Palm Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: A call to be messengers of peace, hope, and victory in Christ

Readings: Is 50:4–7; Phil 2:6–11; Mt 26:14–27:66

Dearest brothers and sisters, Palm Sunday is a special day in the liturgical year. It opens the door to a great week for us — Holy Week. It ushers us into days rich with the remembrance of the events that saved us from sin, restored us to God’s friendship, and brought us back to life.

Today, carrying branches of palm or olive, we follow Jesus into our churches — our New Jerusalem — just as the people of Jerusalem cut branches and spread them along the road when Jesus triumphantly entered the city. These blessed branches have become sacramentals. Next year, they will be burned on Ash Wednesday, and their ashes will mark the beginning of another Lenten journey.

Palm and olive branches hold deep meaning in many cultures. They signify peace, victory, and hope. Their symbolism has roots in the ancient Mediterranean world — especially in Egypt and Greece — where olive branches represented peace or victory, particularly in acts of supplication to the gods or to people in authority.

Therefore, dearest friends, today we hold in our hands a symbol of peace. Our world needs peace more than ever because it is battered by problems and wars on every side. We see the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, America and Israel and Iran, among others. Acts of terrorism and banditry ravage many African nations. Many other regions suffer from unreported crises and unrest. It is clear that peace is the greatest gift we, as Christians, can offer our families, friends, and the world.

With these branches of palm and olive, let us become true messengers of peace — in our world, in our families, and among our friends. It would be a contradiction for the bearer of these branches not to be a promoter of peace in his or her own neighbourhood.

The olive or palm branch also signifies victory. Today we recalled Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where He showed Himself victorious over the forces of darkness and death. We also listened to the Passion, which reveals His journey toward that victory. We are witnesses to Christ’s power over evil and death. Therefore, as we carry these palm or olive branches — signs of victory — let us remind the world that our Saviour is a victorious King. Let us bear witness to His triumph over sin and death in our society.

Friends, we are children of victory. If anyone asks why you carry these branches today, tell them that our victorious King is passing by, entering our neighbourhood to fight our battles and to give us victory. Hence, it would be a contradiction if the children of victory were afraid to proclaim Christ to their friends.

The olive or palm branch also signifies hope. In the book of Genesis, the dove sent out by Noah returned with an olive branch — a sign of the hope of a new beginning. The difficulties in our world have caused many to lose hope in life and even in God. Many are searching for something solid on which to anchor their hope.

Dear friends, today we hold in our hands the sign of a new beginning — the branches of olive or palm. Let us go out and spread this message of hope. Let us tell the world that in Jesus there is the hope of a new beginning. The resurrection of Christ guarantees this new beginning; it is the fullness of hope. Let us be torchbearers of hope wherever we go, starting today.

Friends, we have the vocation to spread the message of peace, hope, and Christ’s victory in our world. As we do this, it is important to remember that Christ calls us to be true witnesses — people who remain with Him in good times and in difficult times, in moments of joy and in moments of sorrow. Our witness should not resemble that of the crowd who shouted Hosanna during Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem but failed to defend Him when He was unjustly tried and condemned. Many denied Him and chose Barabbas instead, as we heard in today’s Passion narrative. With the same intensity with which they cried “Hosanna, Son of David”, they later shouted, “Crucify Him.”

Dear friends, many concrete situations in our lives demand that we witness to the truth of the Gospel. We all see how our world has been penetrated by doctrines, ideologies, and lifestyles contrary to the Gospel. These harmful ideologies are promoted as fashionable by governments, celebrities, and culture industries. Some even attempt to impose their ungodly views on others.

We act like the crowd in the Passion narrative when we remain silent while our world is being battered by these forces. We deny Christ whenever we keep quiet in the face of such teachings and lifestyles. We deny Him whenever we choose indifference in the presence of evil. We choose Barabbas whenever we swim against the truth of the Gospel. May we not remain indifferent or unconcerned in the face of anti-life ideologies in our society. May we stop hiding behind political correctness when confronted with evil. Let us speak out for Christ.

Finally, today ushers us into Holy Week. The desire of Christ and His Church is that all who participate in the liturgies of this week may also strive to be holy. Let us set aside sin and focus on the Paschal Mysteries. Jesus invites us to open our hearts and be washed clean by His Precious Blood through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us carry our cross and walk with Christ to Calvary, so that we may rise with Him in glory.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

THEME: PASSION FOR LIFE

(MATTHEW 26:14-27:66)

We today commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He has been hiding for sometimes now. He has been in isolation. He had avoided the Jews and the virus of hatred and conspiracy they circulated. Today He enters Jerusalem, the place of death, He marches majestically upon the forces of darkness, He rode kingly into the city. He is greeted with the waving of palms and singing of psalms.

This journey spelt a lot for Jesus. But He did not give up because He had a drive. He had a motivation. He was driven by passion, He was moved into action. He wished to bring about a better form of life other than the sick, weak, sinful life. He was driven by a desire to deliver His people from bondage. He was inspired to give, to offer, to donate and also to take. He offers His life, He gives holiness, He sacrifices His Divinity on the altar of Humanity that humanity may receive dignity and respect. Jesus takes up passionately, from the depth of His heart our shame, our sin, our diseases, our sorrows, our fears and tears.

With this in mind, He launches us into the Holy Week. Let us see the various drives in today's Gospel Reading, known liturgically, as the passion narrative.

 

The passion for death

Passion is motivated by love. What one loves means a lot. For Jesus' love for life, He was moved to save it. For the scribe's and Pharisees' love for death they were out to terminate the life giver, they sat and took counsel, deadly ones indeed. Such a passion was very strong that it drew other passions along with it: Judas, Peter, Pilate, Barabas and the crowd.

 

Passion for Money

Money and what money can buy have been very strong force down through the ages. Money can be used to save life, but it has often been used to destroy life. Judas allowed himself due to the inclination in him and the love he had for money to be roped in by agents of death. He sold life to death. He traded the author of life for money. Until today, are we not suffering in the hands of our people, our leaders both religious and political as a result of greed and love for money? Are people not losing their lives on daily basis for loving money more than their parents, friends and life partners?

Judas took money and sold his master with a deadly kiss. He kissed to kill just to keep money. At last he saw that he only succeeded in plunging himself into despair and perpetual agony. Have you caused any death? Repent and replace your evil passions with holy ones.

 

Passion for self preservation

Peter who earlier on promised to stand by Jesus gave him more than a social distance when trials came. He loved his own life that he did not care whose life would be lost for him to preserve it. He no longer cared about his beliefs, he forgot his covenants, he abandoned his earlier stands, he told a good number of lies, and he denied Jesus. How many times have we denied Jesus on in the bid to preserve our lives and those of our family members? How many times have we told lies when questioned about our faith? How often do people get involved in a number of evils for protection? The passion for life makes you think not only of your life but also of the other person. Peter should have felt for his master who is being condemned based on lies, and who is receiving whips. Yet for fear and love for his own life, he did not feel for his master but denied him before a slave girl.

 

Passion for Power

Pilate realized so well that Jesus was innocent and yet because of his quest for power he asked: are you the king of the Jews? Another selfishness in action. Even when his wife made known to him her dreams he was not strong enough to stand for life. When he thought he was not threatened, he became neutral. When he thought the people might revolt, he washed his hands. What a craftiness! Intoxication of power has really done us more harm than good. The desire to remain on top by the world powers has really made them take decisions that sacrificed people's life. May God reveal to them that all power belongs to Him.

 

Passion for false freedom

The people wanted someone to be freed but it was the wrong person. Barabbas was desired while Jesus was denied. This is sad. How often do we passionately desire evil than good? May God save us. Barabbas did not demonstrate like the thief on the cross that he did not deserve

 

Passion for crowd

Some people find it difficult to stand out, to be themselves. They blindly and passionately follow the crowd. They move without knowing why, they shout without reasoning, they make noise and sing choruses they do not know. They may sing Hosannah in the morning and sing crucify him in the afternoon. They are a body of compromised beings. They allow themselves to be manipulated. Are you following Jesus as a crowd or as a convinced person who have had a personal touch by him?

Are you busy building factions instead of watering your passion for good actions?

It is indeed time to be passionate for life. For our spiritual well-being, for the life of those we are better than.

It is time to have human feelings. It is time for us to love like Christ. It is time for us to develop special love for things of God. It is time for us to take our mission on earth as children of God seriously. May we not be blindfolded by the wrong passions. May the passion of Christ strengthen us in all our endeavours. May God help us to make our world a better place. May He who overcame the weakness of his body to achieve the desire of the spirit help us to follow the directives of the Holy Spirit and be more sanctified this Holy Week and beyond. Amen

Be sanctified

Be made whole

Happy Palm Sunday (Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 5^TH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THIS ILLNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH

(John 11:1-45)

Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, was ill. Mary and Martha sent for him with the words: "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it, He said: "This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the son of God may be glorified by means of it."

Lazarus died of the sickness. Jesus knew of it. He embarked on the journey to wake him.

On his way, Martha came up to Him and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now, I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus assured her: "Your brother will rise again. She believed. Mary acted the same way and said the same things Martha said: if you had been here..."

Jesus wept. He saw where he was laid. He saw the lifelessness in the body that is supposed to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. He saw where His friend was quarantined, He saw those who worshipped Him with joy filled with sorrow and sadness, with tears and bitterness. He commanded, and the stone was taken away. He prayed in faith and cried out, "Lazarus, come out." The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "unbind him and let him go."

 

OUR SICK WORLD AND LAZARUS

Our sick world is like Lazarus. Many are sick, many are suffering, and many have died. The two cases of sickness and death were experienced by Lazarus, the friend of Jesus. Jesus allowed it for a purpose. Is God not aware of all we are facing? He is. Why is he allowing it? We may not have known. But in the end, God must be glorified. Can we cry and become more aware of our need for God this period? Is it actually dawning on us? How we should depend on God? Can we run out of our comfort zones of spiritual lousiness and laziness to kneel at the feet of Jesus for healing and restoration mercy? Mary and Martha did this! They knew Jesus as Lord even of the situation at hand. It became a moment of increased faith, even though Jesus seemed to be away. Situations that genuinely kept Jesus away couldn't stop them from going close to Jesus. The sickness, death, tears, heartbreaks, losses, and disappointments they faced were brought to Jesus. Just like Lazarus, our world is tied hands and feet. Just like Lazarus, we have become helpless, cashless, politically lifeless, and will powerless. Just as Lazarus, we can no longer do much for ourselves. Just like Mary and Martha, we are dumfounded and have no serious solution to offer. Our human life, social life, and religious life are being affected. We now have many questions seeking answers. Like Mary and Martha, therefore, we look up to Jesus. Oh, let's do that with faith. Let's do that with cries for mercy. Let's do that with readiness to start a new life in Christ. Let's listen and hear Jesus tell us: Your world will rise again.

 

WE NEED TO HEAR THE VOICE OF JESUS

The pains and hopeless conditions here and there may be telling you that it is over. Wait in prayers. God has the final say. Your marriage that is not working may appear to be proving to you that it is finished.  It is not finished for you and with you until God says so. God wants your happiness together. The political and economic death of the country may be saying that it is over. God says otherwise. The denial of justice and the sufferings of the innocent for nothing may seem to say that evil has won. God says it is not true. Your personal efforts to survive without much headways may be telling you that you're a failure.  Oh no! God has not said so. You are like one locked up, with no light. Your hopes are almost frustrated.  You have found yourself in a situation where you're tied not to progress. You are cashless, friendless, and lifeless. Don't be hopeless again. From all these, you will come out victorious. God is with us a refuge and strength. Who is tying the young Lazarus? Who is killing the future of the youths? Who is aborting the hope of the people? Wait, you will hear from God.

Dear Child of God, May God command you to come out from that dark, graveyard situation. May God command the situations that have made our families, states, and country look like a graveyard to leave us alone. You will be out.

 

LAZARUS COME OUT!

We shall come out of our quarantine situations

We shall come out of the fear of the evil forces in our world today.

We shall come out of love for sin

We shall come out of the evil hands of oppression and marginalization.

We shall be untied. The evil clothes used in wrapping your destiny shall be removed, the masks shall be pulled off, the prison of cryptocracy and manipulation shall be let loose. Let's look up to the rising that accompanies dying. As you weep in prayers, the Lord weeps to take away your weeping, to unbind you and let you go. You will live again by the power of Christ.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Father, for assuring us today through Your Son that the various unpleasant situations we encounter presently will not have the final say in our lives. May Jesus the resurrection and the life lift us from our troubles, sickness, and death of body and soul.  May God manifest his glory in the world and restore us all. May we share in the fullness of joy and enjoy the beauty of living through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday to you (Fifth Sunday of Lent)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 5^th Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

THEME: Making Our Hearts and Families Befitting Homes for God

Readings: Ez 37:12–14; Rom 8:8–11; Jn 11:1–45

Dear friends in Christ, the liturgical celebration of this Fifth Sunday of Lent centres on the theme of death, restoration, and resurrection or reanimation. The three readings present a beautiful unity: they reveal God’s power to reanimate, restore, and raise those who have been knocked down; they show the power of God through Christ over death and over every human situation that seems hopeless; they show God’s power to untie those bound by sickness, depression, sorrow, difficulties, and disappointments, and to send them home renewed.

The first reading comes from the vision and prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the people of Israel in exile in Babylon. In this vision, the Israelites in Babylon are likened to dry bones scattered in a valley—without flesh, without hope, and without a future (Ez 37:11). It is a vivid depiction of the terrible condition they were experiencing in exile. Ezekiel sees God breathe His Spirit upon the dry bones and restore them to life. God then assures him that just as the bones received flesh and new life, so the people of Israel will live again: they will be freed from slavery, restored to their land, and experience new life that springs from God’s Spirit. Their release from captivity is described as rising from the grave to a new life. The prophet urges his people to look beyond their present catastrophe toward future restoration and glory.

The vision and prophecy of Ezekiel—and the eventual release of Israel from captivity—reveal God’s power over everything that threatens our lives. They assure us that slavery, difficulties, hunger, depression, hopelessness, trials, tribulations, and even death cannot conquer those in whom the Spirit of God dwells.

The second reading today offers an even stronger affirmation of what the Spirit of God accomplishes in those in whom He dwells. It declares: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Therefore, as Christians, we must ensure that our bodies are true temples of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit dwells in us, difficult situations cannot conquer us, and our mortal bodies will not experience ultimate decay at death (Ps 16:10). The Spirit will continually reanimate us, fill us with hope, and guide our steps.

This reading also teaches us what we must do to ensure that the Spirit of God dwells in us. It explains that those who live according to the flesh cannot please God, and the Spirit cannot dwell in them. Living “in the flesh” means allowing ourselves to be controlled by sinful desires and immoral behaviours. Our bodies are meant to be temples of the Holy Spirit.

Lent offers us a privileged opportunity to purify our hearts and lives through the sacrament of penance, so that the Spirit of God may find in us a worthy dwelling place. When we make our hearts and homes places where God is welcomed, His grace will always come to our aid—especially in moments of pain and sorrow.

The Gospel today shows us what God does for those who welcome Christ into their lives and homes. Because of the hostility of the Scribes and Pharisees, only a few families opened their doors to Jesus and His disciples. One of these was the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany. They became true friends of Jesus during His ministry and used their resources to care for Him and His disciples whenever they came to Bethany to preach the Good News.

When this family was plunged into mourning by the death of Lazarus, Jesus did not abandon them. Instead, He came to them, wiped away their tears, restored their hope, and returned their joy by bringing Lazarus back to life. This is what happens to those who make their lives and homes worthy dwelling places for Christ and the Holy Spirit. Dear friends, if God’s Spirit truly lives in you, death cannot defeat you. If you make Christ the friend of your life and your family, sorrow and pain will not conquer you; Christ will surely come to your aid even when all hope seems lost.

Let us remember that when Jesus came to raise Lazarus, it was already four days after his death, and his body was expected to have begun decomposing. Humanly speaking, all hope was gone. Yet for those who are friends of Christ, hope never dies. This is a lesson for all who have made themselves friends of Christ: God’s seeming delay in answering your prayers is a call to patience and trust. Christ will not abandon you. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” To those who have not yet made their hearts and families fitting homes for Christ, the Church invites you to begin today.

Let us make Christ our friend this Lent by purifying our hearts from sin, listening to His voice, and living according to His teachings. Let us make our homes worthy places for Christ by building our families on love, forgiveness, and peace, for wherever Christ dwells, life always triumphs. Dear friends, praying together should be one of our common practices in our families this Lent.

Peace be with you

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 4^th Sunday of Lent, Year A (Laetare Sunday): Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Allowing Christ’s Light into the Darkness of Our Lives

Readings: 1 Sam 16:1, 6–13; Eph 5:8–14; Jn 9:1–41

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. Laetare is a Latin word meaning “to rejoice.” The Church takes this theme from the Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy, drawn from Isaiah 66:10–11: “Laetare Jerusalem”—“Rejoice, O Jerusalem… Be joyful, all who were mourning; exult and be satisfied.”

This Sunday marks the midpoint of Lent. The Church invites us, even in this penitential season, to rejoice with hope because we are drawing closer to the celebration of the great Paschal mystery through which Christ reconciled us to the Father. We rejoice in anticipation of the saving events of Easter, and at the same time we pause to reflect on how faithfully we have lived our Lenten commitments. The Church reminds us that those who suffer with Christ will also reign with Him in glory.

It is in this spirit of self-examination that the second reading, through the voice of St Paul, challenges us to wake up from spiritual sleep so that the light of Christ may shine upon us. St Paul says: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” He reminds us that we are children of light because God, through Christ, has freed us from the power of darkness and sin. Therefore, our actions and choices must be guided by the light of Christ. This light becomes evident in our lives when we do what is good, right, true, and pleasing to God, and when we shun all works of darkness. St Paul urges us to allow Christ’s light to penetrate the dark areas of our lives—our hidden weaknesses, addictions, and pride—so that we may be truly free.

The first reading shows how easily the human mind can make mistakes when it is not open to God’s wisdom – God’s light. Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to anoint the next king of Israel. When he saw Eliab, handsome and impressive, he thought he had found the chosen one. Left to human judgment alone, Samuel would have anointed the wrong person. But he opened himself to God’s guidance, and God enlightened him to make the right choice. The human mind is tainted by sin and will often make wrong decisions and judgment if it shuts God out.

God said to Samuel: “The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” This teaches us to give space to God’s direction when we make decisions. As human beings, our judgments are often clouded by imperfection, pride, and prejudice. We must therefore allow the Spirit of God to guide us with wisdom from above. Pride is one of the darkest spots in the human heart. It blinds us to the true good and leads us to choose wrongly. If Samuel had been proud, he would not have listened to God’s inner voice. This Lent, let us ask God to help us conquer pride in our decisions and actions, and to heal the blindness that pride causes.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals both the physical and spiritual blindness of the man born blind. At the same time, we witness the refusal of the Pharisees to be healed of their spiritual blindness because of pride. They believed they already knew everything about God and the Messiah. The man born blind opened himself to Christ and received not only physical sight but also spiritual insight, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Meanwhile, the Pharisees—who had physical sight—remained spiritually blind because they rejected the light of God’s wisdom. Their pride even prevented them from feeling compassion for the suffering of their neighbour.

Modern-day Pharisees still exist. In their spiritual blindness, many refuse to accept the truth of God’s revelation or even acknowledge God’s existence. In their pride, they spread errors and accuse Christians of foolishness and childish credulity. Some even promote a return to forms of neo-paganism.

Dear friends, the Church invites us today to examine whether we have dark spots we hide from God’s light—areas of our lives that prefer darkness to light. These may include self-centeredness, greed, anger, hatred, prejudice, jealousy, addictions, or hardness of heart. Like the Pharisees, if we are spiritually blind, we will fail to notice the sorrows and struggles of those around us.

Our modern society is also filled with dark spots that many, believing they know better than God, refuse to expose to Christ’s light. Often these dark areas are defended under the guise of scientific progress. This is evident in the promotion of destructive practices such as embryonic stem-cell research, homosexual unions, transgender ideology, euthanasia, and human cloning. Those who promote these agendas resist every effort of the Church to shine the light of Christ on their actions. In their pride, they refuse to see the consequences of such godless behaviour on human life and society.

Today, let us pray that the light of God will penetrate the dark areas of our lives and of our society, so that we may be saved from choices and actions that lead to error and destruction.

Peace be with you.

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 4^TH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: ARE WE ALSO BLIND?

(John 9: 1-41)

Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is traditionally known as the Laetare Sunday. Laetare is the Latin word for "Rejoice." It is derived from the entrance antiphon of today, which was taken from Isaiah 66:10-11. It reads: "Rejoice Jerusalem and all who love her. Be joyful, all you who were in mourning..."

Rejoicing in Lent? Rejoicing during the commemoration of the sufferings of Christ? Rejoice in this trying time? God says: "Rejoice." This is addressed to those who are mourning over Jerusalem, those who received that invitation sent out on the Ash Wednesday, those who hearkened to the song: "Oh come and mourn with me a while...Jesus our Lord is crucified".

Indeed, we should rejoice in hope. We should rejoice with an eye on the resurrection of Christ for those who suffered with Him shall also reign with. We rejoice that through the observances of this holy season, God continues to lighten our paths as we journey along with Him. We rejoice in appreciation to God for the Amazing Grace that saved wretched ones like us, we rejoice that we once were lost but now found, were blind like the man in the Gospel of today but now can see.

But are we actually seeing or still blind after the whole process of divine illumination? Are we also blind? Was the question some pharisees directed to Jesus today in their effort to claim to know and to see. Let us rather make it an introspective inquiry. Are we blind:

 

ARE WE BLIND TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD?

This is a time we come before the Lord the way we are and tell ourselves the truth about ourselves, namely that we are blind. That not even our blindness or the present hopeless situations should stop us from seeking the Lord.( All you who seek a comfort sure in trouble and distress whatever sorrows vexed the mind, all to that heart draw near... )The blind man of today's Gospel did not fake sight. He never claimed to see. Even after his healing, he proclaimed it severally that he was blind from birth. In baptism, we were led out of darkness and blindness and transferred into the kingdom of God's light. Are you still seeing? Are people still seeing the light of Christ in you? Do you glory in your blindness? Don't! Remove that black google, making you pretend that nothing is wrong with you. Jesus saw the pitiable state of the blind man and gave him attention. May God give attention to everyone still living in blindness but who is docile to his operations.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO GOD'S GLORY IN OUR LIVES

The reply of Jesus to the disciples who asked him who was the cause of the man's blindness was interesting. He replied them that it was neither the man's sin nor that of the parents that made him blind, but that the work of God may be made manifest in his life. Are there dark moments in your life or dark areas of your life or situations you're not proud of, or situations of your life you are not happy about? Jesus is saying that God's glory can be manifested through it. Don't be blind to see the hand of God operating in your life. He will make a way where there seems to be none. Yes, our eyes may be closed to His ways, but He will do what no human can do to restore you.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS AND SIGNS?

When Jesus had spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eye, He commanded him to go and wash in Siloam pool. He followed that instruction and began to see. To see, we must listen to God. We must follow where he leads as the shepherd of our soul. We must allow ourselves to be directed by him. As we are asked to rejoice in hope this day, let us not forget the Lenten instructions of going for confessions, helping the poor, almsgiving, prayers.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO LOOK INWARD?

The Pharisees were the real blind people. They were indeed the most miserable of the blind. Their blindness was so bad that they never knew the seriousness of their situation. Instead of affirming like the healed blind man of today that they have been blind from birth, they rather queried: Are we also blind? They were not acquainted but condemned to remain in their blindness. Never claim what you're not. Accept the truth about your need for God's help.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO BEAR TESTIMONY?

The healed man became a missionary, an evangelist, and a fearless preacher of the word of God. Even without recognising Jesus, he became His emissary. And when eventually he came to recognise Him, he believed in Him and worshipped Him. Don't close your eyes to see reasons God give you daily to testify to His greatness in the world, in your family, in your workplace, in the Church wherever you may find yourself.

May God bless His word in our heart

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord God, for the invitation You have given us to be happy in You.

May we continue to savour the sweetness and joy of Your presence, and may no darkness stop us from seeing Your goodness and light in our lives. Sustain us as by Your grace, we continue to journey to the Paschal feast through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday, Rejoice in the Lord. (Fourth Sunday of Lent)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 3^rd Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Jesus, the True Satisfier of the Human Heart

Readings: Ex 17:3–7; Rom 5:1–2, 5–8; Jn 4:5–42

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Third Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to welcome into our hearts the One who alone can give the deep satisfaction we constantly yearn for. That One is Christ. The human heart is always searching; it longs every day for something beyond itself. The means we choose to satisfy this longing reveal who we are and who we are becoming.

It is in response to this inner yearning that people set goals and pursue countless projects. In fact, all human plans and activities are ultimately attempts to fill the emptiness within—a lack that pushes us to become something other than what we currently are. To satisfy this longing, some turn to alcohol, others to wealth and material possessions, others to political power, academic achievements, physical beauty, or intense gym routines. People engage in endless pursuits hoping to find fulfilment. Yet the common experience is that once one goal is achieved, another desire immediately arises. The search becomes unending until we enter the grave.

The first reading gives us a vivid example of this insatiability of the human heart. While in Egypt, the Israelites longed for freedom, and God granted it. He worked extraordinary miracles before their eyes: the ten plagues, the pillar of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the purification of bitter water, the manna and quails. Yet, despite all these wonders, they were still not satisfied. Their hearts demanded more. In today’s first reading they murmured against Moses and against God because of the lack of water.

This is the story of the human heart. If we look closely at the Israelites’ complaints, we could see ourselves. When things go well, we praise God as the Almighty. But when difficulties arise, we quickly forget His past goodness. Many of us accuse or reject God for the smallest inconvenience.

The Gospel presents another example of a heart searching for satisfaction. The Samaritan woman tried to find happiness through relationships. She had married five men and was living with a sixth, yet her heart remained empty. True fulfilment eluded her until she met Jesus at the well.

In that encounter, Jesus revealed to her the futility of the paths she had taken. He taught her that true happiness does not come from human achievements or earthly pleasures. It comes from God. It comes from possessing Christ. Christ is the source and fountain of true joy.

As an Igbo song beautifully says, “Imebe enyi imetabeghi Jesus, imara na ibodobeghi mebe enyi”—If you have not made Jesus your friend, you have not truly begun to make friends.

Jesus told her, “Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst. The water I shall give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

There is a thirst in every human heart that only Christ can quench. St. Augustine expressed it well: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Material things and human relationships cannot give the deep peace our hearts desire. We have heard of wealthy people who, despite having everything, fall into depression or even take their own lives. This is because material things cannot satisfy the soul.

If Christ is absent from the heart, satisfaction will always remain out of reach. Even in abundance, we may still feel empty, restless, or depressed.

I do not know the paths you have taken—or are still taking—in your search for joy and fulfilment. But I know that Christ is the fountain of true and lasting joy. Any heart that welcomes Him receives peace and tranquility. He directs that heart toward what truly matters.

When the Samaritan woman opened her heart to Christ, her life was transformed. She found joy so profound that she could not keep it to herself. She ran to her village to announce Christ to others.

Christ does not enter our hearts to condemn us. He comes to heal, to free us from the bitterness of the past, and to open a new and brighter future. The Second Reading assures us that if Christ died for us while we were still sinners, then we can trust Him to accomplish even greater things in our lives.

Lent is a precious time to open our hearts to Christ, just as the Samaritan woman did. Let us not miss this year’s opportunity to welcome the One who alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima