31st Sunday Year C, 2019

May the encounter with Jesus in today's Eucharistic celebration bring us to be more intimate with him, make us to be truly repentant of our sins and help us to make amends for the injury we caused our neighbours in the past.

Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Wisdom 11,22-12,2;  2 Thessalonians 1,11-2,2; Luke 19,1-10; 31^st Sunday Year C, 2019)

The Creator’s universal love and providence is celebrated in this most unusual first reading, Wisdom, 11, 2,2.  Here, the Creator is depicted as one who, in love and mercy, is personally involved with every dimension of the natural world. The author of this passage highlights the immensity of God. The entire expanse of the cosmos is like nothing when compared to God. The author makes this daring statement; he says that God loves whatever He made. Just as the power of the Creator is matched by His love, so is this love manifested through mercy. The text says that God is merciful, precisely, because God is powerful. This too might sound like a curious statement, for in a world that glorified strength, mercy could appear to be a weak virtue. However, this passage dispels that false perception. Only one with power can move beyond the strict rules of retribution, and if divine power is boundless, then it is possible that divine mercy has no limits. Perhaps an even more daring statement is found in a later verse (12,1). There, the author claims that the imperishable (aphtartos) spirit of God is in all things. What could sound like pantheism (God is identified with creation) might be better understood as panentheism (God is in all things but also transcends them). The implications of such an incarnational concept are noteworthy. First, it provides a clue to the reason God so loves creation. Second, it throws light on the intrinsic value of the natural world, both human and non-human (there is no mention here of angels or other supernatural beings). This passage originated too early for us to entertain the possibility that it contains Trinitarian thinking. However, in the Jewish tradition the dynamic power of God, active in the lives of women and men, was often referred to as the spirit of the Lord (cf. Judges 6,34; 1 Sam 16,13; Isa 61,1; etc.). Only later would this idea develop in a new way. Finally, Pseudo-Solomon is not naive when it comes to human weakness. He knows that people sin, and he also knows there is suffering because of it. This in no way nullifies his claims about the mercy of God. Instead, that mercy explains the way God deals with sinners. They are rebuked more as a corrective than as a punishment, and this is done in order to bring them to greater insight, deeper commitment and trust in God.

In this short reading, 2 Thessalonians 1,11-2,2 Paul addresses two important issues: the fruition of the Christians' calling by God, and the correct teaching about the final coming of Christ. He addresses the Christians with familial titles, indicating both his relationship with them as collectively constituting children of God and members of the Church, and his personal commitment to them. In a very moving manner this minister of the gospel tells his people that he prays for them, and does so constantly. He is not merely intent on their accepting his teaching but also committed to their spiritual well-being. Though he has been the minister of the word, it is God who has called them. It is Paul's prayer that they be worthy of that calling, and he reminds them of this as an incentive for righteous living. However, he does not fail to insist it is God and not their own good works that makes them worthy of their call. Hidden in this assertion is the heart of Paul's teaching. That is, we are obliged to live ethical lives, but it is the prior grace of God and not our subsequent ethical behaviour that saves us. For Paul faith is the acceptance of the call of God and the openness to the message of the gospel. God calls; Paul preaches; and God brings to fulfilment the fruits of the preaching. The goal of Christian maturity is the glorification of the name of Jesus. In Greek, to glorify someone means to enhance that person's reputation. This might sound strange to us today unless we remember that Christian living is not based on performance of good works but on faith in Jesus. It is commitment to him that prompts Christians to live ethical lives. It is also this commitment that overflows into unselfish love of others. It equally gives his followers the courage they need to endure in the face of difficulty, and also motivates their every action. Therefore, whatever they do gives witness to their faith, a faith that claims they have died with him and risen through his power to a new life. In this way Christians do, indeed, glorify the name of Jesus. They in turn are glorified in him, for it is only through his grace that their transformation has been accomplished. It is all divine favour and  It is because of this transformation that they have been called by God. There seem to have been some difficulties in the Thessalonians' understanding of the coming of the Lord, so Paul sets out to correct them. He first assures them that when Christ comes they will all be gathered together with him (cf. 1 Thess 4,14-17). He also taught that in faith and through baptism Christians have died with Christ and risen with him and now live resurrected lives. This means that the day of fulfilment has already dawned. However, he also taught that fulfilment has not been brought to its ultimate completion. Paul teaches an already-but-not-yet eschatology. This is the essence of his teaching, and he insists the Thessalonians should accept nothing more and nothing less. Though the eschatological day of the Lord is imminent, it is not yet present. Believers must continue to live their lives in patient anticipation of his coming, realising they do so in the presence of his already having come.

The story of Zacchaeus,  Luke 19,1-10, demonstrates once again Jesus’ mission to seek and save what is lost. It also reveals the animosity the Jews, of his day, had toward those who were in any way in collusion with the occupying Romans, as were the tax collectors. Not only did Zacchaeus belong to the hated class of tax collectors, he was chief among them. Despite his obvious disrepute, Zacchaeus is described as possessing several very honourable qualities. His interest in seeing Jesus overrode any shame he may have experienced in having to climb the tree. He responded immediately to Jesus’ instruction and extended the fullness of customary hospitality to Jesus. The sincerity of his transformation is seen in the extent of his restitution. The law prescribed the return of the money extorted along with twenty percent of that amount (Lev 6,5). Zacchaeus is extravagant in his compensation, repaying fourfold whatever he might owe, and he does this in addition to giving half his possessions to the poor. Such prodigality is his response to having been called by the Lord and honoured with his presence.The narrative draws bold lines of contrast between Jesus' attitude toward this man and that of the people who witnessed the encounter. Jesus first singled him out from the crowd and then graciously accepted his hospitality. The others, despising Zacchaeus, murmured against Jesus and condemned him for eating, with sinners. Jesus' intent in Zacchaeus' regard can be seen in the words he uses. I must! (v. 5). There is something obligatory here and there is also urgency in the word today (vv. 5,9). Jesus must come to Zacchaeus today so that today salvation will come to his house. The urgency of the moment demanded that religious and social customs be set aside. Zacchaeus may well have been a sinner. His decision for restitution implies that he knew he was. So does Jesus' response to those who criticised him for socialising with a sinner. He never challenged their criticism. Instead he insisted that only those who are lost can be found; only those who are perishing can be saved. Those who revere themselves as righteous seldom understand this and as a result miss opportunities for their own salvation.The perspective of today’s readings is a concentration on the action of God. Today God holds out the splendour of the universe, the celebration of community, and the blessings of salvation to us. The psalm expresses our gratitude in praise and thanksgiving. The splendour of the universe can be seen is the interconnectedness of all the elements of which it consists. Nothing is too small to make a difference; everything is dependent on everything else. Nothing is unimportant or loathsome; everything is worthy of God's care and mercy. Somehow the spirit of the Creator is manifested through each and every aspect of this universe. And we are part of it all. We are dependent upon the forces of life within this awe-inspiring world, and it is dependent upon us to carry life and consciousness and creativity forward into each new generation and further it into new manifestations. It is this world that supplies us with the nourishment we need for creativity. Its sounds, colours, tastes and textures feed our imaginations. Our works of art are re-creations of the artistic work of God. 
As we learn the laws that govern the natural world, we are able to duplicate them in our own industry. Part of the tragedy of ecological devastation is the disintegration of the very elements that feed our creative spirits. In the gospel story there is manifestation of intimacy of hospitality. Offering hospitality is a profound social act. We reveal ourselves when we invite others into our homes. There our tastes and choices are on display. When we offer hospitality, we invite another into our world and lives. We shift our attention from our own cares and concerns to the needs and comfort of the other. By the act of hospitality we transform strangers into intimate friends. Jesus not only accepts the hospitality of Zacchaeus, he boldly invites himself to the man's home. In a sense, he becomes the host, inviting Zacchaeus into his life, into the intimacy of his friendship. By this act he displays the unrestricted nature of his love. He establishes a bond of love with a man of questionable character, and he, thereby, transforms him into a man who repents and radically, reforms his life. Although, the home belongs to Zacchaeus, the real home into which Jesus invites him is the reign of God, and there Jesus is the host. The hospitality Jesus offers dissolves all constraints. Relationships disregard the biased measures of propriety, forging bonds of reconciliation and issuing everyone an invitation to intimacy. The hospitality Jesus offers re-creates the world from one of insider versus outsider to one of universal inclusivity. Sinners become friends; the lost are found; all are restored to their rightful place as children not merely of Abraham but of God. The creativity of the Creator is matched by the compassion of the re-Creator. In the second reading, God’s compassion is manifested in the fact that He promises us a future. In that future all the blessings of salvation will be brought to fulfilment. Like Zacchaeus, we have been called and invited to open ourselves to the Lord who is coming so he can extend the riches of his own hospitality to us. We have a future; our past will not hold us back. We have a future; divisions will be dissolved. We have a future; this is reason to cry out in praise and thanksgiving: I will praise your name forever; let all your works give you thanks. Let us, therefore, in today’s Eucharistic celebration, ask for the graces not only to persevere but also to enhance God’s works in creation, respond positively to Christ’s offer of hospitality and be open to the full and definitive manifestation of God’s salvation in our lives in the future. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

graphics  by chukwubike

30th Sunday; Year C, 2019

 May we in today's Eucharistic celebration be ever ready to acknowledge our sins before God, and through this, may he grant us his mercy and pardon. Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Sirach 35,12-14.16-18; 2 Timothy 4,6-8.16-18; Luke 18,9-14: 30th Sunday; Year C, 2019)

            The reading from the Book of Sirach, 35,12-14.16-18, is a discourse on both the impartiality of God and the prayer of those in need. Although, these are very different themes; in this reading one flows from the other. Sirach states that the justice of God is an established fact. In this, he stands within a long tradition in Israel that professes this belief (cf. Deut 32,4; Ps 145,17; Isa 45,24; Jer 23,6; etc.). He also states that God knows no favourites, neither the privileged nor the dispossessed. By stating this, he is indirectly showing that if there is any partiality, it is ours and not God's. He insists that God is concerned with justice, not favouritism; when God takes the side of the poor, it is for the sake of justice, not poverty. According to covenant theology, we are all responsible for one another. The well-offs are obliged to address the needs of those who suffer misfortune. This is a matter of justice, not charity. Sirach contends that God hears the cry of the oppressed - those who are the victims of wrongdoing. The oppressed cry out, the orphan wails, the widow complains, and God yields to their requests. These are all people for whom there seems to be little redress. It is almost as if God is bound to respond positively to them. As a covenant partner, God is accountable to them, especially when other covenant partners disregard their own responsibilities. Sirach assures these forlorn people that their entreaties will not go unheeded. Like the persistent widow in last Sunday's gospel reading, they will not cease praying until they accomplish their goal, until justice is reestablished.

            The Epistle reading for this Sunday, 2 Timothy 4,6-8.16-18, reveals that Paul is aware that his days are numbered, that his death is imminent. He does not resent it, nor does he run toward it eagerly. He faces it with the calm resignation that springs from deep faith. He uses moving imagery to characterise his death: he sees his life as a libation, as if his life is being poured out; secondly he views his death as a departure, a kind of leave-taking associated with sailors weighing anchor or soldiers breaking camp. Like them, Paul has completed a demanding tour of service and is now preparing to return home; finally, he uses imagery derived from athletic competition to evaluate the course of his ministerial commitment. He has competed well; he has finished the race. To this he adds that he has kept the faith, an idiomatic expression that means remaining loyal to one's oath. He has done what he could. Now he has only to wait for the conferral of the crown promised by God. The reference is to Christ's eschatological manifestation. Throughout this discourse, he extols the marvellous deeds God has done on his behalf. Paul is also confident that just as God had previously rescued him from peril, so God would rescue him again.

            The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18,9-14, well known to us is an example of divine reversal that surprises the hearers and obliges them to examine anew the values and standards by which they live. In it, two men are contrasted not only by their exterior behaviour but by the way each understands and describes himself. The judgment that is passed is based on self-assessment, not on the evaluation of another. The Pharisee in this story is a model of pharisaic observance. Everything about his demeanour bespeaks propriety. He stands, according to the customary posture for prayer, and his conduct has been exemplary. He is innocent of greed, dishonesty and adultery. His practices of piety exceed the requirements of the law. He fasts twice a week, when fasting is only mandated for the Day of Atonement; he tithes on all of his possessions, not merely on his earnings, as the law states. It would appear the man is beyond reproach. His description of himself is probably accurate, and his negative estimation of the tax collector may be accurate as well. The tax collector in this narrative does not deny his involvement in offensive practices. In fact, his prayer for mercy seems to be an admission of his guilt. His demeanour is radically different from that of the Pharisee. He stands at a distance, suggesting that the other man either stood in the front or in the midst of those in the Temple. He does not raise his eyes to heaven, suggesting that the Pharisee did. He beats his breast while the Pharisee's arms were conspicuously raised high. His repentant manner marks him as a sinner. There is no question about which of these men has lived a righteous life and which has not. The men have described themselves correctly. However, Jesus' evaluation turns the story upside down. The Pharisee's self-estimation is really a self-eulogy. While he may be living an upright life, he takes credit for his virtue, and he claims superiority over others who may not be as compliant as he is. The tax collector, on the other hand, acknowledges that justification comes from God. The tax collector prayed that his sins be expiated, and his prayer was answered. The Pharisee asked for nothing and received nothing. The saying at the end is the final judgment. The men's lives may have been the reverse of each other, but the judgment of Jesus exposes the real reversal.

Today’s readings challenge us to reflect on the attitudes one brings to prayer. They illustrate basically two opposing attitudes: self-righteousness and humility. It is very easy for religious people to fall into a kind of self-righteousness: Thank God I am better than others. Their very enthusiasm and generosity can plant the seeds of religious arrogance. They discover what commitment demands of them, experience relative success in their endeavours to be faithful, distance themselves from what they think might threaten their resolve and then pass judgment on those who do not share their values or experience their success. The growth of this kind of arrogance is often imperceptible, because there is enough truth in every step along the way that it is difficult to recognise when one is veering off the track. The fact is that some religious people are better than the rest of us. The arrogant Pharisee clearly believed he was better because of what he had done. He had been observant and was proud of it. The tax collector, on the other hand, was ashamed of what he had done. More to the point, he knew what God was able to do in the face of his sinfulness, and so he asked for mercy. Justification comes from God; it is not an equitable return for a job well done. The tax collector knew this; the Pharisee did not. The tax collector asked God for mercy, and he was granted his request. The Pharisee asked for nothing of God, and so he received nothing. There are various ways in which we show we are self-righteous, but basically they all show we have forgotten that God is God and we are not. This is the attitude Jesus condemns. It presumes we are righteous through our own power, when it might be the case that we have not been thrown into a state of affairs that sorely tests the mettle of our virtue. It is one thing to be non-violent when the circumstances of life are relatively tranquil, and quite another when one is immersed in brutal situations. When the circumstances of life support our efforts to be observant, we can easily assume a superior attitude toward those whose weaknesses are only too apparent. They may show failings in areas where we are resolute, but our disdain for them is a clear sign of both our ignorance of our own human frailty and our lack of human compassion for the frailty of others. Unfortunately, this attitude of arrogance can be brought to prayer by the pharisee in all of us. Jesus extols the humility of the one who admits being a sinner and can accept the implications of that admission: Be merciful to me, a sinner. The tax collector neither denied his culpability nor tried to excuse it. He straightforwardly acknowledged his sin and stood humbly and openly before the holy God to whom he was accountable. There is an unpretentious honesty in his manner. He knows who and what he is, and who and what God is. He asks for mercy, knowing he does not deserve it but also knowing there is every reason to believe the compassionate God will grant his request. His prayer demonstrates contrition, humility, and confidence. Unlike the Pharisee, who looks only to himself, the tax collector, though he does not even raise his eyes to heaven, looks only to God. This is the attitude Jesus commends. This is the kind of prayer described in both the reading from Sirach and the Responsorial Psalm. It is those who can admit they are needy who turn to God in that need, and it is equally those who trust that God will be their strength in the face of their weaknesses who are strengthened. The lowly, the poor, the oppressed, and the brokenhearted are not closer to God because they are lowly, poor, oppressed, or brokenhearted but because in their dire straits they turn to God rather than to themselves. God is merciful, and they experience this mercy when they pray for it; God is the source of their strength, and they are strong when they turn to God for strength. Paul's own prayer demonstrates the attitudes that should be ours as we pray. Like the Pharisee, he acknowledges his success. He has competed well; he has finished the course; he has kept the faith. Unlike the Pharisee, he acknowledges that God is the source of any good he has been able to accomplish. The Lord stood by him and gave him strength. If there is any glory, it belongs to God. Paul's confident prayer springs from a humble heart. Therefore, may the good Lord in today’s Eucharistic celebration, grant us the humility to acknowledge our sins and the confidence to turn to God for mercy. +John I. Okoye

(pictures br Chukwubike)

29th Sunday, Year C, 2019

 May God grant us the grace to persevere in prayer and through that strengthen our relationship and intimacy with him.

Happy Sunday!

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Exodus 17,8-13; 2 Timothy 3,14-4,2; Luke 18,1-8: 29^th Sunday, Year C, 2019)

The account of the battle of the Israelites with Amalek demonstrates, conclusively, the favoured status of the people of Israel. The Bible records a long history of enmity between these two nations. It is clear the Israelites were no match for the Amalekites, for the only thing that prevented their defeat was Moses’ intervention. When Moses' hands were held up, the Israelites prevailed; when Moses let them down, the Amalekites advanced. The support Moses got from Aaron and Hur is probably symbolic.

In the second reading, 2 Timothy 3, 14-4,2, as he continues to instruct Timothy, Paul expounds on the excellence of the sacred Scriptures (holy writings) and their usefulness in the lives of Christians (3,14-17). The holy writings, to which Paul refers, are what we today call the Old Testament. The praise he directs to the Scriptures is directed to this tradition. Timothy is reminded of those teachers from whom he learned the message of the Scriptures. In his infancy and youth it would have been his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois (cf. 2 Tim 1,5). More recently, it would have been Paul himself. Loyalty to his teachers is given as one reason for his faithfulness to the teaching of the Scriptures. The witness of the writings is further cause for fidelity, for it is within this tradition that the wisdom for salvation is found. Paul does not mean that salvation is found in the Scriptures themselves. Rather, they prepare for and point to the one who brings salvation, Christ Jesus. Training in the Scriptures, interpreted through faith in Christ, can help believers fulfill their religious duties. Having expounded on the glories of the sacred Scriptures, Paul solemnly charges Timothy to remain faithful to his ministerial responsibilities. Until the day when the sovereign Christ comes to bring his reign to fulfillment, Timothy is charged to proclaim the word, be resolute at all times, correct those in error, rebuke those who have gone astray and encourage all. He has the power of Christ Jesus to accomplish this, so he should not be fainthearted.

On the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we read the story of the unjust steward. In today's gospel, Luke 18,1-8, Jesus tells the parable of the unjust (adikia) judge. He draws sharp lines of contrast between this man and a widow who comes to him for justice. The earlier story compared the practical wisdom of the unjust steward with that of the children of light and found the latter lacking. Here, it is the vindication of God that is compared to the judge's execution of justice. The point of the parable is the need for persistence in prayer. The judge is described as fearing neither God nor human being. The fear of God is the quintessential characteristic of the pious person. By his own admission the judge is devoid of such devotion. He was unjust not because he was an active adversary against another but because he failed to ensure that justice was served in the lives of all. This is extraordinarily a serious charge against a judge, whose very function is to secure justice for all, especially the most vulnerable of society. Sins of omission can be as devastating as sins of commission. The woman, on the other hand, is a widow, a member of one of the most oppressed classes in Israel. Though vulnerable, this woman is bold. She is already the victim of injustice, but she appears here before the judge, pressing him for a hearing. As indifferent as the judge seems to be toward her case, so is she persistent in her demands from him. He will not give in; she will not give up. We are not told how long this standoff continued, but it was long enough to wear down the judge. He finally relents, and he states that he will render her justice before she gives him a black eye. At this point in his instruction, Jesus introduces an apriori argument: If the judge who is unjust will finally vindicate those who have been mistreated, how much more will God vindicate those who are the chosen ones, who pray continually, crying out to God day and night? The persistence of the woman becomes the model of resoluteness for God's chosen ones. Like the woman in the parable, they cannot be certain regarding when God will respond, so they must persist. Jesus' disciples are admonished to persevere in prayer day and night, regardless of how close God might seem to be to their pleas. This parable shows them that in God's case, it is not a question of disinterest but of timing. God will answer in His time. This eschatological note leads into the final saying. Using the title with which he generally identifies himself and the character of his messiahship, Jesus implies that he is the one who will ultimately come to execute justice. The question he poses is sobering: Will he find faith on the earth? Following the parable as it does, this could mean: Will there be those who persevere in prayer? He leaves the question unanswered so the disciples can ponder on it.

The theme of faith we have been considering these last two weeks takes a slightly different turn this Sunday. Today we consider the spiritual disciplines that exercise us in that faith and deepen our faith as they do so. The overarching discipline is prayer. The readings today offer various aspects of this prayer for our consideration. There is the spiritual discipline of prayer itself, which is essential to the life of the disciple; there is the communal dimension of prayer; and there is the ministerial commitment that is born of prayer. The spiritual discipline of prayer is seen in the exhortation for ceaseless prayer.  Our personal prayer must be persistent. Like Moses and the woman in the gospel reading, we must be ceaseless in our prayer, not discouraged by difficulties we might have to face. The woman's persistence finally opened the door of the judge. This story only captures one facet of prayer, namely, God's openness to us. In reality, prayer develops a mutual openness: God is open to our desire for Him and we are open to His desire for us. In the gospel account it is the woman who was persistent; in reality, it is God who prevails upon us to open ourselves. The gospel only hints at this particular aspect of prayer. It states that the Son of Man will come seeking faith. The first reading strongly emphasizes the communal dimension of prayer. The Israelites would not have been able to prevail against the Amalekites without Moses’ prayerful action, but he would not have been able to persevere in his action of entreaty had not Aaron and Hur supported him. The stress in today's world on the importance of the individual, as important as this may be, has obscured the reality of our social nature and our inability to thrive or even survive without others.  It is a big pity that we Nigerians gifted by God in community way of life are losing that God-given-gift very quickly. Quest for individual enhancement, especially, in the area of amassing wealth for selfish purposes not only militates today against the community aspect of our lives but negatively influences its spiritual dimension. This is because what is true about life is true about prayer. We were saved as a people. Salvation may unfold in each life in a particular way, but it is not simply an individual quest or a personal blessing. Christ saved all of humankind. To develop a communal sense may be one of the most challenging aspects of discipleship for many of us today, but develop it we must. The ministerial dimension of prayer can be seen in Paul’s admonition to Timothy to keep preaching the gospel, spreading the good news, allowing the Scriptures to continue being a source of wisdom for himself and, through him, for all of the people who hear him. To have this kind of facility with Scripture requires that one should enter into the deep meaning of the Scriptures and make them the basis of one's prayer. One must engage in what the monks call lectio divina - prayerful reflective reading of the Scriptures. This practice, or spiritual discipline, gives us access to God, and it also gives God access to us. It moves us out of our penchant toward isolated devotion into ministerial commitment. It gives us the courage and gentleness to teach, refute and correct. When our ministerial activity flows from prayer, it also flows from and strengthens right relationships with God, the religious tradition and the community. When this becomes a reality, the Son of Man will indeed find faith on earth. May we, therefore, in this Eucharistic celebration be endowed with gifts of genuine faith and prayerful openness to God. + John I. Okoye.

(pictures  by Chukwubike)

17TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME :28th July 2019

May God, in today’s Eucharistic Celebration, not only lead you to pray genuinely, but also, give you the Holy Spirit that will pray with you from the depth of your heart. Happy Sunday +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Genesis 18,20-32;  Colossians 2,12-14; Luke 11,1-13: Year 3, 2019)

The account of the dialogue between Abraham and God (Genesis 18, 20-32) over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is really a theological inquiry into the nature of divine justice. There is no question about the sinfulness of the cities. The underlying question that drives the exchange between Abraham and God is one of justice. The question as stated is: Should not the judge of all the world act with justice? The answer is obvious. Of course! However, the question as intended is: What is justice in a situation like this? The answer to this question is not so obvious. There is a tension here between communal guilt and innocence and individual guilt and innocence. If the city is guilty it should be punished. But what if there are innocent individuals in that city? Is it fair that they should suffer along with the guilty ones? The question can be looked at another way. In traditional societies, identity and significance are more communal than personal. More emphasis is given to the group than to the individual member. Within the context of this theory known as corporate personality, one can ask: If the guilt of some can result in the suffering of all, cannot the innocence of some hold back the hand that inflicts the suffering? Abraham demonstrates extraordinary deference toward the Lord. In customary Near Eastern style he prefaces each of his inquiries with adulation. However it is still he who boldly initiates the exchange that probes the nature of divine justice. Six times he questions God about the parameters of divine justice, and six times God appears to adjust them. He moves progressively from fifty to ten people whose innocence is strong enough to withstand the punishing arm of God, which is raised against the city. The account demonstrates the power of the righteous. Only a few can be salvific for many. 

In the second reading, Colossians 2,12-14, in what appears to be baptismal instruction, Paul describes the effects of the triumph of the power of God in the lives of believers as manifested in the resurrection of Christ. He does this by relating Christ's burial in the grave of the earth with the Christian's burial in the waters of baptism. Joined to Christ in faith, through baptism they enter the grave, the realm of the dead, only to rise with Christ to a new life. Paul moves from the concept of actual physical death to that of spiritual death. This is the condition of those who, because of sin, are separated from God, the source of life. The baptised Christians have gone down into death with Christ and have been raised with him to new life. The new life into which they have been raised brings with it a new standard of living, a new ethical code. Since they have died and are living a new life, the legal claims of the past are no longer binding, claims that appear to have been more a burden than a guide. Furthermore, the debt owed because of the transgressions of the past is cancelled. The image Paul employs suggests this debt was originally set to writing but has now been expunged. Just as indictments of death were nailed to the cross of the criminal, so this notice of cancellation of debt is also nailed. Just as the cross was the instrument for carrying out the death sentence, so it is now the source of life.

The gospel pericope, Luke 11,1-13, a discourse on prayer can be divided into three separate but related segments: the Lord's Prayer (vv. 1,4); an example of persistence in prayer (vv. 5-8); the assurance of being heard (vv. 9-13). It was Jesus at his own prayer that prompted his disciples to ask for direction in their prayer, just as the disciples of other religious leaders had been taught to pray by them. The plural pronouns in the prayer denote its communal character. The prayer consists of an invocation, appeals for the glorification of God, and the petitions of the supplicants. The invocation Father suggests a relationship that is intimate and childlike. Furthermore, it came from Jesus, so it is evidence the prayer is intended for those who enjoy this relationship because of Jesus, for it was Jesus who called God Father and who here invites his disciples to do the same. Since the name of a person comprises the character of that person, to pray that God's name be made holy is to pray that God be given appropriate honour. The prayer for the coming of the reign of God is a prayer for eschatological fulfilment. There is a question about the meaning of the rare word that modifies bread (epiousion). Most commentators agree that daily best captures its intent. The verb form used in this petition denotes continuous giving. These features point to constant dependence on God rather than some form of eschatological satisfaction. The next plea includes an acknowledgment that forgiveness by God assumes the petition's forgiveness of others. The final petition prays that one not be overwhelmed by temptation. These petitions all point to the continuing need for God in the present struggles of life. The persistence with which one should pray is characterised by the story of the man who woke his sleeping friend. That friend was not upset because he was awakened, nor was he unwilling to share his bread with his friend. He was upset because he did not want to disturb his family. However, he finally gave in, because his insistent friend would not. What was not achieved because of friendship was accomplished because of persistence. The lessons to be learned about prayer are finally explicitly articulated. Like the man who was awakened from sleep, God is willing to give, but one must ask; God is willing to reveal, but one must seek; God is willing to open the door, but one must knock on it. God is willing to answer prayers, but one must pray. God's willingness to grant petitions is described through the use of a Jewish form of argument: from the lesser to the greater. If a human father gives good things rather than harmful things to his children, how much more will the Father in heaven give good things to those who ask for them, the greatest good being the Holy Spirit? This entire discourse encourages the disciples to persevere in prayer. 

The readings for this Sunday offer us an opportunity to reflect on the prayer of the disciple. They suggest some of the predispositions for praying; they reveal some of the content of Christian prayer; they offer us an idea of what can happen to us when we pray. Finally, Jesus himself gives us the Our Father, a prayer that contains within itself all of the characteristics of prayer that we will consider. As children we learned there are different kinds of prayer: praise, contrition, thanksgiving, and petition. All these different prayers recognise two fundamental realities: we are a dependent, needy people; our needs can really only be adequately met by our sovereign God. In the gospel Jesus instructs us to ask for what we need, to seek what we desire, to knock on the door behind which we hope to find our fulfilment. He assures us we will receive what we request, we will find what we seek, and the door will be opened to us. In other words, God is more than willing to give us what we need. However, for this to happen we must turn to God and humbly acknowledge our need. Our prayer is always directed toward God, as we see in the Our Father. Even if we pray to Mary or to one of the saints, we are still praying to God because these others only act as intermediaries for us before God. Therefore the first characteristic of prayer is that it is directed toward God. Regardless of whether it is an explicit prayer of praise or contrition or thanksgiving or petition, as prayer it acknowledges the majesty of God and is, therefore, a prayer of praise. In the Our Father, we praise God's name. While many of the psalms, and the Our Father as well, include mention of the petitioner's own needs, the two narratives read this Sunday describe prayer offered for someone else. Abraham asks for mercy for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the man in the gospel asks for bread for his friend. Generosity of heart is a second characteristic of prayer. The most obvious characteristic depicted in the readings for this Sunday is persistence. Neither Abraham nor the man in the gospel was deterred by any obstacle. They show it is not so much that we persist in prayer in order to change God's mind as it is that we persist in order to discover what God's mind might be. How would Abraham have known the number of righteous required to save a city if he had not gradually reduced the number? How would the man have known he was willing to risk his friendship with another in order to fulfil his obligation of hospitality? Persistence in prayer reveals to us the lengths to which we are willing to go for another. The salutariness of prayer is often found in the change it effects in us, not in God. While it is true our prayer may not change the situations for which we pray, it is also true that frequently we change in the praying. By persevering in genuine prayer we may come to acknowledge that all things are in God's hands and that we can rest content to leave them there, trusting the situation will be cared for as God sees fit. It seems trite to say God hears all prayer and sometime the answer is No! It is better to say God respects the freedom of people and will seldom intervene to change the way events unfold. Still, prayer can change the one who prays and also the one for whom the prayer is offered if only human need is recognised and divine solicitude is acknowledged. May God in the Eucharistic Celebration of this Sunday not only lead us to  pray genuinely but also give us the Holy Spirit that will pray with us from the depth of our being. Happy Sunday ! +John I. Okoye

 (graphics by Charlie.MBC)

27th Sunday of Year A – October 8, 2017

May God fill you with his graces so that you produce the expected fruits of Christian love towards him and your needy neighbours. – Happy Sunday! + John Okoye

Doctrine And Faith

(Isaiah 5, 1-7; Philippians 4, 6-9; Matthew 21, 33-43: 27th Sunday of Year A – October 8, 2017)

    Today’s gospel as well as the first reading from the book of Isaiah narrates a parable whose subject matter is a vineyard. In the first reading, the attentiveness of the vineyard owner is clearly sketched during the cultivation of the vineyard. Each step of the viticultural process is carefully accomplished. Everything was done to guarantee a bountiful   harvest. Unfortunately, the harvest was poor. But what is more, the vineyard produced wild grapes. The unnatural yield was not as a result of poor cultivation on the part of the owner. The vineyard was a failure. At this juncture, the owner of the vineyard (no longer the prophet who acted as a narrator) turns to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah for some sort of judgement as he asked: What could I have done for my vineyard and I have not done. I expected it to yield grapes. Why did it yield sour grapes instead? One might be able to offer some reason for a paltry harvest, but how does one explain the presence of wild grapes? The only answer is deliberate treachery or the rejection of all the careful attention provided. The indictment of sin has been introduced. Judgement is now passed on the unnatural vineyard. Some of the steps taken to ensure its productivity will be undone. Protection against animal ravages and human theft were removed and the vineyard becomes vulnerable. Even the clouds will be commanded (by God, the real owner of the vineyard) to withhold rain necessary for crop growth.  The owner of the vineyard turned to the people of Jerusalem and Judah for judgement on the case before them; scarcely did they know that their judgment will be directed back to them. God, through the prophet, decodes the meaning of the parable: the owner of the vineyard is God: the vineyard, the cherished plant, is the house of Israel. Then the prophet describes the heinousness of the people’s offence. God looked for justice (good behaviour: mishpath) but found bloodshed (mishphah); for justice (sedeq) but found an outcry (seaqah). God has invested much in the future of this people and they scorned the attention of the beloved vineyard owner. 
    In Jesus’ narrative of the parable of the vineyard in the Gospel, the master of the house planted the vineyard himself, built a protection around it, and constructed the winepress to be used at the time of vintage. After the hard work was finished, he leased it out to tenants who had only to care for the vines until the grapes were ready for the press. He then went abroad and from there he sent words to have the produce of the vineyard sent to him. Interpreting the parable as an allegory (a story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one), God is understood as the owner of the vineyard and the leaders of the people would be the tenant vinedressers to whom the vineyard was leased. To these leaders, God periodically sent prophets to announce his designs. Israel’s history records how both the leaders and the people refused to listen to the prophets and even put some of them to death (cf. Isaiah 52, 13 - 53, 12). Continuing the allegorical interpretation, the parable suggests that God sent Jesus with full divine authority and the leaders of the people put him to death outside the city. When Jesus finished narrating the parable, he turned to the leaders and asked them to provide a legal ruling on the situation. In compliance they stated: He (the vineyard owner) will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.Thus the leaders condemn themselves in their own words. 

The first reading and the gospel describe two attempts at thwarting God’s plan. In both instances there is deliberate treachery (betrayal of trust). The first reading describes the tender and solicitous care God has taken on behalf of the vineyard. God worked tirelessly to ensure that it would thrive and be a source of enjoyment and prosperity. Despite all God’s plans and effort, it produced an unacceptable crop. There was no mistake here. God was in no way remiss in planting or on tending. The vineyard was simply rebellious. The metaphor of the vineyard functions differently in the gospel account. Here the fault is not with the vineyard. It produced an abundant crop. In fact, it is the very productivity of the vineyard that sets the stage for the treachery described. In this case, those who were trusted stewards turn out to be traitorous usurpers. They want the vineyard for themselves and they are willing to use any means to acquire it. 

Without interpreting any of the metaphors allegorically, we can see ourselves in each instance. There are times when regardless of what God seems to be doing for us, we simply rebel against God’s plans. We stand in defiance and cry out: I will not serve; I will do what I want. There are other times when we, who are only disciples of Jesus, act as if the kingdom is ours to direct or to manage it as we see fit. We might even marginalise or force out others with whom we do not agree, so that we have sole control. Unfortunately, we may not be above such treachery.

God is connected in both parables and what   is expected to be his stand? He does not tolerate treachery. That is why out of his tender love for his vineyard (the People of Israel of Old and the New People of God) treachery cannot be tolerated. If we have produced unacceptable fruits, it is for our own good that God steps in and dismantles the structure that enables us to produce as we did. If we attempt to usurp the kingdom (the church or any of its organisations or structures, etc) in order to exercise our own control over it, it is appropriate that God snatch it from our grasp and entrust it to those who will faithfully carry out his plan. May we therefore, pray in today’s liturgical celebration for the grace not only to produce the expected fruit but also be completely engaged in humble and sacrificial services to the church and to our needy neighbours. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye

pictures by chukwubike

1st Sunday of Advent, Year A, 2016

May God at the beginning of this holy season of Advent and the beginning of the Liturgical Year bestow on you the Grace to put on Christ, that is to say, to have the same attitude and sentiment, as Christ had and to be ready to do the will of God in all aspects of your life as He did. Happy Season Advent! Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye

                      DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Isaiah 2,1-5; Romans 3,11-14; Matt 24, 37-44: 1^st  Sunday of Advent, Year A,  2016)

    With the celebration of the liturgical season of Advent we begin the liturgical year. The season of Advent prepares us for the celebration of Christmas. In the celebration of Advent, Christmas and other seasons of the liturgical year, we run the risk of considering them as mere nostalgic remembrance that has nothing to do with our actual present life. This can be avoided if we believe that Christ is not a personality of the past but the risen Lord, he is actively working in our lives today and in the Church. Our celebrations in the liturgical year will, therefore, be a memorial, that is  what Christ did in the past but will also be a re-enactment through which the risen Christ will enter into the lives of people with his grace and message of salvation. If this is the significance and scope of our celebrations in the liturgical year, then our celebration of Advent and Christmas, Easter, etc. is first of all  a memorial and bringing to mind the history of salvation wrought by Christ. But because he is the risen One and the living One, those celebrations of the past are renewed in the present: He is the one whose Advent (coming) is always being expected and desired consciously or unconsciously in the hearts of people. He is the one who is to come and who wants to come so as to insert himself into our life situation in order to liberate and save us. In Advent, therefore, we are not pretending to be expecting the Lord Jesus, we are truly and really waiting for his coming. Advent is not to be considered simply as the preparation for Christmas but should also be taken as the constant attitude of waiting for the coming of the Lord. Let us, therefore, dispose our hearts for his coming, to welcome his word and teaching, make room for him in our lives and create a new space for him in our public life. This our disposition in waiting for him and welcoming him in our lives and creating a public space for him looks forward to the future towards, the return of  the Lord at the end of our lives, the glorious coming back of the Lord for the final judgment and the final and complete realization of the plan of salvation. 

With what spirit, therefore, should we then live the season of Advent? What disposition of the mind should we have so that our lives become an expectation of/a waiting for the Lord? The readings provide some clear directives. In the first reading, Isaiah admonishes us to put away our instruments of violence and hatred, our swords and spears. We are to convert them into life-producing implements, into plows and pruning hooks. Jesus in the gospel reading insists on our keeping watch. We should not be distracted like the people of Noah’s time who were occupied with social events and  neither  know, read  the sings of time well , nor attune themselves to the will of God. They lost their lives in the deluge. So we are to watch and not fall asleep. Not falling asleep means paying attention to the right thing at the right moment, seeking for  what is really good for us and for other people, being generous, showing love to people, and living peacefully with people. Whoever is watchful and vigilant in this way will not be taken by surprise by the coming of the Son of Man at the end of life. In the second reading, Paul gives us a directive that is analogous to that of Christ, when he writes to the Christians of Rome: It is already the time to wake from sleep, because our salvation in nearer now than the time we became believers. Paul does not mean  waking from physical but  spiritual  sleep. This means that we are not to allow ourselves to be invaded and inundated by preoccupation for material things. We are not to be servants to material things, rather they are to be at the service of the most important aspect of our lives which is union with Christ. Paul goes on to teach: Put away the work of darkness and put on the amour of light. To put on the amour of light means to put on Christ. To put on Christ is to be identified with him, to have the same attitudes and sentiments which Christ had and live Christ’s life in one’s own flesh.
    Therefore we need to remind ourselves that our lives in this holy season of Advent must be lived in the actual world and circumstances we find ourselves. We are called in this season to journey deeper into our lives, not outside of them. That is where God is present. And if we are truly alert and attentive we will discover that it is in our own lives, as ordinary as we may think they are, that we will discover God. There we will come in contact with the Son of Man and anticipate the joys of the   end time.                            Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

(GRAPGICS BY BLOGGER)

33rd Sunday of the Year C 2016

May the good Lord grant you all the graces you need that will enable you to joyfully encounter him at the end of your life. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye
---------------------------------------                                                 DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Malachi 3, 19-20; 2 Thess 3, 7-12; Luke 21, 5-19: 33rd Sunday of the Year C 2016)
    Sometimes it appears that evil forces seem to prevail over the good and evil doers seem to be more powerful than sincere and honest people. For the unbelievers this does not constitute any problem. But for the believer it does, and they often ask: How is it that God watches things go so bad? How it is that God allows the just always to have the worse part? Is there no time when justice will be done? Such questions were posited by the Israelites of the time following the liberation from Babylon. This was a time, for various reasons, of deep crisis of delusion as the promises of the prophets seemed not to be fulfilled. It was a time of desperation that gave rise to religious infidelity, disorder in the area of morality and apostasy of the young ones 

       In the Old Testament the expression, the Day of the Lord appears in several places. The Day of the Lord is the time of fulfillment of all God’s promises and the realization of the destiny of the world. It is a time when justice will be revealed, when the scales of righteousness will be balanced, when good will be rewarded and evil punished and when evil will no longer prevail over good, nor wicked men over honest and sincere people. Initially, Israel thought that this day would be a time of vindication and, therefore, of rejoicing for them. Some saw it as the day of liberation, and therefore, of joy and happiness. The prophets, however, were announcing that the day would be that of anger and fury. In the first reading of today, Malachi describes the day thus: The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The prophets, like Malachi, set the Israelites straight on the issue, insisting that Israel itself would have to face the righteous anger of God. Israel will have to pay for its sinfulness; there would have to be just recompense. 

        The gospel reading of today, which describes the destruction of Jerusalem that took place 70 years after the death of Christ is to be considered as a prefiguration of the end of the world, of the final judgment and  the manifestation of the glory of Christ. To the admirers of the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus indicated that there would be a time when the magnificent temple would be so destroyed that no stone would lie on top of the other. The interlocutors of Jesus wanted to know when that would be and what signs would precede it. Jesus did not answer any of the questions but changed the discussion to what would happen at the end of the world and the glorious coming of his Kingdom.  Even in this case, he did not indicate time or signs that would precede the event. What is to be taken home from the gospel reading is that the end of the world and the glorious coming back of Jesus will surely take place but not so immediate and imminent. Jesus did, however, stressed two things. First, is the indication to his disciples, on what would be happening in the short and long run of the history of the church and  the world. They include civil issues like wars and revolutions; cosmic matters like earthquakes, pestilence and lack of essential commodities necessary for human life; political issues like persecution from the ruling class, or from ones members of the family. These are what  to be expected in the course of the life of any Christian, at any given time and epoch. The second area where Jesus stressed was: In such circumstances as we have above how should the disciple of Christ then, and the Christian  of today behave? This is at the heartbeat of Jesus. The disciples of Jesus and Christian of all ages should heed the following points: (a) He should not allow himself be swayed away from the correct path by false prophets who claim to be Messiahs or friends of the Messiah. The Christian is not to listen to them at all. (b) The Christian is  not to allow himself be terrorised by stories about wars, revolutions,  cosmic cataclysms; he is not to panic or be anxious   on account of what is happening but he is to confront the situation holding on to his Christian values. (c) The Christian is  to bear witness to his faith; the persecutions, threats and even the sacrifice of one’s life are occasions and opportunities for the Christian to express his love for Christ and the confidence he reposes on Christ. (d)  He has to persevere in his faith, constant in his faithfulness to the gospel and coherent in his life

     In practical terms and in summary, what the Lord Jesus wants from us and every Christian of every epoch is that we do not allow ourselves  to be  blocked or paralysed by any event at all, no matter how pernicious it may seem to be. Jesus has conquered all things on our behalf. We are not to live in inertia, or in disinterest in, or in alienation from, the concrete problems of this life. On the contrary, we are to get ourselves more involved, allowing our actions to be informed by the gospel values and courageously inserting ourselves in all ambients  of life, be it social, economic, political, cultural, just as the Vatican Council II document exhorts us (Gaudium et see no. 37).

      The problem of dis-engagement, inertia and parasite mentality resulting from the thought that everything finishes soon and that Christ’s glorious return was imminent was that of the church of Thessalonica (See 2nd Reading). Today we run the opposite risk of not engaging ourselves sufficiently in things that pertain to our Christian life. We neither think about the end of the world and the day of the judgment of the Lord, nor about the Day of the Lord. But taking the end of the world aside, our individual and personal lives are moving resolutely on its own towards their end and to particular judgment of God. We need to give this a serious thought so that within the time that is still at our disposal we would still be able to perform good works and transform not only our lives but also  the ambient in which we live. May the good Lord grant us his grace and wisdom in today’s Sunday Eucharistic celebration 

Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

graphics by chukwubike oc