Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - June 28, 2020. Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in the ordinary time year A

Homily of Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 2020

2 Kings 4:4-11,14-16; Psalm 89:2-19; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Gospel 10:37-42

The first reading is from 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16. However, verses 12-13 have an important message. It reads, “He [Elisha] told his servant Gehazi to go and call the woman. When she came, he said to Gegazi, ‘Ask her what I can do for her in return for all the trouble she has had in providing for our needs. Maybe she would like me to go to the king or army commander and put in a good word for her.’ ‘I have all I need here among my own people,’ she answered.” The woman and her husband provided for Elisha and his servant. They did this out of their generosity and good nature, and did not expect anything in return. We see in the passage, when she was asked what she needed, she said that she needed nothing; “I have all I need.” But God knew what she needed. She was given a child, for she had none.

Jesus tells us in the Gospel, “Whoever receives you receives me, … Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple… will surely not lose his reward.”

It is important that we express gratitude to those who pay their tithe to the Church; those who bring various kinds of donations to the Church; to Church missions and establishments for the work of evangelization; those who sponsor the training of seminarians; and those who volunteers for all kinds of mission work and services in the Church and not expecting any material reward in return. May our God who rewarded the Shunamite woman and her husband reward all generous benefactors and benefactresses. In Luke 6:38, Jesus promises, “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

We also pray for governments, churches, organizations, and individuals who, generously, undertake works of mercy and charity to help and support the needy in our society and our world. It is a great thing that in this difficult Covid 19 Pandemic time, many people are risking and sacrificing their own lives in many ways to help those in dire need.

We are governed by the natural law of reward for work done. Scripture emphasizes that the laborer deserves his or her wages. The harder we work, the greater our reward.  However, the message today challenges our world driven by the selfish and self-interest motivated attitudes of ‘What’s in it for me?’ and ‘string attached mentality.’ Unfortunately, the age-old sins of ‘What’s in it for me?’ and ‘string attached mentality’ pervade all areas of human existence and have brought so much horror and pain to humanity. Unfortunately, the sins of ‘What’s in it for me’ and ‘string attached mentality,’ continually committed, are very much in all areas of human existence locally, nationally, and internationally. In many ways, our world has the same attitude as Judas who asked the chief priests, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” (Matthew 26:15).

As individuals, we are invited to examine our relationships and undertakings, and see where we have offended God and fellow human beings by the sins of ‘What’s in it for me,’ and ‘string attached mentality,’ and repent. We have a lot to learn from the Shunamite woman and her husband who provided for Elisha and his servant without expecting anything in return.

Jesus warns us, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” This warning can be interpreted to mean, whoever is selfish and ruled by self-interest, self-seeking, self-serving, self-absorption, self-love, self-indulgence, and self-regard cannot be a true disciple of him. Jesus lived a life of selflessness, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Our reflection today suggests that the crosses we carry and become true followers of Jesus are crosses of selflessness, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. 

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - June 21, 2020. Homily for the Twelfth Sunday in the ordinary time year A

Homily of Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time of Year A, 2020

Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:10-17, 33-35; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33

Jeremiah was one of the prophets God sent to prophesy to the people of Israel to turn from their sinful ways or they would face divine judgment. Jeremiah prophesied that since the people had failed to repent of their evil ways, a foreign power was going to conquer them, take them captives, and destroy the temple and Jerusalem. For such prophecy, Jeremiah was persecuted and was nearly killed. The first reading was a prayer of Jeremiah while he was being persecuted.

The Gospel was Jesus’ encouragement to his apostles. He told them to be fearless in proclaiming the Good News. He reminded them that, later on, their proclamation of the Good News would attract persecution. He assured them that they should not be discouraged by the persecution that would occur because their sustenance would come from God.

Violent persecution of Christians is going on in some parts of the world. In those places, Christians are killed, churches are burned, and properties are destroyed. In some places, Christians’ rights and privileges are denied them, and taken away from them.

Another type of persecution is anti-Christian policies set in motion and promoted by some governments, some media outlets, some institutions and some organizations. Some countries’ leadership no longer consider the fact that their countries’ foundations were built according to Christian principles. In some of these countries and places, Christian principles, symbols and identifications are condemned as offensive. The removal of Christian religious education from public schools in some countries and places is a ploy to destroy Christian Spirituality from its root. The suppression of Christian values creates the rise and spread of anti-Christian theories and practices. The drastically reduced number of Christians in the Western World and the rise and spread of non-Christian and anti-Christian ideologies, beliefs and practices can be seen as a direct impact of aggression against Christianity.

In the face of these kinds of persecution, Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel not to be afraid or discouraged. Jesus says, “… Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul … Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father…” By this statement, Jesus commands us to continue to acknowledge him to the world in every way possible as the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus encourages the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, “… Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. … Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father…” St. Paul speaks to the leadership of the Church in the following words: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5). If the leadership of the Church is resilient, the flock of God remain confident. If the leadership is frightened, the flock become discouraged.

Jeremiah represents messengers of truth who are persecuted, silenced, or eliminated everywhere: in our homes, neighborhoods, groups, work places, institutions, organizations, churches, countries, and so on. Jesus encourages messengers of truth, “… Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. … Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father…”

Jesus not only encourages us to stand firm in the face of persecution, he demands that we pray for persecutors. Jesus says, “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). We are to pray for persecutors’ repentance and conversion. We pray as Jeremiah prayed in the first reading that “persecutors will stumble; they will not prevail. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion.” We are to pray that their hearts of stone may change to hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

Finally, it is easy for me to see persecution out there but fail to recognize how I persecute others by my dealings with them or by my attitude to them. Do I, purposely, set out to frustrate, irritate, annoy, hurt, disturb, discourage anyone? Do I deny anyone what is due to him or her? Do I punish anyone because of my mischievous motives? Do I click or gang up against anyone or any group for ungodly reasons? Did I make any decision based on oppressing, maltreating, bullying, torturing, silencing, or eliminating anyone? O God, help me to be true to myself and be honest with myself. Amen.    

Fr Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - June 14, 2020. Homily for The Feast of The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Homily of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Year A, 2020

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; Psalm 147:12-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58

Every wise person intending to undertake an important long journey makes arrangement for food and drink to sustain him or her on the journey. Before the Israelites began the exodus, God commanded them to observe the Passover meal. The Passover meal was a spiritual exercise than just a physical meal, to sustain the Israelites spiritually on the journey. The first reading tells us how God continued to sustain them on their journey in the desert by providing them with manna.

Jesus did the same before he left the world. He instituted the Holy Eucharist, his Body and Blood, during the Last Supper, to sustain us on our spiritual journey on earth to eternity. St. Paul recalls in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This is my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”

During the Last Supper, Jesus did not say, “It is like my body.” Or, “It resembles my body.” Or, “It is in place of my body.” He said, “This is my body.” “This is my blood.” This is why we believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This is why we adore the Body of Jesus in the tabernacle. When we come into a Catholic Church and see a tabernacle and a tabernacle light, we know, immediately, that the Eucharist is present in the tabernacle. We are required to genuflect in reverence. Jesus is no longer physically with us, but he has left himself spiritually with us in the Eucharist.

Jesus teaches us in the Gospel, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.  …  Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. … This is the bread that came down from heaven. … Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51-58). The Catholic Church believes that this passage is one of the biblical foundations of her belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Non-Catholics, on the other hand, insist that this passage should be interpreted and understood figuratively.

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that the mystery of transubstantiation takes place during Eucharistic celebration at the prayer of consecration. At that time, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is our faith. We are grateful to God for the gift of the Eucharist. We, who celebrate the Eucharist and receive it know its power. There are uncountable testimonies.

We are to receive the Eucharist reverently and worthily. We must not disregard St. Paul’s advice in 1 Corinthians 11:28-29, “Let each one, then, examine himself before eating of the bread and drinking of the cup. Otherwise he drinks his own condemnation in not recognizing the body.” This is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation helps us to prepare for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

As already stated, the Eucharist is food for our spiritual journey. It gives us spiritual nourishment and refreshment to our soul just as material food gives nutrients and nourishment to our body.

The Eucharist has transformative power. It gives us the graces to become Christ-like, whom we receive. St. Augustine of Hippo challenges us, "Behold what you are; become what you receive." The material food we consume is absorbed by our body. But in the Eucharist we consume, we are absorbed in Christ Jesus. The Eucharist we receive should make us exclaim like St. Paul, “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20)

The Eucharist is the commemoration of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sanctification, for expiation of our sins, and for our salvation. It is for this reason that we celebrate the Eucharist for the living and the dead.

The Eucharist has physical and spiritual powers. God answers many prayers and uncountable miracles take place during the celebration of the Eucharist, and the many times we receive the Eucharist. This is why we celebrate the Eucharist for various intentions.

The celebration of the Eucharist is our communion with the Trinity, the angels and the saints. The celebration is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet after our life here on earth.

The benefits of the Eucharist are many. In the Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist is called the Sacrament of Piety, Bond of Charity, Mystery of Faith, Heavenly Remedy against the poison of sin, etc. It is for these reasons that we are encouraged to participate actively and attentively in the Eucharistic celebration and to receive the Eucharist worthily.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP