHMENT OF FAITH

Like the apostles we should pray that our faith be made stronger. That we become 'fortes in fide' as it were (1pet 5:9). We shall endeavour to fan our faith into flame. This is only achievable if we remain in God as the only force without whom we can do nothing.

* The knowledge of the demands of our faith helps us to be awake so as not to allow the enemy of the faith to pull us down. These are contained in the creed.

* Avoidance of occasions of sin helps to safeguard the faith

* Reading the Sacred Scriptures with the magisterium as guide waters our faith in God;

* Participation in the activities of the Church of whom Christ says: if anyone listens to you he listens to me, if any rejects you, he rejects the one who sent me.

* Keeping away from all bad books from visiting immoral cites etc.

*  Shunning the preachings and teachings of erroneous preachers.

* Carefully avoiding any "church service" against the true Faith which deceives people by saying 'Church is one', 'Church will not take you to heaven' and yet they invite you to come to them and not encourage you to go from where you are to God direct.

* Censor what you hear. Faith comes through hearing. Confusion and disbelief also follow the same medium.

* Total Submission: Faith is nourished by submitting ones will totally to the will of God.

*  Fidelity:  Faith has to be nourished by holistic Fidelity, all-round faithfulness: to God, to the Church, to my community, to husband, wife, children, friends  and so on and forth.

* Constancy: Faith grows when the good we are called to do are done consistently even as ordinary as they may seem.

 

MY FAITH AND OUR FAITH

While professing our faith in the Church we either say: " I believe in God " or " We believe in God". The two are correct. But unfortunately, people have selfish understanding or use of 'I belive'  as what they as individuals believe in not minding if or not it is right. When one says 'I believe', it should never be understood from the perspective of one believing in what he wants to believe. It should be from the standpoint of what God has revealed for us to believe. These are the truths about God, his goodness, greatness and relationship with man which calls for obedience, reverence and worship.

" I believe" is sound as long as what I believe is what God in Christ reveals in the Church for us to believe. It is a true faith if we have welcomed and made ours the faith we  profess as a people without picking and choosing.

We often hear people say:  "I am a Christian. I am a Catholic, but I don't believe in..."

Try to distinguish between when an individual in the Church weather cleric or lay is doing things his own way contrary to the faith of the Church and when the teaching is flowing from the inspired word and tradition which must in turn bring about faith.

The apostles made the request as a group. As a single unit they needed to know the objective and common body of belief devoid of subjective sentiments on which to operate. Jesus made them realize how great they would be if they work with the faith his presence and teaching inspires.

 

SIZE OF FAITH

We may imagine the size of faith to be determined by the ability to speak in tongues, pray for hours non-stop, fast for days, do wonders. Oh no!

Faithfully doing the little things that matter to Jesus in obedience is what makes our faith great: That simple sign of the cross done with devotion, going for confession, attending benediction, going for morning Mass, going for choir practice, attending my group's meetings, being upright in my place of work etc.

Simply believing in the truths revealed by God is the faith that can move mountains. O yes! The mountains of secularism, of evil manipulations and satanic lies, of abracadabra.

Our faith is great when even without what the world of today recognise as miracle we appreciate the greatest miracle of life especially in Christ. Our faith is great when we do not have it all and yet believe that with Christ it is well with our soul.

Jesus asked a question in Luke 18:8 if the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth? Faith is one of the three things that lasts. Let our faith be strongly rooted in Jesus Christ the solid rock

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

With the apostles we pray You Oh Lord to increase our faith.

Give us strong and lasting faith that we may never waver in our journey to heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you. (27th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr. Julian O Ekeh