COME AND SHARE IN HIS REVELATION

HOMILY FOR THE 14^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR, A

 

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The heart, not the head, is the home of the Gospel. It is not intelligence and brilliance which shuts out; it is pride. It is not stupidity which admits; it is humility. A man may be as wise as anything we can imagine, but if he has no humility, innocence and a childlike heart, he shuts himself out from the kingdom of God. We are all witnesses to the manner many of the world’s so-called intellectuals repudiate religion and God. We witness how it appears that the more one gets knowledge the more he sees no sense in the very thing that makes the highest sense; how he sees the piety for God as a business of those who are poor. The greatest undoing of this era seems to me to be how the rich and the intelligentia of the society consider religion, or particularly Christianity as meant for the materially poor in such a manner that when they are exhorted to be near the Church so as to be near God, they quickly think that they are being invited for material donations. It is the heart that is the home of the gospel, not the head, not money, and not power. If only we all could understand that we are poor in our different ways, then we may learn to grow humbler as we grow in material possession which is that which the world regards as success.

The Gospel of today (Matt 11:25-30) strikes the dagger point of what I have been struggling to say in the above paragraph. Realizing that we are all poor, regardless of the fact that some see themselves as above the Gospel, Jesus invites us to share in his revelation. Actually the whole verses of the Gospel can be read from the viewpoint of revelation. The episode (vv.25-30 can be broken into three distinct but inseparable parts: 

a) VV.25-26: Thanksgiving for revelation

b) V.27: Content of the revelation

c) VV.28-30: Invitation to revelation

Part A

Jesus’ declaration was one of thanksgiving to God who has hidden the contents of revelation from the wise and learned, and has revealed them to little children. The questions are: who are the wise and learned? And who are the little children? 

On the one hand, the wise and the learned were those religious leaders and the scribes who saw themselves as the lords and masters of the law, and thus are unteacheable. For them, no one understands the dictates of God more than them. For them, they are the interpreters of the mind of God. For them, they alone are the saints while others are the sinners. For them, they alone can acquit or condemn any sinner. They would think that if God could decide to reveal himself to the world, the revelation must come through them. They are blind to the fact that Jesus is the messiah or the mediator between God and man.  In Matthew 23:4, the scribes and the Pharisees are known to be the people who tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their fingers.

We can have such individuals in our society today. This group comprises the self-righteous people who see themselves as the elects of God as others are the reprobates. For these people, others are sinners. Their knowledge of God is the ultimate. Nothing can you say about God counts for them. They can secede and be founders of their own churches because they do not see the Church as an umbrella and the great teacher of the faith. They would ask you in their minds: who are you to tell us about God; you who are a sinner? Such persons come to such having the spirit of division and segregation. They would not want to associate with a brother or sister because they have seen him/her take a bottle of Gulder. They would easily condemn that member of theirs who comes late for meeting without knowing the reason for the lateness. They are quick to condemn because in their minds, they are perfect. They only believe in themselves. Their greatest undoing is pride, selfishness and arrogance.

On the other hand, the little children are the disciples of Jesus. They are those who follow the Lord in sincerity and truthfulness. They are the ones as read in Matt. 13:10-11, who have been revealed the secrets of the kingdom of God. Jesus told Peter upon his confession of the Messiahship of Christ in Ceaserea Philippi: it is not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. Jesus makes it vivid that his disciples were the very first choice of God in revelation. He calls them little children in John 13:33. They are those babes and infants who the Lord has given the strength to destroy the enemy and the avenger in Psalms 8:2. They are those children crying out hosanna to the son of David in Matthew 21:16.

We still have such little children today. The little children today are those who do not see themselves as the only people that exist. They believe that they are because others are. They are intelligent yet humble. They are pious yet accommodating. They are holy, yet are friends of sinners. They do not segregate and condemn without discerning properly the situation. They see light in others. For them, they know nothing about God, and are zealous to learn and know more. In their zeal, just like the apostles, they are told more secrets of the kingdom. Even when they are gifted and talented, they remain with the Church and use their talents for the good of the Church. They work for unity and not disunity. Their greatest strength is humility in service.

Part B

What is the content of the Revelation? The first content is that all authority belongs to Christ. The second is that Christ is the sole mediator and revealer of God to men. No one can go the Father except through the Christ. The people were blind to God’s will of saving mankind. About these wise and learned, the scripture is clear: they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts (Eph. 4:18). They were ignorant that Jesus is of God; that he has received all things from God; that he is the revealer and that he is the saviour. I and the Father are one (John 10:30).  In the claim of no one knows the Father, Jesus asserts that he alone is the unique access of the knowledge and love of the Father. The love of the Father is to lift our burdens and make us energetic again for our journey of faith.

Part C

This part concerns the invitation to revelation. Jesus invites us to come and share in his revelation. Jesus in the invitation come to me speaks as wisdom personified.

The first question is: who is to come? Those who are to come are the weary and the burdened, the person who is exhausted and despaired, extremely tired and weighed down, ready to stop and collapse. Some of the things that exhaust us are: work (we are overburdened with too much to do), worldliness and carnality (fleshly pleasure), sin and guilt and the power of both, money and material possession and the unsatisfying spirit of both, fame and its emptiness, power and its loneliness, the rules and regulations that we strive so rigidly to keep.

The second question is: why should the over-burdened come to Christ? It is very simple. Christ will give them rest. No person has gone so far for Christ to inject his rest into him – only if we learn to call upon Christ. If anyone thirsts, let him go to Jesus and drink (John 7:37).

The third question is: what are the conditions for receiving this rest? There is only one condition: a person must simply come to Christ. Christ is the answer. Burdens make us weak, sluggish and dirty. They make people to avoid us less because of the tendency in those who are burdened to call others for help. Only Jesus can lift every burden without feeling any pains. He alone is eager to lift the burdens immediately we call on him.

In all, God has the power to render superfluous all those experiences that make us weird or afraid. God makes an option for the poor. Every one of us is poor in different ways. Some are poor intellectually, others are poor materially, others psychologically, others spiritually, and yet others in particularly situations that incapacitate us. We have the Christian obligation of going to Jesus whenever we feel despaired. There should be no form of pride in us, because all of us are actually the poor and the little children who partake of God’s revelation. We must strive to make ourselves little by imbibing the virtue of humility which is a virtue that uplifts and elevates. Pride goes before a fall. And when you think and pride your knowledge you lose sight of fresh ones, and deterioration sets in. But when you are open to gain knowledge, you grow more. The more you see yourself successful on earth, the more you learn to be humble and listen. The proud man does not listen, but the wise man listens and adds to what he knows.

May this virtue of humility reign in our human society, in our Church and in our hearts. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead. God bless you.

REFUGEE CRISIS AND A GLOBAL CALL FOR ACTION

The Situation…

It is not untrue that we are in crisis. A Nigerian soldier of about 40 years of age was narrating his experiences during one of the battles against the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency, which cannot easily be wiped out from the memory of every Nigerian. What touched him so much was the helplessness he saw in the people of Borno, togetherness with the hopelessness that they seemed to have worn on their bodies. Children were seen crying and no one seemed to have had the interest of calming them. No one remembered anything outside the untiring alertness to save oneself from death. People deserted their homes and in transit when darkness meets them, slept under trees and even on top of trees. There was no good water, no food, no shelter, as people were killed one after the other, which made many to even give up on the struggle for safety. It was a horrible experience for this soldier in the face of such displaced individuals. This is not just a story told in the national level but also told in the global level. Why would the nation not be called to act when human life suffers such a threat? Why would the world not be called to quick action in the face of such crisis that seriously knocks to erode the sacredness and dignity of the human person? Why would Non-Governmental Organizations not be alerted when such heinous crime is committed against human right? And why would ecclesiastical institutions not come in when such grievous sin is committed against the image of God (man)? We are all in this together. And we have to solve it together.

The Explication…

According to the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is any person who owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or owing to such fear is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or owing to such fear is unwilling to return to it {League of Nations Treaty Series Vol. 171, p.77}. This definition was later expanded to include every person who, owing to external aggression, occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order in either part or the whole country of origin or nationality, is compelled to leave his place of habitual residence in order to seek refuge in another place outside his country {Assembly of Heads of State and Government, 6th Ordinary Session 1969}. This definition unveils the causes of refugee crisis, and spells out the fact that being in such status results from fear and the protection of life.

The complication…

Despite the obvious risk faced by refugees seeking Asylum in various places all over the world, many of them have decided to rather die en route to their destination than remain in their country. In a more particular outlook, Nigeria amongst other African countries is currently experiencing an upsurge in refugee crisis because of the presence and activities of majorly, the Boko Haram terrorist group. According to the Integrated Regional Information Networks, there are 8,128 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon’s far North Region, with only 5,289 being registered. The presence of Boko Haram which is an Islamic terrorist group affiliated to international terrorist groups like al Queda and Isis in the Northeastern part of Nigeria has practically destroyed economic, and social growth in that part of the country, making majority of its residents to seek asylum elsewhere. Since 2009 when the country experienced an upsurge in these acts of terrorism, more than 20,000 persons have been killed and more than 2.3 million displaced of whom about 1.3 million are children. In 2014, 276 schoolgirls were reported to have been abducted from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. In 2015, the Global Terrorism Index named Boko Haram the world’s deadliest terror group, ahead of Isis. In a Northeast Nigerian aid camp, more than 1200 people have died of starvation and illness. One fifth of the 800 children suffered from malnourishment and almost 500 had died since entering the camp, Maiduguri is estimated to host between 1.2 million to 2 million refugees, in addition to these staggering facts, There are reports of food thefts, spread of communicable diseases, lack of proper medical health care, impoverished living conditions, diversion of funds, and terrorist infiltration in these camps. These are the ingredients which qualifies this refugee crisis as indeed a crisis unto the human race.

In consideration of a more general outlook, in April 2015, 5 boats carrying almost 2000 Migrants to Europe sank in the Mediterranean Sea, resulting to a combined death of more than 1200 persons. The dead included young women and children who were fleeing from Asian and African countries in the throes of genocidal warfare. From Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Eritrea, Sudan and Iraq they all sought to enter Europe in hope of economic safety and better life. Some from places like Syria fled from religious persecution, and terrorist occupation others from Egypt and Afghanistan in addition to terrorist occupation fled political and social unrest which has caused national instability.

The Implication…

In the first place and in consideration of the above particular outlook, the situation is vividly a very deplorable one for these refugees who have fled their homes. The internally displaced aid Camps set up by the Nigerian government has not met the needs of these refugees adequately, the conditions of these citizens forced to be refugees in their own country is a proof of the callousness and greed that has permeated the veins and marrows of the Nigerian structure. It is a big source of worry, when one imagines how Africa, and Nigeria in particular can take care of her refugees, when they have not been able to cater for citizens who are not refugees? This is a reason why many of these refuges are still trooping into the countries, where they opt to stay with friends and families while fending for themselves rather than remain in the refugee centers which has assumed the status of a dumping ground for forgotten victims of terrorist attacks. 

In the second place and in consideration of the above general outlook, the migration of refugees has led to an increase in human trafficking, exploitation of human labor, security threats, over-population of local demographics, lack of proper health care services and a breakdown of law and order, terrorists have been known to infiltrate countries under the guise of refugee status, unleashing mayhem on their unsuspecting hosts. This has led to a rise in Islamophobia because a greater percentage of these refugees are fleeing from Islamic countries. This explains the strict laws from their host Countries. Countries like Denmark, Hungary, Croatia, France and Sweden have adopted strict laws regarding the acceptance of refugees even those on transit. While other countries like Germany, Italy, Russia, and America have opened their doors to accommodate as much people as possible. Germany has been the most sought—after final destination in the EU migrant and refugee crisis.

The Deplication…

The threat and danger of displaced persons all over the world due to war, terrorism, poverty, and natural disaster has thus become an alarming problem in need of urgent global attention and action. The United Nations and the European Union have been the two most powerful organizations fighting for a positive global action towards refugee crisis. The United Nations in particular has been at the fore front of peace keeping and crisis resolution especially in places like Syria, Egypt, Libya, Iraq etc. this is to stop the migration of citizens in these countries to other places and to facilitate the return of those who have already migrated, secondly the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees {UNHCR} which is the UN refugee agency has protected and supported millions of refugees all over the world. They offer voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement to refugee. Its principal mandate is to provide, on a non-political and humanitarian basis, international protection to refugees and to seek permanent solutions to them. 

The European Union has also responsibly confronted the challenge of global refugee crisis especially within the European continent. In a press release given by the European commission on 9th September, 2015 in Strasbourg, the Commission outlined the measures and policies set in place to tackle the problem of global refugee crisis. This includes the promise to relocate 120,000 people in clear need of international protection from Greece, Hungary and Italy to other EU member states, a common European list of safe countries of origin, a more effective return policy, communication on public procurement rules for refugee support measures, addressing the external dimension of the refugee crisis, and setting up a € 1.8 billion trust fund for Africa in order to improve stability and address irregular migration in the Sahel, Lake Chad, Horn of Africa, and North Africa. 

In 2015, the EU was able to reach an agreement with Turkey to offer 3 billion Euros to the Turkish government over a period of 2 years to manage more than 2 million refugees from Syria who sought refuge in Turkey in return for curbing migration through Turkey to EU. Refugees under the 1951 convention relating to the status of Refugees have the right of return, right to no-refoulement, right to family reunification and right to onward movement. The Holy Father Pope Francis has been very consistent and forceful in his call for the acceptance and right treatment of refugees all over the world especially in Europe. He did this through integrating and offering assistance to refugees in the city of Rome. Since his accession to the Chair of St. Peter he has always washed the feet of refugees at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, A symbolic act of love which reminds World leaders of their duty to the less privileged and poor of the society. The pope has also called on world leaders to assist in ending global production of Arms and chemical weapons, the killing and persecution of religious minorities and all other actions which enhance global refugee migration and crisis.

Indeed, religion has offered a great deal to the refugee crisis. Many historians are of the opinion that religious fanaticisms ought to be addressed at least or even held responsible at worst for the global refugee crisis. Christianity, Islamism, Budhism, Confucianism, Hinduism must all donate their efforts in this fight against this cankerworm that is eating deep into the fabrics of our world.

The Occasion…

I have no occasion for this write-up if there is no refuge crisis in our globe. There is the need to calm the global refugee crisis in the face of the ever growing selfish individualism of the world, whereby no one seems to care about the other. Some countries abhor refugees for fear of issues of security or religious invasion. These are not excuses to shy away from the responsibility of caring for every human person. The need to be active in this refugee crisis is spelt out in Matt 25:35: for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in. These words should resound in the ears of the people of the world. Pope Francis calls the attention of the World to the present raging epidemic of hostility and indifference. He condemns the development which favors bureaucracy and organizational structures at the expense of the human person. The ongoing global refugee crisis is fostered by greed, ignorance and poverty which relegate the right and value of the human person. World leaders and all persons are thus called to hearken to the voice of good reason, of true conscience, and of sincere charity and stand with solidarity for the common good. This voice is in accord with the United Nations Declaration on human right.

Though various countries and organizations are making effort to end the global refugee crisis, such efforts must commensurate to the level of crisis currently going on. The global effort by UN, AU, EU and all other organizations must be sincere, just, urgent and humane, and must be unlike the politics being played by various countries over the current Syrian crisis. Those in charge of making global policies must recognize the deplorable condition and dangers which refugees are exposed to. They must recognize the pains, horrors, and sufferings of the people who appear in their manual as statistics. Those who support and make profits from global crisis through arms trade must desist from doing so. All the people of the world must be spurred by this personal dimension to take decisive and urgent actions to end global warfare and refugee crisis. Yes, together we help humanity.

Fr. Peter Ezekoka  (published in the WISDOM SATELLITE magazine, no. 39, June 2017/2018 edition )

HE WHO RECEIVES YOU RECIEVES ME...

HOMILY FOR THE 13^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

We live in a society that is gradually losing the sense of hospitality and appreciation. There is the need to emphasise on the practical and spiritual benefits of hospitality and appreciation. The way we receive others and the way we appreciate others based on favours received count in our journey of faith. Even before considering the realm of faith, no one enjoys been rejected as visitors. Every visitor has the desire to be welcomed warmly and desirously. You can discover how important warm welcome is when you find yourself as a visitor in another man’s land, or when you experience rejection from a home where you thought you should enjoy a pride of place. Everyone desires warm welcome. Beyond our status as humans, we are bound even more as Christians to show love to visitors. The topic of our homily today which came from the Gospel (Mat. 10:37-42) exposes the words of Christ: he who receives you receives me. Christ incarnates in every visitor and so, receiving ourselves in faith equals receiving Christ. Thus, from the foregoing, the two key words we need to delineate well are HOSPITALITY AND APPRECIATION (GRATITUDE).

However, before we enter deeply into the general sense of this reception and gratitude, let us point out from the Gospel the biblical context out of which the statement was made. In the Gospel, Jesus was specifically talking to his apostles about some mission requirements and approaches. Therefore, he was saying particularly that the one who receives the apostles who are the ministers of the good news receives him Jesus. He who receives a prophet because of who he is shall receive the reward of the prophet. Jesus desires that his ministers be received well by every home and be treated as such. You cannot tell the reward the minister has come with when you receive him well. You may have lost hope about a particular situation, and thereupon based your thought on another situation, without knowing that God in his prophet comes with the restoration of the favours of the first situation. When you receive a minister of God, you do great favours to God, to Christ, to the prophet and even to yourself. Luke 10:16 repeats these words but in another way: he who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but him who rejects him rejects him who sent him. The question that begs for answer is: What have you done for the minister of God who is at your reach?

WHAT IS THEN HOSPITALITY?

This is the act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting or entertaining guests. Hospitality begins from the heart; the heart that welcomes. We must make recourse to the First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11.14-16a) to discover the generosity the woman of Shunem gave to the Prophet Elisha. The woman of Shunem was so nice to the prophet. She always insisted that the prophet take some rest and eat in her home. As if this was not enough, she pleaded on the husband that they prepare a separate room for the prophet so that he could as well pass night whenever he came. The next time Elisha came, he found a room for himself and did not hesitate to pass the night. He thought to himself what he could do to reciprocate this gesture of hospitality to the family. He then sent his servant, Gehazi through whom it was discovered that they had no son. And Elisha gave to the woman the ‘prophet’s reward’ which was the promise of a son. There are three points I have drawn from the passage on the ingredients of hospitality.

 

1. The initiative came from the Shunemite woman. The woman was zealous and eager to feed the prophet with the meal she cooked. She constantly urged Elisha to come around. Hospitality ought to emanate from a free mind. It has to be fully from one’s free will, and not under duress. Hospitality ought not be forced. Whenever you find yourself being forced by whatever circumstance or person to bid welcome to a visitor (or a minister), then such hospitality has a poor foundation and may not have any spiritual reward. We may succeed in deceiving people that we are hospitable where we are actually being ostentatious and playing to the gallery, so as to be called nice.

2. She went an extra mile to arrange for accommodation. The woman was eager to exhibit more hospitality. She was not contended with simply offering food. She wanted to go beyond that and offer a place for the prophet to rest whenever he came around. Going an extra mile is a sure sign that hospitality is sincere. She recognized the holiness in Elisha and wanted to make this holiness saddle in her family. When hospitable families build houses, they plan for visitors’ apartment, but when selfish ones build, they only plan for the number of children they have. Have a space for the visitor, and treat him/her well. Who knows how you will be a visitor in no distant time. And remember, everyone is a visitor. We all are visitors on earth, and must treat one another as co-visitors, recognizing that I should trat the other the way I want to be treated.

3. She was not in expectant of any favour from the Prophet. The woman was simply moved out of her love for the work of God, for holiness and for the love of the prophet who does God’s work. Never did the Bible record that she was expecting a favour from the prophet. The favour she desired was just for the prophet to be comfortable in her home. She did not burden the prophet with her problems. Many times, we remember the prophets when we need family deliverance or one prayer or the other. Have you ever invited your priest over to your home just to have a lunch? You must know that every act of hospitality is rewarded. When you are hospitable, God designs his blessing for you. Be calm and wait on God.

The astounding truth is that a hospitable person shares in the word of God’s messenger when he receives and helps him. Every messenger must know also know his place in the heart of God. This message is a great confidence and assurance for messengers.

WHAT OF APPRECIATION/GRATITUDE?

The word appreciation is a noun of action; the act of estimating the quality and worth of something, with a sense of high estimation, a rise in value. It denotes an expression of favourable estimation. It has acquired a lot of meaning over time. It can mean an increase in price or value. It can mean having an understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something. It can also mean an expression of gratitude. However, from the etymology, the word simply connotes to add to price; appretiatus (pretium –price). This simply means that to appreciate is to express how a favour done to someone is held high in price. When we appreciate, we ascribe worth to the thing or person. There are some lessons we learn from Elisha.

1. Elisha did not reject her hospitality. Appreciation starts from accepting favours. When we intentionally reject an offer or favour, we reduce the importance of the person offering. Some persons hate it when the favours they give are rejected by the intended recipient. Rejecting favours can be a sign of enmity. So, we must be open to accept people and their sincere favours.

2. Elisha did not abuse his stay. When favours are shown to us, we must work hard not to abuse them by the way we lead our lives. We may scandalize the donor and at the end, the intended result is not achieved. Elisha maintained his holiness and never did he scandalize the family. Ministers today must work hard not to scandalize favours shown to them. When we receive favours, we must work hard to maintain our place for the sake of God for whom the favours were shown to us. This is a good way of showing appreciation to God and man.

3. Elisha was insistent upon appreciating the woman. The prophet showed gratitude for the hospitality of this woman. He insisted that the favour be rewarded. As ministers and as those who receive favours, never disregard gratitude when you have received one. Never forget to bless the one that favours or that have offered something to you for aid in your ministry. As a successful man today, take time and reflect the persons that have helped you in life, and if possible, go back to them and show some appreciation. Appreciation is rewarding and uplifting.

 

In conclusion, try and say thank you to that person from whom you have received a particular favour. Some persons tend to misunderstand gratitude and appreciation. Now, read on!!!

1. Saying thank you does not mean you cannot afford it. When I say thank you for what you have done for me, it does not mean I cannot provide that for myself. It only means that the Lord has given me what I can afford through another person, and I must thank the Lord and the person who was instrumental to this.

2. Saying thank you does not mean the other is greater than you. When I say thank you for what you have done for me, it does not place me beneath you, neither does it reduce my dignity. It only means that I have considered the greatness of God who has given me a gift through the other person who also has manifested his greatness before God by allowing himself to be used as a channel of upliftment.

3. Saying thank you does not make you a dependent. When I say thank you, it does not make me dependent on the human being who has shown that favour. It only means that I have acknowledged my dependence on God.

4. Saying thank you does not make you a weakling. When I say thank you, it does not make me a weakling; someone that cannot work and feed from the work of his hands. It only means that I have understood so well that no one is an island. We all need each other for mutual growth and development.

5. Saying thank you does not reduce the respect the other has for you. When I say thank you, it does not reduce my self-worth or esteem. It rather improves on it; confirming that I respect the other because I think the other respects me. Hence, I promote mutual respect among human beings.

Today, I say a very BIG THANK YOU for all of you who have been nice to me as a prophet of God. For all those who have assisted me and continue to assist me to answer God’s call and proclaim his message, may you all receive the blessing Elisha gave to the woman of Shunem. God will meet you at your points of need. Amen. I wish you a splendid week ahead. God bless you.

PETER AND PAUL, RESCUED FOR MISSION

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF SS. PETER AND Paul

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

It is not by birth but by their mission identity that they are celebrated as twins. Today, we celebrate the two great apostles of mission, Peter and Paul. Peter was chosen to be the head of the Church, and had the mission to preach the Gospel, especially among the Jewish communities. Paul became the chosen instrument of God to bring the Good news to the whole world. In their spiritual journey with the Lord, both experienced the gratuitous compassion and forgiveness of the Lord. Peter denied the Lord and three times and when he asked for pardon was forgiven. Paul persecuted the early Christian community, and on his way to Damascus was called, converted and forgiven. They are simply ancestors in the faith; the ones who have explained and handed over the message of Christ to us.

In the First Reading (Acts 12:1-11), we experience how Peter the Apostle was rescued from disgrace and shame of his persecutors. The last sentence of the reading made it very vivid: now, I am sure that the Lord has rescued me from the hand of Herod. As Herod was making his plans to use Peter as a source of firm and popularity, God was making plans to use the situation as a source of glory and testimony upon the life of his apostle, Peter. Peter was imprisoned by Herod, most probably to kill Peter as he thought that the killing of James was pleasurable for the people, whom he desires to get their allegiance. It is ungodly to play with the life of any human being on account of a selfish aggrandisement or ambition. Many lives have being destroyed because of the pride of place we allude to our personalities, positions of power or level of learning. We prefer to achieve what we desire by whatever means available. We must guide against such temptations that make us prefer our desires over human life and existence. As Herod imprisoned Peter, the Christians were in deep prayers for the life of Peter, and the Lord had to intervene. Our Christian communities must learn to join anyone that suffers in his/her suffering. We must learn to show empathy and sympathy for our brethren we share the faith with. How many of us have offered some prayers for the sake of persecuted Christians all over the world? The prayer of the community is efficacious. We have seen how the angel of the Lord rescued Peter, and Peter grew more in the consciousness of a God who loves and recues. It made him more zealous for the Gospel. When we show solidarity and compassion, we help to make the faith grow.

In the Second Reading (2 Tim. 4:6-8), we see how fulfilled the Apostle Paul was. He has fought a good fight of faith. He has preached to all people. He has converted many. He has also been shown great compassion by the Lord. According to Him: the lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully...I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. When we are with the Lord, we are sure of redemption. Paul also experienced the God that rescues his people. The Lord rescued Paul and was with him throughout his mission to the Gentiles. But what was Paul preaching to the Gentiles? One can summarize the preaching of Paul with the answer of Peter in the Gospel (Matt.16:13-19): you are the Christ the son of the living God. The apostle preached Christ who Himself was the kingdom of God made man. He preached the reign of this kingdom both on earth and in heaven. That was why he was sure that he having fought to establish this kingdom on earth has been given the ticket for the heavenly one.

Thus, from the Readings, we discover how God rescues and guides those He has called to himself; those who work for him. That is why the Psalmist unequivocally stated: from all my terrors, the Lord rescues me (Psalm 34:5b). May the Lord continue to give us the strength to tap from the riches of his redemption, love and compassion as we pass through the terrifying situations we have found ourselves in life. Amen. May my Patron Saints, Peter and Paul pray for us. Amen. Happy Feast Day.