Most Holy Trinity Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: The Blessed Trinity: The Loving God Who Lives With Us

Readings: Ex 34:4b–6, 8–9; 2 Cor 13:11–13; Jn 3:16–18

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the solemnity of one of the greatest mysteries of our Christian faith: the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. This celebration reminds us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one. It teaches us that there are three distinct Persons in one God, sharing the same Divine Nature. They are co‑equal and co‑eternal. Each Person of the Trinity is fully God, yet there is only one God. They are one in substance, distinct in Persons and functions, yet perfectly united in purpose.

Although the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, the teachings of Jesus clearly point to the reality of the existence of the Blessed Trinity—especially when He commanded: “Go into the world and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). St Paul also reveals this unity in today’s second reading when he prays: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

The doctrine of the Blessed Trinity is a truth that no amount of philosophical or scientific research can fully explain or disprove. It is a mystery—one that goes beyond the full grasp of the human mind. Indeed, the very nature of God is beyond our full comprehension. This is why God says through the prophet Isaiah (55:8–9): “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways… as the heavens are high above the earth, so are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

Thus, the Trinity is a mystery best appreciated with the eyes of faith. As a dogma, it is “an article of faith revealed by God, which the Magisterium of the Church presents as necessary to be believed.” Therefore, St Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18 becomes essential for us today: “May the Lord enlighten the eyes of your minds so that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance among His holy people.”

Today’s readings reveal beautiful truths about the nature of our Trinitarian God. The first reading presents one of Moses’ encounters with God on Mount Sinai. There, God revealed His name and His nature: “I, the Lord, am a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” We may not fully grasp the impact of these words unless we remember the kind of gods worshipped by the nations surrounding Israel—gods who were unapproachable, terrifying, vindictive, unpredictable, and harsh. In contrast, the God of Israel revealed Himself as loving, merciful, faithful, and approachable. It filled the people with great joy knowing that their God was not like the gods of other nations. He is a God who loves His creatures, a God who can be spoken to, a God who is a Father. This is our God. We are blessed to have a God who loves us.

The Gospel deepens this revelation. It tells us that God’s love for us is so profound that He united His life with ours by sending His Beloved Son—not to condemn us, but to save us, so that we may share in His eternal life. Our God is both transcendent and immanent. He is the God who dwells in the highest heavens and yet chooses to live among us. He is Emmanuel—God with us. He is not distant from the struggles of His children; He enters into our human condition to redeem it.

To continue experiencing the presence of this loving God in our families and communities, St Paul gives us practical instructions in the second reading: “Brethren, rejoice. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Dear friends, the only thing that can deprive us of God’s beautiful presence is living in a way that contradicts His nature. The nature of our God is love, compassion, peace, graciousness, and faithfulness. St Paul challenges us to live according to these divine qualities so that “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” may truly remain with us (2 Cor 13:13).

Happy Feast Day. Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 Trinity Sunday, Year A: Reflection by Fr Julian Ekeh

Theme: The Trinitarian Outreach: An invitation to reach out in love

Gospel Reading (John 3:16-18)

Today is the great solemnity of the Holy Trinity. We celebrate the nature of God; we celebrate the revealed mystery of God. We celebrate the undivided unity of the three Divine persons. We celebrate that God is three and One. We celebrate the love of God.

We celebrate that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one, not three gods. We celebrate that God is one God but coeternal and consubstantial Persons. We celebrate that the persons of the Trinity are distinct yet bonded. The Son is begotten of the Father by an eternal generation and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son by an eternal procession.

We celebrate the Trinity today as a great weapon used by the Church to destroy heresies and misleading teachings about the Godhead. We celebrate that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not just elevated creatures as Aerius and his companions opined but God. We are thankful for the demolition of the erroneous teaching that God the Father created the Son and The Son created the Holy Spirit. We rejoice that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not denied of their Divinity.

As we celebrate the Holy Trinity Sunday today, it is good to note that the term Trinity never appeared in the Bible but the reality of the Trinity as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit working in unity is seen from the beginning of the scriptures through its end. Theophilus of Antioch (around180C.E) was the first to use it in Greek while Tertullian used it as 'Trinitas' in Latin around 200 C.E.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY TRINITY

Working as a community

The Trinity is described as a community of love. The understanding that exists among the Holy Trinity should encourage us us to love more, to carry others along, to keep that which separates and go more for those things that unites. It was this Spirit that inspired the invitation in Genesis: " Let us make man in our own image".

There should be a healthy communication in our families and in our society. Do you carry your wife along? Are you open to your husband? Are you known to your children? Is the East aware of what North is doing? Is the Government open to the persons they lead? Do we live as equals while respecting people's roles? Let us share in the life of others and allow them to share our own lives.

 

Learn to reach out

The Trinity lives by reaching out. The Gospel of today says that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. When Jesus was about to depart from the earth in His love He emptied himself and poured on the disciples the Holy Spirit.

We are not celebrating egoism, selfishness or nkemdirim but love shared, love given, love expressed indeed!

 

Be Humble

The Trinity celebration is a celebration of the greatness of God and yet the difference between God and creatures notwithstanding, He comes to relate, wants to recreate Himself, invites for a participation in His image and likeness. Cares about man and takes his nature, dwells in man through the Holy Spirit. Let us humble ourselves and foster peace and harmony.

 

Reflect the Trinity holistically

Consciousness of the fact that we cannot do without the Trinity matters. Just as we came into being by the trinitarian call: 'Let us create'', in the Church we too are brought into the Church to share in the trinitarian life through Baptism by the invocation of the Trinity. Let's know the place of the Trinity in our lives, sign ourselves with it always and manifest the Trinity to others always.

The Church in her wisdom begins and ends her celebration of the Holy Mass in the name of the Trinity. She makes her prayers to the Father through Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. She is empowered to move into the world on mission in obedience to God. This is a replication of the Trinitarian mission. God the Son is a missionary of the Father, (sent by the Father) God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Let us therefore reach out to people around us spreading the love of the Trinity, doing only what will glorify God.

 

Benediction

The Trinity is the outstanding sign of blessing in the Church. Let us receive the blessedness of the Blessed Trinity and bless others with it. Let us never cease to call upon the Holy Trinity always. Let these Divine Persons possess us. May our creatureliness remain in accord with the will of our loving creator, be redeemed by the mercies of our passionate saviour and be inflamed by the sweet unction of the Holy Spirit.

 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Happy Holy Trinity Sunday (Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Pentecost Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Pentecost: Using the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Aright 

Readings: Acts 2:1–11; 1 Cor 12:3b–7, 12–13; Jn 20:19–23

Dearest brothers and sisters, Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. It is the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in the form of tongues of fire and inaugurated the Church, empowering them to begin the ministry Jesus had given them.

The word “Pentecost” means “fiftieth day,” and it was on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon His disciples.

The feast of Pentecost is very important in the life of the Church because of the profound impact of the Holy Spirit on the early Church, on the Church today, and on each one of us. The Holy Spirit has touched every one of us and has blessed us with many gifts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that there are seven gifts which the Holy Spirit poured into our lives on the day we received the Sacrament of Confirmation. On this day when we commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, it is fitting to reflect on these gifts, why they were given to us, and what is expected of those who have received them.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. Why were these gifts given to us?

Wisdom helps us value rightly the things we believe through faith and to order our relationship with created things. It opens our eyes to God’s plan, helping us recognize what supports or harms it.

Understanding enlightens us to grasp and accept the truths revealed by God. Through this gift, the Holy Spirit allows us to penetrate the depths of God and perceive divine realities.

Counsel helps us judge rightly how to act, almost by intuition. It is the light that enables us to discern what is true and good.

Fortitude gives us the strength to follow the guidance of Counsel. It makes us courageous in facing the daily challenges of Christian life and is the virtue that sustained the martyrs in choosing death rather than denying the faith.

Knowledge helps us see the circumstances of our lives as God sees them. Through this gift, the Holy Spirit reveals God’s thoughts about us so that we may live accordingly.

Piety inspires in us a loving devotion to God, moving us to worship and serve Him out of love rather than obligation.

Fear of the Lord fills us with reverence for God and a desire not to offend Him in anything we do.

Possessing these gifts is a beautiful blessing for every Christian. However, it is not enough merely to possess them; what matters is how we use them and the fruits they produce in our lives and in our service to others. In his Letter to the Galatians (5:22), St Paul teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit must bear the following fruits: charity, love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, generosity, meekness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. The true proof that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are being used well is when our lives reflect these fruits.

The failure to allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit was the issue at the heart of today’s second reading. While St Paul was in Ephesus, he received reports of divisions in the Church of Corinth. One of the major causes of these divisions was the misuse of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Instead of using their gifts to build unity and foster growth, some members used them to create rivalry and tension. They argued over who had the greater gift and who had the lesser. In today’s reading, St Paul addresses this division and reminds the Corinthians—and us—that our gifts come from the same Spirit and must therefore serve unity.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives should bear the fruits of forgiveness and peace.

Dear friends in Christ, the feast of Pentecost challenges us to examine ourselves and ask the following: What are we doing with the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us? Are we using them well, or are we using them to look down on others? Are we using them to build up our families, our Christian communities, and our society and to help our friends? Or are we using them in ways that create confusion and division?

On this day of Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle in us the gifts we have received and to help us use them to produce fruits that will bless humanity. Let us join our voices with the psalmist in praying: “Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth—renew our lives and renew our hearts.” Amen.

Peace be with you. 

Happy Feast of Pentecost. 

Rev. Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

(John 20:19-23)

We celebrate in Thanksgiving the fulfilment of the promise made by Jesus, that He will not leave us orphans.

We celebrate our adoption as children of God, for by the Spirit we have received, we can comfortably call God Abba Father.

We celebrate our liberation and the freedom of the children of God, just like a tied fowl or a caged bird celebrates when freed. We rejoice that we have been privileged to be given the gift we can not merit so much to receive.

We celebrate the New Pentecost.

 

WHAT IS PENTECOST?

It is derived from the Greek 'pentekoste', which means literally '50th'. It is an agricultural feast, a wheat harvest festival (cf Exodus 34:22). It is a Jewish feast with which they marked the end of their Passover celebration. It is also used to celebrate the Shavuot, which is the feast of weeks in Hebrew. It is the celebration of the seven weeks after Passover.

With time, this Jewish festival became an occasion for commemorating the giving of the Torah by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

It is good to underscore that this celebration gathered a good number of people from far and wide into Jerusalem. It was a homecoming for the Jews in diaspora, a pilgrimage for foreigners, an economic adventure for business tycoons, and tourism as well for great and small alike.

 

WHAT'S SPECIAL?

What we celebrate is not the Jewish Pentecost. We are not celebrating the Shavuot. Not the giving of the Torah to Moses, not the homecoming nor the pilgrimages. Oh no!

We are celebrating that on this ordinary day of Jewish celebration, something extraordinary happened. It is no longer the giving of the Torah to Moses but the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. It is not a thanksgiving for a journey made by Moses but a thanksgiving for an ascent made by Jesus, the Son of God, which necessitated the advent of the Holy Spirit. It is not the old law that held people bound but the new law of love that set people free. We celebrate that on this day, the Holy Spirit took the centre stage. Attention was focused on the apostles, passivity was translated to activity, the captives were liberated, and the fearful became fearless. A mysterious proclamation resounded, and the whole tongues of the world were unified by the Spirit of understanding.

In a special way, today's celebration will bring an end to the Easter season.

 

WHY WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT

Proclamation

What Jesus taught His disciples was meant to be communicated. But with timidity that communication cannot occur. So, with the tongues of fire on their heads, they were set on fire to proclaim the Love of God in such a manner that people even accused them of being drunk. Be open to that fire of the Spirit and communicate Divine wisdom by your words and actions. May it not be quenched.

 

Baptism

Being confirmed and commissioned by the Holy Spirit, they received the authority of regeneration, of bringing people into the body of Christ. Those who received the communication of the word had their rebirth and new life in Christ. 3000 were baptized on the Pentecost day. How are you operating with the baptismal grace you received? It is a day to rekindle the light of our baptism and carry the same light to everywhere we may find ourselves.

 

Effective functioning in the world

To function effectively in the world, we need the Holy Spirit. The word of God says, take away the Spirit they return to clay (psalm 146:4).

We will do nothing without the Spirit of God. We will be lifeless without it. We will be empty without it. Our prayers will be a waste of time without the Spirit, and our hope will be useless without the Holy Spirit.

 

 We need the Holy Spirit to live holy life. That's why Jesus says: "Receive the Holy Spirit." The Church needs it to give and receive forgiveness. He is the forgiving Spirit. We need it to live in us and work with us, He is the wisdom of God. We need it to replace our unholy desires and steer up holy deeds. "Receive the Holy Spirit " means receive answers to your prayers, it means receive fulfilment of my promises to you, it means you're not alone, it means God will confuse your enemies, they will look at your success and will not understand what's going on, it means that the righteous will gather around you for Thanksgiving, it means receive reason for living, it means receive power to forge ahead. It means receive power from above. It means that the powers from below can never stop you from soaring high.

May you receive this Spirit, may the operations of the Holy Spirit destroy the activities of the evil cabals who are holding the progress of this country and of our world.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Holy Spirit of God, Spirit of the Risen Christ, fall afresh in us. Fill us with power from above. Fill us with courage and wisdom to face and overcome the world. Fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your love. Raise up for us leaders with fear of God and holy dreams. Burn to ashes the power of sin and the agents of darkness.  Give us the grace to succeed in all our endeavours. May we enjoy Your abiding presence and work with it for our salvation and those of the whole world through Christ our Lord. Amen

 

Happy Pentecost Sunday

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 7^th Sunday of Easter, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Waiting on the Lord in Prayer and in One Heart

Readings: Acts 1:12–14; 1 Pt 4:13–16; Jn 17:1–11a

The first reading of this Sunday introduces two essential attitudes for anyone waiting for God’s grace or favour in their lives.

According to Acts, after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and went straight to the upper room. There, they devoted themselves to prayer and to a life of unity as they waited for the Holy Spirit promised by Christ.

In our world today, we all experience different forms of waiting. Some wait for the arrival of loved ones from abroad, admission into school, exam results, the right spouse, the birth of a child, approval of job quotations, employment, promotions, business growth, or the maturity of a long‑term project. These expectations are good and are in harmony with God’s plan for us, as Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us.

However, what we do during our seasons of waiting matters greatly. Our actions can hasten the fulfilment of our expectations, delay them, or even make us lose what we have long prayed for.

The disciples in today’s first reading teach us two important lessons as they waited for the Holy Spirit promised to them.

1. The time of waiting must not be spiritually empty.

The disciples teach us that there should be no dull moment in the spiritual life of those who are waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promises in their lives. Such a wait should not be spent in idleness. Rather, it is a time to deepen our prayer life, to visit the Blessed Sacrament more frequently, and to take up some service in the Church. In their time of waiting on God, the disciples entered the upper room and committed themselves to an intensive nine‑day prayer, preparing their hearts for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Because they prepared themselves spiritually, when the Spirit finally came, He found their hearts ready to receive His gifts.

2. Our lifestyle must be worthy of what we are expecting.

The book of Acts of the Apostles tells us that the disciples were united in one heart. Their unity matched the gift they were waiting for, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity. He would not have descended upon a divided community. God does not pitch His tent in a house of chaos; He dwells where love and charity abide.

Jesus reinforces this in the parable of the servant waiting for his master (Mt 24:49). The bad servant spends his waiting time beating others and drinking with drunkards, and the master’s return caught him unprepared. Imagine if the disciples had spent their days after the Ascension drinking in the taverns of Jerusalem, fighting among themselves, and causing trouble. Obviously, they would have missed the coming of the Holy Spirit.

This teaches us to live in a way that aligns with what we are praying for—to adopt habits and attitudes that make us worthy to receive God’s blessings.

Dear friends, waiting is a time for goodness. It is a time to engage in acts of charity, to serve our families and communities, and to allow peace, harmony, and love to flourish in our relationships. Anyone waiting on God must remain united with God and in a good relationship with their neighbours.

As we enter these days of prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit, let us ask Him to rekindle in us the gifts, virtues, and talents that may have grown dormant. Let us adopt the best spiritual and moral disposition, so that this year’s Pentecost may bring something truly new into our lives.

Peace be with you.

Rev Fr. Isaac Chima

 7^TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: UNITED IN PRAYERS

(John 17:1-11a)

Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter. We are still in the joy of the resurrection. But the Ascension of the Lord into heaven has triggered a mixed feeling in the hearts of the disciples of Jesus. The appearances gave them joy and confidence but with the Ascension, they will not see Jesus again. The cloud now covers Him from their view. But they are left with an instruction to go back to the upper room. There in the upper room, they will see Jesus in another form, they will experience Him, they will enter into a romance with Him, they will encounter Him in the spiritual form, a seeing that will be made possible through prayers. Hence the responsorial psalm of today affirms: I believe I shall see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living.

The Gospel of today presents Jesus praying to the Father when His own hour came. Now is our own hour to pray. Here we saw a deep spiritual communication between Jesus and His Father. They discussed about His mission and activities. He renders account to God in thanksgiving for those He gave Him. He asked to be glorified. The resurrection and Ascension of Christ were answers to these powerful prayers; hence, they are enlisted as the first two glorious mysteries we pray.

As the Church anticipates the third glorious mystery, which is the Descent of the Holy Spirit we are called to ponder on the prayer of Jesus and His wish for us.

All that Jesus did and prayed was just for our sake. He came for us, lived for us, died for us, rose for us. He ascended into heaven and from there prays for us. Thus, the prayer He makes for us therefrom is a continuation of the prayer He started making here before His death as recorded in the Gospel of today.

The romantic nature of our prayers is the bond it carries, how it joins us to Christ in a miraculous and yet realistic way. Through this we see ourselves praying to God through Jesus Christ, we experience Jesus interceding for us, we listen to Him talk to our hearts, He joins us in prayers, we feel His abiding presence and He grants what we pray.

Let us hear His words and wishes for us as we unite in prayerful wait today:

 

I am praying for them

This is great! These are the words of Jesus Christ. This offers us great confidence, to know that someone is there for us. We are not alone. We cannot be knocked down. We have a saviour who prays on our behalf.

Let us pay attention to what attracted these Divine prayers. It is 'belief'.

 

Jesus says that He prays for them because they believed in Him as sent by God. Do you have strong faith in God and His authority over you? What place have you given the word of God in your life? Consider it.

 

That they may be safe in the world

Jesus made His point straight that He was not praying for the world.  The romance is only for those who opened their arms to receive it. He prays for those who have agreed to follow Him, those who have flied to His patronage, those who are totally dependent on Him.

These are those Jesus sees as people entrusted to Him. These are people who as well entrusted themselves to God. In whose hands are you? In the disappointing hands of world or in the dependable and reliable hands of the Almighty?

The invitation therefore is to move away from the world, its attractions and distractions, its glories and its frustrations. Be soaked in prayers, be more spiritually conscious, accept the Union which Jesus initiates. Jesus wished that we be safe in the world as He sits at the right hand of the Father. He knows the turbulent situations we face, the disappointments and challenges here and there, the heartbreaks and trials.

He is aware that we have all these and many other forces to contend with in the world. So He takes us to the upper room of prayer and encounter. He immerses us with the warmth of His embrace, that through His romance with us in prayers, in communion, in devotion, in novena and in Lectio Divina we may be empowered, fortified and charged to face the world, the devil and the flesh squarely and conquer in all the battles they wage.

May we feel the deep joy of remaining in union with God. May the Holy Spirit keep us united in prayers. May our lives, our families, our Church and our society receive the transformation that flows from our prayers and may the prayers and blessings of Jesus Christ for us come to pass in our lives in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

Happy Sunday to you (7th Week of Easter)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Ascension of the Lord, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Ascension of Christ: Our Hope and Our Mission

Readings: Acts 1:1–11; Eph 1:17–23; Mt 28:16–20

Whenever we recite the Creed, we proclaim that Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” This is an article of our faith. But how and when did Christ ascend into heaven? Today’s feast gives us the answer. As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, she recounts how and where it happened and offers us profound lessons from this mystery.

Today’s first reading and Gospel present the event of the Ascension. It took place forty days after the Resurrection, which is why this solemnity marks the fortieth day after Easter. According to the Gospel, on the day of the Ascension the disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had indicated. There they saw Him; He gave them His final mandate to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them in the name of the Trinity. He promised His abiding presence and assistance, and then ascended into heaven before their eyes. Immediately afterward, two heavenly messengers in white garments appeared and assured the disciples of Jesus’ return in glory.

Christ’s Ascension was the culmination of God’s divine plan for the earthly ministry of Jesus. It shows that, having accomplished His mission, Jesus returned to the Father. The Ascension was the grand finale of all His words and works for our salvation.  It was a culmination, not a conclusion, because although Jesus is now in glory, He continues to remain with us, dwelling within us together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He Himself assured us: “I am with you always, until the end of time.”

Today’s feast is also a celebration of Christian hope—our hope of entering into glory after our earthly journey. Faith in the Ascension assures us that after our spiritual striving here on earth, we too will behold the glory of God in heaven. This is why St Paul, explaining the meaning of Christ’s exaltation in Ephesians 1:18, prayed: “May God enlighten the eyes of your hearts so that you may know the great hope to which you have been called.”

In the second reading, Paul deepens this message, saying, “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation… that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe.” Our great hope is that one day we too will ascend to heavenly glory. Our task, therefore, is to accomplish our mission just as Jesus accomplished His.

What, then, is our mission? Today’s Gospel makes it clear. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus commanded His disciples—and all of us—to proclaim the Good News of salvation to the whole world by word and deed, and to make disciples of all nations. Dear friends, we are called to evangelize not only by preaching but by witnessing with our lives: through our good actions, through the way we love one another, forgive one another, help one another, speak to one another, and treat one another. By living in peace and harmony in our families and Christian communities, we become authentic witnesses to Christ. These are powerful ways to share in His mission and in the glory that follows.

Today also marks the beginning of the novena to the Holy Spirit. After receiving their final mission from Christ, the disciples returned to the upper room and waited for the Spirit who would strengthen them to fulfill it. As we draw near to Pentecost, let us make time to pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the Church, so that we may be empowered to carry out our mission in the world.

Happy Feast Day

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima