Thursday of 28^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: God has richly blessed us in Christ; let us thank Him.

Reading: Eph. 1:1-10

If you read the first reading of today's Mass carefully and meditatively, you can't help but admire what God accomplished for us in and through Christ. One can only imagine how happy the people of Ephesus were when they received this letter from St. Paul. 

St. Paul took time to remind the Ephesian Christians and all of us that God has done so much for us through the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul presented a litany of blessings which God bestowed upon us through Jesus. We can say a prayer of thanksgiving to God today for these blessings by responding ‘thank you, Jesus’ after each blessing.

He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places – Thank you, Jesus.

He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world – Thank you, Jesus.

He destined us in love to be His sons through Jesus Christ – Thank you, Jesus.

He has freely bestowed His grace upon us in His Beloved – Thank you, Jesus.

He has redeemed us through His blood and forgiven our trespasses according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us – Thank you, Jesus.

He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will – Thank you, Jesus.

And He will, according to His purpose, unite all things in Him – Thank you, Jesus.

Dear friends, let us be grateful to God for what He has done for us, for what He is doing for us, and for what He will do for us.

May God continue to give you reasons to praise His name every day of your life, Amen.

St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us.

Fr. Isaac Chima

 Wednesday of 28^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: How to know those who are led by the Spirit of God

Reading: Gal. 5:18-25

Dear friends in Christ, the portion of the letter to the Galatians for today’s Mass concluded with this quote from St Paul: “if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” The question now is, “How do those who live by the Spirit walk, or how should those who are led by the Spirit walk?”

These days, many Christians take it for granted that those who perform extraordinary deeds, such as speaking in tongues during prayer, seeing visions, telling the future, casting out demons, healing illnesses through prayer or other religious practices, etc., are led by the Spirit of God. While these actions are undoubtedly some of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, we are also aware that the devil bestows similar gifts on his followers.  

Therefore, St. Paul invites us to look beyond these manifestations and focus more on the fruits that these people's lives bear in the Christian community and in society at large in order to recognize those among them who are actually representing the Spirit of God and those who are betraying Him or representing the forces from the underworld.

St Paul mentioned the fruits that the life of anyone who is led by the Spirit of God or anyone who is true to God’s Spirit must bear. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. On the other hand, the life or services of anyone who is betraying the spirit of God or anyone who represents the forces of the underworld will bear the fruits of immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, jealousy, anger, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, strife, carousing, and the like. By their fruits, Jesus said, you shall know them (Mt7:16) and who they represent.

It is true that the Spirit also blows wherever He wills and may decide to work through frail humans. So, whoever believes that the Holy Spirit is using him to perform wonders should also ensure that his life is bearing the fruits of the Spirit. If not, on the last day, he may hear what Jesus told those who claimed to have preached and cast out demons in His name. He told them, “Go away; I do not know you.” (Mt. 7:23). Therefore, if you are led by the Spirit, walk by the Spirit also.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chima

 Tuesday of 28^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: You have been liberated by Christ; don’t subject yourself to the yoke of slavery again (Gal5:1)

Readings: Gal 5:1-6; Lk 11:37-41

In the first reading of today, St. Paul reminded his fellow Christians in Galatia of what Christ has done in their lives through His death and resurrection. He told them that Christ had liberated humanity from sin and slavery to the evil one through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, and that all Christians benefit from the liberation won by Christ through baptism and faith in Christ. Therefore, he warned them never to drag themselves back to the very yoke of slavery from which Christ had liberated them. 

Dear friends, through our baptism, we were buried with Christ, washed clean, and set free from the grip of the evil one; and through our participation in the sacrament of reconciliation, Christ continues to purify us from our daily imperfections. It is His will that our entire life should reflect the freedom he won for us and the purity he bestows on us through the sacraments.

Unlike the Pharisees, who rather paid attention to external purity and external observance of the religious laws and practices while leaving their internal lives rotten and dark, as was seen from the accusation Jesus made against them in today’s gospel, we are invited to pay attention to both our internal and external purity.

There is nothing wrong with being neat externally: bathing with good and expensive soaps, dressing well, using expensive perfumes, keeping our environment neat, etc. However, there is everything wrong with being neat externally and dirty internally. We should, therefore, pay as much attention to our internal life as to the external. By soiling our inner lives through sin, we return to the yoke of slavery from which Christ had liberated us. But when our internal and external selves are pure, we will exude the fragrance of Christ.

May your Tuesday be blessed, Amen

Fr Isaac Chima

 28^th SUNDAY, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “HOW HARD AND EASY FOR THE RICH TO ENTER INTO HEAVEN”

INTRODUCTION

Horace Mann once said to his first graduating class at Antioch in the late 1850s, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” My dear friends in Christ, there are no greater ways to win victory for humanity more than through the gospel message; then through the wealth and riches of this world. Both tools can be used to bring/win physical and spiritual liberation/salvation for humanity. Jesus united the two today as means of inheriting eternal life. Sadly, not many possess the wisdom/art to utilize wealth/riches to win heaven for themselves.

 

THE FIRST READING (WIS. 7: 7 – 11)

In the first reading, we are meant to understand that one really needs the wisdom and understanding from above to live this life to a salvific end. And we must desire and seek this wisdom above everything else. Sceptres, thrones, gold, silver, health, beauty and wealth, all need the guidance of wisdom from God to lead man to a glorious eternity. And without this wisdom and direction from God every other thing no matter how precious they are, may not come out good for man. Without God’s wisdom, sceptres and thrones have been abused to the damnation of many kings and princes; gold and silver have been exchanged for human life; beauty, health, power and earthly riches have been used for devilish and oppressive ends, and to the mortgage of many human souls. Wisdom is profitable to direct the use every other treasure for man’s ultimate good.

 

THE SECOND READING (HEB. 4: 12 – 13)

In the second reading, the author extoled the Word of God as living and active; but then, is it really alive and active in the hearts of all men/women, or just some? Is the Word living and active in the rich and poor alike? This Word of God also stands as/for the wisdom of God that helps us to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts; to discern what we do with our sceptres, thrones, gold, silver, wealth/riches, etc., especially for the good of humanity.

 

THE GOSPEL READING (MK. 10: 17 – 30)

In the gospel reading, a wealthy young man came to Jesus to inquire what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus handed him the ten Words or Commandments of God as a guide. Thanks to the young man who initially showed determination to do more than the Ten Commandments, but failed at last. Thanks to him as well that today, we now know that eternal life requires more than just literarily keeping the Ten Commandments. You must win something for humanity (especially the poor and less privileged) with your riches, your powers, your position etc. We must learn how to serve God and humanity in true charity.

 

CONCLUSION:

Jesus said today; “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” But in actual sense it could be rather easier for the rich/influential to make heaven, if only they would learn how to detach from their riches; and how to use their riches to help/build humanity rather than using their riches/influence to sponsor crimes, wars, terrorism, corruption, and to sponsor human, racial, political, religious or moral apartheid.

 

Happy Sunday!

Fr. Justin

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

Theme: Choosing Christ above every other thing

Readings: Wis. 7:7-11; Heb. 4:12-13; Mk 10:17-30

Dear friends in Christ, our world is full of beautiful things despite the difficulties it poses most times. But the church invites us through the readings of today to choose Christ above all the beautiful and sweet things of the world if we want to inherit eternal life because to have Him is to possess all other things and even more, but to lose Him is to lose both the beautiful and sweet things of the world and ourselves.

In the gospel of today, Jesus told the young man who wanted to inherit eternal life to go and sell everything he owned, give the money to the poor, and come and follow Him so that he will gain eternal life. What Jesus told him to do about his material possession was very difficult, and the young man departed in anger. But that was the only option Christ had for him and for all those who would wish to follow Him. And that was exactly what His disciples did. They left all their material inheritance and followed Jesus. After the death of Jesus, they didn’t return home to take back their possessions; rather, they went from place to place, preaching the gospel.

Priests and religious are also following this order from Christ; that is why they must leave their family and inheritance and focus their entire life and attention on building up the Church, the kingdom of God here on earth. Their attention is not on being materially rich; their material sustenance comes from the lay faithful.

But what should the lay faithful do? Does this command of Christ about material possession, as well as His warning that it will be difficult for those who are rich to enter the kingdom of God, also apply to them, since they need material possessions to sustain their families, govern the world, and support the church? The answer is ‘yes’. But should they abandon or sell off their material possessions in order to follow Christ the way priests and religious are required to do? The answer is ‘no’. Then, what should the lay people do to be faithful to the command of Christ about abandoning material possessions and following Him?

The answer is that the lay faithful should sell their possession, and follow Christ, not selling these possessions in the literal sense, but rather in the symbolic sense. This means the lay faithful who want to follow Christ and inherit the kingdom of God should keep their possessions but must do these two things.

First, they must put Jesus and His demands above their material possessions; they must give priority to Jesus over their material possessions. This means that whenever what it takes to be materially rich and the attention material possession demands come in conflict with what Jesus commanded us to do and the attention that should be given to Jesus, the lay faithful, as well as everyone, should give priority to Jesus and his commands. This is the teaching at the heart of the first reading.

This reading told us what Solomon did when he was faced with the option of choosing between wealth, power, and wisdom. Instead of choosing wealth and power over God, as many people are doing in our world nowadays, Solomon chose wisdom, the wisdom of God, which enables us to value heavenly riches above earthly gains. The author, therefore, advised his people and us to do the same, to choose God above all the choices that the material world offers.

Whenever someone chooses God above the beautiful things that the material world offers, many people often regard him as foolish and unreal, especially those who think that attending to their businesses or relaxing at home or in the bars is better than going to Church on Sundays, those who think that the teachings of Christ should not be applied when doing business and politics, and those who think that people who want to be rich and enjoy their life should push Christian faith aside and live their life the way they deem fit. These people do think that it is impossible for those who have given Christ priority in their lives to be rich and happy in this world. Indeed, it appears impossible in the eyes of men, but all things are possible with God, according to Jesus in today’s gospel.

The second thing the lay faithful should do to be faithful to the command of Jesus regarding material possessions is that they must be prepared to put their material and non-material possessions at the service of God, the church, and the poor. This means that whenever they are called to put their talents, possessions, and time at the service of the Church and the poor, they should do so willingly and generously.

We should remember that despite the fact that the young man that came to Jesus had observed all the commandments given by Moses, something was still lacking in him; he lacked good service to the poor. So, it is never enough to observe all the prohibitions listed in commandments; whoever wants to inherit the kingdom of God also needs to recognize Jesus in the poor and in the Church and offer Him good services by serving the poor and the Church.

Happy Sunday and peace be with you.

Fr Isaac C Chima.

 28^TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE CHOICE BETWEEN LEAVING AND LIVING; LEAVING SAD OR LIVING GLAD

(Mark 10:17-30)

The gospel of today is a beautiful story about a person with a lovely beginning who is in the quest for an everlasting living. The beauty of the narrative is seen in the sincere manner at which the rich young man approached Jesus concerning what to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gave him a list of some of the requirements. He acknowledged having kept all these from his youth. Wow, interesting. Jesus looked steadily on him and loved him. Jesus loved him because he wasn't mincing words. He actually kept all these commandments. Jesus is very happy at the efforts we make to be good. Our sincere struggle to be good gives him joy. But he wishes that we do not relax at the good we think we are doing till they become better as the day go by.

That was another reason why He loved this young man. Even as he was doing all these he still inquired into what else is needed for him to be better. If the above last reason was his motive Jesus was and should of course give him kudos for his quest. But if on the other hand his whole race towards Jesus, his kneeling at his feet and his asking that question was just to be given an immediate promotion into the kingdom of God, then he is going to be disappointed. How often do we want to be celebrated for our achievements? How often do you feel sad when you're required to do it right by your superiors and guardians?

When Jesus after loving this young man told him what was remaining for him to gain eternal life, his countenance changed, the smile on his face went on exile, the love he possessed for Jesus was aborted. He gave up the quest, he chose death instead of this type of life. He left sad. He queried: What is living without having? What is life without money? What is health without wealth? what is ability without necessary amenities?

He was blinded by his wealth. He came for enlightenment and left with darkness. He came happy and instead of leaving happier he left worse. We sing: "when I come into your presence am so happy..." This man came and saw happiness but chose sadness. May this never be your portion.

The Lord today is placing before you joy, goodness and Life. Choose life and live. What are the riches in your life stopping you from entering into life everlasting? Are you taking these haves as end in themselves? Are you not supposed to use them to buy yourself what wealth in the real sense cannot buy? Do you realise that the things that distract you from focusing on eternity are supposed to help you realise eternity? Why have you decided to be bought over by things you are expected by Christ to sell in order to have life? The Lord Jesus doesn't want you to drown in the ocean of ephemerals. He rather wishes you have life and have it in abundance.

BLESSINGS

As you make the great choice to live today may God help you to leave everything that hinders you from achieving life. May you not leave from today's Eucharistic celebration sad. May you be glad and glorify the Lord with the riches he has given you. And may heaven be your eternal reward. May your beautiful beginnings bring you to a beautiful end through Christ our Lord. Amen.

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU (28th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Friday of 27^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Don’t demonize the good deeds of those who don’t agree with you

Reading: Lk 11:15-26

Dear friends in Christ, one of the lessons from today’s gospel reading is a warning to stop demonizing the good deeds of others, even if they don’t agree with us on certain aspects of life and faith. Jesus had just healed a man tormented by an evil spirit. Instead of acknowledging His good deed and perhaps rejoicing with the man who had regained his freedom, some Pharisees, out of jealousy, decided to change the narrative, spreading the malicious slander that He was collaborating with Beelzebul, head of the devils, to cast out smaller devils.

Some of the challenges that many families, towns, groups, and organizations face today are either the result of or are centered on the issue depicted in today's gospel. Some people are willing to do whatever it takes to discredit any good that comes from another source because they believe that good things should only come from them or from any group to which they belong. If they are unable to eliminate the person involved, they start a smear campaign against his good deeds, making sure they make all his good deeds look evil or worthy of contempt.

Dear friends, we are human beings with different perspectives on life and different choices, and we cannot all agree on everything. However, this does not mean we should regard those who disagree with us as devils or demonize their good deeds simply because they disagree with us or don’t belong to the same group with us. Our focus should be to do good always and to acknowledge this good wherever we see it. When we oppose the good deeds of others, we fight against the Summum Bonum.

May your Friday be blessed.

Fr. Isaac C. Chima