4th Sunday Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

 Facing persecutions with prophetic courage

Image from: Facing-Adversity-600x338.jpg (600×338) (kimmariecoaching.com)

1st Reading; Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

Responsorial Psalms; Psalms 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13

Gospel: Luke 4:21-30

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, through the readings of this Sunday, the church draws our attention to the persecutions and tribulations that await those who have been commissioned by God to proclaim His Word in the world. She also directs our minds on what to do when we are persecuted on account of the gospel, on account of doing good.

The Gospel of today is a continuation of the gospel of last Sunday. In last Sunday’s gospel, Jesus had proclaimed the beautiful message of liberation and favour to his native people of Nazareth. They were filled with admiration for the wisdom that flowed from Him. However, that admiration did not last long. The episode of the gospel of today showed us that when Jesus applied demands of the Word of God He read to the lives of His people, the admiration on their faces vanished, and they were filled with rage. Thus, they rejected Him and His Message outrightly. But they did not stop at just a verbal rejection, they also seized Him and wanted to murder Him by throwing Him down from the cliff on which their city was built.

Dear friends, the treatment which Christ received from His native town has not stopped showing its face in our world today. It is on account of such treatment that the ancient history of the church is littered with the stories of men and women who were killed because of their faith. Also, it is on account of it that thousands of Christians have been killed in the recent past in many Moslem and Communist countries. As we speak, many Christians are languishing in prisons in many countries just because they preached the gospel. Many Christians are also facing different degrees of rejections, deprivations, calumny, hatred and name calling in many advanced countries because they chose to model their lives by the teaching of Christ and His Church, and also called on others to do so. Many of us have seen how many liberal politicians and judges, supporters of many extreme far left groups and many agnostic and atheistic media centres constantly ridicule and insult Christians with unprecedented vengeance.

Dear friends in Christ, speaking God’s truth by words or deeds in our world has become a risky venture. This risk involved in it has made many Christians to shy away from the responsibility of embracing God’s call to preach the gospel. Of course, no one wants to face rejection from friends, families, societies, and governments. No one wants to be tagged a derogatory name. Many Christians now prefer to close their mouths in the face of evil, since it has become obvious that condemning evil and correcting wrongs from a Christian perspective have become an invitation to mockery, ridicule and rejection.

Dear brothers and sisters, it was in this same situation of shying away from the call of God because of its negative consequences that the prophet Jeremiah found himself. Jeremiah was called by God to condemn evil and pronounce doom to a generation of Israel that had closed its ears to God’s messages. The people of Israel, just like ours today, preferred ridiculing and killing messengers of God to changing their evil ways. Having seen the doom that speaking in God’s name would bring to him, Jeremiah made excuses to God. He wanted a serene life. Do we have those who are making excuses to God today? Those who are afraid to speak out the truth, to condemn evil, to correct others because they want to run away from ridicule, insults and rejection?

The message of God to Jeremiah addresses all of us who are afraid to speak in the name of Christ. God is saying He had commissioned us to speak for Him before we were conceived in our mothers’ wombs. He said: “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. In all, God is inviting us to withstand all trials and tribulations with the courage of a prophet because He will stand with us till the end of time; He will not abandon us.

In the second reading of today, St Paul gives us the ingredients that helped to sustain him in his missionary work among the Corinthians. St Paul revealed that the driving force of his prophetic mission when he travelled to Corinth to heal the Christian community of jealousy and divisions were the cardinal virtues of love, faith and hope. Faith in God sustains us in our prophetic ministry despite the obstacles we encounter. Hope for a bright future motivates us to remain focused and believe that our efforts will not be in vain. Then, love is the greatest and most important of these virtues. If love is not at the base of our mission, all our efforts might be in vain. A prophet who lacks love for God, for the good news, and for the people he is called to prophesy is a clashing cymbal. Love must motivate us to follow God’s initiative to be his prophets for the salvation of all nations and people. We need these virtues as we speak in God’s name to our friends.

Dear friends, the church invites us to face rejection, ridicule, scepticism and criticisms on account of the name of Christ with the courage of a prophet, especially with faith, hope and love. Jeremiah, Paul, and Jesus believed that they were commissioned by God to proclaim a disturbing prophetic message. No matter how strong the opposition, the three had the conviction that God was with them. We also have the same mission. Let us be strong in our courage.

The church also invites us not to deafen our ears to God’s message that calls us to change our evil ways.

Finally, dear friends, we need to speak for God, not by being politically correct, but to speak the truth of Christ with love, without being disrespectful or hypocritical. Also, we are called not to remain silent in the face of evil for fear of being tagged or thought “politically incorrect.” We should remember that Jesus taught us to love and respect others without condoning or encouraging sinful behaviour. Thus, we need to be kind, charitable, honest, forgiving, but clear, in speaking out our Christian convictions as Jesus was when he spoke in the synagogue at Nazareth (Cr. Fr Tony Kadavil). We end this homily with the words of the Psalmist of today saying: “My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation.”

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

#4thSundayYearC #FourthSundayYearC #FacingPersecutionsWithCourage #ChimaIsaac #IsaacChima #FadaIsaacChima #CatholicChurch #Christianity

3rd Sunday Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

 The Effects of God’s Word on those who hear and welcome it

Image from: The-Transforming-Power-of-the-Gospel-1210x680.png (1210×680) (preacherscorner.org.uk)

(Neh 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; I Cor 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21)

Dear friends in Christ, the focus of the Church this Sunday is on the power of the word of God in the lives of those who have received it. The three readings of today channel our attention on the importance and the power of the Word of God, and its challenge for us today.

In his Motu Proprio, Aperuit Illis, of 30th September 2019, Pope Francis declared that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God. (ORDO-2021-22 page 45).

Brothers and sisters, there is power in the Word of God. The Psalm of this Sunday said, “Your words, O Lord, are spirit and life. The letter to the Hebrews 4:12 says, “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Psalm 119:105 says, “the word of God is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path.” Isaiah 55:11 says the word of God is powerful, it accomplishes whatever it says. It was through the power of His Word that God created the universe and all that live in it. This powerful Word calmed the storms of the sea, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame to walk, and raised the dead.

Due to the power imbedded in the Word of God, whenever and wherever it is preached, something new begins to take place in the lives of those who accepted it. It evokes, triggers, elicits, provokes, fires up, arouses, or calls forth a sentiment of change, of metanoia, and of renewal in whoever receives it. So, today, we are challenged to assess the result the word of God we have been hearing has made in us. Has it led us to positive change in our lives? Has it led you to make a fresh beginning?

The church wants to open to us what the word of God does in whoever listens to it and whoever receives it. The Word of God challenges always its hearers to turn to new creatures. We saw this in the readings of today.

In the first reading of today from the book of Nehemiah, after the return from exile, the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration the city, Ezra led the people in a “Covenant renewal” ceremony. In that ceremony, Ezra read and interpreted the Word of God to the Jews gathered before the Water Gate. The hearing of the word of God provoked the audience of Ezra to a sober feeling; it aroused them to repentance and renewal of life. The reason for such reaction was because the audience of Ezra listened to the Word, accepted it and allowed it to touch their hearts, leading them to a change.

Dear friends, what happened to the people gathered before Ezra is the sentiments the word of God should arouse in the life of every Christian who hears it. So, the audience of Ezra challenges us to always listen attentively to the Word of God, accept it and allow it to change us for good.

The gospel of today gives us a deeper insight into the power and mission of the Word of God among us. The gospel of John 1:14 told us that the Word took flesh and dwelt among us. In today’s gospel, that Word announced to us His mission among those who would listen to Him and accept Him. It will bring freedom to those who are captives, enlightenment to the ignorant, sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed, and announce the beginning of the year of favour to all hearts that welcome it. The mission and ministry of Jesus, the Word of God, is to give liberation to everyone who will listen to his “Good News,” accept it and put it into practice. Dear friends, we have a lot to gain if we allow this Word of God to influence our lives and our choices.

The second reading of today, then, outlines the mission of those who have been animated by the word of God. In this reading taken from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul reminds us that “together we are Christ’s Body, but each of us is a different part of it.” This suggests that, as different parts of Christ’s Body, who have been animated by His word, each of us has a share, as instruments in God’s hands, in bringing to fulfilment the freeing and saving mission of Christ in others and to our world. So, as Christians who hear the word of God every day, we are challenged to give freedom and liberty to those who are being held captive by sin, by social problems and by financial problems; we are challenged to illumine the lives of those who have been deceived by wrong doctrines and teachings, we are to teach them by our words and good behaviours; we are challenged to bring unity, peace and love to all families, groups, and communities.

The word of God must arouse a change in any community whose citizens have accepted it and put it into practice. Such a community will start reflecting the perfect community of the body of Christ. It will start flourishing in unity, peace, charity, and love. Suffice it to say that the presence of divisions, chaos, hatred, rancour and enmity in communities, families and groups is an indication that the Christians living in those places are yet to accept the good news of Christ.

Dear friends in Christ, let us accept this challenge of listening to the Word, of accepting it into our hearts and, then, putting it into practice in our lives and our choices. Psalm 95:7-8 tells us not to harden our hearts to this Word of God we have heard today.

Peace be with you. Happy Sunday to you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

#3rdSundayYearC #ThePowerOfTheWord #EffectsOfGod’sWordOnThoseWhoHearAndWelcomeIt #IsaacChima #ChimaIsaacChinemerem #FadaIsaacChima

2nd Sunday Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima.

 Theme: Set your eyes on God's fresh package for you.

(1st: Is 62, 1-5; Ps: 95; 2nd: I Cor 12, 4-11; Gos: Jn 2, 1-11)

Dearest brothers and sisters, the readings of today invite us to glorify our God for His promise to restore us to His blessing and favours. We have a God who will never abandon us even when the world turns its back on us. The readings also invite us to thank this God who has blessed us with numerous gifts and opportunities in life. What a beautiful message for us at the beginning of the new year.

The first reading from the third Isaiah showed us God’s assurance of restoration to the people of Israel. In exile, Israel was a nation that was heading into extinction; their captors had the plan to wipe them out of the face of the earth. They did this with both actions and words. While physically punishing the Israelites in exile, their captors also used the weapon of words to deepen the effects of the physical torture. They told them that their God had abandoned them, that they had been forsaken by the God they served. Those words inflicted deep wounds in the hearts and lives of many Israelites

When the people of Israel finally returned from exile, they found it difficult to settle down as a nation; they were confused and depressed, not knowing where to start again, especially because of the psychological trauma of seeing themselves as a forsaken nation.  It could be said that they started seeing themselves through the lens of their enemies as a forsaken people.

It was in the midst of the depressed state the people of Israel found themselves that the prophet Isaiah stepped up and announced to the house of Israel the message we read in the first reading of today. He rose to stop their trauma, to end their depression, to tell them that they have not been forgotten by God, that their God will change or reverse their fate, that their God had a fresh package for them. He told them to put the sad days of old behind them and focus on the new things God had in stock for them. Today, the church extends this call of the prophet Isaiah to us as we begin a new year. Like Isaiah, the church tells us to put the setbacks of the last year behind us and focus on the new package God has prepared for us this new year.

The prophet Isaiah told the Israelites that God will initiate His new package in their lives by changing the destiny-sapping name given to them by their enemy and replacing it with a name that will depict His blessings. He said: “you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, …but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, … for the Lord delights in you.” The church is saying the same to you today. She is telling you that, for your sake, God will not be silent this new year. He will turn your poor fate around this year and crown you with success. The names that depicted failure which people threw at you in different moments of last year will be changed. You will instead be decorated with names that depict success in the course of this year.

It was this same God’s project of changing the sad fate of His people that the gospel reading of today presented to us. When wine – a substance that has a sweet taste – finished at the marriage feast of Cana in Galilea, the couple and the guests were left with just water – a substance that is tasteless. The sweet taste of the ceremony was lost, what remained was just tastelessness. This vividly depicts the feeling that enveloped the climate at that marriage feast. It was an aura that lacked a sweet taste. Have you ever imagined how the guests at that marriage feast felt when they got the sad news that the wine for the feast has finished? They must have been angry with the couple who invited them. They must have called them names. They must have seen them as disgusting, ill-prepared, a disgrace and a disappointment. Have you also imagined the level of shame that enveloped those young couple on the first day of their marriage when they heard that their wine had been exhausted? It must have been a devastating feeling for them. They must have wept in their hearts hearing the frustrations poured out by their guests.

It was in the midst of that frustrating situation, the emptiness, the tastelessness and the feeling of disappointment that enveloped that wedding feast that Jesus rose and changed the fate of the couple of Cana; He performed the first miracle of His ministry by changing the bad fate of man; He changed the couple’s story from a sad one to a sweet and happy one. He restored their joy. He changed their tastelessness. He restored the sweet taste of their life.

Meanwhile, it is worthy to note the role played by the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, in that miracle. It was through her intervention and intercession that Jesus was moved to change the ugly fate of the couple of Cana. This happened even when it was not yet time for Jesus’ public ministry. The teaching is that Jesus would not refuse a request from this Holy Woman, His Mother. It is a call for us to always seek the help of Jesus in our problems this year through the intercession of Mary. Surely, Jesus will not say no to her pleadings on our behalf.

Dear friends, the church wants you to know that even if the sweetness of your life has been exhausted, even if people have termed you a disappointment, a shame, a disgrace, you still have a God who is capable of turning your fate round. Your God is close to you to restore the flavour and sweet taste of your life. He is close to you with a fresh package for your life. Jesus came to change our empty fortunes to better ones. The church wants you to begin this year with this divine assurance. Always stay close to Mother Mary. She will support you with her constant intercession.

The second reading then invites us to understand that whatever we receive from God’s new package for us this year should be channelled towards the common good. The gifts of God come to us out of the love of God, and they are always for a purpose, which is, to use them to participate in the mission of Christ in this world: the development of the society, the edification of the church, the growth of humanity, and the help of the needy.  

Let us ask God to help us to channel our talents and gifts towards the realization of His will on earth.

Happy Sunday

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

#2ndSundayYrC #SecondSundayYearC #2ndSundayOrdinaryTimeYearC #ChimaIsaac #IsaacChima #FrIsaacChima #FreshDewMedia