Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Second Sundy of Lent Year B - February 28, 2021

Homily of Second Week of Lent Year B, 2021

 Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18; Psalm 116:10, 15-19, Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10

 Abraham was called by God to leave his native land for the land God was to show him. Abraham, although 75 years old, obeyed God and left his father’s house, his relatives, and his land and “went as the Lord directed him” (Genesis 12:1, 4).

 Today, in the first reading, God commanded Abraham, “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There offer him up as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham obeyed. He set out with his servants and Isaac.

 As they were on their way, Isaac asked Abraham a heart-touching question: “The fire and wood are here, where is the lamb for the sacrifice” (Genesis 22:7). This question could have made Abraham to change his mind from offering his son, Isaac, as a burnt sacrifice. But Abraham, being a man of obedience and faith, replied to Isaac, “God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice” (Genesis 22:8). This was a prophecy because God provided a ram, not just a lamb, which Abraham sacrificed instead of his son Isaac (Genesis 22:13). For this reason, “Abraham named that place Yahweh-yireh …,” meaning, “God-the-Provider” (Genesis 22:14). God, then, promised numerous blessings to Abraham and his descendants because he obeyed his command (Genesis 22:18). God’s providence and blessings accompany obedience to him and faith in him.

 We recall that earlier, Abraham gave a prophecy when he said to his servants that accompanied him, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship and then we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:8). This prophecy was also fulfilled. After Abraham sacrificed the ram, he and Isaac came back to the servants and they returned home. Because Abraham was obedient to God and had faith in God, his utterances became prophetic. That is the power of obedience and faith. James 2:23 remarked about Abraham, “Abraham believed in God so he was considered a righteous person and was called a friend of God.” Obedience and faith make us righteous and friends of God.

 Abraham’s obedience to God and faith in God are presented to us to challenge us and encourage us on our journey of faith, and in our relationship with God. If we obey God and have faith in him, he will bless us; he will provide for us; we will be his friends. He will shield us from forces against us. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (second reading, Romans 8:31). When we put God first, he takes care of us. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, unshakable, forever enduring. As mountains surround Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds his people both now and forever” (Psalm 125:1-2).

 Abraham’s words, “God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice,” was a prophecy about Jesus Christ; which was fulfilled when John the Baptist said about Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). St. Paul says in the second reading, “He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all…” (Romans 8:32). The ram was sacrificed in order to spare Isaac. In the same way, Jesus, the Lamb of God was sacrificed in order to spare us. God instructs us in today’s gospel about the Lamb, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7). He is the One who takes away our sins and the One who gives us life. The words of the Lamb “are spirit and they are life” (John 6:64).

 When Jesus, the Lamb of God, transfigured, as we have read in today’s gospel, his clothes became dazzling white. This is an invitation to us during the Lenten Season which is a season of grace and a season of transfiguration. We pray that as we journey through the Lenten Season, we may transfigure from disobedience to obedience, from weak faith or lack of faith to strong faith, from indifference to the word of God to listening to the word of God, from being far from God to being close to God, from sin to righteousness, from obscurity and gloominess to dazzling beauty. Through the transfiguration of the Lenten Season may we have a share of Abraham’s blessings; and may the Lord surround us both now and forever. Amen.

 Fr. Martin Eke, MSP   

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the First Sundy of Lent Year B - February 21, 2021

Homily of First Week of Lent Year B, 2021

 Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25:4-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15

 The first reading tells us about God’s covenant with Noah. I think that what Noah did after surviving the flood contributed to God’s covenant with him. Scripture says, “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the Lord smelled the sweet odor, the Lord said to himself: Never again will I curse the ground because of human beings, since the desires of the human heart are evil from youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living being, as I have done. All the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:18-22). The entire first reading contains details of God’s covenant with Noah. Noah did not take his surviving the flood for granted. He built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifice. Noah’s gratitude, thanksgiving, and putting God first earned him God’s covenant. This teaches us the power of gratitude, thanksgiving, and putting God first. May we be able to offer God sweet smelling sacrifice. May God smell our sacrifice and renew his covenant with us. Amen.

 I still remember the impressive way my catechism teacher, years ago, presented the story of Noah. He said that Noah warned his country people about the impending rain and flood as a result of their sinful life; but they did not believe him. They preferred their worldly and sinful life. When the rain and flood came, they all perished.

 As Noah warned his country people to repent of their sins (according to my catechism teacher), Jesus warns us in today’s gospel, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). St. Paul writes in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus Christ is the new Noah’s ark that lifts us up to safety and leads us to God (second reading, 1 Peter 3:18). Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

 The readings invite us to soul-searching. Am I, stubbornly, engaged in a behavior or behaviors that if I do not disengage from, would ruin my life, my faith, my career, my business, my finance, my family, my vocation, my position, my job, my marriage, my future, and so on? When St. Paul says that the wages of sin is death; sometimes, it could be bodily death; but most of the time, it is spiritual death, especially the ruin a person brings upon himself or herself. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…” Many people take God’s patience for granted at a very high cost as Noah’s country people did. Let us make hay while the sun shines. Let us catch the dark skinned goat before nightfall. Today, we hear the Lord calling; let us not harden our hearts (Psalm 95:7). Let us not be wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 3:7). “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their own ruses,’ and again: ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain’” (1 Corinthians 3:19).

 The Lenten Season is one of the special times God invites us to come back to the source of our salvation. It is a season of grace and a season of repentance.

 In today’s gospel reading, the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert where he was tempted by Satan. Jesus was among wild beasts, but the angels ministered to him. In the same way, we are in all kinds of deserts; and encountering all kinds of trials and temptations. We are among all kinds of dangerous and prowling wild beasts. We pray God to send his angels to minister to us, and guide us to triumph over trials, conquer temptations, and strengthen us to survive the prowling of every dangerous wild beast. Amen.

 

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary time Year B - February 14, 2021

Homily of Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 2021

 Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45

 The Book of Leviticus is so called because it deals with concerns of priests. At that time, priests were of the tribe of Levi. The book deals with ritual and spiritual rules and regulations. The first reading is about some regulations concerning the disease of leprosy and the responsibility of priests. It was the responsibility of the priest to declare a person leprous and unclean. Anyone declared leprous by the priest “shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” The leprous “shall keep his garment rent and head bare, and muffle his beard;” and shout “unclean, unclean” should he come by people (Leviticus 13:44-46). By so doing, the leprous alerted the people to give way so as not to be made ‘unclean.’ Leviticus 5:3 instructs, “If someone, without being aware of it, touches some human uncleanness, whatever kind of uncleanness this may be, and then subsequently becomes [unclean].”

 Leprosy was a dangerous disease. It mercilessly chops off part of the body; toes, fingers, ears’ blades, lips, eyelashes, and so on. It hardens the parts of the body it affects in such a way that it renders medication ineffective. No wonder it was a dreaded disease among the Jews, as we see in the first reading. But in the gospel of today, Jesus treated the leper differently. We read, “A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, ‘If you wish, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, ‘I do will it. Be made clean.’ The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.” People during the time of Jesus were amazed at him and said, “A new teaching with Authority” (Mark 1:27). We are all spiritually leprous. Our sins spiritually deformed and disfigured us. Our sins sometimes harden our hearts that the word of God is unable to penetrate us. We are all unclean. But Jesus treats us with pity. We need to learn from the leper and come to Jesus. He will touch us, forgive us, and heal us. Let us bring to Jesus all our illnesses and afflictions. May Jesus be moved with pity, touch and make us whole. Amen.

 We pray with this song:

Touch me one more time, O Lord;

Touch me one more time, O Lord;

I need the forgiving touch of the Master;

I need the forgiving touch of the Lord;

Touch me one more time, O Lord.

 Touch me one more time, O Lord;

Touch me one more time, O Lord;

I need the healing touch of the Master;

I need the healing touch of the Lord;

Touch me one more time, O Lord.

 It was the priest that declared a leprous unclean (Leviticus 13:8); and it was the priest that declared a person clean when the person was healed from leprosy (Leviticus 13:17). In the gospel reading of today, Jesus said to the man he healed from leprosy, “… go, show yourself to the priest …” (Mark 1:44). These passages are not mere coincidence. The passages are some of the biblical foundations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We show ourselves to the priest at the Sacrament of Reconciliation in humble obedience to Jesus. And the priest, in the name and authority of Jesus and the Church, declares us ‘clean.’   

 On our own part, are there people we treat as if they are lepers? Are there people we despise, ostracize, exclude, and discriminate against? Are there people we label ‘unclean’ and avoid them? We cannot be desiring to be close to God while we resentfully distance ourselves from fellow human beings. We cannot be praying to God and asking for forgiveness and healing while we refuse to do the same to fellow human beings. Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” We are challenged, today, not to belittle anyone, or treat anyone as if the person is inferior and worthless. St. Paul advises us in the second reading, “Avoid giving offense, whether Jew or Greek or the Church of God” (1 Corinthians 10:32). Jesus sets an example for us to imitate.

 Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary time Year B - February 7, 2021

 Homily of Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 2021

 Job 7:1-4, 6-7; Psalm:1-6; 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23; Mark 1:29-39

 There was a belief among the Jews that suffering was punishment for sin and sinners. Jesus’ disciples revealed this belief when they asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). The first reading is from the Book of Job. The book was a spiritual treatise written for the Jews to correct the wrong belief that suffering is punishment for sin and sinners. It is a story of an upright man, Job, who went through terrible suffering yet he remained faithful to God. The story teaches us not to conclude that suffering is punishment for sin and sinners, but to remain faithful to God during all trials and temptations as Job did. Job received double reward from God for his faithfulness. “The Lord even gave to Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10). The story, also, teaches that there is double reward for faithfulness. Many people lose their faith during trials and temptations, either by seeking ungodly solutions to their sufferings; or by getting angry with God and separating themselves from him.

 In the first reading Job lamented, “So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. … I shall not see happiness again” (Job 7:3, 7). Many people, due to their distress, can identify with Job’s lamentation. It is helpful, also, to identify with Job’s faith. Job 13:1 says, “In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with wrong.” Rather, Job made a profession of faith, “Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him” (Job 13:15). Like Job, let us persevere, keep faith, and trust in God; and wait for double reward.

 St. Paul, in the second reading, addresses another kind of faithfulness; and that is faithful stewardship. He uses himself as an example, “If I preach the gospel, [there] is no reason for me to boast, … and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. …  [and] when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge …” “To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all …” (1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23). We are all called to imitate St. Paul’s faithfulness and perseverance in our  stewardship.

 The second reading brings to mind this piece by an unknown author:

 Some people have a job in the Church and others are invited or seek out for themselves a ministry in the Church.

If you are doing it just because no one else will, it is a job. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it is a ministry.

If you quit because someone criticizes you, it is a job. If you remain in spite of someone’s remarks or opinion, it is a ministry.

If you will do it as long as it does not interfere with other activities, it is a job. If you are committed to staying, even if it means letting go of other activities, it is a ministry.

If you quit because no one thanked you or praised you, it is a job. If you stick to it, even though no one recognized your effort, it is a ministry.

It is hard to get excited about a job. It is impossible not to get excited about a ministry.

If your concern is success, it is a job. If your concern is faithfulness and service, it is a ministry.

If God calls you to a ministry, please do not treat it like a job.

 In today’s Gospel, Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law who had fever; and cured many who were sick with various diseases, and drove out many demons. Jesus did all the miracles as the result of the faith in him. “Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.” “When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons” (Mark 1:29-34). Here is faith in action.

  Let us, therefore, “immediately” tell Jesus about our “fever;” and “gather at [his] door” bringing all our illnesses and possessions for he is our savior and healer. May the words of today’s Psalm fulfill in our lives: “The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, healing the brokenhearted, and binding up their wounds” (Psalm 147:2-3). Amen.

 Fr. Martin Eke, MSP