2ND SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: BE TAKEN UP HIGH APART AND TRANSFIGURED

(Matthew 17:1-9)

Jesus had just finished teaching about the cross and what lay ahead of Him. His Apostles were down spirited. The whole image of the cross, of the sorrows ahead, of awaiting dangers and insecurity took a better part of them. He thinks of how to make them realize the glory in store for them. He came up with an idea. He took them out on an excursion, sightseeing, a detoxification tour. Yes, He led them up to boost their drooping spirit.

 

LED THEM UP

Jesus wishes to change our spiritual levels. He wants to raise our hearts and minds above the ordinary. Leading up means leading away from. Leading up has to do with leaving off or leaving behind. It has to do with a leap, taking a leap of faith. It involves ascension, transcendence, and elevation. It involves going beyond. It is the Holy will of Jesus, especially this period, to invite us to lift up our hearts in prayers and in our every way of living. It is a call to remain on the side of Jesus. It involves being tireless in our spiritual journey. It challenges us to be like the eagle and take a flight from the world of sin, distraction, pettiness, prayerless living, tricks, dirty politicking, etc. Jesus takes them up from viewing His suffering as a thing of shame to seeing it as something that should draw them closer to be partakers of His glory. He takes you up to see that after the rains of your life, there must be sunshine. He takes you up to let you know that His plans for you are good. Yes, that evils in the world, and the various challenges you're facing right now do not have the final say in your life. He takes you up to make you feel special.  Think of the experience of the three apostles when Jesus took them out. They must have felt loved. It could be that the news of the death of Christ touched them most. They took it more person. You've got to take this year's Lenten programme very personal to experience the joy of Easter.

 

SET THEM APART

Many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus chose a few to represent the other Apostles. They were to witness what would solidify their faith. What they will see will go a long way to keep them apart from the bandwagon of those who saw erroneously. Having said: "If you want to be a follower, take up your cross," the Apostles started reevaluating their followership. Jesus encourages them to take it up as a distinguishing mark of an unending joy that lies ahead.

You have been consecrated and set apart by the dust you received on Ash Wednesday to be a bona fide participant in this year's Lenten observance and Easter joy. Are you responding positively to this call by living a holy life? Are you doing so by repenting and believing in the gospel and by staying away from the world and its lures?

 

TRANSFIGURATION IS IMPORTANT

Following Jesus in the hard teachings of Christianity brings us to savour the sweet presence of our Lord. It gives us an opportunity to see Christ as He really is. It enables us to put away all that makes us not to behold God face to face. In the transfiguration of Christ, we are meant to destroy all works of darkness and live pure before Him. We are invited to put on Christ as our garb and call to mind the white garment we received at baptism.

The moment of transfiguration serves as a warning to ensure that the laws and prophets are adhered to.

The transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples calls on us to build booths for Jesus to make our hearts abode of divinity. We have to listen to God this period. We have to kneel. We have to imitate Jesus, who pleased His Father, and make sure we do not offend God  through our deeds.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

May the power of resurrection help us to rise from our fears, disappointments, frustrations, and hopeless situations, from our weaknesses and from death. May we see Jesus alone and remove our attention from the world through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (Second Sunday of Lent, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 2^nd Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Trials and Tribulations Are at the Service of Our Future Glory

Readings: Gen 12:1–4; 2 Tim 1:8–10; Mt 17:1–9

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the readings of today speak directly to our daily life experiences. They remind us that our trials and tribulations—our sufferings and pains—are at the service of our future joy. They teach us that if we remain strong and steadfast, the pains and struggles of today will become the map that leads us to the glory of tomorrow.

Shortly before the Transfiguration, Christ had told his disciples that he would suffer and die before entering his glory, but they did not understand him. So, he took Peter, James, and John up the mountain to show them a glimpse of the glory prepared for him, and also the path that would lead him there—the way of the Cross. We can say that between Christ and the glory prepared for him stood a painful journey to Calvary: a journey of trials and tribulations, of unjust judgment and punishment, of the cross and of death. Yet this journey of pain and death became the very map that led him to the glory God had prepared for him.

This reality speaks to us in our own life experiences. It tells us that there is no glory without suffering, no true joy without some measure of pain. To pass exams, we must burn our candles; to excel in a skill, we must dedicate hours of practice; to do well in our jobs and receive promotions, we must give our best. Between us and our destiny—our good future, our God‑given glory both on earth and in heaven—there is a long path often punctuated by difficult experiences, suffering, pain, and even unjust treatment. If embraced with faith, these painful experiences become stepping stones to future success. As the Igbo adage says: “Aka aja aja na‑ebute onu mmanu mmanu”—if you soil your hands in the farm, you will reap a good harvest.

Peter’s reaction at the sight of Christ’s glory on the mountain reveals the dilemma we often face and the deceptive voices we hear when we realize that the path to success is full of thorns. When Peter saw the glory, he exclaimed, “Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here!” He did not want Christ to descend the mountain and face the challenges that lay ahead—the very map drawn by God that would lead him to glory. Instead, he desired a shortcut, a painless path.

Dear friends in Christ, this is the kind of offer our human nature prefers. We often desire success without effort: exam success without study, riches without work, and progress without sacrifice. This is also the kind of offer the devil makes, because he knows we are attracted to the “sharp sharp” syndrome—the illusion of success without pain. But this path, which promises glory through the back door, ultimately leads us away from the glory God intends for us.

There are two maps promising to lead us to our destiny. One is drawn by God; the other is drawn by the devil.

• God’s map leads to our true destiny, but it may take us through rough paths that strengthen us with the knowledge and experience needed for the glory ahead. Let us remember that great men and women are formed under the hammer blows of experience, and the path to success is often rough.
• The devil’s map promises a short, sweet, painless journey, but it leads us far from our true destiny. If, out of fear of pain or difficulty, we abandon God’s map for the devil’s, we may enjoy a smooth ride, but it will never take us to our destination.

Christ reached his glory because he followed the map drawn for him by the Father and never abandoned it, even in the face of extreme suffering.

The first reading gives us another example: Abraham. Between Abraham and the glory God prepared for him lay a difficult journey—a journey that required him to leave his father’s land and his comfort and step into the unknown. Along the way he faced terrible trials, yet he never abandoned God’s map. Even when confronted with the infertility of his wife, he remained steadfast, trusting that God’s plan would not fail. And indeed, it did not.

We love to sing, “Abraham’s blessings are mine,” but we rarely reflect on the difficult journey that led Abraham to those blessings. His blessings did not manifest at the beginning of the journey but at the end. Sadly, many who claim Abraham’s blessings lack the faith to remain steadfast in their own life’s journey. They give up at the first sign of difficulty. If we desire Abraham’s blessings, we must be ready to demonstrate Abraham’s faith.

To receive Abraham’s blessings, we must rise from our comfort zones and journey toward God, even when the path is uncertain. Lent invites us to leave our comfort zones—comfort without sacrifice, immoral lifestyles, sinful habits, shortcuts in exams—and take up our cross to follow Christ along the path God has drawn for us. We may fear that leaving our comfort zones will plunge us into suffering since it is said that ngwere ghara ukwu osisi, aka akpara ya (if the lizard loses hold of the tree, its predator catches it). But the stories of Christ and Abraham assure us that while following God’s map may bring trials, those trials become stepping stones to the glory prepared for us.

Let us rediscover God’s map for our lives and follow it faithfully. Let us abandon the places that offer false glories—glories that do not last.

In the second reading, St Paul encourages us to bear hardship for the sake of the Gospel. He assures us that God will accompany us with his grace through Christ in all our difficult moments. God’s grace never fails those who trust in him as Abraham did; rather, it leads them safely through every rough path.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: Learning from Jesus’ Temptations

Readings: Gen 2:7–9; 3:1–7; Ps 50; Rom 5:12–19; Mt 4:1–11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Lent is a season of deep spiritual preparation—a time to confront our temptations and sinful habits through prayer, fasting, penance, and almsgiving. On this first Sunday of Lent, the Church gives us two stories of temptation: the fall of Adam and Eve in the first reading, and the temptation of Jesus in the Gospel. Through them, we learn how the devil works and how we can defeat him.

1. The message of the first reading: the devil steals what is superior and replaces it with what is inferior

Our catechism teaches that God created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Adam and Eve shared in God’s innocence. Their nakedness in Eden symbolized this innocence—they were unashamed, like innocent children.

Some ancient narratives often reflected on how the devil envied this innocence. They said that the serpent stole this divine likeness from humanity and replaced it with his own. Before the temptation, Adam and Eve were “naked”—clothed in innocence. After the temptation, they covered themselves with leaves. Clothing, which can be put on and taken off, mirrors the serpent’s shedding of its skin. Humanity exchanged something permanent and divine for something fragile and temporary.

The first reading carries a profound message for us. Our catechism teaches that God created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Adam and Eve shared in God’s nature, especially His innocence. This innocence was evident in the fact that they were naked in the Garden of Eden yet felt no shame; they were as pure as little children. Some ancient stories recount how the devil envied this innocence and that it was precisely this innocence—their resemblance to God—that the devil stole from them, replacing it with his own likeness.

Before the temptation, Adam and Eve were naked, clothed in innocence. After the temptation, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Clothing is something we put on and take off when it becomes worn or dirty, just as the serpent—used in Scripture as an image of the devil—sheds its skin and replaces it with a new one. Thus, after the fall, humanity no longer bore God’s unchanging innocence but instead took on a nature that could be altered and corrupted. These ancient reflections suggest that the serpent, having stolen humanity’s innocence, gained a kind of longevity, almost like a creature enjoying a shadow of immortality. In this way, the devil stole humanity’s superior gift and replaced it with his own inferior likeness.

The salient message of these ancient narratives of the fall of Adam and Eve is that the devil takes away God’s superior gifts and replaces them with his inferior ones.

 

2. The devil still uses the same strategy today

You may have noticed that temptations often increase right after confession. When we reclaim our innocence, the devil immediately tries to steal it back. He uses lies, half-truths, and attractive packaging to make inferior things look superior.

That is exactly what he did to Eve. He lied that she would become immortal. He lied that God had deceived them. He sowed doubt in her heart. The devil is the father of lies. He always tries to make us doubt God’s word.

In the Gospel, he also approached Jesus with lies and doubts—claiming ownership of all kingdoms and trying to make Jesus question His identity and the Father’s protection.

 

3. Temptation always tries to make us abandon the superior for the inferior

Every day of our lives brings experiences and challenges of this kind. We face the temptation to abandon what is superior simply because it is difficult and to settle instead for what is inferior because it is easy, without considering its lack of durability. We face the temptation to give up a holy life because it demands sacrifice and to embrace a sinful life because it appears sweet and effortless. We face pressures to say yes to immoral demands because they promise quick access to money. Whenever we yield to such evil suggestions, we lose our innocence and take on the resemblance of the devil.

Therefore, let us use the truth of God’s word to examine every suggestion that comes to us, just as Christ did when He was tempted. Let us open our Bible and read it meditatively during this Lent; it will equip us with answers to the lies of the devil.

 

4. The devil attacks us especially when we begin something good

Dear friends, the devil is never happy when we take up a mission that leads to our good or the good of others. He works assiduously to ensure that we do not succeed in our good projects. He is a destroyer and does not want us to accomplish anything that brings life or blessing. Therefore, he often tries to intercept or interrupt the good plans and projects in our lives. When he saw Jesus preparing for His mission of saving humanity, he was not pleased. When he saw Adam and Eve enjoying the sweet company of God, he was not pleased.

We must remember that whenever we have good plans, the devil will rush in with his own plans. His goal is to push us away from our path and make us adopt his path—one that will certainly lead us into trouble. The Greek and Hebrew words for sin, hamartia and chatta’ah, mean “missing the mark.” In every temptation, the devil invites us to abandon our mark—our direction toward fulfilling God’s plans—and to take up his mark instead.

For this reason, the Church urges us to remain vigilant, so that the devil does not destroy our good intentions or the good we hope to bring into the lives of others. Learning from the temptation of Jesus helps us conquer the devil. Jesus remained faithful to His mission and refused the devil’s alternative mission of self‑satisfaction, shortcuts to success, cheap popularity, and compromise of faith, as shown in the three temptations.

We too must be deeply rooted in the knowledge of God’s word. Only then can we remain firm in what God requires of us as we pursue our goals. Without this grounding, the devil will easily confuse us with his sweet‑sounding suggestions.

 

5. The devil tempts us with what we actually need

The devil is clever. He does not tempt us with things we do not desire. He studies our needs and weaknesses and provides a sinful solution.

Let us look at the temptations of Jesus. After spending forty days in the desert fasting and praying, Jesus was hungry. The devil knew this and approached Him with the suggestion of satisfying that hunger through an easy but disobedient means. He told Him to turn stones into bread.

In the same way, the devil knows our needs. If we are hungry, he tempts us with food. If we are thirsty, he tempts us with drink. If we desire power, he tempts us with opportunities to gain it. If we need money, he tempts us to steal. If we need a job, he tempts us to offer bribes. If we are desperate for success in exams, he tempts us to cheat. If we struggle with lust, he surrounds us with countless immoral opportunities.

Every one of us is tempted to seek sinful pleasures, easy wealth, or positions of authority, power, and glory—and to use any means, even unjust or sinful ones, to obtain them. Dear friends, whenever you are in need, be cautious about the suggestions that arise in your mind. Many of them may urge you to use sinful means to get what you want. Such suggestions come from the devil.

 

6. The devil is persistent

Dear friends, the devil is never tired. When Jesus defeated him in the first temptation, the devil immediately moved on to the second, and then to the third. He never gives up. So, whenever you say no to the devil, do not assume he will leave you. He will return through another means, often with an even stronger temptation. When a person falls to one temptation, the devil quickly brings the next, continuing until the person is completely ruined. Therefore, you must remain vigilant in your Christian life.

 

7. The devil now comes in attractive forms

The devil no longer comes to us with dark, frightening faces or with horns of any size, as often depicted in pictures and movies. Today, he approaches us with attractive faces and pleasant smiles. He reaches us through friends and colleagues. He speaks through the wrong suggestions and misguided advice we receive from those around us.

Therefore, during this Lent, let us arm ourselves with fervent prayer, constant reading of the Word of God, fasting, penance, and faithful participation in Mass. These spiritual weapons will help us recognize the devil’s temptations and give us the strength to defeat him.

 

8. Christ has restored what Adam lost

St Paul reminds us in the second reading that Jesus has conquered the devil and restored the innocence humanity lost through Adam and Eve.

Let us not surrender that gift again.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 1^ST SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: 40 DAYS: A TIME FOR SPIRITUAL FORTIFICATION

(Matthew 4:1-11)

With the Ash Wednesday over, we have entered the Holy Season of Lent. This first Sunday, we are shown Jesus moving into the desert, driven by the spirit, and there He fasted, prayed, and was tempted. He did this to receive fortification for what He has to offer to the world and to His heavenly Father, the sacrifice of His life. Thus, He fasted, prayed, and got disposed for the eternal almsgiving. These are the central messages of the Lenten season.

Forty and fortification sound good.  Oh, come along let us make these forty days journey with the Lord in the spirit of mortification and prayer. May we get fortified to combat our faulty habits this holy period.

 

WHAT HAS FORTY DAYS TO DO WITH LENT?

The word "Lent" is derived from the Latin Quadragesima, which means forty days, that starts from the Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday evening. Christians this period commemorate in a very special way the forty days Jesus Christ fasted and was tempted in the desert. Forty is indeed a symbolic number, a number of spiritual importance. It appeared severally in the Jewish and also Greek testaments of the Bible: It  rained 40 days and nights during the flood( Genesis 7:4) Moses' encounter with God on the mountain lasted for 40 days( Exodus 24:18), It took the Israelites 40 years to wander in the desert traveling to the promised land( Numbers 14:33), for 40 days and nights Elijah walked to Horeb( I kings 19:8), Jonah's prophecy to the people of Nineveh warned  that it will take 40 days for Nineveh to be destroyed, and for these days they prayed, fasted and repented (Jonah 3:4-6).

Jesus, today, is in the desert, inviting us to come and get fortified spiritually through prayers these forty days to dismantle everything that is faulty in us.

 

DID JESUS NEED THE FORTIFICATION?

It is for our sake that Jesus entered the wilderness. If He who is God needed spiritual empowerment, what about us? We are weak, we need strength from above, we are surrounded by trials and temptations, and as such, we need to pray and fast to overcome the temptations of this life. Jesus needs us to be fortified for the battles ahead. Let us accept the weapons that Christ offers us in the face of the various crises in our world today.

 

WHAT IS THE FORTIFICATIONS ABOUT?

Jesus shows us what to use this period to fight against. We've got to fight against inordinate desires for food, drink power, pleasure, and false worship.  We should be fortified against ourselves, our world, and the devil. What are the things luring you away from living a fulfilled life in the spirit? Accept the fortification from the spirit of God. Move into the desert with Jesus. It is not by bread alone that man shall live. It is not just by wealth nor by throwing ourselves down from the dignified positions we occupy as children of God. It is by being strong in the spirit that we shall overcome life challenges like Jesus Christ and be able to rebuke every tempter with the following words of Christ: Be gone!

Let us fortify our willpower to always say yes to God and no to the enemies of God. Let us fortify ourselves by the Spirit of God to flee from the forces trying to pull us down spiritually. Let us sharpen our prayer life by praying more devotedly. Let us sharpen our sacramental life by confession and getting reconciled with the Lord. Let us receive the Holy Eucharist regularly in the state of grace. Let us close all doors through which vices come in, through which the devil tries to settle in our homes, through which negative energies try to take the better part of us. Let us be fortified with the weapon of charity and Christ's brand of love. Let us get fortified by sanctifying our activities on the social media, our recreation and relationships with people.

 

Be fortified these forty days.

Never be a tempter

May you not be overcome by any temptation.

May the angels of God come to your aid in times of trials. May this Lenten season be a gracious moment for you.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord, for another opportunity to take part in the Lenten observance; of the suffering and death of Christ. Bless our resolve to follow You in this spiritual exercise. May it bear fruits of righteousness, joy, and peace. Touch us that we may repent and remain close to You in holiness through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (First Sunday of Lent, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Ash Wednesday: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

LENT: TIME FOR SPECIAL SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH JESUS

Readings: Joel 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6.16-18

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the period of Lent in the Church begins on Ash Wednesday and leads into Holy Week. It is a season of forty days, calling us to remember the forty days and nights Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying.

The primary purpose of Lent is to prepare us for the celebration of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. The Church seeks to guide us toward metanoia—true repentance—by helping us reorder our priorities and transform our values, ideals, and ambitions through fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and self‑control. These three practices form the traditional pillars of Lent, the tripod on which every Christian stands during this sacred season.

Through prayer, we make room for God in our lives and express our desire for a deeper relationship with Him. During this Lent, it is important to devote more time to prayer and remain faithful to our prayer commitments.

Through fasting, we deny ourselves certain things so that we may share with others, especially those in need. Fasting also helps us create more space for God, remembering that we do not live on bread alone but on the spiritual nourishment of God’s Word. Fasting disciplines the body and brings its desires under the guidance of the Spirit.

Through almsgiving, we share what we have received from the Lord in a spirit of solidarity and communion.

The readings of today reflect the themes of true repentance, returning to God, and the three traditional expectations of every Christian: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

In the first reading, the prophet Joel invites the people to return to God with their whole hearts—a call to genuine repentance. He urges them: “Tear your hearts and not your garments.” He calls for fasting, weeping, and mourning, reminding them that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in steadfast love. Dear friends, this same message is addressed to us today as we begin our Lenten journey. The Church reminds us that we have a loving and merciful God. Let us approach Him with repentant hearts. He waits for us with open arms, ready to forgive and receive us. Let us turn away from anything that leads us to reject His mercy. Let us avoid sin and do good. Let us change our evil ways and seek the ways of God. This is the moment.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples—and all of us—how to pray, fast, and give alms. He warns us not to perform these acts to be seen or praised by others. We must avoid ostentation and pride in our Lenten observances. Humility should be our watchword. Dear friends, this is a time to pick up our rosaries and pray, a time to open the Bible and reflect on the eternal Word of God. Fasting from food is good, but the best fasting is fasting from sin. Let us fast from gossip, lies, immorality, hatred, discrimination, anger, and every form of wrongdoing.

In the second reading, St. Paul urges us to be reconciled with God—and also with our friends and families. He reminds us that now, during this Lent, is the acceptable time; this is the day of salvation.

The ashes that will be placed on our heads today signify our fragility and mortality. They remind us of our need for God’s mercy. They show that we are dust before God, and to dust we shall return. If our bodies will one day return to ashes, then we must not lose our souls in the process of caring for our bodies.

Dear friends in Christ, the liturgical colour of Lent is purple or violet. It represents the spirit of penance that marks this important season in the Church. With sincerity of heart, let us make the most of this sacred time through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 6^th Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac

Theme: Exceeding Righteousness

Readings: Sir 15:15–20; 1 Cor 2:6–10; Mt 5:17–37

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church reminds us of a very important moral truth: whatever we become in this world, and wherever we will be in the next, is the result of the choices we freely make each day. The decisions we take in our daily lives shape our future. If we choose the good, we prepare for a joyful life on earth and eternal glory in heaven. But if we choose evil, we jeopardize our happiness both now and in the life to come.

Throughout history, many great thinkers have tried to deny human responsibility for moral choices. They have appealed to science, nature, psychology, and philosophy to argue that human actions are predetermined by external forces, leaving no room for free will. Yet the truth remains: before every action, two possibilities stand—to choose or not to choose. Whichever we embrace, we have made a choice, and the very existence of choice reveals freedom.

It was in response to the attempts by some Jews to blame their environment and the social realities around them for the moral and spiritual choices they were making that the author of the Book of Sirach wrote today’s first reading. He addressed Jews living in Greek pagan cities, immersed in the Hellenistic culture that believed humans were helpless pawns in the hands of the gods and that human actions were predestined. Influenced by this worldview, many Jews joined the Greeks to participate in immoral practices, actions contrary to God’s commandments, and then blamed Greek culture for their sins. Sirach told them that the prevailing Greek culture should not lead them to compromise their religious duty of keeping God’s commandments. He made them understand that whenever an unholy action was presented to them by Greek culture, they still possessed the freedom to choose or not to choose. Therefore, if they chose evil, they chose death and were responsible for that choice; but if they chose the good, they chose life.

Dear friends, we too often feel tempted to blame external forces for our moral failures. Sometimes we blame friends, society, culture, nature, or psychological pressures. But today the Church reminds us that obedience or disobedience to God’s law is always a free choice, and we are responsible for the consequences of our choices. God places before us, in every action, the choice of life or death, good or evil. Whatever we choose will be given to us. We cannot blame anyone for the decisions we freely make. Let us therefore choose the good always.

Choosing the good, however, may bring insults or persecution. Sometimes society as a whole embraces evil. We see how secular culture and governments promote false ideologies about human life and human sexuality, even enforcing them through law. As Christians, what do we do when confronted with such choices? Do we follow the majority down the wrong path, or do we stand firm in the truth?

Dear friends, we are called to rise above the false choices and teachings of the world. We cannot join society in choosing evil, even if choosing the good makes us a minority. In today’s Gospel, Christ tells His disciples that unless their righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Likewise, if we cannot reject the false ideologies and immoral teachings about life and human sexuality promoted by governments, friends, and society, then heaven is not for us. Jesus expects His followers to make choices that are better, purer, and holier than those of the world. He calls us to exceeding righteousness.

To choose the good consistently, both Sirach and St. Paul remind us that our decisions must be guided by the wisdom of God. We must not rely on human wisdom, which often uses attractive but deceptive arguments—sometimes even appealing to science—to justify evil or to claim that God’s teachings are outdated. Consider the promotion of abortion as a woman’s right, homosexuality as a human right, euthanasia as compassionate care, bribery and corruption as unavoidable, or fornication as necessary for social life. These are products of worldly wisdom, not God’s wisdom. The Church urges us to seek the hidden, quiet wisdom of God, found in His commandments, and to let this wisdom guide our daily choices. Christians must live above the basic moral standards of society.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us concrete examples of how His disciples—meaning all of us Christians—are called to live above the basic moral standards of society. While the law teaches that physically killing another person is murder, Jesus asks more of His disciples. He wants us to recognize anger in speech, anger in thought, and anger expressed in actions as forms of murder as well. Jesus places anger and hatred on the same level as murder and tells us to avoid them, because when we hate someone, we have already killed that person in our heart. Hatred denies another person the dignity and love they deserve; in this sense, it is a kind of murder. Anger and hatred also prevent us from seeking the good of others.

Jesus also wants us to understand that anger and hatred divide Christian communities, and a divided community cannot offer worthy sacrifice to God. Our daily communal prayers and our participation in the Mass lose their meaning if we harbor resentment or hostility toward one another. Instead, Jesus urges us to go and reconcile with our brothers and sisters before coming into God’s presence to make our offerings.

The law also condemns adultery as a physical act, but Jesus demands more from His disciples. He teaches that lustful desires are already adultery in the heart, because sin begins in the mind. Therefore, we must uproot lust from our hearts before it grows into action. Likewise, while the law permits oaths as long as they are truthful, Jesus calls His disciples to such integrity that oaths become unnecessary. Our “yes” should mean yes, and our “no” should mean no.

Jesus wants us to heal the roots of social evils of murder, adultery, and deceit by eliminating the attitudes that give rise to them. Anger and hatred lead to murder. Lust leads to adultery. Lies are deceit in themselves.

Dear friends, let us ask for the grace to choose the good always, guided by God’s wisdom, and to live the exceeding righteousness that Christ expects of His disciples.

Peace be with you.

Rev. Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 6^TH SUNDAY, YEAR A: REFLCETION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: HOW IT IS VS HOW IT SHOULD BE

(Matthew 5:17-37)

The Gospel of today is part of the collections of Jesus' teachings and sayings on the mountain, popularly known as the sermon on the mount. His sayings are loaded with wisdom, for He is the wisdom of God. His teachings are filled with knowledge intended to correct, redirect, educate, set records straight, reveal the mind of God, and guide people on the right path by the light of the word. Let us follow Jesus and see the steps He followed to impact His message.

 

OBSERVATION

Jesus must have observed the people, listened to them, been with them, and spoken with them. During the course of their interaction, He must have observed the missing links in their thought patterns, modus operandi et modus vivendi. He must have tried placing side by side what they do, what they say, what they claim to have heard, and what they believed with what they ought to hold fast to. And this led Him to help them out, to lead them out of both their ignorance and their distorted knowledge.

If Jesus looks below, wouldn't He find out that it is worse now than then? Certainly, He will observe a lot of abnormalities, inconsistencies, inhuman deeds, light headedness, etc.

Could it be that the silent days of Jesus before His actual public appearance was a period of observation for Him, of mingling with them, mixing with them, discussing with them in the form of dialogue? Yes, it is. Then, when the time came, He came out to teach with authority. Has Jesus not observed us a lot, given us enough signs to believe and choose good and not evil? Must we wait for the teaching that will be thought by experience? Let's be conscious of Christ in our midst trying to guide us in the right path of life.

 

AND JESUS BEGAN TO TEACH THEM

When a teacher, a speaker or a preacher stands to teach, speak or preach as the case may be, the people weigh him, predict what he has to offer or attempt to grasp where he is heading to or even expect him to say what they want to hear. Jesus warned them against such thoughts. He says: "Do not think I have come to abolish the law and the prophets." This presupposes the fact that there were people who would love Jesus to thwart or bend some of the commandments to suit their personal whims and caprices. Such persons are not happy with the " how it is" that is in line with "how it should be." There are times when the practice of our world is in order. There are people still who do not want it done that way. Thus, Jesus comes to confirm the happenings that are good while discouraging the laws or rather the interpretations of the laws that are actually misinterpretations.

Are there laws we wish the Church, the society, the family, and the community to abolish? A particular community begged the Bishop to remove the sixth commandment for them. A boy pleaded with the father to allow him to be viewing obscene videos. A man told his wife to look away from his immoral and irresponsible lifestyle for peace to reign. Some individuals in the Church continue to push for the pope to approve homosexuality and see it as normal. In the faces of such circumstances, Jesus maintains: "I have not come to abolish but to fulfil."

He comes to call the spade by its name. Good is good. Evil is evil. No middle position. This is the summary of His teaching. Say yes when you mean yes, and say no when you mean no.

 

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD?

This statement continued ringing in the Gospel: "You have heard how it was said... But I say to you. "What have you heard? From whom? These are the questions. It is very important that we evaluate the sources of our information to avoid deformation that comes through misinformation. This is a lesson we must learn from Jesus. We have to learn to listen to what God is in the midst of the multiplicity of ideas flying here and there. We have to go back to the drawing board to know how God wants it to be and how, indeed, it ought to be before we venture into it. After hearing the many opinions, we must only listen and act according to the directive of Christ in order not to face the crisis of abandoning God.

Society is saying a lot, the social media is saying a lot, the peer associations are saying a lot, the various groups on the social networks are saying volumes. When in crisis in your marriage, do you go to these various sayers? When you are into relationship problems, where and who do you run to? Jesus is the only teacher per excellence. Your children in school will hear a lot. But when they come back, insist on: "But I say to you." Temptations to cheat will come up but hear Jesus tell you: "But I say to you" Friends will advise you to do it this way or that contrary to your faith in God but obey Christ telling you: But I say to you. Don't get used to how things are now that are not in accord with the will and teaching of Christ.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 LET US PRAY

Thank You, Lord God, for Your Son's word today from the holy mountain of Your glorious inspiration and truth. May it continue to be a light to our paths and a lamp for our steps. Grant that we may be rightfully guided by these right teachings and encouragements through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you. (6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh