Solemnity of Pentecost, May 31, 2020

May we, through the graces of today's Eucharistic celebration of the Pentecost, be worthy to receive the Holy Spirit, that He may sanctify and transform our hearts and mind, to courageously proclaim the good news of God's kingdom, and show God's love manifest in us in our interaction and dealings with our neighbours...

Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts 2,1-11; 1 Cor 12,3b-7.12-13; John 20, 19-23: Solemnity of Pentecost, May 31, 2020)

Today we celebrate Pentecost, which is the culmination of the liturgical year. The whole year is oriented towards this feast, because it is the conclusion of Jesus’ work, therefore, the conclusion of the Incarnation and redemption, the Saviour’ gift par excellence.

In the first reading the event of Pentecost is told. In the second reading Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit who distributes multiple gifts. The Gospel tells of Jesus’ apparition to the disciples on Easter evening in the Upper Room.

The Gospel shows that Pentecost is closely linked to the Incarnation and redemption. Pentecost is the fruit of Calvary and the resurrection: Jesus died to communicate the Holy Spirit to us, and rose to communicate the Holy Spirit to us. The evangelist narrates  that Jesus came to the place where the disciples were gathered: a room firmly closed, with lock and key, because they were afraid of the Jews. But the risen Jesus is not impeded by any obstacle, he can go wherever he wants. Jesus stood in their midst and said: Peace be with you! Having said that, he showed them his hands and side. In this way, the Risen One manifests the link between his wounds and the gifts he is about to give to his disciples. The peace that he communicates to them is the peace obtained, thanks to his victory over evil and death. This also applies to the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus says to the disciples: Receive the Holy Spirit. To communicate the Spirit, he uses his own body, because he breathes on the disciples. His breath transmits the Spirit. It is as a new creation. The book of Genesis tells that, to create man, God moulded him with the dust of the earth and then breathed on him, to animate him. Similarly, Jesus breathes on the disciples. This way of expressing things makes it very clear to see the link between Jesus’ paschal mystery and the gift of the Holy Spirit. At the time of Jesus' death, the evangelist had mentioned this gift: instead of saying that Jesus breathed his last, he said: Jesus transmitted the Spirit. Through the means of his redemptive death Jesus transmits the Holy Spirit. The link with the resurrection is also expressed with Jesus' gesture of breathing on the disciples, to transmit the Holy Spirit to them: the Spirit that purifies, sanctifies, gives impetus and infuses peace, joy and love. The Spirit is the great gift promised by God through the prophet Ezekiel: I will give you a new heart, I will put a new spirit within you ... I will bring my spirit within you (Ezek 36,26-27). It is a complete renewal of human nature wounded by sin, a wonderful restoration, more beautiful than the original creation itself. We must greatly desire to be docile to the Holy Spirit, be renewed internally, animated by divine charity and have in us this strong push towards a life truly worthy of God. It is a life of love, which is participation in the life of the Most Holy Trinity. Jesus then shows that the Holy Spirit is a spirit that purifies, which gives the apostles the ability to forgive sins effectively: Receive the Holy Spirit; to whom you forgive the sins they will be forgiven and to whom you do not forgive them, they will remain not remitted.

The narrative of the Acts of the Apostles shows other aspects of the gift of the Holy Spirit. This time it is a fully visible, indeed impressive manifestation that exhibits itself in different ways. The first way is that of a strong wind that blows. Here we speak of a wind that causes a loud noise, of a kind of storm, which comes to communicate the breath of God to the apostles and, through them, to the whole world. Thus the dynamic aspect of the Holy Spirit is expressed. Indeed the Hebrew word (ruah) used to refer to Spirit is the same as wind. The second way of the manifestation of the Spirit is the appearance of tongues as of fire. Here there is a double symbol: that of languages and that of fire. Languages show that the Spirit gives the ability to communicate the word of God. In fact, immediately after the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in tongues. Here it is not a question of a simply human language, but of a divine language, which passes through the people called to communicate the word of God: The Spirit gave them the power to express themselves. This language is a language of fire, which communicates warmth, a language which spreads to transform the whole world. In the Bible the Spirit is compared to water, even to fire: it presents both aspects. The following scene shows the action of the Spirit in gathering together  all the men dispersed in different nations and who speak different languages. This scene has an evident relationship with the episode of the tower of Babel, but a contrasting relationship. In the episode of the tower of Babel the men, who previously spoke the same language, could no longer understand one another, because they spoke different languages; thus they dispersed and could no longer carry out the planned joint work. But, on the day of Pentecost people from all over the world - Parthians Medes, Elamites and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,  Egypt and parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome - enter into relationship with one another, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not destroy languages, but makes people of all these nations understand the message of the apostles. Therefore unity among men is restored thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of love, a Spirit who unites and makes us live together in harmony and mutual love.

In the second reading, Paul says something similar. He speaks of the charisms, of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and insists on the unity produced by the Spirit, who at the same time promotes unity and diversity. The Spirit is the promoter of unity, because it is only one: There are diversities of charisms, but only one Spirit. In another verse, the Apostle explains that the one and the same Spirit distributed his gifts to each of us as he wishes (cf. 1 Cor 12,11). The Spirit is the promoter of diversity, because his gifts are wonderfully differentiated: they correspond with the needs of each one, of the Church and the whole world. Under this aspect, the Spirit can be compared to water. Indeed, Paul says that we have all been baptised in one Spirit, and that we, ourselves have drunk the one Spirit ((literally means: to have watered ourselves in the one Spirit). Thus the Spirit takes the place of water or, more precisely, gives meaning to the water of baptism. Water is in fact an element which is always the same, but which produces different effects: it nourishes all plants in the diversity of their species; it also gives men and beasts what is necessary for life etc. Similarly the Holy Spirit is always the same, but also a source of diversity. We must accept diversity, without going against unity. Paul affirms that as the body, although one, has many members, and all members, while being many are one body, so is Christ also. We have all been baptised into one Spirit, to form one body. So we have to live in unity. But this unity is not uniform: it is a unity founded on diversity, the gifts of God, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are of an extraordinary diversity, all contributing to unity.

Today's liturgy offers us a very rich message. We must, therefore, thank God for this extraordinary, wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit which comes from the paschal mystery of Jesus and manifests itself in the Church in different ways. To contribute to unity, the Spirit distributes to us very different gifts, and thus gives us the joy of diversity, unity and love. +John I. Okoye

(pictures  by Chukwubike)

6th Sunday of Easter, 17th May 2020

May our expression of love for Christ be made manifest by keeping his commandments and, through the grace of this Sunday's Eucharistic celebration, may we become worthy to receive the Holy Spirit which He promised us.

Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

Acts 8,5-8.14-17; 1 Peter 3,15-18; John 14,15-21; 6th Sunday of Easter, 17th May 2020)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

On this Sunday, the liturgy already prepares us for the feast of Pentecost. In fact, all the texts refer to the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, we have the first announcement of the coming of the Comforter, which is the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit. In the first reading, the apostles Peter and John went to Samaria to lay hands on the baptised, who received the Holy Spirit. In the second reading Peter spoke to us of the paschal mystery of Jesus: Christ put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

The coming of the Holy Spirit is an event of paramount importance; it can be said that it is the purpose of the whole Incarnation and redemption, because it corresponds with the promise made by God through Jeremiah and Ezekiel of the new covenant. Especially through Ezekiel God had said: I will give you a new heart, I will put a new spirit within you, I will remove the stone heart from you and I will give you a heart of flesh. I bring my spirit within you (Ezek 36,26-27). This transformation made by God makes the new covenant possible, which is an intimate and strong union between believers and God. In the discourse after the dinner, Jesus says: I will pray to the Father and he will give you another Comforter to remain with you forever, the Spirit of truth. Jesus cannot remain forever with the apostles, because he has assumed a human life, which has limited him, above all, to transform human death into a journey of covenant with God, into a journey of redemption and union of man with God. So he has to leave, as he said severally. But the Spirit of truth can remain forever with the disciples, because he is not tied to a particular human life. He is the Spirit of God, who is eternal as God and who, therefore, can remain forever with all the disciples of Christ. There is a difference: Jesus was visible as a man, while the Spirit is not visible. The world cannot receive him - says Jesus - because it does not see him and does not know him. The Spirit is an invisible reality, an inner reality, certainly very important, but is not perceivable with human senses. To know the Spirit, one must have an interior relationship with him, and the world does not have this relationship. Here, world is to be understood as the totality of all sinful and selfish tendencies: it is the world of sin, and this world, which is impervious to the Spirit, does not know him. Instead, the disciples of Jesus knew him, because he lives with them and - Jesus adds - he will be in you. Therefore, we must, ardently, desire to welcome the Holy Spirit. It requires an internalisation of effort. We cannot remain on the superficial level of things, but need to reach the depths. This is possible, thanks to the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth, that is, of full revelation. In another passage Jesus says: He [the Holy Spirit] will guide you to the whole truth (John 16,13), that is, he will manifest all the depth and fullness of the mystery of Christ. At the beginning of our Gospel passage, Jesus also said: If you love me, you will keep my commandments; and at the end: Whoever accepts my commandments and observes them loves me. So he insisted a lot on the relationship between keeping his commandments and love for him. It is indeed true that authentic love is not only affective, made only of feelings, but effective, made of generous acts. In our case, these acts consist of observing the commandments of Jesus, which are commandments of generous love. When you truly love a person, you love his or her well-being and you want to do what she/he wants. Otherwise the love is not real, but only a search for sentimental satisfaction. However, love is a much deeper reality than just a simple sentimental satisfaction: it is the gift of oneself to the other, and this is done with acts that correspond to the wishes of the loved one. If we love Jesus, then we must desire to please him, honour him with our life and observe his commandments. We let ourselves be guided by him, so that our lives may be, truly, beautiful in his eyes, worthy of him and glorify him. Therefore, it is very important for us to keep his commandments, which are commandments of love, to remain truly united to him. The Holy Spirit helps us a lot to keep the commandments of love given by Jesus, He gives us an inner push to do what pleases God and Jesus. Then Jesus assures us that his presence will not be completely taken away from the disciples: I will not leave you orphans - he says -, I will return to you. After the crucifixion and death, Jesus returned to the disciples as the Risen One, and continues to, mysteriously, return in the life of all the disciples. A little while longer the world will not see me again; but you will see me, because I live and you will live. The new presence of Jesus among his disciples will be perceived thanks to a communion of life with him. It is about a very strong presence: Jesus says that he lives, and that the disciples will live from the same divine life, which makes people connect to one another in an interior manner. This mutual interiority is a mysterious and beautiful reality which realises the ideal of perfect union in love. On that day you will know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you. Here the mutual interiority is clearly expressed. Jesus, as Son of God, is in the Father; but he is also present in every believer: he comes to each of us in Communion, and also with his grace he continues in our everyday life. On the other hand, we are in Christ, he is greater than us and we cannot contain him. Jesus comes into us, but surpasses us and inserts us into his mystical body, which is a wonderful and grandiose reality. Whoever loves me will also be loved by my Father and I too will love him and manifest myself to him. This is a beautiful promise of intimacy, full of love! Christian life is a splendid reality, because it is a life of union in love: union with Christ, the heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, and with all believers.

The first reading shows us how the work of Christ was continued by the disciples. In particular, the first stage of the apostolic work, after the conversions that took place in Jerusalem and Judea, was the preaching in Samaria. The Samaritans were a population despised by the Jews, whom they considered a mixture of pagans and Judaism. Jesus, however, had gone to Samaria and had converted a good number of them (cf. John 4). Philip, driven by the Holy Spirit, went to Samaria to continue the work of Jesus and carry out the work of the Risen One. His ministry has a marvellous success. In fact, the grace of God attracts people, transforms society. We read in the Acts: The crowds unanimously listened to Philip's words by hearing him speak and seeing the miracles he performed. The result is that in that city of Samaria a great joy spreads. The work of the risen Christ, through the apostles, is a work that propagates peace and joy. Philip is not an apostle, he does not belong to the group of the Twelve, but to that of the Seven, which was established by the apostles after Pentecost. In this passage, we see that there is a difference between the Seven, who are the predecessors of the deacons, and the apostles, the predecessors of the bishops. The people to whom the preaching of the Seven was addressed were only baptised in the name of Jesus, but did not receive the Holy Spirit. The apostles lay their hands on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit. Thus the joy which the passage speaks about becomes complete when the Holy Spirit is received and He manifests his goodness and power with a multiplicity of gifts.

In the second reading, Peter speaks of the apostolic vocation of every Christian. The apostolate is not reserved for bishops or priests, but is the characteristic of the whole Church, thanks, precisely, to the action of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all believers. Peter invites believers to always be ready to answer anyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is in them. Here we see that the attitude and behaviour of Christians revealed great hope. In his Letter, Peter wants to inculcate this hope. It reminds us that through the resurrection of Christ we have been regenerated for a living hope: hope for a perfect union with God and for a definitive union after death. The Christians of Peter's time attracted people because they were seen as full of hope. People wanted to know the reason for this hope, for the joy they had even when they were persecuted. In fact, when they were persecuted, instead of feeling defeated / discouraged they still showed themselves full of hope. Each of us must also be ready to account for the hope he/she possesses, thanks to the coming of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We Christians must spread hope around us. The world always needs it so much. Without hope life is not worth living. But, with hope you can move forward with dynamism and achieve beautiful things in life. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to testify to faith, hope and love. Hope in particular, because its dynamic aspect corresponds with the thrust that the Holy Spirit gives. Our hope comes from the dynamism of the paschal mystery of Jesus: dynamism which is communicated to us by the Holy Spirit. On this Sunday we are invited to think about the feast of Pentecost now approaching with great fervour, with great expectation, because the Lord always prepares precious graces for us, not only for ourselves, but also for all the people with whom we come in contact and to which we must communicate the Christian hope. +John I. Okoye

(graphics  by chukwubike)

Pentecost Sunday; Year B

May the Holy Spirit bestow on you his numerous gifts and may the fruits of the same Spirit be abundant in your life. Happy Solemnity of Pentecost. +John I. Okoye

           DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts 2,1-11; Galatians 5,16-25; John 15, 26-27; 16, 12-15”: Pentecost Sunday; Year B)

          The Pentecost represents the triumphal conclusion of the paschal mystery. The Paschal Mystery; the event comprising the suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven is capped with Jesus sending the Holy Spirit on the Apostles as he had promised. Jesus died to give us the Holy Spirit that puts us in direct contact with the life of the Blessed Trinity. The feast of Pentecost has diverse aspects which are expressed through the readings of today. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles narrates the episode of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The second reading indicates the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian. The gospel reading dwells on the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian witness and in the deepening of the Christian faith.

          The external manifestations that accompanied the outpouring of the Spirit were all phenomena associated with a theophany, an experience of God. For example, thunder accompanied God’s revelation at Sinai (cf. Exod 19,16); God spoke to Job from the whirlwind (Job 38,1) and to Moses from the burning bush (Exod 3,2). The text of the first reading reports that these phenomena were audible and visible while the actual outpouring of the Spirit was not. However, as those in the room were filled with the Spirit, they began to speak in other languages, a feat that could only have some supernatural origin.The same Greek word (glossa) is used for the tongues of fire that appeared above each one and for the foreign tongues that were subsequently spoken. There is a question whether the reference here is to communicative speech (foreign tongues) or ecstatic speech called “glossolalia.” Since the people who came to see what had happened did understand the bold proclamations of these Spirit-filled preachers, the meaning here seems to be communicative rather than ecstatic speech (w. 6-11).The crowd that gathered because of the loud noise was confused, astonished, and amazed. They knew that those speaking were Galileans. Yet the hearers were able to understand the message in their own dialect. It was clearly a manifestation of the universal presence and power of the Spirit. Some commentators believe that it demonstrated the reversal of the fragmentation of peoples that occurred when languages were confused after the people attempted to construct the tower of Babel (cf. Gen 11,1-9). The Outpouring of the Spirit and the preaching of the gospel to all nations are seen by some as the reuniting of the human race and the gathering of all into God’s reign.

          In the gospel, Jesus announces the coming of the Holy Spirit emphasising two ideas. The first is that the disciples will bear witness to him: And you too will be witnesses. It is the Holy Spirit that will bestow, on the disciples, the extraordinary power to bear witness to Christ. According to the narrative of the first reading, this feat was realised immediately on the day of Pentecost. Peter, who during the passion of Jesus did not have the courage to bear witness to Christ and denied him three times, immediately after the reception of the Spirit took up courage to speak to the Jews about the passion and resurrection of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit by whose power and inspiration the faith of the Church is diffused in all the parts of the world and the courage of Christians to submit to martyrdom in order to bear witness to Christ. Jesus also declared that the Spirit of truth will guide the Christian in the acquisition of the truth: But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth… During his public life Jesus spoke and acted, worked miracles but the disciples were not able to understand. All seemed strange and superficial to them and did not penetrate into them. But with the coming of the Holy Spirit they came to know the whole truth. This is to say, that the Holy Spirit revealed to them, in the interiority of their being, the meaning of all the works Jesus did and the full implication of the Paschal mystery. The work of the Holy Spirit was to make clearer who Jesus was and what he taught. The Spirit speaks not about himself but will tell you of what he has learnt… since all he will tell you will be taken from what is mine. The work of the Holy Spirit is not a new revelation that has no rapport with the incarnation of the Son of God. The Spirit will excite interior and essential action for the Christian faith, hope and charity. The Holy Spirit is an interior power that brings light, and makes everything lively relating everything to the ministry of Jesus. 

          In the second reading Paul indicates that our Christian life should be guided by the Holy Spirit. If the Galatians, Paul’s immediate audience, and we  are to be guided by the Holy Spirit we  have to decide either following the desires of the flesh or those of the spiritFlesh(sarx), which means body, includes everything that pertains to physical existence or life in this world. It also refers to the weakness of physical existence. The law seeks to control the behaviour that results from this weakness. When the law is unsuccessful in its attempt to control, the works of the flesh produce sexual depravity (immorality, impurity, lust), religious infidelity (idolatry, sorcery), social discord (hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, fury, selfishness, dissensions, factions, envy), and disorderly behaviour (drunkenness, orgies). Those who follow this way forfeit their right to inherit the kingdom of God.Spirit(pneuma) means wind, breath, spirit, and thus it connotes the principle of life. It also refers to the noble aspects of human life. It is used to speak of the spirit of living things (specifically humans) as well as the Spirit of God. When Paul contrasts the spirit and the flesh, he seems to be referring to the spiritual dimension of the individual, which is an intrinsic aspect of the person (w. 16-17). When he contrasts the Spirit and the law, he seems to be speaking of the Spirit of God (v. 18). Paul not only contrasts the way of the flesh and that of the spirit, he also describes the conflict that exists between them. They appear to be opposing inclinations within human beings, not forces external to them. Because they are within us we constantly experience the conflict of their opposition, and we frequently suffer the consequences of this conflict. We may not act in ways that we intend (v. 17; cf. Rom 7,15-20). Paul recognises that choosing the way of the spirit over the way of the flesh is a lifelong process.The reading ends with a play on meanings. Just as Jesus’ flesh (physical body) was crucified, so those who belong to Christ crucify their flesh (human weaknesses). Doing this, they have chosen the way of the spirit over the way of the flesh. Paul exhorts the Galatians and us to follow this Spirit. This is because the Spirit creates harmony, peace and joy. The principal fruit of the Spirit is love which gives rise to joy and peace. Love is also manifested through patience, benevolence, goodness, fidelity and meekness. Our ideal is to live according to the Spirit. When we are to take a decision we should allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. We need prayer for this. For we receive the Holy Spirit through prayer. The light/illumination of the Holy Spirit comes to us through prayer and the love he pours on us comes even in prayer. In fact, if we live in the Spirit (it is to be borne in mind that from the moment of our Baptism we have the Spirit in us, we are his temple) we should walk/act according to the Spirit. We should therefore, leave ourselves to be guided by the Spirit and then we will be sure to have a good life, a life that will give us full joy that will be to the advantage of even the people with whom we live or come in contact. Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts and enkindle in them the fire of your love! Amen! Happy Solemnity of Pentecost! +John I. Okoye

Solemnity of Corpus Christi: Year A

May you become in your attitude, thoughts, words and actions like Jesus whom you receive in the Eucharist to the extent that you can exclaim like Saint Paul: I no longer live but Christ lives in me! Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi Domini. + John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Deut 8,2-3.14-16; 1 Cor 10,16-17; John 6,51-59; Solemnity of Corpus Christi: Year A)

            This Sunday, we celebrate on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. What we celebrate in this solemnity is the mystery of the real presence of flesh and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The aim of this solemn celebration is three fold: to make us always aware of what a great and generous gift this sacrament is; to keep our faith alive and convinced of the realities of this sacrament and to exhibit sentiments of gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ who instituted this sacrament on the night in which he was betrayed, as a sign of his extreme love for us.

    In the first reading from the book of Deuteronomy two imperative verbs dominate: remember and do not forget. Moses continuously reminds the people of Israel to always have alive in their minds all that God has done in their favour: Remember the paths the Lord God had led you through all these 40 years in the desert... Do not forget that he brought you out of Egypt, the country of your bondage and slavery...; that He led you in this vast dangerous desert; that he caused water to gush out from the rock for you; and that he fed you with manna in the dessert.  The people of Israel should for no reason forget these favours God wrought on their behalf, either from the motive to remain grateful to God or that of remaining faithful to him in times of trials. Also in this solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Church exhorts us, the present people of God, not to forget but always remember all the Lord did for our salvation; deeds that are manifest in the passion, death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. With St. Thomas we are not to forget that the Eucharist is the greatest of all the marvelous deeds of Christ and the admirable sign of his deep love for his people.

   The gospel reading of John 6, 51-58 can be seen as a homily or a dense catechesis on the Eucharist. In an unmistakable language Jesus declares that his flesh is food and his blood is drink: My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is true drink. The phrase flesh and blood is rich in meaning. On the literal level, it is a common way of characterizing a human being. When applied to Jesus, it is a proclamation of faith in the incarnation. He was indeed flesh and blood. On another level, it calls to mind the victim of sacrifice that is first slaughtered (flesh and blood) and then shared at a cultic meal (food and drink). Jesus is flesh and blood in this way as well, first as the sacrificial victim on the cross and then as food and drink. Thus the flesh and blood of Jesus have become a source of life for those who partake of it. In other words, eternal life comes from feeding on Jesus, not simply from believing in him. Jesus goes a step further on his teaching on eternal life. He implies that it is not something believers merely hope to enjoy in the future. Rather those who share in this meal already possess eternal life. What the future holds for them is the fullness of life that will be enjoyed after the general resurrection on the last day. The course through which eternal life passes from God to us is simply sketched. The living God, the Father of Jesus, is the source of this life; Jesus already enjoys it because of his intimate union with God; believers already enjoy it because they feed on Jesus who is the bread of life. Jesus further develops the eating metaphor. He maintains that just as we and the substance we eat and drink become one, so Jesus and those who feed on him form an intimate union. In a mutually intimate way, they abide in him and he abides in them. The Greek word used here (meno) means to stay in a place, to abide forever. This implies that Jesus not merely visits those who feed on him, but he really stays with them; he dwells there permanently. Union with Jesus is as intimate as the act of eating and the mutual indwelling those results from it is just as personal.   
              Jesus’ teaching to give his flesh and blood as food and drink was a bold one. Paul stretches it further. He states that partaking of the bread and the cup not only joins us with Christ, but actually makes us participants in the body and blood of Christ. Humanity and divinity are joined in one. The Eucharist is a sign of unity in another way. Joined to the body and blood of Christ we are joined to one another. We are one body and that body is Christ. The Eucharist is a truly a celebration of thanksgiving for our transformation and thanksgiving for our unity.

What should be our response to this wonderful and marvelous gift to us, Catholics? On one hand we Christians should not fail, out of sheer lukewarmness or spiritual laziness, to often nourish ourselves with this spiritual food. On the other hand, receiving the Eucharist often should not be out of habit, rather we  should approach the Eucharist with the best disposition of the soul, that is, with strong faith, ardent desire, in the state of grace and with the intention of imitating Jesus, thereby allowing him to transform us into himself. May we therefore, ask Jesus in the Eucharist today for the grace to realize and appreciate the immense love he has for us by establishing this sacrament and the grace to requite this love by allowing him to transform us in such a way that we no longer live in ourselves but He (Christ) lives in us. Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi +John I. Okoye

Solemnity of Pentecost; Year A, 2017

May the Holy Spirit at this Pentecost endow you with his rich gifts and enduring fruits both now and forever. Happy Feast of Pentecost! + John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Acts 2,1-11; I Cor 12, 3b-7.12-13;  John 20, 19-23: Solemnity of Pentecost; Year A,  2017)

            Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost which is the climax or summit of the liturgical year. Every period of the year takes its orientation form this feast because it is the conclusion of the salvific work of Christ and, therefore, conclusion of his incarnation and redemption. The first reading narrates the event of Pentecost. The second reading deals with the Holy Spirit that distributes multiples of gifts. The gospel reading gives account of the apparition of Jesus in the Cenacle to his disciples on the very day of his resurrection. The gospel shows that Pentecost is very closely connected with the incarnation and redemption. Pentecost is the fruit of Jesus’ passion and the resurrection. Jesus both died and rose from the dead in order to communicate to us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit which Jesus communicated to the Church has been leading the church and adorning the church and her individual members with His gifts and fruits.
    Scripture, particularly in Pauline letters, makes a distinction between the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. Even though they are manifestations of the Spirit through individual Christians, they are intended for the growth, renewal, strengthening, sanctification and overall good of the community of faith (the Church). The Church is built up through the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. The Greek word charisma refers to gift or favour and in its biblical sense; a charism is a gift of God the Holy Spirit, bestowed on an individual for the good of the Church. In the New Testament, the manifestation of gifts of the Spirit was first recorded on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2, 4-13). There are, for example, gifts of governance, administration, leadership, healing, the discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. Today, is a growing emphasis among Christians on receiving and making use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is a good sign in the Church because the manifestation of the Spirit in the form of gifts is not meant for any particular period in history. However, there is need for us to take extra care not to fall into the kind of problem that Church in Corinth found itself years ago. For having been richly blessed with a variety of gifts, the Corinthian Christians quickly yielded to the temptation of competition in terms of which gift is the highest gift. While some of them said it was speaking in tongues others said it was prophecy. Without despising any gift, St Paul proposed to them what he called the excellent way. He presented love to them as the highest of the gifts (1 Corinthians 13). Not taking into consideration Paul’s explication of this matter, there are still some Christians today who think of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in competitive terms. For some, speaking in tongues is the mother of all gifts and whoever does not have it is not a genuine Christian. Some others think likewise of the gift of healing or casting out demons. In the meantime, very few Christians think of excelling in love. There is also need to guard against what might be described today as the privatization of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which renders the primary goal of charisms as favours received for the good of the community ineffective. Privatization here meant a situation whereby people desire gifts and exercise them for personal glorification and private profit. The multiplication of praying ministers and houses in different places are not unconnected with this trend. This is disturbing and should be averted before it corrupts the genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gifts are for the community, which are to be exercised within the context of the community and under the guidance of the community. It is  it important to point out here that having the gifts of the Holy Spirit is not a sure indication of personal sanctity nor does it ipso facto guarantee eternal life to a Christian. The Lord Jesus did say that many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly, I have never known you; get away from me, you workers of evil” (Matthew 7, 22-23). Again, when the seventy-two disciples came back from field work rejoicing because demons obeyed them at the mention of Jesus’ name, he said to them: do not rejoice because the evil spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10, 20). So, while we pray and remain open to the reception and exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, every child of God, every Christian is called upon to strive for heaven. This we can do by generously putting all the gifts we have at the service of God and humanity. This we can also do by cultivating the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

    St Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, presents a comprehensive but not exhaustive list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Paul contrasts these with the desires or works of the flesh which are: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness and carousing. He categorically says that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5, 21). By this contrast, we know that the fruit does exactly the opposite of what the work of the flesh do. The Holy Spirit adorns the Church with these fruit (Vat II LG. 4) and they take us to heaven.  So, while the gifts of the Spirit belong more to the realm of what we do for Christ and his people, the fruit of the Spirit pertain to who we are in Christ Jesus. The fruit defines our new life, intimacy with God as well as our relationship with our fellow pilgrims on earth. Gifts and fruit of the Spirit are not alternatives. In the order of importance for our salvation, the fruit comes before the gifts. Unfortunately, nowadays, Christians seem to be interested more in the gifts than in the quality of their lives as followers of Christ. An over emphasis on gifts without a corresponding concern for the fruits creates real problem for our faith. In all, love forms a link between the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit and by allowing it to lead and direct us, we will not miss the goal, which is, our salvation. Therefore, if we act out of love and for love sake and live in love with God and his people, we will be glorified by the Father. In order to achieve this we recommend today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, two attitudes to be cultivated: First to cultivate a personal relationship with the Person of the Holy Spirit. Second to take cue from our Blessed Mother, Mary who remained open and exposed herself and her heart to the Holy Spirit. Happy Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday! +John I. Okoye

(graphics  by chukwubike)

Happy Solemnity of the Pentecost! Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH (Acts 2,1-11; Romans 8,8-17; John 14, 15-16.23-26:  Solemnity of Pentecost: Year C  2016

  Today we celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost, the great feast that falls on the 50th day of Easter, when we celebrate the gift of Holy Spirit to the Apostles and to the Church.  The Holy Spirit is a gift by the Risen Christ to his people. Indeed as the gospel of today shows, it is Jesus who: promises the Holy Spirit, requests God the Father to send the Holy Spirit, and in whose name the Father will send the Holy Spirit: I shall ask the Father and He will give you another  Advocate … the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name. 
    The first duty of the Holy Spirit is to be and act as an Advocate, a defender. He is to defend and sustain the Apostles and the Christians in difficulties. He is to make them capable to bear witness to their faith. Jesus speaks of another Advocate or defender because He was the first one, as long as He was with them. The second duty of the Holy Spirit is expressed in these words of Jesus: (He) will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. In other words, the Holy Spirit will be a master, teacher and adviser in matters pertaining to the interior life, a great spiritual director, so to say, who will propose new ways of understanding the truth already taught by Christ, as well as, deepening and fully interpreting the words of Jesus in the light of His resurrection. The main characteristic of this gift is that, it is not a temporal or passing, but a permanent and continuous one as Jesus indicates: … (an Advocate) to be with you for ever…). Thus, the community of believers, the very nascent Church as well as that of later times are guaranteed that this presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit will never be lacking. (This is vividly expressed by the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium, see no. 8).

    The first coming of the promised Holy Spirit, the most important, extraordinary and solemn one  took place on the day of Pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day of Easter. The Evangelist, Luke in Acts of the Apostles (first reading) describes the event in terms that were proper to theophanies of the Old Testament: peals of thunder, robust wind and consuming fire. The coming of the Holy Spirit had some prodigious effect on the Apostles. The first effect was that the Apostles had the capacity to express and praise God for the marvels He had wrought. They did it in such a way that all who were there understood them, even though they were of diverse nationalities speaking diverse languages. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, they (the Apostles) began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. …and each one (of the assembly from all the then known nations then in Jerusalem) bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language.  Thus we have the prefigure of the universality of the Church. In the Church and through her, God will be recognized, praised and thanked by all the people of the world who would be speaking the same language of faith and love. The second effect the Holy Spirit would produce is the reconstruction of the unity of mankind. It is hoped that the lack of unity among people, symbolized in the story of the Tower of Babel, will be reversed when all the people assemble as a unique people of God. All mankind, through the work of the Holy Spirit will speak the same language, be able to understand one another and recognize one another as brothers and sisters in the Church, the unique people of God. The Holy Spirit is the principal realiser of unity of the Church.
    In the second reading, Apostle Paul brings out the multiple effects of the action of the Holy Spirit in the soul of the faithful. The Holy Spirit makes us belong to Christ: In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. The presence of the Holy Spirit makes us belong to Christ, be his true disciples and members of his body. Another effect of the Holy Spirit is that He salvages us from the dominion of the flesh, that is to say, from the dominion of selfishness and sin. The egoism which Paul calls flesh and sin, includes every false value that negatively influences our life and leads to death. The Spirit is life. In virtue of this, the Holy Spirit makes us alive, just as he, Christ keeps us truly alive. Another effect, according to Paul, is that the Holy Spirit who lives in us is the guarantee of our final resurrection: just as He made Jesus rise from the dead, in the same way, He will make us rise from the dead. Possessing the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, we have at this moment, the power that makes us alive for ever. Paul goes on to indicate that another effect of the Holy Spirit is that He makes us participate in the divine sonship of Christ. He renders us adopted sons and daughters of the heavenly Father, in such a way that we can cry, as Jesus did, with confidence and abandon, Abba Father. And if we are sons, we are also heirs: heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ who are destined to participate in his glory in heaven.

    The Holy Spirit continues to do, in the Church today, what he did among the disciples on the day of Pentecost and in the nascent Church. He continues to lead the members of Christ’s body, the Church into deeper understanding of their mission.  As the giver of gifts, He empowers the faithful to stand up to the challenges of being a true witness. As we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit today, let us pray that we experience his full impact in our lives as the disciples did.  Making ours the words of the Pentecost Sequence may we implore the Holy Spirit thus: “Heal our wounds, our strength renew; on our dryness pour thy dew; wash the stains of guilt away; bend the stubborn heart and will; melt the frozen, warm the chill; guide the steps that go astray”. Let us, therefore, conclude with the invocation which comes up often during our liturgical and devotional prayers: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the Faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your Love! Amen! Happy Sunday! Happy Solemnity of Pentecost! +John I. Okoye

Pentecost Sunday:

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Acts 2,1-11; 1 Cor 12,3-7.12-13; John 20,19-23; Pentecost Sunday: Year A)

            Several times, especially in his farewell speech, Jesus promised his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit: I will not leave you orphans...; I will send the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth...; You will receive the Holy Spirit.  Fifty days after Easter, exactly on the feast of the Jewish Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled his promise as Luke narrates to us in the Acts of the Apostles. John in his gospel, rather links the effusion of the Holy Spirit on the same day Jesus rose from the dead. He wishes to indicate that the Holy Spirit is the most precious gift that emanates from Jesus’ love of, and obedience to, the Father. 

         
  One could ask: Why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit? Why did he consider the Holy Spirit necessary for the Apostles and the Church? The Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles and to the Church so that they would be enabled to continue the mission of salvation, for which Christ came into the world, a mission that neither is limited in time nor in space. Jesus himself enunciated:Just as the Father has sent me, in the same way I send you (Acts 20,21); Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to all creation (Mark 15,16). Note the entrust and the continuity of the mission: the mission of evangelization came from the Father to Christ, then from Christ to the apostles and from the apostles to the Church. This mission does not only comprise the proclamation of the Gospel, but specially, the liberation of man from slavery of sin, the interior restoration/recreation of the human person through the grace of God and in conformity to the sanctity of God.  The Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles and the Church in order to enable them carry out this marvel of liberation and recreation especially through the remission of their sins: Whoever you forgive their sins, will be forgiven (John 20,23). Again the Holy Spirit was sent so that humanity that was dispersed and divided,  on account of sin, could find its unity and oneness in the Church, speak the same language, profess the same faith, recognize one another as brothers and sisters and form one single human family as we pray in the third Eucharistic prayer: Give (O Father, the fulness of the Holy Spirit so that we become in Christ one body and one Spirit. It is, however, to be noted that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was not only once at Pentecost that is at the beginning of the Church. Luke, the Evangelist in the Acts of the Apostles recorded other effusions of the Holy Spirit. It all means that Pentecost, that is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, is a continuous occurrence in the Church for her renewal Acts 4,31; 10,44-47; 19,1-7). 

            St. Paul in the second reading of this Sunday carries the discussion on the Holy Spirit to a more intimate, individual and personal level as the coming of the Holy Spirit does not only concern the Church as a community but also the individual believer in the Church: We all are baptised in one Spirit to form one body. The Holy Spirit makes a multitude of people one body and unites us individually, one person to the other and each one of us to Christ, the Head. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, the primary cause of her unity and the sanctification of each of her members. The Holy Spirit also enriches every singular believer with particular gifts (charisms): To each one is given a particular manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good. The gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit to each member of the Church is to the advantage of the whole body. The Spirit is the primary source of the various, and inexhaustible wealth of charisms of the Church. 

            One would want to know how the Holy Spirit functions today. What are the signs of His mysterious presence? Firstly, the Holy Spirit works through the ordinary and extraordinary Magisterium of the Church. Assisted by the Holy Spirit, the Church is the infallible teacher of the truth, the truth about Christ, as Jesus promised: The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach every thing and will make you remember all that I have said to you (John 14, 26). Amidst the darkness of this world and in the midst of many errors, the Church had never been unfaithful to the teachings of Christ or wanting in proclaiming the purity of the Gospel. We are certain that the Pope and the Bishops are guided by the Holy Spirit when they speak in the name of Christ, and proclaim the truth of the faith. Secondly, the Holy Spirit works through the Sacraments. St. John has clearly stated that the Church can forgive sins not by her own powers, but by the power of the Holy Spirit that is given to her. The same can be said about the other sacraments. It is the Holy Spirit, the Creator Spirit, who at Baptism sees that the baptised is born to new life; who with His power makes Christ presence real in the bread and wine in the Eucharist; who in marriage sanctifies and elevates purely human love to participate in the love of God; who transforms a man at ordination to be another Christ, as he participates in the Priesthood of Christ and who also comforts the sick in the Sacrament of the sick, purifying the soul from every stain of sin. 

            The effects of the work of the Holy Spirit can still be seen in the ordinary and every day activities and lives of people. It manifests itself in those who make heroic sacrifices in the service of our needy brothers and sisters, in war areas, famine and diseased places. The Holy Spirit manifests itself in those who with love and devotion care for handicapped/abandoned  children and weak elders. The effects of the work of the Holy Spirit can also be seen among those who work for the cause of justice and peace at all levels. We see the work of the Holy Spirit among our people who in various ways suffer either physical  or moral persecution because they stick to the practice of their faith, refusing involvement in any form of corrupt practices and cheating in our society. We see the effect of the work of the Holy Spirit in all who show integrity, sincerity and honesty of life in their profession in the midst of ramification of corruption. We see the work of the Holy Spirit in people who love those who hate them, pardon those who have offended them and who carry with dignity, strength and equanimity their daily crosses and sufferings. We see the action of the Holy Spirit in these category of people: in those who generously consecrate all their lives to God and to the benefit of their brothers and sisters in the priesthood and religious life and who are heroically committed to their vows/promises of obedience, poverty and celibacy; in all the married couples who live up to the demands of their state as man and wife and as good parents to their children; in children who reciprocate their parents’ love shown to them and help their parents in their old age, at times, not minding difficulties and sufferings such care entails. The above examples show that the Holy Spirit continues His work in the Church and in the world. May we conclude with a solemn act of faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord of life who guides and sustains the Church; who sanctifies and comforts us. May we finally invoke the Holy Spirit: Come Holy Spirit, come into the Church, on those who lead it, on every one of us so that we may become courageous witnesses to our faith in Christ and remain in His love.  

+John I. Okoye