4th Sunday of the Year B: 31th January 2021

           DOCTRINE AND FAITH 

(Deut. 18,15-20; 1 Cor. 7, 32-35; Mark 1,21-28: 4th Sunday of the Year B: 31th January 2021)

                                   
This Sunday's Gospel presents Jesus as a prophet. He begins his ministry and immediately, reveals himself as a powerful prophet in word and deed. The Gospel is prepared by the first reading, which refers to God's promise to send a prophet similar to Moses. The second reading speaks to us about virginity and marriage, to invite us to a full participation in the new life that Jesus gives.

The Gospel tells us the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He enters the synagogue on the Sabbath and begins to teach. His first activity is that of teaching, because he is the one who reveals God's plan to us, all the mystery that communicates a new life to us. People are amazed at his teaching, because it is not an ordinary teaching. The scribes teach, but without their own authority: they were based on tradition, on what Moses and the prophets, or other scribes of ancient times, have said before. Instead, Jesus teaches authoritatively, thus he reveals himself as the Son of God, and not as a mere man who must base his teaching on previous traditions.

Jesus has full authority. His teaching is new: a new doctrine taught with authority, underlines Mark. We can see this in a more explicit and widespread way in the Gospel of Matthew, in particular in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says: You have heard that it was said to the ancients ... But I tell you ... (cf. Matt 5, 21-48). Jesus' teaching is truly new. On the other hand, he is also powerful in his works. In the synagogue of Capernaum there is a man possessed by an unclean spirit. We do not know exactly how this spirit usually manifests itself, but in this circumstance, it manifests itself with cries: What has this to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? You came to ruin us! I know who you are: the saint of God. This unclean spirit knows the power of Jesus, and also proclaims its holiness; he says: You have come to ruin us! Jesus came to free men from the influence of evil spirits, to give them the true freedom of the children of God.

Jesus scolds this unclean spirit, saying to him: Shut up! Get out of that man. These words of his are enough to obtain his victory over the unclean spirit, which comes out of that man tearing him up and shouting loudly. This fact greatly impresses those present; all are filled with fear and ask themselves: What is this? A new doctrine taught with authority. He even commands the worldly spirits and they obey him!. The power of Jesus confirms his authority. He does not only speaks words, but also works. Thus, he manifests God's plan in words and miracles. In fact, in the Gospel we see that he is not content with just talking, but manifests God's love with many gestures of dedication to the sick, the needy, children and sinners. People recognize that Jesus is a prophet.

In the first reading, taken from Deuteronomy, God, through Moses, promises to send to his people a prophet similar to Moses: The Lord your God will raise up for you, among you, among your brothers, a prophet like me; you will listen to him. The people were promised a prophet who will speak in the name of God, to preserve them from the danger that had manifested itself at Sinai: the danger of death caused by immediate contact with God. The people then asked: May I not hear the voice anymore of the Lord my God and may I not see this great fire any more, lest I die (Deut. 18,16; cf. Exodus 20,18-21). Direct contact with God is tremendous for man; God's holiness is like a devouring fire. The sinful people do not feel like facing this contact and ask for a mediator. God, who is full of goodness and mercy, accepts the proposal: What they said is fine; I will raise up a prophet in the midst of their own brothers. Several times God has sent prophets to guide his people and warn them against the temptations of idolatry, social injustice and all abuses. The prophets spoke in the name of God, with authority; Thus, they led the people and preserved them from the evils caused by sins. But God's promise to send a prophet like Moses had not yet come true. At the end of Deuteronomy, the author declares: A prophet like Moses has never arisen in Israel (Deut. 34:10). Therefore, the people continued to wait for a prophet like Moses for the authoritative teaching and power of miracles. This expectation was very much alive in the time of Jesus; the Gospels tell us, several times, that people wondered if he was not the prophet announced (cf. Mark 8,28ff).

Today's Gospel passage shows us that Jesus is indeed this prophet announced. In one of his speeches after the resurrection of Jesus, Peter says that Jesus is the prophet similar to Moses – in fact, superior to Moses - who had been promised and who therefore, has the right to our obedience (cf. Acts 3,21-22). Stephen too, in his address to the Sanhedrin before dying, recalls this fact (cf. Acts 7,37). We must consider ourselves fortunate to have Jesus as our teacher who is powerful in words and deeds, Jesus who communicates to us all the light necessary for our existence and also the strength necessary to overcome difficulties, trials and temptations. We must consider ourselves fortunate to have such a powerful and so good prophet as our teacher.

In the second reading, Paul tells us that the best condition for a person is to be concerned only with the things of the Lord. He would like the faithful to have no human concerns, but only concern for the Lord; he says: Whoever is not married is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he can please the Lord [...]. Thus, the unmarried woman, like the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, in order to be holy in body and spirit. This, in itself, is the most favourable condition. However, it must be recognised  that it presupposes a particular vocation. In fact, it is not given to every person to live in such a spiritual, costly way. For the most part, people find themselves in a complex situation, that is, in search of the Lord and things of the world.

It is clear that when a person is married he has to worry about the course of family life. This is a good thing. But Paul affirms that this also leads to a certain interior division: one does not think about pleasing the Lord alone, but one must also think about other things; thus, the person finds himself divided within himself. We must accept Paul's teaching. He is aware that he is saying these things for the good of Christians: not to draw a snare for them, but to enlighten them and encourage them to remain united as much as possible with the Lord, each according to his own vocation. +John I. Okoye

(graphics  by Chukwubike OC)

3rd Sunday of the Year B, Jan 24, 2021

May God bestow on us in today's Eucharistic celebration, the graces of responding positively to God's call to discipleship, by detaching ourselves from those things that separate us from him, carrying our daily tasks with a positive attitude that conforms with Jesus' call.

                                 Happy Sunday!

 

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Jonah 3, 1-5.10; 1 Cor. 7, 29-31; Mark 1,14-20; 3rd Sunday of the Year B, Jan 24, 2021)

This Sunday’s Gospel presents to us the beginning of Jesus' ministry. After baptism and temptations in the desert, he begins his ministry with a fundamental message and an important initiative: the calling of the first disciples. The message of Jesus is: The time is finished and the kingdom of God is near; get converted and believe in the Gospel. This message aims at completely changing the orientation of our life. It is an urgent message, and Jesus is aware of it: there is no time to waste, we must act immediately; the kingdom of God has come close, we must welcome it. The kingdom of God is received in two ways: by being converted and by accepting the Gospel. Jesus preaches conversion. Conversion means detaching oneself from bad things and becoming attached to God. It is a radical change of orientation, which Jesus requires of us for our own good.

The first reading, taken from the book of Jonah, illustrates the theme of conversion. This passage narrates the mission of Jonah to Nineveh. The prophet calls the Ninevites to conversion with the announcement of an imminent punishment: Another forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed. Jonah too, like Jesus, says that the time has come and God's intervention is now inevitable. The tone of his threat seems negative, but in reality, it has a positive meaning, and the inhabitants of Nineveh understand this. When a prophet announces punishments from God, the intention is never negative, but to urge the people to act in order to avoid those punishments. The Prophet's announcement causes a sincere conversion in the Ninevites, who abandon their evil works and turn to God. The text says: The citizens of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and clothed in sack, from the greatest to the least. God sees that the Ninevites have converted from their wicked behaviour, and he can then carry out his plan, which is a plan of love and salvation: God took pity on them, and stopped the evil he had threatened to do to them. Thus, the Ninevites were saved.

In the Gospel Jesus says with the same urgency: Repent; and adds: Believe in the Gospel. In this message there is not only the invitation to conversion, but also the announcement of a Good News, that is, that God is about to intervene for our salvation, he wants to pour out his love on us, and asks us to eliminate all obstacles. God wants to offer us abundant graces, transform our life so that it may be beautiful, fruitful and motive for intense joy. We must then believe this Good News, this announcement that is, completely, positive. Indeed, the Gospel is the announcement of a victory that brings peace and well-being to men.

In the second reading, Paul's words to the Corinthians mirror, in a certain sense, those of Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus says: The time is over and the kingdom of God is near; and Paul says: By now time has become short. This means that God wants to carry out his plan of love; therefore, it is necessary to think only of it. Since time has become short, it is necessary to convert. From now on - affirms Paul -, let those who have wives live as if they did not; those who cry, as if they did not cry, and those who enjoy as if they did not enjoy; those who buy, as if they did not own; those who use this world as if they did not fully use it. These statements may seem strange to us, but in reality, they make us understand that we must re-evaluate the worth of all things and not attribute too much importance to earthly things. We are called to live in intimacy with God: this is a wonderful reality, that it becomes the most important thing for us. God wants to save us, he wants to fill us with his love: this is the only thing that matters. All other things are relative, they don’t have absolute value; therefore, we must place them in their right places. The only absolute value is the love of God, which he wants to communicate to us in order to transform our whole life. On our own part, we must give up all those possessive tendencies that keep us tied to the earth, things and values that are not really important. Our tears and our joy must be reduced, they must be considered with a certain detachment. In fact, they are not the essential things in our life. We cry for reasons that are not really valid, or we rejoice for rather superficial reasons. Instead, we should cry only for those things that separate us from God, and rejoice only for those things that unite us with him. To realize this, we always need conversion. We must detach ourselves from negative tendencies, to make our sincere and profound union with God possible.

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus calls the first disciples immediately after the announcement. Mark relates this call in an essential and simple way: Jesus passes by, sees two men - Simon and Andrew; the second time James and John - intent on their ordinary work - the first two cast their nets into the sea, the other two tidy up the nets - and he said to them: Follow me!. And they immediately, leaving everything, followed him. Mark presents these tales of vocation in such a concise form to make us understand the essentials. Jesus passes into our life and tells us: Follow me! I will make your life beautiful and fruitful. You who are now fishers of fish will become fishers of men. These episodes of Jesus' call are fundamental for all Christians. Obviously, not everyone is called to follow Jesus like the apostles, that is, leaving their professions to become heralds of the Gospel, but everyone is called to follow Jesus. Here, there is an analogy with what Paul says in the second reading: we must follow Jesus, and this is the only thing that matters; our projects must be oriented towards following Jesus. We must carry out our task with an attitude that conforms with Jesus’ call. The way we do things is more important than the very things we do. A Christian housewife, who simply cleans her house with love of God, is worth more than a politician who makes great speeches and has great power, but does it to give himself/herself importance. Validity of things depends on the extent they are done with faithfulness to Jesus' call. Before making decisions, we must always try to know and choose what the Lord asks us to do. So, we can live fully in his love. We must follow Jesus, Every Christian must, continually, renounce his own selfishness, to welcome Jesus’ love. He must leave his own concerns too centered on himself, to accept the universal concerns of Christ's charity. Thus, little by little the world will be transformed. Jesus came precisely to transform the world with his love. Many people need to accept his call and be docile to his inspirations. So little by little they will be able to change the world, bringing peace, joy and love to it. +John I. Okoye

(graphics by chukwubike)

2nd Sunday of Year B, Jan. 17, 2021

                  

  DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(1 Sam. 3,3b-10.19; 1 Cor. 6, 13c-15a.17-20; John 1, 35-42: 2nd Sunday of Year B, Jan. 17, 2021)

The first reading of today's Mass tells us about the first episode of Samuel's vocation as a prophet, and the Gospel tells us about the first meeting of two disciples of John the Baptist with Jesus. The common theme of the readings is, therefore, the beginning of the relationship with the Lord.

Samuel's story is suggestive. The child is lying in the temple of the Lord, because his mother, after birth and weaning, entrusted him to the priest Eli. Samuel is on the temple staff. During the night he hears a voice calling him by name. He, obviously, thinks it was the priest who called him; goes to him and says: You called me, here I am! Here we can see the availability of this child: as soon as he is called, he goes to Eli. And a truly exemplary Samuel. But the priest replies: I didn't call you, go back to sleep! Samuel obeys and goes back to sleep. But again, he hears the voice calling him; again, he goes to Eli and tells him: You called me, here I am! I didn't call you, go back to sleep! Eli replies. The author explains that Samuel had not yet known the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been revealed to him. Samuel still has no experience of God's voice, of the divine call. Therefore, he needs Eli’s words, who the third time understood that it was a mystical experience and said to him: Go to sleep and, if he calls you again, you will say: Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening. When Samuel goes to bed again, he hears the voice calling him by name again, he answers with the words suggested by Eli. For Samuel, it is a question of availability towards God which is the beginning of his great prophetic mission. The text says: Samuel acquired authority since the Lord was with him.  This episode speaks to us of a mysterious encounter with God, a simple encounter which gives a person’s life new orientation. 

In the Gospel it is no longer a question of a voice without any figure, but of a person who sees himself: Jesus. He is designated by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God. The two disciples of the Baptist feel attracted by him, they followed him, and Jesus turned around and asked them: What are you looking for? They answer: Rabbi, where are you staying? Jesus extends an invitation to the two disciples: Come and see. They go and see where Jesus dwells, and that day they dwell with him. Here we can see that the Gospel is very discreet, it doesn't give much information, it doesn't say where Jesus lives - in a house? Or in a tent? -, but it only says: [The two] went and saw where he was staying and that day they stayed with him. Thus, the Evangelist expresses the theme of an encounter with the Lord that lasts over time.

All of us must want to know where Jesus dwells and stay with him. The Christian life consists of a continual desire to dwell with him, and a continual search for the place where he dwells. The Gospel of John will then give us some clarifications in this regard. He will say that Jesus abides in the Father, and the Father abides in him (cf. 14,10-11). Jesus abides in the will of the Father, he always tries to do the will of the Father (cf. 3,34; 6,38; 8,29). Between Jesus and the Father there is a vital union and a mutual abiding. Jesus’ whole life takes place in this divine abode. Jesus then invites his disciples to abide in him, saying: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, lives in me now, and I in him (John 6,56). Our participation in the Eucharist must be this profound, intimate encounter with the Lord, which is a mutual abiding between us and him. We are part of the vine, which is Jesus (cf. 15,1.5). He is the vine, and we the branches; we abide in him, and his life abides in us. In every moment of life, we should ask ourselves where Jesus dwells, where we can meet him. And the answer is: in the will of the Father. We meet Jesus, if we do the will of the Father. Jesus also dwells in love. If we live in love - love of God and love of brothers - we abide in him and he abides in us. There are many possible ways of living in love; in each circumstance there is a different way; The essential thing is to keep this intimate relationship with Jesus, this mutual abiding between us and him. Prayer helps us a lot to live this mutual relationship with Jesus, but it is not enough: our whole life must be an intimate union with him. This mutual moment between Jesus and us, which is indicated to us so many times in the Gospel, is truly a marvellous reality. In the second reading, Paul says to the Corinthians: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Christians abide in Christ, because they are his members; Christ abides in them, because they are his members. Paul draws the conclusion that the Christian life must be a pure life, which shuns any kind of impurity, especially any disorder in the field of sexuality. He affirms: Whoever gives himself to shame, sins against his own body, which is part of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit. We must respect our body, because it abides in Christ, and Christ in it. We must have a very great sense of our dignity, which comes, precisely, from this intimate union with Jesus. It is a wonderful gift that we receive, but also a great commitment that is required from us. This gift constitutes a responsibility for us, which we must assume with great generosity. In the Eucharist we receive Jesus, He abides in us, and we abide in him. So, let us therefore, ask the Lord that this reality transform our whole life. +John I. Okoye

(graphics  by chukwubike)

Baptism of the Lord, Year B, January 10, 2021

 As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, may we recall that by our Baptism we are adopted sons and daughters of God and so should show filial love to God, may the Holy Spirit we received at our Baptism guide us in our relationship with Christ.

Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord! Happy Sunday!

 

DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Isaiah 55, 1-11; 1 John 5, 1-9; Mark 1,7-11: Baptism of the Lord, Year B, January 10, 2021)

The Christmas season ends with the feast of the Lord’s baptism. Today we remember this significant event, which also makes us think of our baptism. Jesus wanted to receive the baptism preached and administered by John the Baptist. It was a baptism of repentance, which expressed the desire to be cleansed from sins.

The first reading speaks to us of the dispositions that God requires of man. The Prophet Isaiah says: Seek the Lord while he lets himself be found; call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked abandon his way and the unjust man his thoughts; return to the Lord who will have mercy on you and our God who generously forgives. John’s baptism was to be received with these provisions. Jesus did not need this baptism. However, he was aware that, in order to fulfil his mission, he had to be baptised by John the Baptist, that is, he had to put himself among sinners and in a certain sense make common cause with them and show solidarity. All these make us understand the mission of Jesus: he came, not only to be among us, and console us with his presence, but more importantly, to be among us sinners, share our fate and transform it. It is thanks to this his solidarity that we can be said to be on the way to salvation. The Baptist is aware of the only provisional and imperfect aspect of his baptism; in fact, he says to those who come to him: After me comes one who is stronger than me [...]. I baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the one who bestows the Holy Spirit through his baptism. Therefore, after he is baptised, the Holy Spirit is manifested. The Gospel tells us that Jesus, coming out of the water, saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. Jesus’ baptism is the prefiguration of his mystery of death and resurrection. In baptism, as was done at that time, one immersed oneself in the water and then emerged from it. Jesus immersed himself in the water of passion, the water that causes death, and then emerged from it, because this act of his most generous love was the way of salvation for all men.

In the second reading, John declares that Jesus came not with water only, but with water and blood. Jesus did not come only to receive the Baptist's water of baptism, but to receive another baptism, as he himself tells us in the Gospel: There is a baptism that I must receive; and how distressed I am, until it is accomplished! (Luke 1250). This baptism is the baptism of his passion, in which he sheds his blood. The water of our baptism is, closely, connected with the blood of Jesus. Our baptism, in fact, expresses purification by means of water: purification which was obtained for us not by water, but by the blood that Jesus shed for us. Passion made Jesus capable of bestowing the Holy Spirit to men. In the baptismal episode, coming out of the water, he saw the Holy Spirit descend on him; in the passion he obtained the Holy Spirit, to communicate it to all of us. It is the Spirit who purifies, giving us the remission of sins, and the Spirit who sanctifies, uniting us with God. The Holy Spirit bears witness. It manifests itself in the baptism of Jesus, to show us that the baptism done in the name of Jesus is the means by which men obtain the Spirit that cleanses from sins and the Spirit that sanctifies. On Calvary, blood and water came out of Jesus' pierced side. The blood reveals the gift he made of his life; water reveals the purifying efficacy of his death, and is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Thanks to the baptism we have received and which manifests our faith in Jesus, we have become children of God. In the episode of baptism, Jesus was proclaimed the beloved Son of God, as the Gospel tells us: And a voice from heaven was heard: You are my beloved Son, in you I am pleased. In our baptism we receive adoption as children, as John reminds us: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the one who generated, also loves the one who was generated by him. Our baptism is the source of love for all the children of God. John affirms: By this we know that we are the children of God: if we love God and keep his commandments. There is a very close relationship between love for God and love for the children of God, that is, for our neighbour. Upon receiving John's baptism, Jesus expressed his complete docility towards the Father and his generous solidarity with sinners. Thus, he manifested the intimate union of the two dimensions of love. We are also, in our faith in Jesus, called to live these two dimensions of love: through baptism we are introduced into an intimate relationship with God and, on the other hand, we are inserted in the community of God's children, in the Church. John tells us: Everything that is born of God conquers the world; and this is the victory that defeated the world: our faith. If we believe in Jesus, who came with water and blood and who communicates the Holy Spirit to us, we overcome the world, that is, we overcome all the evil tendencies that oppose love, all inclinations to selfishness, pride and dishonesty, and live fully in the splendid beauty of love that comes from God. Our baptism is intimately linked to the life of divine charity, which is communicated to us through Jesus’ gesture of love of immersing himself in the water of the Jordan, with which he has shown us that he wants to save all sinners. John I. Okoye

                                          

Epiphany of the Lord: 3rd January 2021; Year B

 May the light of Christ, the saviour of the world who brought salvation, shine always in your heart now and forever.

Happy New Year! Happy Solemnity of Epiphany!

 

                   (DOCTRINE AND FAITH)
(Isaiah 60, 1-6; Ephesian 3,2-3.5-6; Matt 2,1-12: Epiphany of the Lord: 3rd January 2021; Year B) 

The solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord puts in our hearts a great exultation, because it is truly our celebration too. Indeed, it is a feast that speaks of the vocation of all peoples to the Christian faith and, through it, to enter into the fullness of divine life. The Magi are the first pagans who come to worship the Son of God, and they are an anticipation of God's plan that will be realised after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Let us then reflect on these magi, who are for us a model in the search for the Lord: they seek the light that comes from God, and they seek the Messiah, the king of the Jews; they do not hesitate to leave their country and make a long journey from the East to Jerusalem. They live in the East, in countries where astronomy is highly developed. We have very ancient testimonies on the research done by the Chaldeans, who studied the sky and acquired an ever deeper knowledge of the stars. The Magi arrive in Jerusalem and ask: Where is the king of the Jews who was born? We have seen his star rise and we have come to adore him. They made this long journey to worship the king of the Jews, who was born. We do not know exactly how, but they recognised a divine sign in the sky announcing the birth of this King. In the Old Testament it speaks of the star of Jacob that must rise (cf. Num. 24,17). Perhaps the Magi were aware of these prophetic texts. However, the evangelist tells us that they recognised the divine sign and immediately set out on their journey to reach the newly born Messiah. They not only take the trouble to set out, but they try by all possible means to identify the place where the Messiah is. In Jerusalem they turn to King Herod, who asks the high priests and scribes to inquire about the place where the Messiah was to be born. This concern of the Magi contrasts with the indifference of the high priests and scribes. Priests and scribes know the Scriptures and are able to give the right answer: In Bethlehem of Judah, because it is written in this way through the prophet, but they do not bother to go and find the Messiah. They do not have to make a long journey to reach Bethlehem, but they don't move. They give the right answer, but they do not bother going even now to worship the newly born Messiah. Even more negative is Herod's attitude. He is worried: Secretly called the Magi, he asked them to tell exactly the time when the star appeared and sent them to Bethlehem, urging them: Go and find out carefully about the child and, when you have found him, let me know, so that I too come to adore him. These words of Herod are actually a lie. He wants to know where this child is, not to worship him, but to eliminate him. He fears that, if truly this child is the king of the Jews, he could take his place. Therefore, he regards him as a rival to be suppressed. And from history we know that King Herod did not hesitate to kill people even from his own family, considering them rivals of his power. So, in this story we are presented with three very different attitudes. We have to choose which of them to adopt. The coming of Jesus into our life can be considered by us as a danger. Indeed, our selfishness regards it as such. At the time we can have reactions similar to that of Herod: we want to suppress or silence the revelation of Jesus, sin consists precisely in wanting to eliminate, because of our selfishness, the presence of Jesus in our life. If we follow our selfishness, our human ambitions and our bad tendencies, Jesus is felt by us as a nuisance, and for us an obstacle to be eliminated. On the other hand, like the high priests and scribes of the people, we can be tempted by indifference. We know that Jesus is the Lord, the Saviour, but we prefer to live as if He were not. Unfortunately, we sometimes live with indifference. Instead of behaving in a manner consistent with our faith, we follow principles that are completely opposite to it, the principles of the world, which wants to satisfy selfish inclinations, ambitions, the thirst for power and wealth. Instead, we must follow the example of the Magi: be ready to bother, to meet the Lord Jesus in our life and be truly with him to adore him, that is, to recognize that he is our Lord, the one who shows us the true way forward. If we have this attitude, Jesus truly saves us, and we can live with all our Christian dignity, we can live all the fullness of life that God desires for us: a beautiful life, a life of continuous progress in faith, hope and charity, of progress in filial docility towards God and in solidarity with our brothers. It is very important for us to follow the example of the Magi.

The first reading was chosen because it presents a reference to the evangelical episode of the Magi: It is a prophecy of Isaiah, who sees the light shining on Jerusalem: Darkness covers the earth, thick fog envelops the nations; but the Lord shines on you, his glory appears on you. Indeed, with the birth of Jesus the light now shines on Jerusalem or, more precisely, on Bethlehem. This light attracts the pagan peoples: The nations will come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness […] A crowd of camels will invade you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah, all will come from Sheba, bringing gold and incense and proclaiming the glories of the Lord.  The Gospel tells us that the Magi bring gold and incense to the Messiah. He also adds myrrh, which symbolises the mystery of the passion of Jesus, In tradition, some artists were inspired by this text of Isaiah to represent the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem, to worship the Lord, with camels and dromedaries. Isaiah's prophecy does not only announce the coming of some wise men to Bethlehem to adore Jesus, but also announces the conversion of entire nations: Peoples will walk to your light, kings to the splendour of your rising. Raise your eyes around and look: all of these have gathered and are coming to you. This is the adhesion of the pagan nations to the faith in the one God, thanks to the coming of his only begotten Son among us. We can then feel filled with joy, because the episode of the Magi announces this adhesion of the pagan peoples to the Christian faith.

In the second reading, Paul makes us contemplate the full breadth of God's plan: This mystery had not been revealed to the men of previous generations as it is in the present and was revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by means of the Spirit. The mystery is that the Gentiles are called, in Christ Jesus, to share in the same inheritance, to form the same body, and to share in the promise through the Gospel. Therefore, all are called to share in the privileges of the chosen people. In the Old Testament God had chosen a people for himself, but his intention was not to reserve all his graces for them alone, but to take them as an instrument for the salvation of the whole world. The particular vocation of the people of Israel is the preparation of a universal vocation. In Christ Jesus the pagan nations are called to have part in the same inheritance, to form the same body and to be partakers of the promise that was made to the people of Israel. This intention of God had already been revealed in the time of Abraham, but in a discreet way; therefore, it had never been fully understood. Indeed, from the beginning, God had promised Abraham: In you all the families of the earth will be blessed (Gen 12,3). These words of his could be interpreted in the sense that all the families of the earth would have admired the privileges granted to Abraham and would have wished to receive similar benefits from God: May you be blessed as Abraham!

In the New Testament, however, the true meaning of these words is revealed to us; it is revealed to us that this blessing is truly the participation of all in the same privileges as Abraham and his descendants. Paul is the one who had this revelation more clearly that all pagans are called to receive, through redemption in Christ and faith in him, the fullness of grace. In other passages the Apostle affirms that there is no longer Jew or Greek (cf. Gal 3,28; Col 3,11), that is, there is no longer a difference between the chosen people and the other nations, because all are called in Christ Jesus to welcome the fullness of divine life.

We Christians must rejoice in participating in the fulfilment of this plan of God. The Church has always recognised that her privileges are not reserved for a few people, but must be transmitted to the whole world. All men are called by God, and the Church is never tired of going to peoples who do not yet know Christ, or who know him little, to announce that they too are loved by God and are called to live in the fullness of life, thanks to divine love that changes our perspectives and makes our life a bright path. Today we must rejoice in having received this call and, on the other hand, we must also feel our responsibility to collaborate in the realisation of this plan of God, so beautiful and so promising for all men. 

+John I. Okoye

(graphics by chukwubike)