Independence Day-October 1, 2017

 As we pray for our dear country, Nigeria today, may God grant us the grace to always say yes to his plans for us just as our Mother Mary, the Patroness and Queen of Nigeria did. Happy Independence celebration! Happy Solemnity of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria! + John I. Okoye 

Doctrine and Faith

(Isaiah 11,1-10; Ephesians 2,13-22; Matt 2, 13-15.19-23: Solemnity of our Lady Queen  and Patroness of Nigeria: Independence Day-October 1, 2017)

The preface of this solemnity opens in the second stanza thus: Through the power of the Holy Spirit she (Mary) became the Virgin Mother of your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is forever the light of the world.

The first reading speaks of a new ruler, a new root that sprouts out of the stump of Jesse the father of David. Upon this new ruler rests the Spirit of the Lord, that divine force bestowed on certain individuals that enables them accomplish feats they would never have been able to accomplish left on their own. The gifts bestowed are listed in pairs, each pair pointing to one of the major responsibilities of the new ruler of the new Davidic kingdom. They include: Wisdom and understanding that enable the king to rule with competence and insight; counsel and strength that are necessary for the administration of justice, whether this is executed judicially through the courts or militarily in the battle field; knowledge and fear of the Lord that dispose the ruler to humble reverence toward God, ensuring that the reign is faithful to God’s will. But who could be this new ruler? This new personality, interpreting this passage from prophet Isaiah as referring to a later age than the contemporary epoch of the prophet, is no other than Jesus Christ, who on his coming into the world would be filled with the Holy Spirit. He would be coming to bring salvation, especially, to the poor and the oppressed. His reign would be peaceful and harmonious, reminiscent of the primordial paradise of Eden where animals live in harmony with one another. That during the reign of this new ruler nursing and weaned children will play with snakes and not fear them suggests that human beings will live in the state of innocence and safety. It all means that the ministry of Jesus would eliminate all tensions and hostilities and establish harmony and marvellous peace. Infact, Jesus came into the world to inaugurate universal reconciliation first between humanity and God and then among humanity themselves.

Paul takes up this idea of reconciliatory work of Christ in the second reading when he writes: For He is the peace between us, and has made two into one and had broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus took every one of us into his heart and, as one body, reconciled us to God, and united in the Spirit we all make our way together to the Father. Our reconciliation with the Father gives us the right to be fellow citizens with the holy people of God and part of God’s household.

In today’s gospel reading, we see the generosity with which Joseph caters for the child Jesus and the mother, people entrusted to him and dear to him. As soon as the angel informed Joseph that the child Jesus was in danger he rose without asking questions or offering objections and fled the same night to Egypt, a long journey and in winter cold. Fleeing, he forfeits his job and his house. This did not bother him, for his joy was to protect the new life. Here one considers how the paternity of Joseph participates in divine paternity of God. This is because the one who was actually taking care of Jesus and Mary was God the Father himself. If we want to continue as disciples of Christ, may we imitate the paternity of Joseph in whatever situation we find ourselves in life.

It is noteworthy that all the readings of today, on the solemnity of Mary, the Queen and Patroness of Nigeria only mentioned Mary in passing and as beneficiary of the generous services of Joseph, her husband and foster father of Jesus. But it is to be kept in mind that the prophecy of Isaiah about the new ruler would not have been fulfilled, if Mary had not said yes to the proposal to be the Mother of Jesus, the awaited king from the dynasty of David. If there was no incarnation, the paschal mystery (death and resurrection of Jesus) would not have taken place and Jesus would not have reconciled humanity to God and people to one another. Even the paternal care of Joseph for her and her child as we see in the gospel reading would not have taken place. The place of Mary in the economy of salvation is of paramount importance. Mary is great in many ways. She was full of grace as we learn from the salutation of Archangel Gabriel to her. Her openness to the Holy Spirit made the incarnation possible. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word. Her faith in God was unshakeable as Elizabeth made us understand: Who am I to be visited by her who believed that what the Lord promised would be fulfilled. It was her charity to assist the pregnant and aged cousin Elisabeth that prompted her to visit Elizabeth. It was also her charity that made her plead with Jesus to save the wedded couple of Cana from embarrassment as their provision of wine got short during their weeding party. The miracle of water into wine occasioned the manifestation of the divinity of Christ and caused his disciples to believe in him. Mary’s relationship with God (that is to say her prayer life) was constant as she treasured every thing in her heart, that is, pondered all the events in her heart (the heart is the organ of reflection and decision) in order to discover the will of God. In the modern social communication parlance one could say she was on line with God in her prayer life. Life was, however, not easy for her, but she bore all with equanimity (calmness and composure, especially in difficult situations) even the most excruciating moments of her life, as she stood by the cross of Jesus. It was as she stood by the cross of Christ that she became our mother when Jesus handed her to the care of John the apostle: Mother, behold your Son and Son behold your Mother. May we her children, here in Nigeria be thankful to Christ for making her mother to be also our mother. We will verily be thanking God, who first honoured Mary, by imitating her as our role model in saying always a big Yes to all the plans of God for us. We will also be showing gratitude to God if we are open to the Holy Spirit as she was, filled with  the Holy Spirit, we will be constantly reconciled to God and to one another. We should therefore, imitate Joseph in his paternal care of Jesus and Mary and follow the Mary’s example in her charity, borne out of faith, to her needy cousin Elisabeth and the newly wedded couple of Cana.  Happy Independence celebrations! Happy Solemnity of Mary, Queen and Patroness of Nigeria! +John I. Okoye

 (pictures by chukwubike)