WHY DID HE SPEAK IN PARABLES?

HOMILY FOR THE 11^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Parables are illustrations. And actually, in attempting a simple definition of it, one might say that parables are short stories for comparison or for an illustration of a point. It can be a method of teaching, especially in popular places. We know that stories and pictures help to easily get attention, and most persons think only in pictures, because it is certainly easier to remember pictures than principles. But there is a challenge, especially when a parable falls on an ignorant mind, or we may better put it this way, when it is not used well for the right teaching. A particular preacher was preaching to a group of catholic mothers. He said to them: the best time I ever had in my life is when I found myself on the laps of a woman. The women were expectedly surprised and embarrassed. But before they could express these surprises, he added quickly: my mother’s, of course. All the women laughed themselves to scorn in approval and appreciation.

However, another preacher tried to use this same illustration when preaching to another group of high-class society women in a commercial city. He said exactly the same as the first preacher, and the women felt also the same way the previous ones felt. But forgetting how he could end the illustration and trying to reply to the women’s surprises, he added: and I can no longer remember the exact one it was. You can imagine the end product of this. Nothing can be really mind boggling, frustrating and embarrassing when right parables/stories are told to the wrong audience or in a wrong way, or better still, when right illustrations are told people with different agenda.

Jesus is a perfect example of a teacher and preacher who was so renowned in his use of parables. We see two parables (the growth of the seed and the mustard seed) in the Gospel of today (Mark 4:26-34), which ended with the fact that Jesus would not speak to them except in parables. Well, we must recall that Mark 4 is the Gospel parallel of Matthew 13. In these chapters, we find many parables of Jesus and how he used them to illustrate truths about the kingdom of God. Now, going back to our title question and in an attempt to answer the question of why Jesus spoke in parables, we discover three categories of persons.

1. The first category concerns the person of Jesus. It is of course clear that Jesus spoke in parables to illustrate the word. And what is this word? It is the word of the kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 13:19-20). In teaching this word of God, he tried to use the language the people could easily understand. He employed images, places and experiences that were readily available to the people. He was not interested in showcasing his wealth of knowledge by using heavy vocabularies and sophisticated logic. And again, Jesus taught in parables most probably to teach step by step. In the different subjects and courses learnt in our schools, there are schemes of work which help the teachers to teach one topic after another for a clearer and more permeating message to the students. One can imagine how learning would be if things are not taught in schemes; if there is no curriculum. Hence, parables could be seen as avenues used by Jesus in taking one lesson about the kingdom of God after the other for a clearer perception. How often can we see ourselves like Jesus concerning the way we work hard by word and deed to make the message of God more homely, felt and understood by the people we minister to?

2. The second category concerns the ‘other’ people (scribes, Pharisees, and their likes) who are not faithful followers of Jesus. Jesus used parables so that in looking, they do not see, and in listening they do not hear (Matthew 13:13). This is because their minds are corrupt. They do not have the right disposition and intention to accept and act according to the word of God. This sort of people sees themselves as those who know it all. However, I find a little paradox here. Actually, parables are not meant for the lazy and non-thinking person, because it usually requires more thought to see the comparison between the story and the truth. And these other people are the intelligentsias of the society, who should actually understand the parables; and yet they do not. What is then wrong? Their hearts are heavy. Yes, their disposition is the problem. Their intention and purpose for listening to Jesus is the issue. The story itself is understandable to all, but the hidden spiritual truth was not available. Thus, they were blinded to see the truths in the parables of the Rabbi. How often do we see ourselves like these people who are blinded to understand Jesus because of their wrong intents? And how often do we work hard to delete those logs that could cause us to be ignorant of the message of the Master?

3. The third category concerns the disciples of Jesus. These are the ones close to Jesus and were ready to learn from him so as to be like him. But again, I find a little paradox here. Parables are for the wise that can understand and connect the story and the lesson. But the disciples were constantly caught in the web as Jesus spoke that he needed to explain further. Even at a point, Jesus had to ask them: do you not understand this parable? How will you understand any of the parables then? (Mark 4:13; cf. Matt. 16:9). Does it mean that the disciples were block heads? The Igbos of Nigeria would say: onye aturu ilu kowara ya, ego ejiri luo nne ya furu ohia (it is very embarrassing to explain an idiom to any man born of a woman).  This idiom is always used in a context when someone demands for an explanation of an idiomatic expression: If you wish to respect the integrity of your mother and her bride price, strive to be wise in understanding idioms and parables.

The apostles surely needed to know more secrets about the kingdom of heaven, and so they required more time and lessons (cf. Matt.13:11). They needed extra understanding for the mission that lay ahead of them. We probably know that there is more time and energy put into some ventures than some other ventures. For instance, one who studies Medicine and surgery requires more time, seriousness and energy than another who studies English Language. We can then say that Jesus used parables to force the apostles into more thinking and connections so as to acquire more tools for their mission. There ought to be private lessons to give special lessons to them. And they were always ready to get more explanations. How often does God call us closer to teach us and we give excuses? How often do we get more explanations, and yet act ignorant?

We must now attempt a brief explanation of both parables Jesus told us in the Gospel. The parable of the growing seed is an illustration of how the seed of faith grows even without the consciousness of how it grows. The point is that it must grow. Once the seed of faith is sown in us, Jesus promises us that it has to grow despite the knowledge or the effort of the planter. This is an encouragement to us all that God is in charge of his kingdom. So why should we despair when somebody or something we feel planted the faith is us suddenly becomes ‘unreachable’? There is an assurance here synonymous with what we see in the First Reading (Ezekiel 17:22-24) of a God who makes and fulfils his promises. As the Lord speaks, so he does.

The kingdom is of God and controlled by God. Its growth is not of man and may be gradual, but is sure and constant until the day when it is ready to be harvested. It is an encouragement to the persecuted churches/persons and to Christianity as a whole. Little wonder then St. Paul tells the Corinthians in the Second Reading (2 Cor. 5:6-10) that we remain courageous despite anything that militate against our togetherness with God. The kingdom of God is also compared with the smallest of seeds –the mustard. The seed of faith might be so small, but it has the potency to grow into the greatest of things as it serves to provide shelter for the people in need of it. It remains God’s wish that we continue to be part of his kingdom on earth for an easy access to the kingdom of heaven. Happy new week. God bless you.

THE ‘SHIFTI-MANIA’ VIRUS

HOMILY FOR THE 10^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

In the science of virology, a virus is an ultra-microscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts. They are harmful and dangerous to the host. In computer science, a virus is a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer. They corrupt other files. In the human society, some agencies can also be regarded as viruses, when they cause harm to the government and corrupt other agencies to the point of revolt and rebellion; hence, causing chaos in the system. Beyond these specifications of viruses, there is an exclusive type of virus which we have called the shifti-mania virus. It is the combination of two words. The first word is the short form of the word ‘shifting’ (the change of position or direction). The second word is ‘mania’ (a mood or an affective disorder in which there is an excessive response, and many times irresistible and irrational). The combination of both words leads us to the compound meaning of this type of virus. The shifti-mania virus is the infectious organism which affects as to disorder characters to be involved constantly and excessively with change/transfer of position (direction, blames, and responsibility) to exonerate oneself or another from confronting the reality of situations. The shifti-mania virus and its antidote are seen in the readings of today.

How did man react after the primordial disobedience to God? The First Reading (Gen. 3:9-15) answers the question. As a prelude to answering this, we must remark that it is mind boggling that Adam and Eve failed to answer appropriately the questions asked them by God. To the first question of where (where are you?), Adam answered as if what was asked was the question of why (I was afraid...because I was naked). To the question of who told you, Adam answered as if what was asked was who gave you. And to the final question of why did you, the woman answered as if what was asked was who gave you. Disobedience actually leads to confusion. Now, concerning the direct reaction of man, the first point is that the man, Adam became afraid of God to such an extent that he hid from the omnipresent God. How come he thought that he could hide from the Eternal Presence who is everywhere? Oh, what a paradox!!!

1. The second point concerns the fear and the inability of the couple to face their sin which led them to shift blames. They ought to have accepted the blame and the responsibility for what they did, but they could not face them. When we act this way, it all means, the shifti-mania virus has affected us. This virus makes us afraid of accepting our mistakes, afraid of taking blames for what we have done, afraid of accepting responsibility for what we did not do right, and afraid of facing the reality of our actions. Just as Adam and Eve, we tend to shift blames and responsibilities when things go wrong to others just to appear clean and unruffled. Adam shifted the blame to the woman and the woman shifted the blame to the serpent; and then came the punishment to the serpent.

The serpent here represents Satan; it is he who seduces men to disobey God. There was a punishment concerning its relationship with other animals (that is, it would suffer exclusion). There was a punishment concerning its mobility (it would crawl). There was a punishment concerning its livelihood (it would eat dirt). And there was a punishment concerning its relationship with humanity (hostility awaits it). This implies that the devil would suffer from exclusion. That is why it continues to run around seeking for someone to devour/lure (1 Pet. 5:8). The devil would crawl; its efficiency was reduced to the barest minimum. This implies that every power and privilege has been withdrawn from him. The devil would eat dirt. This means that nothing holy and pure would be associated with him. He would only have those who are dirty. Humanity would be hostile to him. This implies that mankind would pursue him anywhere they see a trace of him.

2. Considering all these, one can imagine how disheartening it was to Jesus in the Gospel (Mark 3:20-35) seeing that the scribes were ascribing powers to the already-rendered powerless Satan. By saying that Jesus healed with the power of Beelzebul, they shifted praise. God be praised for what He has done, and not Satan be praised for what God has done. This is another case of shifti-mania virus infection. When we see the good God does, we tend to ascribe it to another ungodly force. We do this many times, especially when something good comes out of the one we do not expect, or someone we hate, or someone we feel we are better off than. We do this and its likes often. Yes, quite often. And when this happens, it then means that this virus has infected us.

3. Another thing worrisome in this episode is the problem-solution reversal. This is another shifiti-mania infection. We transfer problems to become solutions, and solutions to become problems. Jesus was the solution to the problem of the degenerated/demon-possessed man, and not the problem of the demon-possessed man. Beelzebul was the problem, and thus a problem cannot solve another problem. In fact, when a problem meets another problem, there is greater problem. How then can Beelzebul be the solution? How can Satan drive out Satan? We now see the futility in the proposition of those ignorant scribes. Many times in life, we reverse problems and solutions. We see in our siblings/family the problem, instead of the solution to our problems. We see in the Church of God the problem instead of the solution to our problem. Sometimes, too, we see in the problems, the solution. We see in diviners and seers the solution, instead of the problems. We see in sin (e.g. gluttony/lust) the solution to depression, when it is actually the problem that requires a solution. When we make what should be the solution of the problem the problem of the solution, we run the risk of an infinite regress in problems and the search for solutions.

This infection leads the human spirit and soul into being obstinate in sin, and the lack of seeing God above everything. And this is where we find the sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus was clear about it that whosoever sins against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. The sin against the Holy Spirit begins when we see anything above God and we ascribe the power of God to any other created thing. How do we discover when we sin against the Holy Spirit? A) When we see our sins above the mercy of God (cf. Responsorial Psalm: with the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption). B) When we remain in sin (like Adam dodges God) and become obstinate in it, portraying that we need no conversion. C) The moment we attack goodness and replace it with evil because of ulterior motives D) The moment we become reckless in evil, seeing nothing good in everything; therefore, seeing nothing good in God. E) When we become uncontrollable to the extent of losing the sense of sacred F) When we repeatedly fail to accept our sins and blame them on others. G) When we become so fade up with or give up in aspiring towards holiness, sanctity or purity, just as Adam gave up in meeting with us and decided to hide. Thus, at this various points, we tend to block the forgiveness of God from being felt by us; thus, there comes the need to move out from that region to feel God’s mercy again.

The antidote and cure of this mania is provided by Jesus at the end of the Gospel: for whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. This means that in listening to Jesus and in living according to the word of God, we become a member in the family of Jesus. That membership coats us against this virus that we become safe. St. Paul further widened this membership in the Second Reading (2 Cor. 4:13-5:1). If we are members of the family of Jesus, then we have a building not made with hands. This means that as a member of the family that you are, you have an eternal home in heaven. It is because we have Jesus that we are immune from this virus. May our belongingness to this family be sustained that our strength may never fail in our aspirations to do the will of God which is the food of Jesus (cf. John 4:34), and in turn our food that keeps us healthy against sin. Amen. Happy new week. God bless you.

THE INDIVISIBLE UNITY

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRNITY

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Firmly I believe and truly that God is three and God is one. God is three in their persons. God is one in their nature. The revelation of this triune God received its fullness in the coming of the Holy Spirit. This fullness of revelation demonstrated the perfect life of love in God, so that the three persons, by one and the same essential love, love the supreme good, with which they are identified. In this love, there is a perfect union without any inordination of love, no egoism. The entire personality of the Father is the relation to the Son, the entire personality of the Son is the relation to the Father, and the entire personality of the Holy Spirit is the relation to the Father and the Son. In their inseparability, the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. In their distinctness, the Father is not the Son, because no one generates himself, and the Father and the Son are not the Holy Spirit. It remains a mystery and hidden to man how this comes about. This is what we celebrate today. It is the feast of unity (without uniformity) in diversity (without fragmentation).

The First Reading (Deut 4:32-34, 39-40) reminds us of the initial move of God towards mankind in creation and the choice of a people for his own. This already showed to us a God that creates and elects. He made an option for Israel, Moses through the manner of question reminds the people that God does not just choose and abandons. He speaks (just as he spoke in the burning bush). This act of speaking is a significant character in divine revelation. This links us to the story of the call of Samuel. ‘Speak Lord for your servant is listening’ is an assurance that God does speak to his people. He speaks so as to communicate and be understood. He never ceases to reveal himself to mankind. He does not only speak; he saves. Moses reminds the people that it was for the power and grace of God that they became victorious when enemies attacked them.

This is a revelation of a God who creates and saves. And in the economy of salvation, creation is the work of the Father, as salvation through death on the cross is the work of the Son. It is because of the immensity of the love manifested by God in creation and redemption that we are challenged to reciprocate to this divine love. This is why Moses made it compulsorily clear that the commandments of the Lord must be kept by us for our own good. To keep the commandments of the Lord, we require the Holy Spirit; the work of a Counsellor. The Holy Spirit reminds us of the teachings of God, and urges us on through the outpour of his gifts to remain adopted sons and daughters of God. We see how the First Reading unravels the work of the Trinity even when it specifically talks of the Father; and so, this revelation had already started, even though the human mind was not mature enough then to grasp it.

The Second Reading (Romans 8:14-17) dwells on the Holy Spirit. Those who are led by the Spirit are called sons of God. Again we see that in talking about the Holy Spirit, we cannot also talk about the father. They work distinctively and achieve inseparably. It is the Spirit that bear witness to the fact that we are children of God. In being children of God, we become heirs of God. This means that we become inheritors of the kingdom of God. In becoming heirs, we become that which Christ has become, and so, we are heirs with Christ. But there is a condition. We must suffer with him so as to be glorified. No cross, no crown. When you hear the glory, think of the story. That story is the story of suffering, because only it can perfect and purge the Christian.

The Gospel (Matt. 28:16-20) concentrates on Jesus. Jesus had already invited his disciples to the mount of Galilee. Immediately they saw him, they worshipped him. This signified that they believed that he is God. However, they doubted; but this doubt had to be cleared. So, Jesus had to give them the great commission. Jesus now transferred power to them and urged them to go and make disciples of all nations. And now he gave them the formula for evangelization: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Here comes the clear revelation of the three persons in one God. The three persons that are inseparably united in nature can work as three, but execute as one. The life of love and unity among them must challenge us towards the life of love and unity among Christians today.

And so, the three persons of the Most Holy Trinity must inspire also our human society. The Father, the Mother and the Children must live together in unity and peace. The inseparable unity and love of the Trinity has to reflect in our domestic Church. Following this identity of the three, the Church has three hierarchical structures among the clergy: the deacon, the Priest and the Bishop. We must also work hard to reflect the love and unity of the Trinity in this hierarchy by being in one heart and mind with ourselves and with the Church. We must not allow ourselves the joke of not participating to work for an indivisible unity in the Church. It is true that no two persons are the same; but it is even truer that we can live as same. The three persons in the Trinity are distinct persons and this is shown in their function in the economy of salvation (the Father creates, the Son saves and the Spirit sanctifies); yet they are inseparable in their substance and essence. We may be different, but we can understand and tolerate one another. Happy New Week. God bless you.

GRABBING THE PENTECOST OPPORTUNITY

HOMILY FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The Pentecost as a historical feast was one celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Passover. It was a feast that attracted a great number of people. Never was there a more international crowd in Jerusalem than at the time of Pentecost. The word Pentecost simply means ‘the fiftieth.’ The feast had two major significances; one, it celebrated and commemorated the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai. It also has an agricultural significance; at Pentecost, two loaves were offered in gratitude to God for the ingathered harvest. In Leviticus 23:21, we read that no servile work is done on the day of Pentecost. One can now imagine how great a holiday this day was. When God desires to communicate, which he often does, he speaks to everyone. It was the divine will that many languages would be present on the very day when the Christian message would be radically disseminated by his apostles.

Focusing on the Readings of today (Acts 2:1-11, Gal. 5:16-25, John 15:26-27; 16:12-15), we have discover what this day of Pentecost signified in the life of the early followers of Jesus, and therefore, what it may signify for us today.

1. The moment that marked the end of waiting

This day came as the fiftieth day after the story and reality of the resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, the appearances of Jesus became episodes of refining, cleansing, learning and gathering of enough knowledge needed for the Gospel. The experience of the crucifixion and resurrection need some ample time to get saddled in these men. They had too much to experience. They had too much to talk about. They had too much to think about. But it would be in these moments that mature faith would be established. Thus, the day of Pentecost signified the moment when maturity was reached. The time of waiting is gone. It is now time for action. Pentecost gives us the message that it is time to act, because we have been tutored, refined, cleansed and now ready for work.

2. The moment that marked the end of scattering

The Pentecost day brought all the believers together. After the resurrection, many of the disciples of Jesus had the tendency to go back to their homes and their own businesses (John 21:1). They nearly gave up on hope. They were scattered. Each tried going on his own. With the appearances (John 20:19.20:26. 20:1; Matt. 28:16-17; Luke 24:13-31.51; Acts 1:9) Jesus made them aware that he lives and urges them not to give up in seeing that the kingdom of God is continually established in the world. So, the day of Pentecost became the day the disciples were gathered again. They were all together in one room. This means that the Pentecost became a feast of unity and oneness that erased the desire to pursue self-interest, which is only oriented to disunity. Pentecost gives us a message to leave our nets and follow the Lord. The moment of unity has come.

3. The moment that dispelled Fear

The Pentecost was a day that initiated fearlessness in the disciples. From that moment, the disciples of Jesus did not lock themselves up again out of the fear of the Jews. They were poised to die for Jesus, ready to win souls, and ever ready to speak to all and sundry about the good news. As their fears were being taken away, as it became a moment of boldness for them, it was a moment of unrest for the evil. What a great shock it was for the Jewish officials and those who killed Christ. One can imagine the trepidation that visited these evil men in the face of seeing these disciples in a fearless mood. Even the sound and movement of the mighty wind was a great thunderbolt for the wicked. The movement of the wind that entered the room where they stayed was a remarkable destruction for the wicked and evil. Pentecost destroyed evil and sprouted boldness and courage.

4. That moment of vivification and animation

Not only that Pentecost made the disciples bold and courageous, it gave them a new spirit to fight without feeling the pains of the fight. There was a totally new thing that happened. The spirit descended on them like tongues of fire. Those tongues became symbolic of a new identity of a church that is lead in the light, a church that is alive, a church that is vibrant, a church that is animated in the Spirit. The Pentecost is a promise fulfilled. The Holy Spirit, the chief animator of mission has arrived. The Church lives because the Paraclete has been with her. Thus, the day of Pentecost signifies the day a new fire was set up in the world. This fire is unquenchable, and no power can put it off. Pentecost then gives us a message to be children of light and to dispose ourselves to this tongue of fire, so that the Spirit perches on us. The Holy Spirit animates, and makes whatever that is dead alive. Being with Him is an assurance.

5. That moment of one voice and one understanding

It was on the day of Pentecost that humanity spoke one language which was understood by all. This was the language of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit can dispel such confusion. Before now, Galileans spoke to Galileans and only understood each other. This means that Parthians never understood the Galilean and vice versa. But with Pentecost, there was understanding. This is a clear sign that humanity is one. The message of the Pentecost then is to remind us of the oneness of humanity, and to exhort us to make this oneness felt now. We must pray with the Psalmist (Ps. 104:30) that the Lord sends his Spirit to renew the face of the earth.

The way to grab this Pentecost opportunity is to walk by the Spirit as Paul advised the Galatians (Second Reading; Gal. 5:16-25) and so advises us today. If we walk by the Spirit and expunge any sort of evil from us, the fruit of the Spirit will become saddled in us. We thank the Blessed Trinity for allowing humanity to experience the fullness of revelation in the Holy Spirit. All we need do is to continually allow the Pentecost experience to guide us. Happy Pentecost Sunday. God bless you.