Saturday, April 25, 2020

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - April 26, 2020. Homily for Third Sunday of Easter


Homily of Third Sunday of Easter of Year A 2020
We have been praying since Easter, that we may experience Jesus and the transforming power of the resurrection of Jesus. We remember how Peter, crippled by fear, denied Jesus three times. Peter said in his third denial, “I do not know the man” (Matthew 26:74).
Before the appearance of Jesus to the apostles, Peter and the other apostles locked themselves up in a room “for fear of the Jews” (John 20:19). But the first reading shows how Peter was transformed by the power of Jesus’ resurrection. After Peter had encountered the Risen Lord, he was delivered from his fear. He was, then, ready to die for Jesus. He began to proclaim the Risen Lord without fear. He was not afraid to accuse the Jews, openly, of killing Jesus and cautioned them to repent from their sinful ways. The story of Peter is a story of hope. It is a story that encourages us. We pray that as Easter people, we are transformed and overcome all the things that are holding us down. Amen.
The second reading reminds us that as Easter people, we realize that we have been ransomed from our futile conduct with the blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. We are invited to examine ourselves to know the futile conduct or conducts that hold us down in such a way that we are unable to witness Jesus as we should.
We read in the Gospel how two of Jesus’ disciples, in disappointment and in despair, were heading back to their village, Emmaus. For them, to have left everything and followed Jesus, perhaps, for three years had ended up as a waste of time. That was why they were downcast. Then, Jesus met them on their way. Three major events took place. First, Jesus fed the two men with the word of God to burn their hearts. Second, Jesus had a Eucharistic meal with them. The Eucharist opened their eyes, and they recognized Jesus. Third, they were empowered by the encounter with Jesus. “So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem…” Remember that the men had advised ‘the stranger’ not to continue his journey, but to stay with them because it was nearly evening, and the day almost over. In order words, it was too dangerous to continue the journey at that time. However, after encountering Jesus, they were empowered and they traveled back to Jerusalem that night to join the apostles and the other disciples. They were no longer afraid of the dangers of the night. This incident tells a lot about the power of the word of God and the power of the Eucharist.
One other lesson we need to learn from the two disciples is the essence of hospitality. Without being asked, they invited ‘the stranger’ to stay with them because it was getting late. They provided him accommodation and meal. They did not know that their hospitality was to Jesus. Remember the words of Jesus, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). The writer of the Book of Hebrews teaches us, “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2). Hospitality opens up doors and windows of blessings.
As a priests, I have been asked many questions regarding the hardship we are facing due to Covid 19 Pandemic. Questions such as, “Is God punishing us?” “Is God angry with us?” “Is God not hearing our prayers?” And some other questions. Many of us are like Cleopas and his friend, frustrated and downcast, giving up hope, and returning to ‘Emmaus.’ Last week we read that Jesus appeared to his frightened disciples who locked themselves up in a room. He blessed them with peace and breathed on them the Holy Spirit. Today, Jesus appeared to the two men who were frustrated and downcast, and empowered them. Jesus does not abandon us. Therefore, let us be calm and prayerful. Psalm 46:10 advises us, “Be still, and know that I am God.”  
There is no doubt that we are sick, grieving, frightened, frustrated, downcast, despair, brokenhearted, confused, disappointed, hungry, and upset. Although we may not know it, Jesus is walking along with us as he did with the two men going to Emmaus. May he grant healing to the sick, consolation to the grieving, strength to the frightened, guidance to the frustrated, joy to the downcast, hope to the despair, courage to the brokenhearted, insight to the confused, delight to the disappointed, food to the hungry, and peace to the upset. Amen.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Friday, April 17, 2020

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - April 19, 2020. Homily for Secon Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday


Homily of Divine Mercy Sunday Year A 2020
In 2000, St. Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina, and made the second Sunday of Easter to be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday.  St. Faustina was a Polish nun gifted with mystical visions, messages and revelations from the Risen Jesus. This is a rare instance when a personal revelation is authenticated to the degree that it becomes a Sunday celebration by the Universal Church.
The feast situates well following Easter Sunday to show that the events of the incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the redemption of humanity were out of the gratuitous mercy of God. The mercy is gratuitous because humanity did nothing to merit it.  Psalm 130:3 prays, “If you, Lord, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness and so you are revered.” St. Paul writes in Romans 3:23-25, “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed.” St. Faustina wrote in her diary, “Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All works of my hand are crowned with mercy” (no. 301). St. Peter proclaims the mercy of God in the second reading, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, …”
The image of the Divine Mercy of Jesus with two rays flowing from the side of Jesus, one reddish (symbolizing blood) and the other whitish (symbolizing water), with the words “Jesus, I trust in you” at the bottom, is one of St. Faustina’s visions. The image takes us back to the passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus. Luke 22:44, “He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.” John 19:33-34, “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” Jesus tells us during the Last Supper the meaning of his blood, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). St. Peter writes, “Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, …  not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Jesus, also, tells us the meaning of his water in his encounter with the Samaritan woman, “Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
Let us visualize the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus. Let us pray and plead the precious Blood of Jesus to help us conquer satanic forces. Let us pray and plead the water from the side of Jesus to well up new life in us. May it become the water of River Jordan where Naaman bathed and was healed of his leprosy (2 King 5). May it become that life giving water that flowed from the temple in Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 47). Let us envision ourselves as Thomas and encounter Jesus. Let us hear Jesus ask us to put our finger into his  side pierced by a lance. Jesus directs us, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side…” When Thomas put his finger into the side of Jesus, he was healed of his spiritual disease of doubt. Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” May we, also, receive our own healing. Repeat, “My Lord and my God” several times. Let these words resound in you. Stay with the experience for a while.
The first reading informs us how the early Christians practiced their faith. They went to the temple to pray according to the Jewish religious tradition, but gathered in their homes, every day to celebrate the “breaking of bread” in obedience to the command of Jesus during the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The Eucharistic celebration as we have it now evolved through the ages from what Jesus did at the Last Supper and the celebration of the “breaking of bread” by the early Christians. Our present situation prevents us to go to the temple to worship God. We are to gather in our homes and pray. Unfortunately, some families do not know how to come together to pray. Covid 19 Pandemic is teaching us some lessons, hopefully, that will help our spiritual and family life at the end of the pandemic.
Another special identity of the early Christians was work of mercy as we see in the first reading, “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.” This perilous time has put almost everyone in need. That notwithstanding, many people, out of mercy and not minding their own needy situation, are going the extra mile to help others and risk their own lives to save others. May God bless them. Please, check on one another. Support one another. Encourage one another. May Jesus bless us with his peace and breathe on us the Holy Spirit he breathed on the apostles when he appeared to them. May we receive his peace and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - April 12, 2020. Homily for Easter Sunday


Easter date is not set as that of Christmas. The Catholic Church has determined the date of Easter since 325 AD. In that year, the Council of Nicaea established that Easter be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon (when night and day are of equal length). This is worked out by ecclesial geographers.
Easter is the greatest Christian celebration. It is celebrated for 50 days, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. The 50 days’ period is called Eastertide. St. Paul tells us that Christianity is what it is because of the event of the resurrection. He writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching, empty too your faith.”
At his crucifixion and death, the mission of Jesus appeared to have ended up in a failure. Then, suddenly, as we read in the Gospel, “On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.” An angel of the Lord removed the stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2). Jesus was freed from the darkness of the tomb. Jesus’ mission came alive again. From a few followers in Israel, Christianity became a world religion which has influenced every aspect of the world history.
St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Therefore, Easter means rising from the old life of malice and wickedness to new life of sincerity and truth.
Our generation and the generations to come will remember the year 2020 when Coronavirus Pandemic shut down the world and we could not gather in the sanctuary to celebrate Easter. We continue to pray for God’s divine intervention and deliverance. Whatever the cause and source of the virus, we pray and invoke the power of the resurrection, that power that raised Jesus from the tomb, to save and deliver us from the wrath of the virus. May the angel that rolled away the stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb roll away the deadly virus. We pray again as we prayed two Sundays ago from Romans 8:11, may the Spirit of the One who raised Christ from the dead dwell in us and give us our life back again. Amen.
Happy and Spirit-filled Easter to you all!
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for Ordinary Time (A) February 19, 2023

  Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48   First reading: Israelite community wa...