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

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

Theme: Between the Promise and Its Fulfilment — What the Righteous Should Do

Readings: Hab 1:2-3, 2:2-4; 2 Tim 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk 17: 5-19

Dear friends in Christ, God made a covenant with Israel to be their God, promising to punish evildoers, and to reward the righteous. Yet, in the time of the prophet Habakkuk, the reality seemed to contradict His promises. Sinful big nations crushed smaller ones; the wicked prospered, while the just and poor were oppressed. Habakkuk cried out in anguish, questioning whether God was still faithful to His promises.

His questions also echo in our hearts today. Many Christians face trials, financial hardship, family struggles, illness, loss of loved ones, and injustice. In the midst of these, many wonder if God is still faithful. Why do the good suffer while the wicked thrive? Why does God seem silent to the cries of the poor?

When Habakkuk voiced his complaints, God responded in a way that deepened his confusion. He told him that He would use the Babylonians to punish Israel (Hab. 1:6). Habakkuk was troubled. He wondered why God would use a more sinful nation to punish or correct a lesser sinful one (Hab. 1:13).

Most times, we also wrestle with such worries. We wonder why corrupt people succeed, why God allows unjust lecturers to mistreat good students, why God allows wicked politicians to flourish in nations that call on His name, and why He allows armed robbers and terrorists to harm innocent people.

In the midst of his worries and troubles, Habakkuk did something profound. Instead of abandoning his faith, he climbed his watchtower—his place of prayer—and waited on God (Hab. 2:1). Dear friends, this is our lesson: when life becomes unbearably hard—mgbe ogbajuru doro—kneel down and wait on God, as Habakkuk did. Don’t lose your faith.

Too often, we pray but don’t wait on God. We frequently seek quick fixes, sometimes turning to ungodly solutions. At such times, the devil whispers to us, saying, “God won’t help you. Take matters into your hands, because heaven helps those who help themselves.” But we must remember that any solution that sidelines God is no solution at all.

While waiting, Habakkuk received a powerful message. God told him, “That those who do evil shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4). God assured him that though the promise may seem delayed, it will surely come. He said, “If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come. It will not delay” (Hab. 2:3).

This is God’s message to us today. Despite the chaos around us, His promises remain true. Faith is the key. Scripture reminds us that “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7); “We are saved by faith” (Rom. 8:24); “Hope in God will never disappoint” (Rom. 5:5); “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of the things we cannot see” (Heb. 11:1). Dear friends, we must “hold firmly to the hope we profess, for God is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).

St. Paul echoes this same belief in today’s second reading. Writing to Timothy, a bishop in a persecuted and heresy-stricken church, Paul urges him not to lose heart—even though Paul himself was in chains. He tells Timothy to rekindle the gifts God gave him (2 Tim. 1:6–8), reminding him and us that “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, is what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

Paul encourages Timothy to continue doing good, even when evil seems to prevail. He must not be intimidated by false teachings or ashamed of the gospel, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage.

This is our call too. In a world where Christian values are challenged and mocked on issues like sexuality, abortion, and euthanasia, many are afraid to stand for their faith. But Paul urges us not to be ashamed or afraid to defend the truth, even if it brings insults or suffering. This is the prize of faith.

And how much faith is needed? In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “If your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains.” It’s not about the size of faith, but its strength. True faith demonstrates itself in concrete life situations, particularly in difficulties. So let us pray, like the disciples did, saying, “Lord, increase our faith.”

Let us ask God for faith that endures trials, resists falsehood, and stands firm in truth. Faith that is not ashamed. Faith that waits on God. Faith that remains unshaken between the promise and its fulfilment.

Peace be with you. Have a blessing-filled Sunday

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

THEME: YOU'VE GOT ALL IT TAKES

(Luke 16:19-31)

We are today presented with one of the most popular stories of the Bible. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is about omission and commission. It is about affluence and poverty; it is about heaven and earth. It is about reasons to do good; it is about no excuse to abandon God; it encourages love of God while playing down on love of wealth. It is about used and missed opportunities; it is about adherence to instructions and disobedience. It is about possession and dispossession. It is about reward after life. It is concerned with death and resurrection.

Jesus tells us in everything that we have all it takes to make heaven. Nothing should stop us. If Lazarus of today's parable can make his way to heaven we too can. Let us cease the opportunity while we live.

 

CEASE THE OPPORTUNITY

Whatever situation we find ourselves in life becomes an opportunity to make heaven. We are invited to accept our states of life as divine opportunities. The rich man had the opportunity to be loving with his wealth, to pay attention to the destitute, to listen to the word of God even (as testified by his request to Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers, perhaps they will listen if someone goes from the land of the dead) but he didn't take the prophets and the Good News seriously while on earth. He was cold to the Divine call. He was not responsive to the demands of love. He focused on earthly possession; he didn't remember that all his possessions came from God. He loved wealth and despised the giver of wealth. His wealth made him indifferent to the realities of the world around him.

The rich man translated as Dives in the Latin Vulgate stands for the pharisees. They hear the word and do not act on it. They know the law and fail to put into practice the demands of the law; love of God and man. They claim to love God but their hearts are far away. They appear rich in grace before men but that is far from the truth in the real sense.

They even forget their covenant with God. They only glory in the fact that they are sons of Abraham and take a lot for granted. Thus, when the rich man asked for Lazarus' help Abraham replied " Son, remember". He was reminded of the broken covenant. Calling him son should have called his attention to his misused opportunity as a son, how late it had become.

While he lived, he forgot death and focused on wealth. He later died. Does pursuit of wealth make it impossible to look around and care? The rich man got all here and lost all hereafter.

What a disaster!

 

LESSONS FROM LAZARUS

The name Lazarus, from same root as Eleazar means God has helped, my God is Helper, God is my help. Lazarus represents all who look upon God as the author and finisher of their faith, One whose hope and trust is in God alone. He may have encountered a lot of misfortunes but he trusts in God. He accepted his plight in faith. He had reasons in our human rating to complain, murmur and despire but he did not. He rather chose God as the only hope when all hope was lost. He did not steal, he did not compare himself unnecessarily, he longed and prayed. He converted the opportunity that was not really a comfortable one to an opportunity to glorify God.

Let neither riches nor poverty stop you from entering heaven.

 

ARE YOU LAZARUS OR THE RICH MAN?

We are rich when we possess anything.  When we place God and love of our neighbours first, they can become opportunities of making heaven. There is at each time what we have that God wants us to use to glorify Him. But we sometimes like the Dives of Today's Gospel misappropriate them and lose our targets.

Like Lazarus too we are often in need of something, no one has it all but when we have the love of God we've got all. When we allow our needs of earthly things to supersede our need for God, then we risk our eternity. We suffer want here and thirst eternally hereafter. God forbid!

Whether rich like Dives or poor as Lazarus, death must strike. The question remains: shall we be taken up or buried? Shall we be carried by angels to Abraham's bosom or to a place of suffering? Shall we enjoy here and weep hereafter?  Where will you wake on resurrection morn?

You've got all it takes to make heaven. May you be raised up in heavenly joy after a faithful life here.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You Almighty God for Your word today. Thank You for teaching us how we can make heaven with the things around us and the conditions we find ourselves in. Save us from indifference and giving unnecessary excuses especially when we should show love to You through our fellow human beings. Help us by Your grace not to miss our heavenly target through Christ our Lord Amen

Happy Sunday to you (26th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

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

The Sin of Omission: A Silent Path to Eternal Loss

Reading: Amos 6:1a,4-7; 1Tim 6:11-16; Lk 16:19-31

Dear friends in Christ, when we speak of sin, we frequently think of the sins of commission—our actions against God and our fellow human beings. But we rarely reflect on sins of omission – the good we fail to do. This Sunday’s readings highlight the grave consequences of omission, including selfishness, negligence, and the failure to place our blessings at the service of others.

The readings warn us that selfishness and living extravagantly while ignoring the poor and needy is not just unkind, but it is also a serious sin that can lead to eternal punishment from God. The readings reiterate the responsibility of the rich towards the poor, reminding us that wealth without active help towards the poor is not success, but spiritual failure.

In the first reading, the prophet Amos delivers a piercing rebuke to those who grow rich at the expense of the poor, and to those who use their time and resources solely for themselves. Amos proclaims that such people will face exile—not merely physical, but spiritual exile—for their failure to care for their suffering brothers and sisters. His message is clear and deeply challenging.

In the Gospel, Jesus reinforces Amos’s prophecy through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, surrounded by luxury and comfort, ignored the suffering Lazarus, who lay at his gate, longing for crumbs. His punishment was not for being wealthy, nor for hosting lavish feasts, but for his failure to act—for his sin of omission.

Perhaps the rich man reasoned that Lazarus’s poverty wasn’t his fault, so it wasn’t his responsibility, the same way many people reason or feel when the poor, the sick and the needy approach them for help. But Jesus teaches us that neglecting those in need—regardless of how they came to be in need—is enough to merit eternal death. Our streets, neighbourhoods, and communities are filled with people who have various degrees of need for help. Let us not turn away. Let us not use our resources only for ourselves and our families. Amos cried out because the rich were feasting in ivory palaces while the poor starved just outside their doors.

There’s another striking lesson in the parable. Did you notice that the rich man wasn’t called a proper name? Jesus mentioned Lazarus, Abraham, and Moses—but not the name of the rich man. It’s as if his name was missing from the book of life. Though he may have had streets, plazas, and monuments named after him on earth, he failed to secure a name for himself in heaven. Dear friends, let us not strive to immortalize our names here on earth, but in heaven. The best way to do that is not through titles or having buildings, streets, city centres, or monuments named after us, but by inscribing our names on the hearts of the poor through acts of love and mercy.

Furthermore, while alive, the rich man kept his distance from Lazarus to preserve his status. But in death, suffering in hell, he begged for that distance to be closed. Sadly, it was too late.

Let us act now, while the sun still shines. Let us build bridges and close the gaps that social status and pride have created between us and others. Tomorrow may be too late. What we fail to do today may never be done once our time on earth ends.

Finally, this parable affirms the reality of heaven and hell. Many voices in our world try to dismiss these truths, and many fall for their lies. But we are like the rich man’s five brothers—we have our Moses and our prophets. We hear the Word of God preached to us daily, which is the voice of the One who is already risen from the dead. Let no one deceive us into thinking heaven and hell are myths. They are real. And those in hell do not want us to follow them.

Let us put this homily and every homily we’ve heard into practice. Let us live with compassion, humility, and urgency. Let us start now to write our names on the faces of the poor by rendering godly services to them. Let us not wait until it’s too late.

Peace be with you. May you have a blessed Sunday.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

Theme: Why Does Evil Seem to Prevail Over Good?

Intro: Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, today, the church directs our focus towards our perspectives on material goods, particularly our attitudes towards the poor and the marginalized people in society. She presents before us the rationale behind the persistent spread of evil in our society and encourages us to take action to prevent its continued triumph in our midst.

Homily: Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, do you find it troubling that, on numerous occasions, evil seems to overshadow goodness in our society, despite the significant number of churches and Christians worldwide? Nowadays, many individuals question why evil seems to prevail over good in our communities. Some even go so far as to assert that God has permitted the devil to govern the world, while others interpret the presence of evil as evidence of God's nonexistence or abandonment of the world.

Today's gospel reading provides us with one of the explanations for why evil appears to overshadow good in our world. However, let us begin to draw the profound lessons of this Sunday from the first reading.

Dear friends, Prophet Amos has some important insights to share regarding the socio-economic structure of our society. Amos is recognized as the prophet of Social Justice. The first reading today comprises a segment of the book of Amos that addresses the social and economic challenges faced by his people. In this passage, he speaks out against greed, oppression, and injustice directed towards the poor in society.

During the era of Amos, Israel was divided into classes, with the rich on one side and the poor on the other side. Every society has the poor and the rich as well. Nevertheless, what troubled Amos was the fact that the rich of his time were becoming increasingly wealthy while the poor were sinking deeper into poverty, with the rich amassing their fortunes at the expense of the poor. The wealth of the rich was bolstered by their unjust and malevolent socio-economic policies, which they safeguarded with their financial resources. They thrived on the misfortunes of the poor and mistreated their less fortunate neighbours.

According to Amos, these rich people controlled the large farms and dictated market prices. What were they doing? They were inflating the prices of goods in such a manner that the poor could not afford basic necessities without enduring significant hardship. Thus, for the poor people of the time of Amos to sustain themselves, they were compelled to borrow money from these same rich people. In lending to the poor, the wealthy also raised interest rates to such an extent that the poor individuals would find it impossible to repay the debt. Furthermore, they imposed lending conditions that were intolerable. Those among the poor who failed to repay their loans within the stipulated timeframe were forced to surrender their lands, while those who had lost their land were compelled to sell themselves and their families into slavery to settle their debts. Amos noted that the wealthy eagerly anticipated a time when they could buy or sell the poor as slaves.

Dear friends, do we have people in our society who engage in similar behaviours? Are there those who impose unimaginable and unreasonable conditions on those seeking their assistance? Do we have individuals who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor, those who are indifferent to whether the less fortunate can afford the prices or conditions they impose on their goods and services? Amos has declared woes upon such individuals.

Amos also addressed another form of greed and deceit in the marketplace, a type of insincerity that could provoke the heavens to weep. He noted that these people were saying, “that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great … and sell the refuse of the wheat.” What does this mean? The ephah is the container used for measuring wheat in the market. So, these individuals were reducing the size of the ephah while still selling it at the price of a standard ephah without the suspicion of the buyer. They also mixed chaff, which should either be burnt or discarded, with the wheat to create the illusion of a larger quantity. In this case, when the buyer returns home, half of what they purchased would consist of chaff. Do we have people who cheat on their customers, those who alter the standard practices within their business sectors solely to defraud unsuspecting customers? All these are dishonesty in business. Amos condemned such behaviour; our society condemns it as well.

It is disheartening that despite the denunciations of these immoral actions, they continue to proliferate within society. Why is this the case? Jesus provided us with the answer in the gospel reading. The answer is this: “Because the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of the light.”

Dear friends, a first look at the parable of the dishonest steward presented in today’s gospel may provoke numerous questions among many people. Some may wonder why Christ chose to narrate such a story and even commended a dishonest steward. Is He suggesting that we should emulate this man’s unethical behaviour in business? Is He promoting dishonesty? However, Christ did not share this parable to endorse dishonesty; instead, He urged us to observe the actions of the dishonest steward upon learning that his time was up. Did you notice how he meticulously devised a plan and executed it with great skill? Observing him, Christ remarked that the children of this world are more astute in their generation than the children of light. What does this imply? Christ was telling His audience, and all of us, that those who engage in wrongdoing invest more effort in strategizing their malevolent actions and executing them than we do in planning and carrying out virtuous deeds. This is why evil seems to prevail over good in our society.

Thus, Christ is highlighting the commitment of those who perpetrate evil in planning and executing their actions effectively, and He questioned why His followers, including all of us, cannot devote our time to perfecting good deeds. Consider how robbers spend sleepless nights strategizing a heist; reflect on how cybercriminals invest hours on their schemes; contemplate how those who deceive through media allocate time to refine their falsehoods; then, consider the minimal time we allocate to planning positive contributions to our community. This is indeed why evil seems to prevail over good in our society.

Today, God is calling us, the children of light, to recognize that if we desire goodness to prevail over evil, we must invest more time in planning our virtuous actions than wrongdoers do in their schemes.

Peace be with you

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

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

THEME: THE HOLY EXCHANGE AT WAR WITH THE UNHOLY EXCHANGE

(Luke 16:1-13)

The Gospel today narrates another parable of Jesus about the shrewd steward and his wisdom. Jesus advocates a sort of exchange which involves using what we have to get what we want. Using the here and now to get the hereafter, using the transient to get the eternal, using the passing good to get the summum bonum. Thus, what we are and have should enable us become what we ought to be. Jesus shows how much He believes in us. He trusts us so much, He gives us all that we have. He equips us. He is the master of our life. He entrusts into our hands the necessary materials we need to live eternally. He gratuitously gives man His blessings even when he does not deserve it.

On his own side man is not trustworthy, He does not follow Divine plan. He does not work according to God's design. He is dishonest and insincere. He is careless. In his carelessness, he enters into agreement with wrong hands. He gets into "spiritual one chance." He loses sight of the kingdom in stall for him. Thus, what is given to him to be guided jealously and used judiciously he mismanaged by handing it over to the enemy as a result of His attraction to the lures of evil.

But the time for reckoning comes when the account of his stewardship is required from him. What will he do?

 

LESSON FROM THE STEWARD

As the name goes, he is a steward. He managed his master's business until the time he was accosted for mismanagement. If we remembered very well the whole parables of the lost coin, lost sheep and prodigal son were addressed to the scribes and Pharisees who frowned at Jesus' relationship with sinners. They thought the kingdom belonged to them and because of that they took a lot for granted thereby counting on grace of the past without thinking of working with that grace in the present for a better future. Thus, Jesus calls for an anticipation of the time when account of stewardship will be required. Thus, the kingdom belongs to only the one who works for it by gathering virtues and destroying vices. He therefore lives a life that is heavenly, a life that asks itself some questions such as: What have you? In answering this he must come to realize that: I have nothing that's not God's (Ihe nile m nwere n' uwa onye nyerem ya oo? Chi nyerem ya ee Chi nyerem ya ee). Based on this he prays: "Jesus I love you, all I have is yours, yours I am and yours I want to be..." Understanding that he has nothing he comes to terms with the fact that he has been given a lot: life, time, opportunities, beauty, husband, wife, children, wealth, job, intelligence etc.

Such life proceeds to ask itself:

 

WHY ARE ALL THESE BESTOWED ON ME?

This is a question regarding what should be the case. All the things you have are given for service and the glory of God. They are given to make people look up to the right master. They are given to start on earth to do it as it is in heaven, not for cheating, not for oppression, not for marginalization, not for character assassination, not to feel on top of everyone else.

 

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US?

The song by Jude Nnam: Take and sanctify answers this question. " all that I have all that I do, everything I will ever make take my life and take my all, everything I will ever make...take and sanctify for your honour Lord." This is total surrender. Honest accountability. It is a type of returning of all favours received back to God intact.

 

HOW DO I DO THIS?

Imagine that the angels of God took your case to God about your life and you're summoned. What is this that I hear about you? What will God hear about you? That you're wasteful or making good use of the instruments He has given you to build yourself a heavenly kingdom?

If He takes up the beauty you're decorated with, what will be the outcome? That you handed over your beauty to the devil to become a model in exchange for fame?

Time: That you spent your God-given time that should be put to positive use on gossiping?

Wealth: that you used your wealth to bring hardship on the people instead of making their situation better? Oh thank God for the trending saying: "I will not go to meet my maker with my wallet".

Power: that you wasted the opportunity given to you to lead the people godly and win their admiration and blessings? That you obtained power from God and goes to the evil shrine to pour thanksgiving libation and sink your people into devilish ritualism?

Intelligence: that you used your intelligence to defraud the people instead of building them up to the glory of God?

Your marriage: that you have refused to see your marriage as a blessing and thank God for your it? That you don't see it as God's gift? I wish to talk a little on this because a lot of unholy exchange is taking place in marriages today. In its bid to snatch the union of man and woman which should be offered to God, the kingdom that is at war with heaven has continually offered husbands and wives reasons why they must not mind what they vowed before God. This is betrayal of divine trust! It is abuse of divine grace! Will temptations knock? Yes of course. Yet you've got to remain faithful.

The Steward, when his crises came was able to go back to the drawing board to try to right his wrongs. Go back to God and seek His face in times of trials. Don't go to the social media, don't go to divorcees association, don't go to "Di gba kwa oku international" Don't run to "nwanyiagbulam brothers" Build your trust and love once again and move on.

 

What about vocations and professions?

As a Pastor in whose hands God has entrusted the souls of people, do you care about their spiritual well-being or hand them over to the devil?

Medical Doctor, do you take good care of the lives the Lord has given to you or use them for experiments with no serious to save them?

As a driver, do you drive with the safety of people in mind or take them to their early graves?

Businessmen, do you do anything  whether good or bad for your business to grow? Have you forgotten that the bad is not an option?

Let us today, try our best to put to a stop every unholy business that will make us have questions to answer before God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh Lord, our God we thank You for Your word. Help us by Your grace to do the right exchange You expect from us today, may we make use of all You have given us to inherit heavenly favours. May we never exchange virtues for vices through. Save us from eternal judgment and bring us to salvation in Your heavenly kingdom.  Grant this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen

 

Happy Sunday to you

(25th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Christ’s Cross: Our Symbol of Hope

Readings: Num 21, 4-9; Phil 2, 6-11; Jn 3, 13-17

Dear friends in Christ, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross invites us to celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Church built on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried, which houses the relics of the Cross of Christ. It is also a day we celebrate the triumph of the Holy Cross, the central position of the Cross in our Christian life, the saving power of the Cross for all who believe, and the transformative power of Christ that turned a symbol of shame into a symbol of hope.

When you look at the Cross of Christ, what do you see and feel, and what message does the Cross of Christ convey to you? Through the readings of today’s Mass, the Church unveils some of the messages that the Cross of Christ gives us.

In the first reading, we saw the communal disobedience and rebellion of Israelites, which resulted in an immediate and severe punishment. One of the dangers of sin is that it distances us from God (Is 59:2), causing us to fall short of His glory (Rom 3:23), grace, and protection. This separation makes it easier for the devil to step in and wreak havoc.

While the Israelites were defencelessly wandering in the desert, they enjoyed God’ grace and protection from human enemies and other threats to their lives in the desert. In today’s passage, as soon as their sins created a rift between them and God, they were immediately attacked by the forces that had previously been restrained by God’s grace and protection. Sin always exposes us to dangers.

However, when they cried to God in the midst of their sorrows and Moses interceded on their behalf, God forgave them and healed them with the symbol of the same creature that afflicted them, which was appended on a tree. Even in the midst of our sins and the sorrows they inflict upon us, if we turn our gaze towards God, He will send us His help.

The symbol of the ancient bronze serpent that healed the Israelites prefigured Christ, as affirmed by Christ in His conversation with Nicodemus in today’s gospel. He said, “As Moses lifted the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” With this affirmation, Jesus tells us that just as the Israelites were healed of their afflictions by looking upon the bronze serpent hung on a tree, those who look up to Him, hanging on the Cross, will be saved from their affliction. Therefore, all those who have distanced themselves from God due to their sins, as well as those who have fallen under the destructive power of the evil one, should not lose hope; the Cross of Christ invites them to look upon it and be saved. The Cross is our symbol of hope, assuring us that the attacks of the enemy will not overcome those who believe in God. It is our symbol of victory over the forces of evil. (Col 2:15).

The second reading provides another message that the Cross of Christ conveys to us. This reading tells us that Christ humbled himself, accepted his cross, and carried it till the end. Therefore, God, who permitted such a cross to befall him, exalted him and rewarded him with the name that is above every name. The cross of Christ reminds us that each of us carries a cross, one that God has permitted us to carry, not for our destruction but for the salvation of our soul. “Carry your cross and follow me,” Jesus said (Mt 16:24).

Your cross could be your spouse, your sick child, your brother struggling with addiction, your stubborn son or daughter, your unemployment, or your lack of resources. Following the example of Jesus, if you carry your cross with humility, trusting God’s love in all situations of life, victory will ultimately be yours. (Phil 2:6-11).

The cross of Christ also speaks to us of the transformative power of our Saviour. Once regarded as a symbol of shame and disgrace, the cross has been transformed into a symbol of hope and victory. Prior to Jesus’ death on the cross, the cross represented shame, a course reserved only for criminals and outlaws (Gal 3:13). Nevertheless, the nature of Jesus is that He transforms whatever He touches. His encounter with this emblem of shame – the cross – transformed it into a symbol of faith and salvation, a symbol that is revered and venerated. Such is the power of Christ.

Dear friends, the Church invites us to allow ourselves to be touched by Jesus. He transforms everything He touches. If he touches you, your life will never remain the same. Today, we have the Cross of Christ in our midst, our symbol of hope and triumph hanging in every church; make sure you also give it a place of honour in your homes. Let us embrace it; let us venerate it, so that we may experience its transformative power, for wherever it is lifted up, all those who gaze upon it will be saved from physical afflictions and eternal damnation.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima