THE DAWN OF THE NEW WORLD

HOMILY FOR THE 33^RD SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C.

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

 

It is not so surprising that the reading at Mass recently have worn a new tone. This is the tone of an expectation; an expectation of something better, Christ-like, and divine. That is the tone of Today’s Readings. It is a tone which reminds us of the season of Advent; when we expect the coming of Christ in Christmas. Hence, this Liturgical year C is about to be wrapped up, giving way for a new one (Year A). I therefore welcome you to our food soul for the week.

There were two boys who were close friends. They were about to finish their secondary schools, when one asked the other cleverly: Charly, what profession do you want to go for? Charly answered: Dan, I want to go for Medicine. Charles was very surprised and indeed pitied his friend that he was about to go for a profession that takes years of rigorous formation to attain. Daniel on the other hand desired greatly to continue with his father’s business after their graduation, and not to bother himself with tertiary education. He had thought that people aspire for profession so as to be rich and comfortable in the future, but himself had already a rich background, and so need not to go further, for all he needs is to get an average study that can help him interact with business associates. Many years passed. Daniel had become a very rich merchant, while Charles was working as a visiting medical doctor in a private hospital (which was actually bought over by Daniel, his secondary school friend). One day, the only son of the rich Mr. Daniel fell sick, and was rushed to the hospital. All the doctors tried their best but had not enough expertise for such a rare sickness. It was then that one of the nurses remembered the visiting doctor who has manifested great expertise in many tough cases. Doctor Charles was called who quickly rushed in where the boy was and laid his ‘magical hands’ on the sick boy. After some minutes, the nurse assistant came out smiling at everyone. She gave out the good news that the boy was saved. Where is the doctor, shouted Mr. Dan? He just left through the backdoor, replied the nurse. The doctor was about to enter his car when Mr. Dan rushed to thank him. It was then they recognized themselves. Oh, what a day!!! Mr. Dan realized that nothing life-gaining comes easy. He thanked his friend for accepting to become a medical doctor.

Christianity is a life gaining venture. However, for lives to be saved, lives also are lost. Old lives are lost. New lives are gained. To become one of the promoters of this gain, one must be ready to face threatening conditions and situations that can make him/her loose this biological life. Before the new comes, the old will suffocated. Yes, there will be a new world which will replace the old world. There are also signs that will accompany this replacement. And these signs will be terrific, but endurance leads us towards winning. The Gospel (Luke 21:5-19) gives us an exposition of these terrific happenings that can accompany the coming of a new world. Some of the things we have flares for in this life are not needed for the new world. People spoke of the adornment of the Temple of Jerusalem, without knowing that things seen will pass away, while things not yet seen will not pass away. It was a comment on the splendour of the temple that moved Jesus to prophesy. In the Temple, the pillars of the porches and of the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each made of one single block of stone. Indeed, to the Jews, it was unthinkable that the glory of the Temple should be shattered to dust.

Yes, the present world will pass away, but the new world can never pass away. Jesus made them to understand this. Jesus reads the signs of history through the eyes of God. That is why he understood well the trouble that will go with the dawn of the new world. However, Jesus spoke of a safety that overshadows the threats of life. Not one hair of your head will be harmed. When we are in Christ, we are sure that our souls can never be lost, even though in the eyes of men, we may have lost our lives. This new world is a world solely with Christ. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17)Christ is the initiator; he alone is the king. Only the will of Christ is done; and there is no double will in man. Man possesses then the singularity of doing that which pleases God.

The new world has no evil, for then, evil has been destroyed and annihilated. The First Reading (Malachi 4:1-2a) explicates on how the old world will be wiped away. The old world is a world of sin, of suffering, of injustice, of hatred. This is the world that will be wiped out, and its place will be taken by the completely new reality where only good exists. We must keep waiting for this new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (cf. 2 Pet 3:13). This new world, we must say has been inaugurated with the death and resurrection of Christ, and it will be completed at God’s own time. But this new world requires a lot of patience, tolerance, and suffering; these must begin inside each one of us.

We must here on earth work hard to create a new world in our lives. We can create a new world in the life of our family members by making sure hatred, evil, calumny, aggression, gossip, envy are expunged, and replacing them with love, goodness, kind words, patience, and acceptance of all. We can create a new world in the life of your friends by stopping to give bad advice, seduction and scandal, and not making effort to pull him/her down; so can we introduce good advice and mutual upliftment. In your business area, you can create a new world by developing the spirit of contentment, sincerity, honesty, and truthfulness; and so have we removed greed, insincerity, dishonesty and lies. In your academic career, the old world can be destroyed by avoiding examination malpractices, distractions so as to replace them with hard work, and concentration. Generally speaking, in our spiritual lives, a new world can be created by detaching ourselves from evil and attaching ourselves to God.

Nothing good comes easy. The new world is good. Hence, the new world cannot come so easy. We must expect some hinges and obstacles as we walk towards this new world. In our normal life experiences, we need a dint of hard work and focus to aspire towards a goal and to make it. Just like our lead story, Charles aspired towards becoming a medical doctor and made it. And it was through him, that God saved the life of his friend’s son. When we create a new thing in our lives by our efforts, we may not know what God wants to achieve through that height reached, in such a way that if we fail to attain that height, we may be hurting someone whom our status needed to have saved. When God gives you a talent, time or treasure to save, work hard knowing fully well that His grace is sufficient for you. In the path towards this goal, we may encounter difficulties; but endurance, patience and more work will catapult us to our purpose. May your own new world shine forth. May your aspiration be made manifest. May all of us too be inhabitants of the ultimate new world. This I wish you as I am pretty sure that the new week comes with blessings for you.

THE RESURRECTION FAITH AS AN EFFICACIOUS RESPONSE TO THE PUZZLE OF EVIL AND HUMAN SUFFERING

HOMILY FOR THE 32^ND SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR, C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? (1 Cor. 15:54-55).

Our daily life is filled with very many experiences that make us cry and lament. Where and when can we actually find an answer that can totally clarify the problems associated with the earthly existence? Many have experienced hardship all their life. Many have been sick for several years. Many experience unjust treatments from others. Many are denied justice. Many are ridiculed due to their quest for righteousness. Many are brutally killed. Many are robbed of their precious things and persons. The righteous suffer in the hands of people who disregard the good. Many characters have been assassinated in one way or the other. Many are denied of their life goals due to corruption and nepotism. Many are subjected under slavery due to their past life. Many are abused and tortured for firmness in their belief. We tend to ask: where is God in the face of these experiences? I would not know the experience that you remember as you read this, but what I am sure as a Christian is that there is a time when God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28). The Christian faith in the Resurrection is a sure answer to these puzzles that bewilder the human mind and experiences. This we see in the readings of today.

“...but the king of the universe will raise us to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws” (First Reading).

“...God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace...” (Second Reading).

“...for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” (Gospel).

These words are excerpts from the three readings of today. These words point to the state of life beyond our earthly life.

There are some similarities between the First Reading and the Gospel. Both readings speak about seven brothers who died. Both accounts have a woman that the seven brothers share in common. Inherent in these similarities are the differences. In the First, the seven brothers suffered martyrdom for their faith, whereas in the Gospel, the seven brothers died of an unknown cause. In the First, the woman shared by the brothers is their mother who also suffered martyrdom (cf. 2 Mac. 7:40), whereas in the Gospel, the woman is their wife who also died (no cause mentioned) like any other.

The First Reading concerns the Maccabean revolt against rules and lifestyles that are not in tandem with the Jewish laws. Between 167 and 151 BC, the kings of Syria in a bid to unify their empire wanted to stamp out the Jewish way of life. They succeeded in other nations but found strong opposition among the Jews. This opposition was led by Mattathias and his sons, a priestly family from a small village that soon became known as the Maccabees (hammers). They demonstrated reckless courage and faith in the unfailing help of their God. It soon became clear to the champions of the law that political independence was a necessary condition of religious freedom.  This is the context of the revolt of the First Reading. The king compelled the seven brothers to eat the flesh of swine which is unlawful for the Jews (cf. Deut.14:8). Their refusal to such a rule brought them death. They died for their faith. But what was this their faith? It is faith in the resurrection. Faith in the resurrection is one that tells us that life does not end here on earth. It is faith that informs us that when we die for the sake of righteousness, God rewards us with his beatific vision in heaven. The words of the dying brothers are words of encouragement to the suffering Christian. They are words of admonition to the Christians that are undergoing torture, persecution, injustice, and ostracization. Yes, our adversaries and persecutors may think that they are dismissing us from this present, but the king of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life. He offers us eternal comfort (2 Thess. 2:16-3:5). When we stand on the enigma to choose between obedience to evil men and to God, the resurrection faith is there to make the option very light for us. The fourth son said: one cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by Him.

The Gospel (Luke 20:27-38) provides us with the type of existence experienced by those who have died for the sake of God. Jesus used the opportunity of the indeed ridiculous exemplification of the Sadducees to teach us a very important item of our faith. Those who attain to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels, and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection. The resurrection initiates a novum (newness). It can never be the type of life we live. This novum comes with the future that really counts for man, and not the type that countless. However, we do not try to subdue the importance of such futures that deal with the life of man here on earth; a future which is planable, projectable, predictable, and virtually present in the dynamic presence of the actual moment. The future which offers this total novelty is not planable or projectable or foreseeable (who will be the wife?) and not evolutive (for they will not be known by their marriage status). This future is an absolute future beyond which no other future exists. It is this future that we are tended to. We are beings towards this future. We are bound to this future. So, as children whose future is bound with God, we must be courageous enough to endure the uncertainties of the present life.

1. The faith in the resurrection animates and strengthens Christians in their struggle against evil and its effects of pain in our experiences in life. Evil is shown as that which, in spite of its weight and thickness, cannot manage to ultimately triumph over man. In spite of what we see in history and what we experience, evil can never be victorious at the end.

2. The faith in the resurrection helps us to have something to say, definitively and reasonably, about the misfortune of the human existence of suffering which goes hand in hand with and is most related to the ultimate misfortune of death –the absolute form of evil.

3. With the resurrection faith, pain and death cease to be the last word. Life comes to triumph over death. Good triumphs over evil. Justice triumphs over injustice. Joy triumphs over suffering. We may suffer now; we may die now; but suffering and death have no last word on us. Death must be swallowed up in victory. Then can we ask: O death, where is your victory; where is your sting?

Yes, I believe that after suffering glory comes. I believe that after sowing comes reaping. I believe that after work rest comes. Indeed, I believe in the resurrection. I believe that the bones shall rise again. If a seed I sowed at the beginning of the rainy season can grow and produce fruits, after having decayed, why must I not believe too that even though our bodies may die and decay, that there will certainly be a body which is entirely new; which is totally a novum. This is the resurrected body; that body worn by Christ during the transfiguration event. Am sure too that you believe in what I believe. Hence, if you do, can I hear you shout I believe!!! I wish you a blessed week ahead. God bless you.

IMITATING THE SAINTS: THE 4Ws and 1H

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

♫♫ When the saints are marching on, when the saints are marching on; Lord I want to be in the number; when the saints are marching on ♫♫.

WHO are the saints? There are at least four sequential meaning of the word saints: 1) all those who have been justified by the grace of Christ, whether they be living or dead; 2) those who, having been justified by Christ on earth, have entered into eternal life; 3) particular figures, especially biblical personages, who are examples of holiness; 4) those whom the Church, either through custom or formal canonization, has singled out as members of the church triumphant so that they may be commemorated in public worship (cf. McBrien R., Catholicism, p. 1109-1110). Today’s celebration focuses on the fourth level. 

It is about these people that the First Reading (Revelation 7:2-4.9-14) speaks. The saints are those who have actually persevered in holiness while they were on earth; and as a result, God gives them his grace of perseverance in eternal life. Thus, those “whom God has regenerated and effectually called to a state of grace, can neither totally nor finally fall away from that state, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved” (Berkhof L., Systematic Theology, p.545). Hence, they will be like God just as the Second Reading (1 John 3:1-3) says. These people come ‘from all tribes and peoples and tongues.’ The saints are countless, and would be gathered from every land. No land is excluded.

WHAT do they do? These saints stand before the throne and the lamb, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with loud voice ‘salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’, ...and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying, ‘Amen, Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ That is their work: worshipping and praising God in their state of eternal happiness. In this perfect state, and being more united to Christ, the Lamb, they fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness and never cease to intercede with the Father for us. There is a fraternal concern; and it is in this that our weakness is helped (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no.956)

WHERE do they stay? The saints are wherever God dwells. They are always before the throne and the Lamb. The question of ‘where’ may suggest a geographical location. This may bring about some puzzles in our minds as the search for a geographical location of God will tantamount to become a futile one. God dwells in heaven, and heaven is a state. Therefore, the question of where the saints are is the question as regards their status. Their status is purity. They have been made pure by God. God is purity himself, and anyone who hopes in Him he purifies (cf. 1John 3:3).

WHY are they called saints? These are those who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are called saints because they are pure and have made themselves pure through the lives they lived while on earth; a life of witnessing to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The whiteness of their robes is a signification of their victory, the victory gained from their love for purity.

HOW did they make it? They made it through the life of blessedness. They are those who have lived a blessed life; the life of the beatitudes, and hence have received their reward in heaven. The Gospel (Matt 5:1 -12a) dwells on this blessedness. The word blessed which is used in each of the beatitudes is a very special word. It is the Greek makarios. Makarios is the word which best describes the gods. The saints are godlike. Makarios describes too that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.

Sainthood is a life of blessedness, where the saints sing continuously the hymn of unending joy. This hymn which they sing is a triumphant one which ascribes salvation to God. It is God who has brought them through their trials and tribulations, and it is his glory which now they share. God is the great deliverer of his people. The saints are those who have endured many kinds of trouble and distress, and yet remain erect in God all through them because of which they now share in His glory.

As pilgrim Church on earth, we must imitate these saints in these five-finger questions. To the question of who the saints are, we must struggle to live lives that can lead us into becoming canonizable saints in the Church through our perseverance in the virtues of Jesus Christ. To the question of what they do, we must here on earth constantly and tirelessly sing and praise the Almighty God in adoration and perfect worship to him. To the question of where they are, we must make assiduous effort to always be in the presence of God. We must be zealous to go the house of God, which is the place we can find living saints in great numbers. The condition for joining the community of saints there in heaven is that we must have been acquitted with the community of saints here on earth. To the question of why they are saints, we must endeavour to endure our crosses, carrying them and following the cross, knowing richly well that if there is no cross, there will be no crown. And lastly, to the question of how they made it, we must make effort to live lives of blessedness (poor in spirit, pure in heart, peacemakers, merciful, mournful, martyrs, etc), in the consciousness that such lifestyle catapults us into the highest form of happiness which is in God. That is when you have truly become a makarios. Thus, I will be most happy to address all those who are reading this homily as makarios, in such a way that it becomes your title. Myself I wish too that you address me as makarios Onyeka. This I wish myself and you on this day as I abandon myself totally to the grace of God. I wish it to you even more. God bless you.

GOD CAN USE BASKETS TO DRAW WATER SO AS TO SHAME BUCKETS

HOMILY FOR THE 31^ST SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

 

God is at work. He works in ways that humans may find difficult to fathom. He is able to make stones which are non-living things to cry out and praise him (cf. Luke 19:40). God crosses and destroys the boundaries separating what humans think as the clean and the unclean. The very second sentence of the First Reading (Wisdom 11:22-12:2) tells us that God can do all things, and He overlooks the sins of people that they may repent. The story of Zacchaeus leads us to a greater knowledge of how God overlooks the sins of people. This is how our God works. He can reach out to that person that has been rendered insignificant. He can cuddle and saddle that person who has been branded a sinner. From the dust he lifts up the lowly, from his misery he raises the poor. The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14). He manifests great interest in the poor and the sinner.

In the Gospel (Luke 19:1-10), Jesus makes his journey into Jericho, the city that would usher him into Jerusalem from where he ‘would not come out.’ Jesus has taught in many cities and regions. He has performed many miracles, and so was well-known all around the district. The people of Jericho must have also heard of him and all the good things he has been doing. Little wonder, there were many people eager to see him. There was a crowd, and each one desiring to get the attention of Christ. However, it baffles me that Jesus’ attention was drawn to a man, Zacchaeus. This man caught the attention of Christ. He climbed a tree to have a clearer vision. Christ went straight to him, spoke to him, became his guest and restored him to wholeness (salvation). There is indeed joy over one repentant sinner. Jesus has come for the sinners and not for the righteous. Jesus knows the one that needs Him the most, and not the ones that need him for integrity or for raising of social status or class. Some were there to identify with Christ so as to prove to others that they are people of class and ought to be respected, where as some were there to identify with Christ because they are in need of salvation.

a) Appreciating the reaction and the virtues of Zacchaeus

Climbing the sycamore tree

In his effort to see Christ, Zacchaeus faced many challenges. First is the decision to join those who are eager to meet with Christ. Remember, he was a man of great wealth, and we know what wealth can do to the person. It can make one pompous, arrogant, proud, and insensitive. These were most probably what Zacchaeus must have conquered within himself having made the decision, which was very courageous to come out in search of a glimpse of Christ. His height was a great challenge to him. He was a man of small stature and this made it so difficult to see beyond the person standing in front of him. And upon that, there was a great number of people; a crowd. All these were faced by Zacchaeus and he never gave up, but persisted in seeing Christ. He went beyond the crowd. He overcame the shortcomings of his height, and sought for help. Many of us easily give up when experiences of life challenge our faith. Zacchaeus surmounted all these challenges, and then met Christ. He no longer had a glimpse of Christ, but became his host. Hence, one can say that where as others were merely making efforts to see Christ, Zacchaeus made an extra effort by climbing the tree.

Climbing the sycamore tree can represent an ascent of faith. It can represent an ascetic endeavour to meet Christ, since no climbing is devoid of work. Climbing the sycamore unveils to us that a leap of faith is needed in our search for Christ. It also tells us that some form of work is needed to be done. You need human effort to meet God. Granted, God comes to us and stretches out his hands to help us; but we need to go to him too and stretch out our hands to be helped. Our effort must go beyond the ordinary.

Being a host of Jesus

When Jesus told Zacchaeus to climb down for he must stay in his house, Zacchaeus never grumbled. He never made any revolting excuse or postponement. He accepted in joy and happiness. Jesus needed to go to his house to give him a holistic restoration. Being a host to Jesus gave Zacchaeus the opportunity to become a saved person, and not just an interlocutor of Jesus. It gave him the opportunity to examine his past life all these years and to reject fraud. Many of us have tried to reject Jesus when he stays at our door post and knocks. Many have given excuses to Jesus who continually desires us to be our host. One thing is sure. If you host Jesus, he must expunge sins and vices from your life and inject wholesomeness.

Giving all he had

Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. These were the words of Zacchaeus. He gave practically all he had. First, he promised to give out half of all he has. If he does this, half will be left out. And remember, all he has comprises of what his job gave him and the ill-gotten ones. From that half, he pays back in four-fold to all he may have defrauded. If he does this, nothing practically remains. Hence, he has given out all he has because he has encountered Christ. No one encounters Jesus and remains the same. Encountering Christ must cost us something. However, it is in losing our lives that we regain them, and anyone who lives earthly possessions and follows the Lord will receive them in hundred fold. Many times, we claim to have encountered the Lord; yet there is not yet any palpable change. This is because we have so blocked our hearts against conversion. We claim to be Christians; yet there is no spirit of generosity or charity in us. We are stingy with the time, talents and treasures God gives us. We neglect others, and even feed fat from their pockets. As those who are in-charge of one particular group or another in the Church, how do you handle the donations of people? Do you use church posts and positions as a means of defrauding others?

b) Appreciating the action and the virtues of Jesus Christ

Spotting out and going to Zacchaeus...

God sees the deepest depths of our hearts. He knows those who really seek Him in spirit and in truth. He goes to them. Amidst the number of people scrambling to see Jesus, Jesus knew whom he needed to go to. He went straight to the short man. The wonderful nature of our God is that he comes to us always. He desires to be our guest. He desires to restore us. He desires to console us. He does not want to see us in the pains of sin, or under the slavery of Satan. I pray that the Lord locates you in your difficulties and in your search of him today, for the son of man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). If you consider yourself lost, be hopeful, for the Lord is very much interested in you. He comes to you today. Just be ready to come down from the sycamore tree.

Neglecting the murmuring of the crowd

The crowd murmured on seeing how Jesus was interested in Zacchaeus. They were murmuring because they repudiated Zacchaeus. They were murmuring because some thought they were more worthy to have a chat with Christ and to receive Christ in their homes. But the action of Christ embarrassed their thoughts. Their murmuring meant nothing for it was neglected. Divine visitation and restoration does not hinge on its general acceptability by all. Zacchaeus was not moved by this crowd. The Lord knows the best decision to take. However, if Zacchaeus was not strong enough, he may have moved by the murmurings of these people. Thank God he was not moved for he knew what he wanted from the Lord. When the Lord locates you, people must murmur. When they murmur, the Lord remains steadfast to his will. He does not change his divine plan due to these noise makers. And if the Lord remains faithful, we must be faithful. We must build coatings around us to withstand the pressures that come from the crowd. The crowd can represent distractions, obstacles, bad advisers, and evil tormentors. Remember, if God is with us, even if anyone be against us, he strives in vain. Do not always expect everyone to be happy with you, even when you are doing the good. But you that murmur, I enjoin you today to learn how to appreciate the good things God does in the life of your brother; otherwise your murmur may be turned into torture.

Salvific restoration

Today, salvation has come to this house. Jesus’ stay with Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus host of Jesus, and his acceptance of Jesus has made salvation to come to his entire household. The presence of Jesus makes possible what is humanly impossible. He gives his salvation to the broken hearted. He not only gained conversion but also salvation. That is the highest possession. He is now free to fly beyond the skies since he has no other entanglements. He has freed himself of all distractions and has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord. Thus, he becomes a son to the father of faith. He too is a son of Abraham. This means that all of us are in the pale of God’s chosen people. We are all God’s children. Zacchaeus has now been made clean, which is actually what his name means.

Yes, God raises the lowly to shame the strong (Luke 1:52). He can draw water with a basket to shame the bucket. Let no one think that God does not love the other person beside him/her. God can select the stupid to stupefy the wise. May we reflect on these words as I wish you a blessed week ahead. God bless you.