A TRANSFIGURED YOU

 
HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD, YEAR A

Rev. Fr.  Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Owing to the current political situation of Nigeria, the feast of transfiguration reminds me of the famous and ruling political party today, the All Progressives Congress. The APC political party formed in 2013 has been well known for their change mantra. During the previous election in 2015, we experienced how this mantra was on the lips of almost everyone to such an extent that whenever and wherever APC is mentioned, what follows is the word change. The word 'change' became almost synonymous with the APC. The party was convinced that they were coming in to bring changes to the Nigerian governance and structure; they desired some change in the figure of Nigeria. This mantra became one of the leverages that guaranteed their success to the presidency. In the desire for positive change is the sowing of the seed of success. When you live a life of desirous change (transformation, transfiguration, metamorphoses), you plan to succeed. From the mundane experience of the APC and their success during that mundane election, we can imagine how successful we can be during the arcane (heavenly) election if we sound the positive change mantra in our spiritual lives. Can we really allow ourselves to experience and undergo some transfiguration?

THE PREREQUISITES: What can I do so as to be transfigured?

The story of the transfiguration of Christ is a household story for Christians. Christ took Peter, James and John up to the mountain, and there was transfigured. The apostles witnessed the transfiguration of Christ, but little did they know that it was a revelation of the glory that follows suffering, the dazzling and shiny nature acquired by those who undergo the sufferings of the cross of Christ. Thus the first prerequisite of transfiguration is to have the knowledge, endurance and confidence that transfiguration entails and involves suffering; that type of suffering that goes with and ends in glory.  and we all with unveiled faces reflect the glory of the Lord and are being transformed from glory to glory, which comes from the Lord who is Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18).

To be transfigured, we must follow Jesus. We must walk with him. We must climb the mountain stairs with him. We must exhibit total surrender. Our sense of the glory of God depends also on our doing the will of God in an intensive session of prayer and devotion. We then are to be transformed into the image of Christ; transformed in all his moral excellence. However, we must learn that the change is brought about by the Lord himself as we seek his face in prayer. When you distance yourself from the pattern of this world, you become transformed by the renewing of your mind, and then you are able to approve of what God’s will is –his good, pleasing, and perfect will (Rom. 12:2).

When we follow Christ, we see his face shone like the sun, and his garments as white as light. This is the transfiguration qua tale. Christ changed completely, and became transformed. This description aligns with the vision of Daniel in the First Reading (Dan. 7:9-10.13-14). This is actually a prefiguration of the transfiguration experience. Christ wore glory. John described this glory as the sun shining in all its brilliance (Rev. 1:16). Transfiguration leads us to beauty; we shine in our souls. Thus, to be beautiful in our souls, we must behold the transfigured Jesus. Our watchword becomes: transformation by beholding.

EXQUISITENESS OF THE TRANSFIGURATION: reacting to the extreme beauty of the transfiguration experience.

Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus. And Peter spoke about the building of three tents. Then a voice from the overshadowed crowd spoke up. Jesus consoled his apostles who buried their heads in fear, as he enjoined them to discretion. The appearance of Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophet) confirms the Messiahship of Christ and the fulfilment of the law and the prophets in Christ. To be transfigured, we must think, talk, and act through Christ for he alone is the messiah.

The apostles experienced God’s glory. They did not want to leave God’s presence again. The request of Peter is a request that hopes to extend their stay on the mountain. He now wanted to camp further therein; to continue to enjoy the peaceful, secured and perfect glory of the transfiguration. Peter however surrendered his will to God by adding if you wish. This tells us that we must surrender our human wills to God who knows the best at each moment of our earthly live.

The bright cloud was the shekinah of God’s presence. This crowd replaces the dark cloud of Exodus 19:18.20-21 that threatened Moses during the giving of the Old Covenant. This same cloud guided the Israelites out of Egypt and rested upon the tabernacle in Exodus 40:34-38. The shekinah glory is a light so glorious and brilliant that there is no need for a sun. It radiates splendour (cf. Rev. 21:11.23). Peter calls it majestic glory (cf. Second Reading 2 Pet. 1:16-19). Our transfiguration is a clothing ceremony. In it, we are clothed with the shekinah glory; the glory that dazzles evil. The voice confirms the Messiahship and the identity of Jesus, the one beloved son of God.

There was an intense fear because of the glorious experience. Jesus now stood alone. The representatives of the Old law and prophecies have faded away. The bondage, darkness and terror of the law were now gone. Christ replaces them and has stood ever since in the law’s place. The New covenant would soon be effective with its light, love and liberty. Our transfiguration is an experience of change; a change that moves us out of darkness, bondage, and terror and launches us into light, liberty and love.

Finally, it is true that the feast today talks of the transfiguration of the Lord, but we must not sidetrack the fact that Jesus was transfigured that we too might be transfigured. He took us to the mountain that we may take others up to the mountain of transfiguration. He showed us his transfigured identity that we too might show him and our neighbours our transfigured identity. He let us see the prophet and the lawyer that we too might see him as the fulfilment of them. He let us hear the voice of the father that we too might speak and be heard by the father. He let us to be awed for some moments that we may not trivialize his glory. He calms our fears that we might be strong enough to calm the fears of others. Having seen and witnessed the transfiguration of our Lord, will you too permit Jesus to witness your own transfiguration? Do enjoy your transfiguration week. God bless you.

DISCOVERING THE ULTIMATE TREASURE

 

HOMILY FOR THE 17^TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

There is a joy that follows every discovery. As a little kid, whenever we missed an item that we held very valuable, we cried and cried until we found it. If we were unable to find it even after our search, we employed the help of others. If the item was finally discovered, the joy that developed in us was unquantifiable. This is a childhood experience of the search of a hidden or lost treasure. But there are grades of treasures on earth that people often search for. For instance, when you search for knowledge and you get it, or you search for material possessions such as a car or a house and you get it, there is a form of gladness that enshrouds that achievement. These earthly possessions are treasures, but they are incomparable with the treasure that is the ultimate. When one gets at this treasure, he/she has achieved all others. Other treasures are bound to follow this ultimate treasure; the kingdom of heaven. Seek you first the kingdom of heaven and every other thing shall be added unto it (cf. Mat. 6:33). The readings of today demonstrate this search for a treasure that goes beyond all pleasures.

In the First Reading (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12), the Lord exhorts Solomon, the king of Israel to ask anything from him. Solomon recognized that he was a youth and had not enough knowledge to compare to the people he would rule over. He then asked for wisdom and understanding to judge and distinguish between right and wrong. What a superb request!!! The Lord was pleased with this request that he gave him all other things he did not ask for. In this parlance, Solomon sought for the best. We must recall that in the Old Testament, the fullness of revelation had not occurred; and therefore Solomon asked for the best. He asked for wisdom. In Solomon’s prayer for wisdom in Wisdom 9:6-9, even if one is perfect among the sons of men, yet without the wisdom that comes from God, he is nothing; with God is wisdom. God is wisdom himself. Indeed, blessed is the man who has found wisdom and has found understanding (Prov.3:13). Wisdom is better than gold (Prov. 16:16). The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure... (James 3:17). Thus Solomon sought for the purest thing, for the highest treasure there is –God. He discovered the treasures inherent in wisdom, and went for it. What is it that you would ask for if given the opportunity of Solomon?

This same search for the ultimate treasure is seen chiefly in the Gospel. Here, we see the wisdom made flesh himself speaking to us about holding very dear the kingdom of heaven he has brought to us, and to work hard to have it hereafter. There are three parables in the Gospel of today. One theme that runs through them is the search for the heavenly treasure which is the ultimate. They open us up to how a man ought to value that which he holds at a very high regard. They have a lot to teach us about the sense of value and the sense of priority. Our hearts are easily inclined to that which we value most. Jesus compares the kingdom with three experiential realities of the time: the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet; these experiences in the life of the Palestinians of the time abound. If we are to talk about our own experiences of what we value most today in our world, what is it that after you discover it can sell off virtually all you have to posses it? What is that occupation that envelops your thought? What is that material possession that you constantly dream of? What is that academic course that you are most eager to do? Who is that person that you have dreamt to be with for ages? It is when we answer these questions sincerely that the meaning of these parables would have saddled in us.

The parable of the hidden treasure

It was a common practice to hide treasure and valuables by burying them in the ground in Jesus’ time. The earth was the safest place to hide valuables. This we see in the parable of the talents as the third servant hid his talent in the earth to keep from losing it (cf. Mat 25:25). Now, the field represents the Gospel of Christ, the treasure is Christ who is hid in the Gospel. This analogy makes us to understand that no person can find Christ who is the treasure by merely scratching the surface of the earth (Gospel). Discovering Christ is not a surface thing but a deep and deeper search. We must dig and dig deep (2 Tim. 2:15). There are five things that the man did when he found the treasure.

1. He hides and protects it. This means he does not simply leave it the way he found it. He puts it in his heart even deeper. He does not let the gospel go, but resolves to have it as a treasure. 2. He goes. This means that he makes a decision. Movement is a sign of decision never to let the treasure go, but to go to Christ and make a firm decision. 3. He sells all he has. This means that he repents and turns from his former way of life. He is willing to do this because he has found the ultimate treasure. By this, he lives a life of self-discipline because he no longer has material burdens that weigh him down. This involves the sacrifice of personal desires, ambitions, cravings and wants, lusts and possessions; giving up everything for Christ. 4. He buys the field. This means that he gives up everything so as to possess the ultimate thing that matters: the kingdom of salvation. Nothing is worth more than possessing Christ. If we really desire to follow Christ, we must live a life of detachment (cf. Mat. 19:21). 5. He rejoices. In his joy, he experiences equanimity and completeness because he has discovered the greatest of all treasures.

The parable of the merchant man and the pearl of Great price

What is a pearl? The pearl is formed this way. A speck of sand or parasite makes its way into an oyster. The oyster is a living organism. The intruder hurts the oyster. To protect itself, the oyster secrets a substance called mother-of-pearl to surround the intruder. It is the secretion that gradually forms the pearl. Thus, the pearl is formed out of much torment and suffering. The same is true of the believer and the church; both are born out of suffering and out of the travail and death of the Lord Jesus. The pearl remains there until perfectly formed and purified. Then it is separated from the corruptible flesh as a thing of beauty, priceless and fit for the diadem of a king. The pearl became the loveliest. So too is the kingdom of heaven. It must be the loveliest thing in our lives as Christians.

Do not also forget that there are other fine pearls, but only one pearl of great price. Surely, there are many fine things in this world and many things in which a man can find loveliness. We can find loveliness in knowledge, in serving fellow men, and in educating others. These are all lovely, but they are lesser to compare with the kingdom of heaven. We find in this parable the same point as in the previous one but with a difference. The man who was digging the field was not searching for treasure; it came on him unaware. The man who was searching for pearls spent his life in the search. Whether the discovery was the result of a moment or the result of a life-time search, the reaction was the same. Everything has to be sold and sacrificed to gain the precious thing. However we discover the ultimate treasure, we must do all we can to posses it.

Whatever challenge we may think to have, we must hold on to the ultimate treasure. That was why Jesus concludes with the parable of the dragnet to tell us that confusion and mixture may abound, but possessing the treasure remains the best. The nature of the dragnet is that it does not discriminate. It is bound to draw all kinds of things in its course through the water. So too it is in the nature of the church not to discriminate, and is bound to be a mixture of all kinds of people, good and bad, rich and poor, black and white. So, we must be interested in possessing the treasure and working to see that we maintain it, and not to be interested in the dirt that inhabit with us in the same net. The fish knows it is a fish and not dirt. Indeed, St. Paul reminds us of this in the Second Reading (Rom 8:28-30). We are called according to the divine purpose, and so we are justified if only we hold on to our ultimate treasure. May this justification be your portion through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new week. God bless you.

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN, WE SHALL KNOW WHO IS WHO

 
HOMILY FOR THE 16^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Our topic today is an idiom that is got from the world of gambling. In gambling, there is a point when all the bets have been placed. At that point, there is no return. At that point, there are no more chips to bet with. At that point, there is no review. It is that critical final moment when the cards have been dealt, and then turned over for the revelation of the winner. This point is a critical time when no further choices can be made. It is also a time of crisis when things can be bad for some, because their stack of chips is low; that is, they are losing. It is a time of reckoning, and a time of judgment and testing. It is an important moment when something is really at stake. This idiom has a lot to teach us. We have thus employed it to buttress the central message of our reflection today. Good day to you all.

In today’s Gospel reading (Matt. 13:24-43), we encounter three parables. It is worthwhile to note that these three parables complete the first part of the two levels of parables we exposed during our previous reflection last Sunday. We said that Matthew narrates Jesus’ teaching in parables in two phases: one told in the public to all including the disciples, and the other told in private to only the disciples. The three parables of today belong and complete the first part; that is, the ones told in public. Among them, Jesus explained only one and leaves us to use our intellect to understand the other two. One thing peculiar to the three of them is that Jesus begins with the words: the kingdom of heaven is like. He speaks in similitude. Hence, we must first and foremost know that similitude helps to compare two realities, in such a manner that one of the realities bears or exhibits some features or characters of the other.

Similitude is not exactitude. Jesus uses the stories to explain the kingdom of heaven which he knows is incomprehensible and inexplicable if one dreams of knowing how exactly it is while on earth. We can only employ some earthly experiences to explain some of the features of the kingdom of heaven. And that is what we see in today’s Gospel. The parable of the wheat and Tares explains God’s patient wait for the time of judgment, and the seeming co-existence of evil with the good. The parable of the mustard seed talks about the surprises that may come with the kingdom of heaven, and the fact that the people’s expectations may not be in tandem with God’s expectation when it concerns the end results. The parable of the leaven exposes the transforming power of God who has the capability to change that which is stubborn in us. We can thus bring out three key themes from these three parables: Divine Patience, Divine Surprise and Divine Transforming power.

Learning from the DIVINE PATIENCE...

 

The parable of the wheat and tares has many things to teach us as Christians; the first from the side of God, and the second from our own human side.

From the side of God

The wheat and the Tares were left to grow together. The Son of man (Jesus) who is the sower of the good seeds did not bother to uproot the tares which are inimical to the growth of the good seeds. Why is this so? The wheat and tares could not be safely separated when both were growing, but in the end, they had to be separated, because the grain of the tare is poisonous. It causes dizziness and sickness and is narcotic in its effects. A small amount has a bitter and unpleasant taste. So, uprooting them at a stage when the good plants are not fully grown may inject corruption to the plants and hence poison them that they become useless. Since the good plants are already grown and have rooted in the soil, they fear no poor growth. Another is that the tare known as the darnel is indistinguishable with the wheat judging from their early stages.

 

One may thus make mistake of uprooting a wheat plant instead of a darnel weed. In the end, they will be laboriously separated from each other, and the darnel burnt.

This is true in our lives. God is patient in allowing the good to grow with the bad. He knows that destroying anything perceived as evil beside us may result to our not fully realizing our potentials. Let them grow together now they are young before a mistake is made whereby the good are also uprooted or even poisoned. This parable gives us a clue to understand why the good grow with the bad. We also must know that the only person with the right to judge is God. It is God alone who discerns the good and the bad. It is a pity that human beings are limited in their judgment. Let us accept our place. Let us be contended that in the end, judgment belongs to God; when the chips are down, we shall know who is who.

From the human side

A) The wheat was not complaining against the tares. It was only concentrated in gathering enough nutrients for its growth knowing that it belong to the good plants. Some of us are so interested in pork-nosing into people’s lives to the extent that we lose our own sanctity and goodness. We need to put more effort to work on ourselves to be better, gathering the required nutrients since the soil has been made available to us. You fail if you give the reason that your business was on the affairs of leaving your own nutrients and looking around to discover the tares. Your job is not to discover theatres but to work on yourself. Yes, there is a hostile power in the world, waiting to destroy the good ones; the lesson is to be on our guard and to work hard to remove even the smallest weeds in our hearts and lives. B) May we not be too quick to classify people as good and as bad. A man may appear good and may in fact be bad, and vice versa. It is hard to distinguish the good from the bad. We must exercise caution in classifying and maiming others we perceive to be bad. We must not be too quick to judge others. All of us will be judged by own whole life not by a single stage or act in our lives. No one who sees only part of a thing can judge a whole; so too, you cannot judge a man from a part of his life. Wait until the chips are down, and we know who is who.

Understanding the DIVINE SURPRISE...

 

 The mustard is a small seed that when it grew became the greatest of all, so that birds of the air came and made their homes on it. A) This parable warns us against ourselves who think they have a poor beginning or who see themselves as never do well. Your small beginning does not limit you. You are only limited by your mentality. In history, many people have had poor beginnings and yet they made it great. Is yours different? We have had stories of people from pagan homes who became great missionaries and evangelizers. Do not allow your limitation to limit you. What is it that makes you think you are limited in faith? Sin, strive, colour or race? You are greater than all this. Work hard to be great in faith, holiness and righteousness. B) This parable warns us against the tendency to look down on others because of their small beginning. No one knows tomorrow. The parable teaches us that the kingdom of heaven starts from a small beginning, but no one knows where it will end, because we cannot know what the future has in stock. God surprises. We should even be more careful when we have affluence in our beginnings. Never look down on others. God’s judgment comes with great surprises. And do not be intimidated when you are looked down upon, for when the chips are down, we know who is who.

 

Disposition for the DIVINE TRANSFORMING POWER

 

It is a great shock that the kingdom of heaven is connected to a leaven/yeast, because for the Jews leaven is always connected to evil influence. For the Jews, the yeast/leaven was an agent of putrefaction or decay. It causes quick decay, and hence stood for that which is evil (cf. Matt 16:6; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal 5:9). However, the point of the parable of the leaven/yeast lies in the transforming power of God. The yeast changed the character of the whole baking. Unleavened bread is hard, tasteless, unappetizing, but the leavened bread is soft, spongy, porous, tasty and good to eat. The introduction of the leaven causes a transformation in the flour; so too the kingdom of heaven causes a transformation in our lives and the world.

A) An encounter with Christ transforms life, gives us hope to endure suffering and the expectation of future crown. Christianity has transformed the life of the world in so many ways. With the advent of Christianity, we learnt that life is sacred. We stopped killing twins, using virgins to erect demonic altars and sanctuaries and burying kings with the heads of men or women. Christianity has helped in civilization, and indeed is the major agent of civilization in the world. B) Another is that the Christian stands as the transformer in the world. With our lives, we must desire and work to change the society from being dry, tasteless, hard-hearted, and unappetizing to being lively, tasteful, soft-hearted and appetizing. How many lives have you given hopes? How many faces have you made to smile? How many hearts have you warmed? C) A strong point in this parable too is that the kingdom of heaven works unseen. The yeast does this function in the flour, yet it is unseen, and no one easily remembers it. We must not grief if we are not remembered or appreciated for the good works we do in people’s lives. It is a message of encouragement. You may find yourself making great effort to acquire a particular spiritual gift, but you do not seem to see it realized, do not lose hope, because the works of the kingdom is more than that which you want. Some are paid back evil for good, some are killed for the course of truthfulness, some are ostracized and relegated even when they mean well. Do not worry. Be contended with the fact that through your life, you have contributed to the success of God’s work here on earth. Never think that you have worked for nothing, because when the chips are down, you will know who is who.

May God give us the courage to work for the realization of his kingdom here on earth. May He make us learn the divine patience and so allow it to apply patience in our lives. May He make understand the divine surprise and so not be quick to relegate others. May He create in us more dispositions to submit our lives for his transforming power, and so with it transform our society. Amen. I wish you a splendid new week. God bless you.