Tuesday of 24^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Do not weep; God has visited his people, and He will restore your joy

Reading: Lk: 7:11-17

In Jeremiah 31:13, God said: “I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” In the three cases where Jesus raised the dead, he turned the morning of the bereaved into gladness and restored their joy, giving the assurance that He has the mission to restore our hope and joy. He told Martha and Mary to weep no more because their brother Lazarus will live, and He brought Lazarus back to life, restoring the joy of his sisters and family. He told Jairus and the mourners in his house to stop crying because their girl was not dead, and He demonstrated this by bringing the girl back to life and turned their somber atmosphere into one of joy. Then, to the woman of Nain, which we read in today’s gospel, Jesus told to weep no more because God has visited His people, and He wiped the tears of the woman by raising her son and restoring her joy. Jesus is still actively turning people’s mourning into joy.

A closer look at the situation that surrounded the woman of Nain will throw more light on Christ’s mission of restoration of hope and joy. She was a widow, which meant she had lost her husband, her first pillar of support in the family. Then, she after struggling to raise her only son, perhaps, her only child, to be her next pillar of support in life, death came and snatched him away. As they carried her son away, she wept uncontrollably, watching her only source of hope and support going to the grave. What a devastating situation she found herself in. At that point, Jesus stepped in, for He never abandons His people in their time of need and never ignores their cry. He wiped the widow’s tears by restoring her only source of joy and support.

Dear friends, I don’t know what you have lost; I don’t know how long you have wept; I don’t know how you have been surviving the many devastating situations that hit your life; and I don’t know when and where Jesus will meet you to pull you out of your tears, because I am not one of the prophets that speak when God has not spoken to them. But what I am very sure of is that Jesus has visited His people, that His name is Emmanuel – God is with us, that He has said we should weep no more, that He has wiped away the tears of many people and restored the sources of their joy, and that He will not pass you by. So, stand strong and hold on to your faith in Him.

May God restore your joy, Amen.

Fr Isaac C. Chima.

Monday of 24^th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: A piece of advice for people who have maids 

Reading: Lk 7:1-10

The centurion's compassionate treatment of his sick slave in today's gospel stands in stark contrast to the typical treatment of maids by many Madams and Ogas nowadays.

Today’s gospel recounted that a centurion whose slave was gravely ill summoned elders of the Jews and asked them to implore Jesus to come and lay hands on his slave and heal him. Recall that this was happening at a time when there was no legal protection for slaves in their masters’ homes. Slaves back then were treated like common property in their owners' homes, and their masters had complete control over their lives. However, this centurion loved his own slave so much that he sent for the greatest healer to come and save him.

On the contrary, the pages of newspapers and social media platform nowadays are always filled with stories of the ill-treatment of maids by their madams and Ogas. We have heard cases of madams pouring hot water on maids, some use hot irons to inflict pain on maids, and some starve their maids to death or send them out of the house to roam the streets like mad people or dogs.

Dear friends, the Centurion in today’s gospel stands as a model on how to treat maids; he challenges people of our time to treat their maids – and everyone who works for them – as they would like their own children to be treated, seeking help for them when they have needs and helping to add value to their lives.   

May your new week be blessed, Amen.

Fr Isaac C. Chima

 24^TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “ON THE SIDE OF THE CROSS, ON THE SIDE OF GOD”

INTRODUCTION:

In the movie, Mother Theresa, shows her looking over a house being prepared for the Nuns in San Francisco. A priest narrates, “I was gently informed that the springs could go, the mattresses could go, the carpeting could go…” A worker then was busy trying to explain the workings of the building’s hot water heater, and the Nun lightly tells him, “I don’t think we will be needing it. For us to be able to understand the poor, we must know what poverty is.” My dear people of God, for us to understand God, we must know what the Cross is; we must embrace the Cross or the bodily sufferings that come to us for the sake of others. If we remove every trace of the Cross, every trace of suffering, and every trace of poverty from our lives, then we are gradually moving away from the side of God.

 

THE FIRST READING (IS. 50: 5 – 9)

In the first reading, Isaiah as a prophet of God faced many oppositions and tribulations; all was never so rosy for him. He even declared; I gave my back to those who struck me, I did not rebel, I did not turn back, and I never lost hope in God either. Such was later the case of Jesus as well. Here, we can deduce that your cross could be anything you suffer or choose to suffer for the sake of God, for the sake of preaching the gospel, for the sake of saying the truth, for the sake of justice and right. And that cross should never make you turn back from doing the good you are doing. The torments, ill words, the criticisms you face should not make you stop following the path of God’s law. And you should never doubt the Lord’s presence, his help and vindication when the time comes.

 

THE SECOND READING (JAM. 2: 14 – 18)

In the second reading, St. James drew our attention to the output of our faith, which should manifest in good works; good works in the family, good works in the society, good works in politics, good works in leadership and good works in the Church. The volume of corruption and evil in our country Nigeria poses a very big question mark on the volume of Christian and Islamic faith in the country. The low volume of good works in the Nigerian polity doesn’t correspond with the high volume of Christianity and Islam in the land. So where did we get it all wrong?

 

THE GOSPEL READING (MK. 8: 27 – 35)

In the gospel reading, Jesus denied himself and his divine powers, and insists that he would suffer many things, criticisms, rejection and even death on a Cross. But all these would not hinder him from doing his good works, doing all things well and carrying out his saving mission. He called us to deny ourselves certain rights and privileges like Mother Theresa and carry our Cross and follow him. Attempting to avoid or avert the Cross in our lives like Peter tried amounts to not being on the side of God but on the side of men and Satan.

 

CONCLUSION

What is your own cross? What can you deny yourself for the good of others and for the good of our Country Nigeria? What can you endure for the sake of love, peace and brotherhood? What can you deny yourself in order to touch other lives positively? Jesus denied himself of his powers and divinity to carry the Cross of humanity, the Cross of our sins, death and condemnation, that we may be saved. It is only when we understand and learn from Christ how to deny ourselves and carry our cross that we would do more good works for humanity and more corporal works of mercy for the salvation of our souls.

Happy Sunday!

Fr. Justin

 24^th Sunday, Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: And you, who do you think Jesus is?

Readings: Is 50, 5-9a; Jam 2, 14-18; Mk 8, 27-35 

Dear friends in Christ, on this 24^th Sunday, the Church poses a very important and crucial question to us, a question we must answer individually. She is asking us who Jesus is to us. Having a good knowledge of who Jesus is based on what He taught us and His salvific mission, will help us to know what to expect from Him and how to build a good relationship with Him.

Failure to have a true perception of who Jesus really is has led many people to false spirituality and wrong expectations from Him. Additionally, it has left many people at the mercy of marauders who parade themselves as men and women of God, feed on the ignorance of the people, teach what Jesus never commanded and promise their followers what Jesus will never do.

In today’s gospel reading, when Jesus asked His disciples who they think He is. Peter answered correctly that He is the Christ. But then, when Jesus began teaching them who this Christ really is and what His mission is, that He will suffer and die, it became obvious that Peter never truly knew this Christ, that he had a wrong notion of who the Messiah is.

Like Peter, many Christians know that Jesus is the Messiah, and they profess their faith in Him every day. However, the image they have built of this Christ is not really who Christ is; such image contradicts the mission of Christ. For example, many Christians think of Him as a Superman or a Hangman who will eliminate all their imagined enemies, including their husbands, wives, landlords, relatives, and friends, as well as all who don’t agree with them and all who don’t treat them kindly. Some think of Him as a Saviour who will prove Himself as God only when He has made them materially rich and fulfilled all their dreams. Some think that believing in Him will render them immune to all attacks and diseases in this world, that they will never be sick, and if it doesn’t happen that way, He has failed them.

Many people who have adopted the above images of who the Saviour is have ended up running from one ministry, prayer centre, or church to another, searching for where to find the type of Jesus that suites the image they have of Him, or searching for a place where the image of Jesus they have is preached. Unfortunately, many of them end up bowing down before the devil, the master of lies and deceit, who will never stop claiming to be the true God.

In the case of Peter, the Christ should be a king who will sit on the exalted throne of David, commanding many troops and slaves, and conquering many nations on earth to restore the kingdom of Israel. Thus, it will be unheard of for such a Christ to suffer and die in the hands of mere Pharisees, Scribes and Chief priests.

Peter was not alone in his notion of the Messiah. His fellow Jews had the same vision about the Messiah who was to come. Through the prophets, God promised Israel that He will send them a Messiah from the line of David who will deliver them from their enemies. So, in their theologies, the Jews developed various kinds of thoughts about the Messiah, ideas borne from their existential realities. As a people that suffered many years of oppression and slavery under big nations, Israel believed that since the Messiah will come from the line of David, He would lead them to military success like David.  

Therefore, in their quest to welcome a military-minded Messiah, Israel ignored the prophecies of the suffering servant of God who will conquer the world after suffering humiliations in the hands of His enemies, as revealed by the prophet Isaiah, a portion of which we read in today’s first reading. In the same manner, in their quests to have a Messiah who will bless them with abundant material riches, make them immune to all sickness and attacks, and wipe away all their enemies, many Christians have closed their ears to the teachings of Christ about love for enemies, about carrying their crosses and following Him, about the fact that Jesus also suffered the harsh realities of this wicked world and her rulers, about the fact that Jesus died and resurrected, and about the fact that Jesus never promised to bless His followers with cars, private jets, mansions, flamboyant lifestyle, etc.

Dear friends, whoever is selling a false image of Jesus to you is no different from the Jews in their wrong notions of who the Messiah would be and in their wrong expectations of what the Messiah would do for them. Such a person lacks the authority to speak about Jesus the Saviour.

Finally, anyone who has grasped the true image of who Jesus is must show it through his actions in his relationship with others; his actions must speak of Jesus. This is the message St James wants to convey to us in today’s second reading. He is telling us that we cannot believe in who Jesus truly is and yet close our eyes to good works of charity towards our fellow human beings. It is through our works in the society and our attitudes towards others that we demonstrate that we truly know who Jesus is.  

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac C. Chima  

 

 24^TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: MAN TAKES GOD ASIDE

(Mark 8:27-35)

At the middle of the Gospel of today, the word of God positioned its satellite on Peter, who took Jesus aside for a talk. Here is the exact biblical rendition: "And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him." How does that sound? Peter rebukes the Lord.

In a world where man wants to convince God to change his ways, God is amazed at man taking Him aside "to talk sense into Him." Will God succumb to the satanic will of man? Let us see.

GOD IN THE OFFICE OF MAN

This is indeed daring. I am imagining Jesus Christ being invited by Peter. He enters into His office. Greets him, keeps standing, and Peter tells Him: "Sit down. Ye, sit down, I think you are derailing." It could be diplomatic and respectful correction. It could also be a harsh and blunt address. If the first was the case, just think of Peter telling Jesus: Jesus, do you know you are not getting it right. Why did you say those things you said, my Lord? Have you forgotten who you are? You can't be thinking of suffering, you surely will not die, the cross can't be your portion. You're great, everything written about you is great. So don't think of belittling yourself and subjecting yourself to pain and shameful experiences."

While on the other hand, it is the harsh and blunt method, which probably may be the case since the word of God today used the term 'rebuke' Peter, considering the fact that he was older than Jesus in age may have told Jesus: Come here! What is wrong with you? Are you losing it? Are you going crazy? How dare you say all those things you just said about yourself? Don't you know that we have gone a long way? Do you really know what it means to lose your glory, power, and authority? Do you really know what it means not to be in the winning party? I choro ihapu ebe ana agba afa gawa ebe a na arụ agwụ? Just mind yourself and embrace honour, then forget about every other thing. 

A LOOK THROUGH THE OFFICE OF MAN

Jesus remained silent. He turned to the disciples representing the general population, the public He has come to redeem, the reason He was sent into the world, those who were like sheep without a Shepherd. Jesus saw the electorates, He saw those struggling for food amidst plenty, He saw those paying through their nose to buy fuel in a land blessed with rich mineral resources. He could see many people who are not paid their salaries after months of hard work and those who are not paid their gratuities after years of labour. He saw diseases. He saw hunger, He saw injustice, He saw marginalization, operation, and suppression.

Can those who are supposed to redeem our world from the mess we are into look out through their windows, from their glorious ivory towers to see what the people are suffering? To see the insecurity and killings? To see the tears and pains? To see the bad roads? The lack of amenities, etc, plaguing the land? Let the man in us, the ego, the grip to power, political party and winning team leave us to see the many dying parties, the suffering and sorrowful teams here and there, all around us.

THE REBUKE FROM GOD

God can't remain silent forever. He will arise one day to shatter every satanic power and stranglehold in the world.  Grieved by the plights of His people, He rebuked man in his office. Yes, man wanted to dictate for God. Man wanted to make God become the God of the mighty instead of the Mighty Saviour of the poor. The favoured man wished God to remain on his side and forget the lowly. But Jesus Christ rebukes that force in man. He exclaims: "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men. "

Pay attention dearest in Christ. If you're not on the side of God, the Lord is rebuking you today. The Lord rebukes you if you are less concerned because you're not yet involved in the bad condition of our world today.  The Lord rebukes you if you have kept the divine aside doing things in your own way. The Lord rebukes you if you have stopped being the hope of the hopeless, if you have stopped being the voice of the voiceless, if you are selfish, inconsiderate. The Lord will rebuke you as soon as you lose your sense of compassion and true love. The Lord rebukes you, who have sold your conscience to the devil without listening to the spirit of God. The Lord will certainly rebuke all the powers that frustrate His mission on earth. Are you part of them? Repent now!

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, we thank you that you're a God of compassion and love. We pray You, in Your mercy, to turn again as we implore to see our condition in the world. The hardship is on the increase, the political recklessness is unbearable, the religious complacence is unspeakable, and the moral decadence is too much. Come to our aid, lest we perish. Do not allow us to be worn over to the side of the enemy. May we continue to rebuke him by your grace through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (24th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Friday of 23^rd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Where should correction and change start?

Reading: Lk 6:39-42

Dear friends in Christ, being our brothers’ keepers is one of our responsibilities as Christians. Correcting our brothers when they make mistakes and guiding them in their affairs are just few of the numerous tasks that come with this responsibility.

In today’s gospel reading, our Lord Jesus instructs us on where to begin these tasks of correcting and guiding our brothers and sisters who err. He says we must start from a proper self-examination of ourselves before going out to correct others.

Thorough self-examination will help us to know whether we are guilty of the same error we are seeking to correct in others. If it happens that we are guilty of the same error, then, the first place to start this correction would not be our brothers and sisters but ourselves. This is because a person who is in error does not have the moral justification to enforce correction or change in others who are in the same error. He said, “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye,” because the blind cannot lead the blind.

Friends, Jesus is not asking us to close our eyes to people’s mistakes, rather, He is telling us that if we are guilty of the same mistake we wish to correct in others or guilty of a habit we wish to change in others, then, we must first start the process of correction or change from ourselves. Jesus is asking to lead by example anytime we are correcting others. 

The benefit of the clarion call from Jesus can be seen in today’s first reading where St Paul told the Corinthians: “I punish my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.” Indeed, it would be very tragic if we still get punished for the same error we corrected in others. It will be a sad story if a teacher failed the same paper he helped others to pass.

May the labour of your hands today bear good fruits, Amen.

Fr Isaac C. Chima.

 

Thursday of 23^rd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Loss of Grace-filled attitude in Christian worship: How far many have strayed from Christ’s teachings

Reading: Lk 6:27-38

Some videos of certain Christians wielding machetes of different sizes, iron bars, clubs and other weapons of war at prayer sessions and calling out their enemies circulated widely on Facebook few months ago. Those Christians were responding ‘Amen’ and hitting their weapons on the floor following the prayer call of their pastors that those they saw as the enemies of their progress and those who didn’t want to help them materially/financially, including wicked landlords, stingy uncles and relatives, wicked husbands and wives, and ungenerous employers, should die.

After watching those embarrassing video clips of what was considered as prayer sessions, I wondered if those Christians still understood the teachings of the One through whom they were making their prayers, especially His teaching regarding relationship with enemies.

It should also be noted that what was seen in those video clips is just a tip of what goes on in many prayer houses and ministries. Nowadays, any man/woman of God who does not command fire to destroy enemies is not considered a true man/woman of God and will consequently have fewer members. Every prayer is about calling God to destroy those suspected as enemies.

Dear friends, one of the things that distinguish Christianity from other religions is the quality known as grace. Our God is gracious to both the good, the wicked and the ungrateful, and commands us to show the same grace-filled attitude to others, treating them not as we think they deserve, but as He would treat them, i.e., with love, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and tolerance. It is this message that is central in today’s gospel passage. Here, Jesus invited all who call upon His name to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, bless those who curse them and pray for those who abuse them, for the measure they use for others will be the measure God will use for them. As challenging as Jesus' commands are, He and His disciples demonstrated how to carry them out.

Loving enemies doesn’t mean not seeking justice against aggressors, but for Christians, it doesn’t include using the name of Jesus or the Holy Ghost as a missile to destroy them. So, any Christian gathering in which Jesus is called upon to kill our fellow human beings has lost the grace-filled behavior commanded by Jesus, and true Christians will be wary of identifying with such a gathering.

May your efforts this Thursday be blessed, Amen

Fr Isaac Chima

 Wednesday of 23^rd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

Reading: Lk 6:20-26

At a time when praise-buying has almost become a daily activity for our world’s political leaders and many influential entities in all sectors of our life, a time when rulers with horrible records among the people they rule are receiving encomiums on television, radio and pages of newspapers, the last of the woes Jesus declared in today’s gospel reading sends us a message we should never let pass. He said: “woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

Indeed, great accolades accompanied many false prophets and their works in Israel until the days the hand of the Lord fell on them. They were praised for being great messengers of God even though they knew they were not sent by God; they were praised for healing sicknesses with the power of God even though they knew the source of their power wasn’t God; they were praised for seeing and telling the future even though they knew they were deceiving the people, etc.  

The praises of men made those false prophets to feel and parade themselves as good people, even though they actually knew that the praises of the people didn’t reflect the reality about their lives and their works.

In today’s gospel, Jesus challenges us not to assess our lives solely by the nice things people say about us. In fact, Jesus warns us to be wary when everyone around us is saying something good about us, because it may mean they are afraid to tell us the truth about ourselves or they do not want to hurt us with obvious truths about us. It may also mean that those that serve us do not want us to hear anything other than praises. 

What this implies is that we must always strive to take an introspective look at ourselves, our actions and activities, we must do self-criticisms and also be attentive to those who criticize us; they may be the people saying the truth about us.  

 May your Wednesday be richly blessed, Amen.

Fr Isaac Chima

 Monday of 23^rd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Don’t be insensitive to the genuine needs of others

Reading: Lk 6:6-11

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath teaching. There was a man in that temple whose right hand was withered, and the Pharisees were waiting to see if He would heal him since certain works were prohibited on the Sabbath. Jesus healed the man regardless of the feelings and reaction of the Pharisees.

From what the Pharisees were thinking, Jesus would have been in their good book if He had left the sick man in his misery in a bid to respect the regulations of the Sabbath. But Jesus saw the genuine needs of the sick man and also understood that regulations that are blind or insensitive to the well-being of humans should not be followed. Jesus wanted them to understand that all policies and regulations should be for the welfare of humanity.

Dear friends, Jesus is telling us that in our efforts to create, enforce and observe both civil and ecclesial laws, we must not lose sight of the genuine needs of humanity. He is telling us not to close our eyes to the needs of the people around us in our efforts to appear good before God and the state, particularly before God. In fact, no one who closes his eyes to the genuine needs of his fellow man will ever appear good before God.

Friends, in your efforts to be the number one in the church in terms of constant presence, prayer activities, financial donations, leadership and other services, don’t forget to help that needy that lives next door. If his/her presence and needs do not concern you, if his/her cries do not touch you, then your efforts to appear good before God are futile. 

In your efforts to appear good before God, don’t be insensitive to the genuine needs of others.

May God bless your new week. Amen

Fr Isaac C. Chima  

 23^RD SUNDAY, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “LOOK AROUND, DO SOMETHING WELL”

INTRODUCTION

Today, we see God as one who goes around, looks around, and graciously looks upon all his creation, seeking for where or whom to recreate; where or whom to heal/restore; seeking for whom to encourage and whom to save or redeem by his love and power. We are also called upon today to also look around us and locate the things, the people and the situations that are not going/doing well, and compassionately strive to make them well and better to the praise and glory of God. You can always do something well around you!

 

THE FIRST READING (IS. 35: 4 – 7)

In the first reading, the Lord told Isaiah to locate the fearful of heart, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, and the dry lands, and give them assurance that the Lord will remember them, heal them, and reverse their situation/condition for good. Interestingly, before the saving grace of God appears, someone has to stand in like Isaiah to bring the words of encouragement and hope to those who are not physically or spiritually well. Like Isaiah, you and I can somehow be a source of encouragement, hope or consolation to the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the sick and the oppressed!

 

THE SECOND READING (JAMES 2: 1 – 5)

In the second reading, St. James called us to look around our assembly, we shall see those dressed in gold, and we shall also see those wrapped in poverty. But we must pay attention more to the poor even though we are called to be impartial to both the rich and the poor. As we ordinarily choose to deal well and honorably to the rich, so also we should seek to treat the poor well and honorably. We can do something well around us by avoiding any partiality. Impartiality is key to getting some situations right in our country.

 

THE GOSPEL READING (MK. 7: 31 – 37)

In the gospel reading, Jesus moved round Tyre and Sidon and through the region of the Decapolis doing things well; healing the sick, the deaf and dumb and so on. He was touching and changing lives for better, striking joyful testimonies wherever he goes. Some of us on the contrary, strike terror, sickness, hardship, fear and bad wherever they go. Can’t we emulate Jesus today to do something good wherever we go; to change unjust/unhealthy situations for better, and be the cause for joy and wellness of a bad situation or someone in need!

 

CONCLUSION

If we look all around us, we shall always see the sick, the dying, the sorrowful, the hungry, the unwholesome and ugly situations that needed to be done well. Pick out one person in need or one ugly situation to be made well. We must rise above every spirit of selfishness, partiality, segregation and indifference that hinders us from helping to do things well around us. We must yield to the promptings of love and mercy which makes us to see the good we can do for our brothers and sisters and do them. God desires mercy/love and not sacrifice. Driven by love and mercy, we can all do something and all things well for our children, for our country, for our parents, and for our future.

Happy Sunday!

Fr. Justin

 23^rd Sunday, Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: God’s approach towards the poor vs ours

Reading: Is 35:4-7; Jam 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37

Dear friends in Christ, on this twenty-third Sunday, the church invites us to evaluate or re-evaluate our attitudes towards the poor, the less privileged, the oppressed, the weak, the sick, and all those we consider inferior to us intellectually, economically, religiously, etc. The Church wants us to compare our attitudes towards them to God’s approach towards them, to know if we are treating them the way God wants them to be treated or not.

How does God want the poor, the less privileged, the weak and the sick among us to be treated? The first reading of today tells us God’s plan for the oppressed and all those facing challenges in their lives, as well as how we should treat them. God said to them: “Courage, do not be afraid, your God is coming; He will come and save you.” He said He will open the eyes of the blind among them, unblock the ears of the deaf, make the dumb speak, and make water available for those suffering the desert heat. It is a message of hope from a loving Father to His children who are suffering the harsh realities of the wicked world, as well as a message of restoration to those who need help. God’s plan for these people is to help them out of their ugly situations. We should also bring hope to those who are less privileged in the society.

To demonstrate that God’s plan for these our poor and sick brothers and sisters did not end at the level of prophecy but was made concrete, the gospel of today gives us one of the many accounts of what Jesus did for those who suffered the harsh realities of nature and this world. In this gospel, a man who was deaf and dumb was brought to Jesus to be healed. The man suffered from both cultural and physical issues.

His physical problems were that he was deaf and dumb, problems that often make it difficult for those who suffer from them to participate in the social life of the society. The deaf and dumb are often overlooked when people are making decisions in the society. The man was also from a gentile region. As a gentile, he was culturally and religiously prohibited from going close to Jesus, a Jew.

However, when the man was brought to Jesus, Jesus did not turn away; He did not consider the man’s ethnic or religious background. He only saw a child of God in need of God’s blessing; thus, he healed him. Jesus is also asking us to do same when we encounter the needy, the poor, the sick and the less privileged. We should not look at their cultural, religious, economic or family background. We should not look at their nationality, colour, or qualifications. Rather, we should look at them as God’s children in need of help.  

Let us look deeper into how Jesus healed the deaf and dumb man. Most times, Jesus performed miracles from a distance, by just telling the person in need that his faith has healed him. But in this healing, Jesus did something unique. He took the man aside and touched him. He even went further by touching the man’s tongue. Jesus established a contact with him. Hence, Jesus showed us what should be our proper attitude and action towards the needy. We should not only help them, we should also go closer to them, touch them, embrace them, feel their pains, and lift them from their misery. We should neither abandon nor discriminate against them.

However, our approach or attitude towards the poor and the needy has not always been consistent with God’s. In today’s second reading, St James described what we have often permitted to be our attitude towards those whom nature and society didn’t favour. St James said we often despise and discriminate against them in favour of the rich. He frowned at all forms of prejudices and discriminations in our families, churches, and society. Thus, to favour some people and disregard others based on race, economic, social, or religious background is a terrible sin against God and man.

Dear friends, the message of St James is still relevant to all of us today, because people still suffer terrible injustice in our families, workplaces, churches, communities, states and everywhere in the world because of who they are, where they come from and the colour of their skin. Many poor and good people are often not valued because of their economic, social, political, religious and cultural status. Indeed, it is sad that favouritism, discrimination, tribalism and racism still afflict our world. But this should not be the case with us as Christians. As Christians, we should shun these social ills as well as pride and selfishness which are their primary causes. This way, we will be able to imitate our God in His treatment of the poor, the needy and the sick.

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac C. Chima

 23^RD SUNDAY, YEAR B: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: WHY ARE YOU CLOSED UP?

(Mark 7:31-37)

The mission of Christ on earth has been to open. Right from the Old Testament, God started opening man to better life. At creation, God used the light to open a world closed by darkness and void. With the breath of life, He opened the nostrils of man closed by lifelessness. With His word, love, and instructions, He wished to open the eyes of Adam and Eve. The Serpent observed this project of opening and used it to approach Eve with the claims of opening of the eyes. Unfortunately, the devil closed their eyes and hearts, which made the gates of the Eden garden to be closed with Adam and Eve outside. The angel that was open to them, at their service, turned to guard the Eden gates from them.

At the appointed time, God opened the womb of the woman after the heart of Eve was closed by the evil one. God gave the Son of God to humanity and creation. Jesus started going about observing the disaster the enemy caused, especially on man and confronting them. Man presented to Him the extent of mess the human person has been put into.

 

THE MESS BEFORE THE MESSENGER

The man brought to Jesus, a representative of the situation of the generality of the human population, had an impediment. He can neither speak nor hear.

What a calamitous situation! This is a serious problem in the spiritual realm.

This is a hopeless situation the enemy wanted us to remain in. This is the state of the unbaptized helpless child that is brought forth to be given the mark of Christ. He can't help himself, yet Christ feels for him. The original and the actual sins keep him dumb. Guilt makes him not to speak up anymore. He doesn't feel free to call God his Abba Father. He feels there is no access to God anymore. He dies in silence. He hides like Adam. His ears are covered from hearing the word of God. He is made to believe that God can never speak love to Him again.

Jesus takes the man. He puts His fingers in his ears, He spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, He sighed, and declared: "Ephphatha". What a powerful word! Here is the word the world needed to hear. Here is the message of the great messenger from heaven, Jesus Christ. Looking up to heaven, He called down the mercy of God. He connected the heavens to behold what man, so adorned, had been turned into. How man has been rendered useless by wickedness, greed, avarice and all evils, how man has closed his ears to what God has to say and the place it has dumped him, how man has become speechless in the face of evil, how he has compromised the heavenly standards, how he has been silenced by the forbidden trees of this life. Jesus sighed. He was grieved. The pain was very deep.

 

At His command, therefore, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Alleluia!

 

OPEN UP

The Lord's command today: Be opened! Is a state He wants us to remain in. It could mean- Be free, bloom, blossom, manifest, shine, showcase, stop hiding, receive, celebrate, etc.

Africa, be open to growth, development, and real civilization. Nigeria, be open to unity, peace, and progress. Be open to dialogue and have listening ears to the problems of the people. Presidents and governors are open and transparent. Stop deceiving the people. Stop paying deaf ears to their plights.

The Church, be open and tell the truth in season and out of season. Don't keep quiet while the world sinks into immorality, depravity, and corruption. Let in the fresh air of the Spirit of God. Let there be true Aggiornamento! Let us all stop suffocating holiness and righteousness. Let our moral ears and tongues not be closed by money, offers, and goodies.

Individuals at all levels should open up themselves to receive the touch of God, that touch that brings life and inspiration.  When we open up to God, the satanic powers will leave us alone. When we open our hearts for God, He will bring us happiness and joy. When we are open to His holy will, the miracles we expect will come to manifestation in our lives and in our families.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Dear Lord, we thank You for Your word today calling us to open ourselves to You. Like the men who brought the deaf and dumb man to You today, we bring our sick world, our troubled families, and our individual problems to You. Take our worries, sighs, and sickness by Your holy hands. Give us reasons to thank You with the words of the astonished people who witnessed Your wonders: "He has done all things well." Do all things well in our lives. Do well all that the enemy has destroyed in us through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (23rd Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Friday of 22^nd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Don’t taint the new life in Christ with the old life of sin

Reading: Lk 5:33-39

In his second letter to the Corinthians (5:17), St Paul teaches that “anyone who is in Christ Jesus is a new creature: old things have passed away; the new has come.” This lesson from St Paul quickly brings to our mind what Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s gospel. He told them that no one puts fresh wine in an old wineskin; instead, new wine should be put in a new wineskin. And that no one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment.

Dear friends, what does this teach us? What do we understand by this emphasis on not mixing the old and the new?

We must understand that whoever has been baptized has been buried and risen with Christ. This means he has given up the old life of sin, he has been redeemed from the old life and has assumed a new life of grace. Thus, this new life cannot be lived according to the pattern or standard of the old life from which it was redeemed, but rather according to the values and standards of the one who redeemed it from the old, namely Christ, the giver of new life.   

As a life redeemed from old life of sin and dominion of darkness, and renewed by the blood of Christ, the Christian life compels anyone who truly wants to live it not to do so by allowing the standards of the old life of sin to dictate his choices and actions; he should no longer allow the old life of sin to taint this new life. A Christian is no longer to live in accordance with the standards that derive from living as if life in this world is all that exists, because such logic belongs to the old life of sin. He should rather live for Jesus, who died for us and was raised again; his life should be a lamp shining in the dark.

May God’s grace lead and direct you steps this Friday. Amen

Fr Isaac C, Chima

 Thursday of 22^nd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: They left everything and followed Him: Best response after receiving God’s blessings

Reading: Lk 5:1-11

Dear friends in Christ, did you notice what Peter and his companions did after Jesus surprised them with the miracle of the deep catch?

Today’s gospel reading told us that Jesus blessed Peter with the miracle of the great catch of fish after using his boat for preaching the good news. The miracle filled Peter and his companions with great awe. As soon as they brought their boats to land, they all abandoned everything and followed Him.  

What do you do after receiving blessings from God? Do you push God aside, forget about Him and simply enjoy your blessings as you please? Do you allow His blessings to bring you closer to Him or do you see His blessings as an invitation to enjoy your life the way you like, even with a style of life that drags you away from the source of these blessings?

When Peter received his miracle, he left everything and followed Jesus because he saw it as an invitation to get closer to its source, to establish a more personal relationship with Him, and to ensure that He continued to drink from the source. This is the proper response of those who have been blessed by God. Every blessing from God is an invitation from God to know Him more and to appreciate Him by doing His will.

Therefore, dear friends, if God has blessed you with riches, don’t think only of parties and businesses, and never think of oppressing the poor; rather, remember to think of God who blessed you and of doing his will. If He has blessing you with beauty, don’t think of using your body to make money or to lead others into sin; instead, think of appreciating Him by living a holy life and doing His will. If He has blessed you with human strength in excess, don’t think of harming the weak; instead, think of putting yourself to good service for God and humanity, etc. God has blessed each of us with something unique; let us, therefore, see our unique qualities as a special invitation to follow Him.

May God reward your good efforts this Thursday. Amen

Fr Isaac C Chima.

 Wednesday of 22^nd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Let us stop causing strife and division in our Christian Communities

Reading: 1 Cor. 3:1–9

Have we not gradually, joyfully and also shamelessly embraced the errors in Christian life that were condemned by St. Paul in today's first reading?

News of problems of jealousy, strife and division in the Church of Corinth was reported to St Paul. At the heart of these problems was that many Corinthian Christians started identifying themselves as followers of the people who preached the gospel of Christ to them rather than followers of Jesus who was preached to them.

Some claimed to belong to Paul, some to Apollos, and some others to other people who preached the good news to them. Thus, instead of focusing on Jesus who was preached to them, on worshipping Him, and on doing His will, these Corinthian Christians were more concerned with the personal qualities and charisma of their preachers, boasting about being followers of one who commanded the spirit more than the others or the one who performed more miracles than the others, while looking down on those whose missionary services did not attract the attention of the public.

St Paul rebuked them and charged them to realize that they were baptized in the name of Jesus, and not in the name of any of their preachers. He reminded them that both those who worked miracles and those who did other works that did not attract the attention of the public worked for the same God, and that only God granted growth to their efforts.

We live in an era in which many people, even those in the same church, proudly identify themselves not with the name of Jesus, who grants increase to the works of his servants, but with the chosen names of their 'powerful men and women of God' in order to show themselves as spiritually superior to their fellow Christians and, then, create divisions and strife. Some call themselves umu mbaka, umu ikuku, umu ebube mmuo nso, umu e dey work, umu ebuka zion, umu obimma, umu muoka, umu this and umu that.

Dear friends, in as much as it is a perfect idea to respect and identify with those who are helping us on this spiritual journey, St Paul urges us to always remember that we were not baptized in the names of these people and that we should always see and treat them as servants through whom we believed in God. When we elevate them to the position of demigods or start attaching our names to theirs rather than Jesus', we have started giving them the honour, praise and glory that belong to God.

May God's Spirit continue to help us to discern all spirits. Amen

Fr Isaac C. Chima

 Tuesday of 22^nd Sunday, Year II: reflection

Theme: How you receive Jesus into your life matters a lot

Reading: Lk 4:31-37

The gospel of John 1:11-12 reads: “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, those who believed in His name, he gave the power to become children of God.” This teaching of St John played out in the gospel of yesterday and today.

In yesterday’s gospel (Lk 4:16-30), Jesus went to His hometown and proclaimed His mission to the world, as prophesized by Isaiah. But His people didn’t recognize any divine authority behind His teaching. Rather, they saw in Him a young man from one of the poor homes in their community, and they refused to believe in Him. When He pressed further, they seized Him and dragged Him out and wanted to throw him down from the brow of the hill on which their town was built. Because of their lack of faith and refusal to acknowledge His divine authority, Jesus didn’t perform the great works He was sent for among them.

On the contrary, in today’s gospel, Jesus went to Capernaum, a town that shared a border with his hometown. There, He preached the word of God, and the people recognized that his teaching was different from the regular teachings of the Pharisees and Scribes. In fact, they acknowledged that He taught them with divine power and authority and believed in Him. In their midst, therefore, He performed mighty works: He cast out demons and healed the sick.

Dear friends, how we accept Jesus in our lives and the position we give him in our lives and affairs matter a lot. If we acknowledge and accept Him as our only God and give the priority due to Him in our lives, choices and affairs, He will make His divine mission manifested in our lives. But if we count him among the spiritual beings that protect our lives and give no priority to Him in what we say and do, we will place ourselves in a position where less or none of His divine works will be felt.

May your Tuesday bear fruits of favour and success. Amen

Fr Isaac C. Chima

 

 Monday of 22^nd Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

Reading: Lk 4:16-30

In today’s gospel reading, Our Lord Jesus went to His hometown. Upon entering the synagogue on the Sabbath for prayers, he was summoned to read the reading of the day and give reflections. He opened the book of the prophet Isaiah and proclaimed to them the mission for which His Father sent Him to the world. He told them: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim a year of favour of the Lord.”

Jesus' mission is to set us free from the grip of the evil one in all of its manifestations in sin, sickness, poverty, death, etc.

Dear friends, we live in a world where the agents of the evil one take pleasure in pushing us into sin, untold hardships, and poverty, threatening us with death, and doing everything they can to keep us from experiencing the joy of life.

Today, the Church is reminding us through this gospel reading that Jesus is still active in carrying out His mission in our midst despite the numerous numbers of the agents of the evil one in all corners of our world.

Therefore, all who are passing through hardships, sorrows, sicknesses, threats of death, oppressions, and those in both emotional and physical bondages should hold their heads high for their Saviour is mightier than the forces against them and His mission is to set them free. They should implore Him with faith and patiently wait for His intervention.

Have a blessed week.

Fr Isaac C. Chima