Holy TrinitySunday:

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Exodus 34,4-6.8-9;  2 Cor 13,11-13; John 3,16-18: Holy TrinitySunday: Year A)

            Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity which, is the origin and the destination of every liturgical celebration. During this time, Advent and Christmas the Church meditated on the merciful love of God who sent his Son into the world. During Lent and Easter periods we contemplated the infinite goodness of the Son of God who gave his life for us and rose on the third day. At the feast of Pentecost the Church celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit that was sent by the Father and the Son to bring to completion the work of salvation. After these memorable celebrations of the history of salvation, the church deems it necessary and opportune to unite in a single celebration the three divine persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. From Jesus’ teachings we can affirm that the Blessed Trinity, that is the existence of only one God in three equal and distinct Persons,  is a reality and not a figment of the mind. There are several gospel passages, especially in John’s gospel that refer to this mystery.
We have for example: I came from the Father into this world; now I am leaving the world and returning to my Father(John 16,18); Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me (John 14,11); the Advocate, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things (John 14, 26). We have the same attestation in the mandate of Jesus to his Apostles: Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28,19). The existence of the Blessed Trinity is not in doubt as we can see from the revelation made by Jesus himself. However, it is not possible for us, as long as we are in this world, to comprehend with our finite minds the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, the mystery of God. The reasonable approach in contemplating this mystery is to make effort to know and appreciate how God manifests Himself, and what the signs of his presence and his actions are today’s three readings will aid us in this regard. 

            The first reading from the Book of Exodus follows the apostasy of the people in worshipping the golden calf. Moses again ascends the mountain to intercede, offering his own life for the people. This evokes yet another revelation of God as a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, truly a God who knows the suffering and weakness of humanity and who is constantly summoning them back to his love and mercy. The gospel reading from John contains one of the most-quoted New Testament text: God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. In this passage, Jesus reveals the face or nature of God not in his essence as God but in what He did and does to the people’s advantage. The God who heard the cries of his people in Egypt, witnessed their affliction, and came down to save them (Exod 3,7-10) now sends his Son, the Word-made-flesh (John 1,14) so that the world, that is, everyone who believes in him, may be saved.  God the Father loved the world and sent his Son, the Son in his personal commitment accepted to be made man and sacrificed his own life for the salvation of man. In the short passage from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, Saint Paul offers us not only an explicit affirmation of the existence of the Blessed Trinity but also the fact that the Blessed Trinity is present and works in us, if we do not break our relationship with the three Divine Persons through sin. That is why St. Paul had to wish us and the Corinthians: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Jesus had indeed clearly affirmed: If anyone loves me...even my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home in him (John 14,23). St. Paul adds an important fact, which is, that God of love and peace shall be with us if we strive for perfection, if we seek to support and help one another and if we live in harmony and peace. May we pray on this day of the Blessed Trinity to preserve the life of the Blessed Trinity that was poured into our soul as sanctifying grace at our baptism. May we also strive and long for the time when the relationship of love between each one of us and the Blessed Trinity began at Baptism, will mature into complete and inseparable union in the kingdom of heaven. 

 +John I. Okoye

Pentecost Sunday:

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts 2,1-11; 1 Cor 12,3-7.12-13; John 20,19-23; Pentecost Sunday: Year A)

            Several times, especially in his farewell speech, Jesus promised his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit: I will not leave you orphans...; I will send the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth...; You will receive the Holy Spirit.  Fifty days after Easter, exactly on the feast of the Jewish Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled his promise as Luke narrates to us in the Acts of the Apostles. John in his gospel, rather links the effusion of the Holy Spirit on the same day Jesus rose from the dead. He wishes to indicate that the Holy Spirit is the most precious gift that emanates from Jesus’ love of, and obedience to, the Father. 

         
  One could ask: Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit? Why did he consider the Holy Spirit necessary for the Apostles and the Church? The Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles and to the Church so that they would be enabled to continue the mission of salvation, for which Christ came into the world, a mission that neither is limited in time nor in space. Jesus himself enunciated:Just as the Father has sent me, in the same way I send you (Acts 20,21); Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to all creation (Mark 15,16). Note the entrust and the continuity of the mission: the mission of evangelization came from the Father to Christ, then from Christ to the apostles and from the apostles to the Church. This mission does not only comprise the proclamation of the Gospel, but specially, the liberation of man from slavery of sin, the interior restoration/recreation of the human person through the grace of God and in conformity to the sanctity of God.  The Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles and the Church in order to enable them carry out this marvel of liberation and recreation especially through the remission of their sins: Whoever you forgive their sins, will be forgiven (John 20,23). Again the Holy Spirit was sent so that humanity that was dispersed and divided,  on account of sin, could find its unity and oneness in the Church, speak the same language, profess the same faith, recognize one another as brothers and sisters and form one single human family as we pray in the third Eucharistic prayer: Give (O Father, the fulness of the Holy Spirit so that we become in Christ one body and one Spirit. It is, however, to be noted that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was not only once at Pentecost that is at the beginning of the Church. Luke, the Evangelist in the Acts of the Apostles recorded other effusions of the Holy Spirit. It all means that Pentecost, that is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, is a continuous occurrence in the Church for her renewal Acts 4,31; 10,44-47; 19,1-7). 

            St. Paul in the second reading of this Sunday carries the discussion on the Holy Spirit to a more intimate, individual and personal level as the coming of the Holy Spirit does not only concern the Church as a community but also the individual believer in the Church: We all are baptised in one Spirit to form one body. The Holy Spirit makes a multitude of people one body and unites us individually, one person to the other and each one of us to Christ, the Head. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, the primary cause of her unity and the sanctification of each of her members. The Holy Spirit also enriches every singular believer with particular gifts (charisms): To each one is given a particular manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good. The gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit to each member of the Church is to the advantage of the whole body. The Spirit is the primary source of the various, and inexhaustible wealth of charisms of the Church. 

            One would want to know how the Holy Spirit functions today. What are the signs of His mysterious presence? Firstly, the Holy Spirit works through the ordinary and extraordinary Magisterium of the Church. Assisted by the Holy Spirit, the Church is the infallible teacher of the truth, the truth about Christ, as Jesus promised: The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach every thing and will make you remember all that I have said to you (John 14, 26). Amidst the darkness of this world and in the midst of many errors, the Church had never been unfaithful to the teachings of Christ or wanting in proclaiming the purity of the Gospel. We are certain that the Pope and the Bishops are guided by the Holy Spirit when they speak in the name of Christ, and proclaim the truth of the faith. Secondly, the Holy Spirit works through the Sacraments. St. John has clearly stated that the Church can forgive sins not by her own powers, but by the power of the Holy Spirit that is given to her. The same can be said about the other sacraments. It is the Holy Spirit, the Creator Spirit, who at Baptism sees that the baptised is born to new life; who with His power makes Christ presence real in the bread and wine in the Eucharist; who in marriage sanctifies and elevates purely human love to participate in the love of God; who transforms a man at ordination to be another Christ, as he participates in the Priesthood of Christ and who also comforts the sick in the Sacrament of the sick, purifying the soul from every stain of sin. 

            The effects of the work of the Holy Spirit can still be seen in the ordinary and every day activities and lives of people. It manifests itself in those who make heroic sacrifices in the service of our needy brothers and sisters, in war areas, famine and diseased places. The Holy Spirit manifests itself in those who with love and devotion care for handicapped/abandoned  children and weak elders. The effects of the work of the Holy Spirit can also be seen among those who work for the cause of justice and peace at all levels. We see the work of the Holy Spirit among our people who in various ways suffer either physical  or moral persecution because they stick to the practice of their faith, refusing involvement in any form of corrupt practices and cheating in our society. We see the effect of the work of the Holy Spirit in all who show integrity, sincerity and honesty of life in their profession in the midst of ramification of corruption. We see the work of the Holy Spirit in people who love those who hate them, pardon those who have offended them and who carry with dignity, strength and equanimity their daily crosses and sufferings. We see the action of the Holy Spirit in these category of people: in those who generously consecrate all their lives to God and to the benefit of their brothers and sisters in the priesthood and religious life and who are heroically committed to their vows/promises of obedience, poverty and celibacy; in all the married couples who live up to the demands of their state as man and wife and as good parents to their children; in children who reciprocate their parents’ love shown to them and help their parents in their old age, at times, not minding difficulties and sufferings such care entails. The above examples show that the Holy Spirit continues His work in the Church and in the world. May we conclude with a solemn act of faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord of life who guides and sustains the Church; who sanctifies and comforts us. May we finally invoke the Holy Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, come into the Church, on those who lead it, on every one of us so that we may become courageous witnesses to our faith in Christ and remain in His love.  

+John I. Okoye

7th Sunday of Easter: Year A (THE UPPER ROOM)

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts 1, 12-14; 1 Peter 4, 13-16; John 17,1-11a: 7th Sunday of Easter: Year A)

         

 This seventh Sunday of Easter falls between the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Pentecost Sunday, which is the day the Holy Spirit Jesus promised descended on the Apostles. Last Sunday we discussed the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth who would shed more light on the person of Jesus Christ, his teachings and mission in the world.  It is this same Spirit that will unleash power on apostles, power that will enable them to be Jesus’ veritable witnesses throughout the world. Jesus indicated this on the day of his Ascension when he told them: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1, 8). The apostle Paul holds: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord” unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12, 3). What this statement boils down to is that we cannot do anything, especially in the spiritual arena without the help of the Holy Spirit. Most often, we neither realize, nor acknowledge our weakness and powerlessness, particularly in the spiritual domain. All the saints came to acknowledge their weakness. Anyone who has made serious attempts at living a spiritual life will know that without God’s grace he/she is powerless. We are like inexperienced swimmers who wish to swim out to sea but who are tossed back on the shore again and again by the waves. We need a strength we do not possess. In this our age of do-it-yourself, this truth will come as a blow to our pride. After Jesus’ ascension  his disciples realized their helplessness and limitations and retired to the Upper Room, the site of the Last Supper (Luke 22,12), that belonged to the mother of John Mark (Acts 12,12). The remaining eleven apostles were there. Luke the author of the Acts of the Apostles notes the presence of some women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers (cousins). What were they doing in the Upper Room? They devoted themselves with one accord to prayer. They were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit and the power He is to bring along. 

          It was this Holy Spirit that would make them appreciate the true nature of Jesus whose disciples they were. It was the Holy Spirit that would help them understand the revelation which Jesus made of himself in the High Priestly Prayer, a part of which we read in today’s Gospel. It was the Holy Spirit that would make it clear to them that the type of relationship that exists between Jesus and God is that of Son-Father. Jesus addresses God with the title of Father and refers to himself as Son. It was from this Father that Jesus came and it is to the Father he returns. The glory for which Jesus prays is the glory he shared with his Father before the creation of the world. Jesus’ authority came from his Father and he in turn delivered the Father’s word to his disciples and reveals the Father’s name to them. Though in some ways Jesus appears to be subordinate to his Father, yet they share all things. This passage brings out Jesus’ divine character. It is only the Holy Spirit that will enable the Christian of any age understand the relationship between the Father and Jesus and empower him/her to enter into a similar relationship with Jesus and eventually with the Father. It is the Holy Spirit that will empower the Christian to enter and nurture a close relationship with Jesus and God the Father in this world, (the realm of human life and reality) that is hostile and antagonistic towards God and the things of God, where the disciples of Jesus will continue to live and survive even after his departure to his heavenly Father. It is the same Holy Spirit that will empower the Christian to suffer with Christ so as to share in his glory as Peter, the apostle, indicates in the second reading of this Sunday. It is the Holy Spirit that will enable the Christian to bear insults and suffer persecution for Christ’s sake. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot be holy, we cannot relate to God the Father or to his Son Jesus Christ; we cannot know God’s will, let alone do it, which is the quintessence of holiness. It is the same Holy Spirit that guides the Church in her teaching and from doctrinal error. If the Holy Spirit is so important in the life of the Church and that of the individual Christians, why is devotion to the Holy Spirit so minimal, and at times and in certain places non existent?

          This period of the Church’s liturgical life, the time between the Ascension and Pentecost is, therefore, very important for us. Let us imitate the group in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, after Jesus’ ascension. During those nine days, the apostles with Mary in their midst, made an intense novena of prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is the oldest and the most important novena in the Church. Unfortunately, it is also the most neglected. This is a great pity, for each Pentecost renews the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Somehow, the Charismatic Renewal Movement, through the Pentecost Week program, prepares for the ushering of the Holy Spirit. This is, however, not enough and seems to be an exclusive reserve of the members of this renewal and has not been taken seriously as an important way for the preparation for the coming of Holy Spirit. The Pentecost Week program contains a gem that both the universal and local churches should harness, deepen, develop, enhance, and purify to serve as a veritable and profitable preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit during every Pentecost. Meanwhile, what we enjoin all Christians is to make this period, between Ascension and Pentecost, days of intense prayer. With the intercessory prayer of the Mother of Jesus to help us, let us devote ourselves in intense prayer. It is not as if we have never received the Spirit. We have many times, especially at Baptism and Confirmation. But these precious days will help to deepen our consciousness of our need the Holy Spirit and increase our longing to receive Him completely. Pentecost then will renew his gift in us and in the Church. May we at least in today’s liturgy and throughout this week invoke the Holy Spirit thus: Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love; Send forth, O Lord, your Spirit and they shall be created and thou shall renew the face of the earth! Amen!  

+John I. Okoye

(pictures by blogger)