22nd Sunday of Year C, 2019

Through this Eucharistic Celebration, may you be bestowed, both with the gift of God’s type of generosity that will enable you give as He gives, and the grace of humility that will help you realise that whatever you have is a gift received from God, and then extend these gifts to others. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye.

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Sirach 3,17-18.20.28-29;

Hebrews 12,18-19.22-24a; Luke 14,1,7-14: 22nd Sunday of Year C, 2019)

These few verses of the first reading, Sirach 3,17-18, 20. 28-29, provide us with a short discourse on humility.  The introductory verse, My son be gentle in carrying out your business, may, at first, sound as if the motive for humility is purely utilitarian: so that you might be loved more than those who give gifts. However, this discourse is not lacking in religious motivation, for humility is said to find favour in God. It is clear from the text that the advice given here is not meant for those who lack standing in the community. It, instead, insists that one's humility should increase as one's status does. The author further admonishes the student to be content with possible things: Don't reach for what exceeds your grasp; don't try to do what is beyond your strength. Since this is a discourse on humility, the implication is that one might attempt to do this in order to promote one's reputation in the eyes of others. The reading ends with a proverbial comparison that implies that as water quenches fire, so alms atone for sin. Both water and alms wipe out what is detrimental. It is clear that this particular proverbial saying promotes the giving of alms. Taken together, the advice contained in this passage directs the student to develop an attitude of humility regardless of status within the community and to meet the needs of the less fortunate. It is good counsel for all, regardless of one's social standing.

The second reading, Hebrews 12,18-19.22-24a, contains a comparison between ancient Israel's experience of God on Mount Sinai and the eschatological experience of God on the transformed Mount Zion. Both scenes are cultic in character but engender very different religious responses. Though, a covenant was established between the Israelites and God at Sinai, the author claims that all the attendant  elements (mostly theophonic)  discouraged real access to and encounter with the divine. On the other hand, the encounter with God on Mount Zion described here is unique. Zion, along with the city of Jerusalem within which it stood, was considered the special dwelling place of God on earth. Unlike the experience on Sinai, this theophany on Zion is surrounded with festive celebration. Here we find angels, the assembly (ekklesia) of the firstborn of heaven and the spirits of the just. God is here as judge and Jesus is here as mediator of the new covenant.

The events, depicted in today’s gospel reading for this Sunday, Luke 14,7-14, take place on the Sabbath during dinner at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. Sabbath dinners were occasions for inviting guests who were not family members. This explains why Jesus was present. Furthermore, such gatherings were times for theological discussion and, in the case of Jesus, an opportunity for the religious leaders present to put his orthodoxy to the test. Finally, the saying with which the episode closes would have been of great interest to Pharisees, who believed in resurrection. The text says Jesus was watched by the other guests at the dinner. However, he is the one who found fault, and also delivered two ethical directives, one intended for the guests and the other for the host. He first told a parabolic story that addressed proper placement at banquets. This was an important issue for a society preoccupied, as was Israel of the day, with questions of honour and shame. One's place at table was indicative of the degree of honour with which the host regarded the guest. The story shows the folly in presuming importance at a public banquet. It may be that another guest will arrive and be given a higher place of honour, and then one will be shamed into taking a less significant seat. Jesus does not criticise this practice. Instead, he finds fault with the arrogant attitude of those who think they are more important than they really are. He actually seems to uphold the practice, admonishing the guests to take lower seats so they can glory in the public acclaim that will be theirs as they move to places of greater honour. This is the society of which he is a member, and he uses its social practices to make his points. This first part of his instruction ends with an admonition that seems to turn priorities upside down. Societies that are driven by questions of status seldom advocate humbling oneself. In fact, the contrary is usually true; they humble others in order to exalt themselves. What Jesus advocates is just the opposite. He would have people humble themselves and refrain from self-exaltation so they can be exalted by God rather than by others. Turning to the host, Jesus criticises the practice of inviting to a banquet only those who are able to reciprocate in kind. There is no generosity in giving to those who can repay. Rather, give to the poor and to those in need, the very people who could in no way advance one's sense of honour but who might in fact undermine one's reputation. Inviting the needy will show that one's generosity comes from the kind of open attitude toward others that Jesus preached. Both parts of Jesus' teaching in this account challenge the prevailing principles of honour and shame. Jesus first redefines what is honourable behaviour, and then he redefines who are honoured guests. Insisting that the kind of behaviour he is advocating will be rewarded at the resurrection implies that one's status is determined by God, not by some biased social convention. The people at table have come to observe him carefully. The reading does not tell us how they responded to his teaching.

The overarching theme for this Sunday is generosity in giving. The particular focus is the invitation to share in a meal that celebrates community. The readings describe the attitudes we should have when we give and when we receive. They emphasise the undesirability of merely a sense of reciprocity and the desirability of humble and unconditional openness. The readings bring out to the fore God's bounteous generosity. The exquisite nature of God is seen in the extravagant generosity with which God gives gifts. This is described in the psalm through imagery that captures both its boundlessness and its universal scope. Like the rain that falls on the entire landscape, the blessings of God are showered on all. The chief recipients are those who are not only needy but who have no way of repaying the blessings bestowed. In other words, these blessings are true gifts. They have not been earned, nor can they be repaid. Such is the nature of God's giving. God's openness to include all is also seen in the reading from the letter to the Hebrews and in the gospel. All are invited to approach the heavenly city; the heavenly banquet will be open to the poor and to those who have no way of repaying. Neither status nor worldly possessions nor accomplishments is an adequate coin of recompense. The only recompense acceptable is a heart open to receive. Only God can give gifts in this way, because only God has an infinite supply of blessings to give and no need to receive in return. Yet we are admonished to be generous in this way. In the gospel we are told to open our tables and our hearts to those who are unable to respond in kind. There are to be no restrictions on our openness to others, on the generosity with which we give of ourselves and our possessions. We must be as prodigal in our generosity as God has been toward us. Only those who are humble can receive the gifts of God. Only those who can acknowledge that they are needy possess the openness necessary to realise that God's blessings are gifts freely given, not compensation for a job well done. Humility is the prerequisite for receiving gifts. Without a humble spirit we are unable to receive gifts as gifts. This is because we are either too proud or we do not know how to receive with the open hearts of children, who never think they must return in kind. This is the kind of humility recommended by Sirach. This is the kind of humility possessed by the disadvantaged pictured in the gospel. It is very difficult for most people to be humble receivers of gifts. We have such a need to return the favour. These readings do not encourage a kind of selfishness that only wants to get without giving. Rather, they are calling our attention to a fundamental characteristic of human nature, a characteristic very difficult to admit. That is, because of our finite natures we need more than we can give. Despite the magnificent accomplishments we have achieved, we are really dependent on the goodness of others. While the exchange of gifts may be a common and, indeed, noble practice, in those areas of life that are most important we must be humble receivers. We receive life, we receive love, we receive forgiveness, all because the other is generous, not because we deserve it. Another side of the coin of giving is that we have to give as we have received. As we have received from the bounty of God, so we are called to give to others. Only those who have received with a humble spirit can give with the generosity of God, for they know they do not deserve God's goodness, so they do not require anything from those to whom they give. There is no quid pro quo, no this for that. Everything is freely given and humbly received. The blessings of God are given to us so we in turn can give them to another. It is like love that is not really love until it is given to another. We live within this paradox of receiving and giving, and we are transformed as the process unfolds. May we, in today’s Eucharistic celebration, be bestowed with the gift of the type of God’s generosity that will enable us give as he gives and the grace of humility that will help us realise that whatever we have is a gift received from God and that we are vehicles of getting these gifts reach others. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

 (GRAPHICS  BY CHARLES)

21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C 2019

May you, in today’s Eucharistic Celebration, be bestowed with all the graces you need in order to manifest Christlikeness in your life and thereby become a veritable and effective evangeliser and instrument of evangelisation in God’s hand. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Isaiah 66,18-21; Hebrews 12, 5-7. 11-13; Luke 13,22-30: Year C, 2019)

The scene in the first reading, Isaiah 66,18-21, for this Sunday depicts a great ingathering. It is an unusual scene, for people from every nation were brought together. The prophet next announces that these foreign people are called together by God and will become a sign to other foreigners of the glory they themselves have seen. They are also sent out to announce God's fame abroad and to bring their new converts to worship the God of Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Both the universal nature and the cultic character of the vision become clear. Those who come from foreign lands are joined with the Israelites at the Temple in Jerusalem. There, both groups offer sacrifice to the Lord. The kind of sacrifice mentioned is the minha (v. 20), a generic name for cereal offerings. While the Israelites seem to bring an actual cereal offering, the others bring new recruits as a symbolic offering. The prophet paints an extraordinary picture. People stream to Jerusalem from all four directions. They all come to worship on God's holy mountain. What may be the most amazing feature of this vision is found in the final verse. It is from these foreign people that God will call forth priests and Levites. Formerly only men from priestly or Levitical families were accorded this honour. Those who were chosen for this service were then responsible for the observance of all of the cultic regulations pertaining to purity. Here it appears that both ethnic privilege and cultic regulations are set aside, and this all happens through the action of God.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews in tackling the issue of suffering and problems found within the community (cf the second reading of today: Hebrews 12, 5-7.11-13) first rebukes the community for not having remembered the teaching found within its own religious tradition. He then appeals to a well-known proverb that provides the explanation he is suggesting (cf. Prov 3, 11-12). Both the original proverb and the author of Hebrews attempt to soften the view that suffering is discipline from God by appealing to the relationship of parent to child. One can say it is out of love and concern that parents discipline their children. Furthermore, it is important to remember that the Greek word for discipline (paideia) does not mean punishment but instruction, or training for life. This is what the community seems to have forgotten, and this is what the author is exhorting them to remember. Suffering is the rigorous training God puts us through so we might be strengthened for life itself. The author next develops the Wisdom theme in a very creative way. Having argued that suffering is not always the consequence of foolish or sinful living, he now maintains that the endurance of suffering, which is surely an act of virtue, will earn a reward for those who suffer. There may be pain now, but there will be joy later for those who are trained (gyrnnazo) in it. This verb introduces the theme of physical exercise. According to the Wisdom tradition an individual must choose one of two paths, the way of the wise or the way of the foolish. The path referred to here is the way of the athlete, and the advice given admonishes the runner to make sure the path is straight so there will be no mishap. Suffering, then, can be compared to the training a concerned parent provides for a beloved child or to the discipline an athlete undergoes in order to be prepared to run the race.

The gospel account, Luke 13,22-30,  contains both soteriological and christological teaching. The gospel scene is introduced by the question some one posed to Jesus: Sir will it be only a few to be saved? Jesus gives no direct answer to the question but turns the focus from curiosity about the salvation of others to concern about one's own future, just like the shift he made when the lawyer asked him to identify his neighbour (cf. Luke 10,25-37) Jesus introduces his story with an exhortation: Strive (agonizomai), a word used when describing the energy put forward during athletic competitions. With this exhortation he is telling his hearers to struggle for the prize, to commit themselves wholeheartedly, for the task before them is not an easy one. He then tells a story to illustrate how difficult it will be for some to be saved. This does not suggest that salvation is open to only a few. Rather, it shows that some do not make the necessary effort to get into the banquet hall. They either do not respond to the invitation in a timely fashion and then come too late to be admitted, or they presume that casual association with rather than genuine commitment to the master of the house (presumably Jesus) is adequate. In both cases those outside who expect to be admitted are turned away. To add to their dismay, they are told that some whom they look down on as outsiders will be brought in to the festivities while they will remain outside, weeping in disappointment and gnashing their teeth in envy. The people who will come from the four corners are probably the righteous Gentiles who will be invited to dine with the heroes of Israelite history. This gospel shows some of the surprising reversals the reign of God will bring forth. Salvation is not promised exclusively to one group and not to another; the contrasts drawn are not all-inclusive. Still, the surprise will be in seeing who is saved and who is not. Insiders will be kept outside, and outsiders will be brought in; Jews will be barred from the messianic banquet, while Gentiles will feast at it; outcasts will be welcome, but religious elites will not. While this is true only of some members of each group, the reversals themselves will startle many.

The readings of today offer us an opportunity to reflect on salvation and the role discipleship plays in it. We see the universal scope of God's salvific grace sketched again and again. It is a grace that draws people into the community and sends disciples out from that community to proclaim the good news of salvation. The vision of a disciple must be the vision of God. It cannot be myopic or parochial, it has to be universal.  Disciples must see with wide-angle lenses, which enable them to recognise that God offers the grace of salvation to all. The passages from both Isaiah and Luke are astounding in their inclusivity. They show that God's saving grace is unbounded. It reaches out to those whom the People of God may not only distrust but sometimes even despise. From their, or our, point of view only those who have been faithful deserve salvation. Only those who belong to the right religious groups, who believe the correct religious doctrines, and who follow an approved way of life should be gathered into the company of the saved. There is something dangerous about being smugly convinced of one's own                                                                                                                                                                                                                          salvation. Usually, when this is the case, it is because we ourselves have followed the rules, important rules to be sure, but nonetheless rules. When we are so sure of ourselves, we can easily fall into the error of being as sure of the moral failure of others as well. The gospel warns us against such judgment. Our claim of knowing the Lord is not adequate for entrance into the banquet hall. The first reading clearly shows that salvation comes from God and not from anything we might have done. Our entrance into the banquet is a free gift from God, and anyone who will receive it as freely given will be welcomed. The readings of today in one way or the other talk of the ingathering of people. Women and men are gathered into the community of the saved, primarily because others have been sent out to get them. The psalm refrain is the command to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News. The first reading describes God sending fugitives back home to get their relatives. People come from all over because someone is sent to get them. Today the command is directed to us. We are the ones who are being sent out to bring others to God. Every Eucharistic liturgy ends with this commission (for example: go and announce the gospel of the Lord or go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life) to which we may unthinkingly respond: Thanks be to God! The readings of this Sunday awaken us to this responsibility. We are all sent back to the people and circumstances of our lives, there to be ambassadors of the saving grace of God. Others will hear of the fame and see the glory of God only through us. We are sent to be the light shining on the hill for all to see; we are sent to be the yeast that enables the dough to rise. We proclaim the God we worship and serve in the way we transact our business in our offices, in schools, at the market places, in the classrooms, in villages, in the neighbourhood, or in family gatherings. The way we live proclaims to the world in which we live that salvation is for all, and we are evidence of this. But unfortunately there are many of us who do not believe they are fit to be evangelisers. They do not feel that they have the necessary theological training or that they are assertive enough to go out and bring others to God. They may think the work they do or the lives they live do not lend them to the task of spreading the Good News of the gospel. They do not realise that all Christians are called and sent. This is not an option; it is a responsibility. They may not be professional ministers, but they are ministers nonetheless. They proclaim the message of salvation in everything they do and in the way they do it. The reading from the letter to the Hebrews shows us that the key requirement for evangelisation is discipline in the way we live our lives and carry out our responsibilities. All of us Christians are baptised into the life of Christ; we all are called to witness to Christlikeness in every facet of our existence. We must be disciplined enough to be willing in every circumstance of life to manifest Christlikeness to the world. We must encourage one another in our common efforts to be faithful; we cannot be at odds with one another. The Christlike life of Christians is the fundamental proclamation of the gospel. This is what draws others to the community of believers. As Christians, we are called to this and given what is necessary to carry it out. May we in today’s Eucharistic Celebration be bestowed with all the graces we need in order to manifest Christlikeness in our lives and thereby become veritable and effective evangelisers and instruments of evangelisation in God’s hand. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

(GRPHICS BY CHARLES)

20th Sunday of Year C: 2019

As you participation in this Eucharistic Celebration, may you be granted the grace to fully realise that you are not alone in your commitments and struggles, and then continue to live your normal life in heroic ways, looking upon Christ, Who has gone before us in this race. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye.    

DOCTRINE AND FAITH (Jeremiah 38,4-6.8-10; Hebrews 12,1-4;

                                                                              Luke 12,49-53: 20th Sunday of Year C: 2019)

The first reading for this Sunday is a drama of national crisis, prophetic involvement, and political power plays. The fate of the prophet Jeremiah seems to be in the hands of a vacillating king who is influenced first by the power establishment of Judah and then by a lone court official from the land of Cush (Ethiopia). Zedekiah, whose name is derived from the word for righteous (saddiq), was the last of the kings of Judah before the Babylonian Exile. He was no match for the political intrigues of his day, as can be seen in the first reading for this Sunday. The city in question is Jerusalem. It is under siege and seems to be losing the battle, as evidenced in the fact that there is no more food The princes are enraged because of the message Jeremiah had been preaching that demoralised the soldiers: He weakened the hands of the men of war. At a time of national crisis, as the nation was facing, such behaviour was an act of treason punishable by death. The princes prevail upon the king and thus he handed Jeremiah over to them. Here is an instance in which the word of God spoken by the prophet and the policies of the nation are in deadly conflict. In such a situation the one who speaks in God's name is likely to pay the price, exactly as happened in this case. The princes chose a death without bloodshed. The man who saved Jeremiah was a foreigner whose name means servant [ebed] of the king [melek] The unrest in the kingdom is almost tangible. Not only do the people have to contend with a nation mightier than themselves, but there is no stability in their own government, and they are divided over the matter of prophetic proclamation. In this passage Jeremiah appears to be the centre of contention.

The second reading from the letter to the Hebrews is an exhortation to endurance in which the author of skilfully employs the metaphor of a race. Just as the games were often held in a large stadium or amphitheater that could hold the crowds that came to watch, so Christians are surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses (martyrs). Just as athletes are spurred on by the cheers of the people in the stands, so too Christians are encouraged by those who have preceded them. Runners must strip themselves of anything that might encumber them. They must carry nothing that is not necessary for the race, and they must wear the kind of clothing that will allow free movement. This is true with regard to Christians as well. They should not be impeded by unnecessary weight, the heaviest burden being sin itself. To carry such a burden would deprive the runner of the freedom necessary to move swiftly or would make running so difficult that the runner would tire very quickly. Success in any athletic venture requires that one have a goal and that this goal be kept uppermost in the athlete's mind. The author insists that Jesus should be the goal continually held before the eyes of the runner. Like the witnesses in the stands, Jesus would urge the runner to strain further and further. He would do this because he has already run the race and won it. He faithfully endured both the cross and the opposition of others. Having been put to death, he now is seated triumphant in the place of honour in heaven next to God. He has run the race; now he enjoys the crown that is the reward for his success. As the runners begin to tire, they can look to him. This last point suggests that, like a marathon runner rather than a sprinter, the Christian runner is in for the long haul.

The picture Jesus paints of himself in this gospel passage of Luke 12,49-53 is troubling if we think of him merely as a gentle Messiah who came to spread peace throughout the world. Here he insists that his coming is comparable to a dramatic prophetic visitation. He says that he has come to cast fire on the earth, to be baptised, and to cause division at the very heart of human society. It is not that Jesus is eager for these disturbing events in themselves to unfold. Rather, he himself burns with zeal for the accomplishment of his earthly mission, which, in calling for radical change, will inevitably include such consequences. Along with casting fire, which will purify the earth, Jesus speaks of the baptism he will have to undergo. It is clear he is talking about the suffering and death he will endure. While he dreads it he also embraces it, for he knows it will be the avenue through which he will accomplish his mission. The linchpin that holds all the elements of this discourse together is the complex issue of division. While Jesus himself may have been a man of peace, the message he proclaimed was clearly divisive. Many of the claims he made cut to the core of the dominant social and religious custom and understanding of the time. He made demands on people that challenged them to the very heart of their being. He insisted that commitment to him and to his message must take precedence over any political and even kinship loyalties. This was the cause of the division described in the passage. Those who were originally bonded to each other by the closest human ties were often torn apart by loyalty to him. Some who were able to accept him and his teaching were even ostracised by those who did not. The animosity Jesus generated was also the cause of his own rejection and ultimate suffering and death. This teaching is presented from Jesus' perspective. However, from the perspective of the one hearing his teaching, it unfolds in the following manner. Jesus' teaching and his demands bring on the division and antagonism that in turn resulted in his death. His death was the baptism into which he was destined to be baptized. The fire of judgment that he cast was the inevitable consequence of the choice that was made in his regard. Its purifying flames separated those who accepted him from those who did not. There is no consoling conclusion to this discourse. Here Jesus has described the effects his teaching will have on others. It is for those who hear this message to decide which course of action they will choose. 

The readings for this Sunday provide us with an opportunity to continue to meditate on various aspects of the theme of discipleship. We note first of all the cost of discipleship. We might wonder why anyone would want to be a disciple, because so much is demanded. As disciples we commit ourselves to values and principles that are not cherished by everyone. We can be misunderstood for our beliefs, even ridiculed. In fact, our lives may actually be a reproach to those who do not share our aspirations. There may be times when we must stand in opposition to others. All of this tends to alienate us. It could even place us at enmity with those we love. Yet, if we are genuinely committed, we realise there is also a price to pay if we are not faithful. It is very difficult to live with ourselves when we disregard our deepest convictions and ignore the promptings of God we experience within ourselves. As difficult as a life of faith may be, we know that such a life is the only way to live in this world. We realise that we do not control life. Rather, we are carried by it, and so we must make friends with its mystery and ambiguity. Fidelity may exact a dear price, but it is the only way open to us if we are to be true to ourselves and to God. Faced with the cost of discipleship, we are brought to the realisation that by ourselves we do not have the resources to pay it. We need assistance. The readings today remind us that we have the assistance we need. Both the reading from Jeremiah and the psalm assure us that God will stoop down and draw us out of the pit within which we find ourselves. We might find, as did the prophet, that this aid will come from places we have never expected. We may discover that those closest to us are not supportive, but there are others who appreciate the stands we take, the directions we set for ourselves. We may discover that while we lose some brothers and sisters, we gain others. The real support and assistance we get is from Jesus, who came to set the world and our hearts on fire. He endured the cross and gave us an example to follow. Actually, as disciples we do not have to do heroic deeds. We only have to live our normal lives in heroic ways. But people do that all the time. Daily we hear of ordinary people acting heroically. The grace of God is mediated to us through these people. Whether stranger or friend, they belong to the throng that surrounds us. Through them the grace of God can accomplish extraordinary feats. The author of the letter to the Hebrews assures us that there is a vast throng cheering us on as we run the race of discipleship. They are not merely spectators; they are those who have already run or are still running their own race. We are not alone in our commitment, in our struggle. There are many witnesses, many examples for us to follow. Some of these people may have already died, but their lives remain as testimony to the value of commitment. We may have known these people. They could be relatives who were examples of unselfish commitment to others. They could be strangers whose courage in the face of death has caused us to stand in awe. They could be people in the neighbourhood or the workplace whose friendliness brightened our day. This is the great crowd of witnesses that cheer us on. There are also many saints who are still alive, who continue to act in these ways. It is through them that God draws us out of the pit; it is through them that God comes to our aid. May we in the Eucharistic Celebration of today be bestowed with the grace to realise fully the true cost of being a follower of Christ and to live heroically the ordinary events of our lives focused on Jesus Christ. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye

(graphics  by charles)

Doctrine & Faith;19th Sunday year C

As you participate in today’s Eucharistic celebration, may you be granted the grace of faith, that will enable you respond to God’s presence in your life, knowing that it is within His presence that you live. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye.

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Wisdom 18,6-9; Hebrews 11,1-2.8-19; Luke 12,32-48, 19th Sunday Year C, 2019)

This reading from the book of Wisdom, Wisdom 18:6-9, is an interpretation of the account of the deliverance of the chosen people at the time of their bondage in Egypt, specifically the events of the night of their Passover night. While the passage suggests that the speaker is addressing God, the author employs a Greek literary form known as the syncrisis, a kind of comparison that points out the contrast between the plight of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. This form is astutely used to show that God reversed the very means the Egyptians had employed in hopes of afflicting the Israelites. Thus the Egyptians were smitten, while the Israelites escaped unscathed. The focus in this account is on the providence of God in sparing the people of Israel. The author boldly moves beyond the simple comparison of the syncrisis and claims that God reversed the fates of the two peoples and that the very means with which God punished the Egyptians in turn glorified the Israelites. At the very time when the angel of God was moving through Egypt killing the firstborn of every household, the Israelites were offering a lamb in substitutionary sacrifice. The blood of this lamb became their protection against the bloodletting suffered by the Egyptians.

The first verse of the second  reading, Hebrews 11,1-2,8-19: Only faith can guarantee the blessing that we hope for or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen is one of the best-known passages from Scripture. It demonstrates the author's position that faith is more an openness of mind and heart than a set of theological propositions. The author uses the tradition about the faith of Abraham to illustrate what he means. The story of Abraham's faith begins with his call from God to leave his father’s home and go to a land God would show him, a land he would receive as one receives an inheritance. He left the familiarity of one land for the uncertainty of another, and all because of his faith in God. At the time of the conception of Isaac, Abraham's faith became apparent again. Both he and Sarah were beyond their childbearing years, yet he believed the impossible was possible with God. Abraham was told he would have not only one heir but heirs beyond counting (cf. Gen 15,5; 22,17). God promised that this man, whose generative powers were as good as dead, would produce numerous descendants. Abraham's faith was rooted not so much in God's power as in the promise God had made, and because of this faith he received generative powers. Finally, Abraham's faith was manifested in his willingness to respond to God's further testing of his utter trust by sacrificing his only son, Isaac. The foreseeable consequences of his conformity to this testing are shattering. Isaac is the child through whom descendants will continue. To sacrifice him is to nullify God's initial promise and to forfeit his (Abraham's) future and the future of his household. Just as his faith led him to leave the blessings of his past (v. 8), so his faith leads him to relinquish the possibilities of his future. Even though Isaac was not actually sacrificed, the text says that Abraham did indeed offer up his son. Once again, his faith is based on God's ability to bring life where there is no life. Could not God, who brought life through a man who was as good as dead, raise someone who was really dead? Believing that God could bring about the first marvel enabled Abraham to believe that God could also accomplish the second.

The gospel reading, Luke 12,32-48, is a discourse intended for the disciples. It can be divided into three parts: a teaching on possessions (vv. 32-34); a story that demonstrates the importance of watchfulness (vv. 35-40); and instruction about responsible leadership (vv. 41-48). In his address to his disciples whom he regards as his flock, Jesus announces that the reign of God is theirs; he then exhorts them to live lives that demonstrate their citizenship in that realm. With one admonition, Sell your possessions and give alms…he exemplifies the kind of total commitment required of citizens of the reign of God. The admonition itself sounds radical. It was probably not intended to be taken literally, for total divestment would have turned the disciples into paupers, making them dependent on others for survival and sustenance. Jesus does not denounce material possessions as such but only the amassing of such goods. He knows that trust in riches can stand in the way of trust in God, so he tells his disciples to get rid of what they do not immediately need and to concentrate their energies on the things of God. Jesus introduces his teaching about watchfulness with a twofold admonition. He tells the men to tuck their flowing robes under their belts and to prepare for strenuous activity and then to light their lamps, suggesting they will have to be watchful even into the night. He is not explicit about the reason for this; he merely instructs them to be prepared, like servants awaiting the return of the householder. In response to Peter's query, Jesus tells a second story that describes not only the watchfulness required of disciples but also the way leaders or man­agers of the household (oikonomos) are to carry out their responsibilities while the master is away. The first manager is conscientious in the care of others, while the second is not only remiss in carrying out the duties of stewardship but actually abusive and self-indulgent. Other servants are chastised not because of what they did but because of what they failed to do. Preparedness does not mean simply waiting. One must be responsible during that waiting period.

Vigilance is a recurrent theme during the season of Advent. This theme comes strongly in our liturgy today to remind us that we must be vigilant always, not simply at the beginning and the end of the Liturgical Year. We must always stand ready for the return of the Lord, for we really do not know when he is coming. This is true about waiting for the end of time as well as for the end of our specific time. However, it is also true about other times, for we do not know when God will open the door or window of our existence and call us into a deeper realisation of the sacred dimension of life itself. Vigilance is a characteristic of a Christian at all times, for all times. We must be ever vigilant so we can recognise the Lord in the people with whom we live and work. We must be ever vigilant so we can recognise the advent of the Lord in the world events of which we are a part. We must be always ready to respond to the call of discipleship, to serve where there is need, to carry out our life responsibilities in a fair and equitable fashion. We cannot be sure of the hour of our calling, because in a sense, every hour is the hour of our calling. Therefore, we must be ever vigilant. Vigilance demands that we live lives of faith. While we live in the expectation of the full and ultimate coming of God in the future, we also live now in the presence of God. This means that God is present with us now as a companion in our lives. It also means that it is within God's presence that we live; in fact, God's presence is the context within which our lives unfold. However, until all things are brought to fulfilment we live in this presence by faith. At the time of the Passover the people put their faith in the promises God had made to them, and they were saved by means of that faith. Throughout his life Abraham lived by faith, clinging tenaciously to it despite what appeared to be impossible odds. Faith is the way we live when we do not see what we think we must see in order to go on. It is through faith that we cling to the essence of our dreams when they seem to be dashed before our eyes. It is through faith that we launch out into new vistas when we are invited into the lives of others. It is through faith that we courageously endure the heartbreaks of life and the diminishment we all must face. It is faith that is the inner light that enables us to carryon in the dark. Faith and hope are intimately joined. As believers we are called to trust in the promises of God, even when what is promised seems impossible. Faith is the way we live our lives before these promises unfold. We are promised a life of peace and harmony. As people of faith we are called to live in this world of hatred and violence as if that promise had already been fulfilled, for it is through our living in that faith that it is indeed brought to birth. A life lived in faith is its own revenue, its own reward. We are assured that we will be blessed, but we can never be sure of the exact nature of the blessing. The Israelites were freed from bondage only to find themselves in the wilderness facing yet another test of faith. Abraham offered his son, not knowing the ultimate sacrifice would not be required. Had he been assured that Isaac would be saved, it would not have been a question of faith. A life of faith can guarantee only one thing, that we will be able to live by faith. In faith, we put our trust in God and then carry out our responsibilities. In faith we wait for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, not really knowing under what guise he will come to us. Faith is both the cost of living as a disciple and the reward. May we be granted in today’s liturgy the grace of faith that will enable us respond positively to God’s presence in our lives. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 04 TH AUG 2019

As you participate in today’s Eucharistic Celebration, may you be nourished with the grace to be in intimate relationship with Christ from whom you will learn not only the true worth of earthly riches but also how to use them profitably for the welfare of your neighbors and for your own salvation.  Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Ecclesiastes 1,2;2,21-23; Colossians 3,1-5.9-11; Luke 12,13-21)

The first verse of this short reading, Ecclesiastes 1,2;2,21-23, sets a tone that may appear to some to be an exaggeration. The construction vanity of vanities is the way the superlative is expressed in Hebrew. The word, vanity itself means breath or vapour. It denotes transitoriness or the lack of substance. It is from this that we get the idea of meaninglessness. We should not conclude that the author is suggesting that something is necessarily meaningless in itself, since breath is certainly very important. It is the transitoriness that is of concern here. Therefore, just as some have translated the phrase as Meaninglessness of meaninglessness ... Everything is meaningless, one might also read it as Transitoriness of transitoriness. . . .Everything is transitory. Qoheleth is less a name than an occupational title. The occupation of the author is generally understood to be that of teacher or preacher. This is not an insignificant point, given the position of importance accorded the teacher in ancient Israel. In order to make his point, Qoheleth  not only employs the superlative form, he repeats it and then restates his appraisal: All is vanity! Qoheleth provides an anecdote to illustrate the point he is making. According to conventional Wisdom teaching, one should be able to enjoy the fruits of one's labor, provided it was done in a fitting manner. Good work should be rewarded. The man described here laboured with wisdom and knowledge and skill. There is no question about his right to take pleasure in the fruits of that labor. However, here the transitoriness is found in life itself. It seems the man does not live long enough to enjoy his goods. Furthermore, these goods will go to one who did not earn them, so there is a double inequity.

In Colossians 3,1-5.9-11, Paul begins his discourse with the indicative/imperative form: You have been raised with Christ, so act as risen people. He contrasts heavenly reality with earthly existence. The things above are the things of God, things that are essential for salvation, things with ultimate meaning. They belong to the realm of the redeemed. Paul encourages the Colossians to seek the higher things not in order merely to discover them but in order to live by them. Paul in exhorting the Colossians to set their minds with intent and determination on the things of heaven offered three reasons as basis for it. First, they are now joined to the risen Christ. Second, Christ's life is the new source for their own lives. Third, joined to the risen Christ, they will share in his ultimate manifestation in glory. This manifestation is a future event. Until then, they live hidden in Christ. This does not mean that their Christian way of life will go unnoticed. Quite the opposite! It will be seen by all, but it will not be esteemed by the world because the Christians will not be living according to the values of the world. They will have to wait until Christ is manifested in glory before the value of their lives is acclaimed. Until then they will have to accept misunderstanding, vilification, even persecution. However, when Christ appears, they will be vindicated. Paul goes even further in his censure of the things of the earth, identifying them with moral depravity. He lists some of the vices to which believers are inclined despite their new existence in Christ. The exhortation directs the Christians to die to a sinful way of living. Of the vices listed, four are of a sexual nature, the fifth is more general, and the last is contrary to truth and love, the basis of life in common. All are regarded as earthly desires because they are deviations of concerns of this world-sexual behaviour, the use of material goods, and the truth about the foundation upon which society is based. If the Colossians set their minds on the things above, they will engage in earthly affairs in the proper manner. The transformation the Colossians have undergone is characterised as putting off the old self and putting on the new, as one would change clothing. Paul combines this metaphor with the notion of renewal of the self that was originally made in the image of God (cf. Gen 1,27). Sin distorts the way one manifests the image of God; transformation in Christ renews it. Finally, Paul insists that in this new way of living there are no distinctions that feed bias or discrimination, whether that bias be based on race, religious origin, gender, culture, or social status. In Christ it makes no difference whether one is a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian or civilised, slave or free. While the actual distinction does not fade, the bias that accompanies it has dissolved. There are no longer such separations. Christ is the exclusive and determining force in all. 

In the gospel pericope of Luke 12,13-21 Jesus is approached by a man who wants him to act as arbiter between himself and his brother. The dispute is over inheritance, but what follows shows the real issue is greed. Jesus uses this encounter as an occasion to teach a lesson about the futility of a life spent in amassing material possessions. The man in the parable Jesus uses to illustrate this point is judged by God to be a fool, someone who has not learned the important lessons life has to teach. The rich man is not censured because of his wealth. Nor is he criticised for not attending to the needs of those less fortunate than he. His foolishness is much deeper; it is the attitude of greed that underlies his actions. Such an attitude determines how he values his wealth and what he will do with it. His life consists in amassing more and more. His folly is evident in the fact that he stores his grain without safeguarding it from decay. This point is important for the parable. It is an example of how goods that are not used will not last. The only way he makes use of his wealth is to indulge in a life of hedonistic excess (cf. Isa 22,13; 1 Cor 15,32). The man's death is not a punishment for his greed. It is simply the end of his life of excess. It points out the futility of that life. He spent it collecting what does not last and what is thereby ultimately valueless. Before he told the parable Jesus already alerted the crowd as to its meaning: One's life does not consist in possessions. Possessions do not last. At death they are passed on to another, and there is no way of knowing whether that other person will use them well or not (cf. Ecc 2,19). Jesus draws out the moral of his story. It is foolish to devote one's life to amassing goods and to be bereft in what matters to God. Jesus is not specific here about what matters to God, but it is dear it is not material possessions. 

The readings for this Sunday pose a fundamental question that can be stated in several ways: To what do we commit ourselves? Where are our hearts? What is most important in life? The Wisdom character of these questions cannot be denied. Wisdom  tradition occupies itself with the basic questions of life: What is the meaning of life? Where do we find our fulfilment? These are questions all women and men of every time and place and culture ponder. The disciples of Christ, we Christians of today, are no exception to this questioning. However, they and us will be identified as disciples in the way they answer. Both the first reading and the psalm response speak about the transitoriness of life. It is all we have, and it is so fragile, so fleeting. It seems we just learn what living is all about and then our lives begin to diminish. We don't have the time to enjoy what it is we have discovered. What frequently keeps us from living life fully is the thought that we can only do so if we have accomplished particular feats, gained a certain reputation, and secured desired goods. While there is nothing wrong with any of these goals, there is no guarantee they will deliver the fulfilment we expect of them. And if we have denied ourselves and others the joy of real living in our attempts to obtain them, we have been wasting the life given to us. The time we have in this life is not only transitory, it is also fleeting. It flies by. When we realise this, we may fear that in the end we will have nothing to show for our lives. How sad to think such thoughts! They show we have not learned the most basic lesson of life, which is: Life is to be lived! Living creatures live on the fruits of the earth. This is certainly true of human beings. We need food and water to survive; we need material for clothing and shelter. We are artists, and so we use the elements of the earth to reproduce it in new and creative ways. We are toolmakers, and so we use the stuff of the earth to make life more comfortable. The goods of the earth are not only good, they are essential for our survival and advancement. However, they do not satisfy the deepest longings of the human spirit. They do provide us with pleasure and challenge, but they cannot shield us from the transitoriness of life itself. In the face of such impermanence they are ultimately worthless. When the fruits of the earth are not used to enhance the life of the earth, they lose their value; they spoil and even decompose. Life itself is the far greater good; goods only enhance life. Recognising the transitoriness of life and the vanity of goods, we come to see that the only reality worthy of our total commitment, the only reality not transitory or vain, is our relationship with God in Christ. Though made of dust and thus subject to perishability, we are joined with Christ and promised imperishability. Having died to the vanities of this world, having taken off our old selves with their evil desires, we can now live in this world with a new self, in generosity rather than greed, with openness to others rather than religious or gender or social biases. In our commitment to Christ we will discover that we can transform what is transitory in life by giving it away in love. If we can live in this way, life is anything but vanity! Let us pray in the liturgy of today for the grace to be in intimate relationship with Christ from whom we shall learn not only the true worth of earthly riches but also how to use them profitably for the well fare of our neighbours and for our salvation. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

Graphics (Pictures) added by Chukwubike OC  may not  correspond with the  readings  but with the current affairs in the diocese