Solemnity of Christ the King, Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Acknowledging and Accepting the Kingship of Christ

Readings: 2 Sam. 5:1-3; Col. 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. This solemnity marks the end of the Church’s Ordinary Time. So, with this feast, we reach the end of Ordinary Time in Year B, and we proclaim Christ as the Alpha and the Omega—the King of kings and Lord of lords. In today’s Mass, let us pray that Christ may truly reign in our words, our actions, and our hearts.

This feast was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925, at a time when nationalism, secularism, and modernism were eroding faith and moral values. The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were marked by upheaval—religious intolerance, anti‑clericalism, and ideologies that dismissed God and exalted man as the measure of all things. These currents contributed to the devastation of the First World War, reminding us that when faith and respect for life are cast aside, human dignity itself is endangered.

Our own age faces similar challenges. Voices today argue that religious and traditional values are outdated, promoting practices such as abortion, euthanasia, same‑sex unions, sex reassignment surgery, and in vitro fertilization. These trends risk undermining the sacredness of life and the moral order. We must remain vigilant, for the rejection of God’s law always diminishes humanity.

Modernism’s effort to banish God from public life and enthrone man in His place led to the spread of atheism. Against this tide, the Church established this feast to reaffirm Christ’s sovereignty—not only in the privacy of our hearts but also in the public sphere. So, this solemnity was instituted at a time when the world exalted man as the measure of all things, a period when secular currents sought to render the Church irrelevant in public life. A time when political, social, and cultural institutions increasingly suppressed the mention of Jesus Christ and denied His kingship over nations and hearts. In Europe especially, prevailing ideologies promoted a worldview that sought to banish God from daily life, encouraging people to organize their lives as though He did not exist. The feast was therefore established as a remedy to the challenges posed by Modernism, intended to reaffirm and promote the worship of Christ both within the privacy of our hearts and in the public sphere.

Originally titled Jesu Christi Regis (Jesus Christ the King), Pope Paul VI later, in his 1969 motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis, renamed it Iesu Christi universorum Regis—Jesus Christ, King of the Universe—and elevated it to a solemnity celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

This title is profoundly relevant today. We live in a world where evil is often glamorized, where faith is ridiculed, and where believers are dismissed as irrelevant. Yet Christ remains the King of the Universe, the King of kings, and His reign endures forever. Today’s readings affirm this kingship.

The first reading recalls Christ’s royal lineage from David, Israel’s great king. The kingdom of David was great and powerful to the extent that the people of Israel yearned for a king who would rule them again like David. In Jesus, God gives us a king greater than David, one whose reign is eternal.

Today’s Gospel affirms the kingship of Christ. While the rulers and people gathered at the foot of the cross denied His kingship and mocked Him, one of the thieves crucified alongside Him recognized His true majesty and pleaded, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingly power.” Ironically, those who rejected His kingship also acknowledged that He had saved others, though they claimed He could not save Himself.

Christ, however, is not like our earthly kings. He is the King who takes upon Himself the suffering meant for His subjects, the King who dies so that His people may live and be saved. He is a compassionate King, one who values His subjects more than His own life. Unlike earthly rulers, who often sacrifice their people to protect themselves or pursue selfish interests, Christ the King offers His own life for His subjects. Earthly kings demand that their people die for them; Christ, our King, died for us.

The second reading also talked of the kingship of Christ. It proclaims that God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. In Christ’s reign we find peace, justice, mercy, love, and truth.

The purpose of today’s celebration is to acknowledge and worship Christ as King of the Universe and King of our lives. His reign must begin in our hearts and extend to our homes, our families, our workplaces, and our society. Only then will the world reflect His kingdom of justice and peace.

This solemnity challenges each of us personally, and we must ask ourselves these following questions: Is Christ truly the King of my life? Do I give Him the rightful place in my heart? Are His teachings the path that directs my choices?

If Christ does not reign in our lives, then today’s celebration risks becoming an empty ritual. But if He is enthroned in our hearts, then His kingdom will shine through us into the world.

Christ the King is also the Good Shepherd. Let us trust Him, follow Him, and allow His reign to transform us so that His kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven.

Happy Feast Day and have a blessed week.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: CHRIST THE KING THAT SERVES AND SAVES

(Luke 23:35-43)

Today is the solemnity of Christ the King of the universe. It brings to an end the Year C of the Church's Liturgical Calendar.

It is a day we cannot afford to keep quiet. It is a day that the universe must make a joyful noise in jubilation. It is a day the sovereignty and supremacy of our Lord Jesus, the king of kings and Lord of Lords, the Ancient of days, the rock of ages, the I am that I am, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,  the Mighty Man in battle, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient One, the Lamb that was immolated, the Triumphant king of Calvary is manifested.

Today a question is asked: Who is in charge of the universe (Onye bu eze? Onye bu eze nke ebube?

An answer is given: Christ Jesus the Lord.

(Jesus bu eze, O bu Onyenweanyi).

Yes, Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat. He reigns forever and ever.

 

What type of king is Jesus?

 

THE SERVANT KING

In a world where kingship and greatness is taken to be a thing of being highly placed, lording it over, bragging, moving with sirens, knocking down the lowly and being served and bowed down to, guarded right, left and centre by security men, Jesus may not be noticed. The kings of this world will not recognize Him, only the few wise kings all over the world will. Only few wise kings all over the world have come to the knowledge of the fact that all authority comes from God. Only a very few of them are ready to serve the masses instead of their pockets, to pay the workers, to provide the basic amenities in service of their people. Just a few of them. Do we have any of them in the world? Do we have a servant king in Africa? Any in Nigeria? Any in Imo State? Abia etc?

 

Here is the king who said: "I have come to serve and not to be served..." He is the one we are celebrating, and it is right and just to do so. Can we start seeing ourselves more like servants? A lot of mockers will come our way when we take this decision in our today's world just as they did to Jesus years ago. Do this or that if you're a Christian.

Oh, Christian leaders in the various states, you're being challenged daily to do it right following the footsteps of Jesus Christ, but have you all not unfortunately disappointed our Lord Jesus Christ in various capacities from election to expiration of office?

 

THE SAVIOUR KING

Yes, Jesus is the saviour king. He was mocked with the following words: 'If you are the king, save yourself and save us'. The story of today's Gospel is the story of how Jesus died instead of the story of how he exercised worldly power or killed others. This is what it means to be a saviour. He was able to give His subjects life and took their death, that is salvation. He was tempted to save Himself, but remember He had already taught that he who wants to save his life will first of all lose it.

He didn't fall prey to saving His own life. He gave it up for the sake of His brethren. How many of our leaders today care about saving us? Do they save us from poverty? From illiteracy? From backwardness? From corruption? From terrorism? From immorality, from losing our good cultural heritages? From consumerism?

Only a king with insight and foresight can do this. Jesus had the foresight and left His throne in heaven just to do this. We can be co-saviours with Christ.

 

LET'S BE PART OF THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST

We all are invited to contribute in building a kingdom of justice and love with Christ. Patty Obasi will sing: "O dorom anya na ihe o jiri kpoom, bu kam soro ghuoro ya ala eze ya..."

Where do you belong? Christ's kingdom or the devil's? Who is ruling in the kingdom of your life? Olee ebe ikwu akwu?

As Jesus is promising to make us part of His kingdom today, let us endeavor to say with our words and actions on daily basis:  "Jesus remember me when you come with your kingly power" Let us live and die with and in Him so as to reign with Him in paradise. May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

We glorify You Christ our King, and enthrone You in our lives, families, workplaces, offices and over all our troubles. May Your kingly blessings abide with us putting to shame every other authority that wants to reign over us. Save us and deliver us from the grip of bad leaders and evil forces in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Happy Solemnity of Christ the King (34th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 33rd Sunday, Year C: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Enduring in Faith and Perseverance as We Await the Day of the Lord.

Readings: Malachi 4:1‑2a; 2 Thessalonians 3:7‑12; Luke 21:5‑19

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is the thirty‑third Sunday of the liturgical year. Next Sunday will be the last Sunday of the Church’s year, the Solemnity of Christ the King. As we approach this conclusion, the Church invites us to reflect on the end of time and the victory that awaits us in Christ if we remain faithful until the end.

Faithfulness requires endurance. However, endurance is not easy; it is one of the hardest disciplines of the Christian life, but it is also the path to final victory. Those who persevere will triumph over the forces of this world.

In the first reading, the prophet Malachi speaks to a people who were discouraged. They saw the wicked prosper while the righteous suffered, and they began to doubt God’s justice. To buttress their disappointment, some of them said, “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.” (Malachi 3:13-15). Yet Malachi reassured them in today’s reading (in 4:1-3) that the names of those who fear the Lord are already written in His book of life. Evil will not have the last word in their lives. On the Day of Judgment, the arrogant and evildoers will be consumed by fire, while those who revere the Lord will rise with healing and joy.

This message is very relevant to us all today. We live in a world where corruption and injustice often seem to dominate, where those who disregard God’s ways appear to flourish. Some Christians are tempted to give up, to compromise, or even to abandon the faith. But Malachi reminds us that God is faithful. He will reward patience and goodness, and He will bring justice in His time.

The Gospel reading continues this theme. Jesus assures us that the day of God’s judgment will surely come, but He warns us not to be obsessed over when it will happen. We must not be deceived by false prophets who claim to know the exact hour or who spread fear about the end times. Instead, Jesus calls us to live each day faithfully, bearing witness to Him in the midst of trials, temptations, and persecutions.

St. Paul, in the second reading, gives us a practical lesson. In Thessalonica, some believers had stopped working, thinking that Christ’s return was imminent. Paul corrected them, telling them that waiting for the Lord does not mean idleness or fear. Rather, it means living responsibly, working diligently, and using every moment to testify to the Gospel.

So, dear friends, what should we do as we wait for the Day of the Lord? We should remain steadfast in faith, trusting that God’s justice will prevail. We should persevere in daily life, fulfilling our responsibilities, working honestly, and living with integrity. We should bear witness to Christ in words and deeds, showing the world the hope we carry. We should also reject fear and false teachings, refusing to be led astray by those who predict the end-time or spread panic.

Dear friends, the Day of the Lord will come, but if we live each day faithfully, it will not catch us unprepared. Let us endure with courage, persevere with hope, and remain close to Christ, so that when He comes, we may be found ready and rejoice in His victory.

Peace be with you. Happy Sunday.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 33RD SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: IT IS TESTIMONY TIME

(Luke 21:5-19)

Testimony is a declaration or a formal statement presented to be the truth. The word testimony stems from the Latin 'testis' which means witness. In the religious domain it has to do with Divine truth. This divine truth is one that opposes human opinions. Before it every falsehood gives way.

We are faced today with the truth about our world and the reality of our existence here on earth. The various falsehoods we hold to be truth must pass away. The many things we testify to according to our human judgment without God will surely not stand the test of time. They will not endure. We have witnessed a lot and keep witnessing but are we witnessing to the real world or the ephemeral world that will be destroyed? When you live for the world, you're witnessing to it. The Church's Liturgical year is drawing to a close, how have you witnessed so far? We will like God to make a declaration concerning us, to testify for us, how are we witnessing to Him? Do we think of the words God will use to qualify our activities in this present world? Will He say: here is my beloved son in whom I am pleased? How have we carried out the resolutions we made at the beginning of this liturgical year that is ending?

 

THE UNKNOWN ABOUT THE KNOWN

The people in the Gospel today spoke eloquently about the adornment of the temple, the precious stones and offerings. These are the seen, the known, that which appears and appeals to the senses. Jesus tells them how all these will be destroyed. This they have never fathomed. They do not want to give it a thought; they find it difficult to understand. 

Jesus proceeded to deepen their knowledge and widen their horizon with regard to the necessary precautions they needed to take into consideration with respect to their worldviews.

What are the 'truths' you hold dear? What are the things you value so much in this life? Are they worth it? Are you looking with the eyes of faith or the eyes of the flesh? Are you admiring the eternal or just the ephemeral?

 

TAKE HEED

This is a call for carefulness as we bear testimony. If we do not take proper caution, we may be ascribing glory to things that do not matter. We may be admiring the precious stones whereas the cornerstone Jesus is rejected. We may be interested in the temple edifice and structures allowing the spiritual temple that is our souls to dilapidate.

 

BE MINDFUL OF PEOPLE

People can claim what they are not. May you not be deceived. The present world will present a lot to us that would seem to limit all our aspirations and hope, all our witnessing. Jesus offers new, better and lasting solution to all world's problems. Bad government will give way, wickedness will give way, near success syndrome will give way. All persons whose source of power, wealth, greatness and honour does not come from God will be destroyed by God. Bear testimony to God by being the type of person God wants you to be and you will live to testify to the manifestation of the new world promised by Jesus Christ.

 

FEAR NOT THE EVENTS

A lot will take place and is already taking place. Atula egwu! Is the command (do not be afraid). One who testifies does not fear. Even though the earth should rock, the Lord of host is with us the God of Jacob is our stronghold. When things turn upside down, do not speak against God, do not despair. Hope in the Lord. Even if all desert you, the Lord will not, even if your parents abandon you the Lord will receive you. Do not be insecure, your security in the Lord is assured.

 

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Jesus is mine, Jesus is yours, Jesus is ours. He came to your world to divinize it. He came to your life to raise it up. He has the following words for you in every situation you're facing: ... Not a hair of your head will perish.

With this assurance he challenges us to ride on in triumph, to race on towards our heavenly inheritance, not to lose sight of our goal, not to be conquered by the world and its glories. Jesus fills us with abundant grace as fuel to energize us to endure till the end of our journey. He gives us the heavenly spectacle with which to visualize the world, keeping the Lord and His will ever before our sight in order not lose out.

The time is here. It is the time when our eyes will look and see how the troubles that trouble the children of God will be troubled, it is time for us to be reassured that we are conquerors, it is a time when the mighty hand of God will be shown in our world.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Lord God, visit our world as we hear Your word, may we never stop bearing witness to You and making effort at doing Your will as well as living above this passing world and its dictates. Even as we are in the world may we not be of the world, May we fulfill our destinies through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you (33rd Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 Dedication of the Lateran Basilica: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: God’s Temple: Sacred Space, Sacred Body

Readings: Ez 47:1-2,8-9.12; 1 Cor. 3:9c-11.16-17; Jn 2:13-22

Dear friends in Christ, today, the Church joyfully commemorates the anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, consecrated in 324 AD. This sacred edifice, gifted to the Church by Emperor Constantine, holds a unique place in our faith; it is the Episcopal seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome and is honoured as “the Mother and Head of all Churches of Rome and the world.” Initially dedicated to St. John the Baptist and later to St. John the Evangelist, this Basilica stands as a symbol of the Church’s enduring presence and mission.

The dedication of a church is a solemn act of consecration, which sets the building apart as a sacred space for worship, prayer, and the celebration of the sacraments. It becomes a spiritual home, a place where heaven meets earth, where the faithful gather to encounter God, hear His Word, and receive His grace. Once consecrated, the church is reserved for sacred functions and deserves our utmost reverence.

In today’s Gospel, however, Jesus confronted a stark contrast to this sacred ideal. Upon entering the temple in Jerusalem, He found not a house of prayer, but a marketplace filled with noise and injustice. In righteous anger, He drove out the merchants, charging them to stop making God’s house a marketplace. His actions remind us of the sanctity of God’s dwelling and challenge us to reflect on how we treat our own places of worship.

We can learn the following lessons from His actions.

Reverence for Sacred Space: Jesus’ action against those buying and selling in God’s house calls us to honour the sanctity of our churches. These are not ordinary buildings; they are rather places where God dwells and from which His blessings flow into our lives and homes. The prophet Ezekiel, in the first reading, described water flowing from the temple, bringing life, healing, and abundance into dead seas, the creatures living in them, and the trees on their banks. This image reminds us that the church is a source of spiritual nourishment for the faithful.

Therefore, we must treat our churches with respect: keeping them clean, observing proper liturgical posture, and maintaining an atmosphere of reverence. The presence of God demands silence, devotion, and attentiveness, not distraction, disorder, and noise.

The True Temple: Christ and His Body: When Jesus was questioned about His authority, He spoke of the destruction and rebuilding of the temple in three days, referring to His own body. This reveals that the ultimate dwelling place of God is not a building, but Christ Himself and, by extension, the Church, which is His living body on earth.

St. Paul affirmed this in the second reading, reminding us that Jesus is the foundation upon which the Church is built. He warned against false teachings and immoral conduct, urging us to build on Christ with integrity. Each believer is also a living temple of the Holy Spirit and must be kept holy. Thus, our bodies are not our own; they are gifts from God, entrusted to us for His glory. Every immoral act desecrates this temple.

This is a call to all priests and spiritual leaders to uphold the truth of the Gospel and to protect the Church from being used for exploitation and abuse of the faithful. It is also a personal call to each of us to live in holiness, honouring the divine presence within us.

Zeal for God’s House: When the disciples saw Jesus’ action in the temple, they recalled the words, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” His zeal was not just for the physical building but for all places where God dwells, especially in the Eucharist and in the hearts of believers. Jesus is interested in what goes on in God’s house – the Church and our bodies.

Dear friends, we are also called to cultivate a burning zeal for the holiness of God’s temple. This means caring for our churches, ensuring they reflect the dignity of God’s presence, and guarding our bodies from sin. A person consumed by zeal will not ignore a dirty church or a soul stained by sin. Instead, they will act, cleansing, restoring, and protecting what belongs to God.

Dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this feast, let us renew our commitment to reverence, holiness, and zeal for God’s house. May our churches be true houses of prayer, and may our bodies be worthy temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us honour God in His dwelling, both in stone and in flesh, so that His grace will flow through us into the world.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME

(John 2:13-22)

Today is the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica built by Emperor Constantine in the year 320.   It was dedicated to the trio: The Saviour, St John the Baptist, and to St John the Evangelist.

The Gospel of today talks about the temple of Jerusalem, the earthly house of God. Jesus entered there and was embarrassed by the abuses of the house of God going on. He condemned it violently and corrected the evil impression.

All these were because zeal for his father's house consumed Him. Do you have any zeal for the house of God?  Are you moved by the glory of God? What are the things that attract you in the Church? Do you care about the integrity of the house of God?

 

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ZEAL FOR THE THINGS OF GOD?

We live in a world where some people feel they've seen and known it all in the Church.  We live in a society that has forgotten that God is the one we seek in the Church. Many now allow the human elements, politics and errors in the Church to distract them from God. Some have turned to become the enemies of God.  Some have become persecutors of Christians like Saul. A good number of them were baptised and as such initiated into the body of Christ but they now become agents of tearing the Church apart.

What happened to your real zeal. Do you think it is wisdom? Why are you going back to a life you left to embrace Christ? Why are you allowing the changes and chances of life to make you put out the fire you received from Christ? Let your light burn? Ignite the fire of righteousness once again.  Be the change you want in the Church and from Christians. You are part of Christianity. 

Let's all learn from Christ.  Correct from within, with love, with passion, with the authority of the child of God. Direct important faith enriching questions to the right people that should answer it and be patient and humble for clarifications.  Influence people positively based on your capacity and the grace God has given you. Remain in obedience to God. Let your zeal not lead you out but lead you into the Church to help continue the edification of the body of Christ.

Today, we thank God for the many who are still being inspired and led into the Church by the light of conviction as we continue to pray for those who abuse their zeal and use it to destroy the foundation established by God himself.

 

REVERE THE CHURCH

We are invited to give the Church the reverence it deserves because of God. Only a holy zeal can steer us to do this. With this zeal, let us not turn the house of God to a den of robbers. Let the pastors and ministers stop making the Church an exploitation centre. Let the holy Eucharist not be abused. Let the Church be noise free.  Let the people learn to genuflect, kneel, sit, and stand when it is called for.

Let us the youths of this generation stop making unnecessary jokes and derogations about things of God. Let places of worship and those that represent the Church at all levels be accorded the respect due to them. Let us rekindle our love for the Church for God's sake. Let the zeal that consumed Jesus consume each and everyone of us.

Let us allow this zeal to flow on and consume us to respect our bodies and the bodies of others as the temple of the Holy Spirit that will be raised after death.

Let's celebrate the Church that builds us into the body of Christ and celebrate ourselves too as dwelling places of God. And may the word we hear in God's house take flesh in us.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Oh God, we thank you for dwelling among us. We thank you for dwelling within us, too. Give us the zeal to rejoice when we hear the call to come to your house. Give us the zeal also to revere your temple, which is our body. May we revere the Church as our mother, may we live filled with the Holy Spirit that abides with the Church as an institution and our bodies as a temple through Christ our Lord. Amen

 

Happy Sunday

Happy feast day.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 COMMEMORATION OF ALL SOULS: HOMILY BY FR. ISAAC CHIMA

THEME: Remembering Our Dead: Death Is Not the End of Love

Dearest friends in Christ, yesterday, we rejoiced in the triumph of our brothers and sisters who have overcome the trials of this world. They remained steadfast in faith, ran the race with perseverance, and now wear the crown of glory bestowed by God. Today, the Church turns our hearts toward those who have departed but have not yet reached their eternal home. They are journeying onwards, but held back at the moment by the remnants of sin, awaiting full purification. It is our sacred duty to pray for them, entrusting them to the mercy of God, who alone can cleanse and welcome them into the beatific vision, united with the saints in heaven.

This day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a profound reminder of the fullness of the Church. We are part of a divine communion that has the Church triumphant in heaven, the Church militant here on earth, and the Church suffering in purgatory. The Church triumphant rejoices in eternal glory; the Church militant continues the pilgrimage of faith; and the Church suffering undergoes purification, longing for the embrace of heaven. Today, we as the Church militant lift our prayers to God, asking for grace and mercy on behalf of the suffering Church in purgatory.

The Church’s teaching on purgatory reflects the vision of St. John that “Nothing impure will enter heaven” (Rev. 21:27), and the wisdom of St. John’s teaching that “There is sin that does not lead to eternal death” (1 John 5:16–17). Dear friends, what becomes of those who die with sins that do not merit eternal separation from God, as John taught? Purgatory is the answer; it is a merciful temporal state of cleansing, where souls are cleansed and prepared to enter the heavenly banquet.

Just as Judas Maccabeus (2 Maccabees 12:38-46) urged prayers for fallen soldiers, we too are called to pray for our departed loved ones. We entrust them to the boundless mercy of God, who gave His only Son for our salvation. If God went to the extent of sacrificing His only Son to redeem us, then we cannot doubt the immensity of His love and mercy for us.

We pray today because we believe in a God whose dominion extends beyond the grave. He is the God of the living and the dead. We believe in His power to raise dry bones to life (Ez 37:12), and in His promise not to abandon His faithful in death nor let His beloved see decay (Ps 16:10).

Remembering our deceased loved ones is a natural human impulse. But for Catholics, this memory is not passive; it is rather active, accompanied by intercessory prayer for them. We pray not only for those we knew, but also for all the departed whose faith is known to God alone. We do these prayers because of the deep bond we share with them in the communion of saints. Our Church is not only a gathering of the living; it is a sacred fellowship that includes heaven, earth, and purgatory, a communion of the living and the dead.

The condition of the dead reminds us to live holy lives, so that when our own earthly journey ends, we may enter heaven unimpeded. Let us not forget that the dead were our beloved ones. And love does not die with the body. Death is not the end of love, and it never brought an end to the love we shared with them. Rather, the love we shared with them endures. Divine love is also eternal; it is far beyond our comprehension.

Today, we commend our departed brothers and sisters to the eternal love of God. We pray that they may be swiftly freed from the purifying fire (1 Cor 3:15), and that God, who knows them better, may judge them with mercy. For if God were to count our sins, who could stand? But with Him there is mercy, and for this we revere Him (Ps 130:3–4).

Dear friends, we pray for all the dead, for we do not know who among them has already entered into peace. Though time may have softened the pain of their absence, the Church calls us never to forget them. Let this month of November be a time of special prayer and remembrance. Our prayers will not be in vain; they will help our loved ones reach their heavenly home.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chima

 COMMEMORATION OF ALL SOULS: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: REMEMBER THE DEAD AND REMEMBER YOU SHALL DIE

(Luke 14:12-14)

In a world, that is gradually losing the fear of God, the sense of the sacred and the respect for the sanctity of life we are called to pause and ponder on life after life for those who have gone before us and for ourselves still journeying to meet with the Lord. We remember in a very special way this day all the dead who are not yet resting in the peace of Christ. We remember the words of st Augustine that our souls are restless until they rest in the Lord.

The Catholic Church believes in the resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting. We are in communion with the living and the dead. Among the living, there are saints and sinners. Among the dead, there are also saints and sinners. The eternal home of the saints is heaven. The eternal home of unrepentant sinners is described as hell. What about those who made sincere effort to live saintly but are not perfect because of human weakness? Those the Bible described in Luke 12:48, 1 John 5:16-17. We believe that God purges them and raises them to life.

 We profess the forgiveness of sins for the living and because the mercy and love of God is endless, we commend the dead whose fate we do not know into the merciful love of God to grant them pardon for their failings and welcome them into his heavenly kingdom.

With the celebration of All Saints and the commemoration of All Souls of the departed, we celebrate our oneness in Christ. We call to mind the fellowship we share as those baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. We celebrate in thanksgiving and gratitude to God for the life of those who succeeded through a life of holiness and are now in the joy of heaven. We on the other hand pray in sorrow for those of them, our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, friends and relatives who did their best to please God while on earth but have not been able to realize the beatific vision. We call on God to show them mercy. We ourselves turn to God in prayers for his grace to keep us focused on the journey to heaven as pilgrims of hope.

 

LESSONS FROM TODAY’S CELEBRATION

HEAVEN IS THE GOAL

This world is not our home sang Jim Reeves. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that God created us to know, love and serve Him so that we may have eternal joy with him. This is the dream and hope of every Christian to be counted among the souls of the righteous that will be in God’s hands, to enjoy the grace of not being cast out of heaven, and to enjoy life everlasting. We remember therefore today those who believed that they shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living but are unfortunately held down by their frailties in the land of the dead.

The celebration of today is not the celebration of mediocrity. It is a commemoration in deep humility. It is a plea for those who can no longer help themselves. It is the support given to those who made serious effort but their effort was not hundred percent. Heaven was their goal but…

They now rely on the mercy of God to crown their effort. They cannot say with St Paul “I have fought the good fight, I have won the race”.  They are like the good student who targeted first class, worked for it but overlooked taking care of his health and could not do so well in the exams. Some kind lecturers may consider such students and give him a benefit of the doubt. If we who are bad can do such, what about our heavenly Father?

 

LET’S NOT FORGET OUR DEAD ONES

Today, we remind ourselves that death is never the end of love. It is not the end of divine love. The love of God is beyond human comprehension. Our love for our dead ones should not end at death. We commend these our dead brothers and sisters into the eternal love of God, praying God that they may be liberated from the pain of hellfire as soon as possible.

Today, we recall the many friends of ours who have died. We recall their sacrifices. We pray that these will not be in vain. We remember the memories we shared and pray God to give them eternal bliss. We think of what these our friends suffered here on earth and pray that they may not see eternal torment. We call to mind the weaknesses of these men and women and pray God who knows them better to be merciful in his judgement.

We pray for all the dead since we may not tell for sure whether they have attained peace or not, that God may not abandon them.

After many years of departure, we may have overgrown the pain of the loss, but let us not forget the state of the one we lost to death.

Thus, let masses be celebrated today for these souls undergoing purgation before entering heaven. Yes, that purging is necessary because nothing defiled enters heaven. However, let us in the words of the psalmist remind God that if He marks their iniquity, no one will survive (Psalm 129). With Him is mercy, for this we revere Him.

 

LET’S BE KIND TO THE BERIEVED

Let us today console those who have really suffered unspeakable heartbreaks and shocks because of the death of loved ones. Let us commit the souls of those who died because of diseases, insecurity, and wars into God's hands. Let us visit the cemeteries and graves. Let us, if possible, visit the mortuaries.

 

WE TOO SHALL DIE

Death is inescapable. I will die. You will die. We shall all die one day. After death what next? How prepared are we? Let us remind ourselves what lies ahead of us. Let us ask ourselves questions about how we are living our lives and start now to cancel every debt of sin we owe. Let us repent now!

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.

 

LET US PRAY

O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful. Grant to the souls of your faithful departed a place in your kingdom. Remind us that we, too, will be dead someday. Help us to amend our lives. Look on the few good things we are doing and through the merit of these virtuous acts, in your mercy open the gates of heaven for our late brothers and sisters through Christ our Lord. Amen

Eternal rest grant unto them Oh Lord, and let your perpetual light shine on them

Happy Sunday.

Wishing you a prayerful commemoration of All Souls.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh