July 19, 2026. 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-30

 

The Bastard Wheat

There is a parable about Good and Evil. One day, Good and Evil met upon the shore of the sea. They said to each other, “Let us disrobe and bathe in the sea.” After they bathed in the sea for some time, Evil came to the shore, clothed itself with the Good’s garment, and walked away. Later, Good too came out and found that Evil had taken away its clothes. Feeling ashamed to go naked, Good garmented itself with the Evil’s clothes. To this day, both Good and Evil walk around in their disguised clothes. Only those who know the face of Good and Evil can identify their true nature despite the garments.

 

Today’s readings demonstrate the problem of evil in the world. We know of its presence. We see it every day. We read about it, not just in history books, but witness it in our streets, at home, in church, in our neighborhood, and in the nations of the world. How do we explain the manifestation of evil all around us? A young man went into the grocery store, spat into bottles of iced tea, and laughed about it. A young woman spits on food items in another grocery store, licks butter, and scoops ice cream into her mouth. Many other atrocities abound in social media. What about the man who sets a dog’s tail on fire and delights himself as the dog writhes in pain? Or those who tell lies about their neighbors or shoot and kill human beings just for the fun of it. Or taking the lives of unborn children in the womb; setting a house on fire and watching with glee as the occupants suffocate and die; or intentionally manipulating figures to look good after mismanagement and misappropriation of funds. We sometimes feel like Bob Marley and the Wailers, who in 1973 sang, “Stop that train, I’m leaving.” No wonder the rich want to get out of the world and move to Mars. It makes us question the effectiveness of the Gospel and the labors of missionaries and religious leaders in our country and beyond. Has Christianity failed? G.K. Chesterton would say, "No, Christianity hasn’t failed; it just has never been tried. For if enough people lived the Gospel message in its fullness, the difference would be clear.

 

The parable of the Weed and the Wheat teaches us that saints and sinners must coexist in the world. After all, they were both created by God, out of love. The weed, or darnel, was so indistinguishable from wheat in its early stages of growth that it was called bastard wheat. One may uproot the wheat in an attempt to uproot the weed. The farmer must therefore wait patiently till harvest time. The wheat and the weed must be allowed to grow together till the end. According to the first reading from the book of Wisdom, “You (God) taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.” No matter how bad the world may be, there is still hope for those who have faith. And so, St. Paul, in the second reading, enjoins us to ask the Spirit for assistance in prayers. We are weak; on our own, we can do nothing good. But “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groaning. And the one who searches hearts knows what the intention of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”

 

Today’s readings teach us that there is a hostile power in the world competing with the power to do good. The power of evil always seeks to destroy the good in us. Evil can disguise and fool us like darnel weed and the wheat. They looked exactly alike in their shape and size. There was only a slight color variation. But when eaten, the darnel was poisonous. This can make us mistake evil for good. St. Paul exclaimed, “For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.” (Rom. 7:19). But trusting in the mercy of God, Paul overcame his weaknesses. Therefore, we must be on our guard so that evil may not overpower us. We are also reminded that it is not always easy to distinguish between those who wish us well and those who seek to destroy us. It’s not written on our faces the intentions of our hearts.

 

This is why we should be on our guard. When the servants, in the parable, asked the Master, “Did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy had done this.” Who is your enemy, who is ready to plant bad seed in your farm? They are those who laugh with and eat with you, who you confide in, but who tell your business to the whole world. They will block your promotion and make up stories about you. They are your trusted friends who tell you how much they care for you. But they are just waiting for you to fall asleep, so that they will plant weed among your wheat. They intend to destroy you. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. They hate because they are jealous of your achievements, your children, and everything you are and own. They come to you as friends so that they may have easy access to your life and know just where to hit and destroy you. They are in the church, in your office, and in your neighborhood. Beware of them! Someone may appear to be good to you but is in fact the devil incarnate, and those you think are evil may indeed be good.

 

Today’s parable also teaches us that judgment belongs to God, and yet he is slow to anger but rich in mercy. Hence, the first reading says, “But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you.” At the end, evil will be overcome, because there is a seed of destruction in every demon. It has a day of reckoning and will sooner or later destroy itself. On the Day of Judgment, a day of harvest, it will be gathered and burnt. It doesn’t matter how long evil will triumph in the world; one day it will meet its end, and the children of light will shine like the stars of heaven. So, this parable warns us against judging people. It is wrong to be quick to judge and condemn people without knowing the facts about them. Do not judge someone by one single act or stage in life. People must be given the benefit of the doubt. Judgment cannot come until the end of our lives. In the end, the judgment of God will come on all sinners. Hence, swift and jungle justice are not the solution for a composite being like man. A man can have a change of mind and heart at any time. All judgments must be left in God’s domain, for if you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord who can stand? May the Holy Spirit aid us as we pursue a life of holiness and justice and recognize the hidden enemies of our lives.  Amen.

 

                            Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

July 12, 2026. 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23

The Power of the Word

1.     Today, Jesus tells a parable of a Sower who went out to sow his seed and the four types of soil that received the seed. The Sower is God, who created us out of love and planted the seed of faith in our hearts. “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will endure.” (Jn. 15:16). God’s gift is bestowed on us gratuitously. It is a free gift – a blessing and grace completely unmerited. If we cooperate with God’s gift of faith, God will change and transform us. The soil stands for the different hearts that receive God’s word. Each person must accept or reject God’s offer of grace.

 

2.     In the first reading, Isaiah the prophet pleads with the captives in Babylon. He assured them that God would bring them out of bondage, after years in captivity, to their homeland in God’s own time. Many of them doubted. They gave in to despondency and despair, turning their backs on God. So, Isaiah compared the word of God to rain and snow that have the power to keep the world green and alive. God’s promises will come true in their time. “Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.” (Habakkuk 2:2-4). God’s word came true indeed. After roughly 50 years in exile, the children of Israel were liberated by the Persians, who destroyed the Babylonian Empire and allowed them to return home. Like Isaiah compared the word of God to rain and snow, Jesus compares God’s word today to the seed planted by the Sower.

 

3.      How we react to God’s word is sometimes determined by our socio-cultural environments. At times, the situations we find ourselves in may affect our response to God’s grace. According to St Paul, in the second reading, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Being aware of human suffering, Paul tells us to imagine the human and created world as being involved in one giant act of giving birth: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains.” Then he added, “We ourselves…grown inwardly while we wait for… the redemption of our bodies.” Paul believed redemption would take place in the kingdom of God on a day when all people would see themselves as adopted children of God.  The word of God will help us to achieve this goal. For “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17). Therefore, we must be disposed and willing to put his word into practice. Hence, the story of the Sower.

4.     The parable presents four responses to the generosity of the Sower. Note that in only one case was the word rejected outright. In the other three cases, it was received with joy. The problem is not in receiving the word, but in treasuring and putting it into practice. Thus, there are different ways of accepting God’s word, and the fruit that it produces depends on the heart of the one who accepts it. The fate of any spoken word depends on the hearer. (a) The seed on the path is those who lack the moral disposition necessary for true conversion. They hear the word without understanding. They ask no questions and have no time to study what they do not understand. As soon as they received the word, they cast it by the wayside. They allow pride and prejudice to shut the word from their hearts. They are unteachable and blind to the fact that they do not know. They harden their hearts, close their eyes to the truth, and turn their backs on the word. As birds feast on seed, so does the devil feast on their weak faith and snatch the word from their fickle hearts. (b) The second seed falls on rocky ground that has little soil. Here, one may profess faith in the Lord, but such spirituality is shallow and superficial. These people are emotional and are swept off their feet as soon as they hear the word. They fail to think things out and through. They are at the mercy of every new and crazy idea. Their lives are littered with things they began and never finished. When this attitude is applied to the word of God, one faces disaster in one’s spiritual life. They mistake emotional attraction for deep faith. No one lives on emotion. We have minds, and it is a moral obligation to have an intelligent faith. Christianity has its demands, and these must be faced before it can be accepted. The Christian offer is not only a privilege but also a responsibility. A sudden enthusiasm can always so quickly become a dying fire.

 

5.     (c) The third seed fails to grow because thorns choke it to death. Here is someone who cannot let go and let God rule his life. In his order of priorities, God does not rank very high. Prestige, power, possession, and pride take precedence. This person has so many interests in life that they skewed their priorities completely. He is too busy to pray, too preoccupied with material things, with family life, work, business, and other social activities in the community. Reading the bible or finding time for spiritual things becomes a distraction. And going to Mass is an interruption or, at best, a disturbance to his Sunday schedule. He may be so involved in committees and good works of charitable services that it leaves him no time for himself or for God. He is so involved in the work of the Lord that he forgets the Lord of the work. We must be careful not to block God out of our busy lives. (d) The fourth seed sprouts and produces a rich harvest. The word of God penetrates a person’s entire being and permeates his whole existence. The yield is bountiful in love and compassion, in honesty and a simple lifestyle, and concern for the dejected and the downtrodden. This person has an open mind; he is willing to learn and prepared to listen. He is never too proud or too busy to listen and to learn. He understands the importance of taking advice and counsel from wise friends and knows the value of good spiritual reading. He translates what he hears into action and produces the good fruit of the good seed! Four seeds, one Sower. The real hearers are those who listen, who understand, and who obey. They yield a harvest through their perseverance.

6.     Today’s readings call us to action. They remind us that God’s word will bear fruit abundantly regardless of how it is received. His word has power and can help us live better lives. “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. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” (Heb. 4:12-13). Let us pray that we may “Be doers of the word and not hearers only.” Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

 

July 5, 2026. 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Zechariah 9:9-10; Romans 8:9,11-13; Matthew 11:25-30

 

Come to me all who Labor!

1.    In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to learn from him so that we may have rest for our souls. He speaks of the mutual knowledge of wisdom between Him and God and invites the weary to come to him for refreshment. Jesus urges us to learn humility from him. This is reechoed in today’s first reading. “See, your king shall come to you; a just Savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” The vision of Zechariah the prophet was such that God would raise a ruler in the Davidic line, anointing him to carry out a universal mission of peace and reconciliation. According to him, this mighty king would be poor and committed to peace (humble and riding on a donkey) rather than to war (riding on a horse). And yet this king of peace was doubted and rejected, even by his closest associates. John the Baptist wondered whether Jesus was the one “Who is to come” whom he proclaimed. (Matt. 11:1-15).

 

2.    Despite his rejection, Jesus is full of praise to God, because the proud and the haughty, the Rabbis and the wise rejected him, but the poor, the humble, the meek and the gentle, even children, embraced and clung to his words. Christ rejoiced at the revelation that his apostles chose to follow him. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of everlasting life. Christ rejected intellectual pride, which made it difficult for his simple teaching of love and mercy to be accepted. To follow Christ in his simplicity, we must do so with our hearts, not our heads. William Barclay observed that “It is not cleverness which shuts out; it is pride. It is not stupidity that admits; it is humility. A man may be as wise as Solomon, but if he has not the simplicity, the trust, the innocence of the childlike heart, he shuts himself out.” The simple, the humble, the poor, and children are closer to the heart of God; they will inherit the earth. Our prayer should bring us closer to God. The more we pray, the humbler we should become. When we learn humility and compassion, we must demonstrate them in our relationships with people around us.

 

3.    Christ invites us to “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Is the burden you bear too heavy for you? It is not from God. Christ knows our life’s burden may seem insurmountable. We are weary, indeed. We worry about political and economic uncertainties; we may be concerned about our jobs, or sickness in the family, and the burden of caring for elderly parents. It may be the difficulty of scoring high grades in school or peer pressure at work. Our weariness may be the responsibility of directing others as parents, teachers, or supervisors. It may be loneliness or caring for others. No matter the weariness we may feel or the burden we bear, Jesus invites us, “Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28).

 

4.    The fact that the poor and the lowly are God’s blessed ones does not mean they are free from the weariness and burdens of human life. In fact, they often suffer more than the rich and the powerful. But all of us, rich or poor, strong or weak, have our share of weariness and burdens. We all feel fatigue from hard work. We feel boredom, which comes from vague dissatisfaction with life, and we, at one point or another, have moments of depression. Christ invites us all, regardless of our situation. He doesn’t expect us to carry the burden of life alone. Do not be afraid, he tells us. Like the yoke that two animals carry, Christ will carry our burdens with us. He assures us, I am with you always till the end of time. “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palms of my hands I have written your name.” (Is. 49:15-16). He tells us, “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn. 16:33).

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

June 28, 2026. 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: 2 Kings 4:8-12, 14-16; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42

 

The Difficulty of Discipleship.

1.     Last Sunday, we listened to Jesus as he gave his apostles instructions before they were sent out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He made it clear that their journey would be anything but easy. They were to expect the worst but hoped for the best. He told them not to fear those who could only kill the body but had no power to cast the soul into hell. God controlled their lives and knew even the number of hairs on their heads. Today, as Jesus concludes his address, he warned, “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; whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” These are hard words! Christ stressed, in no small way, the difficulty of discipleship. Our call to discipleship means a clean break from family ties, blood relationships, and encumbrances with worldly things. We must die to ourselves so that we may live for Christ. Therefore, our mission responsibility should be our number one priority. Our priority should be the cross of our Lord, while depending entirely on the generosity of the people we are sent to.

 

2.     As I read these instructions, I think of my work in the Banjul Diocese of the Gambia. It was tough. I had to learn a new language and struggled with a different culture. But that was nothing compared to what the St. Patrick Fathers (SPS) from Ireland, who brought Christianity to my region in Nigeria, endured. They survived hardships of a magnitude proportion in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There were no roads, pipe-borne water, electricity, hospitals, schools, churches, or rectories. They fought to stay alive against malaria, influenza, and cholera; many died a few weeks after arrival. They struggled with the language, the tribal people, the elements, and the harsh environments and weather conditions. Gradually, however, they built rectories, churches, schools, and hospitals. They taught the children not just religion but also provided them with the best education at that time. They died to themselves to give us a new life. Thanks to them, many are priests today, following in their footsteps to give others what they received. They proved that the best life is the life lived for others. In sacrificing for others, we give a meaningful life of peace and tranquility. 

 

3.     Today’s Gospel clearly states that missionary work cannot be undertaken by everyone in the same way. But all are called to be missionaries, regardless. Some people support the mission work financially, spiritually, and morally, while others give of themselves. Missionaries respond to the call to leave homes and families to bring the Gospel to people in foreign lands. Without the sending and the receiving Church, mission work would be impossible. A disciple is one sent; therefore, churches must be open to receive and support missionary disciples. In receiving them, they receive Jesus and the Father who sent him. Christ reiterates: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Those who show hospitality to missionaries will be rewarded. These are Jesus’ words: “Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of a righteous person.” 

 

4.     Every Christian must take an active part in responding to the mission of the church.  We must respond to the divine mandate of Christ to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt. 28:19). The story of Elisha’s meeting with the wealthy, though childless, woman of Shunem, in the first reading, illustrated how God has always rewarded generosity to those engaged in divine mission. She and her husband were promised a child because of their generosity to Elisha, the man of God. ‘One good turn deserves another,’ indeed! We can change the world through our generosity. We may not know what acts of kindness will change the lives of people we meet daily, but God knows. Our sporadic acts of kindness are all we need to bring transformation to the people we encounter.

 

5.      Our Lord promised a reward for our kindness to those who answered the call to be missionaries: his disciples, his eyes, and ears in the world. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put in your lap.” (Lk. 6:38). Human generosity will always be rewarded with divine superabundance. Open your hearts to God’s children who need your help. Whatever you give, be it water, food, words of prayer, words of encouragement, a listening ear, a ride to the doctor, or assistance to missionaries anywhere in the world, is a good deed done to God. Your reward may not be today, but it will certainly come one day. Though you may undergo suffering and deprivation in the process, let it be your participation in the cross of Christ. 

 

6.     Let us pray with St. Francis: “O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; in dying that we are born to eternal life.” Amen 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

June 21, 2026. 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33

Do Not Be Afraid.

1.    In today’s Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus addressed his apostles and told them not to be afraid. The chapter begins with: “Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and illness.” Jesus commissioned and sent them out as missionaries to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Missionary work can be intimidating indeed. It can instill fear in the hearts of missionaries. Jesus warned his apostles that they would be persecuted, rejected, and betrayed by family members. “A disciple is not above the teacher” (10:24). He told them not to be afraid but put their trust in God, who takes care of even the sparrows, and knows the number of the hair on their heads. He asked them, “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your father’s knowledge. Even the hairs of your head are counted. So, do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” They should only be afraid of God. Earthly elements and human beings may kill us, but have no power over our souls. Therefore, we should only be afraid of being separated from God and being unfaithful to God through sin. We should approach God with awe, respect, and reverence. Because “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18).

 

2.    Being a Christian does not prevent us from encountering difficulties. Christ made no such assumptions. He said rather: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so, be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.” (Matt. 10:16-18). The first reading presents us with Jeremiah, who experienced hardships in his preaching ministry. He was rejected, persecuted, and made a laughingstock by those he loved and cared for. Jeremiah warned God’s people that they could avoid the destruction that was on its way if they lived according to God’s laws. Jeremiah’s listeners ignored his warning and plotted to kill him instead. Jeremiah was intimidated and persecuted to the point that he wanted to stop preaching altogether. In the verse before our reading today, he said, “I say to myself; I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” (Jer. 20:9). Yet Jeremiah was vindicated and rejoiced: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.”

 

3.    Preachers encounter difficulties because people do not want to be told what to do. “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” (John 3:19-21). This is why we gossip: because we are cowards. Bad things are done in the cover of darkness. Heinous crimes are committed in the dark. Those who abuse their wives or children, gamblers or drunkards, drug barons, addicts or prostitutes, embezzlers and cheats, do not want people to know their secrets. They prefer deeds of darkness to light. If preachers talk about their way of life, they become targets earmarked for destruction, like Jeremiah in today’s reading.

 

4.    Therefore, St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “If by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow for the many.” Jesus has redeemed us with his precious blood and has given us the power to conquer our fears, even the fear of death. He says, “Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy, and nothing will harm you.” (Lk. 10:19). Therefore, we should not be afraid!

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

June 07, 2026. Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, (Year A)

Readings: Deut. 8:2-3,14-16; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; John 6:51-58

Thank God for the Eucharist!

1.    Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – the Corpus Christi. At Mass Christ is offered and received, and in him the church continually lives and grows. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life. In the Eucharist, the unity of God’s people is signified and brought about, and the building up of the body of Christ is perfected. We hold the blessed Eucharist in highest honor by taking an active part in the celebration of the most august sacrifice of the Mass.

2.    The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is so important and essential to Catholics that we must attend Mass and receive Holy Communion regularly and frequently. In the gospel Christ stressed, “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.” (Jn. 6:54). When we eat the Body of Christ and drink his Blood, we become the living Christ. We are enabled to discover our closeness and blessedness, and we acknowledge our brokenness and our strengths. Thus, we, like Christ, become food for the world. We are Christians because Christ rose from the dead, but Catholics because of the Eucharist. Just like food is to the body, the Eucharist is an absolute necessity for our spiritual life.

3.    Before Cardinal Newman became a Catholic, one of his friends said to him, “If you become a Catholic, you’ll lose a handsome income of 4,000 pounds a year.” Newman’s reply was: “And what are 4,000 pounds compared to a communion?” Pope Francis reminded us that “The Eucharist is the spiritual lifeblood of the Christian because in receiving it we consume the glorified body of the Risen Lord, whose life then transforms us, elevates us and empowers us to become like him. The Eucharist grants us a share in the Divine and Human Savior of the world, whose gift of himself imparts eternal life to those who love him. That is why Jesus says, “If anyone eats of this bread (my flesh), he will live forever.” (Jn. 6:15). 

4.    One of the core teachings of the Church on the Eucharist is that “Our Lord is truly, really, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. Hence, we believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, not just a symbol of his Body and Blood, but his real Body and Blood through the process of transubstantiation during consecration. Christ told his disciples, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven.” (Jn. 6:57-58). Many of his disciples stopped following him because of this teaching, but Christ did not beg them to stay. Instead, he asked his apostles: “Do you also want to leave?” (Jn. 6:67). According to Pope St. John Paul II, this teaching “Is at the heart of the Church, the secret of her vigor; she must keep watch with jealous care over this mystery and affirm it in its fullness.” Therefore, we must prepare ourselves for fruitful participation in Mass. We do this by going through the readings of the Mass beforehand, examining our consciences, and confessing any mortal sins we are aware of if we intend to receive our Lord in holy Communion. We do so in a timely, worthy, and devoted manner. After Communion, our Lord is present in us for about 8 to 10 minutes, as long as the species remain. The Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship states, “The faithful are to be recommended not to omit to make a proper thanksgiving after communion. They may do this during the celebration with a period of silence, with a hymn, Psalm, or other song of praise, or also after the celebration, if possible, by staying behind to pray for a suitable time.” If we believe that we receive Christ, His body, blood, and divinity, He will make us holy, forgiving, loving, merciful, compassionate, devoted, caring, and charitable.

5.    We must protect and safeguard the sanctity of this sacrament. If you see someone taking communion and not consuming it immediately, please report to the priest. Do not invite a non-Catholic friend to Holy Communion. If they are interested in Catholic teaching, direct them to the OCIA director so that they may be catechized.

 

6.    After Mass, we are dismissed to “Go forth, the Mass is ended, or Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord, or Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life”. We are sent forth to bring Christ to our communities and our neighborhoods. We must share Christ the Bread of Life with the poor, the homeless, the sick, the saints, and sinners alike. We are to make the Bread of Christ, broken and received by us, available and fresh for others. The Christ that we receive in the Eucharist is a sign of unity. It calls us to hold each other accountable and show that we are one in Christ, for “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28). Let us offer this Bread to those who need healing for their broken bodies, forgiveness and conversion to sinners, companionship to the lonely, food to the hungry and reconciliation, justice and freedom to prisoners. Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

May 31, 2026. Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, (Year A)

Readings: Exodus 34:4-6,8-9; 2 Cor. 13:11-13; John 3:16-18.

 

We worship a Triune God

1.     Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. God manifested himself as Father, the Creator; Son, Redeemer, and Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. The Preface of the Trinity praises God thus: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your Godhead. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory.” There is unity of purpose and expression of love in the Holy Trinity. Our God is in a relationship. He invites us to enter into a relationship with Him. We are at our best when we are in a relationship with God and others. No man is an island. 

2.     At every prayer, we call on God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to dwell in us and help us live good and saintly lives. We were baptized into the life of Grace through the invocation of the Holy Trinity. At our funeral, the coffin and the grave will be blessed by the sign of the Cross and the invocation of the Trinity. Every Christian’s life is marked by the Triune God dwelling in us. The mystery of the Trinity demonstrates a God of closeness, communion, and intimacy. God desires that community, communication, and love shared among the Persons of the Trinity be replicated in every Christian. According to William J. Bausch, “This is an initiating God, an outgoing God, a creative, life-giving God who stamps his communal life on us. We are in a relationship because God is; we are made in his image and likeness.” There is absolute love, respect, and understanding within the Persons of the Trinity.

3.     If we are at our best in a loving relationship, it is also true that we are at our worst when we fall out of love and are not in a relationship. The worst pain of our time is loneliness. Not having someone to talk to and relate to can be an awful experience. Most of our elderly ones feel lonely when their children and friends do not call or visit them often, either at home or in nursing homes.

4.      In today’s first reading, we read that the face of the Father is turned towards His children despite their sins. He renewed the tablets of the Law that Moses had broken, showed them mercy, and forgave their sins. He revealed His name as “The Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” These are the attributes of the Triune God. God is merciful, compassionate, and tender – the heart of the Father moved by unmerited love.  He is gracious - the favor or benevolence of one who has gifts to give and wills to give them. His kindness is the love that marks the covenant bond between Him and His children. And finally, God’s fidelity connotes rock-likeness, constancy, the inability to be turned from the will to love. This is God. He knows anger because of sin and permits Moses to express his anger by breaking the tablets of the law brought down from Mount Sinai, but in the end, God wants only merciful and faithful love to be known - the heart of God. And the Gospel tells us how far God can go to reveal His true nature. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. In giving his Son, God the Father also gave himself, because the Father and the Son are in perfect communion, and the Holy Spirit is the expression of the Father and the Son. St Paul shows us in the second reading that these attributes are truly God’s and thus of the three Persons. “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Hence, the love from God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Spirit will bring us together in fellowship and union.

5.     So, how do we relate to the Holy Trinity? First of all, acknowledge the indwelling of the Trinity in our lives. Then develop an intimate relationship with the Persons of the Trinity. This means having a personal relationship with the First Person of the Trinity. God is our Father who created us “To know, to love and to serve God in this world, and to be happy with God forever in the next.” The end of our human existence is to be in relationship with a God who made us in His image. In the Lord’s prayer, we address God the Father directly. Hence, we should pray the Our Father with devotion, while reflecting and paying attention to the words of the prayer.

6.     We must also develop and inculcate an intimate relationship with Jesus, the second person of the Trinity - the Savior of the world. He redeemed us with his precious blood. ‘The Anima Christi’, ‘Jesus, I love You’, O Sacrament most Holy,’ and other prayers besides, direct our minds to Jesus after receiving the Eucharist.

7.     It may not be easy to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit because we don’t feel the Spirit as a person. The Church has many prayers that can help us in this regard: ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful’, and ‘Prayer for the seven gifts of the Spirit. We must note, however, that all prayers are directed to God the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. Praying to God alone is the same as praying to any Person of the Trinity. That is why the Sign of the Cross, the Gloria, and the Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit are traditional prayers that address the Three Persons of the Trinity directly. Let us demonstrate the love of the Trinity in how we relate in our families and in our society. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

May 24, 2026. Solemnity of Pentecost (year A)

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1Cor. 12:3-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

The Spirit came to sanctify the Church!

1.     Today is Pentecost, the birthday of the church. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles like flames of fire. “Being filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.” (Acts 2:1-4). According to the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church, “When the work which the Father had given the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost that he might forever sanctify the Church. In this way, all believers would have access to the Father through Christ in the one Spirit. He is the Spirit of life, a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. Through him the Father gives life to men who are dead from sin, till at last he revives in Christ even their mortal bodies.” The Holy Spirit filled the apostles with zeal and courage so that they became Christ’s witnesses beyond the frontiers of Jerusalem, “Throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). That is Luke’s account of the descent of the Holy Spirit. John, however, reported the same incident, which apparently took place on the same day of the resurrection, thus: “On the evening of that first day of the week when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Christ wished his disciples peace before He gave them the Holy Spirit, and then He sent them on the mission of forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is directly associated with the forgiveness of sins.

2.     There is a story told of a man who was suffering from acute back pain for years. He had undergone all types of treatment – allopathic, ayurvedic, etc. During one of his visits, his doctor prescribed a lot of medicine but told him that he would have the pain all his life and that it was his purgatory. With resignation, he purchased the medicine. While on his way back, he met a Sister who had the gift of healing. Sister asked him to forgive everyone, and she prayed for him for about an hour. The patient felt great relief and took all the medicine back to the pharmacy. Till now, he has not experienced back pain again. Most of our ailments are indeed caused by unfinished business relating to forgiveness. Therefore, if we are to be witnesses of Christ, we must forgive the hurts done to us. The Holy Spirit will assist us with the gift of forgiveness.

3.     The Penny Catechism defines Confirmation as “A Sacrament by which we receive the Holy Spirit, to make us strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.”  If the apostles needed the fire of the Holy Spirit to shake them up and transform them into warriors for the faith, so do we. When Jesus received the Spirit, he exclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” (Lk. 4:18-19). We are called to do no less. We are faced today with so many cases of injustice, abuse of human rights, violence, and indiscriminate taking of human lives on our streets. There is total disregard for the rule of law in our society, and yet many of us Christians, born again in the water of rebirth and the Holy Spirit, stand quietly by and watch as our brothers and sisters are being killed. What is the Spirit sending us out to do today?  Jesus calls the Holy Spirit another Advocate. What type of advocate is the Holy Spirit calling us to be? Yes, the Holy Spirit calls us to forgive the hurts done to us, but it is difficult to forgive repeated acts of injustice when no solution is in sight. So, as people of faith, we ask Christ to send the Spirit of tolerance into our hearts to fight our indifference and build a community of love and peace.

4.     Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come with his gifts of “Wisdom and understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord.” (Is. 11: 2-3). We pray the Spirit to plant in our hearts his fruit of “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23). Come, Holy Spirit, and conquer the indifference in our world and help us fight the battles of our hearts and the internal battles of the flesh, such as: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.” (Gal. 5:19-21). But most of all, we pray that the Holy Spirit may help us to forgive those who hurt us so that we may be holy as God our heavenly Father is holy. Let us pray that we may be filled with the fire of the Spirit and be transformed into a people of faith, courageous preachers, lovers of God and his people. Amen. God bless you! 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

May 17, 2026. 7th Sunday of Easter - Ascension of the Lord (Year A).

Readings: Acts 1:1-11; 1 Ephesians 1:17-23; Gospel Matt. 28:16-20

 

Obeying the Divine Mandate

1.    Today, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord into heaven. Article 6 of the Creed states: “He Ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Christ’s body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and permanently enjoys. But during the forty days when he eats and drinks familiarly with his disciples and teaches them about the kingdom, his glory remains veiled under the appearance of ordinary humanity. Jesus’ final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God’s right hand” (CCC 659). After the ascension, the task of preaching the Gospel was passed on to the apostles. Christ promised that he would be with them through his Spirit to accomplish the work of evangelization. The disciples were asked, therefore, “Galileans, why are you standing there looking up at the sky?” (Acts 1:10-11). “Ascension is not a time to commemorate Christ’s departure from us, but rather a time to recall Christ’s presence in our midst. This presence is made manifest in the work of the people of God, the Church.” (The Word Alive by Eugene H. Maly).

 

2.    The feast of the Ascension is like taking part in a relay; the baton is passed on from one runner to another. Christ passed on the baton to his apostles and his apostles to us. There is no time to stand idle and watch others. We must obey the divine mandate: “Go make disciples of all nations.” (Matt. 28:19-20). We can do this by making Paul’s instruction to Timothy ours: “I solemnly urge you to preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it, whether the time is right or not, to convince, reproach and encourage, as you teach with patience.” (2Tim. 4:2). There are many people out there who are unaware of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. They do not know that God loves them passionately, intimately, and personally. This, then, is our mission: to make Christ known and loved, and to be His witnesses to all nations. We must teach and convince the world of Christ’s love and the need to give our lives in return for his love. In doing this, however, we are not alone. Christ promises to be with us till the end of time. He is with us even during the worst circumstances of our lives. He is with us in his Spirit, who is an agent of evangelization. His Spirit will teach us how to be his disciples, in word and in deed. Our lives must speak much more eloquently than our lips do when it comes to witnessing and teaching. People would much rather see a sermon than listen to one.

 

3.    The Ascension means that Christ leads us from heaven through a shared mission of leadership. He now involves all of his people in the work of the kingdom. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that we have been given gifts for ministries. Some of us are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. We are all equipped for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Our gifts must assist us in the task of evangelization. Therefore, we must be the living gospel for people to read. We are called to be good Christians, to have the love of Christ in our hearts, and to share it with others. We must be kind, hospitable, compassionate, and forgiving. We must show mercy and avoid uncharitable acts. We are not to peddle rumors and unkind words about others. Gossip can ruin without killing, it can tear down homes, break hearts, and wreck lives. It brings confusion and suspicion where distrust is unperceived. Let us spread the message of love instead.

 

4.    In the document, Evangelization in the Modern World, Pope Paul VI admonished: “The truly evangelized individual must eventually go out to evangelize others. Such a person cannot keep his faith to himself. The power that Jesus has given to us so that we might indeed lead the victorious life of grace must eventually become vocal. The way of life must lead to a proclamation of the word of life.” Pope Francis, on the other hand, stressed, “The Church has to go out onto the streets. I want us to resist everything worldly, everything static, everything comfortable, everything to do with clericalism, everything that might make us close in on ourselves. Our parishes, schools, and institutions are all made for going out…if they don’t, they become an NGO, and the Church cannot be an NGO. You are bearers of hope…You are the protagonists of the future, artisans for the future…Make the future with beauty, with goodness and truth…Have courage. Go forward. Make noise.” Though Christ is no more with us physically, he is very much around us spiritually. He said goodbye to his disciples so that they may grow into mature witnesses. His Spirit, working in and through his disciples, taught them the way of love and discipleship. May this same Spirit dwelling in us show us the way to true discipleship. Amen!

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP