4Th SUNDAY OF LENT 2019

May the merits of today’s Eucharistic celebration enable you to strive to be prodigal in generosity and to respond positively in joy to God’s invitation to be reconciled to Him and to your fellow human beings. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Joshua 5,9a.10-l2; 2 Corinthians 5,17-21; Luke 15,1-3, 11-31: 4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 2019) 
The few verses of the first reading, Joshua 5,9a.10-12, provide modest sketches of two significant transitions through which Israel passed. The first transition was social. No longer would the people of Israel have to endure the degradation that was their lot in Egypt. Instead, they had been transported into a land where they could worship their own God freely and openly. The second transition was their passage from total dependence for their nourishment on bread from heaven (manna) to a dependence on bread from the earth. This was a new period in their history. The promise of a land flowing with milk and honey had been fulfilled. This passage also records the first celebration of Passover in the land of promise to commemorate God's having rolled away the reproach of Egypt and having fulfilled the promise of land made to the ancestors. 

Reconciliation that puts an end to the enmity between God and man is the heart of the message of the second reading, 2 Corinthians 5,17-21. God reconciled us and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Paul states very clearly that God and God alone is the one who accomplishes these marvels through Christ. Though he was innocent he became the sin-offering for the guilty. Joined to Christ, those very ones now share in the righteousness of Christ and, through Christ, in the righteousness of God. Paul's ministry (diakonia, service) of reconciliation is his proclamation of the message (logon, word) of reconciliation accomplished by God. Having himself been reconciled with God, Paul now becomes the agent through whom God works in the lives of others.

The parable in the gospel reading of today has double focus. While it is clearly about the mercy God shown to repentant sinners, it also contrasts God's openness with the closed-mindedness of those who consider themselves faithful. There is no question about the depraved behaviour of the younger son. With his third of the father's estate (the elder son would get a double portion), he abandons his father's home and even his own country, and he embarks on a life of dissipation. Just as the separation with his past was decisive, so the straits/difficulties within which he finds himself are extreme. However, his eventual repentance is as sweeping as was his disgrace. He is willing to acknowledge his sin and even relinquish any filial claims if he can only be treated as one of his father's hired workers. The picture of the father is also straightforward. He initially put no obstacles in his son's path but gave him his share of the estate. He disregards convention and runs out to welcome this son home. He treats him as one brought back to life, lavishly clothing him, giving him sandals, which would distinguish him as a son rather than a barefooted servant, hosting a sumptuous feast in his honour. He is no less attentive to the elder son, going out to plead with him to join the celebration, assuring him the major portion of the estate. The father is neither domineering nor disinterested. He respects the decisions of both his sons even when he disagrees with them. When it becomes clear they have been mistaken, he forgives them. This startling new picture becomes the metaphor for understanding God. The elder son strikes an interesting pose. He resents his father's unrestrained joyous treatment of the errant one. Just as the younger son had formerly repudiated his family, so this son refuses to participate in a family affair, and he will not even refer to the younger son as his brother. Unlike that dissolute one, he has always obeyed orders; he has served his father like a slave (douleuo); and yet he has never even received a goat with which to feast. Though the elder brother contrasts his loyalty with the infidelity of the younger one, Jesus is really contrasting the compassion of God with the mean spiritedness of the Pharisees and scribes. Like the elder brother, they lack compassion, and they seem to resent the fact that God is merciful toward sinners who repent. 
In the midst of Lent we are given a moment for rejoicing, Laetare Sunday. All of the readings provide us with reasons for this rejoicing. The overarching theme is the prodigal goodness of God. The sentiments found in the responsorial psalm set the context for the reflections. The other readings show how needy people were showered with divine favour. However, even in the midst of this rejoicing we find a challenge. We must undergo a change of heart if we are to rejoice in God. Our gracious God has given us a world that freely nourishes our every need. God brought the people of Israel into the promised land flowing with milk and honey. This is what he has done for us Nigerians. He blessed us with all types of crops, vegetables and fruits. What of rich mineral resources and good naturedness of a greater number of Nigerians that God bestowed on us? For this we rejoice. However, this picture of abundance and rich mineral resources is idyllic. We know that we fail even in the face of such blessing. We do not always live as freed people, and we do not always allow others to live freely. Sometimes we hoard the fruits of the land; at other times we ravage the land; in many occasions we thrust our people back to want and poverty. We bring back upon ourselves the reproach that was lifted from us by God. This Sunday is a time for us to rejoice in the goodness of God and to recommit ourselves to fidelity to that goodness, by at least using to the benefit of the needy the material resources God endowed us with the goodness of God is strikingly portrayed in the radically new image of father that enables us to understand God in remarkably new ways. This is a God who allows us to follow our own dreams, who is partial to no one, who faithfully and patiently waits for us to return, who gently corrects our misperceptions. God longs to be reconciled with us even more than we long to be reconciled with God, and it is God's desire that we be reconciled with one another as well. God's prodigality is incredible. No limit is set on the celebration for the one who was been brought to life, and the other one is told,Everything I have is yours.

This parable of the gospel reading reveals what is required of us if we are to rejoice. First, we must realise that the reason for rejoicing is the goodness of God. The wild son had to acknowledge his failure and humbly return to his father. It is only when we embrace such sentiments that we will be able to rejoice. The elder son would have to overcome his resentment of his brother's newly acquired good fortune and his disappointment in his father's willingness to forgive. It is only when we can embrace these sentiments as well that we will be able to rejoice. Rejoicing for God's reasons is not always easy. This Sunday is an opportunity for us to so do. 
The challenges placed before us in the other readings set out some of the conditions required of us if we are to be a new creation. We are called to a profound and total reconciliation, first with God and then with one another. The actual reconciling act is God's, but as is always the case, we must freely respond to God's initiative. The extent to which God has gone to be reconciled with us is astounding. Christ was identified with sin so we might be identified with God's righteousness. Who would have ever imagined such a marvel? This is certainly reason for rejoicing. But once again, we must be open to God's graciousness in Christ; we must be willing to be reconciled. Reconciliation requires that we be open to giving and receiving forgiveness. It requires that we both remember and forget. We must always remember the causes of alienation so we do not succumb to them again. However, we must forget the resentment we felt so we do not allow it to influence our lives. The reconciliation that comes from God comes with a commission. Having ourselves been reconciled, we are given the ministry of reconciliation. We now become the instruments through whom the world is reconciled to God in Christ. We become ambassadors of salvation. The gospel story of the brothers is unfinished. Were they ever reunited? Perhaps their reconciliation is up to us. May we in the Eucharistic celebration of today pray earnestly for the graces to be as prodigal as God in generosity and also to be ready to respond positively to God’s invitation to reconcile to Him and to one another. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

2nd Sunday of Lent; Year C, 2019

As you look forward to sharing in the glory of Christ, may you be more open to share in His sufferings, by recognizing the face of Christ in those who suffer, and reach out to them in love. Happy Sunday+John I. Okoye.

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
Genesis 15, 5-12, 17-18;  Philippians 3, 17-4, 1; Luke 9, 28b-36: 2nd Sunday of Lent; Year C, 2019) 

In this first reading two promises are made to Abram, namely, a multitude of descendants and a vast expanse of land to be given to those descendants. Abram's response is one of faith. This response is credited as righteousness. Righteousness is a relational term. It denotes right relationship either with others or with God. Here the basis of righteousness is neither obedience nor ritual. It is Abram's faith. He accepted God at God's word. At God’s promise of land to his descendants, Abram's requests for a sign of assurance and God replies with the directive that Abram is to procure every type of sacrificial animal. After preparing the animals by cutting then into pieces, Abram is cast into the same kind of trance (tardema) as befell Adam when God built Eve from one of his ribs (cf. Gen 2,21). Abram does not pass between the pieces of the animals he cut as the partners to a covenant would. Only flames, which presumably represent God, pass through them. Does this mean that only God is bound by the covenant? In fact, the cutting (making) of the covenant is God's reply to Abram's request for a sign. It is as if God has magnanimously promised land and then ratifies this promise by cutting a covenant. Both the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars and the promise of land from Egypt to Mesopotamia are extravagant. Such is the generosity of God. It cannot be measured.

In his exhortation to the Philippians Paul compares the fate of the true believers with that of opponents of the gospel. He begins by admonishing his hearers to follow his own example and the example of those who have already imitated him in his commitment to Christian living. He does not speak out of personal arrogance but as a teacher of wisdom. According to that tradition there are only two possible ways of living: the way, or path, of righteousness and that of evil. Paul would have his hearers conduct themselves on the path of righteousness and not walk the path of wickedness. The later group could have referred to Gnostic Christians, whose view of realized eschatology led them to believe that they had already passed into a spiritualized form of existence and could live in this world unscathed by its allurements. They would see little or no value in embracing the cross of Christ, since they were already living resurrected lives. Believing theirs was a spiritual existence, they felt absolved from any kind of dietary restrictions and could occupy themselves with earthly matters without risk of infidelity. True believers, on the other hand, were really aliens in this earthly place. Their citizenship was in heaven. Unlike the enemies of the cross, they knew they would have to embrace that cross, and then, with Christ's coming, they would be transformed into his glory. 

The fullness of their transformation was in the future, and it would be accomplished by Christ. While they were still in this life, they were to live as citizens of heaven, following the admonitions imparted to them by Paul. Paul ends exhorting the Philippians by urging them to stand firm! Even here Paul situates their fidelity in God. The verb (steko) implies that in faith they will achieve a standing that is grounded in God. 

The gospel story is the narrative of the transfiguration of Jesus which has two parts. The first is the actual transfiguration and the conversation between Jesus and the two men from heaven. This was a private experience of Jesus; the disciples were asleep during it. In the second section the disciples have awakened, and they become involved. It was during his prayer that Jesus was transfigured both from the inside (his face was changed) and on the outside (his clothing dazzled). Moses and Elijah appear in glory. These two men represent the law and the Prophets respectively. It is in this glorified state that the men speak of Jesus' imminent exodus, which more or less includes his death, resurrection, and ascension, all the important events in God's plan of salvation. Peter does not want the apparition to end. He offers to construct three tents, dwellings for the glorified men. What was wrong with Peter's perception? Commentators believe it was in his having judged Jesus as an equal with Moses and Elijah. His misunderstanding is corrected by a theophanic experience that has profound christological significance. 

They are all taken into a cloud, a symbol of the hidden presence of God, and a voice from that cloud proclaims Jesus' divine identity in words reminiscent of Isaiah (42, 1) as well as those spoken at Jesus' baptism (Luke 3,22). Jesus is not at all like Moses and Elijah. The voice not only authenticates Jesus' person but also enjoins the disciples to listen to his words, regardless of how challenging or perplexing they might be.

The Second Sunday of Lent celebrates the epiphanies of God, the ways in which God's divine presence is revealed. If Lent is a time for us to be open to the ways through which God can bring us to salvation, we will have to be able to recognize these ways when we come upon them. Lent is a time for such recognition. The first divine epiphany is the manifestation of God as one who initiates a covenant, an intimate relationship with human beings (First reading). Not only does God initiate this agreement, but God also seals it with blood, making it official. This covenant is concrete, as the sacrifice illustrates. It is historical, made with a particular family in a particular place at a particular time. God continues to relate to people in this manner. We see this in the community of the Church, where, through our own rituals, God enters again and again into covenant with us. This is why incorporation into the community through baptism is both celebrated and renewed on Holy Saturday. Although we ritualize our relationship with God in a religious setting, the call to enter into the covenant can come in the ordinary events of life. We could be gazing at the night sky or into the eyes of a loved one. We might be occupied with the things of God or with the affairs of state. The important thing to remember about this covenant is that God enters into our lives and initiates it. No life is too simple; no life is too busy. Human history in all its contours is the setting for the encounter with God. 
The glory of God is revealed in the transfigured Jesus, the one who discussed his suffering and death with Moses and Elijah. Though, like the three apostles, we might want to share in his glory, we can only do so by sharing in his suffering. Lent is a time for us to enter into this suffering, not merely through reflection, prayer, and penance but concretely, by sharing in the suffering of the body of Christ. We see this suffering all around us-in sick people around us who die of malaria for the inability to pay for drugs, for the poor and hungry people who roam our streets, in the aimlessness of youth who do not appreciate their own worths, they sit idle in their home after good university education, in the desperation of parents who must raise their children in the midst of violence, in the empty eyes of the aged who often forget and are themselves forgotten. The glory of God remains just beneath the surface of their lives. It may be easier to see God's glory revealed through the suffering of others than through our own distress. It is much easier to preach to others, or to work to ease the pain of others, without even admitting that we ourselves carry a heavy burden. Lent is a time for us to step back from suffering in order to get a better look at it, to try to discern God in the midst of it. God is revealed through women and men who live lives of Christian commitment: in those whose integrity strengthens us, in those whose religious sentiments inspire us, in those whose endurance gives us confidence. God is revealed in those who get involved in bettering the lives of others. God's love is seen in the compassionate; God's understanding is seen in the patient; God's mercy is seen in the forgiving. There are many in our midst whose example we would do well to imitate. The carpenter who takes pride in doing a job well, the person who looks in on a neighbor who is ill, the grandparent who is willing to look after the children, the student who is appreciative of the commitment of the teacher. God is revealed in very ordinary ways if we but open our eyes to see. May we in this Eucharistic Celebration of today listen to Jesus who suffered and won us salvation so as to recognize him in the many of our good Christians who follow after his example.  Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye.

First Sunday of Lent; Year C, 2019

May you, through this Eucharistic celebration of today, realize that Lenten period is God’s time and a pure gift to you, and like Jesus in the wilderness, you are to allow God’s plan to unfold in and through you. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Deuteronomy 26,4-10; Romans 10, 8-13; Luke 4,1-13: First Sunday of Lent; Year C, 2019)

This passage contains one of the most important creedal statements found in the Pentateuch (cf. Deut 6,20-24; Josh 24,2b-13). The text indicates that this profession of faith was part of the Israelite celebration of the First Fruits. The offering of the first fruits of the harvest acknowledged that the land itself was a gift from God. The cultic celebration described here consisted of both action (the offering of the basket containing the produce) and the recitation of the saving acts of God on behalf of the people. The creedal statement itself is an enumeration of the saving events that shaped Israel's faith. It includes an admission of her humble beginnings; a report of her oppression in Egypt; a testimony to her deliverance by God and an acknowledgment of God's gift of the land to them. The wandering Aramean is probably a reference to Jacob, who eventually becomes the father of the twelve tribes. The ethnic bias is clear in this designation. Not only was the ancestor not a Canaanite, but the tradition tells us that both Isaac and Jacob married Aramean women so the bloodline would be pure (cf. Gen 25,20; 281-2). The word for wandering (obed) does not mean nomadic meandering but suggests being lost or being about to perish (cf. Jer 50,6; Job 4,11). It should be noted that it was when Jacob was most vulnerable in Egypt that he became a great nation. This is Israel's way of proclaiming that it was through the goodness of God that it survived and flourished. God intervened with strong hand and outstretched arm. This is an image that depicts military strength. It implies that the God of Israel conquered the forces of Egypt on Egyptian soil in order to deliver the people. This is an unmistakable statement about the indisputable sovereignty of God. Finally, the centrality of land is clear. It was given (natan) by God and the offering of its first fruits is the way of showing gratitude for all the mighty acts of God. 

In the second reading, Paul incorporates three important themes. First, he stresses the singular importance of faith as the basis of salvation. Second, he reinterprets Scripture from a christological perspective. Third, he proclaims the universal character of salvation through Christ. Faith is the central message of this passage and according to Paul, justification comes not through works of obedience or devotion but through faith. While he does distinguish between believing and confessing, one follows and requires the other. Belief without some kind of public confession could be betrayal; confession without interior belief is hypocrisy. Relying on his hearers' knowledge of Scripture, Paul alludes to two prophetic passages. In one (Isa 28,16) Isaiah, Paul claims that Jesus is the cornerstone set by God and those who place their faith in Jesus will not be shaken. In the other (Joel 3,5),he identifies Jesus as (Kurious) Lord. Paul also proclaimedthat God raised Jesus from the dead. Belief in the resurrection was the basis of salvation. According to Paul it was precisely by means of the resurrection from the dead that Jesus became the anointed (Christos) of God. Finally, the efficacy of these awesome realities was universal. There was no advantage in being a Jew, a member of the chosen race nor was there an advantage in being a Greek. It is faith in Jesus, a faith that can be professed by anyone, that justifies and saves. 

In the gospel story, the narrative of the temptation of Jesus states that Jesus was under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The temptations themselves occurred in three different places: the wilderness, on a high mountain, on the parapet of the Temple in Jerusalem. In each instance Jesus is challenged to prove he is the Son of God. In each instance he replies to the tempter with a reference to a passage from Deuteronomy. Jesus never directly addresses the question of his divine sonship, but he always shows himself to be faithful as Israel was not. The temptation to produce bread recalls Israel's hunger in the wilderness and God's graciousness in supplying the people with manna. Here the devil insinuates that if he has divine power, Jesus should be able to produce the bread his body craves. To this Jesus responds that God's words (the Commandments) are as essential for life as bread (Deut 8,1-3). The second temptation occurs on a high place from which Jesus and the devil can view the entire inhabited world (oikoumenes). There seems to have been a tradition that evil forces exercised ruling authority over the world. This will be changed when the Messiah appears and takes back control of the world. It is out of this concept that the devil can offer to relinquish power in return for Jesus' homage. Jesus rejects this proposal with a quote from Scripture (Deut 6,13). The third temptation takes place in Jerusalem, the city that is the centre of divine activity, according to Luke's theology. This last test was an attempt to force God's hand. Quoting a passage from the Scriptures (Ps 91,11-12), the devil challenges God's promise of protection, suggesting that Jesus see whether God will in fact preserve him from harm. Jesus counters the devil's baiting with his own choice of scriptural passage: Do not put God to the test (Deut 6,16). Three times the devil tempts Jesus; three times Jesus proves his allegiance to God. Israel may have failed in the wilderness, but Jesus remains faithful. This episode of temptation was over, but the encounters between Jesus and the devil were not finished. The evil one departed only for a time. 

Lent is God's time. We see this in today’s readings. It is a time when we are reminded that we are but dust of the earth and there is nothing we can do to win our salvation. It is a pure gift from God. Lent also warns us not to try to force God's hand. Like Jesus in the wilderness, we are to allow God's plan to unfold in and through us. Finally, Lent is a time for us to actively enter into the mysteries of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and there to marvel at what God has done for us. We begin the Lenten season knowing that salvation is not something we can achieve on our own merits. There is no advantage to being a Jew or a Greek, simply being faithful to devotional practices or not. Lent is not a season for us to concentrate on what we are going to do to be saved. It is a time for us to reflect on what God has done for us by bringing us to salvation. What happens to us during this season comes out of the goodness of God. What happens to us in faith comes by way of the resurrection of Jesus, which is God's seal on the ministry of Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Lent is less a time for us to be doing religious things than for us to be open to the transformative things God wishes to do for us. For Paul this is the basis of our faith. This same theme is picked up in the responsorial psalm, where the psalmist turns to God knowing that only through God's power can salvation be accomplished. It is God's intervening activity that saves, not our Lenten practices, regardless of how sincere or difficult they may be. 

The temptations of Jesus are the same temptations we face when we are inclined to think that somehow we are in control. While the goals of the temptations may be admirable-feed the hungry, bring the world under the control of good, trust in God's power to protect us-we often choose to accomplish them in ways that are less than admirable. We try to perform the extraordinary so what we do reflects favourably on us. We use brute force in order to achieve control. We put God to the test rather than live peacefully with God's plan as it unfolds within and around us. We seek to become the super-hero, the super-minister, the super-Christian, on our own. In his responses to the tempter Jesus constantly defers to the power of God: it is not by bread alone. . . worship only God. . . do not put God to the test. In a real sense, these temptations are a reminder that the fundamental temptation is to deny our human limitations and to refuse to let God be God for us. Lent is a time for us to remember that we are dust and not merely to wear it on our foreheads. 

Remembrance is more than an intellectual activity. It is participation in the reality of what is being remembered. Lent, which is the season to allow God to free us so we might not succumb to the temptations that besiege us on every side, will be transformative only for a people who remember what God has done for them in their past. Just as ancient Israel remembered God's care for them from the time of the calling of their ancestors to the events in their own lives, so Lent is the time to remember the events of the paschal mystery. More specifically, it is a time to enter into them and identify ourselves with them. If we are honest with ourselves we will have to ask why this remembering of, this identifying with, the mysteries of God has not transformed us already. Perhaps that is why we have Lent each year, so that again and again God can offer us the salvation only He can give. May we, therefore, in the Eucharistic celebration of today be bestowed with grace to allow God in this Lenten period to transform our weak nature. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

8th Sunday of Year C, 2019

As you participate in today’s Eucharistic celebration, may the good Lord grant you the grace to be coherent in what you say and do and orthodox in your praises of God through your daily life. Happy Sunday + John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Sirach 27,4-7; 1 Corinthians 15,54-58; Luke 6,39-45: 8th Sunday of Year C, 2019)

Today’s first reading is a short collection of proverbs containing wisdom that has been gleaned from life experience. Though descriptive in form, the proverbs are intended to be directive in function. This is clear from the last verse, which is obviously an admonition. In its own way each proverb demonstrates how life itself is the test of the value of things. The first proverb, using metaphor from processing harvested farm products insists that appearances are deceiving. First impressions are not always accurate. However, once someone starts talking the facade falls away, and the real person is revealed. The second proverb addresses the same issue, using an entirely different metaphor. It is impossible to fashion pots that will endure without firing them in a kiln. However, too much heat will crack the pots. The potter must know just how much heat the pottery can endure. So, it is with people. Tribulation tests the mettle of the person, and that mettle is revealed in one's speech. Finally, the quality of the fruit reveals the degree of care given to the tree. So, it is with people. By their fruits you shall know them. Their speech betrays their thinking. The final bit of advice provides the point of each     of the proverbs: Wait until you hear what people have to say before you praise them.
Paul concludes his teaching on the resurrection by considering the vanquishing of death that Jesus accomplished. Again, and again, Paul has insisted that believers are joined to the risen Lord in faith and through baptism. Hence what is perishable and mortal because it was fashioned out of dust takes on the imperishability and immortality of resurrection. Although he uses the image of putting on garments, he is not suggesting that this is merely a change in appearance. It is, instead, a radical transformation. This will hap­pen, according to Paul, in fulfilment of the Scriptures. For Paul death is not only swallowed up, but it is also swallowed up in victory. Consequently, death itself knows no victory. Its sting is no longer lethal. Paul then traces the power that has conquered deathback to Christ. He begins his argument with the long-held conviction that death is the consequence of sin (cf. Rom 5,12). He then moves to the law which, regardless of its cherished value, not only directs people to righteous living but actually convicts people of sin (cf. Rom 5,13). However, God has given us victory over sin and death through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The instruction ends with an exhortation that is grounded in faith in the message just proclaimed. The believers are to be firm, and steadfast especially under conditions that could cause them to waver in their faith. They are told to place their hope in the power of the resurrection and live lives of dedication to the Lord. If they do this, they can trust that the risen Lord will bestow on them the blessings that flow from the victory that has been won.
Jesus’ admonitions, in today’s gospel reading, set forth principles by which the followers of Jesus are to live. The first point deals with the kind of teachers one should follow and eventually become. The second addresses the relationship between the inner character of a person and the kind of behavior that flows from that character. Teaching from within the Wisdom tradition of Israel, Jesus uses metaphors taken from nature to illustrate the points he is making. The teaching begins with two rhetorical questions:  can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a point? the answers to which are obvious. The first is No! The second is Yes! These teachings may be seen as a veiled criticism of the scribes and Pharisees, the official teachers of Israel. This is not necessarily the case, since in the rest of the passage Jesus is exhorting his followers to be critical of their own behavior. One does not need to go outside the company of the disciples to find attitudes and conduct that warrant censure. It seems that some of the disciples have not learned all the Master had to teach them. He accuses them of being too quick to find fault with others while at the same time remaining blind to their own shortcomings. Setting themselves up as judges in this way makes them blind people leading other blind people rather than faithful disciples of Jesus who are quick to forgive rather than judge. A hypocrite is one whose outer way of living does not conform to an authentic inner disposition. The one who criticizes others without being self-critical is here accused of being a hypocrite. Jesus turns to the natural world to illustrate what he means. A tree brings forth the fruit it is disposed to bring forth: a good tree, good fruit; a rotten tree, rotten fruit; a fig tree, figs; a grape vine, grapes. Every good tree brings forth fruit "according to its kind" (cf. Genesis 1). Having made this point emphatically, Jesus applies the meaning of the metaphor to human beings. A good person brings forth good fruit; an evil person brings forth evil fruit. Actions flow out of the disposition of one's heart. This statement illustrates the conviction that character precedes action and emphasizes the importance of congruity between the inner and outer dimensions of a person. Where there is such congruity, there is integrity; where it is absent, there is hypocrisy. 

The readings for this Sunday continue the schooling of the followers of Jesus as they are fashioned into true disciples. The overarching theme is similar to one found in the readings for last Sunday. It is the deceiving character of outward appearances. These readings insist there must be some kind of integrity between one's speech and one's actions. Both the reading from Sirach and the one from Luke, by employing Wisdom forms of instruction (proverb and parable), indicate the Wisdom character of the teaching. The settings are commonplace (agriculture and social interaction) demonstrating that the lessons of life are learned in everyday occurrences. It is unfortunate that we do not always value the integrity of speech as we might. We may even extol our ability to deceive others, to lead them on for our own advantage. We cannot take people at their word, not even those who hold positions of trust, such as politicians, government officials, newscasters, lawyers, ministers, even parents. We may not honour truthful speech as we should, but we still recognize the havoc dishonesty and falsification of facts of any kind plays in a society. Some of us may want to get ahead any way we can, but no one of us wants to be a victim of dishonesty.
The Wisdom lesson for today addresses the question of integrity. We have learned from the experience of life itself that honesty is not merely the best policy, it is essential if a society is to survive and thrive. We recognize that there must be a measure of integrity between speech with which we communicate and the values and aspirations that motivate us. There must be a comparable measure of integrity between our speech and our deeds. It is not by accident that the Hebrew word dabar means both "word" and "deed." Words identify our deeds, and our deeds are expressions of the words that are formulated first in our minds and then on our lips.
We must never forget that the transformation of life we seek is possible, not through our own efforts but through the death and resurrection of Christ. It was through his own death that death itself has been swallowed up; it was through his resurrection that human life has been changed for all time. He is the true Word spoken, the incarnate Word in the flesh. What he says and what he does are one. We are merely beneficiaries of the marvels he has wrought. It is because of him that we are able to persevere in the work of God, which we have taken upon ourselves. We can never forget that the good work we accomplish is accomplished in and through this Lord. We have come to understand orthodoxy as meaning correct teaching. However, the word itself comes from two Greek words meaning right (orthos) and glory (doxa). Orthodoxy, or right praise, is that which is both spoken and done at the same time. It identifies the integrity of which we have been speaking, an integrity measured by the right correspondence between speech and action. In form, the responsorial psalm is a hymn of praise. In a sense it is also an expression of this kind of orthodoxy. It describes the life of the righteous ones, whose integrity cannot be questioned. It declares that it is by a righteous life itself and not merely through prayers of praise that God is glorified. The glory of God is the human person fully alive (Irenaeus). We, therefore, pray that all Nigerians and more especially we Christians will be coherent in what we say and do and be orthodox in our prayers/praises of God and in our deeds of everyday life especially at this critical time of our country! May the good Lord grant us these graces through the Eucharistic Celebration of today’s Sunday. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

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