1^st Sunday of Lent, Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Temptation: knowing how and when the devil strikes

Readings: Deut 26:4-10; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13

Dear friends in Christ, every year, the Church ushers us into the period of Lent with the story of the temptation of Jesus. With this story, the Church informs us that as we embark on the forty-day journey of prayer, fasting, and arms-giving to suffer with Christ in order to rise with Him, the devil will lurk around us to distract us from our mission, just as he attempted to distract Jesus from His God-given mission.

One of the problems of our time is the inability to realize when we are being tempted by the devil. So, the temptation of Jesus teaches us the various avenues the devil can take while tempting us and the best ways to conquer him using the examples of Jesus. Let us, therefore, treat the temptation of Jesus in the desert step by step.

In the first temptation, the devil asked Jesus to turn stones into bread. The devil knew that Jesus was very hungry after fasting for forty days, so he came with the suggestion of what Christ needed at that moment. Dear friends, the devil will not tempt you with what you don’t need; he will always come with the idea of helping you to fill in the void in your life.

In this first temptation, the devil was like telling Jesus, “look, your God has failed to provide your needs. Why still wait upon him? Use what you have and get what you need.” This is a temptation to lose confidence in God’s providence for us; a temptation to do things our own way anytime we lack material means of survival; a call to evaluate God’s care for us only by our material success. It is a temptation that touches on man’s relationship with material things; the kind of temptation that pushes people to make the satisfaction of material needs the priority in every relationship.

We see this kind of temptation every day of our lives. Occasionally, we see or feel it when that voice tells us that the only priority of our life should be the provision of our material needs by all means. To many of our girls, that voice tells them, “Use your body to provide your material needs because hunger will kill you if you wait on God.” To our young boys, it tells them, “All your mates are making it through Yahoo Plus, join them; the end will surely justify the means; people will celebrate you.” To our businessmen, it tells them, “Inflate the prices of your goods; you have the market control; make your gains; this is your time; prudence is for the weak minds; God’s time will never come.” To our politicians, it tells them, “Join their evil groups and win the election first; being a good man will not help you.”

We also feel this temptation when that voice tells us that we have all it takes to enrich or satisfy ourselves materially, so we don’t need to believe in God. In fact, that voice tells some people that God does not exist since they have all their material needs. This temptation has led many people who are materially comfortable to think that faith in God is absurd. In this type of temptation, the devil aims to make us materially bound.

But the response of Christ has a lesson for us. Jesus reminded the devil that our mission in this world is not just that of the satisfaction of the material needs of our bodies, but that we must tend towards heaven in all that we do. Hence, we must satisfy our material needs according to the teachings of the Word of God, that is, according to the will of God.

In the second temptation, the devil told Jesus that all the riches of the world belong to him and that he will give them to Jesus if he (Jesus) bows down and worships him. Friends, the devil is the father of all lies. In this temptation, he was laying claims on things that do not belong to him. We know that God is the author of all that is good and the creator of the universe. Nothing good comes from the devil; what comes from the devil only appears to be good, but they are full of evil. So, this temptation is the call to compromise faith in God in order to be rewarded. It is a temptation that hinges on the thirst or lust for power and control. It is a temptation to throw away good morals and Christian principles or teachings and then follow the whims of the world in order to be relevant in the world or be accepted by others. We have seen this type of temptation in many programmes of this world. It is true that many activities or programmes in our world are geared towards luring Christians to renounce their teachings in order to get financial grants and aids, business connections and friends, recognition, promotion, and power in the society, etc. Many people go to the extent of mocking Christians who say ‘no’ to the fantasies of this world.

The response of Jesus to this second temptation showed us that our allegiance in this world is only to God, and, therefore, we should not bow down to any other spiritual or worldly force.

In the third temptation, the devil asked Jesus to jump down from the high mountain since God will help him. To back up his claims, he quoted the bible. It is good we know that the devil can also substantiate his demands/claims with a biblical citation. In this temptation, the devil wanted Christ to accept cheap popularity and false security in God. It is a temptation that touches our relationship and faith in God. In this temptation, there is a suggestion to have a false or perverse relationship with God. A kind of relationship that makes God an idol/instrument in our hands, something we can control the way we like. The devil asked Jesus to take an action that will make God indebted to him. It is a temptation to put God to the test. We see this type of temptation when that voice tells us that since we believe in God, no harm will come to us even if we are careless with our lives; it comes when that voice tells you that you don’t need to study for exams, that all you need to do is to pray and you will surely pass your exams; we also feel this temptation when that voice tells us not to plan our lives very well, not to take care of our health and not to think of our future because God is our father and he will do everything for us. Dear friends, we are to collaborate with God by not putting ourselves at risk.

The devil is very wicked. When he succeeds in pushing people to have false security in God, he stands by the side and waits for them to fail. When they eventually fail, he will creep out of his hole and tell them, “You see, the God in whom you hoped has failed you; He is not capable of saving you; come, I will help you.”

With the story of how God rescued Israel, the first reading of today tells us that God does not disappoint those who have genuine faith in Him. We have a God who will not disappoint or reject us in times of trials and persecutions. He will always intervene at His own time and rescue us if we repose our hope and faith in Him.

The second reading of today comes with an explicit affirmation of that assurance of God’s help for those who trust in Him. It said, “No one who believes in Him will be put to shame… everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Therefore, let us build our trust in God and always have recourse to Him in times of temptation.

Happy First Sunday of Lent

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

THEME: TEMPTATION: GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO GLORIFY GOD

(Luke 4:1-13)

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. We are presented with the temptation of Jesus, which is a follow-up from the Baptism episode. The Holy Spirit had descended on Jesus, testifying that He is the beloved, and God is well pleased with Him. Moved by the same Spirit, He made His way to the wilderness not necessarily to be tempted but to reflect on what to do with His anointing, to meditate in a quiet place on how to go about the ministry and to lead the people who have been called upon to listen to Him. He went to ponder on the right choice of companions with whom His mission would be actualized. He was led there for Him to give a thought on how to enhance the growth of the kingdom of God and its reign.

In the same way, the Spirit of God through the Church leads us into the desert to reflect on the price paid for our salvation, to ponder on what we have made out of our

baptismal, confirmation, confessional, eucharistic, ordination, and matrimonial "anointing."

Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days to be strengthened spiritually to withstand and overcome the various temptations on the way to his realizing the will of God for himself and humanity. We, too, are called upon to make use of these 40 days and nights to examine our appreciation of what Jesus Christ has offered us even in the face of the many trials surrounding us.

To do this, we have to learn from the 3 Temptations of Jesus Christ:

 

TURN STONES INTO BREAD (Oh no!)

You will never be tempted with what you do not need at any point in time. It is at your weakest moment that the tempter strikes your weakest point. He really knows where to strike. Jesus was hungry of food and was tempted with it. But Jesus did not sell His birthright like Esau, who for porridge had to sell. Jesus hungered more about the Heavenly food, namely, to do the will of the One who sent him.

My dear, what's the most appealing apple in your garden?  The tempter would like to tempt you with it like he did to Eve. What's your most loved food? Bread? Yes, the Jews generally loved bread but it could be that Jesus' special love for bread and the great miracle He intends to make of it in the future has been discovered by the tempter who wanted to be the author of transubstantiation thereby making it devilish instead of divine. But Jesus made known to him the source of His inspiration - the mouth of God.

You may be strong in controlling yourself in matters of theft but gullible in resisting sexual temptations. You may be strong in obedience but weak in gossiping. Never allow your weak point to be used by the devil. Be careful.

 

THROW YOURSELF DOWN (God forbid!)

There may be other interpretations of the above, but I wish to see it that no one, not even the devil, has the power of really throwing you down.  Thus, he can only persuade you to do it yourself. He comes to give you reasons for which you should fall away from the grace of God.

Never take the grace of the Lord for granted. Yes, the Lord is merciful and full of compassion, but He frowns at abusing his mercy and love. Every sin attracts a punishment.  Endeavour not to fall. Rise if you have fallen. That's why the Church offers us this good opportunity to fall on our knees in penance, asking for forgiveness for the many sins we have committed by throwing ourselves down to the lowest level in sin.

May you never fall from virtue's height to vice's depth.

 

ALL THESE I WILL GIVE YOU, JUST A SIMPLE BOW (Be gone!)

Can one give what he hasn't? Oh no. This is one of those empty promises of the devil. He steals to give and claims falsely. He demands respect and honour.  I can imagine the devil, the human tempter or the mind telling the tempted one: It is as simple as that, just do it after you ask God for mercy, just hit the money by simply saying yes or no.

Wealth and Mammon are forces we have to battle against to remain faithful. What has the devil to offer? He is a thief who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. But Jesus comes that you may have life and have it in abundance. Worship Him alone.

 

My dear people of God let us thank God for this wonderful opportunity He has offered us this Lenten season. Let us in a very special way learn that every temptation is an opportunity to glorify God and also an opportunity to shame and rebuke the devil. Let's not put God to shame by following the instructions of the enemy. May the devil never take the glory in your life.

Job did not allow that, Joseph in Egypt did not permit such, Jesus in today's Gospel refused to allow it. May Julian, you, you, and you never allow that to happen by the grace of God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Gracious Father, we thank You for this period of grace. We adore and glorify You for enabling us to take part in this period of spiritual rejuvenation. Fortify us with the necessary weapons we need to overcome the many forces trying to pull us down, away from Your grace and Holy will for us. May we sustain Your grace as we journey with You into the wilderness through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy First Sunday of Lent

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 

 8^th Sunday, Year C: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: Be formed before forming others

Readings: Sirach 27:4-7;1 Cor. 15:54-58; Lk 6:39-45

Dear friends in Christ, two weeks ago, we started reading St. Luke’s account of the beatitudes - a series of teachings comprising blessings and woes, which Jesus taught his disciples at the foot of the mountain. The beatitudes were intended to show the disciples the way that leads to happiness and the way that leads to misery. Gradually, as we have seen from last week Sunday, Jesus extended this teaching to modes of conduct for the disciples and all of us as well.

In the gospel reading of last week, Jesus tasked his disciples to treat their enemies with love, mercy, and compassion. He also instructed them not to judge or condemn others. Then, in the gospel of today, Jesus taught his disciples more reasons why they should love their enemies, treat them with patience, mercy, and compassion, and why they are not to judge or condemn other people. Jesus did this by using three images drawn from everyday life.

The first image came with this rhetorical double-barreled question: can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? The answer to the first question is ‘No,’ a blind person cannot lead a blind person. To the second question, the answer is ‘Yes,’ because if a blind man leads a blind man, they will fall into a pit.

With these two rhetorical questions, Jesus was teaching his disciples that they would not be able to successfully lead other people out of their errors or sins or to correct people in their mistakes unless they have allowed themselves to be transformed by what they have learnt from Him and what they have seen Him do. What does this tell us, dear friends?

Here, Jesus is challenging all of us as teachers, pastors, parents, guardians, and leaders, and whatever influencing role we have in the lives of others, to first of all be motivated and influenced by His teachings before we set out to guide, to correct, and to teach others. Dear friends, if we do not allow ourselves to be influenced and transformed by Jesus and His teachings, if we are not well convinced by the type of life Jesus is calling us to live, if we do not choose Jesus as the way in our life, then telling others about the Christian life would be like the blind leading the blind.

Therefore, dear friends, we must allow our lives to be transformed by Jesus and to live a good sacramental life before we go out to correct and teach others. Furthermore, we should learn about our faith: learn what the church teaches about the sacraments and what the scripture teaches, because we cannot be good disciples of Christ unless we have learnt from Christ.

Secondly, Jesus used another beautiful illustration to teach his disciple what people often do when they judge or condemn other people. He did it with these questions: "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, "Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye," when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Luke 6:41-42).

With these questions, Jesus touched the tendency inherent in all of us, that is, that tendency to notice the mistakes and wrongs of other people while turning a blind eye to greater mistakes in us; that tendency to exaggerate the evil in other people and overlook the evil in us or, perhaps, with a view of hiding our own evils. Dear friends, have you not noticed that it is easy to find fault and mistakes in others?

With this second image, Jesus warned His disciples and all of us not to be the kind of disciples who are quick to point out the faults in the lives of other people but are too slow to recognize the sins in their own lives. In a special way, Jesus invites us to be reformed and transformed before we reform others. He warned us not to be hypocrites as we set out to correct others in their mistakes. There should be no discrepancies between what we say and what we do. Thus, before talking about the sins of others, we should first of all look at ourselves in the mirror to know how we truly are.

Furthermore, Jesus used another beautiful image to teach His disciples why it is good to be transformed from within before setting out to transform others. The reason is that it is impossible for one to transmit what he doesn’t have, but it is very easy for good things to flow out of good people. He said, "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit… A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks."

With this last picture, Jesus teaches us that just as a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit, so also a good person produces good, and an evil person produces evil. In other words, if we choose to live a life rooted in Him, the outcome would be the good fruits of kindness, gentleness, peace, mercy, compassion, faith, hope, and love towards others. But when we choose to live outside the teachings of Christ, our lives will never contribute to the good of others or to the well-being of the society, because we cannot give what we do not have.

Peace be with you. May God bless you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 8^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: WORK FIRST ON YOURSELF

(Luke 6:39-45)

Today is the 8th Sunday in the Ordinary Time, Year C of the Church's Liturgical Calendar. It is the Sunday that ushers us into the Holy season of Lent. Wednesday is already Ash Wednesday.

The movement of the Gospel is quite interesting. It is a movement that calls much attention to be focused on the "I" more than the "Thou," thus a movement that starts with "Me" to "Thee."

As a matter of fact, Jesus addresses you as the "You" that is the first person singular, calling you as it were to handle you before the other. The invitation is for self -evaluation, self-examination, and objective personal analysis of my personality. It calls for scrutinizing and examining one's own conscience and consciousness. It calls for 'mea culpa'; having to do with beating of one's own chest in acceptance of our faults (Saying: Oui, j'ai vraiment péché), and not beating that of the other.

This work on oneself that doesn't give room for judgement is an integral activity. The Gospel specified tips to guide us in this important task:

 

SEE, CORRECT SELF BEFORE THE OTHER

Jesus started with a parable, a parable that came in a question form. A question that carries yes and no answer. He asked: Can the blind lead the blind? "He can't," may be the answer in the negative. "He can" may also be the answer in the positive. In the first place, it is not something that should be attempted since it is an unthinkable thing to do. But on the other hand, they can take the risk. But Jesus provides answer to what becomes of them. The pit will be their end.

Why are you blind to your faults and see well when it has to do with the other? You can't succeed in clearing what's faulty in the other person's life when you're carrying a lot of filth in your own life.

Seeing well also enables you to come out of yourself and be your own judge. Tell yourself what no one sees in your life, be just to yourself for once. It helps you quickly to know how fallible you are, yes that I too make and can make mistakes, that I have done this before or have nearly done this before. I am not better than the other person since anything can happen if a single mistake is made, and because of that, I should correct with love and not criticize destructively with hypocrisy.

It is a call to know that the other person who knows that he's not getting it right and accepts the truism is better than me when I don't know the harm am doing myself by deceiving myself, hiding my fault and pronouncing the others. When I see well, I will stop condemning the other because he's not in the same political party with me, when am ready to excuse away my friend of same party who did the exact thing or even more grievous.

When I see well, I will understand the statement: "If any of you have no sin, let him be first to throw stone." Let's not be first in throwing judgmental stones but first work on ourselves and show love.

 

BLEND THE WORDS WITH WORKS

Jesus says that a disciple is not greater than the master. The above could be explained in different ways, but I chose to talk about it from the perspective that a disciple cannot know more than what his master shows in deeds. This should be a warning against 'soro okwu onum esola omume m.' If you claim to be a master in virtues, then know that you're followed, and your followers have more eyes than ears.  Your deeds speak more volume than any other thing. Action speaks louder than voice.

 

EVERY WORK BEAR FRUITS

By its fruits, a tree is known. Having worked on oneself, the result is sound heart. From the sound heart, therefore, flows good and edifying words. One can, at this point, lead. Lead people out of darkness into light, out of sin into holiness, out of ignorance into knowledge.

What a wonderful thing! It started with the eyes(blind) and ended with the heart. Never judge with human eyes. Look within and correct with divine love, the love that flows from the sound heart.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord God, for Your word, which is the light for our paths.  Give us the grace to work on ourselves and help us not judge others rashly.

Bless us with a sound heart that we may produce good fruits in all our endeavours through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday

(8th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh