Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - March 1, 2020. Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent year A

Homily of First Sunday of Lent Year A

The first reading tells us the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Satan tempted them and convinced them to disobey God. The sin of disobedience of Adam and Eve became known as the Original Sin. It is very important to understand that Satan is never happy whenever and wherever God does something good. Satan’s target is always to destroy the good things God has done. His target is to make us obey him and disobey God. Therefore, whenever and wherever good things are happening we must be on alert because Satan has his own evil and destructive plans. Those who do not know this or who do not take this knowledge seriously are always caught unprepared, and many times they fall. Also, if Satan tempted Adam and Eve who lacked nothing, then, we who are faced with all kinds of daily difficulties of life cannot escape his temptations. Satan and his temptations are always lurking at our door and striving to get us. But as God advised Cain, we must try to be in control (Genesis 4:7).

The sin of greed contributed to the fall of Adam and Eve. Eve wanted to become what Satan had told her, “the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and evil…. The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruits and ate it, and also gave to her husband … and he ate it.” Sometimes, we are tempted not because we do not have enough, but because we crave to possess more than we need. Greed does make us use sinful means to acquire more than we need.

The Easter Proclamation, the Exsultet, calls the sin of Adam and Eve “Happy Fault” because “it earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer.” St. Paul captures this message in the second reading, “For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ.”

If Satan had the courage to tempt Jesus, who is God, then, we, mere mortal human beings, cannot escape his temptations. St. Ignatius calls Satan “the enemy of our human nature.” Jesus had spent forty days and forty nights in the desert in prayer and fasting, in preparation for his mission. “The tempter,” who always opposes God’s plans, approached him and unleashed his temptations on him. First, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” Sometimes, it is through what we lack that Satan tempts us. At those times Satan plants in our mind ungodly means to find solution to our problem. Whether in times of plenty (as in the case of Adam and Eve), or in times of need (as in the case of Jesus), we must be on alert in order to resist Satan’s temptation.

The second temptation, Satan asked Jesus to jump down from 120 feet temple parapet. Satan cited Psalm 91:11 to deceive Jesus. That someone is brandishing the Bible or quoting profusely from it does not make the person a true follower of Christ. According to William Shakespeare, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” Many times, people have landed themselves into trouble because they took wrong advice, or wrong actions in order to impress others, or boost their false ego, or win fame and recognition. There are instances where people commit sin for others’ pleasure. There are instances where people abandon their family or a noble cause to please their friends. There are instances where people take all kinds of substances to enhance performance. Many people have ended up destroying themselves by such actions.

The last temptation, “The devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, ‘All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.’” The last temptation addresses the sins of craving for worldly possessions and power which are major destructive forces in the world. The modern sin of idolatry is the worship of power and worldly possessions instead of service to God and worship of God.

Pope Francis in his interview with TV2000 in 2017 advises us how to resist Satan’s temptation: “I am convinced that one must never converse with Satan. If you do that, you will be lost. He is more intelligent than us, and he will turn you upside down. He will make your head spin. He always pretends to be polite. That is how he enters your mind. But it ends badly if you do not realize what is happening in time. We should tell him, ‘go away.’” That is Jesus’ approach.

Another way to resist Satan’s temptation is to arm oneself with the “Sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God, as Jesus did: As we read in the Gospel, Jesus pronounced to Satan these words of authority: “One does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”(Deuteronomy 8:3). “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). “The Lord, your God, you shall worship and him alone shall you serve” (Deuteronomy 6:13). And when Jesus had driven Satan away, angels came and ministered to him. May this become our experience too. Let us read the Bible, know it and use it.

If we imitate Jesus and rely on God’s grace, we will be better armed against the lures of worldliness, and Satan’s manipulations and machinations as we tread on our journey of faith. Pope Francis urges us in his 2020 Lenten message, “Keep your eyes fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again.”

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - February 23, 2020. Homily for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary time year A

Homily of Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. The readings of this Sunday prepare us for the Lenten Season.

First reading: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I the Lord, your God, am holy.’” Second reading: St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Gospel reading: Jesus said to his disciples: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

In the Book of Genesis is the account of how our all holy and all perfect God made human being in his image and likeness. God breathed into human being his Spirit (Genesis 2:7). From then, human being became the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in human being. As the image of God and the temple of God, we are challenged to live life that shows that we possess God’s Spirit, and that we are his dwelling place. Since it is practically impossible to be holy and perfect as God, we are invited to participate in God’s holiness and perfection. As the Collect of Sixth Week prays, “That we may be so fashioned by your grace as to become a dwelling pleasing to you.” Let us briefly examine some of the challenges and invitations in the readings.

“You shall bear no hatred for your brother or sister in your heart” (first reading). St. John says, “Anyone who hates a brother or a sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him” (1John 3:15). Just like anyone who looks lustfully has committed fornication or adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28); also, anyone who hates his brother or sister has murdered the brother or sister in his or her heart. Hate which is an intense feeling or passionate dislike for someone poisons the heart and leads to various evil and murderous behaviors. The Spirit of God flees from a person who hates.

“Though you may reprove your fellow citizen, do not incur sin because of him” (first reading). St. Paul advises us to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). St. Paul also says, “Teach and correct each other wisely” (Colossians 3:16). It is no longer reprove or admonishment when there is abuse and violence.

“Take no revenge and cherish no grudges against any of your people” (first reading). Jesus does not limit this command to one’s people but everyone. Jesus goes as far as nullifying the Mosaic Law that permitted a protective and proportional vengeance or punishment on an offender, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24), and the people’s practice of hating their enemy. Jesus says, “Offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. … Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you…” Jesus’ teachings such as these make Christianity a very radical religion different from many other religions.

Sometimes, we have a hard time in understanding what it means to offer no resistance, turn the other cheek, hand over one’s cloak, and go the extra mile. We can understand the teaching in the following five ways: (1) We are not to take the path of violence. (2) We are not to take the path of revenge and retaliation by repaying evil with evil, but treat those who hate us kindly. (3) We are to take the path of peace and reconciliation. (4) We are to forgive our offenders. (5) We are to pray for our offenders.

Living out the radical teachings of Jesus in our world infested with dishonesty, corruption, oppression and violence, and where bad people do every imaginable and unimaginable evil to get what they want is a big challenge to us. Does Jesus teach his followers to surrender, succumb and submit to forces of evil and evil people in the name of love, peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and prayer? No.

At the beginning of this reflection, we acknowledged that we are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in us. The Spirit of God in us is not “a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and sound judgement” (2 Timothy 1:7). It is based on the sound judgement that the Catholic Church states in Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, no. 79, “As long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.” Based on lawful self-defense Jesus says, “One who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36). Jesus also says, “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

St. Paul encourages us, “Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil …, that you may be able to resist [and] hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, … And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:10-17). Fortified in these ways, we will be able to obey Jesus’ commandments of turning the other cheek, offering one's cloak, and going the extra mile; but also able to contend with the world infested with evil.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - February 16, 2020. Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary time year A

Homily of Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A

The first reading says, “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will serve you; if you trust God, you shall live; he has set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” God gives each of us the free will which makes us responsible for our choices and our actions. Bad choices and actions have bad consequences, while good choices and actions have good rewards. This is in line with the natural law of cause and effect. But, God has given us his Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us and direct us. We pray that we will cooperate with the leading, the guiding, and the directing of the Holy Spirit in order to make choices that are pleasing to God, and for our good.

However, we need to recognize the fact that there are times conditions or situations take away one’s free will to choose what to do and what not to do. At such times, we can only trust God. May God save us in such conditions and situations. May our guardian angels always guard us. This is why it is important to constantly surrender oneself to God, and keep oneself always in his presence.

Matthew Chapters 5 to 7 contains extensive and powerful preaching and instructions by Jesus. In Chapter 7, Jesus raises himself above Moses and the Mosaic Laws, and shows himself as possessing divine authority. Six times in the Gospel reading Jesus declared, “I say to you” / “I tell you,” to re-interpret Mosaic Laws. Matthew 7:28-29 acknowledges the response of the people, “When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

Today, Jesus is not addressing the scribes and the Pharisees, and the crowds but us. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus addresses the ways and manners of selective interpretation of civil laws and religious laws. Unfortunately, every selective interpreter claims to be right and honest. Jesus tells us to possess true righteousness which surpasses hypocrisy. True righteousness goes beyond the external observance. Several layers of pretense mask external observance.

Internal disposition matters very much. We can pretend to be friendly with someone, but deep within us we harbor grudges and are angry with that person. We can pretend to be friendly with someone but deep within us we regard that person as a fool. We can pretend to be ‘holier than thou’ but are defiled inside with evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and folly (Mark 7:23). Jesus reminds us that it is only external observance and hypocrisy when we worship God with hearts and bodies infested with sin. It is for this reason that Jesus says in Matthew 15:8, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” And in today’s Gospel he says, “Go first and reconcile with your brother / sister, and then come to offer your gift.” Because, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8).

Jesus says, “Do not swear at all.” Since taking vows, oaths, and swearing in ceremonies are found in almost every culture, we can understand this saying of Jesus to mean that we should never swear falsely. Let our ‘Yes’ mean our ‘Yes,’ and let our ‘No’ mean our ‘No.’ Unfortunately, we take vows and oaths and hardly keep them. Unfortunately, people raise their hand or place it on the Scripture and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and almost immediately they tell lies.

Jesus tells us that if our right eye, or our right hand causes us to sin, we need to get rid of it for it is better for us to lose one of our members than to have our whole body go into Gehenna (hell). This saying of Jesus is not to be taking literally. Jesus is encouraging us to cut off from whatever that can lead us to sin no matter how precious it is to us. St. Paul’s words are apt to interpret the passage and so summarize our reflection: “I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP