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

Prayer: A Dialogue with a Benevolent Father

Readings: Gen 18:20 -32; Col 1:12-14; Lk 11:1-13

Dear friends in Christ, on this seventeenth Sunday of the year, the Church emphasizes the significance of intercessory prayer and the importance of persistence/perseverance in our prayers. As Christians, prayer serves as a means of communication between us and our God. Through prayer, we commune with God, open our hearts to Him, and gain insight into His plan for our lives. It is often said that ‘a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.’ Therefore, prayer is an essential weapon in the spiritual and physical battles Christians face in this world.

Today’s gospel opens our minds to an important knowledge about our God. It reveals that our God is benevolent. Frequently, we hear people express sentiments such as 'God did not respond to my prayer,’ 'God has disappointed me,’ 'God is silent,' and so forth. A similar expression of frustration, after seeking God's intervention during perilous and challenging times, was voiced by Job in the Bible. The book of Psalms contains numerous chapters dedicated to such lamentations. Nevertheless, in today's gospel, Jesus reassures us that our God will not fail to provide what is beneficial for us. He stated, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” I appreciate how the Gospel of Matthew articulates this. It says, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Dear friends, although we are frail human beings often susceptible to wrongful actions and decisions, we do not hesitate to provide good things when our children request them. If we can be this benevolent towards our children, how much more will God, our Father, who embodies all goodness, be willing to grant good things to those He has created, His children who seek His assistance?

Consequently, Jesus encouraged us to ask, and we shall receive; seek, and we shall find; and knock, and the door will be opened to us. However, how should we ask? How should we knock? And how should we seek? In addressing these questions, Jesus recounted the story of the importunate friend who, despite initially receiving a negative response to his request, continued to knock at his friend's door until his request was granted. This illustrates that Jesus is urging us to be persistent in our prayers to God. We should not merely knock at God's door and then vanish when it has not opened. Instead, we ought to knock and patiently wait until we have been heard. And once we have been heard, we must trust that God's response is in our best interest, for God cannot fail to provide what is beneficial for us in accordance with His divine will and plan.

Today’s first reading gives us some important lessons as we approach God's door to knock. First, it reiterates the importance of persistence in prayer. The angels of God were en route to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy them due to their sins, particularly their sin of sexual perversion. It is regrettable that the sin of sexual perversion, which was one of the major reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by God, is now being promoted by many nations as a human right. It is disheartening that the very sin of homosexuality, for which God obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah, is regarded as something good in our generation, with many Christians endorsing such views. May God help us.

When Abraham saw God's wrath towards Sodom and Gomorrah, he knelt down and prayed. In his prayer, he remained persistent until he received a favourable answer for his relatives residing in those cities. We must always pray without losing hope.

Secondly, the prayer of Abraham illustrates that prayer ought to be a dialogue with God, two-way communication rather than a one-sided affair. In a dialogue, no single individual dominates the conversation; instead, all participants have the opportunity to express their thoughts, as demonstrated in the narrative of Abraham. Abraham spoke and also listened to God’s responses. This crucial element of attentively hearing God's responses during prayer is frequently overlooked in the prayer life of many Christians. Thus, the Church today reminds us that prayer must be a dialogue between us and God, a conversation that enables us to hear from God and to understand His will through silent meditation and reflection, particularly on the scriptures.

Another important lesson is that prayer should not solely be for the benefit of the individual praying. Every Christian is called to be an intercessor for the well-being of others. In the first reading, Abraham interceded on behalf of his nephew, Lot, his family, and other righteous individuals in Sodom and Gomorrah, and they were saved. Our prayers can save our loved ones from calamity. Our unwavering intercession can lead to the salvation of souls in our communities. Therefore, let us commit ourselves to being intercessors today. Let us consistently dedicate time to pray for the intentions of others with perseverance and confidence.

Peace be with you. Have a beautiful Sunday.

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

TRUE PRAYER: A DIALOGUE WITH GOD

(Luke 11:1-13)

The word of God today takes our mind to something very special and inescapable in our relationship with God, namely, prayer. This is one thing that has become so common and yet commonly misunderstood. What many seem to know about prayer is actually what it is not. What myriads take to be prayer in reality is misconception. What we have believed prayer to be is indeed not what the author of Christian prayer has defined it to be.

 

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer has been variously defined. It is understood as the raising up of mind and heart to God. It is seen as communication with God. It is taken to be a form of dialogue with God. This is true. Hence, the Igbo Catechism calls it "nkariuka anyi na Nna anyi Chineke, iji too Ya gozie Ya, kelee ya maka ihe oma Ọ na emere anyi biakwa riọ ya ọgọ maka ihe ndi na-akpa anyi na ibe anyi". The above implies that prayer has to do with dialogue with God in order to worship and glorify Him, appreciating Him for His goodness and requesting for our needs and those of others. We saw this in the intercessory prayer of Abraham to God for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Today, prayer is not just presented to us as a practice, as a show, or as fun. No! Prayer is seen as a life.

 

THE LIFE OF JESUS: A REFLECTION OF PRAYER

Jesus is indeed the Man of Prayer. A good number of times, the apostles saw Him at prayers. The disciples were not novices in prayers. The Jews were known to pray a good number of times in a day. Their synagogues and temple were designated places of prayer. They must have been praying. Also, some of His followers were formally disciples of John the Baptist. So they knew what prayer is. But in Jesus, they saw a different type of prayer. They saw a life punctuated with prayers. They saw a life synonymous with prayers. They saw a unique way of praying they had never witnessed. They asked the Lord to teach them how to pray.

Do you have the desire to pray? Do you actually pray like Christ since you are a Christian? Do you think that those things that you feel make your prayer a prayer is actually what makes it one? What's special about Jesus' way of praying?

 

 LEARNING FROM THE SCHOOL OF JESUS, THE MASTER OF PRAYER

Jesus communicates always in an intimate way with God. Yes, God is high above, but in Jesus' prayer, God is brought very close. The conversation becomes a heart to heart one, a friend with friend talk, an interesting one indeed. The fact remains that when one is in   conversation with his beloved, hours spent is like a minute. Seeing all these, the apostles couldn't help but ask:  "Lord, teach us to pray." They have really seen Jesus as master in the matter of prayers. Jesus begins the teaching.  Prayer is communal and personal. As individuals, we should know how to pray to God as Father of us all. Prayer is a relationship with God and with one another.

 

WORDS OF PRAYER

Jesus gave them the words they should use in praying.  He taught them how to pray like Himself. He made them understand that they are sons of the same Father. That God is their one and only loving Father. Thus, they should relate to God, like friends do. It is a relationship of love. It is an invitation to dialogue with God like Jesus. This is what we do when we pray.

 

WAYS OF PRAYERS

How to pray is the question. A lot of people pray following "a man of God's way." Jesus is the way to the Father. He has shown us the way. Let us follow Him and recognize too that prayer is not only the words we say. What we do and our silent recognition of the Almighty power is part of prayers. Let us not emulate the self-acclaimed prayer warriors.  Let us live prayers. Let us not think that it is how loud we shout that make our prayers heard. Let us see prayers as talk and listen affairs. Not just talking. May we give God the opportunity to talk to us when we are at prayers. Let us be docile to His will. Let us humble ourselves before Him just like His children that we are.

Many people are suffering from spiritual low self-esteem. They think they must speak in tongues before they are heard. They believe they must use special forms of diction. They think they must sing and jump up before being convinced they have prayed.

 

PRAY PERSISTENTLY AND WITH CONFIDENCE

The persistence with which friends talk to each other is interesting. It is a trusting type of persistence. Jesus gives us the confidence to call God our Father. To pray to him in our unique way. No two sons approach their parents the same way. Each son develops his special way of approaching his father.

TIME FOR PRAYERS

Always is the time. Pray always and never lose heart is the instruction.

 

 WHAT TO DO WITH PRAYERS: ASK- SEEK- KNOCK

ASK

In confusion about which way to go, what to do, and so on and forth, prayer is the only way. God has the final answer to all our problems.

SEEK

The face of God is the only source of our joy. The psalmist would say it is your face, oh Lord, that I seek. Hide not your face. What have you lost?  Your joy, your peace, Divine mercy? Prayer is the only true way of finding.

KNOCK

The Lord gives us access to His Sacred Heart. His heart is never locked. He's not like the man who would not open the door because it is night. He opens new opportunities to us, and he opens the door to us to enter into a deep relationship with Him. He never keeps us outside his mercy. When we knock, He opens.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR PRAYERS

The jump to the Holy Spirit in the Gospel is worthy of note. Through prayers and asking, God gives us the greatest of all our desires. He even knows that we may not know how best to pray. Our prayers may have some limitations. The Holy Spirit prays in us with sighs deeper than words. Prayer here in the Spirit is something more than lips service. Jesus would say that true worshippers will worship in spirit and in truth.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us how to pray. Answer our prayers, wipe our tears, and grant all our petitions with favour. Let each day of our life open to us a dialogue with You. May our daily conversation with You bring us true conversion, forgiveness of our sins, and true peace with You who lives and reigns with Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen

Happy Sunday to you (17th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

May your prayer be acceptable in God's sight.

Rev Fr. Julian O Ekeh

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

THEME: Hospitality: the key that unlocks blessings

Readings: Gen 18, 1-10; Col 1, 24-28; Lk 10, 38-42

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, last Sunday, the Church taught us that our neighbour includes anyone who is in need of help, and she instructed us not to turn our eyes from the needy. This Sunday, the Church wants to teach us the importance and benefits of kindness and hospitality. Beyond highlighting the importance of these virtues, the Church also seeks to emphasize the necessity of taking time to listen to the voice of Jesus, even while engaged in acts of kindness and hospitality.

Dear friends, for many years, Abraham and Sara have been praying to God for the fruit of the womb, and on several occasions, they have received promises from God that they will have children. However, it is remarkable to note that it was an act of hospitality or charity to strangers that ultimately led to the fulfilment of the promise of fertility made to Abraham and Sarah by God. An act of hospitality to total strangers, who turned out to be angels, as we read in the first reading of today, opened the door to blessings for Abraham and Sarah. 

It is often said that ‘in giving out, you lose in order to get something greater and better.’ In the letter to the Hebrews 13:2, the word of God said, “Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. Some people, by so doing, have welcomed angels in their homes without knowing it.” This was precisely the experience of Abraham and Sarah. They were merely performing an act recommended by their faith and custom, unaware that the strangers were, in fact, angels.

Similarly, our Christian faith and the custom of our various countries recommend that we treat strangers with kindness and offer hospitality to them. Nevertheless, the security issues prevalent in our world have made it challenging for many individuals to trust the authenticity of those who approach them as strangers. These apprehensions have hindered numerous people from opening their doors to strangers. Additionally, the economic difficulties of our time have made it even more difficult for many people to extend their hands in charity to other people.

However, today, dear friends, the Church urges us not to use security concerns and economic difficulties as excuses to withdraw from acts of charity and hospitality. In other words, the Church does not want us to stop our acts of charity and hospitality because of economic hardships and security threats. Rather, she wants us to realize that every act of charity and hospitality rendered to another person brings us closer to God’s plans for us and to the fulfilment of God’s promises in our lives, the same way it happened in the lives of Abraham and Sarah.

A saying goes this way: venit hospes, venit Christus, which means, ‘when a guest comes, Christ comes’. My dear friends, by shutting our doors to strangers, many of us have missed opportunities to meet Jesus and have consequently denied Him entry into our homes. By refusing to embrace strangers on the street, many of us have denied help to angels. By failing to treat our guests with kindness, many of us have missed opportunities to host angels and Jesus.

In the Gospel reading of today, Martha did not fail to host Jesus in her home. She ensured that she provided Jesus with the finest hospitality. Nevertheless, Jesus used that significant moment to teach us the best ways to take care of our guests and how to balance our active life with our contemplative life. Jesus was a guest in the home of Martha and Mary. While Martha was occupied with preparing the material necessities to host their guest, Mary was attentively listening to Jesus' teachings. For Martha, the action of Mary was wrong, but for Jesus, both the actions of Mary and Martha were right, though Mary’s choice was deemed superior and should be prioritized.

Therefore, while the Church encourages us to embrace charity and hospitality, she also invites us to always set our priorities right, ensuring that our efforts for the welfare of others do not distract us from the time we ought to spend with Jesus. Our watchword should always be ‘Jesus Christ first, then everything else.’

From this gospel episode, we should understand that it is essential to prioritize listening to the word of God and maintaining a close relationship with Jesus, even amidst our social engagements for the welfare of humanity. If we neglect our intimate connection with Jesus while performing actions for the welfare of others, we risk becoming mere philanthropists. Our lives and time should not solely be devoted to the work of the Lord; instead, the work of the Lord should continually lead us to recognize the Lord of the work.

It is evident that many Christians have overlooked this important aspect of our Christian life.  Today, numerous individuals are so preoccupied with an abundance of social activities—both within the church and at home—that they scarcely find time for spiritual reflection. In some of our families, we focus attention on every other thing but little or no attention on the spiritual growth of the members of our families. Many Christians have time for all social activities but little or no time for praying together or studying the word of God together. Many Christians contribute substantial sums of money to the Church, yet they lack time to spend with Jesus. Amidst your social activities for the church and community, make sure to set aside time for communion with God.

Another important lesson from today’s gospel is that a crucial aspect of hospitality involves paying attention to the guest. Sometimes, what our guest requires from us transcends material things; it is our attention. Dear friends, Jesus is the guest in our homes, and He wants us to gather around Him as a family, paying attention to what He wants to tell us, for He has something new to teach us every day. Therefore, we must not let anything hinder us from welcoming Him into our lives, nor should we permit anything to distract us from His presence.

Peace be with you and your family.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

THEME: SEIZE THE MOMENT

(Luke 10:38-42)

What matters to Martha while Mary makes merry

Seizing the moment is an important message for today. Choice making and decision taking are a never do without in our everyday day life. What mattered most to Martha was cooking and the house chores while Mary found her peace and joy at the feet of Jesus. Our choices and decision determine our happiness or unhappiness. Our ability to relate with God and allow him enter in our lives means more than we can think of.

Jesus wants to enter into relationship with us, to be with us and commune with us as individuals and as community. It pleases Him when we welcome Him and also enter into holy and loving romance with Him.

 

WELCOME JESUS

It is not accidental that the writer of the Gospel of today pointed out at the beginning of this episode that Jesus entered. He entered a village. He wants to enter, He stays at the door and knocks, anyone that opens He enters and dines with him. Jesus doesn't want to stop at the village square or just at the parish centre. He wants to follow you home. He is open for an invitation. He wants friendship. He expects to be welcomed. Where have you kept Jesus? At the city gate? At the door? Who is inside with you preventing you from letting Him in? Why have you decided to keep him under the hot sun and the heavy rain? Do you take Him into your life' s boat? When He makes His way in, which position do you keep for Him?

 

MARTHA RECEIVES HIM INTO THE HOUSE

When no other person in the village received Jesus, a woman named Martha went and received Him. Were there no men in the village? It is true that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were from this same family, he was not mentioned here. This must be to describe the exceptional role played by the woman Martha in bringing Jesus to the house.

 

MARY FILLS AN IMPORTANT GAP

Martha did well to bring Jesus into the house, but that was not enough. Something was missing.

Mary was immediately introduced to fill in the blank space. Martha took Jesus into the house, but Mary made a home for Jesus. A home is not the same as a house. You can live in a mansion, eat the best of meals, enjoy every good amenity, but still remain lonely. Jesus was left in the big house by Martha, but Mary came and kept Him company. The importance of communication cannot be overemphasized. A marriage without communication, a family without it, a person without it shatters. Jesus was left without communication except that Mary took that special part.

 

Have we left Jesus in our magnificent Church edifices?

Giving Jesus a house can means receiving Him during baptism and answering a Christian. Making Him a home can mean living so intimately with Him that people start seeing Christ in us. This has to do with holding Jesus firm, making Him number one in our everything. It means total surrender of oneself at Jesus' feet.

 

MARY AT THE LORD'S FEET

An Igbo joker says that "ndi no na-aka Chineke akariala, agam ano ya n' ukwu" (that he prefers to be at the feet of Jesus because many have taken hold of His hand)

What's the implication of being at the feet of Jesus?

The feet of Jesus is the place of instruction, of communication, of information, of conversion, of radical decision making and a place to seek solutions in confusion, a place of deep affection and true expression of love, it is a place to wipe away tears. It is the true position of true disciples. At the feet of the cross, we also saw the beloved disciples of Jesus.

It is a place of master- disciple relationship. In Acts 22:3, Paul boasts of being educated at the feet of Gamaliel.

At the feet of Jesus, Mary must have been contemplating, reflecting and meditating on Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring the good news, publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness. Mary was busy making sure that the sands of the evangelization brought by Jesus were not carried away. She was lost in pondering on the goodness of the Lord and wished to remain there. She recognises Jesus not as an ordinary visitor to be given food but to be given attention and the spiritual food of doing the will of God.

 

MARTHA AND HER MATTERS

Martha came up with her Matters, which she thought really mattered. She came to complain to Him. We may not blame her. Attention suddenly shifted from her, who it was that brought in Jesus. She must have been really jealous why Jesus pays attention to one who never invited Him. After moments of alone disturbances, she dared to approach Jesus and complained bitterly about what she called   "unfair" behaviour of her sister.

To work is to pray. But in the case of Martha, there was work with grudge.

Martha represents the many people who claim to be too busy that making out time for God becomes a problem.

Martha here represents those who do a lot of things for the Church, but they are not interested in communing with God. The Marthas can be those who do not understand the reason behind constant confession, daily morning Mass, 'nkuzi nke okwukwe,' or visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

Marthas are those who do not stay put in the Church without being distracted by looking at others, by pressing phones, chatting away, and being absent-minded.

Marthas are those who are so troubled by the cares and worries of life that they keep christ aside for a while.

 

THE BETTER PART CHOSEN BY MARY

Just like Martha, Mary must have had a lot of troubles, but she poured them there at the feet of Jesus. Martha kept pushing without Christ, and thus, she entered into the crisis of impatience and anger.

The better part chosen by Mary was to waste no time. She immediately seized the opportunity in their house to be with Jesus, be open to Him, and make Him Lord and master. Mary got the better part through listening, paying heed to instructions and allowing the word to bring her peace and transformation of life.

Can we embrace the word of God, build Him an altar in our families, pray together, attend the Holy Mass, receive the Holy Communion, meditate, and pray ? Try to know the will of God and do it?

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

We pray You Oh God to bless our resolve to follow You, to welcome You and listen to You. Give us the best of the things we need most in this life.

Deliver us from the troubles and problems that hinder us from truly worshipping You as our personal Lord and loving master. May we find peace in our loving relationship with You in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Happy Sunday to you, dear friends in Christ. (16th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

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

Theme: Who is my neighbour?

Readings: Deut. 30: 10-14; Col. 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37

In every religion and culture, there exists a doctrine that advocates for the love of one’s neighbour. This doctrine invariably waters the soil for the application of the golden rule: treat others as you wish to be treated. Nevertheless, it seems that the teaching of ‘who qualifies as one’s neighbour’ is often misinterpreted across various religions and cultures. For instance, within Judaism, Samaritans are not regarded as neighbours and, consequently, are not to be treated with love; for the Essenes of the Qumran community, neighbours are exclusively those who share their religious beliefs; for the Zealots, neighbours are solely those who share their nationality and ethnicity; for some Muslims, Christians are not considered neighbours but rather infidels; and even for many of us, when we hear the term neighbour, we often think of our relatives, those residing nearby, or our colleagues at school or work. While it is accurate that all the people I have mentioned (our relatives, colleagues, and those living in proximity to us, etc.) are indeed our neighbours, it would be inadequate if these individuals were the only neighbours we acknowledged.

Consequently, in today's gospel, Jesus uses His response to the question posed by the teacher of the law to tell what has been lacking in the teaching of 'who one's neighbour is' as interpreted by various religions and cultures. Indeed, He articulates what the understanding of 'who my neighbour is' ought to be within Christianity; His reply signifies a transformative shift from the traditional perception of who a neighbour is or should be.

Let us examine the context of the narrative in the parable presented in today's gospel to extract the first lesson that Jesus is giving us. The parable said that the man who fell into the hands of robbers was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Dear friends, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a lonely one during the time of Christ. It was very rocky with sudden turns that made it easy for criminals to operate successfully. Thus, it was recommended that anyone making a journey on that road should travel with escorts to avoid being attacked by robbers. However, the victim in today's parable chose to travel alone; that was why he fell into the hands of robbers. Therefore, it can be said he was not careful about his own safety.

Although it could be said that the man acted carelessly regarding his safety and consequently invited trouble upon himself, Jesus requested that he should be helped. What lesson can we derive from the position of Jesus? It teaches us that we must extend our helping hands even to those who are responsible for their own misfortunes. Thus, Christians should not deny help to those who are the cause of their own downfalls. We should not say, “Leave him to die because we warned him, and he refused to listen to us.”

In the gospel of today, rather than identifying the individuals surrounding him as the neighbours of that teacher of the law who sought to understand the definition of a neighbour, Jesus chose to tell the story of a man in need of help. The implication of Jesus's message is that the neighbours of Christians include those who are in need of help, even if they caused their own problems. In fact, such people are our true neighbours; they deserve our help.

Therefore, dear friends, who is our neighbour? Our neighbours are not only those who share our nationality, those who share the same race with us, those residing near us, our relatives, our fellow Christians, and our colleagues in school or workplaces, but they also include those in need of help: those wounded by poverty, those wounded by hunger, those afflicted by ignorance, those harmed by toxic relationships, those struggling with unemployment, those affected by corrupt government systems, those who have been wounded by cultural practices, etc.  Anyone in need of help is the neighbour to a Christian; that person is your neighbour, regardless of their family background, religion, culture, or nationality, for Jesus has united us.

The Samaritan in the parable of today broke down the racial barriers that separated Jews and Samaritans. He recognized that anyone in need of help is his brother, sister, and neighbour, irrespective of their origin. Therefore, dear friends, let us go to the streets and the highways this week and treat those in need as our neighbours through our acts of kindness.

As we engage in this activity, it is essential to keep in mind that one does not need to be excessively wealthy – financially stable – in order to assist those who are less fortunate. Some people claim that they lack sufficient funds for their own needs, and thus, they feel unable to extend help to others. In today's gospel, the Samaritan did not possess enough money at the time, yet his financial limitations did not hinder him from aiding the man in distress; instead, he transported the injured man to a location where he could receive proper care, then he deposited the little money he had and promised to cover any remaining costs later. This is love and charity for one’s neighbour in action. Let us emulate this example as we encounter the needy on the streets this week.

Peace be with you. Have a blessed new week

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

 

 

 

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

THEME: THE DANGER OF PASSING BY

(Luke 10:25-37)

The Gospel of today continued from where that of last Sunday stopped. Last Sunday, Jesus told His disciples how fortunate they were to have heard the many things they heard and to have seen what they saw for many longed to but couldn't. As if the lawyer of today's Gospel was among those who wished to have heard, he stepped forward to Jesus with a question. He became interested in the new teacher. He wanted to test Jesus.

What do I do?

This is a question asked by someone in confusion who wants to know the right or best way to follow. Jesus could have overlooked this young man because he really knew the answer to his question. But Jesus, knowing the danger of passing by, didn't overlook him. Unlike the other places in the Bible where this question was genuinely asked, today's case is a different scenario altogether. After the preaching of John the Baptist, the question came up. Following the teaching of st Peter on Pentecost, the question was asked by his audience. The same question was still asked in the Philippian jail. These others asked to know, to be shown, to be better and to change. They were not asking to justify themselves or to be given reasons to pass by.

This lawyer's intent was not what it should be, but Jesus paid attention to him.

 

The lawyer and the lawgiver

Having put the question to Him, Jesus, the lawgiver, replies by putting it back to him. What is written in the law?

He answered by reciting part of the shema:

"Hear, oh Israel... you must love the Lord your God (Deut 6:5), Love of neighbour as oneself (Lev. 19:18)."

From the caveat " Your neighbour" he asks: who is my neighbour?

He was not asking to know what he didn't know, but to find reasons of limiting his neighbours. He needed more reasons to pass by. Jesus led him through a story, leaving him to find the correct information he needed by himself.

 

Those who passed by

We sing in Igbo "agabialamo mgbe I na-eje, mgbe I na ala", "Mgbe I na agaghari na eme mma", and in English: pass me not, oh gentle Saviour.

We fail daily to respond to those in need of our stopping over. But we make God stop for us. We don't seem to care about doing for those around us what we will like the God above us do for us. The priest passed by, followed by the levite. They may have done what they did for some ritualistic reasons. They considered the danger of not performing their rites as priests than the danger of seeing the only neighbour they had along that dangerous route who needed their help. They considered being attacked, being blackmailed for touching, being accused of killing the man, and not enjoying their rest. For these, they passed by. Passing by is passing away from the love of God. Do not pass by anyone in danger.

 

Our excuses to pass by

We've got excuses not to be helpful. In the villages, we do not want them to kill us and we allow the poor widow to die of malaria, we do not want our fuel tank to run dry against tomorrow's work we leave the pregnant poor woman to die of labour. 'It doesn't concern me' is a dangerous attitude to life. (I don't care 'wu onye oruberela'). We should have feelings for our neighbours.

 

Am I involved?

Odumegwu Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra, is known for the dictum: "because I am involved." Being involved or not has become the measure of many things in our society today. Because our leaders are not involved, our poor masses are passed by unnoticed. Our schools are passed by dilapidated because our leaders' wards are not in them. Our hospitals are left because our leaders have foreign health insurance abroad. Our roads are abandoned because our leaders use helicopters. The poor man's child languishes in jail after committing the same crime with the freed governor's child. The Christians suffer because a Christian is not the president. People are massacred daily, and a leader of a nation pretends not to be aware. Indifference is all we get from political officers, while the poor masses suffer as a result of terrorism and insecurity.

But when an epidemic that knows no great or small comes like the Ebola or Covid19, everyone gets involved. It is unfortunate!

 

Then the Samaritan came by

Here is the answer to the question: Who is my neighbour? The one who did not pass by is the true neighbour. The Samaritan did not pass by. His good deeds can not be passed by not even by the lawyer in his prejudice. He at least admitted, even though he avoided mentioning his Samaritan origin.

Take a look at what the Samaritan did:

He came to where he was

(He did not stay far away to take pictures for Facebook upload)

He felt compassion for him

(Did not just stop at saying eiyaaa and continue typing on WhatsApp)

Bound up his wounds and carried him to an inn, took care of him, and spent on him without reservation. This is inspirational!

 

Go and do the same

The argument winner stood dumbfounded. And Jesus charged him to go. Go and don't pass by again.

You're given to give. You're alive to make others live. You're standing that others may rise. Help them up.

You may be next in same situation tomorrow. Do as you would want done to you.

 

BLESSINGS

May you be blessed with good caring neighbours as you endeavour to be a good neighbour yourself.

May God not pass you by as you stop by for others.

Happy Sunday to you.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

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

Theme: Christ’s Peace Mission Needs Your Contribution

Readings: Is 66:10-14; Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10:1-12. 17-20

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus selected 72 individuals and sent them on a mission to bestow peace to the households they visit. Previously, in Luke 9:1-6, Jesus had sent out the disciples with the same mission, instructing them to proclaim to all they meet that the Kingdom of God has come. One might wonder why Jesus opted to send a larger number for the same mission. Could it be that the initial group – the disciples – failed in their mission or felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities?

In verse two of today’s gospel reading (Lk 10:2), Jesus provided the rationale for sending additional individuals on the mission. He stated that the harvest was abundant, yet the labourers were few. Therefore, he chose to send more people on this mission, as the twelve he had previously sent would not suffice for the vast undertaking of bringing peace to homes and establishing God’s kingdom on earth.

Now, who were the 72 individuals that Jesus sent out? Clearly, they were not part of the 12 disciples, those who lived with Jesus and accompanied Him on His missions and can be regarded as the inner circle members of His followers, to whom He entrusted the responsibility of leading His Church. So, who were they? The gospel writers did not mention their names or provide any additional information about them. To be chosen for such a mission, these 70 must have been among those who regularly approached Jesus after their daily activities to hear the Good News. Therefore, they can be classified as the lay members of Jesus' followers, as they were not part of the 12 whom Jesus ordained to lead His followers.

While sending out these 72 indicates that Jesus desired more than just the apostles to participate in the mission of spreading God’s word throughout the world and establishing the kingdom of God on earth, it also signifies that Jesus did not want those who frequently came to Him for hearing the Good News to remain passive; instead, He wanted them to actively engage in the mission for which He came. What implications does this have for us?

Dear lay brothers and sisters, the task of establishing the kingdom of God on earth cannot be fulfilled solely by priests and religious. Jesus did not intend for lay people to remain passive within his Church. He did not desire them to be mere listeners of the word of God; instead, he encourages the laity to actively participate, particularly in sharing the good news within their homes, workplaces, and other areas that priests and religious may find difficult to reach. Lay people are those who engage directly with the tangible realities of our world. For instance, they are the individuals working in offices where government policies are formulated and executed; they operate in businesses that influence and govern the economy of society; they oversee the households where young individuals are born and nurtured; and they manage the entertainment and cultural sectors where ideologies are shaped and disseminated, among other roles.

Today, the Church is reminding all lay faithful that it is Christ's desire for them to actively engage in God's mission. Christian lawyers are entrusted with the responsibility of bringing Christ's message into the courts, Christian traders have the duty of sharing the Good News within their shops and businesses, teachers are encouraged to take the Good News to their classrooms, musicians are tasked with incorporating Christ's message into their songs, filmmakers are urged to promote Christ's values through their films, engineers are advised to carry God's message to their work sites and while providing quotations, and public officials and world leaders are called to let the light of Christ guide and shape their decisions, policies, and actions. Furthermore, parents are encouraged to bring the Good News into their homes and transform their families with Christ's values.

This responsibility assigned to the lay people is not meant to be fulfilled through loudspeakers and microphones; instead, it should be achieved by allowing their concrete actions and decisions to bear the mark of Jesus, as St. Paul indicated in the second reading. The concrete actions and decisions of the lay faithful should carry the mark of the cross of Christ, which was signed upon us on our foreheads on the day of our baptism. This mission will be realized if we decide never to glory in anything except in the cross of Christ, as St. Paul proudly proclaimed in the second reading.

When the 72 individuals sent by Christ took the message of peace to their respective communities, they returned with testimonies stating that even demons were subject to their authority. Jesus affirmed that He saw the devil fall like lightning from heaven. This great feat occurs wherever the Good News of peace is embraced; it dismantles the barriers of hatred, envy, chaos, and enmity. The eradication of these vices upon the proclamation and acceptance of the peace message paves the way for prosperity to surge like a river into lives, homes, workplaces, and society, as prophesied by Isaiah in today’s first reading. Conversely, those who shut their minds and doors to the message of peace will meet a fate akin to that of Sodom, as indicated by Jesus in today’s gospel reading.

Therefore, let us march out after today’s Mass to share the message of peace, love, holiness, harmony, and other values of Christ in our families, workplaces, businesses, and other environments, so that the reign of God may dispel the shadows of evil and our prosperity may flow abundantly like a river.

May you have a blessed Sunday.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

THEME: THE BEST REASON/WAYS TO REJOICE

(Luke 10:1-12.17-20)

In a world where people eat their cake and expect to have it, Jesus tells us the secret to joy. In a society where no one wants to take instructions, Jesus instructs us to heed in order to rejoice. In a world where peace is seen as outdated, Jesus gives the mandate to preach peace. In a society where fulfilment is no longer the issue but monetary achievement, God tells us to go beyond the here and now, but use our momentary joy to visualise what the eternal joy is like.

 

INSIGHT FROM THE GOSPEL

 

YOU'RE APPOINTED

To whom much is given much is expected. Yes, Jesus, in the appointment of the 70 disciples, announced that the harvest is indeed plentiful but the labourers few. For sure, well-meaning workers are few. In that your own area there are a lot of soils to cultivate. With that of your talent, there are a lot of achievements. "Onye a na- akpo nwere ihe O na eme." The Lord is not appointing you to disappoint Him. The Lord Jesus calls us in various capacities. He appoints us for a mission. He appoints to send us. He sends us as His ambassadors. He sends us to represent the values He has deposited in us wherever life catapults us to. Do you have a missionary spirit? Do you feel humbled by the fact that among all your peers, you're chosen for a specific task? Do you see your call in whatever sector as an opportunity to be responsible? How responsible are you as a father, mother, student, public, or private worker? Is there any remarkable positive difference between you as a Christian performing your tasks? Appointed as a governor, do you allow your Christian values to influence your policies? As a Christian police officer, what do you do to stand out from corruption? Just name your profession and attach the question about how far you have seen yourself as an appointed representative of God.

 

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

'Nti wu nka' is a popular Igbo adage, meaning that listening is a sure way to living long. In this context, it involves being obedient to instructions. To succeed in life, certain ordinances must have to be followed. Following instructions demands discipline.  A disciple is ready to learn. He is open to take in the good ideas that will lead him to actualise his life goal. Jesus today tells his disciples the "dos" and "don'ts" of the call He has given to them. To be happy, we must do the right things, follow the right directions, and shun the wrong ones. We must avoid those on our way who are enemies of our joy in the Lord. Our joy and salvation come undoubtedly from how we are able to be on the right track without being distracted.

 

ACCEPT PEACE AND GIVE PEACE

A life without peace is a disaster. In His word to the 70, Jesus made them understand the central message they are to carry to the world, namely, peace. Our world has failed in this great mission because we have all around us men who use their opportunities to create walls of hatred.  We have leaders who do not care about coexistence. We have citizens who see the language of peace as weakness. Jesus tells us today that if we go with this message into the world, the wars boiling because of the walls created would be demolished. But whereby people fail to hear it, let's not forget in our wisdom as the lambs in the midst of wolves to be awake and alert in self-defence.

 

REJOICE FOR YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN

God doesn't give a political appointment without an appointment letter. He has written your name in the book of life except if in your carelessness you choose to remove your name.  There's no anonymity before God. He knows you by name and has appointed you with that name. Jesus is of the position that it is a great cause for joy that our names are written in heaven. Are you living out here on earth what the heavens have written concerning you? Or have you decided to play the character and role of another? Thereby misrepresenting God.

At their return from the missions, the 70 were happy for the paraphernalia associated with their mission instead of the fact that they followed the instructions of their master and that it has been recorded for eternity in their honour. What are the things that give you joy? Are they really worth it? Do you also think of the joy of the Lord? The joy of the Lord should be your strength. St Paul would say: rejoice in the Lord, I repeat, rejoice. Let nothing steal your joy.

May God bless His word in your hearts.

BLESSINGS

 May you never toil in vain. May you follow faithfully along the path of your call and find peace in Christ. May you find fulfilment in your marriage, in your ministry, in your work, in your relationship, in your family, in everything you do. May you find good and a thousand reasons to rejoice all the days of your life and find peace in Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen

Happy Sunday to you (the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh