DOCTRINE AND FAITH......6th Sunday of Easter: Year A

(Acts 8,6-8; 1 Peter 3,15-18; John 14, 15-21: 6th Sunday of Easter: Year A)

          Today’s gospel gives us some comfort but at the same time calls for a serious and authentic commitment to Christian life. Jesus wishes to console the apostles on account of his imminent separation from them; to assure them that he is not going away forever but only precedes them, in order to prepare a place so that they could join him later. The separation is, therefore, temporal and provisional, as they will one day join him and remain with him forever. In this his consoling parting discourse, Jesus promises the apostles something very important in their time and for the future. He promises to send the Holy Spirit to them, whom he described as the Spirit, the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter because he has the task to strengthen and sustain the apostles in the difficulties they will be encountering. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth as he has the task of illumining the apostles so that they will be able to understand the truth proclaimed by Christ better. It is important to remark that Jesus promised to ask the Father this gift of the Spirit not just as a momentary and passing gift, but a gift that is stable, lasting and permanent: I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter that will remain with you forever. He will dwell in you, be with you and in you. This is a wonderful and comforting words from the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples and to us. However, Jesus expects the apostles and us to respond to this gesture by loving Him, a love that is to be shown by keeping his commandments. This is enunciated by Jesus in these words: Anyone who receives my commandments and keeps them will be the one who loves me. 

 

          The promise made to the apostles at the Last Supper is for the whole Church and for every single believer of every epoch. The comforting passage of the Gospel is also for us, and necessarily so, given the fact that we worry and are anxious sometimes as we see how things go wrong in the world. As Christians and members of the Church we often have the impression that we are at the mercy of events and happenings and are incapable of influencing them in our society. However, Jesus assures us that He will not leave us orphans and that he is present in his Church even today and that He will guide her through the tempests of our time: I will be with you every day till the end of the world (Matt 28, 20); The gates of hell will not prevail against it (the church) (Matt 16, 18); Have confidence, I have conquered the world (John 16, 35). But to be the Church of Christ, in communion with Him, it is necessary to be in communion with Peter and John (See first reading). When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaria has accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and Johnto them. Why were they sent? This was because they were the guarantee of the authenticity of faith and unity of the Church. It is, therefore, necessary to be in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter and with the Bishops, the successors of the Apostles in order to be in union with Christ and so that the unity of all believers and the purity of faith be guaranteed. We also know that the Holy Spirit is sent to the Church today. It is the Holy Spirit that guides the Church to the full knowledge of the truth about Christ that sustains her in all the difficulties she encounters. The Holy Spirit is given to the Church as a community of faith and given also to every believer.  Again, to have this Holy Spirit, it is necessary to be in communion with the Pope and the bishops. Peter and Paul, prayed over them (the Christians of Samaria) that they might receive the Holy Spirit; they imposed their hand on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 

 

          This reality of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in the believer and the reality of His continuous assistance, gives us serenity, confidence and hope. We have to, however, know how to give reason for our faith and hope as today’s second reading exhorts us to.  This means that we have to be able to comprehend the fundamental  doctrines of our faith well and their practical implications in our lives; that we study and meditate assiduously the word of God as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and receive instruction in our Catholic Faith. We have to give testimony of our faith with courtesy and respect, in fact, without arrogance. We are to do so especially with the testimony of our lives and good conduct. Our conducts should be able to manifest the genuineness and seriousness of our faith, bearing in mind the fact that concrete facts of good works, more than abstract reasonings, are able to silence those (not few of them) who malign and criticize religion and the Church. May we in today’s Eucharistic celebration ask the good Lord: To bestow upon us the Spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth and may He remain to guide and guard us in the Church and in our individual lives, now and forever! Amen!  

+John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE & FAITH 18 TH MAY 2017

 The word of God in today’s liturgy allows us to focus on three characteristics of the Church as willed by Jesus Christ. She is the people of God on the way to her blessed homeland; she is a community of service, called to serve and she is a priestly people. 

            The church as the people of God on her way to her blessed homeland. In the Gospel, Jesus alludes several times to eternal life to which we are destined. The reason for his coming into the world was to teach us (reveal to us) about our destiny, which is to attain eternal life and  offer us the means of reaching there. He says: I am going to prepare for you a place. Paradise or eternal life means to be with Christ, in perfect communion with him and  God, the Father for ever, without any fear or danger of ever being separated from them. Paul expresses this idea as he writes: we shall all be with him forever; comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4,17-18). Jesus did not only reveal to us our destination, but also the way to it. He himself is the Way to  enter Paradise; he is the way to encounter God, the Father. There is no other way; it is just enough to follow him as He is the Truth. It is sufficient  to believe in Him for He is the Life. We need to be united to him, just as a branch of a tree is united to its trunk.  Jesus reveals to us all these because he is One with the Father. The Father speaks through him, and through him God, the Father accomplishes works (miracles), which no other person is capable of achieving. Jesus himself said: If for no other reason, at least believe on account of the work, which I do. We Christians are the people of God in a journey towards the blessed life in Paradise and our way is the one which Jesus designates. 

            The Church is a community of service, which is called to serve. Every baptized person is called to accomplish some work, some services. In the Acts of the Apostles (1st reading) the young Church has already division of service. The apostles dedicated themselves to the service of prayer and preaching the word of God. The early church had to choose other people who occupied themselves with the material assistance to the widows and the needy. Later on, the apostles instituted the services of presbyters and the deacons as their helpers. Thus, three holy orders of services or ministries were delineated: the bishopric, the presbyterate (the priests) and deaconate. However, it was never meant that the services were to be restricted to the bishops, the priests and the deacons. The laity, are also assigned areas of service for the growth of the Christian community and  the spread of the Kingdom of God. The Vatican Council II makes the laity very conscious of their mission and the possibilities of serving Christ and his Kingdom by assigning to them various forms of services: like serving as permanent deacons, as catechists who help prepare people for the reception of the sacraments, and as lectors who proclaim the word of God. This services are ad intra, that is, within the Christian community itself and for its growth. But there is another very important service which a truly believing lay person should take as his/her prime duty to accomplish: to colour with a Christian spirit whatever they are doing and to sow and insert seeds of evangelization in the environment of their human activities, some of which are: governance, politics,  judiciary, civil service, economy and business, different levels of education, different forms of professions, family, buying and selling, health care delivery in hospitals, sports, science and technology and private sectors. To bring Christ into these ambients is the  special duty of all the baptized lay people. It is high time that our lay Christians in Nigeria became fully conscious of their vocation and mission and to work actively and courageously as Christians in the world and in our country. 

            The Church is a priestly people. The text of the 2nd reading gives the fundamental reason why all Christians in the whole world, according to their particular situation and their particular gifts are called to render services: ... set yourselves close to him (Jesus Christ) so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. All Christians, in virtue of their baptism, make up a holy race, kingdom of priests, that is to say, that they participate in the priesthood of Jesus Christ; they have, therefore, the right and duty to the apostolate, and to participate actively in the liturgical celebration especially the Eucharist. The Vatican Council II, distinguishes ministerial priesthood (those who receive the Holy Orders) from the universal (common) priesthood of all the baptized. The Council also indicates how every Christian should exercise the priesthood which is the participation of the priesthood of Christ.  Vatican Council holds: All the work of the laity, prayer, initiative of apostolates, their conjugal life, daily activities, spiritual and material comfort and even the difficulties of life, if borne with patience,  become spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God through Jesus Christ; and all these, during the Holy Mass, are offered to God the Father together  with the oblation of the body of the Lord (Lumen Gentium 34). We can then see how every Christian will have to live out his priesthood derived from baptism. He/she has to offer to God all his/her life; joys, sorrows, stresses, hopes, ups and downs, etc. When all these are done in faith and love, they become spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing to God and which are united to the sacrifice of Jesus (and of the Church) in the Holy Mass. May we in today’s Eucharistic celebration ask for the graces to be good Christians, who by fulfilling our daily duties in our homes and our places of work, will be exercising our common priesthood of the baptized and at the same time will be propagating the Kingdom of God on earth, a kingdom whose members we are already on earth and, which will be our eternal patria, if we continue to remain united with Christ who is the Way, the Truth and Life!    

  +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH... 4th Sunday of Easter: Year A

(Acts 2,14.36-41; 1 Peter 2,20-25; John 10,1-10: 

From tradition, the forth Sunday of Easter, is known as the Good Shepherd Sunday. It could even be called the True Shepherd Sunday, as the liturgy dwells on Jesus who has all the qualities of a True Shepherd or Guide of the soul. In the readings, we have allusions to this. In the gospel acclamation we have John 10,14: I am the good shepherd, says the Lord. The text of the second reading concludes thus: You have gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your soul. In the first reading Peter, on the day of Pentecost said in  a loud voice: The whole house of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. Jesus is, therefore, the Good shepherd, the True Shepherd because he gave his life for his sheep, conquered death by his resurrection and is constituted by God the Father, Lord and Saviour. 

            In the gospel we have indications that present Jesus as the good and true shepherd. Jesus is presented as the One, who enters the sheepfold through the door and not one who jumps over fences, just as thieves do and brigands whose aim is to rub, kill and destroy. Jesus is the true shepherd who looks after the soul and leads the sheep out to graze, and goes ahead of them indicating the correct path and way, removing any dangers on the way. He is the true shepherd that has concern and solicitude for souls. In the gospel, Jesus is also presented as the gate: I am the gate of the sheepfold...Anyone who enters through me will be safe; he will go freely in and out and he will be sure to find pasture. Bringing this image of Jesus as door to concrete terms, we can say that Jesus is the gate through which the souls can freely go in and out, have ultimate freedom, feel at home and find refuge and security. It is also though Jesus the true shepherd that the soul finds truth, love, grace and life. Jesus himself so affirms: I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full. According to John the Evangelist, the life meant here is the divine life, which already begins here  on earth, a life that is initiated at our Baptism. Jesus says of himself: I am the gate, through which people can go in or out. The people who make use of this gate are not only  those who want to live authentic life of a disciple and attain salvation but also those who would like to be true and legitimate guides to souls that are in search of salvation. Jesus is a gate through which they have to pass. True and good pastors of souls are called by Jesus (You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you), are sent out by him (Just as the Father had sent me, so do I send you), and are to be  carriers of his Message of Good-news (Go and preach to the whole world). The main characteristic of true and legitimate pastors is: being ready to give one’s life for the souls, just as Jesus, the good and true shepherd did. 

            On this Sunday, the Church uses this opportunity to invite us to celebrate and reflect  on:  The world day of Prayers for Vocation. It is the day we pray for the vocation to the priesthood and religious life of consecrated men and women. Priests and Religious men and women, have as it were, the duty to continue Jesus ’ mission as the good and true shepherds and secure guide of the souls of people. The priests have this mission in virtue of their sacred ordination, by which they participate in Christ’s priesthood and rendered worthy to act in his name, (in persona Christi). By virtue of their religious profession (their state of consecrated life), the men and women Religious are obligated, through their example, to follow the Gospel radically, be witnesses to the life of Christ and guides that lead souls to God. Priests and men and women Religious are, therefore, necessary and indispensable to the Church, the people of God and the world. The present world, with lots of upheavals, disasters and man-made-difficulties needs now,more than any other time, the authentic witness of men and women of good will and especially, priests,men and women Religious of consecrated life, whose exemplarily lives serve as the sign of the future life with God in heaven. 

            The laity by their Baptism participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest and the good and true Shepherd. Parents fulfill their roles as shepherds, when they lead their children to green pastures, that is to say, when they take time, right at the inception of the child in the womb, to train their children, to be good human beings, respectful to their fellow human beings. It is only when they are brought up well that children can become good Christians who show reverence to God. The parents, as good and true shepherds to their families, should be able to nurture in their children vocations to the  Priesthood and Religious life as Rev. Sisters and Rev. Brothers. For, it is from the families that priests and men and women Religious come from; they do not fall down from heaven. Note the expression: like father, like son, like mother, like daughter; should we not also say: like the families like the candidates to the priesthood, religious life as well as married life. May we,therefore, ask the Risen Lord, the good and true shepherd to bestow on all of us the grace of good discipleship that will enable us discharge, in our various and different callings in life, the duties of being shepherds that accrue to us as baptized Christians or consecrated men and women religious or ordained priests. 

+John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH.....3rd Sunday of Easter

(Acts 2, 14.22-33; 1 Peter 1, 17-21; Luke 24, 13-35: 3rd Sunday of Easter)

          Today’s episode of Jesus’ apparition to the two disciples of Emmaus is a great help to his disciples of all times, in discovering the presence of the risen Lord. These two disciples on their way to Emmaus were disillusioned and unhappy. They were ruminating on the stories about Jesus who was crucified, died, buried and the new talk about his resurrection that was being propagated by some women who claimed to have gotten the information from an angel. Some of Jesus disciples were mentioned to have gone to the tomb to verify the information and found the tomb empty; Jesus was not there.  From the tone of their narration, these two disciples were not convinced that Jesus rose from the dead; they were taken aback and were going away from Jerusalem, the scene of all these events. They, however, confided in thestranger, who joined them on the way, that they had hoped that it was Jesus who would have been able to liberate Israel. But as it seemed then, that hope was completely gone. At this point the stranger opened up and chided them for their lack of perception in the prophecies regarding the Messiah, who had to first of all suffer before entering into his glory. This stranger had to explain to them every reference made in the Scriptures about the Messiah. As he was doing this, the hearts of these two disciples were aglow but they were not yet able to recognize him, as Jesus himself. They were only able to recognize him, when at table he performed the Eucharistic gesture: he took the bread, said the blessings, broke it and handed them to them. At this point, Jesus disappeared from their sight. Without any delay, they returned to Jerusalem, intending to narrate their encounter with the risen Lord. There, the community of the apostles attested: indeed, the Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. 

          This narrative of Luke is a wonderful catechesis for the first Christian communities and Christians of all ages. It seems to answer some questions which the first Christian community and probably we present day Christians ask: Where is the risen Christ? Where is he operative? Is he really the Living One? The evangelist, Luke responds this way: The risen Christ and all the mysteries about him reside in the Sacred Scriptures. It is there that we can encounter and recognize him. St. Jerome noted long ago: Ignorance of the Scriptures means ignorance of Christ. Again, the risen Christ is in the Eucharistic celebration, in the Christian community that is united in the rite of breaking of bread. The risen Christ is in the midst of the Christian community that professes their faith around, and with the Apostle Peter. The risen Christ is within the community that operates in his name for the sanctification of its members through the sacraments and for the cure of the bodily ailments of its members. A typical example is the cure of the lame man from birth by Peter and John through the invocation of the name of Jesus. (Acts 3,6). 

          If we really want to encounter the risen Christ, feel his comfortable and vivifying presence in our lives, we have no choice but to follow the catechesis of the Evangelist Luke which is articulated in the following four points. 

• (i) Read, meditate assiduously, assimilate the Sacred Scriptures, and allow yourselves to be illumined by it. The entire Scriptures speak of Christ and the design of God’s salvation for mankind. 
• (ii)  Participate actively in the breaking of bread with the Christian community that celebrates the Eucharist and that prays in unity, and in compliance with the datum of Christ: where two or three of you are gathered in my name I am in their midst.
•  (iii) Stand with the successor of Peter (the Pope) who has the competence toconfirm the brothers in the faith and to pasture the lambs and sheep of the Church. 
• (iv) Live immersed in the Christian Community that practices love and charity through corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This is the itinerary which Luke indicates to us in order to meet with the risen Christ, feel his presence in us, as he accompanies, illumines, strengthens our determination and comforts us. The natural eyes of our bodies are not capable of seeing him as long as we are in this world, just as the two disciples of Emmaus could not recognize Jesus in the mysterious stranger who walked along with them on the road to Emmaus. We see the risen Christ and recognize him well through the eyes of the mind, heart and faith.   May we pray in today’s Eucharistic celebration to always have the grace to recognize and encounter Jesus in the Scriptures, Eucharistic celebrations, amidst the community of believers as well as in the poor, the sick, the marginalized and whosoever claims our love and charity? Amen! 

+John I. Okoye