WATCHING AND WAITING

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent, Yr C 2021: 

Theme: WATCHING & WAITING!

R1:Jer 33 : 14 - 16, 

R2: 1 Thess 3 : 12 - 4 : 2, 

Gospel: Lk 21 : 25 - 36.

*A. PREAMBLE*

The advent season is a special season of watching and waiting. It is a season that is marked by the liturgical colour of purple - a colour that evokes the sense of sobriety. This colour is used during lent and funeral ceremonies. Every Advent season has the two fold character of waiting for Christ's coming as a Saviour and His coming as a Judge.

*Story of a drunkard who was saved by his friend from drowning after drinking. He continued the drinking habit and 20 years later was arraigned for a murder case before his friend again, this time not as his saviour but as his judge.

*B. THE PROMISE*

God makes us a promise through the Prophet Jeremiah that the days are coming when a righteous branch shall spring forth for David who will practice and teach us honesty and integrity in the land. This is exactly what Jesus has done.  He tells us in today's gospel that there will be signs in the sun and moon and the stars...and then they will see the Son of Man coming in glory.

This coming in glory (the parousia) has two dimensions; on individual basis at our death/ individual judgment and on universal basis at the end of time for the universal judgment. The immediate context in which Jesus spoke in today's gospel is the prophesy about the destruction of the Jerusalem city. It later happened in 70AD  when over 97,000 Jews were taken captives and 11,000 people perished by slow starvation and the sword. But not a single Christian perished because they heeded the prophetic warnings of Jesus and fled to Pella.

*C. MESSAGE OF VIGILANCE*

Let us be warned against the triumph of evil in our society today. We need to repent and flee before the wrath of God is unleashed against our Country Nigeria where bribery and corruption is becoming the order of the day inspite of all the noise of fake Christianity and Islam. Countries like Japan and China that are dominated by other non Christian religions seem to be doing better than us in the area of hardwork and discipline just because the brand of Christianity being practiced in Nigeria is the fake one.

Jesus warns us against the life of debauchery, drunkenness and materialism. These three sins have taken a strong grip of many of our political leaders encouraging a lot of wastage and consumerism. Jesus recommends 3 attitudes/ disposition for Christians in preparation for his coming:

1. Be watchful; He used the phrase: 'Stand erect and hold your heads high'. There should be no form of drunkenness.

*Advice of a wounded wife of a drunkard who killed his 2 daughters with a knife. The only surviving son also became an addict of marijuana and killed himself. The woman now advises young ladies: 'Do not be drawn into the madness of marrying a drunkard'.

2. Be holy; Being holy according to St Theresa of the Child Jesus is having extraordinary perfection in our ordinary duties. Imagine lecturers teach their students without exploitation, clerks in the offices push people's files without asking for bribe, leaders being accountable for public funds, etc.

3. Be prayerful; We must pray always like Jesus our master did; At his baptism, before choosing his apostles, at Gethsemane, at the transfiguration, during the last supper, on the Cross, daily midnight prayer, etc. James told us: 'You have not because you ask not, and when you ask and receive not, it is because you pray wrongly', James 4 : 1 - 3.

*D. CONCLUSION*

The way we receive him liturgically at every Christmas will mirror the way we will receive him at his 2nd coming (parousia). If we do not develop the habit of being vigilant now then the Lord will surely find us sleeping. We must endeavor to break with every habit of sin and learn to be in a state of grace all the time.

I don't know what other warning signals Christians are waiting for in Nigeria to begin to change our priorities and try to live out the message of the gospel. Christ has told us in the parable of the sower about the tragedy of the seeds that fell among thorns; cares of this world and the allurements of riches and worldly pleasures choke the Word they hear and they yield nothing, Mk 4 : 18 - 19. 

O my God! This seems to be the fate of so many Christians, especially Church leaders in Nigeria today. Unless we get back to the discipline of praying and fasting, we cannot be spiritually sober to see the sinking ship of this 'Titanic' called Nigeria. We will only remain busy rearranging the seats of our sinking ship - we will be busy building the physical structures of the Church without the spiritual aspects. Happy Sunday dear friends!

Reflection by Ben Agbo (Rev Fr)

HIS REIGN IS UNIVERSAL

HOMILY FOR THE 34TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

SOLEMNITTY OF CHRIST THE KING...Jesus Christ is still at the centre, His reign is Universal

Today, as in every 34th Sunday of the liturgical year, the universal Catholic Church celebrates the Kingship of Christ whom is her Messiah and her King. This feast comes at the last Sunday of the Ordinary Time, Sunday before Advent (a period of waiting for the promised Messiah). 

The feast celebrates the conception, “that Christ is a Universal King”. 

The understanding of the word ‘universality’ connotes an existence that prevails, extends, applies everywhere and involves everyone and in all times. We began the liturgical year with Him and today we are solemnly ending it with Him as the King. Being universal, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. The Church acknowledges this universality, hence, the institution of this solemn feast by Pope Pius XI in 1925 (93 years ago) promulgated on December 11, 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas (Latin: In the first).

According to the Pontiff, Jesus Christ is King by two rights: the right of nature and by the right of conquest.

Meanwhile, the idea of Christ’s Kingship dates back to the earliest days of Christianity which was manifested in his works, signs and wonders that He performed.

This universality is made most evident in the first reading of today from the Prophet Daniel 7: 13-14 where “all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; His dominion becomes an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away…” and in the second reading from the Book of Revelation 1:5-8, “every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him, and all tribes will wail on his account…who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8) – He is still at the nucleus of everything and incorporates all.

What sense can this solemn feast make to us in this generation? Just as the fear of communism and secularism gave rise to the institution of this solemn feast, this feast with Jesus at the centre of it all will assuage the fear of many who are today living in the fear of many things (real or imagined) in our present time. 

There is every need that we appropriate this feast and make it ours by proclaiming Jesus as the central and/or Universal King. We still live in fear in our present day. People live daily in fear. Others have been cast to the end or even outside the social margins, there is hope in sharing in the Kingship of Christ and we do not need to feel like outcasts. There are still many others who are in doubt and question the Kingship of Christ and His Supremacy just as in the Gospel periscope of today; Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King?” (John 18: 33). This feast further reminds us of the preeminence of Christ even in our tough and complicated generation and country.

It was Pope Saint John Paul II who said that "man can build a world without God but that this world will end by turning against him.  Just as  it will be foolish as Psalm 14:1 said to think there is no God above, so will it be to think that Jesus Christ the King is not in the Centre. Hence, on the next level we need to realize that He is and ought to be invited to the centre of the individuals, families, society, government, and nations.

The centre of our spiritual life (He is one without whom no one can be holy and see God) - John 15:4-5

The centre of our material life (He is one without whom no one lives and moves) – Acts 17:28.

The centre of our social life (He is one without whom we cannot interact) – Romans 12:5

The centre of our political life (He is one without whom no power exists just as the era of communism wanted to make people believe) – Matt. 28:18.

As we celebrate the King Jesus Christ today, we pray with the Church that God who has restored all things in his beloved Son, the King of the Universe will set the whole creation free from slavery and cause all mankind to render service to His majesty and ceaselessly proclaim His praise.

CHRISTUS VINCIT, CHRISTUS REGNAT, CHRISTUS IMPERAT – 

Christ conquers, rules and reigns.

Reflection by:

Rev. Fr. James Onyebuchi Adawai, SMMM

THE PAROUSIA... LAST THINGS

HOMILY OF 33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

THEME: THE PAROUSIA…THE LAST THINGS

In the history of religion, the term eschatology refers to conception of the last things: immortality of the soul, rebirth, resurrection and the end time. It is also believed that everything in this world including the cosmos itself exists in time and must one day come to its very end. Each year, especially by this time, nature reminds us of this reality of always getting prepared and to be renewed for that day unknown to us.

In no distant time, our liturgical year, that is year B will be drawing to a close. As we are ending as to begin a new liturgical year of the church, so it is in every sphere of life; for example trees like ‘’Oha’’ shed their leaves in preparation for new life, individuals are seriously preparing to end the season, even some land animals and birds have started migrating for a new life looking for a greener pasture.

However, the church has always and will forever remind us as she did in today’s readings to be aware and to consider seriously about the reality of last end, the coming of Christ- the parousia, the time when Jesus Christ will return to judge humanity at the end of this world. In our first reading today, Daniel makes us to understand that there will be a time of trouble, such as never has been, but at that time, that people will be delivered, everyone’s name shall be found written in the book. Daniel strongly proclaimed that hard times will end and a new kingdom will be established. In speaking of this hope- filled future, the book alludes to ideas that will be found in the New Testament: about angels, about the resurrection, about the son of man. 

In today’s gospel, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘’in those days after the great tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven and the powers in heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. Dear friends in Christ, with the weight of this message, one could see the reason why the disciples in Mathew 24:3, approached Jesus privately and asked; ‘’Tell us when this will take place. What signs will be given us before your coming and the end of the world’’. 

In 1cor. 15:23, one could see this great message being preached again. ‘’in fact, who but you are our hope and our joy? Who but you will be our glorious crown before Jesus our lord, when he returns’’ {1 thess. 2:19}.

We as Christians, we ought to look forward to the second coming of Christ the parousia, as to the occasion of a great feast and celebration. Beloved in Christ, in Christian context, the sun represent bountifulness, hope and victory of life over death. Biblically, the moon symbolizes and highlights cosmic events, divine epiphanies and ephemeral nature of human life. Spiritually, the star is connected with the light of Christ. Star represents the five wounds of Jesus on the cross; it has the symbolism of divine guidance and protection. Dear friends in Christ, today’s readings especially the gospel is reminding us the need to get prepared for the last days and like Christ said, there will be the gathering of the elect.

Therefore as Christians;

We must not expect a life free from suffering

We must not expect a life free from denial

We must not expect a life free from hatred

We must not expect a life free from persecutions.

Let us like Jesus who passed through all these in the hands of men, stood firm and accomplished his mission, may we also accounted as those who accomplished their mission on the last day.

What lessons can we draw from today’s message?

Understanding and having good relationship with people will help us to be with God on the last day.

In line with the gospel acclamation today, let us watch at all times, praying that we may be able to stand justified before the son of man.

Like the sun, let us radiate, show love and concern to those who suffer for no just cost.

Since death is a necessary end, let us always get prepared by serving God in faith and love.

As Christians, we must learn to make good use of each and every day of our lives. 

LET US PRAY: O lord, help us not to give up and grant us the enabling grace to see the last days in peace! Amen.

Fr. Sampson Chetachukwu Nwachukwu, SMMM.

A CALL TO SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY

HOMILY ON THE 32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

Theme: A CALL TO SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY

R1:         1Kings 17:10-16

R/P:       Psalm 145:6-10

R2:         Heb. 9:24-28

Gospel: Matt. 12:38-44

In the first reading of today, Elijah encountered the widow of Zeraphat who assisted him with the last food in her house. This act of generosity was largely rewarded through the words of the prophet. 

It implies that the first purpose of our generosity is not what we stand to gain but to render necessary service to someone in need. This sacrificial way of giving is also evident in the life of Christ whom the author of the letter to the Hebrews describes in the second reading as our High priest who became both the priest and the victim. As distinct from the priests of the old covenant who go to the sanctuary year after year to offer sacrifices for the purification of the people and for his own sins too, Christ our High priest sacrificed himself once and for all and took the fault of many on himself.

Meanwhile, in the Gospel Jesus praised a poor widow who gave all she had out of her love for God. However, prior to this observation, Jesus warns us against being like scribes whom though were among the elites and the educated, lived in ways that contradict the laws they interpret to the people. 

Jesus Christ therefore warns us against overbearing: 

i) quest for prominence where people are ready to do whatever it takes to be relevant and famous. This ugly mentality is also found among the people of God who are ready to go to any length in order to be recognized or to attain a desired position in the Church.

ii) quest for difference: the Scribes sought to be different and as such lived ostentatious, hypocritical and dishonest lifestyle. Thus, they take undue advantage of their exalted positions (these are the men who devour the property of the widows Mk 12:40). For instance, a doctor who deceives illiterate patients by making their sickness look too serious in order to attract higher bill, a lecturer who forces students to buy books at exorbitant price, a taxi driver who doubles the price of transportation because there is scarcity of vehicles, a trader who extorts customers because they have little knowledge of the current market situation etc should consider himself or herself as eating from the same plate with the scribes.

We are therefore encouraged to emulate these two widows who gave all they had. Ultimate and true prominence will be achieved before God if we are able in all honesty to share what we have with one another. We do not have to wait until we have in abundance so as to give. Remember, “Nobody is so poor that he has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he has nothing to receive”, (John Paul II). Real giving is always sacrificial and at times reckless. Since Christ our high Priest offered himself for our sake, we must reciprocate this love by giving our lives, time, energy and loyalty to him; and by sharing what we have with one another. 

Peace be with you!

Fr. Jerome Odiejije SMMM