Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Thirty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B - October 31, 2021

Homily of Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 2021

 Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34

 The Book Deuteronomy contains laws and exhortations Moses gave to the Israelites that would guide them when they arrive to the Promised Land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” Today’s first reading contains the central statement of belief of the Jewish people known as Shema Israel. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Moses went further to instruct, “Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

 At the time of Jesus, some teachers and interpreters of the law emphasized that the more burnt offerings and sacrifices the people offered, and the more tithes the people paid, the closer they were to God. The scribe, an interpreter of the law, most likely, wanted to know Jesus’ opinion. Jesus replied by quoting the Shema Israel, and added Leviticus 19:19, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The amazed scribe acknowledged that to love God and to love one’s neighbor as oneself are “worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” We recall that Jesus, in Luke 11:12, condemned the Pharisees, “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and love of God.” Even now, does Jesus not condemn prosperity preachers whose priority is on their congregation’s paying of tithes over and above love of God and love of neighbor?

 Love of God and love of neighbor are like two hinges of a door. One of the hinges is love of God, and the other hinge is love of neighbor. If any of the hinges is absent, the door seizes to function. 1 John 4:19-21 says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

 At creation, God said, “Let us create man in our image, in the likeness of ourselves…” (Genesis 1:26). We share in God’s divine nature. Therefore, we have done to God what we have done to others because each of us is God’s image. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus teaches, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” In Acts 9:4-5, Jesus asked Saul, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul asked Jesus, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Jesus did not ask Saul why he was persecuting the Christians, but “Why are you persecuting me?”

 Love of neighbor is so important in our relationship with God that St. Peter writes, “Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). In the same understanding 1 John 3:14 says, “We are aware that we have passed over from death to life because we love our brother.”

 A chaplain wrote about an incident which took place in a prayer-discussion group in the prison where he ministered. “It was a windy evening … There was little heat in the room. An inmate … having come in a T-shirt and trousers, was shivering. Another inmate had come with his shoulders wrapped up in two blankets. Then, while they were discussing the idea of helping each other, the inmate that had two blankets suddenly got up, walked to the other inmate, and put one of his blankets around him.” This incident reminds us of John the Baptist’s advice to the crowd, “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise” (Luke 3:11). James also writes, “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:15-17). In this context, love of God is faith; good works is love of neighbor.

Pope Francis writes in his encyclical letter, The Light of Christ, “Anyone who sets off on the path of doing good to others is already drawing near to God, is already sustained by his help, for it is characteristic of the divine light to brighten our eyes whenever we walk towards the fullness of love” (No. 35).

 We are invited and challenged, especially during these difficult times, to go and express our love of God by sharing with the needy our extra ‘blankets’ and extra ‘tunics.’ Refusal of the invitation and challenge means that the claim to love God is false.

 Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

 

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B - October 24, 2021

Homily of Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 2021: World Mission Sunday

Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126:1-6; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52

Today is World Mission Sunday. Our reflection is in two parts: the first part is about the mission mandate of the Catholic Church; and the second part is on the readings of the Mass.

On this World Mission Sunday, we celebrate the Catholic Church’s obedience to Jesus’ commands:

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

“Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Matthew 10:8).

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and prisoners (Matthew 25:35-40).

Jesus assures us, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

The Catholic Church is in almost every part of the world carrying out Jesus’ commands. The Vatican II document, The Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church says, “The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father” (Ad Gentes, 2).

The Church is on mission in many difficult parts of the world where Christians are persecuted, where people are very impoverished, where people need education, and where people need medical care. We have the responsibility, not only to pray for the mission of the Church in the difficult parts of the world, but also to support the mission with financial help. That is the essence of today’s second collection. We have the responsibility to support the less privileged in the other parts of the world. The Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria has a saying, “Some give to the missions by going; some go to the missions by giving.” Based on this statement, we are all missionaries.

Pope Francis in his message for World Mission Day, 2021, writes, “… In these days of pandemic, when there is a temptation to disguise and justify indifference and apathy in the name of healthy social distancing, there is urgent need for the mission of compassion, which can make that necessary distancing an opportunity for encounter, care and promotion.” … “The theme of this year’s World Mission Day – ‘We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20), is a summon to each of us to ‘own’ and to bring to others what we bear in our hearts.”

The first reading has two interpretations. The first interpretation is that the reading is an excerpt of Prophet Jeremiah’s prophecy of consolation to the exiled people of Israel. Jeremiah consoled them to be hopeful and look forward to their redemption from their Babylonian captors and oppressors. The second interpretation is that the passage is a prophecy about Jesus, the redeemer, who was to come to liberate the world from sin, affliction and sorrow, as exemplified in today's gospel.

The story of Bartimaeus in the gospel is very challenging. On hearing that Jesus was passing, he began to cry out to him. To draw Jesus’ attention, Bartimaeus called him by his ancestral name, “Son of David.” The gospel made it clear that “many people rebuked him, telling him to be silent.” He refused to be silenced. He refused to be discouraged. The reading says, “He kept calling out the more.” He caught Jesus’ attention who stopped and said, “Call him.” The cloak the blind man was wearing showed that the weather was, probably, cold. But when Jesus sent for him, there was immediate interior and exterior transformation. He suddenly became warm.  “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus.” His request, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” When he received his sight, immediately he followed Jesus on the way.

We may not be physically blind like Bartimaeus, but we are spiritually blind in one way or another. We are spiritually blind when we have issues that obstruct our relationship with God, or when we do not see God’s hand in our lives, or see the signs God shows us. We are spiritually blind when we do not tell or accept the truth; or, we are shortsighted and unable to see the bigger picture. Our blindness may be that we are in some ‘darkness,’ and we need the light of Christ to light up our mind and our way. Our blindness may be that we are in search of something, and we need divine insight. Our blindness may be that we are in a ‘valley of decision’ and we need divine inspiration and guidance.

Many of us are spiritually blind, wrapped up with all kinds of cloaks, and sitting by the roadside but refuse to acknowledge our blindness and bondage and pray for healing and deliverance. Bartimaeus is an encouragement to us all.

May the “Son of David” hear our cry as he heard that of Bartimaeus. Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B - October 10, 2021

  Homily of Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 2021

Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalm 90:12-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30

The first reading explains to us the importance of wisdom. In order to understand the importance of wisdom, we need to know what wisdom is. The author of the Book of Job describes wisdom as the fear of the Lord and avoiding evil (Job 28:28). The fear of the Lord does not mean to be afraid of God who punishes sinners. It means to have a profound love for God by knowing his word and obeying it. It means to have a holy fear of the dangers one exposes himself or herself to by turning away from God. We are lost when we depart from the presence of God. Away from God’s presence, we fall into the hands of the Evil One. These dangerous situations should make any one tremble with fear.

Wisdom, the first reading says, is greater than scepter and throne. One can have scepter and throne, that is power, but have no wisdom. Such situation is disastrous.

Wisdom is greater than silver and gold. One can have silver and gold, that is material possession, but have no wisdom. Such situation brings about wastage and uselessness 

Wisdom is greater than health and comeliness. One can be healthy and handsome, or healthy and beautiful, but foolish.

Today, we are advised, “Get wisdom, get understanding! … Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you” (Proverbs 4:5-6). For by [wisdom] your days will be multiplied and the years of your life increased (Proverbs 9:10-11).

Despite his wealth, the young king, Solomon, prayed for wisdom: “Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil” (1 King 3:9).

The second reading says, “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12-13). This means that if we rely on the word of God, we will gain the wisdom that will always guide us to discern properly and to judge wisely. We must always refer to the word of God for our decisions and actions.

In the gospel, the man did nothing extra-ordinary by keeping the commandments. “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother” (Mark 10:19) were also civil laws. He would have faced the wrath of the law if he killed, or committed adultery, or bore false witness, or defrauded, or dishonored his parents. He would not be punished for failing to do works of charity.    

Therefore, Jesus challenged him to step out of his comfort zone and begin to live a more radical life of self-giving and self-sacrifice that are beyond keeping to the letter of the law. ‘“You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor …, then come and follow me.’ At the statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (Mark 10:21-22). His major problem is not that he had many possessions, but he lacked the spirit of self-giving and self-sacrifice.

 “Peter began to say to him, ‘We have given up everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come’” (Mark 10:28-30).

Some persons have the special calling which makes them able to, practically, give up their material possessions. Some persons are able to give up family and property in order to serve God and humanity. Many people are not called that way. But in one way or another, everyone is invited to a life of self-giving and self-sacrifice. We can respond positively to Jesus’ invitation. Or, we can have excuses and go away sad. Our unwillingness to live life of self-giving and self-sacrifice are the “many possessions.” Therefore, to think that Jesus’ words refer only to those having material possessions is to misunderstand the message.

Therefore, let us pray that we will be able to reject the wisdom of this world which St. Paul calls foolishness before God (1 Corinthian 3:19). Let us pray that we will embrace God’s wisdom that helps us to distinguish between good and evil; to do good and to avoid evil. And let us pray that we may reject the attitude of self-interest and embrace the spirit of self-giving and self-sacrifice to serve God and humanity.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP