THE LEGACY OF THE EUCHARIST

HOMILY FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY (MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER)

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Today, we begin the Paschal Triduum -the highest point of our Christian mystery and faith. The Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper and reaches its culmination in the Easter vigil, as it closes with the evening prayer of Easter Sunday. Today is known as Maundy Thursday, and as a day in the Holy week, it is also called Holy Thursday. The Holy mass this evening is celebrated to commemorate the Lord’s Supper. In it are two important replays. Firstly, it commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the disciples, during which there was the institution of the Holy Eucharist, and was then accompanied by those gracious and compelling words: Do this in memory of me. (This forms the background of the Chrism Mass celebration wherein the Bishop blesses the oils of the sick, of Catechumen and of the Chrism, and wherein there is a renewal of the priestly promises. The Chrism Mass is actually a Holy Mass that celebrates the institution of the sacrament of Holy Orders which is the twin sacrament of the Eucharist.) The Chrism Mass celebrates the Priesthood as the evening Mass celebrates the Eucharist; both are inseparably united.

Secondly, it is a liturgical replay of the event of the washing of the feet where Jesus showed the Eucharist and the Holy Orders as sacraments of service and ministration. The priest then is the servant (i.e minister) of the Eucharist as the latter becomes the unction for the priestly ministration. After the washing of feet, Jesus concluded with again those gracious and compelling words: you ought to wash each other’s feet. The actions of Christ on this day all ended with some compelling words; in fact a sort of command to the disciples to prolong the act. Little wonder then ‘Maundy’ as a word is derived from the Latin word for ‘command.’ Hence, Maundy Thursday reminds us of the command of Jesus to prolong his life of sacrifice and service in the Eucharist. Unlike the Synoptic gospel writers, the Gospel of John has no account of the Last Supper. But we cannot because of this absence say that the Institution of the Eucharist on this day has no popular attestation. The absence of the last supper in that gospel is replaced with the Eucharistic gesture of washing of the feet, which opens our minds on how the Eucharist ought to transform our lives towards humility and service.

1. The Gospel (John 13:1-15) concludes with these words: for I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you. In the Eucharist, Jesus offers Himself. In the washing of the feet, Jesus shows us the importance of service and humility. So the Eucharist is a call on all Christians to offer the self for the sake of others, as the washing of the feet is a call on all Christians to offer the self in service. Through the act of washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus leaves for us an example as well as a principle which we are meant to live out. And this principle is that of love, service and sacrifice. In the Eucharist are all these principles. This is the legacy Jesus has left for us: love, service and sacrifice. This is evident in the readings of today. The First Reading (Exod. 12:1-18.11-14) is a prefiguration of the memorandum of the Eucharist in the New Testament. The injunction, this day shall be a memorial day and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord connects to the Second Reading’s (2 Cor. 11:23-26) do this in memory of me. All the three are in the form of command; a eucharistic command that is very significant for every generation. It is a command to maintain the legacy of the Eucharist.

2. God wants us to maintain the legacy of his love for us. In Jesus, we meet that supreme legacy which has lasted for thousands of years. Are we not then bound as Christians to extend this legacy? The action of the master is an example of humility, condescension, and love; would it not be nice to allow these virtues to manifest in our life? The legacy Jesus has left for us is indeed super!!! Perhaps at this point, the questions that we may be happy to ask ourselves are: What legacy am I to leave for the future; for humanity? For what will I be remembered after I have passed on? Can anyone be keen to maintain or to live out that which I regard now as my future legacy? It is indeed true that most people work so hard to be remembered for things that pass away, while neglecting those virtues that really make us humans. Remember, it is when we have lived well that we can, like Jesus unequivocally tell those behind us to do something in memory of us and to make sure the legacy we fought for is maintained. However, it must all boil down to love, service and sacrifice.

3. Everyone would desire to be remembered after death. We do not want our struggles to be in vain. There was this story of a dying man who was on his deathbed. Numerous people were present to lead him home gently. But when He looked up gently and thinking that all his employees were present unconsciously asked: why are all of you here? Who is then taking care of the company? This is how human beings may want their efforts not to pass on with them, but to pass on into others. It would indeed be very nice if we decide today to work so as to pass on virtues and ideologies that will shape the future of our society and our children in righteousness and peace. We need to experience the contentment that ought to come with the death of Christ’s followers: having suffered with Him, we shall also reign with him (2 Tim 2:12).

4. We are left to imagine the life replays and memories that go with the last minutes of one’s earthly life. These replays and memories ought to be accompanied with some feeling of contentment and peace. What guarantees this is the amount of lives we have been able to touch positively. It is now time to start touching lives positively. Jesus lived well, touched many lives, and encouraged his disciples and us to continue with this loveliest of all legacies he has left: do this in memory of me. In the Eucharist is great power. He knows that in this legacy is power, and living our lives by this instruction gives us the same courage and equanimity with which Christ embraced death. Is it not true that the way we live now may have to confront us during our last minutes? May the Last supper of Christ be our consolation and strength. Amen. Yes, we shall continue to do it in memory of Him. God bless you.

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS

REFLECTION AT THE ECUMENICAL SERVICE IN ST. RUFUS CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, KEITH (17/04/2019)

REV. FR. PETER EZEKOKA

I once had a student whose sole reason for not venturing into Medicine and Surgery as an area of specialization was that he couldn’t stand the sight of blood. Some of us, like that boy cannot also stand the sight of blood. But here in Jesus, we see someone who not only stood the sight of blood, and of course the blood that was his own, but also offered that most precious blood for our well-being. In the Old Testament, there was this sacredness attached to blood. The atoning power of every sacrifice was the blood (Lev. 8:15; 9:9). For the mosaic law, when an animal is sacrificed, its blood must be sprinkled on those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified. Nearly all things required cleansing with blood according to the law, and as the writer to the Hebrews said in 9:22, unless blood is poured out, no forgiveness takes place. Even the misuse of blood was punishable by death (Lev. 17:10). In Leviticus 17:11, the soul of the flesh is the blood. Blood was very sacred. Of course, we know that when a thing is made rare, or severely restrictive as to its use, its value increases. It is the will of God then that blood would not be viewed as something of ordinary value, but as precious, valuable and sacred. And as we must think, this sacredness of blood in the OT was pointing to the most exalted purpose the blood of Jesus Christ would serve.

The manner of Christ’s death was the manner of sacrifice. The body was placed on that wood made in a cross form, and its many parts perforated; and the blood poured out like a libation. He poured out this human blood to guarantee our justification (cf. Rom. 5:9), such that there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ (cf. Rom. 8:1). The blood of Jesus became the supreme offering to God. The payment for sin is death, but the ransom for this imprisonment caused by sin is the grace offered by that blood sacrifice on the cross. Thus, the blood was not only sacrificial, but also covenantal. If there is no blood, there will be no bond. The blood of Jesus bonds us to God. The offering of an animal or even our own death are not sufficient sacrifices to pay for sin. Such an atonement requires a perfect, spotless sacrifice, offered in just the right way. It is Jesus the Christ who became that perfect God-man that released us from the shackles of sin and death to the state of grace, whose blood, according to Romans 3:25 reconciled us to God; and in 1 Pet 1:18-19 paid for our ransom. In Hebrews 13:12, that blood sanctifies us. And in Ephesians 2:13, that blood opens for us the way to the presence of God. May we not forget that this blood pleads more insistently than Abel’s blood (cf. Heb. 12:24). And in Col. 1:19-20, it assures our peace. In Revelations 12:11. it was by virtue of this blood that the enemy was completely overcome. Indeed, worthy is the lamb that was slain who by his blood ransomed men for God (cf. Rev.5:9).

Perhaps at this point, we may want to remind ourselves of those three basic functions of the human blood to the body. As a body fluid, blood delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells and helps to regulate the body temperature. Similarly, in the spiritual realm, the blood of Jesus delivers the necessary divine virtues into the entirety of our being. These virtues are needed for a good relationship with God and with fellow human beings. The blood of Jesus helps to remove from our lives those vices that might harm our souls; it has a cleansing power. In 1 John 1:7, the blood cleanses us from all sins. The blood of Jesus helps to regulate and maintain some balance in our inner spirit so that it is neither lax nor scrupulous, thirsting for God in a very humane manner and accommodating one another in the spirit of Christ.

I once had a friend who passed on simply because the blood that should have matched his own blood group was not made readily available. And I ask myself: is this how important the blood is to the human body? If there is no blood, the consequence becomes death. Surely, each one of us here has got his/her own blood group which are basically classified into four. We know how it can be life threatening, for example if someone with blood group B is given group A blood; the Anti-A antibodies will attack the group A cells. Is it not then true that sometimes, human beings act like these antibodies, attacking one another and not being able to co-exist in this one planet, earth? Here comes the relevance of the blood of Jesus that serves as a perfect match to every blood group. So, whether you have blood group A or B or O or even AB, the Blood group J is your perfect match. In Jesus is peace. In Jesus, there is no Jew or gentile.

His blood is a perfect match for every one of us: the African, the American, the European, the Asian, the Australian, the Scottish, and of course, the Nigerian.  His blood is a perfect match for all churches and ecclesial communities. And you know what? This blood is readily available, and there is no need running helter-skelter to get it, because it has been gracefully embedded in our souls. All we need do is to tap it in prayers and good works and watch as it flows in us. The blood of Jesus is the sign of our unity, love and peace. It is the most powerful blood in history that is indeed also beyond history. His blood is the perfect match.  Nothing but the blood of Jesus. During this Holiest of all weeks, would it not be nice and indeed a great opportunity for us to renew the power and efficacy of this blood in our lives, and as a worshipping community? May this Holy and most precious blood of Jesus shed for us purify us, sanctify us, preserve us, protect us, unite us and make us peaceful now and always. Amen. God bless you.

THE CONSPIRACY OF BETRAYAL

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE PASSION SUNDAY, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

It is Palm Sunday. It is a day in the Church’s calendar when we are reminded of the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem; a place known as the tomb-city of the prophets. It was a very noisy day as many people took to the street to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. The reception offered to Jesus implies that he was already well known by the people as their messiah (a political one) who would cause their political liberation. We remember King Jehu who was offered such similar honour at his coronation (cf.2 Kings 9:13). They may have wanted to re-enact this history as to crown Jesus the political warlord who would initiate a riot for liberation. However, they totally lost it as Christ was meant to be a spiritual messiah; this they failed to recognize. They spread their cloths on the road, as many cut branches from the trees (John identifies this as palm).

1. It is from the actions of this crowd that PALM SUNDAY is so named.. According to Luke, as they did this, they heralded: Blessings on the king who comes in the name of the Lord. (cf. The Gospel of the commemoration of the Lord into Jerusalem; Luke 19:28-40) This reflects the prophecy of Zechariah in 9:9: rejoice O Jerusalem and be glad for her, behold your king comes to you, lowly and riding on a donkey; on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Today, these palms we hold are signs of our martyrdom in Christ. These are signs of our victory over suffering, pains and sin. We are victors and no longer victims. We represent those saints in Rev. 7:9 who held palm branches in their hands shouting: salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the lamb. 

2. As the people were shouting to the praise of the king, the Pharisees were complaining and conspiring on how to kill him. We are well aware of the conspiracy of silence, but have we thought about the conspiracy of betrayal? When there is a sort of agreement between persons not to discuss some matters or reveal any information concerning it with some egotistic aims in mind, that is conspiracy of silence. But sometimes, this conspiracy of silence could criss-cross with the conspiracy of betrayal. The conspiracy of betrayal is a situation whereby two or more persons come together to plan for a way of pulling another person down for a narcissistic interest. Those Pharisees wanted the disciples of Jesus to keep silence for their selfish interest, while already on their plans with Judas Iscariot to hand Jesus over to them.

3. The conspiracy of betrayal tends not to see the good but to magnify the bad. Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees showed he knew their plans: I tell you, if these keep silence, the stones will cry out. They were uncomfortable with the popularity Jesus was gaining and tried to suffocate his goodness so as to blow those already-planned evil accusations against him. They tried to shut goodness up so as to magnify lies. Here lies the conspiracy which tries to say: good has to be quenched and evil blown. Sometimes, people tend to be quick to blow the bad side of others, while being very miserly about the good side. We may sometimes have this inclination to see evil more than we see goodness, or to talk about people’s weaknesses more than their strengths. Can this not be regarded as the conspiracy of betrayal? Now and again, we may find ourselves repeating the mistakes of the Pharisees who never wanted to hear the good side of Jesus because they wanted to blow evil lies about him.

4. The conspiracy of betrayal demonstrates itself in flattery. Imagine the conspiracy involved in Judas’ betrayal of his master Jesus: Judas, are you betraying the son of man with a kiss? (cf. The Passion according to Luke 22:14-23:56). This was the question Jesus asked Judas. The conspiracy of betrayal comes with flattery. Just as the Pharisees began in the First Part by calling Jesus ‘Master’, so Judas has come with the purported gesture of love. Having made secret plans with the Jews, he tried to cover his cunning intent with a lovely gesture. This is the highest point of betrayal: When betrayal disguises itself as love and affection. By using a kiss as a signal for arrest, Judas perverts a gesture for friendship. Even my friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted up his heels against me (cf. Ps. 41:9).

5. Okonkwo had two sons in his household –Ikemefuna and Nwoye. Nwoye was the legitimate son of Okonkwo, as Ikemefula who was fatherless and had come from another village. There was a plot by the people of Umuofia to kill Ikemefula. Two days before the execution of the evil plan, Ogbuefi Ezendu, one of the elderly men went to Okonkwo and said to him: “that boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death.” Okonkwo was surprised, and was about to say something when the old man continued: “Yes, Umuofia has decided to kill him. The oracle of Hills and Caves has pronounced it. They will take him outside Umuofia as is the custom, and kill him there. But I want you to have nothing to do with it. He calls you father”. The next day, a group of elders from the nine villages of Umuofia came to Okonkwo’s house early in the morning to dispose Okonkwo about their plan for tomorrow. When they went away, Okonkwo called Ikemefuna and told him that he was to be taken home the next day. Nwoye overheard it and burst into tears. As for Ikemefuna, he was at a loss. His own home had gradually become faint and distant. He still missed his mother and his sister and would be very glad to see them. The next day, the men returned with a pot of wine and all other instruments needed for the execution. Okonkwo got ready quickly, and the party set out with Ikemefuna carrying a pot of wine. A deathly silence descended on Okonkwo’s compound. Even the very little children seemed to know. Throughout that day, Nwoye sat in his mothers hut and tears stood in his eyes. As they approached the outskirt of the village, Ikemefuna heard a whisper close behind him and turned around sharply. The man who had whispered now called out aloud, urging the others to hurry-up. “We still have a long way to go”, he said. Then he and another man went before Ikemefuna and set a faster pace. Thus, the men of Umuofia pursued their way, armed with sheathed machetes, and Ikemefuna, carrying a pot of wine on his head, walked in their midst. Although he had felt uneasy at first, he was not afraid now. Okonkwo walked behind him. He could hardly imagine that Okonkwo was not his real father. One of the men behind him cleared his throat. Ikemefuna looked back, and the man growled at him to go on and not stand looking back. The way he said it sent cold fear down Ikemefuna’s back. His hands trembled vaguely on the black pot he carried. Why had Okonkwo withdrawn to the rear? Ikemefuna felt his legs melting under him. And he was afraid to look back. As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand.  He heard Ikemefuna cry, “my father, they have killed me!”, as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo took out his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of been thought weak (cf. Chinua Achebe, Things Fall apart).

6. Remember, betrayal is destructive, but to be betrayed by a close person destroys faster. Was it not the last dagger by Brutus that brought Caesar down? Even you Brutus? Is it not the last cut of Okonkwo that killed Ikemefuna? That boy calls you father!!! How many times have we daggered others who think us to be the last chance for their survival and protection? How many times have we betrayed others who helped us? How many times have we disappointed those who call us fathers and mothers? How many times have we betrayed the zeal of those who look up to us as their mentors? Yes, there are indeed many ways we betray ourselves. Many have betrayed friends through denials and disappointments. Many have disappointed partners through fake marriage promises. Many have betrayed parents through wayward lifestyles. The words of Psalm 55:12-14 continues to ring in our ears: if it were an enemy who betrayed me, I could bear it...but you, a person of my own rank, a comrade and dear friend, to whom I was bound by intimate friendship in the house of God. May the Lord give us, as the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-7) says a well-trained tongues and well-opened ears to discern and never to be shamed in our Christian faith. May the palms we hold today as great sacraments of our victory remind us of our fame in Jesus. Amen. God bless us as we step into the Holy Week. 

WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO THROW THE STONE?

HOMILY FOR THE 5TH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The Gospel Reading (John 8:1-11) relates the incident concerning the woman caught in adultery. Here again, there is a notable departure from the Gospel of Luke for year C. The Church is once more making a leap into the Gospel of John to bring out that important lesson we need to take in as the season of Lent gradually wraps up: the need to look more inward and to delete the inclination of the condemnation of others. This is the need to look to our own sins and faults, work on ourselves and in such a spirit can we correct one another sincerely. The setting of this story as related by John is quite interesting. Early in the morning, as Jesus came again to the temple to teach those who had come to listen to him, the scribes and the Pharisees brought this woman caught in adultery for judgment. Here come the initial errors that readers often overlook about this story. Now, notice the first error. The temple was not the place of judgment but the place of teaching and prayer. Yet, these men chose the temple as a place of passing judgment on this woman. Jesus was teaching as they entered with the woman. This was a planned act. The second error is this. That case was meant to be addressed by the assembly of judges, the Sanhedrin. These men knew that Jesus was not one of the judges of the Sanhedrin and he was not even a judge, yet they wanted him to rule over a case. And there is the sense of flattery in the title they gave Jesus: ‘teacher’. Again, is it not ambiguous that this teacher was given the duty of a lord (judge/justice). It all means that there are already many foul plays at the beginning of this very story that even without the writer’s commentary of ‘they said this to test him’ (v. 6), one could easily notice that the whole story was a trap for Jesus.

1. There are three categories these men presented to Jesus: the woman, her sin and the law. ‘This woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now, in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women.’ The first question comes: what of the man? Remember, it takes two to tangle. But they had totally acquitted the other partner (the man) or they may claim as the evil elders of Daniel 13:39 that the man was so swift to run away. We already sense injustice in such a law that is gender discriminative. Her sin was adultery and supposedly the law was that she would be stoned. Jesus at this point faces great dilemma. He has to choose between declaring the woman free (and that would imply a public and total disregard of the law of Moses) or approving of the death of this woman (which would imply a total disregard of his ideals and message as the friends of sinners, and very importantly a possible clash with Rome for approving a capital punishment that they had not sanctioned). He cleverly dodged these two options and was not caught in the web.

2. Jesus was/is the fulfillment of the laws of Moses. His law is love and his gospel is peace. He is a friend to the sinner who runs to him for consolation. He does not despise the sinner. We must be aware that people’s or the law’s condemnation of us does not mean Christ’s condemnation. He loves the sinner who approaches him even in the moment of his/her lawful execution. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:1). If we strive for righteousness, we go through Jesus. The law cannot acquit us; only the grace and mercy of God can. This is why we must continue to deepen our faith in Jesus. The Second Reading (Phil. 3:8-14) was clear about it that the righteousness we strive is that based on the faith in Christ, and no longer on the law.

3. Without uttering any word, Jesus simply bent down and wrote with his finger. And as they kept on questioning, there came out one of those powerful words of Jesus: let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. This may have carried a reference to the Law of Moses. Deut 17:7 acknowledges that those who are witnesses to an accused person have responsibility for that person’s death. He bent again and wrote on the ground. Perhaps, the most popular explanation of what Jesus was doing emerged from some translations offered by earlier manuscripts. The Armenian translates that Jesus wrote with his finger to declare their sins. This is most likely to be true. The Greek word used katagraphein implies ‘to write a record against someone’ as opposed to the word graphein (to write). Thus, it may be true that with that method, Jesus brought them face to face with their own sins, reminding them and us that those who live in glass houses need not throw stones.

4. And as we can imagine, they started to wait for the one who would be the first to throw the stone, and when no one could, they left one by one in disgrace. The table was turned around. They came to discover ways to disgrace Jesus but ended up disgracing themselves. When Jesus got up and discovered that they were all gone, he reminded the woman that this is another chance that God had offered her, so she should not sin again. Jesus did something new in her life on that day. This is an individual fulfillment of the collective promise made by God to the people of Israel in the First Reading (Isaiah 43:16-21). The Lord desires our newness and cleanness. So, when we are made clean, we have the duty to strive and maintain the purity. Is this not the kernel of the message? To whom much is given, much is expected. Forgiveness should stir in us more zeal and love for righteousness. It should uproot from us the readiness to throw stones and implant in us the readiness to forgive and help.

5. Who among us would be the first to throw stones on the sinner today? We can indeed be stone-throwers. Consider the sins inherent in the desire to stone this woman. The first was this horrible sin connected with the way these men had treated this woman. They had simply used her. They thought they could use her to entrap Jesus. She would have been just like bait to fishermen. To use people this way is very despicable. This is using people as means to some ends. Their end was to catch and kill Jesus; and thought they could use this woman to achieve their plan. This is bad. And indeed, it is a pity today that some of us repeat this same despicable sin of these men. We use people for our selfish ends, and many times do not even recognize that as being sin at all. We project the goods of others when we know we are actually working towards our selfish interest.

6. The second was the sin connected with the way they treated Christ. They came to Jesus with some flattery (‘teacher’) even when they knew that their sole desire was to kill him. Dostoyevsky once said that there is nothing easier in the whole world than flattery. They thought that flattery would dispose Jesus to answer them. Most probably, Jesus was a threat to their credibility, integrity and honor. So, they wanted to get rid of him. And we too, sometimes act this way. We flatter for ulterior motives when we feel our honor is threatened. Sometimes, we find it hard to tolerate the sinner. Sin tends to stink when committed by another person. But it doesn’t stink when committed by us. We are perfectionist when measuring the faults of others, but become very liberal when confronting and examining ours. It is now time to be ready to give the same compassion, understanding and patience that we expect from people. And if there comes a time when we need to correct ourselves, we must discover the best act for doing so; the act of kindness and compassion.

We must not correct by throwing stones. We must encourage one another in the love of Christ. Do not throw stones. Instead, throw love, throw forgiveness, throw mercy, throw unity, throw understanding, throw humility, etc. Happy new week. God bless you.