Homily of Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C
The readings today draw our attention to the virtues that help us to live a good Christian life. The virtues are faith, hope and love. Let us locate the virtues in the three readings:
First reading: Paul and Barnabas “strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, ‘It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’ They appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.”
Second reading: “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.’ The One who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I will make all things new.’” The reading is an invitation to hope and to look forward to the blessings God has in stock for his faithful ones.
Gospel: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Faith, hope and love are called Theological Virtues because they are “gifts infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life” (CCC 1813).Without faith, hope and love we are incapable of living out the other virtues: wisdom, courage, justice and self-control. These are called Cardinal Virtues. The measure in which we receive faith, hope and love from God is the measure we practice our Christianity. Good input brings about good productivity. Low input brings about low productivity. Bad input brings about bad productivity. Whereby there is not input at all, there is zero productivity. Our Christian witnessing follows the same rule.
Paul and Barnabas spoke the words we read in the first reading to strengthen the disciples who were persecuted because they were Christians. Our faith in God is tested by difficulties and hardships. Paul and Barnabas speak the same words of encouragement to us: “Persevere in the faith.” The Lord speaks to us in Hebrews 10:38, “My just one shall live by faith and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.” May we not draw back. Amen.
For those whose hope in God remains unshaken in times of trials and hardships, God promises in the second reading to wipe every tear from their eyes, and make all things new. St. Paul teaches us the power of hope in Romans 5:2-5, “We boast in the hope of the glory of God… We even boast of our affliction, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.”
Jesus says in the Gospel, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We can only know that we have received God’s love that is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit when we show that love to others. St. Paul writes, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you [may be] rooted and grounded in love…” (Ephesians 3:17). And in 1 Corinthians 13:8 & 13, he writes, “Love never fails… So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Jesus challenges us with these words, “As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” Jesus’ love is sacrificial, which resulted in his death on the Cross. Jesus’ invitation means that some of us will be called to pay the supreme sacrifice for love of neighbor. This is a reality we need to bear in mind, and pray for the grace to accept the call if God wills it so. But all of us are called to die to self for the benefit of others since Jesus died on the Cross for the salvation of all.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP
Friday, May 17, 2019
Friday, May 10, 2019
Fr Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for 4th Sunday of Easter- May 12, 2019
Homily of Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. The first reading narrates the experience of two great shepherds in the early Church, Paul and Barnabas. At that time, their work of evangelization was very successful. “Many Jews and worshippers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas… When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” The Jews, further, “incited the women of prominence who were worshippers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory.” Even now, some shepherds have the same experience rejection and expulsion. Let such shepherds be strengthened by the experience of Paul and Barnabas, and also follow the footsteps of Paul and Barnabas when it becomes necessary. “So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” This is important because, sometimes, some shepherds, unwisely, think that shaking off dust from their feet and going somewhere else is a sign of weakness and a sign of accepting defeat. Jesus says, “When they persecute you in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel till the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:23). Let shepherds be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit and be guided by the word of God.
It is helpful to pay a little more attention to this line in the first reading, “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” Jealousy is an unhappy feeling of wanting to have what someone else has. It is a feeling of resentment against a rival or against a person enjoying success or advantage. Jealousy is a dangerous spiritual disease. It soaks up joy and peace, and leaves whomever it possesses downcast. It blinds whom it possesses from seeing the beautiful work of God. It poisons the mind and body, and weaponizes whom it possesses to inflict harm on its target. It is Satan’s dangerous weapon of destruction and murder. Let us flee from this spiritual disease.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, says in the Gospel, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” Jesus speaks to us every day through the Gospels. His words are Spirit and life (John 6:63). If we listen to his voice, and do what his words say, we will remain in his protection and not perish. The Evil One speaks to us too. His voice opposes and contradicts the voice of Jesus. He is jealous of Jesus. His voice aims at taking us out of Jesus’ hand that we may perish. St. James advises us, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8).
As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, let us call to mind Pope Francis’ appeal in 2013 to priests and the faithful. To priests he says,
"This is what I am asking you, be shepherds with the smell of sheep, so that people can sense the priest is not just concerned with his own congregation, but is also a fisher of men."
"A good priest anoints his people with the oil of gladness, by preaching the Gospel with unction, that is with the soothing, comforting words of God."
"If people leave Mass looking as if they have heard good news, then the priest has clearly done his job well."
To the faithful he says,
"Be close to your priests with affection and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to God’s heart."
Prayer for Priests by St. Therese of Lisieux
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them
and shield them from the world's contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit
and may the souls to whom they minister
be their joy and consolation here and in heaven
their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. The first reading narrates the experience of two great shepherds in the early Church, Paul and Barnabas. At that time, their work of evangelization was very successful. “Many Jews and worshippers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas… When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” The Jews, further, “incited the women of prominence who were worshippers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory.” Even now, some shepherds have the same experience rejection and expulsion. Let such shepherds be strengthened by the experience of Paul and Barnabas, and also follow the footsteps of Paul and Barnabas when it becomes necessary. “So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” This is important because, sometimes, some shepherds, unwisely, think that shaking off dust from their feet and going somewhere else is a sign of weakness and a sign of accepting defeat. Jesus says, “When they persecute you in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel till the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:23). Let shepherds be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit and be guided by the word of God.
It is helpful to pay a little more attention to this line in the first reading, “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” Jealousy is an unhappy feeling of wanting to have what someone else has. It is a feeling of resentment against a rival or against a person enjoying success or advantage. Jealousy is a dangerous spiritual disease. It soaks up joy and peace, and leaves whomever it possesses downcast. It blinds whom it possesses from seeing the beautiful work of God. It poisons the mind and body, and weaponizes whom it possesses to inflict harm on its target. It is Satan’s dangerous weapon of destruction and murder. Let us flee from this spiritual disease.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, says in the Gospel, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” Jesus speaks to us every day through the Gospels. His words are Spirit and life (John 6:63). If we listen to his voice, and do what his words say, we will remain in his protection and not perish. The Evil One speaks to us too. His voice opposes and contradicts the voice of Jesus. He is jealous of Jesus. His voice aims at taking us out of Jesus’ hand that we may perish. St. James advises us, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8).
As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, let us call to mind Pope Francis’ appeal in 2013 to priests and the faithful. To priests he says,
"This is what I am asking you, be shepherds with the smell of sheep, so that people can sense the priest is not just concerned with his own congregation, but is also a fisher of men."
"A good priest anoints his people with the oil of gladness, by preaching the Gospel with unction, that is with the soothing, comforting words of God."
"If people leave Mass looking as if they have heard good news, then the priest has clearly done his job well."
To the faithful he says,
"Be close to your priests with affection and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to God’s heart."
Prayer for Priests by St. Therese of Lisieux
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them
and shield them from the world's contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit
and may the souls to whom they minister
be their joy and consolation here and in heaven
their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP
Friday, May 3, 2019
Fr Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter- May 5, 2019
Homily of Third Sunday of Easter Year C
We see a new Peter in the first reading. He used to be fearful and impetuous. Transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection, he stood, boldly, before the Sanhedrin and stated, “We must obey God rather than men.” The reading continues, “The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”
There are times we face our own ‘Sanhedrin,’ that is trials, anxieties, worries, and difficulties of life. There are times the Evil One tempts us either to discourage us from doing the good things God wants us to do or lure us to commit sin. There are times situations challenge us to defend our beliefs, doctrines and practices as Christians and as Catholics. There are times our prayer life is negatively affected by the weakness of our body. At these times, Peter and the other apostles encourage us to obey God rather than ‘men.’ The Lord enjoins us, “Remain faithful to me until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelations 2:10).
Jesus did not count it against his disciples who deserted him during his passion. After his resurrection he appeared and revealed himself to them wherever they were. Today’s Gospel is one of the appearances and revelations of Jesus to them. We have hope, therefore, that although we desert him by our sins, he does not give up on us. He continues to appear and reveal himself to us. May we be able to recognize him as John, the disciple Jesus loved, did. John recognized Jesus and said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
In the Gospel, when Jesus was crucified, died and buried, Peter believing that his discipleship with Jesus was over, decided to return to his fishing profession. Some of the disciples went with him. Since returning to fishing was not what they were supposed to do, they caught nothing throughout the night. Jesus appeared and instructed them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” “So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.” The experience of Peter and the other apostles in the Gospel of today reminds us that we toil in vain without Jesus. In John 15:5 Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “[W]ith God all things are possible.”
The last part of today’s Gospel speaks to me in a special way. As a priest, Jesus wants me to know him more, love him more and follow him more. That is the only way I can, properly, “feed [his] lambs,” “tend [his] sheep,” and “feed [his] sheep.” As a priest, I have literally stretched out my hands to be led by Jesus wherever he wants me to go and to direct me to do whatever he wants me to do; even if it is where I would rather not like to go and what I would rather not like to do. Jesus says to me, “Follow me.” I understand from the first reading that the most important quality for this followership is obedience to God rather than to myself, the world and the Evil One. As a priest, it is no longer my will but the will of the One who called me. All I need to do is to trust and obey. I pray with the words of St. Paul that I may be worthy of the call I have received (Ephesians 4:1).
Let us pray:
O Lord, grant that I may see what you want me to see
That I may hear what you want me to hear
That I may speak what you want me to speak
That I may be where you want me to be
That I may do what you want me to do
That I may be who you want me to be
For your will is my peace. Amen.
Fr. Marti Eke, MSP
We see a new Peter in the first reading. He used to be fearful and impetuous. Transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection, he stood, boldly, before the Sanhedrin and stated, “We must obey God rather than men.” The reading continues, “The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”
There are times we face our own ‘Sanhedrin,’ that is trials, anxieties, worries, and difficulties of life. There are times the Evil One tempts us either to discourage us from doing the good things God wants us to do or lure us to commit sin. There are times situations challenge us to defend our beliefs, doctrines and practices as Christians and as Catholics. There are times our prayer life is negatively affected by the weakness of our body. At these times, Peter and the other apostles encourage us to obey God rather than ‘men.’ The Lord enjoins us, “Remain faithful to me until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelations 2:10).
Jesus did not count it against his disciples who deserted him during his passion. After his resurrection he appeared and revealed himself to them wherever they were. Today’s Gospel is one of the appearances and revelations of Jesus to them. We have hope, therefore, that although we desert him by our sins, he does not give up on us. He continues to appear and reveal himself to us. May we be able to recognize him as John, the disciple Jesus loved, did. John recognized Jesus and said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
In the Gospel, when Jesus was crucified, died and buried, Peter believing that his discipleship with Jesus was over, decided to return to his fishing profession. Some of the disciples went with him. Since returning to fishing was not what they were supposed to do, they caught nothing throughout the night. Jesus appeared and instructed them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” “So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.” The experience of Peter and the other apostles in the Gospel of today reminds us that we toil in vain without Jesus. In John 15:5 Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “[W]ith God all things are possible.”
The last part of today’s Gospel speaks to me in a special way. As a priest, Jesus wants me to know him more, love him more and follow him more. That is the only way I can, properly, “feed [his] lambs,” “tend [his] sheep,” and “feed [his] sheep.” As a priest, I have literally stretched out my hands to be led by Jesus wherever he wants me to go and to direct me to do whatever he wants me to do; even if it is where I would rather not like to go and what I would rather not like to do. Jesus says to me, “Follow me.” I understand from the first reading that the most important quality for this followership is obedience to God rather than to myself, the world and the Evil One. As a priest, it is no longer my will but the will of the One who called me. All I need to do is to trust and obey. I pray with the words of St. Paul that I may be worthy of the call I have received (Ephesians 4:1).
Let us pray:
O Lord, grant that I may see what you want me to see
That I may hear what you want me to hear
That I may speak what you want me to speak
That I may be where you want me to be
That I may do what you want me to do
That I may be who you want me to be
For your will is my peace. Amen.
Fr. Marti Eke, MSP
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