NIGERIA APPEARS TO HAVE COME UNHINGED:
By Fr. Hassan Kukah
As usual, Nigerians are doing what they do best: making themselves the laughing stock of the rest of the world, behaving like spoilt brats of a rich but irresponsible father, or like players in a game with no rules and no referee, a game in a field of moral free fall. Perhaps by way of a metaphor, that is really a summary of our condition. Those who have held the nation to ransom, non-state actors constituting themselves into a calumnious conspiratorial tag team of sorcerers’ apprentices believe that what they cannot have, no one can have. They are prepared to drag the nation down with them even if they do not know where they are going. We are forced to ask ourselves the timeless question, how did we get here and indeed, where are we?
The froth has come to the top: Nigeria’s broth of deceit and opportunism masquerading as politics has triggered a diarrhea with dire consequences for the public space. Except we concede that we are a cursed nation, it is difficult to fathom how we could have ended up where we are now, a nation in a permanent stupor and always unable to celebrate its victories not to talk of avoiding its sorrows. How did we leave so many doors open that a small coterie of nondescript individuals with neither known addresses nor antecedents suddenly took centre stage?
A first time visitor to our country in the last few weeks would think they have crashed into a party organised by drunken criminals who, in their bouts of raucous inebriation have resorted to a serious brawl with self injuries while overturning tables and food, destroying both glasses and plates. Given the huge opportunities and resources, is this where we should be? My people, what has God not done for us?
Suddenly, the nation seems to have come unhinged. Across the country, sounds of very irresponsible and provocative utterances fill the air. The media lapped it all up and by giving these adult urchins publicity, created the impression that the end of our nation had arrived. And yet, the late Chinua Achebe warned his Igbo people in general and Nigeria in particular of the consequences of the men with ideas leaving the stage to the money-miss-road ragamuffins, men and women with no records of service or achievement, men and women who elsewhere should be in jail taking up the stage and doing what they know best, creating a maelstrom, ratcheting up the volume of vitriol and creating a discordant orchestra of artistic chaos. My people, what has God not done for us?
But while all this was going on, look at the other side, the abode of reason, rationality and integrity. Look at what has happened to us in England. In one fell swoop, seven of our sons and daughters were elected into the British Parliament, an unprecedented feat in the history of Democracy anywhere in the world. The following week, England won the Under 21 World Cup with the assistance of three young men of Nigerian descent. In the same England, just a few months back, our son created history by winning the World Heavy Weight Boxing title. Talk about the colony striking back! My people, what has God not done for us?
Within the same kingdom, across the sea to Ireland, one of our favourite sons was also making history. After about a hundred years, the Vatican announced the appointment of the first African as the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Jude Okolo to Ireland, the land of our missionary ancestors. After a hundred years, Rome announced the appointment of a Nigerian-born Most Rev. Dr. Eusebius Chinekezi Manugwu, as pioneer Bishop of Port-Gentil, in Gabon. After almost a hundred years one of our daughters is now Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Almost on a monthly basis, Nigeria has continued to receive news of the spectacular achievements of our children who are breaking academic records in America and Europe, feats that few people from any developing country have achieved. They are daily breaking the glass ceilings and scaling walls that racism and colonialism had erected for the black man. In almost every corner of the world, wherever black achievement is mentioned, if there are two names, both or one must be a Nigerian. My people, what has God not done for us?
We parade the best writers with the greatest world recognition for any one country in the developing world. Our sons and daughters have won some of the most prestigious international awards there are in various fields of Art, Science, Sports and almost everything. Our Medical personnel, Lawyers, Engineers, Professors, Scientists are in the most prestigious laboratories all over the world. It will be difficult to find any good University or institution of research and learning anywhere in the world that does not have Nigerians as their brightest and best teachers or students. So, what is going on? Are we under a tragic spell? My people, what has God not done for us?
When I look at our country, I feel a sense of both shame and pity not for myself but for our teeming millions who simply want to be left to do what ordinary human beings have come to take for granted elsewhere: get married, raise a family, live in peace and prepare the next generation. Is this too much the ordinary citizens of Nigeria to ask? We have become the butt of jokes around the continent and the world. Those who brought education to us are in awe of our intellectual capacity and they hide their jealousy by accusing us of being loud and arrogant. Our cousins on the continent, most of whom we have sent technical assistance to and tried to share our wealth with, look on us as a threat. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, as in the world of international diplomacy on the global stage, they never fail to collude with others to subvert our global ambitions and leadership claims. Where did we go wrong? My people, what has God not done for us?
Today, we stand on the crossroads of shame and seeming despair. An energetic and brilliant generation of young Nigeria, roaring to take their place in the public stage are held back by a political class which prefers to feed its gargantuan appetite. Governance has become a massive fraud and a heinous crime scene. The easy question is to ask, how do we get out of this self-inflicted mess where we continue to feed our children yesterday’s barf?
This is the world to which the young priests being ordained today are going into. This is the world that the next generation of our young people growing up are coming into. How should today’s priest be prepared to respond to the social questions of the time?
While all this is going on at a national political scene, we in the Catholic Church also have our own sad drama that has been playing out in Ahiara for the last five years. In Ahiara, the devil has had his day. Now it is the turn of God to have His way. This is not the time for judgment of condemnation. It is a time for those who have ears to adjust them so that they can listen to the voice of from the gentle breeze as Elijah did (1 Kgs 19:12). I am glad that a prayer for Ahiara is circulating among Catholics. Please recite the prayer. The devil cannot be more powerful than the prayers of faithful Catholics around the country and the world. We commit Ahiara Diocese and its entire people to our Blessed Mother. May she, the patron of Priests intercede for our brothers and sisters.
It is clear that we as a Church are not free from the cobwebs of confusion that adorn our society. Whether we call the events under question ethnicity or faithlessness or greed, the fact is that our society is in deep trouble. And here is the challenge of the Catholic priesthood. This is where I want to challenge all of us who are Priests especially to sit up and confront the rut in our society by really and truly being signs of contradiction, signs of hope amidst this despair. We can only do this if we free ourselves from the temptations of material power. I want to focus my thoughts on the Priests because even if our people are broken and injured as individuals or families, we are called to be their healers. But to play our roles, we must disengage from the blind material pursuit that has rendered our mission ineffective. For, as Chaucer said: If gold rusts, what will iron do?
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It is worthy of note that today’s ordination is taking place on the 40th anniversary of the foundation of this Seminary, the National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul and her supporting agency, the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP), by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria under the leadership of Dominic Cardinal Ekandem of blessed memory. By Divine Providence, this month marks also the centenary of his birth. Thus, about a week from today, June 23rd, the Archdiocese of Abuja which was also his brainchild, invites all of us to the party marking the one hundred years of his birth!
In a society that is being pulled apart by atavistic cleavages and divisions, we priests must become instruments of peace and unity, just like Cardinal Dominic Ekandem strove to be in his own days. Yes! He was an instrument of peace and harmony. He was a bridge-builder where polarizing forces and selfish interests were hard at work. Being the visionary leader that he was, he founded this Seminary as an instrument of unity and service to humanity. So, you new priests of today, like this great Father of our Faith and your Founder, Dominic Cardinal Ekandem, must do all within your power to rise above the atavistic forces that are attempting to pull this country apart. Like the great patriot that he was, the Cardinal worked for the unity and progress of this blessed land. You too must, and in fact all who call this land our home, must speak and work for peace and justice in our Church and Society. We must become champions of united positive actions. This constitutes a great part of our vocation as Christians but even more for us who have been called to the priestly ministry.
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Today, as we ordain these five young men priests, we must reflect on the meaning and ministry of priests. Here we return to the words of the French Priest Fr Henri Lacordaire whose timeless words transcend any other definition of the Catholic priesthood. He said to be a priest is to:
To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures;
To be a member of each family, yet belonging to none;
To share all suffering; to penetrate all secrets; To heal all wounds;
to go from men to God and offer Him their prayers; To return from God to men to bring pardon and hope;
These are difficult times, they are times that try our patience. But they are times of hope and courage. The priesthood will continue to be challenged because there are many versions of the priest as there are parishioners. Thankfully, we are called to serve and not to seek popular approval or applause. Again, the timeless words of one of our priests remain when said:
The priest exists for the community and only for the community. But not everyone in the community thinks the same.
Some bless him, others pity him, and so many others ignore him.
If the priest is young, they say he is inexperienced.
If he is old, they say he is outmoded, ill fashioned and conservative.
He should retire!
If he dresses well, he is a middle-class snob. If he dresses poorly, he is an agitator.
If he is happy and enjoys life and believes in love, he is wordily and not a churchman.
If he lives an ascetic life, the say: he is a “monk” and not a committed priest of the 21st century.
If he is jovial and makes people laugh, he is a joker and a clown. If he doesn’t laugh with people, he is distant, proud and full of himself.
If he visits his parishioners, he is never at home…he is a walkabout. If he does not, he is proud and lacks pastoral prudence.
The poor are angry if he associates with the rich and they call him a capitalist. The rich are insulted if he devotes himself to the poor and they call him an economist.
If he is generous and helps the poor, he is a populist. If he is moderate and judicious in spending, he is called a stingy man.
If he decorates the church, he is spending too much. If he does not, he is allowing things to deteriorate.
If he asks for funds, he likes money a lot. If the parish fund is low, he is a “bad business man.”
if he talks of moral decadence, he is putting up a holier than-thou attitude. If he doesn’t, he is morally lax and condones evil.
If he is out-spoken and criticizes the social order, he is a radical prophet, if he is gentle and prudent in criticism, he is a cunning diplomat.
If he is agile; he is hyperactive. If he is sick and weak; he does not care about his health.
If he dies, Oh! There will never be a Priest like him again!
We are not called to solve all the problems of our time. However, today’s priest must wake up to the reality of the return to the twin forces of neo-paganism, sorcery, witchcraft, shamanism among our faithful for whom Christianity is merely superficial. This skin-deep faith cannot survive the challenges of hostile forces of secularism that threaten to engulf our public life. The solution is not the superfluous expressions of dubious religiousity which have turned the churchman into a rival shaman extracting favours from a reluctant god who responds to incantations and is seduced by false sacrifices. Do you recall Paul’s shock at Ephesus when he asked the brethren there is they had received the Holy Spirit? Their answer was: We have never heard of anything like the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2). It would seem clear that we Christians must address the issues of whether we have indeed heard and accepted such a thing as the Holy Spirit. Because if we have, then its fruits of love, charity, prudence should be the glue to hold our society together.
Finally, our people must embrace community life and be ready to hold on to the shared values that held us together. It was not wealth that held us together. It was largely the sense of solidarity that we had, a gift that was always considered part and parcel of our DNA as Africans. I leave you with the words of one of the greatest writers, our own Chinua Achebe who said: A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to redeem them from starving. They all have food in their own houses. When we gather together in the village ground at moonlight, it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his compound. We come together because it is better for kinsmen to do so. Therefore let us continue with the team spirit and enjoy the power of togetherness. Let us smile not because we do not have problems but let us smile because we are stronger than our problems.
Fr Kukah delivered this speech at the at the ordination of deacons at the National Missionary Seminary, Gwagawalada
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Saturday, 24 June 2017
12th Sunday of the Year A, 2017
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Jeremiah 20, 10-13; Romans 5, 12-15; Matthew 10, 26-33: ; 12th Sunday of the Year A, 2017)
Fear is one factor that has continued to militate against our call to authentic witnessing to the gospel. Undertaking the task of committed witnessing would demand that we make ourselves susceptible to cajole, insults, persecution and threats of outright extermination. How many of us are prepared to stake out their necks to protect the rights of others? How many of us would be ready to risk their job, status, positions in the society, or valued relationship in protest against injustice or to expose unjust structures? There is no doubt that there is hardship in being a disciple nowadays where money is usually the standard of measuring success. It is a world of competition where there is only one winner and everyone else is a failure. It is a world that values possessions more than commitment, shrewdness more than integrity. A world where races and cultures, welfare of people and natural environment are secondary to the desires of those in power. This is a world that, desperately, needs to hear the call of conversion, but the world is either deaf to it or on hearing it, may persecute the one who delivers the message. This is the world subject to the death that entered into it through the sin of Adam. Those who respond positively to God’s call, as disciples, may have to face the hostility of the world, because their values and commitments threaten the world’s assured values. They may encounter this hostility in friends and neighbours. They may even have to face the hostility from family members. They can even experience terror in every side. This can happen in both major and minor situations. One can be maligned or one can feel marginalized. To commit oneself to the reign of God is to challenge the reign of the world, and this can make one very unpopular. Difficult as these may sound it is precisely on such grounds that we can boast of being true witnesses to the gospel of Christ and his true disciples.
Jeremiah had his own toll of suffering among his people. The first reading shows the pathetic lament of this prophet of God with regard to his fate at the hands of the people to whom he was called to deliver the message or mind of God. He had to suffer untold difficulties, persecution, imprisonment, outright rejection and hatred, even from his own very friends. In the face of all these, Jeremiah was able to realize the place of God in his life and to utter wonderful words of hope and trust in Him: But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero….
Christ is well aware of the difficulties associated with the proclamation of the gospel. He knows that the disciples would be torn apart by uncertainties and the prospect of being brutalized by the enemies of the gospel. Hence he encourages them: Do not be afraid! This expression used three times in today’s gospel reading is indeed reassuring. Without promising the disciples a crossless Christianity, Jesus assures them that God knows them through and through and will surely protect them if they remain faithful and really fear God who is able to destroy both the body and the soul, rather than man who can only destroy the body. In the midst of suffering, the attitude of the disciple of Jesus, and all of us who are baptized and witnessing as disciples, is to find strength in the promise of God, for as we believe, God is faithful to these promises. We have not been created and then thrown into the world to fend for ourselves. God cares for us more than the sparrows. God knows everything there is to know about us: our fears and aversions, our thoughts and dreams. Why is it too hard for us to believe we are cared for and loved by God?
We saw above the difficulties in witnessing to the good Lord in the good world which God created, on account of sin that entered into the world and death that followed suit. Paul assures us today, in the second reading, that the gracious gift God offers us is far greater than the transgressions brought on us by sin. This greatest gift is Jesus Christ himself. This gift exceeds anything for which we might have hoped. He is the comfort that will carry us through our disappointments. He is the strength that will enable us to endure the misunderstandings and hardship that come with discipleship. We are called to acknowledge him before the world. Today, the need to witness to Christ is even more urgent in our society than ever. We are called to challenge the immoral structures, gross injustices, outright discrimination, exploitation of the weak, bribery and corruption, tribalism, morality e.t.c.. that have continued to hold our society hostage. It is always more convenient to remain in the confines of one’s house and pretend not to see the ignoble trend of events in our society today, or allow others to be the first to voice it out rather than to come out immediately and fight for justice and fairness. But, Jesus invites us to actively witness to him in the face of such menace, so that he may declare himself for us in the presence of his Father. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye
Saturday, 17 June 2017
Solemnity of Corpus Christi: Year A
May you become in your attitude, thoughts, words and actions like Jesus whom you receive in the Eucharist to the extent that you can exclaim like Saint Paul: I no longer live but Christ lives in me! Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi Domini. + John I. Okoye
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
This Sunday, we celebrate on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. What we celebrate in this solemnity is the mystery of the real presence of flesh and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The aim of this solemn celebration is three fold: to make us always aware of what a great and generous gift this sacrament is; to keep our faith alive and convinced of the realities of this sacrament and to exhibit sentiments of gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ who instituted this sacrament on the night in which he was betrayed, as a sign of his extreme love for us.
In the first reading from the book of Deuteronomy two imperative verbs dominate: remember and do not forget. Moses continuously reminds the people of Israel to always have alive in their minds all that God has done in their favour: Remember the paths the Lord God had led you through all these 40 years in the desert... Do not forget that he brought you out of Egypt, the country of your bondage and slavery...; that He led you in this vast dangerous desert; that he caused water to gush out from the rock for you; and that he fed you with manna in the dessert. The people of Israel should for no reason forget these favours God wrought on their behalf, either from the motive to remain grateful to God or that of remaining faithful to him in times of trials. Also in this solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Church exhorts us, the present people of God, not to forget but always remember all the Lord did for our salvation; deeds that are manifest in the passion, death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. With St. Thomas we are not to forget that the Eucharist is the greatest of all the marvelous deeds of Christ and the admirable sign of his deep love for his people.
The gospel reading of John 6, 51-58 can be seen as a homily or a dense catechesis on the Eucharist. In an unmistakable language Jesus declares that his flesh is food and his blood is drink: My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is true drink. The phrase flesh and blood is rich in meaning. On the literal level, it is a common way of characterizing a human being. When applied to Jesus, it is a proclamation of faith in the incarnation. He was indeed flesh and blood. On another level, it calls to mind the victim of sacrifice that is first slaughtered (flesh and blood) and then shared at a cultic meal (food and drink). Jesus is flesh and blood in this way as well, first as the sacrificial victim on the cross and then as food and drink. Thus the flesh and blood of Jesus have become a source of life for those who partake of it. In other words, eternal life comes from feeding on Jesus, not simply from believing in him. Jesus goes a step further on his teaching on eternal life. He implies that it is not something believers merely hope to enjoy in the future. Rather those who share in this meal already possess eternal life. What the future holds for them is the fullness of life that will be enjoyed after the general resurrection on the last day. The course through which eternal life passes from God to us is simply sketched. The living God, the Father of Jesus, is the source of this life; Jesus already enjoys it because of his intimate union with God; believers already enjoy it because they feed on Jesus who is the bread of life. Jesus further develops the eating metaphor. He maintains that just as we and the substance we eat and drink become one, so Jesus and those who feed on him form an intimate union. In a mutually intimate way, they abide in him and he abides in them. The Greek word used here (meno) means to stay in a place, to abide forever. This implies that Jesus not merely visits those who feed on him, but he really stays with them; he dwells there permanently. Union with Jesus is as intimate as the act of eating and the mutual indwelling those results from it is just as personal.
Jesus’ teaching to give his flesh and blood as food and drink was a bold one. Paul stretches it further. He states that partaking of the bread and the cup not only joins us with Christ, but actually makes us participants in the body and blood of Christ. Humanity and divinity are joined in one. The Eucharist is a sign of unity in another way. Joined to the body and blood of Christ we are joined to one another. We are one body and that body is Christ. The Eucharist is a truly a celebration of thanksgiving for our transformation and thanksgiving for our unity.
What should be our response to this wonderful and marvelous gift to us, Catholics? On one hand we Christians should not fail, out of sheer lukewarmness or spiritual laziness, to often nourish ourselves with this spiritual food. On the other hand, receiving the Eucharist often should not be out of habit, rather we should approach the Eucharist with the best disposition of the soul, that is, with strong faith, ardent desire, in the state of grace and with the intention of imitating Jesus, thereby allowing him to transform us into himself. May we therefore, ask Jesus in the Eucharist today for the grace to realize and appreciate the immense love he has for us by establishing this sacrament and the grace to requite this love by allowing him to transform us in such a way that we no longer live in ourselves but He (Christ) lives in us. Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi +John I. Okoye
Saturday, 10 June 2017
Holy Trinity Sunday: Year A
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you from now till the end of your life. Happy Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity! + John I. Okoye
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Exodus 34,4-6.8-9; 2 Cor 13,11-13; John 3,16-18: Holy Trinity Sunday: Year A)
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity which is the origin and destination of every liturgical celebration. During Advent and Christmas the Church meditated on God’s merciful love for sending his Son into the world. During Lent and Easter 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 a necessary opportunity to unite in a single celebration, the three divine persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. From Jesus’ teaching 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 the gospel of John, 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, baptising 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 are the signs of his presence and actions. 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 ascends the mountain again 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, rich in kindness and fidelity, truly a God who knows the suffering and weakness of humanity and 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 still in favour of the people. 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 the Corinthians and us: 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, seek to support and help one another and live in harmony and peace.
Reflecting on this solemnity of the Blessed Trinity we note that God who is beyond our comprehension is also the God who has came down into the chaos of our world in order to save us. We see this in both the first reading and the gospel. The covenant language in the reading from Exodus underscores God’s unfathomable goodness. God’s graciousness and mercy are not rewards for our fidelity but are instead extended to us in our sinfulness. It is God’s saving grace that transforms us, not any merit on our part. In the gospel we are assured that Jesus was sent into the world to save it not to condemn it. Such openness and love is so unlike human sentiments. It is understandable that all we can do is stand in awe before such a stupendous love. What should then be our response to God’s immense love for us? The response to the responsorial psalm, To You glory and praise for evermore suggest that our primary response to God should be one of praise. God is full of blessings and has bestowed this blessings upon us for no other reason than that He loves us. There has never been a time when this was not true, from the time of our ancestors to the present day. There is no place over which God does not gloriously rule: in the heights, over the depths, in the Temples on earths and from the throne of heaven. Words cannot explain God’s wonder: all they can do is to repeat our praise. Our praise of God should not be only in words but also in deeds especially actions of charity towards our needy brothers and sisters. We can also praise God in our efforts to maintain and preserve the life of the Blessed Trinity that was poured into our souls as sanctifying grace at our baptism. May we, therefore, continue this life of praise to God until the relationship of love between everyone of us and the Blessed Trinity which began at Baptism, matures into complete and inseparable union in the kingdom of heaven. Happy Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity +John I. OkoyeSaturday, 3 June 2017
Solemnity of Pentecost; Year A, 2017
May the Holy Spirit at this Pentecost endow you with his rich gifts and enduring fruits both now and forever. Happy Feast of Pentecost! + John I. Okoye
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Acts 2,1-11; I Cor 12, 3b-7.12-13; John 20, 19-23: Solemnity of Pentecost; Year A, 2017)
(Acts 2,1-11; I Cor 12, 3b-7.12-13; John 20, 19-23: Solemnity of Pentecost; Year A, 2017)
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost which is the climax or summit of the liturgical year. Every period of the year takes its orientation form this feast because it is the conclusion of the salvific work of Christ and, therefore, conclusion of his incarnation and redemption. The first reading narrates the event of Pentecost. The second reading deals with the Holy Spirit that distributes multiples of gifts. The gospel reading gives account of the apparition of Jesus in the Cenacle to his disciples on the very day of his resurrection. The gospel shows that Pentecost is very closely connected with the incarnation and redemption. Pentecost is the fruit of Jesus’ passion and the resurrection. Jesus both died and rose from the dead in order to communicate to us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit which Jesus communicated to the Church has been leading the church and adorning the church and her individual members with His gifts and fruits.
Scripture, particularly in Pauline letters, makes a distinction between the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. Even though they are manifestations of the Spirit through individual Christians, they are intended for the growth, renewal, strengthening, sanctification and overall good of the community of faith (the Church). The Church is built up through the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. The Greek word charisma refers to gift or favour and in its biblical sense; a charism is a gift of God the Holy Spirit, bestowed on an individual for the good of the Church. In the New Testament, the manifestation of gifts of the Spirit was first recorded on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2, 4-13). There are, for example, gifts of governance, administration, leadership, healing, the discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. Today, is a growing emphasis among Christians on receiving and making use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is a good sign in the Church because the manifestation of the Spirit in the form of gifts is not meant for any particular period in history. However, there is need for us to take extra care not to fall into the kind of problem that Church in Corinth found itself years ago. For having been richly blessed with a variety of gifts, the Corinthian Christians quickly yielded to the temptation of competition in terms of which gift is the highest gift. While some of them said it was speaking in tongues others said it was prophecy. Without despising any gift, St Paul proposed to them what he called the excellent way. He presented love to them as the highest of the gifts (1 Corinthians 13). Not taking into consideration Paul’s explication of this matter, there are still some Christians today who think of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in competitive terms. For some, speaking in tongues is the mother of all gifts and whoever does not have it is not a genuine Christian. Some others think likewise of the gift of healing or casting out demons. In the meantime, very few Christians think of excelling in love. There is also need to guard against what might be described today as the privatization of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which renders the primary goal of charisms as favours received for the good of the community ineffective. Privatization here meant a situation whereby people desire gifts and exercise them for personal glorification and private profit. The multiplication of praying ministers and houses in different places are not unconnected with this trend. This is disturbing and should be averted before it corrupts the genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gifts are for the community, which are to be exercised within the context of the community and under the guidance of the community. It is it important to point out here that having the gifts of the Holy Spirit is not a sure indication of personal sanctity nor does it ipso facto guarantee eternal life to a Christian. The Lord Jesus did say that many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly, I have never known you; get away from me, you workers of evil” (Matthew 7, 22-23). Again, when the seventy-two disciples came back from field work rejoicing because demons obeyed them at the mention of Jesus’ name, he said to them: do not rejoice because the evil spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10, 20). So, while we pray and remain open to the reception and exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, every child of God, every Christian is called upon to strive for heaven. This we can do by generously putting all the gifts we have at the service of God and humanity. This we can also do by cultivating the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
St Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, presents a comprehensive but not exhaustive list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Paul contrasts these with the desires or works of the flesh which are: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness and carousing. He categorically says that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5, 21). By this contrast, we know that the fruit does exactly the opposite of what the work of the flesh do. The Holy Spirit adorns the Church with these fruit (Vat II LG. 4) and they take us to heaven. So, while the gifts of the Spirit belong more to the realm of what we do for Christ and his people, the fruit of the Spirit pertain to who we are in Christ Jesus. The fruit defines our new life, intimacy with God as well as our relationship with our fellow pilgrims on earth. Gifts and fruit of the Spirit are not alternatives. In the order of importance for our salvation, the fruit comes before the gifts. Unfortunately, nowadays, Christians seem to be interested more in the gifts than in the quality of their lives as followers of Christ. An over emphasis on gifts without a corresponding concern for the fruits creates real problem for our faith. In all, love forms a link between the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit and by allowing it to lead and direct us, we will not miss the goal, which is, our salvation. Therefore, if we act out of love and for love sake and live in love with God and his people, we will be glorified by the Father. In order to achieve this we recommend today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, two attitudes to be cultivated: First to cultivate a personal relationship with the Person of the Holy Spirit. Second to take cue from our Blessed Mother, Mary who remained open and exposed herself and her heart to the Holy Spirit. Happy Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday! +John I. Okoye
(graphics by chukwubike)
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