Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent Year C - April 3, 2022

 Homily of Fifth Sunday of Lent Year C, 2022

Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 1-6; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-8

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. As we draw nearer to the Holy Week, the readings of today encourage us to confront and free ourselves from whatever keeps us in sin and bondage, so as to welcome the new things God is doing.

The first reading is Isaiah’s prophecy to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. God was going to do a new thing: to liberate them and return them to their own land. The prophecy was fulfilled when God used Cyrus, king of Persia, to free the Israelites from the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:2-4). Isaiah prophesied God’s plan. “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” The immediacy of God’s plan is reflected in these words, “Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19). 

It is in the spirit of such freedom that St. Paul declares in the second reading, “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him… Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit towards the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8).

I consider that this Sunday’s readings and reflection are a continuation of the theme of last Sunday’s readings and reflection. The last Sunday’s gospel was about the prodigal son who was able to rise from the severe famine stricken country, and the wretched state he landed himself into and returned to his father. He is an inspiration to many of us to rise from sin; to rise from the events of the past; to rise from things of long ago; to rise from what lies behind; and go forward to freedom; go forward to something new; go forward to what lies ahead; go forward to a new life in Christ. What sin, what events of the past, what things of long ago have I clung to? Last Sunday, we read from 2 Corinthians 5: 17, “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: old things have passed away, behold, new things have come.”

The scribes and the Pharisees had judged and condemned the woman caught in adultery. The woman committed adultery with a man. Where was the man? We see this type of ‘selective injustice’ all around us. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy when he said to them, “Let the one who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. … And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.” We see this type of hypocrisy all around us. We see all kinds of prejudice and humiliation against women in many cultures and institutions. Unfortunately, though, some women bring themselves low by the things they do by themselves and to themselves.

Jesus freed the woman by saying to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” Jesus Christ is the new King Cyrus who set us free from ourselves, from others, from the world, and from the evil one. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Let us come to him for transformative power.

A story is told of a child who threw his coin into a bottle-neck vase. He put his hand into the vase and picked his coin. Lo and behold, he couldn’t bring out his hand. His father came to his aid and tried, but in vain. His father was thinking of breaking the vase but realized that the child’s hand cannot come out as long as the child held the coin. The father said to him, “Drop the coin, free your fingers, keep your fingers straight and bring your hand out.” The child replied, “No, dad, I can’t let go my coin.” The father said, “Son, listen to me; let go the coin and free yourself!” Many of us are trapped like this child as long as we can’t let go.

Isaiah prophesied to the Jews as we read in the first reading: “Thus says the Lord, who opens a way in the sea… I am doing something new… In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers…I put water in the desert and river in the wasteland for my chosen to drink…” Today, this prophecy is for us. May this prophecy be fulfilled in us and in many helpless cases. Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent Year C - March 27, 2022

Homily of Fourth Sunday of Lent Year C, 2022

Joshua 5:9, 10-12; Psalm 34:2-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday (Sunday of Joy). 'Laetare' Latin word, meaning ‘Rejoice’ is the first word of today’s Mass entrance antiphon, “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast” (Isaiah 66:10-11). Laetare Sunday is a glimpse of the hope and joy that awaits us at Easter as we continue our Lenten journey.

On arrival in the Promised Land, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. Before the celebration of the feast of the Passover, God commanded Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise Israel… None of those born in the wilderness during the journey after the departure from Egypt were circumcised… When the circumcision of the entire nation was complete, they remained in camp where they were, until they recovered. Then the Lord said to Joshua: Today, I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5:1-9).

The circumcision is a sign of reconciliation with God. It made the entire nation new to celebrate the Passover and to settle in the Promised Land. The Israelites went through physical circumcision before the Passover and before they settled in the Promised Land. In the same way, we are required to go through spiritual circumcision, that is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as we journey through the Lenten Season and as we prepare to celebrate Easter. If physical circumcision was capable of removing the “reproach of Egypt” and sanctify the nation of Israel; even more so the Sacrament of Reconciliation is capable of obtaining forgiveness and removing the reproach of our sins. The power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is as stated by St. Paul in the second reading: It makes us new creation in Christ, old things pass away, and new things come. St. Paul continues, “All this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation…”  Therefore, the ministry of reconciliation is God’s creation, not the Church!

God said to Joshua, “Today, I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” We stand on this word of God and pray that the same declaration is made on us. Let us present to God our various ‘reproaches’ inflicted on us by difficulties of life. We pray that God removes them as he removed that of the Israelites. Amen.

We have a lot to learn from the four individuals in the Gospel reading.

The servant is obviously hasty with his response to the enquiry of the older brother. The servant’s emphasis on the slaughtering of the fattened calf did not help the matter. “Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf…” He was not asked about the fattened calf. Proverbs 10:19 says, “Where words are many sin is not wanting.”

The older brother represents the Pharisees, the scribes and the chief priests who did not believe that there was hope of salvation for tax collectors, sinners, and the Gentiles. Like the older brother, they were “angry and refused to enter the house…” In our time, the older brother represents people who write off others. He is also an example of people who work very hard but are very unhappy, full of complaints, envy, resentment, anger, and grudges.

The prodigal son’s father never gave up on the prodigal son. “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” He celebrated his son’s return and restored him to his former princely position. He put on him the finest robe, which means restoring the son’s royalty. He put a ring on his finger, which means renewing the father-son covenant broken by the son’s departure. He put sandals on his feet, which means restoring the son’s lost confidence. He granted his son unconditional forgiveness. God does not give up on us. He forgives us unconditionally when we make a true contrition. And Jesus teaches us, to forgive others as God forgives us (Luke 11:4).

The prodigal son represents the tax collectors, the sinners, and the Gentiles who came to believe in Jesus and followed him. The prodigal son’s ability to come to his senses, rise above shame and guilt, and return to his father is very remarkable. A person can only be written off if the person writes off himself or herself. The prodigal son encourages and inspires us not to remain where we have fallen, or remain in the sin of the past, or the mistakes of the past, or the guilt of the past, or the wounds of the past, or the past setbacks.

We are in the Season of Grace. It is a time for spiritual circumcision. It is a time to come to our senses and rise up from where we have fallen. It is a time to return to God. It is a time to reconcile with fellow human beings. God’s grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent Year C - March 13, 2022

 Homily of Second Sunday of Lent Year C, 2022

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:17-41; Luke 9:28-36

In some ancient cultures, including the Aramean culture where Abram belonged, when two parties or individuals made a covenant, they cut an animal into half, arranged the halves on two sides, and the parties or the individuals who made the covenant passed through between the animal parts. This ritual sealed the covenant. Passing through between the animal parts arranged on two sides was a way of swearing that what happened to the animal might happen to anyone who went against the covenant (Jeremiah 34:18). This ritual seems, partly, to be what is described in the first reading. “Abram brought [God] all these, split them in two, placed each half opposite the other…When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the Lord made a covenant with Abram…” The smoking fire pot and flaming torch which passed between the animal parts can be said to represent God’s divine presence. We can, also, assume that Abram might have passed through between the animal parts before the trance fell upon him.

The first reading is not a study of ancient Aramean’s way of making a covenant. It is a reminder of our various covenants with God. For instance, in baptismal covenant, we are initiated as followers of Christ. But many times, we fall short of our baptismal promises: to renounce sin, evil and Satan; and to believe in God, in Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit. We are, therefore, called during the holy season of Lent, to renew our baptismal covenant with God.

Very importantly also, the Lenten season draws us deep into the mystery of Christ’s passion and death. Christ’s passion and death is beautifully demonstrated by the Stations of the Cross which we are encouraged to attend during the Lenten season. Abram sacrificed animals, but Jesus sacrificed himself. His blood he shed on the cross is of eternal covenant for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 13:20). It is wonderful to behold heroic sacrifices of people who help others. What sacrifice can I make for the sake of others?

In the gospel, while Jesus was on the mountain and praying, “his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” In the church building where we are gathered is our own mountain; let us pray for our own transfiguration, that we may also dazzle. May we transfigure in such a way that whatever holds us spiritually or physically from dazzling be removed; and our faces be radiant (Psalm 34:5).

May I invite us to pray this Litany of Transfiguration:

We pray to transfigure from sin to repentance, from weakness to strength,

from fear to courage; from bad health to good health,

from ugliness to beauty, from disappointment to satisfaction,

from failure to success, from sorrow to joy,

from disharmony to harmony, from enmity to friendliness,

from lack of faith to strong faith, from inactivity to activity,

from apathy to action, from condemnation to blessing,

from darkness to light, from blindness to sight,

from stagnancy to freshness, from dryness to fruitfulness,

from emptiness to fullness, from crises to peace,

from hate to love, from jealousy to admiration,

from unforgiveness to reconciliation, from exclusion to inclusion,

from defeat to victory, from shame to honor,

from hidden to revealed, from ignorance to knowledge,

from poverty to riches, from losing to finding,

from destruction to restoration, from anger to calmness,

from bondage to freedom, from problem to solution,

from injustice to justice, from misfortune to fortune,

from despair to confidence, from fall to rise,

from danger to safety, from defenseless to protected,

from mourning to gladness, from incompletion to completion,

from lies to truth, from foolishness to wisdom,

from pride to humility, from disobedience to obedience,

from disagreement to agreement, from loss to profit,

from decrease to increase, from low to high,

from sealed to unseal, from closed to open,

from death to life, from helplessness to miracle. (You may add your own prayer.)

In today’s gospel, “from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him”’ (Luke 9:35). Jesus confirms the transformative power of his words in Matthew 7:24-25, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.” Jesus also says, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).

O Lord, may we be listeners and doers of your words. Amen. That is the greatest transfiguration!

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the First Sunday of Lent Year C - March 6, 2022

Homily of First of Lent Year C, 2022

Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 1-2, 10-13; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

Moses did not reach the Promised Land. However, he set for the Israelites laws and directives they were to keep in the Promised Land that would guide their relationship with God and with one another. The first reading was a pronouncement to be made during the feast of harvest thanksgiving. The pronouncement summaries Israel’s history and journey with God, from their ancestors to their settling in the Promised Land. The offering of the first fruits from one’s farm and the pronouncement were an expression of gratitude to God for his blessings. The reading encourages us to be grateful to God for his love and mercy, and to express our gratitude practically by offering to the Church of God from the blessings we have received.

On offering to the Church Sirach 35:6-13 says, “Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts. The offering of the just enriches the altar: a sweet odor before the Most High. The sacrifice of the just is accepted, never to be forgotten. With a generous spirit pay homage to the Lord, and do not spare your freewill gifts. With each contribution show a cheerful countenance and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. For he is a God who always repays and will give back to you sevenfold.” The Church uses the offering to serve humanity, carry out the work of evangelization, and build up God’s kingdom here on earth.

The devil does not want us to have a good relationship with God. He comes with all kinds of temptations to draws us away from God. The gospel story of the temptation of Jesus by the devil shows us some of the subtle ways the devil tempts us. The first temptation shows us that the devil tempts through our needs. The temptation shows how the devil tempts us to get what we want through improper means (turn stone to bread). The second temptation shows us that the devil tempts us to worship the things of this world and derive power and fame from them rather than from God (“I shall give you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish”). The third temptation shows how the devil tempts us to engage in harmful and dangerous ambitious activities and expecting God to save us (throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple and expecting angels to catch you).

The three temptations can be summarized as ungodly quest for wealth, power, and miracle. Jesus teaches us that when we put God aside and pursue wealth, power, and miracle, we become tools of the devil.

If the devil tempted Jesus who is God, he will tempt us more who are mere human beings. In the Book of Job, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you been?’ Then the Satan answered …  ‘Roaming the earth and patrolling it”’ (Job 2:2). This is why 1 John 5:19 warns, “We know that we are children of God, [but] the whole world is under the control [constant attack] of the evil one.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 also warns, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” St. Augustine encourages us where he writes, “Our pilgrim life here on earth cannot be without temptation, for it is through temptation that we make progress, and it is only by being tempted that we come to know ourselves.” The following words from the second reading are very encouraging, “No one who believes in [Jesus] will be put to shame… For every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:11, 13). Hebrews 2:18 assures us, “Because he himself was tempted through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  It is by the power of his name that we triumph over every temptation as he himself did.

The power of the evil one is the power we give to him. Listen to this parable:

“A donkey was tied to a tree. A demon came and released it. The donkey entered a farmer’s field and began destroying his crop. The farmer’s wife saw the donkey, got angry and shot the donkey with her rifle and killed it. The donkey’s owner saw the dead donkey, got angry and fired at the woman with his rifle and killed her. When the farmer saw his dead wife, he killed the donkey’s owner. The donkey’s owner sons seeing their father dead burned the farmer’s field. The farmer in retaliation killed them. When the demon was asked what he has done, he said: ‘I did nothing, I only released the donkey.’ Do you get it? The devil doesn’t have power to do much, except to release the donkey, and we do the rest.”

I wish you a spirit-filled Lenten Season.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP