Homily for the 34th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B/Solemnity of Christ the King (November 22 2015)

Theme: On the Kingdom of God

 

Today, the Holy Mother Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King. It is the last Sunday in the ordinary time of the year. This solemnity was established by Pope Piux XI in his encyclical Quas Primas (On the Feast of Christ the King) in 1925. The solemnity was established to make Christians more conscious and convinced of the kingship and supremacy of Christ over all created things and to allow His will reign in their lives. As we reflect on the kingship of Christ who is God, we shall focus more on the kingdom of God, the place where Christ reigns as king. 

In the first reading (Daniel 7:13-14), the prophet Daniel describes his vision of the enthronement of a king. This king was identified as the “Son of man” a title Jesus would later ascribe to himself (cf. Mark 14:61). He was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship and all peoples, nations and languages became His servants. His sovereignty was eternal and His kingdom could never be destroyed. 

Homily for Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (November 15 2015)

Theme: The Eschatological Hope

In today’s reading, the Church presents to us for reflection some passages from the apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic literature was the product of a time of persecution and mental anguish which attempts to restore to those being persecuted the belief that God is still in control and shall intervene in their tribulations by rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked. It was meant to encourage good, discourage evil and restore hope to the persecuted. The first reading (Daniel 12:1-3) which is an apocalyptic literature is set within the context of oppression by the Hellenistic kings against the Jews some three hundred years before the birth of Christ. When these kings invaded Palestine, they persecuted the Jews for refusing to accept beliefs and practices that were totally against their faith. Though it appears to predict the future, the author uses this style to figuratively interpret the events of his time and to pass across a message of hope to the oppressed. According to the text, the archangel Michael shall arise to protect the righteous.

Homily: Thirty-Second (32nd) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (November 8 2015)

Theme: Selfless Sacrifice

One day, I had a funny experience at a motor park. One pretty and well-dressed lady approached me and begged me for some money to enable her travel home. I asked her what was wrong with her whether she was robbed. She went on to narrate to me how she came to the city for a crusade and in the course of the crusade, the man of God urged them to donate generously to the Church and be sure of God’s abundant blessings. So she had to give all she had as a widow’s mite. I could not understand why she had to donate her transport fare only to start begging in the park. I only had to help her based on Christian charity so that she wouldn’t be stranded or embarrassed.

Her action was a literal understanding and interpretation of today’s gospel reading (Mark 12:38-44). There, Jesus only praised the poor widow not because she gave all she had to live on but because of her total trust and dependence on God. There are four lessons we can learn from the simple action this poor widow performed.

Homily for 30th (Thirtieth) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (October 25 2015)

Theme: Restoration through Faith

Most often, life challenges us with unfavourable situations that make us victims of circumstances. At such moments, all hope is usually lost. Such was the kind of experience the people of Israel had during the Babylonian exile when they were driven away from their homeland as captives in Babylon. But God took the initiative of bringing them back to their homeland and restoring their lost possessions. That is why in the first reading (Jeremiah 31:7-10), God through the Prophet Jeremiah in the Book of Consolation delivers a promise of restoration, recovery and hope for the Israelites in their captivity where they had lost every sense of peace, happiness and hope.

Reflection: Twenty Ninth (29th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (October 18 2015)

Theme: Authority: Service and Sacrifice

After high school, I was privileged to work as an academic dean in my diocesan minor seminary. One day, a woman came to my office with her son requesting that I promote her son who had failed woefully to the next class. I knew the woman was not a literate and never understood the meaning of her request. I explained to her politely that her son simply could not learn the basics he was supposed to learn in the previous class and would not cope in the next class. Besides, I made her understand that it was not in my position to grant such requests since it is the rector’s prerogative to promote students to the next class. After our discussions, they left my office disappointed. Most often, people make requests that may be detrimental to them. Promoting an ignorant student instead of allowing him to repeat the class and learn was a way of adding more illiterates to our ignorant society. These types of vain requests are made out of selfishness because we do not understand their implications.

Homily: Twenty Eight (28th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (October 11 2015)

Theme: Gaining Wisdom and Eternal Life

In a particular African village, the crown prince wanted to take a wife. Among the girls in the village, two girls distinguished themselves in character and were seriously attracted to the royal family. The prince had to choose a wife from among them. One day, he invited both girls to the royal garden and asked them to pick whatever they liked. The first girl gathered a basketful of apple while the second only picked an apple seed. When the prince demanded an explanation for their choice the first girl said: “Apple is a sign of love and the basketful signifies the great love I have for you”. The second girl replied: “I chose an apple seed instead of the fruit because with it, I will have as many fruits as I desire”. It is a sign of love that will keep growing and cannot be exhausted.  At last, the Prince married the second girl because of her wisdom.

Homily: Twenty-Seventh (27th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (October 4 2015)

Theme: The Dignity of Marriage  

It was not quite long ago that a friend was narrating to me, the difficulties her sister was passing through in her matrimonial home. After revealing a lot of horrible experiences the sister had undergone, I asked her what she would do if she had been in her sister’s shoes. She said she will know what to do but never gave me a specific answer. I further asked her what advice she gave to the sister and she said “to divorce him”. It was an interesting chat but I was eager to know her sister’s disposition in the marriage. From what I learnt, the said sister accepted her condition in good faith and prefers to die in her matrimonial home to a divorce.

In our society today, it seems to me that most of the divorce cases are not championed by the spouses themselves but by relatives and friends of the spouses. A closer look at the present society will also reveal an increasing rate of divorce. As a matter of fact, the dignity and sacredness of marriage is fast washing away. This is because marriage is regarded as a social or business contract that could begin or end whenever and anyhow one pleases. This was perhaps the concept of marriage in the minds of the Pharisees who came to question Jesus in the gospel reading (Mark 10:2-16). It was a test because they wanted to know Jesus’ concept of marriage and know if it was in opposition to popular tradition or the Mosaic tradition. The popular tradition held that a Jewish husband could divorce his wife by pronouncing a divorce formula three times in the presence of two male witnesses (called the triple express system). But the Mosaic tradition held that the husband could only divorce his wife with a letter of divorce (writ of dismissal). 

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Sixth (26th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 27 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Sixth (26th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 27 2015)

Theme: Appreciating the Good from Another  

Last week I travelled to Port Harcourt to see a friend. One evening, we decided to take a stroll down the street. Along the line, something caught my fancy. There were serious and loud shouts of prayer booming from heavy public address systems at three strategic places close to each other. It was like a competition venue and the noise suggested a heavily crowded congregation, but I was surprised to see only three persons in each of the small churches. Sincerely, they had good public address systems which many Catholic Churches here in Nigeria do not have. I wondered why they should possess such good gadgets while so many Catholic Churches that are heavily populated still battle with faulty microphones and speakers. Simply put, I must confess that I was jealous and angered with their development.

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Fifth (25th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 20 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Fifth (25th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 20 2015)

Theme: Achieving Greatness through Humility 

I had a funny experience during one of my apostolic works. I was posted to work in a parish and in the compound where I lived, there were lots of children. One afternoon, three children gathered beside my window and were making some arguments. They didn’t know I was around. They were arguing over who was my most beloved friend. The first claimed to be my most beloved friend because I gave her a gift the day she sang well. The second claimed that I always call her pet names while the third claimed that he was my companion who accompanies me during home visitations and other apostolate. They almost fought because of this but I wondered what brought about the argument. I could not but laugh at them.

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Fourth (24th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 13 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Fourth (24th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (September 13 2015)

Theme: Who is Jesus Christ for You?

Examinations are important aspects of the learning process. It is always important to examine students to know how much they have learned and how far they can apply what they know to concrete circumstances. In today’s gospel reading (Mark 8:27-35), Jesus considered it wise to examine his disciples on what they know about him. The question was “Who do people say I am?” The disciples gave him the common conception among the people: “John the Baptist,” they said “others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.”  Jesus went further to ask them: “But you, who do you say I am?” To this question Peter replied: “You are the Christ.”

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Third (23rd) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (6th September 2015)

Theme: He Makes the Deaf Hear and the Dumb Speak

In today’s gospel reading (Mark 7:31-37), Jesus was confronted with a pathetic situation of a man who was deaf and dumb. Out of pity, he manifested his power to heal all types of infirmities by healing the man. The man’s healing was dramatic as St Mark records it: “He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle.  Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened”.  And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly”. This gospel narrative fulfills in practical terms, the promise of the first reading (Isaiah 34:4-7). God through the Prophet Isaiah promised to visit the people of Judah: “Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you”.  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy.” Jesus became the fulfillment of this messianic prophecy just as we saw in the gospel reading. 

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Second (22nd) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (August 30 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Twenty-Second (22^nd) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (August 30 2015)

Theme: Observing the Laws of God

Two missionaries were sent into a remote area for evangelization. They went out daily to preach to people on the streets. They shared their experiences together and went along well. After some time, one started getting jealous of the other because he attracted more followers and got more converts. This began affecting their relationship and mission negatively. Soon, the jealous one grew much hatred for the other that he would not discuss anything with him again. Yet, the jealous missionary was very meticulous in his mission work which he performed with much devotion and piety. He would preach, pray, sing and exhort like a perfect missionary but he would record no success. 

One day, the other missionary fell ill and begged the jealous missionary to help him buy some medications but he refused because he wouldn’t want to miss a prayer meeting beginning in the next few minutes. Later at night, he also begged the jealous missionary to let him know when it will be 5am the next morning and he accepted. At 5am the next day, the jealous missionary wrote on a piece of paper “It is 5am” and dropped it beside the other missionary’s pillow and went for morning prayer because he could not afford to break the silence before communing with God.

Homily/Reflection: Nineteenth (19th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (August 9 2015)

Homily/Reflection: Nineteenth (19^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (August 9 2015)

Theme: “The Eucharist: Food for Pilgrims”.

Stella and Sandra were two sisters who fell in love with two brothers Dickson and Thomas. All were from poor homes and were orphans. The two brothers decided to assist the two sisters who were more helpless, with the intention of having them as life partners afterwards. Dickson was a sales boy and used his salary to send Stella who was blind to a special school for the blind. Thomas was a truck pusher and used his daily wages to pay Sandra’s school fees. After some years, both girls graduated from school and became comfortable with good jobs. When the brothers initiated their marriage proposal, Stella wished she could see if only for a day, the face of the guy who changed her life and destiny. 

Eventually, one day, someone donated a pair of eyes to Stella and after the eye transplant, she saw. She saw Dickson but was disappointed to realize that he was also blind. She refused to marry him because she couldn’t afford to marry a blind man. Dickson later sent her a note which read: “I caused you joy but you caused me sorrow. Please take good care of my eyes because I sacrificed them that you may see me”. Sandra also refused to marry Thomas because he was a truck pusher. She couldn’t imagine herself as a graduate marrying a truck pusher. She appreciated Thomas’ sacrifices but preferred to marry a graduate. Both brothers were tired of life and thought it was better to have died than experience this.

Homily/Reflection: Eighteenth (18th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (August 01 2015)

Homily/Reflection: Eighteenth (18^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (August 01 2015)

Theme: “I am the Bread of Life”.

Recently, I attended a function organized by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in which so many invited less privileged people were fed and empowered. My experience at the event brought to light the extent of poverty, hunger and disease that have enveloped the masses. When it was time to feed them, none of them wanted to be starved and so they were scrambling for food. Most of them hadn’t eaten for days and some even had no hope of the next meal, but they were thankful they had something for that day. But the funny part of the story was that the next day, a greater number of them stormed the scene of the event presuming there would be another feast for them only to be disappointed with the empty spaces. 

Reflection/Homily: Seventeenth (17th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 26 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Seventeenth (17^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 26 2015)

Theme: What is your Loaf of Bread?

Recently, I once attended a function that lasted more than it was necessary. I didn’t take my breakfast before setting out for the event and when the event was unnecessarily being prolonged, I became very hungry and looked forward to the light refreshment. Unfortunately, the organizers of the event didn’t anticipate a very large guest that the provisions they made were obviously insufficient for all that so many persons including myself went home disappointed, hungry, and angry. In the first reading (2 Kings 4:42-44), we see a different scenario. Elisha’s servant was asked to distribut twenty barley loaves among a crowd containing about a hundred men and he wondered if the loaves would ever be enough for all but at the end of the story, the crowd all ate and there were some left over. In the gospel reading (John 6:1-15) too, the disciples wondered about the sufficiency of the five loaves of bread and two fish which were to be used to feed a crowd containing about five thousand men. At the end of the story, when Jesus blessed the loaves and fish, the crowds all ate and there were twelve baskets filled with left overs. 

Reflection/Homily: Sixteenth (16th) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B (July 19 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Sixteenth (16^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B (July 19 2015)

Theme: Leading According to the Examples of Christ.

In today’s first reading (Jeremiah 23:1-6), God through the prophet Jeremiah rebukes the bad leaders of Israel who through their bad leadership allowed the Israelites to be destroyed, scattered and taken into captivity by the Assyrians. They could not take good care of the people under their care and perhaps were also unavailable to attend to their needs. As a result, the people became lawless, turned away from God and were taken into captivity. But God did not abandon His people as their leaders did. Instead, He promised to bring them back from captivity, to gather them into one people again and to raise another leader for them. This time, a leader who would be available for them, a leader who would be compassionate and merciful, a leader who would teach them the right things to do and a leader who would attend to all their needs, both spiritual and temporal. 

In the gospel reading (Mark 6:30-34), we see the fulfillment of this promise in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the new shepherd of Israel, the good shepherd who will lay down his life for his sheep instead of allowing them to remain under the captivity of sin and death. He is the shepherd to gather the scattered people into one flock and feed them with his body and blood.

Reflection/Homily: Fifteenth (15th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 12 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Fifteenth (15^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 12 2015)

Theme: The Mission of the Twelve: An Example

Since the creation of the world, God has never ceased to make Himself present among His people. He has used and still uses Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets, Apostles, Priests and other ministers to make His presence felt in the world. In a special way, He is also making Himself present in the world through each and every one of us whom He has sent into the world. In the gospel reading (Mk. 6:7-13), Jesus made himself more present among the people by sending the Twelve apostles to them. Today, he has also sent you to the world as he did to the twelve. Your mandate remains the same with The Twelve; to evangelize the people and make things better for them, but through various approaches; as medical doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, labourers, priests, etc. He has given you the authority over every obstacle and has charged you with the responsibility of making the world a better place.

The rhetorical question for today is; How do you fulfill your mission in the world? How have you made the presence of Christ who has sent you into the world felt among His people? How have you contributed to the alleviation of people’s problems and made the world a better place to live? Do you work in a manner that depicts your collaboration to work for the good of humanity after the mind of Christ who went about doing good? Have you preached the Good News through your life style? As a student, farmer, health worker, trader, priest, religious, seminarian, etc, what motivates your mission among the people of God? Are you like Amaziah in the first reading (Amos 7:12-15) who thinks that our mission or vocation is solely to earn money? Unlike him, be disposed like Amos to see your work or vocation as a calling from God and so be disposed to co-operate with His divine will for humanity.

Reflection/Homily: Fourteenth (14th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 5 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Fourteenth (14^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (July 5 2015)

Theme: Becoming Over Familiar with Jesus

A priest-friend once shared with me an experience he had on a visit to his priest-friend’s native home. According to him, when he was about to leave, the mother of his priest-friend approached him requesting him to bless some water for her. He asked the woman why she didn’t ask her priest-son who had been at home for a week to bless the water and she quickly retorted, “Fr leave that one”. This kind of story makes one begin to wonder if she was over familiar with the priesthood of her son, or considered her son to be an unholy priest or was simply suffering from lack of faith. I believe this kind of disposition is not unique to her but is generally seen in most places. Some ministers experience this type of neglect and treatment. In the gospel reading (Mk. 6:1-6), it was also this kind of neglect and treatment that Jesus received in his home town Nazareth. He went about doing good elsewhere but when he returned to his home town that his people might have a share of his good works, he was received with over-familiarity, treated with contempt and listened to with unbelief despite the wisdom that came from him. 

Homily/Reflection: Thirteenth (13th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (June 28 2015)

Homily/Reflection: Thirteenth (13^th) Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B (June 28 2015)

Theme: Faith - A Pre-requisite for Divine intervention

 

Faith is one of God’s gratuitous gifts to man. It is that virtue that enables us to put our whole trust, dependence and belief in God and what He has revealed. Faith is that drive that makes us keep looking up to God even when there seems to be no hope. In fact, it is a pre-requisite for us to receive any favour from God. The gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) presents us with practical examples of faith in God, especially in difficult and hopeless situations. Here, the faith of Jairus and the woman suffering from hemorrhage become a paradigm for all of us. They were confronted with difficult situations but rather than give up, they strongly held on to Christ in faith who they believed can change their situation.

Like them, we too are not without ugly situations begging for divine attention. Some of us may be currently suffering the death of a beloved one or strange illnesses or even financial hemorrhage. These ugly situations most often challenge our faith in God. Confronted by them, some even begin to question God’s goodness and might. The reality of death, hunger, sickness, poverty, failure, etc assures us that trials and tribulations cannot be totally avoided in life. When they come, we can only look up to Jesus with faith and confidence relying on his compassion for the suffering. In the past, those who looked up to Jesus were never put to shame neither were those who deposited total faith in God disappointed. To be considered truly faithful, one has to undergo several trials and tribulations and still stand firm in God. Abraham had to leave his father’s land and he also attempted sacrificing Isaac, Job had to lose all he had, yet they still believed in God. Today, they are regarded as men of faith.  

Reflection/Homily: Fifth (5th) Sunday of Easter Year B (May 3 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Fifth (5^th) Sunday of Easter Year B (May 3 2015)

Theme: Cut off from me, you can do nothing

There is this popular story in the internet about an encounter a Christian had with an atheist. The Christian visited the atheist’s shop to have a haircut and in the course of having the haircut, they argued on the existence of God. The atheist used the existence and abundance of evil in the world to argue against the existence of God. The Christian left the shop and returned later arguing with the barber that barbers do not exist. The atheist was surprised and asked if he had no just encountered him as a barber and the Christian quickly showed him a man whose hair was very bushy and unkempt. The atheist replied, “that is the lot of those who do not come to me and immediately the Christian retorted, God exists but evil is the lot of those who do not go to Him.

This story does not imply that those who go to God often cannot experience one form of evil or the other, but it expresses in concrete terms, the point Jesus is making in today’s gospel reading (Jn. 15:1-8),”cut off from me you can do nothing”. This is because in him we live, move and have our being. The parable of the Vine Jesus presents to us today portrays our utter dependence on God. As branches, we can only bear fruit when we remain firmly attached to the vine. That is to say that when we separate ourselves from the vine, we lose our foundation like a fish out of water, then trials and tribulations will overcome us.