3rd Sunday of Easter: Year A, 2017

As the risen Christ encountered the two disciples of Emmaus, may he accompany you on your life’s journey, nourishing you with his word in the Scriptures and with his graces in the Eucharist- Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye.

          DOCTRINE AND FAITH 

(Acts of the Apostles 2, 14. 22-33; 1 Peter 1, 17-21; Luke 24, 13-35: 3rd Sunday of Easter:  Year A,  2017)

The gospel reading of this third Sunday of Easter presents to us the episode of the two disciples of Emmaus. This episode of Jesus’ apparition to the two disciples of Emmaus can help all the disciples of Christ (Christians) of all times to recognize the presence of the risen Lord. The two disciples were sad, disappointed and completely deluded. In their desperation they were moving away from their community. They were discussing what recently happened in Jerusalem that did not meet their expectation. They were hoping that Jesus who was crucified was to be the one who would redeem the Jewish people from the occupation of the Romans. As they continued their journey, Jesus approached them and in the course of his encounter with them revealed to them whom he was. At first, they did not recognize Jesus. However, they were eager to describe the events of the past few days and to admit that they had hoped that Jesus would have met their messianic expectations. At a time when those close to Jesus seem to have withdrawn in fear for their own safety, these disciples were telling a perfect stranger that they had believed in Jesus. Jesus started to explain that it was necessary that Christ should suffer in order to redeem mankind. As Jesus interpreted the Scriptures to show that they had really pointed to him, they were innerly moved. Their religious tradition was being interpreted to them in a new and revelatory way. At the same time, Jesus was showing how his death and resurrection were truly in accord with those Scriptures. Finally, it was in the breaking of the bread that the eyes of the disciples of Emmaus were opened and they recognized him.

    The evangelist Luke wishes, through this episode to help all Christians of all times, and of course ourselves, to recognize and appreciate the presence of the risen Lord in their lives and to assure that the Lord accompanies them effectively. To effect this in their lives the disciple/Christian has to do the following things. The first is to study the Sacred Scriptures: Indeed it was only when the mysterious companion explained to the two disciples the meaning of the Scriptures about him that they were touched to the heart and were able to regain their confidence. The Sacred Scriptures contains all that lead to salvation as willed by God. In them are the plan and design of God, as announced by the prophets, that Jesus was to enter into his glory through suffering. In the Sacred Scriptures we discover Christ and we feel his nearness and presence as our companion in our journey in life and through them we discover ourselves, our origin, destination and the path we have to thread in this life. Unfortunately, we ourselves sometimes merit the rebuke of Jesus: O foolish and slow of heart to believe in the Scriptures. Another way of recognizing the presence of Christ is in the breaking of bread. The two disciples of Emmaus recognized Jesus at the braking of bread. The breaking of bread is the familiar way of referring to the Eucharist. Therefore, in the prayerful study of, or listening, to the Sacred Scriptures or in the celebration of the Eucharist, we can relive the experience of the two disciples of Emmaus: overcoming fear, anguish, doubt and restlessness. We shall also reaffirm the firmness of our faith and make oneself an apostle, a missionary and a witness to the resurrection of Christ. In the Eucharist, Jesus donates to us his risen life. The evangelist Luke also obliquely indicates another way of making the presence of the risen Lord active. By inviting the unidentified and mysterious companion into their house to share their accommodation and meal, the two disciples of Emmaus offered the opportunity and occasion for the risen Lord’s self revelation. The risen Christ reveals his presence only where fraternal communion is manifestly lived out. The risen Christ is present and reveals himself to us when and in the measure we put fraternal love into practice, when we give attention to the needy brother or sister. In that case, it will no longer be he alone who reveals himself to us but also we will be in good disposition and position to reveal him to the world as the risen Lord and the one who continues to work with his Spirit in our hearts. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

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2nd Sunday of Easter: Year A, 2017

May your encounter with the Risen Christ every Sunday equip you with all the graces you need to bear witness to the same Risen Christ. Happy Easter! Happy Sunday!

+ John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts of the Apostles 2,42-47; 1 Peter 1, 3-9;  John  20, 19-31: 2nd Sunday of Easter:  Year A,  2017)

            In this second Sunday of Easter we see that the resurrection of Christ brings with it a lot of graces. Jesus did not rise from the dead only for his but also for our advantage. His resurrection has considerable effects on our own existence. The readings of today indicate to us some of those rich effects like the importance of Sunday, the day of  the Lord, peace, joy and faith.

The gospel reading has two resurrection appearances. They have several details in common: both occur on the first day of the week; despite the closed doors Jesus appears in the midst of the disciples and addresses them with a greeting of peace and calls their attention to his wounds. The first day of the week is the actual day of the resurrection. Previously the end of the week, the Sabbath had religious meaning. Henceforth, the beginning of the week is the focus. Why? This is the day, Sunday, when the risen Lord appears to his people in worship. Therefore, whoever wishes to encounter the risen Lord and receive his blessings will have to do so at the gathering of the believers on the first day of the week, that is Sunday. May we no longer miss the Sunday Masses during which we encounter Christ who feeds us with his Word and the Eucharist.

 The first words of Jesus as he appeared to his  timorous disciples, who were gathered in the Cenacle under locked doors, were: Peace to you all. The risen Lord brings peace to us. He obtained this peace through his victory over death and sin. The victory manifested in the resurrection of Christ which generates peace and reconciliation not only for now but also till the end time. The risen Lord did not bring along with him only peace but also joy. The gospel reading has it: The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord. Peter in the second reading, holds that the salvation issuing from faith in the resurrection of Jesus is a cause of great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials. Peter indicates one very important point. Even though, his audience has not met the risen Christ physically, they are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described. Their faith in Christ is responsible for this.

The resurrection of Christ is also the source of brotherly/sisterly communion and charity. The first Christians remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles and the brotherhood. This union was practically and concretely shown in the sharing and use of goods. The sharing had a social dimension manifested in the members holding possessions in common, as well as a religious dimension expressed in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The resurrection of Christ liberated the hearts from all forms of egoistic tendencies putting into them generous love, peace and joy.
            The resurrection of Christ is the source of joy, peace, community life, etc. We can only have a claim to these by having faith in Christ. For, in actual fact, the real source of these all is the person of Christ himself and to have them to one’s advantage, faith is necessary. We look at how the gospel reading and the second reading handled this important topic, faith. The protagonist of faith in the gospel reading was Thomas who was absent at the first appearance of Jesus. When he was told of it, he doubted and hinted that he would believe only when he must have physically seen and touched the wounds of Jesus, the sure indications of his physical suffering that led to his death. It was by the second appearance of Jesus that he gave up his doubt at the sight of the risen Lord. Thomas represents the second generation of Christians, those who are called to believe through the testimony of others. The faith required of him is, in a way, more demanding than that required of those who actually encountered the risen Lord. The other disciples recognized that the one in their midst was their Lord. Thomas by his declaration My Lord and my God professed that the risen Lord was God. According to Jesus, as profound as Thomas ultimate faith was, it does not compare with the faith of those who do not enjoy the kind of experience the Lord described here. Thomas should be remembered not because he was absent or because he doubted but because, like us, he was called to believe on the word of others. As obstinate as he first appeared, he was open to the power of the resurrection and he ultimately entered into the depth of the mystery. Thomas is the model of those who come to the sacred mysteries through the words of others.

For Peter, in the second reading faith is more precious than gold. His statement should challenge us to examine if our faith in Jesus Christ is really more precious than gold; if we place a profound or extraordinary value on our faith in Christ. All the goods of the earth are not to be compared to the high value of faith. For Peter this faith is to be developed and made stronger and deeper, often times through sufferings and difficulties that should be taken positively and not negatively. Peter goes on to echo the words of Jesus: You did not see him, yet you loved him and still without seeing him you are filled with joy…because you believe.

This Sunday gives us the opportunity to proclaim our faith and recognize its great value. It is the source of peace, joy and love. It is first of all the basis of our personal and intimate relationship with the risen Lord and through him with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, our faith is a treasure which we should be very happy to possess and appreciate always in every circumstances. Happy Easter! Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye 

(GRAPHICS  by Chukwubike )

5th Sunday of Lent: Year A, 2017

 May your faith in Jesus Christ as the Resurrection and Life so intimately bind you to him that nothing, even death, can separate you from him! Amen! Happy Sunday!
+John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Ezekiel 37, 12-14; Romans 8, 8-11; John 11, 1-45: 5^th Sunday of Lent:  Year A, 2017)

            The gospel readings of the two previous Sundays and that of today lead us gradually in appreciating the person of Jesus Christ. In the episode of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus is revealed as the source of living water that can quench the thirst of people for truth and love. We drank from this source at our baptism. In the episode of the cure of the man born blind of last Sunday, Jesus is shown to be the true light that can illumine every person who comes into the world. Indeed, at Baptism, he illumined us with the gift of faith that has been guiding us in our journey in life. In the episode of today’s Sunday that is about the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus is revealed as the resurrection and life. At our baptism we have already risen to new life with him.

            Already in the first reading there is the hint of the promise of resurrection. Ezekiel declares in the name of the Lord that there will be a resurrection: The Lord says thus: I am going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people and lead you back to the soil of Israel. Really, these prophetic words do not directly allude to the resurrection, but to the return of the exiles that can be seen as a new life for the people of God, a life that is made possible by the Spirit of God. And I shall put my spirit in you and you will live and I shall resettle you on your own soil… Thus the restoration envisioned is likened to a new creation. At creation,  the creature that had been formed from the dust of the ground became a living being when God breathed the breath  (ne-shama) of life into it (Gen 2,7). Here, in the oracle of Ezekiel, those in the grave live again when they are raised from the dust of death and given God’s own spirit (ruah). Both original creation and this new resurrection from the dead are unconditional gifts from the magnanimous God. The passage from Ezekiel testifies to God’s absolute and unconditional control over the powers of life, death, destruction and restoration. Just as the metaphor of bodily resurrection illustrated the incredible nature of restoration of the nation, so its reestablishment might have led the people to believe that resurrection itself was possible as well. If the first reading is an oblique allusion to the resurrection, the second reading speaks clearly of the victory over death. Paul affirms that we are not under the dominion of the flesh but of the spirit and the Spirit of God is the spirit that make it possible that we live new life. This is because those who live in the Spirit have Christ living in them. This is the same Christ who through his own death, has vanquished the powers of death. Although sin can still exact physical death as punishment, it cannot quench the spirit because of righteousness. Therefore, just as Christ conquered death and lives anew, so those joined to Christ will share in his victory and enjoy new life. Paul does not deny that Christians are under the same sentence of death as all other people. However, he contends that sin and death are not complete victory. The Spirit of God raised Jesus, the same Spirit will raise those, who here and now, live in the Spirit of Christ.

            The gospel episode demonstrates that Jesus is capable of communicating a new life and vanquishing death. Indeed, speaking to Martha, Jesus proclaims himself the resurrection: I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me, will never die. The explanation of this claim is the heart of Jesus’ teaching here. Belief in Jesus establishes a bond of life that not even death can sever. Although believers die physically, the bond will bring them back to life. Furthermore, this bond will survive physical death and keep believers from an eternal death. Jesus posed a solemn question to Martha: Do you believe that I am the resurrection and life? Martha’s answer is immediate and unequivocal: Yes Lord. She elaborates on her faith, assigning three messianic titles to Jesus: Christ, Son of God and one who is to come. She may not know how Jesus is about to accomplish the impossible, but her faith and trust in him are secure. Having explained to Martha what he meant when he claimed to be the resurrection and life, Jesus acts it out. He first prays to God, not in petition for divine power, for having been sent by God, he already possesses it. He prays in thanksgiving, for he knows God always hears him. His prayer is really a public testimony to his relationship with God and is prayed for the sake of those around him. The marvel he performed cannot be denied, but it can be misunderstood. Jesus is not merely a wonder-worker: He himself has the power of the resurrection and he is the source of eternal life. Although, the raising of Lazarus is merely a temporary resurrection, the new lease of life given to him is a powerful sign of the eternal life that faith in Jesus guarantees.

            The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead is a sign, proof and guarantee of another resurrection which Jesus performs, that is, the raising of our souls from death of sin to the life of grace. Jesus is indeed our resurrection and life, when at baptism he snatched us from darkness and brought us into his admirable light. Jesus has been and is for us our resurrection and life whenever he pardons our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation and when he donates himself in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Jesus who is our resurrection and lifealso poses the same question he asked Martha to you: Do you believe this? Do you believe that I am your resurrection and life? That I work out your spiritual resurrection, that I communicate to you divine and supernatural life and feed you through the sacraments. Do you also believe that I will also raise to life this your mortal and miserable body? Do you believe all these?

Jesus addresses us as he did Lazarus: Come out of your tomb! He wants that you come out of your life of indifference, sloth, selfishness, interior disorder, sadness and dissatisfaction. Come out! Let us dedicate ourselves seriously in an attempt to free ourselves from the inclination of sins and bad vices that hold us prisoners as a grave holds the dead prisoner. Jesus expects from us a little bit of good will and a sincere desire to change our behaviour, attitude and life in order to have the new lease of life of the resurrection .Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

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