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

THEME: YOU'VE GOT ALL IT TAKES

(Luke 16:19-31)

We are today presented with one of the most popular stories of the Bible. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is about omission and commission. It is about affluence and poverty; it is about heaven and earth. It is about reasons to do good; it is about no excuse to abandon God; it encourages love of God while playing down on love of wealth. It is about used and missed opportunities; it is about adherence to instructions and disobedience. It is about possession and dispossession. It is about reward after life. It is concerned with death and resurrection.

Jesus tells us in everything that we have all it takes to make heaven. Nothing should stop us. If Lazarus of today's parable can make his way to heaven we too can. Let us cease the opportunity while we live.

 

CEASE THE OPPORTUNITY

Whatever situation we find ourselves in life becomes an opportunity to make heaven. We are invited to accept our states of life as divine opportunities. The rich man had the opportunity to be loving with his wealth, to pay attention to the destitute, to listen to the word of God even (as testified by his request to Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers, perhaps they will listen if someone goes from the land of the dead) but he didn't take the prophets and the Good News seriously while on earth. He was cold to the Divine call. He was not responsive to the demands of love. He focused on earthly possession; he didn't remember that all his possessions came from God. He loved wealth and despised the giver of wealth. His wealth made him indifferent to the realities of the world around him.

The rich man translated as Dives in the Latin Vulgate stands for the pharisees. They hear the word and do not act on it. They know the law and fail to put into practice the demands of the law; love of God and man. They claim to love God but their hearts are far away. They appear rich in grace before men but that is far from the truth in the real sense.

They even forget their covenant with God. They only glory in the fact that they are sons of Abraham and take a lot for granted. Thus, when the rich man asked for Lazarus' help Abraham replied " Son, remember". He was reminded of the broken covenant. Calling him son should have called his attention to his misused opportunity as a son, how late it had become.

While he lived, he forgot death and focused on wealth. He later died. Does pursuit of wealth make it impossible to look around and care? The rich man got all here and lost all hereafter.

What a disaster!

 

LESSONS FROM LAZARUS

The name Lazarus, from same root as Eleazar means God has helped, my God is Helper, God is my help. Lazarus represents all who look upon God as the author and finisher of their faith, One whose hope and trust is in God alone. He may have encountered a lot of misfortunes but he trusts in God. He accepted his plight in faith. He had reasons in our human rating to complain, murmur and despire but he did not. He rather chose God as the only hope when all hope was lost. He did not steal, he did not compare himself unnecessarily, he longed and prayed. He converted the opportunity that was not really a comfortable one to an opportunity to glorify God.

Let neither riches nor poverty stop you from entering heaven.

 

ARE YOU LAZARUS OR THE RICH MAN?

We are rich when we possess anything.  When we place God and love of our neighbours first, they can become opportunities of making heaven. There is at each time what we have that God wants us to use to glorify Him. But we sometimes like the Dives of Today's Gospel misappropriate them and lose our targets.

Like Lazarus too we are often in need of something, no one has it all but when we have the love of God we've got all. When we allow our needs of earthly things to supersede our need for God, then we risk our eternity. We suffer want here and thirst eternally hereafter. God forbid!

Whether rich like Dives or poor as Lazarus, death must strike. The question remains: shall we be taken up or buried? Shall we be carried by angels to Abraham's bosom or to a place of suffering? Shall we enjoy here and weep hereafter?  Where will you wake on resurrection morn?

You've got all it takes to make heaven. May you be raised up in heavenly joy after a faithful life here.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You Almighty God for Your word today. Thank You for teaching us how we can make heaven with the things around us and the conditions we find ourselves in. Save us from indifference and giving unnecessary excuses especially when we should show love to You through our fellow human beings. Help us by Your grace not to miss our heavenly target through Christ our Lord Amen

Happy Sunday to you (26th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

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

The Sin of Omission: A Silent Path to Eternal Loss

Reading: Amos 6:1a,4-7; 1Tim 6:11-16; Lk 16:19-31

Dear friends in Christ, when we speak of sin, we frequently think of the sins of commission—our actions against God and our fellow human beings. But we rarely reflect on sins of omission – the good we fail to do. This Sunday’s readings highlight the grave consequences of omission, including selfishness, negligence, and the failure to place our blessings at the service of others.

The readings warn us that selfishness and living extravagantly while ignoring the poor and needy is not just unkind, but it is also a serious sin that can lead to eternal punishment from God. The readings reiterate the responsibility of the rich towards the poor, reminding us that wealth without active help towards the poor is not success, but spiritual failure.

In the first reading, the prophet Amos delivers a piercing rebuke to those who grow rich at the expense of the poor, and to those who use their time and resources solely for themselves. Amos proclaims that such people will face exile—not merely physical, but spiritual exile—for their failure to care for their suffering brothers and sisters. His message is clear and deeply challenging.

In the Gospel, Jesus reinforces Amos’s prophecy through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, surrounded by luxury and comfort, ignored the suffering Lazarus, who lay at his gate, longing for crumbs. His punishment was not for being wealthy, nor for hosting lavish feasts, but for his failure to act—for his sin of omission.

Perhaps the rich man reasoned that Lazarus’s poverty wasn’t his fault, so it wasn’t his responsibility, the same way many people reason or feel when the poor, the sick and the needy approach them for help. But Jesus teaches us that neglecting those in need—regardless of how they came to be in need—is enough to merit eternal death. Our streets, neighbourhoods, and communities are filled with people who have various degrees of need for help. Let us not turn away. Let us not use our resources only for ourselves and our families. Amos cried out because the rich were feasting in ivory palaces while the poor starved just outside their doors.

There’s another striking lesson in the parable. Did you notice that the rich man wasn’t called a proper name? Jesus mentioned Lazarus, Abraham, and Moses—but not the name of the rich man. It’s as if his name was missing from the book of life. Though he may have had streets, plazas, and monuments named after him on earth, he failed to secure a name for himself in heaven. Dear friends, let us not strive to immortalize our names here on earth, but in heaven. The best way to do that is not through titles or having buildings, streets, city centres, or monuments named after us, but by inscribing our names on the hearts of the poor through acts of love and mercy.

Furthermore, while alive, the rich man kept his distance from Lazarus to preserve his status. But in death, suffering in hell, he begged for that distance to be closed. Sadly, it was too late.

Let us act now, while the sun still shines. Let us build bridges and close the gaps that social status and pride have created between us and others. Tomorrow may be too late. What we fail to do today may never be done once our time on earth ends.

Finally, this parable affirms the reality of heaven and hell. Many voices in our world try to dismiss these truths, and many fall for their lies. But we are like the rich man’s five brothers—we have our Moses and our prophets. We hear the Word of God preached to us daily, which is the voice of the One who is already risen from the dead. Let no one deceive us into thinking heaven and hell are myths. They are real. And those in hell do not want us to follow them.

Let us put this homily and every homily we’ve heard into practice. Let us live with compassion, humility, and urgency. Let us start now to write our names on the faces of the poor by rendering godly services to them. Let us not wait until it’s too late.

Peace be with you. May you have a blessed Sunday.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 25^th Sunday Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Why Does Evil Seem to Prevail Over Good?

Intro: Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, today, the church directs our focus towards our perspectives on material goods, particularly our attitudes towards the poor and the marginalized people in society. She presents before us the rationale behind the persistent spread of evil in our society and encourages us to take action to prevent its continued triumph in our midst.

Homily: Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, do you find it troubling that, on numerous occasions, evil seems to overshadow goodness in our society, despite the significant number of churches and Christians worldwide? Nowadays, many individuals question why evil seems to prevail over good in our communities. Some even go so far as to assert that God has permitted the devil to govern the world, while others interpret the presence of evil as evidence of God's nonexistence or abandonment of the world.

Today's gospel reading provides us with one of the explanations for why evil appears to overshadow good in our world. However, let us begin to draw the profound lessons of this Sunday from the first reading.

Dear friends, Prophet Amos has some important insights to share regarding the socio-economic structure of our society. Amos is recognized as the prophet of Social Justice. The first reading today comprises a segment of the book of Amos that addresses the social and economic challenges faced by his people. In this passage, he speaks out against greed, oppression, and injustice directed towards the poor in society.

During the era of Amos, Israel was divided into classes, with the rich on one side and the poor on the other side. Every society has the poor and the rich as well. Nevertheless, what troubled Amos was the fact that the rich of his time were becoming increasingly wealthy while the poor were sinking deeper into poverty, with the rich amassing their fortunes at the expense of the poor. The wealth of the rich was bolstered by their unjust and malevolent socio-economic policies, which they safeguarded with their financial resources. They thrived on the misfortunes of the poor and mistreated their less fortunate neighbours.

According to Amos, these rich people controlled the large farms and dictated market prices. What were they doing? They were inflating the prices of goods in such a manner that the poor could not afford basic necessities without enduring significant hardship. Thus, for the poor people of the time of Amos to sustain themselves, they were compelled to borrow money from these same rich people. In lending to the poor, the wealthy also raised interest rates to such an extent that the poor individuals would find it impossible to repay the debt. Furthermore, they imposed lending conditions that were intolerable. Those among the poor who failed to repay their loans within the stipulated timeframe were forced to surrender their lands, while those who had lost their land were compelled to sell themselves and their families into slavery to settle their debts. Amos noted that the wealthy eagerly anticipated a time when they could buy or sell the poor as slaves.

Dear friends, do we have people in our society who engage in similar behaviours? Are there those who impose unimaginable and unreasonable conditions on those seeking their assistance? Do we have individuals who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor, those who are indifferent to whether the less fortunate can afford the prices or conditions they impose on their goods and services? Amos has declared woes upon such individuals.

Amos also addressed another form of greed and deceit in the marketplace, a type of insincerity that could provoke the heavens to weep. He noted that these people were saying, “that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great … and sell the refuse of the wheat.” What does this mean? The ephah is the container used for measuring wheat in the market. So, these individuals were reducing the size of the ephah while still selling it at the price of a standard ephah without the suspicion of the buyer. They also mixed chaff, which should either be burnt or discarded, with the wheat to create the illusion of a larger quantity. In this case, when the buyer returns home, half of what they purchased would consist of chaff. Do we have people who cheat on their customers, those who alter the standard practices within their business sectors solely to defraud unsuspecting customers? All these are dishonesty in business. Amos condemned such behaviour; our society condemns it as well.

It is disheartening that despite the denunciations of these immoral actions, they continue to proliferate within society. Why is this the case? Jesus provided us with the answer in the gospel reading. The answer is this: “Because the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of the light.”

Dear friends, a first look at the parable of the dishonest steward presented in today’s gospel may provoke numerous questions among many people. Some may wonder why Christ chose to narrate such a story and even commended a dishonest steward. Is He suggesting that we should emulate this man’s unethical behaviour in business? Is He promoting dishonesty? However, Christ did not share this parable to endorse dishonesty; instead, He urged us to observe the actions of the dishonest steward upon learning that his time was up. Did you notice how he meticulously devised a plan and executed it with great skill? Observing him, Christ remarked that the children of this world are more astute in their generation than the children of light. What does this imply? Christ was telling His audience, and all of us, that those who engage in wrongdoing invest more effort in strategizing their malevolent actions and executing them than we do in planning and carrying out virtuous deeds. This is why evil seems to prevail over good in our society.

Thus, Christ is highlighting the commitment of those who perpetrate evil in planning and executing their actions effectively, and He questioned why His followers, including all of us, cannot devote our time to perfecting good deeds. Consider how robbers spend sleepless nights strategizing a heist; reflect on how cybercriminals invest hours on their schemes; contemplate how those who deceive through media allocate time to refine their falsehoods; then, consider the minimal time we allocate to planning positive contributions to our community. This is indeed why evil seems to prevail over good in our society.

Today, God is calling us, the children of light, to recognize that if we desire goodness to prevail over evil, we must invest more time in planning our virtuous actions than wrongdoers do in their schemes.

Peace be with you

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

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

THEME: THE HOLY EXCHANGE AT WAR WITH THE UNHOLY EXCHANGE

(Luke 16:1-13)

The Gospel today narrates another parable of Jesus about the shrewd steward and his wisdom. Jesus advocates a sort of exchange which involves using what we have to get what we want. Using the here and now to get the hereafter, using the transient to get the eternal, using the passing good to get the summum bonum. Thus, what we are and have should enable us become what we ought to be. Jesus shows how much He believes in us. He trusts us so much, He gives us all that we have. He equips us. He is the master of our life. He entrusts into our hands the necessary materials we need to live eternally. He gratuitously gives man His blessings even when he does not deserve it.

On his own side man is not trustworthy, He does not follow Divine plan. He does not work according to God's design. He is dishonest and insincere. He is careless. In his carelessness, he enters into agreement with wrong hands. He gets into "spiritual one chance." He loses sight of the kingdom in stall for him. Thus, what is given to him to be guided jealously and used judiciously he mismanaged by handing it over to the enemy as a result of His attraction to the lures of evil.

But the time for reckoning comes when the account of his stewardship is required from him. What will he do?

 

LESSON FROM THE STEWARD

As the name goes, he is a steward. He managed his master's business until the time he was accosted for mismanagement. If we remembered very well the whole parables of the lost coin, lost sheep and prodigal son were addressed to the scribes and Pharisees who frowned at Jesus' relationship with sinners. They thought the kingdom belonged to them and because of that they took a lot for granted thereby counting on grace of the past without thinking of working with that grace in the present for a better future. Thus, Jesus calls for an anticipation of the time when account of stewardship will be required. Thus, the kingdom belongs to only the one who works for it by gathering virtues and destroying vices. He therefore lives a life that is heavenly, a life that asks itself some questions such as: What have you? In answering this he must come to realize that: I have nothing that's not God's (Ihe nile m nwere n' uwa onye nyerem ya oo? Chi nyerem ya ee Chi nyerem ya ee). Based on this he prays: "Jesus I love you, all I have is yours, yours I am and yours I want to be..." Understanding that he has nothing he comes to terms with the fact that he has been given a lot: life, time, opportunities, beauty, husband, wife, children, wealth, job, intelligence etc.

Such life proceeds to ask itself:

 

WHY ARE ALL THESE BESTOWED ON ME?

This is a question regarding what should be the case. All the things you have are given for service and the glory of God. They are given to make people look up to the right master. They are given to start on earth to do it as it is in heaven, not for cheating, not for oppression, not for marginalization, not for character assassination, not to feel on top of everyone else.

 

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US?

The song by Jude Nnam: Take and sanctify answers this question. " all that I have all that I do, everything I will ever make take my life and take my all, everything I will ever make...take and sanctify for your honour Lord." This is total surrender. Honest accountability. It is a type of returning of all favours received back to God intact.

 

HOW DO I DO THIS?

Imagine that the angels of God took your case to God about your life and you're summoned. What is this that I hear about you? What will God hear about you? That you're wasteful or making good use of the instruments He has given you to build yourself a heavenly kingdom?

If He takes up the beauty you're decorated with, what will be the outcome? That you handed over your beauty to the devil to become a model in exchange for fame?

Time: That you spent your God-given time that should be put to positive use on gossiping?

Wealth: that you used your wealth to bring hardship on the people instead of making their situation better? Oh thank God for the trending saying: "I will not go to meet my maker with my wallet".

Power: that you wasted the opportunity given to you to lead the people godly and win their admiration and blessings? That you obtained power from God and goes to the evil shrine to pour thanksgiving libation and sink your people into devilish ritualism?

Intelligence: that you used your intelligence to defraud the people instead of building them up to the glory of God?

Your marriage: that you have refused to see your marriage as a blessing and thank God for your it? That you don't see it as God's gift? I wish to talk a little on this because a lot of unholy exchange is taking place in marriages today. In its bid to snatch the union of man and woman which should be offered to God, the kingdom that is at war with heaven has continually offered husbands and wives reasons why they must not mind what they vowed before God. This is betrayal of divine trust! It is abuse of divine grace! Will temptations knock? Yes of course. Yet you've got to remain faithful.

The Steward, when his crises came was able to go back to the drawing board to try to right his wrongs. Go back to God and seek His face in times of trials. Don't go to the social media, don't go to divorcees association, don't go to "Di gba kwa oku international" Don't run to "nwanyiagbulam brothers" Build your trust and love once again and move on.

 

What about vocations and professions?

As a Pastor in whose hands God has entrusted the souls of people, do you care about their spiritual well-being or hand them over to the devil?

Medical Doctor, do you take good care of the lives the Lord has given to you or use them for experiments with no serious to save them?

As a driver, do you drive with the safety of people in mind or take them to their early graves?

Businessmen, do you do anything  whether good or bad for your business to grow? Have you forgotten that the bad is not an option?

Let us today, try our best to put to a stop every unholy business that will make us have questions to answer before God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh Lord, our God we thank You for Your word. Help us by Your grace to do the right exchange You expect from us today, may we make use of all You have given us to inherit heavenly favours. May we never exchange virtues for vices through. Save us from eternal judgment and bring us to salvation in Your heavenly kingdom.  Grant this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen

 

Happy Sunday to you

(25th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Christ’s Cross: Our Symbol of Hope

Readings: Num 21, 4-9; Phil 2, 6-11; Jn 3, 13-17

Dear friends in Christ, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross invites us to celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Church built on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried, which houses the relics of the Cross of Christ. It is also a day we celebrate the triumph of the Holy Cross, the central position of the Cross in our Christian life, the saving power of the Cross for all who believe, and the transformative power of Christ that turned a symbol of shame into a symbol of hope.

When you look at the Cross of Christ, what do you see and feel, and what message does the Cross of Christ convey to you? Through the readings of today’s Mass, the Church unveils some of the messages that the Cross of Christ gives us.

In the first reading, we saw the communal disobedience and rebellion of Israelites, which resulted in an immediate and severe punishment. One of the dangers of sin is that it distances us from God (Is 59:2), causing us to fall short of His glory (Rom 3:23), grace, and protection. This separation makes it easier for the devil to step in and wreak havoc.

While the Israelites were defencelessly wandering in the desert, they enjoyed God’ grace and protection from human enemies and other threats to their lives in the desert. In today’s passage, as soon as their sins created a rift between them and God, they were immediately attacked by the forces that had previously been restrained by God’s grace and protection. Sin always exposes us to dangers.

However, when they cried to God in the midst of their sorrows and Moses interceded on their behalf, God forgave them and healed them with the symbol of the same creature that afflicted them, which was appended on a tree. Even in the midst of our sins and the sorrows they inflict upon us, if we turn our gaze towards God, He will send us His help.

The symbol of the ancient bronze serpent that healed the Israelites prefigured Christ, as affirmed by Christ in His conversation with Nicodemus in today’s gospel. He said, “As Moses lifted the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” With this affirmation, Jesus tells us that just as the Israelites were healed of their afflictions by looking upon the bronze serpent hung on a tree, those who look up to Him, hanging on the Cross, will be saved from their affliction. Therefore, all those who have distanced themselves from God due to their sins, as well as those who have fallen under the destructive power of the evil one, should not lose hope; the Cross of Christ invites them to look upon it and be saved. The Cross is our symbol of hope, assuring us that the attacks of the enemy will not overcome those who believe in God. It is our symbol of victory over the forces of evil. (Col 2:15).

The second reading provides another message that the Cross of Christ conveys to us. This reading tells us that Christ humbled himself, accepted his cross, and carried it till the end. Therefore, God, who permitted such a cross to befall him, exalted him and rewarded him with the name that is above every name. The cross of Christ reminds us that each of us carries a cross, one that God has permitted us to carry, not for our destruction but for the salvation of our soul. “Carry your cross and follow me,” Jesus said (Mt 16:24).

Your cross could be your spouse, your sick child, your brother struggling with addiction, your stubborn son or daughter, your unemployment, or your lack of resources. Following the example of Jesus, if you carry your cross with humility, trusting God’s love in all situations of life, victory will ultimately be yours. (Phil 2:6-11).

The cross of Christ also speaks to us of the transformative power of our Saviour. Once regarded as a symbol of shame and disgrace, the cross has been transformed into a symbol of hope and victory. Prior to Jesus’ death on the cross, the cross represented shame, a course reserved only for criminals and outlaws (Gal 3:13). Nevertheless, the nature of Jesus is that He transforms whatever He touches. His encounter with this emblem of shame – the cross – transformed it into a symbol of faith and salvation, a symbol that is revered and venerated. Such is the power of Christ.

Dear friends, the Church invites us to allow ourselves to be touched by Jesus. He transforms everything He touches. If he touches you, your life will never remain the same. Today, we have the Cross of Christ in our midst, our symbol of hope and triumph hanging in every church; make sure you also give it a place of honour in your homes. Let us embrace it; let us venerate it, so that we may experience its transformative power, for wherever it is lifted up, all those who gaze upon it will be saved from physical afflictions and eternal damnation.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

 THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: MAY YOU NOT PERISH UNDER YOUR CROSS

(John 3:13-17)

Today, we celebrate the exaltation of the cross. We celebrate not the wood of shame but the man who hanged on it to take our shame. We celebrate the great price paid for us in love that we may not perish.  We also celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, which is situated in Jerusalem, believed to have been erected on the spot where the Lord was crucified and buried.

We celebrate today following the prophetic message of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel that just as Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so shall the Son of Man be lifted up that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him. We celebrate today to deepen our faith in Christ who came into the world to save us through His suffering and death on the cross. Let us reflect on Christ's Cross and our own crosses and endeavour not to be enemies of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Place of the CROSS in our lives

We celebrate the central position the cross occupies in our lives as Christians. In a very special way, call to mind the saving power of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

 

Sign of Salvation

After the fall of man, who disobeyed through the fruit of the tree, God prefigured the saving of man through the tree. The boat of Noah saved creation from extinction, the staff of Moses made a pathway through the waters for the Israelites to be saved and at the appointed time the Son of God Himself mounted the tree of the cross in obedience to God to save those condemned by the fruit of the tree of Eden. On this tree He restored to man all that was lost. The tree that once brought shame now brought glory. The tree that once closed Eden, became a banner on which the kingdom was declared open.

 

Sign of prayers

In the past the cross was an instrument of ‘God forbid’, but when it encountered our Lord Jesus Christ, the man of prayers, it became a place of prayers. It became a pulpit of evangelization. It became the mountain we look up to. It became a call for prayers, for divine intervention, for God-man relationship, for honouring God. It seems to say to us: ‘Sorsum Corda’. Little wonder we begin and end our prayers with the Sign of the cross.

 

Sign of blessings

We exalt the cross because Christ has transformed it from being associated with curse to being a place of blessing. Therefrom Jesus blessed not only His friends but also His enemies. Jesus on the cross brings the idea of the crucifix, opening our eyes to the fact that nothing is impossible with God. He can turn even the ugliest situation into a blessing. Let us continue to bless ourselves and one another with the Sign of the Cross. At the feet of the cross, those who said ill of Jesus, turned and spoke blessings (Ọnụ ndi kwuru njo tụariri kwuo mma). As we call upon God, may we experience the miracle of the cross in our lives. May all our darkness turn to light. May we bless and place the cross of Jesus in our homes, offices and places of work.  May we not be ashamed of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

May you never perish under your own cross

Today, we look within ourselves in humility and abandonment to God with the realization of the fact that we've got some crosses to bear. Our crosses are the burdens we carry. They are the sorrows we endure. They are the heartbreaks we go through. They are the disappointments we experience. They are the insults we receive. They are the humiliations we are subjected to. They are the pains and tribulations we encounter on a daily basis.

Your cross may be your wife, your husband, your sick child, your drug addict brother, your shameless daughter, your joblessness, your lack, your sickness, the attacks, etc.

Whatever it is, Jesus has taken it up. In His love, He comes to save you from the pain and sorrows of your various crosses. He comes to take it up. He comes that you may start looking up to Him and no longer to these problems. He comes to make you see divine hand in every situation. Believe in God. If He was able to transform the shameful mark of the cross to something glorious, He can save you from perishing under whatever heavy burden you're in. May the cross of Christ be exalted in your life as a sign of victory and may you rejoice in the Lord for the battles you will win through the glorious sign of salvation given to us by Jesus Christ.

We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise you, for by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Happy Sunday to you.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

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

Theme: Loving Jesus more and our kith and kin less

Readings: Wis 9:13-18b; Philemon 9b-10,12-17; Lk 14:25-33

Dear friends in Christ, today's gospel reading presents us with one of the statements that many find hard to accept as originating from Jesus. In this gospel passage, He said, “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

We know very well that Jesus didn’t hate his own parents, relatives, and friends (his apostles); in fact, he loved deeply. We also recognize that Jesus taught us to love everyone, including strangers and enemies, and that one should be willing to sacrifice his life for those he loves. Therefore, the initial response of anyone who hears this challenging demand from Jesus in today's gospel might be to question why Jesus would urge people to hate their family members and themselves as a condition for being His disciple. It is actually very strange. Nevertheless, it is this slight confusion that we aim to clarify in today's homily.

The first step towards understanding what Jesus actually wanted from his disciples when He made that statement would be to briefly examine what he said semantically. The Hebrew language lacks comparatives. For instance, in the Hebrew language, it is not possible to speak of loving something more or less than another. The only option available is to speak of loving or hating. Furthermore, the Hebrew verb for to hate – שִׂנאָה – does not imply dislike, to detest, or to abhor; instead, it implies ‘loving less’. This is evident in the Old Testament, where such expression was used. For example, in Genesis 29:30-33, where it is mentioned that Jacob loved Leah less than Rachel, and in Deuteronomy 21:15-17, which discusses the division of property.

Consequently, when Luke reported that Jesus said anyone who comes to him without hating his father, mother, wife, children, relatives and even his own self is not worthy of him, it did not imply that Jesus was promoting hatred towards family members. Rather, Jesus was indicating that anyone who desires to follow him must love him more than they love their family and themselves. This notion is further supported in the Gospel of Matthew 10:37, where it is explicitly stated that Jesus said, “Whoever loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.”

By encouraging anyone who aspires to be his genuine disciple to love Him more than he loves himself, his family, and friends, Jesus is telling those who wish to follow Him to prioritize Him above all personal preferences and the desires of their families and friends. It is a reminder that the first commitment of every Christian should be to Jesus and that Christianity is a call to self-renunciation for the sake of God’s kingdom. This is further illustrated in the subsequent statements of Jesus in today’s gospel. He said, “Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple,” and “Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Following Jesus is a vocation that transforms people’s choices and actions, often setting them against the currents of society, which can lead to insults and persecutions. Hence, the choice to follow Jesus requires thoughtful consideration and a profound commitment. That was why Jesus wanted everyone to reflect deeply before deciding to follow Him, so that one will not say “yes” today and “no” tomorrow when confronted with the serious challenges of life. This is the meaning of Jesus’ parables of the man planning to build a tower and the king preparing to wage war against another king in today’s gospel.

How can we demonstrate that our love for Jesus surpasses our love for ourselves, our families, and our friends? How can we exhibit genuine commitment to Jesus? Dear friends, whenever our preferences or desires, as well as those of our families, friends, workplaces, and society, conflict with the teachings of Jesus, we show our greater love for Him by choosing to follow His commands, regardless of the consequences. That’s what Jesus wants from a true disciple.

Why must we prioritize Jesus above all else? In this regard, the first reading provides valuable insight. It extols the wisdom of God, contrasting it with the reasoning and plans of mortals, which are ultimately futile and prone to misguidance, because the human intellect is burdened by the limitations of the perishable body and worldly concerns. This reading further underscores that it is only when God imparts His wisdom and sends His spirit upon the earth that people on earth will be guided correctly and learn to act righteously. Given our finite nature, which limits our understanding and abilities and hinders us from identifying the best course for ourselves and for humanity, it is solely through the guidance of God – who is infinite and knows tomorrow with clarity, and in whose eyes a thousand years are like yesterday – that we find what is truly best for us. God’s wisdom should be favoured over the limited perspective of humanity, which cannot foresee the future with clarity.

The second reading provided a concrete example of prioritizing and adhering to the voice of God over our personal preferences and societal norms. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave and found himself in prison, possibly due to an offense against Philemon. In this reading, St. Paul was urging Philemon not only to forgive and reinstate Onesimus in his service but also to set aside the conventional slave-master relationship that existed between them, embracing Onesimus as a brother instead. This was a call to accept the divine wisdom that makes everyone equal before God instead of the conventional human wisdom that relegates Onesimus to the status of a slave under Philemon. It was a big challenge for Philemon; he accepted it as a true Christian.

Dear friends, being a true disciple of Jesus entails subduing our own desires and those of others around us in order to fulfil His will, trusting that He knows better than we do, and that His guidance will never lead us astray.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

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

DISCIPLINE: THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE

(Luke14:25-33)

Discipline is a word that is taken seriously by only a very few. Discipline is what differentiates the serious person from a careless one. It is the path to life in Christ. Discipline is an attitude of a disciple. Discipline stems from 'disciple' which comes from the Latin root 'discipuli'. A 'discipuli' is a student, a pupil, a follower. In the Palestinian context, he is a student of a particular rabbi or master. John the Baptist had his own disciples. Jesus, when He came, like others who lived before Him gathered people around Him and many too conglomerated around Him by themselves. His teachings, works and way of life attracted people to Him; and behind Him a lot of people trooped.

Thus, in the Gospel of today, He looks to see those following Him and how they are following Him if they really knew the demands of such a decision.

 

WHO IS BEHIND ME?

The Igbo translates a disciple as 'Nwa azu' which literally means one who follows behind a master, who traces the steps of a teacher, a dedicated imitator, an apprentice, one who tries to learn from a master. He is so careful that he wishes not to miss any step. The good disciple is so disciplined that he reads every movement of the master and will not like to displease him. Thus, he keeps following with all in him.

As a caring master Jesus looks back. He wanted to know who and who is following and why. To His greatest dismay it was a large crowd.

He asks within Himself: why are all these coming behind me? Jesus wants to know those behind Him answering Christians and why they are following Him.

What are you doing behind Jesus? Jesus puts this question to you today: why are you following me? Following Jesus means keeping Him in front and making Him all that matters. As He leads the way, He wants to know who is really following.

 

Some people come to Jesus for protection, for vengeance, for fruit of the womb, to be fed, for healing etc. Are these the main reasons we should be following Jesus? After getting these what next? How long does your Christian discipline endure?

Since after your Baptism how far? Since after your marriage, how well are you living the marital life? Since after your ordination how priestly are you? Since after your profession, how serious have you been with those vows? Since you entered that public office what sacrifices are you making?  These are the things Jesus looks back to see. Are you living based on Christian disciplines and values? Are you a seasoned Christian indeed in that space you occupy?

Jesus looks back to see if really those behind Him are following like a crowd or as convinced disciplined individuals? Have you developed a special attitude in your relationship with God that marks you out positively before God as a special heavenly candidate?

 

HOW WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW

Admission into the Jesus' school of discipline is open with a price. Jesus says that it must not be with unwillingness to sacrifice one's love for any other thing that he has placed above Him: friends, family, relations, wealth, possession, ego, money, etc.

Self-control is a good synonym of discipline, not just self-control but Jesus-controlled life. Discipline demands keeping away the apparent sweet things to get hold of everlasting joy in the Lord. Discipline calls for the ability to stay focused on the goal of fulfilling the master's will.  Discipline means saying yes to the master's will and no to the agents of distraction enticing us with those easy-going, sweet solutions we desire. But sometimes, the hard way is the best way.

 

DISCIPLINE VS EASY LIFE

Discipline reminds you that nothing good comes easy, that following Jesus is walking along the heavenly way, it is not an easy road for we are travelling to heaven...

Discipline reminds you that marriage is not a bed of roses, that even roses have thorns. The couple should be mature to handle marital problems when they come and with self-control avoid some issues from arising at all.

It reminds you that the Christian life is not always about 'it shall be well with you' but also of the cross.

It warns the politician that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. To whom much is given, much is expected.

Discipline helps the student to study and not play away.

Discipline challenges the businessman not to be wasteful with time and resources.

Discipline encourages you to know that when the going gets tough, the tough must get going.

Discipline taught by Christ today helps you to sit and ponder; the way forward, to live an examined life, to ask oneself essential disciplinary questions with regard to walking according to Divine will.

Discipline empowers you to wage a war against indiscipline and conquer the enemies of our salvation be it the self, the world or the devil.

Child of God, may you be wise enough to follow Jesus with discipline today so that when our Lord looks back, He will find you following Him with the right disposition, not around the moneybags, not partying with those who have sold their consciences, not in the company of those who have no respect for values.

May we rather be found following with love and in obedience with the commandments of God. May our following attract the blessings, favours and mercies of the Lord to follow us all the days of our lives

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Almighty Everliving God, we thank You for calling us to follow you. Dear Lord, in following You there are many obstacles distracting us. Keep our hearts fixed on You. Give us the sufficient grace we need to be where You want us to be. May we not worship from afar but be drawn nearer to You even through the crosses on this way. Grant our prayers and bless us through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you (23rd Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh