January 31, 2021; Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time; Year (B)

Readings: Deut. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 7:32-35; Mk. 1:21-28 

If We Fail to Plan, We Plan to Fail

1.     Jesus had a plan and strategy to carry out the mission entrusted to him. First of all, he identified with the people he was sent to save by accepting a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He allowed himself to be numbered among sinners. And then he went into a long retreat, praying and fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert where he was tempted by the devil. He dismissed the devil with his three punch answers: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God; again, it is written, you shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test. And finally, Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” (Mt. 4:1-11). Then he inaugurated his mission and began initiating a new kingdom of justice, peace and love. Knowing that the task of the kingdom was not a one-man show, he “appointed twelve apostles that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” (Mk. 3:13-18). These were his plans for effective and successful execution of his mission. In all this, prayer was his driving force.

2.     In today’s Gospel, Jesus is teaching in the Synagogue and “The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” (Mk. 1:22). Why? The scribes always quoted other sources to back up their teaching. But Jesus’ authority was himself. He had moral authority to teach. “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.” (Mt. 11:29-30). Jesus is that true prophet Moses referred to in the first reading. “A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin, to him you shall listen.” (Deut. 18:15). Moses gave this final instruction before his own death after the Israelites had crossed over and took possession of the land God promised them. Jesus is the new Moses whose teaching will make a deep impression on those who listen to him.

3.     Present in that Synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit who knew who Jesus was and called him out by name: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” (Mk. 1:24). The demon recognized Jesus as the Messiah anointed with God’s Spirit and possessing power over evil spirit. In ancient world, it was thought that if someone knew another’s name, he or she could exercise power over the other. To know one’s adversary’s name was to have a magical power over him. The demon felt that by calling Jesus “the Holy One of God,” Jesus would acknowledge defeat and retire from the scene. No. Only God can exercise that kind of name-power. “For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel my chosen one, I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not. I am the Lord and there is no God besides me.” (Is. 45:4).

4.     How do we come to the presence of Jesus? With authority of assumption, that by calling him by name we are equal? When Jesus asked, ‘who do you say I am?’ our answer should demonstrate that he is our Lord, the Messiah and our redeemer; he is in-charge of our lives. We owe him our loyalty and our adoration; we must listen to him and do his bidding. Jesus rebuked the demon and commanded him to get out of the man, showing that he had supreme power over every sovereignty, principalities and powers of this world. Christ’s whole life is a mystery of redemption in his healings and exorcisms by which “he took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Is. 53:4).

5.     People are possessed by different forms of evil spirit and vices; like the spirit of lies, gambling and addictions, sexual immoralities and lust, or laziness, gossip and gluttony. Every bad spirit seeks to destroy us and others. We must take our infirmities to Jesus and allow him to command the evil spirit to get out of us. Christ spent his time in prayer in order to rescue us from the power of darkness. He knew that his people were weighed down by many problems. Some had fever, some were lepers, others were possessed by demons, and still others were dead, and he had to raise them up. He still had to teach and feed thousands of people. Jesus was successful because he had a strategy that worked for him. The more he prayed, the more successful he was. He was so prepared in his ministry that nothing took him by surprise.

6.     If we must be successful in our mission, whatever it may be, we must adopt the approach of Jesus. We must be men and women of prayer who must be “anxious about the things of the Lord”, like St. Paul tells us in the second reading. We must avoid distractions in our planning and in our prayer. It is by doing what Jesus did and by listening to his voice that we will have a meaningful life. And so, I conclude with the response to the responsorial Psalm this morning: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

 

January 24, 2021: Homily for the Third Sunday In Ordinary Time; Year (B)

 

Readings: Jon. 3:1-5, 10; 1 Cor. 7:29-31; Mk. 1:14-20 

The Reluctant and the Willing Prophets.

1.     I want to reflect with you this morning on the theme “The reluctant and the willing prophets.” In the first reading, Jonah is sent to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah was reluctant and unwilling to go on this mission. Instead, he boarded a ship and ran to Tarshish. Read the Book of Jonah, a short book indeed, of only four chapters. Why did Jonah refuse to preach to the Ninevites? The Ninevites were the enemies of Israel, the chosen people of God. Jonah could not understand why God should send him to such wicked people.

2.     Jonah seems to have forgotten Psalm 139, “Where can I hide from your spirit? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there. If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea. Even there your right hand holds me fast.” (2-10). The Lord foiled his plan of escape and sent a violent storm that threatened to break up the ship. At the confession of Jonah, that he was responsible for the storm, he was thrown into the sea, where he was swallowed up by a fish. He spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish before he was spewed out. With no option left, he reluctantly embarked on the mission to convert his enemies. The first reading recounted the effect of his preaching, which brought about the conversion of the Ninevites. God does not punish his people but gives them a second chance to redeem themselves through the preaching of his prophets. “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lords, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jer. 29:11) God is always willing to forgive us and reconcile us to himself and one another. The Ninevites needed to hear the good news, there was no hesitation in their turning away from their sins. But Jonah was reluctant and unwilling to preach to them.    

3.     The book of Jonah makes it clear to us that if God wills something to happen, it will happen, whether we like it or not. And if God wants to use us for his mission, we cannot say ‘no’ to him for too long. He willed that Jonah would be his instrument for the conversion of the Ninevites; and so, it was. Even those we consider our enemies are God’s children too. Jonah allowed his national pride to triumph the need of repentance for the people “who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left…” (Jonah 4:11). He was judgmental and condescending, though he preached as commanded, he did not desire the conversion of the Ninevites. “When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out. But this was greatly displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. I beseech you, Lord, he prayed, is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I fled at first to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.” (Jonah 3:10-4:1-3). We should know that “If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.” (1 Jn 1:9).

4        While the first reading tells us about the reluctant and the unwilling prophet Jonah, the Gospel shows us the willingness of Christ to embrace his mission for the salvation of the world. Christ loved the people he was sent to save; he called them friends and laid down his life for them. “Greater love than this no man has, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn. 15:13). He reminds us, “Everything that the Father gives to me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” (Jn. 6:37). He called them to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Jonah and Jesus preached the same repentance but their attitude towards the people was different. One loved and the other could care less. Jesus knew that the call to be a missionary disciple should be extended to all. He knew that “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.” (Mt. 9:37) He needed people to assist him in bringing others into the kingdom. He called his first disciples who answered without hesitation. How do we answer our call to follow Jesus? Do we hesitate like Jonah or do we answer like Peter, James and John? Are we reluctant or are we willing to do our part? We are told not to be engrossed in the world, but to use things for the kingdom of God rather than allow things to master us. There are many people in the world who want to hear the word of the kingdom but there is no one to preach to them. Are you willing to engage people in answering the questions of their lives? Do we find it easy or difficult to begin a conversation with our friends about the kingdom of God, confronting, refuting errors and encouraging people to change their lives? This is our mission, to assist Christ in bringing people to God. May we not abdicate our responsibilities but be prepared to answer when Christ calls us “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. Amen.  

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

January 17, 2021. Second Sunday In Ordinary Time; Year (B)

Readings: 1 Sam. 3:31-10, 19; 1 Cor. 6:13-15, 17-20; Jn. 1:35-42 

Listening to the Lord Through Others

1.     We read about the call of Samuel in the first reading this morning. To understand why Samuel was sleeping in the Temple, we must read the first book of Samuel. Hannah, the mother of Samuel prayed for a child and made this promise: “O Lord of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the Lord for as long as he lives.” (1Sam. 1:11). After the birth of Samuel, Hannah, according to her promise, brought the child to Eli, the priest and said, “Pardon, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” (1Sam. 1:26-28). While Samuel was ministering in the temple, he was called by the Lord. But “At that time Samuel was not familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as yet.” (1Sam. 3:7). Someone had to teach him to recognize the voice of the Lord. “Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth. So, he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

2.     Eli was a high priest who had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who also were ministering to the Lord as priests. We are told that Eli’s sons were wicked; “They had respect neither for the Lord nor for the priest’s duties toward the people.” (1Sam. 2:12-17). Eli, their father, warned them against their misdeeds “But they disregarded their father’s warning. Meanwhile, young Samuel was growing in stature and in worth in the estimation of the Lord and of men.” (1Sam. 2:22-26). Did Eli fail as a parent? He could not control his children. People whispered, grumbled and gossiped behind his back. In spite of Eli’s sadness, tears and pleas, his children did not listen to him. Does this sound familiar? How many of you have prayed for your children to join you in church? How many of you have warned your children against their way of life but they would not listen? How many of you have become grandparents by force because your children would not pay attention to your parental guidance? Many of our children have wandered from the path you traced for them. They have allowed society to shape their perception of life rather than the moral imperative that molded the life of their parents. Our selfishness and pride have dictated to us who we should listen to rather than God. Our choices and our quest for material things have turned our attention away from God and all that is good. We have become a god unto ourselves and so prayer, bible, and church matters are mere distractions to our way of life. How can we be rescued from this life of recklessness and doom?

3.     Our readings today give us reasons to be hopeful. There is silver lining in our broken world. There are Samuels out there who will listen to the word of God and allow the Word to form their conscience and keep their feet in the path of righteousness. Therefore, when God wants to speak, he will always look for those who would listen to him in order to carry out his mission. Samuel was a great prophet because Eli, the failed parent of Hophni and Phinehas, opened his mind and spirit to the Lord. He may have failed with his sons, but he did not give up. He taught Samuel how to recognize the voice of God. Our God is a God of a second chance and will always look for our own good in every situation. We can show others the way even if we are not successful ourselves. We can be a teacher, a guide, a counselor, a mentor, a prayer partner, a confidant and a fellow pilgrim to others on life’s journey. We may be more effective to others due to our experiences and our wounds. Though we may have failed in the past, we may become wounded healers to others. Like William Bausch reminds us, “We can teach others to hear when the Lord is calling, even if we missed it the first time around ourselves.”

4.     The Gospel presents us with John as he directed two of his disciples to Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who died “to gather into one the dispersed children of God.” (Jn.11:51-52). He is the one we are to listen to. He is the way, the truth and the life, no one can go to God except through him (Jn. 14:6). John the Baptist pointed the way to Jesus, and Jesus brings us to God. Eli made it possible for Samuel to recognize the voice of God. Andrew found Peter, his brother, after his encounter with Jesus and told him, “We have found the Messiah.” Then he brought him to Jesus. We must be a conduit to bring others to God. We can point people to the right path, even if we are not the best in what we do. We are wounded healers who will not and should not allow our wounds to keep us from helping others. But to be a mentor, a life coach, a guide and a witness to the truth, we must learn to listen to Jesus. Like Samuel, we must be humble enough to say “Speak Lord, your servant is listening. May we be men and women who point the way to Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

January 10, 2021. Homily for The Baptism of the Lord; Year (B)

 

Readings: Is. 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts. 10:34-38; Mk. 1:7-11 

When Do We Graduate From Religious Education?

1.     The Penny Catechism defines Baptism as “A Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and members of the Church. It forgives actual sins, with all punishment due to them, when it is received in proper dispositions by those who have been guilty of actual sin.” (Nos. 256, 257). Baptism permanently relates us to God and is necessary for salvation, it imprints an indelible character on our souls and can be received only once. Through Baptism we are conferred with sanctifying grace, that makes us part of the Body of Christ. It is the first sacrament of Christian initiation which is completed with the sacraments of Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Therefore, one cannot receive any other sacrament validly without having received the sacrament of Baptism. Baptism was instituted by Christ when he was baptized by John the Baptist and when he commanded his apostles to go and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Mt. 28:19). Christ warned: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” (Jn. 3:5).

2.     Last Sunday was the solemnity of the Epiphany of Jesus. Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. At the Epiphany, Jesus was manifested as the light and savior of the gentiles. At his baptism, God the Father acknowledged him “You are my beloved Son; with whom I am well pleased.” (Mk. 1:8). We too are incorporated into the body of Christ through baptism and God takes great delight in us, therefore, we can also function in persona Christi. But the baptism of Jesus was not sacramental baptism, Christ had no sin and therefore had no need for baptism. John acknowledged this fact when he argued and tried to prevent Jesus from receiving baptism from him, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” (Mt. 3:14). One of the reasons that Jesus permitted himself to be baptized by John, though he had no sin, was so that he could identify himself with sinful humanity. His mission was precisely to be one of calling sinners into the kingdom. “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mk. 2:17). The baptism of Jesus made him sympathetic with the people he was sent to save. By humbling himself and identifying with his people he demonstrated that he was one of them, except sin. He understood them and was ready to lead them back to the Father.

3.     The baptism of Jesus could be seen, as most early Church Fathers did, as symbolic institution of the Christian sacrament of baptism. The basis for this is the appearance of the three persons of the Trinity in the baptismal scene. The voice of the Father and the descent of the Spirit on the Son would symbolize the baptism “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Mt. 28:19). We can only begin to enjoy our life with Christ after the sacrament of baptism. And so, the first reading of today invites us, “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!” We must seek the Lord while he may be found. Postponing our search may be too late. This is the time to experience the joy of knowing Christ as our supreme source of joy.

4.     The second reading from the Acts of the Apostles indicates the importance of Jesus’ ministry. Peter sums up the whole ministry in three ‘events.’ The baptism, doing good and healing the sick, and the death and resurrection. Jesus’ public life began with his baptism. John preaches “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” This was part of the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Already he is anticipating the “baptism” of his bloody death. Already he is coming to “fulfill all righteousness,” that is he is submitting himself entirely to his Father’s will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father’s voice responds to the Son’s acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to “rest on him.” Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism “the heavens were opened” the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed – and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.” (CCC 536).

5.     After the baptism of Jesus, he inaugurated his mission and began the work of initiating a new kingdom of peace, justice and love. The Spirit that he received gave him his mission. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has 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). This too, dear friends, is our mission. We received the Spirit of adoption on the day of our baptism, like St. Paul reminds us: “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba Farther!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:15-17). Our baptism empowered us to be like Christ, to say, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20). This Spirit enables us to be compassionate, merciful, kind, forgiving and loving. Through it we begin to see one another through the lens of Christ. To do what we have been told, “You have been told, O man what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8).

6.     So, just as Jesus began his public ministry after his baptism, our religious education and ministries in the Church began on the day we received our own baptism too. This sacrament initiated us into the life of grace with sanctifying grace which disposes us to receive the other graces God offers and to make use of them to live holy lives. Our religious education does not end with the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation, the sacrament of initiation should make us grow rather stronger in our zeal for the Lord and in our desire to further his kingdom here on earth. Christ worked zealously for the kingdom till his last breath. We too should be about the work of God till the end. The Spirit of God that we received at our baptism helps us to reject Satan, all his works and all his empty promises. May we be encouraged to live holy lives and be the eyes, hands and feet of Jesus in our world for others. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

January 03, 2021, Solemnity of The Epiphany of the Lord; Year (B)

 

Readings: Is. 60:1-6; Eph. 3:2-3, 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12 

Wise Men also Seek Jesus

1.     Today is the solemnity of the Epiphany, the manifestation or revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. At Christmas, Christ was revealed to the Jews but now he is revealed to all the nations. At his Baptism a voice came from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Mt. 3:17). We are to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Savior of the world. This is the feast of the gentiles, represented by the magi, the three wise men, astrologers, who journeyed from the east and followed the star to the presence of Jesus. Yes, wise men still seek Jesus.

2.     In the first reading, we read about the return of the children of Israel from captivity in Babylon after 50 years. Their temple was destroyed, their city was in shambles and their morale was low. The task of rebuilding was daunting, but they had to keep on with the task at hand. To encourage them, the prophet assured them that Jerusalem will again be a great city. He saw Jerusalem becoming the light for all the world. “Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: Your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. For riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah. All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.” (Is. 60:4-6). This prophecy finds its fulfillment in the birth of Christ and the coming of the magi as we read in today’s Gospel. This goes to buttress the point made by St. Paul, “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. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:28-29).

3.     The magi set out on a long journey to see the new-born king of Israel. They came from the east with the star as their compass and gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the new-born king. They did not know where they were going but trusted that the Star would lead them on to the king. They were not naïve to think that it was an easy trip. They were aware of the difficulty of the journey, but their minds were made, and the search continued. Like the wise men we must make our own journey to the unknown with the hope of discovering who we are. Knowing where we are coming from will help us to know where we are and, hopefully, where we are going. We must know why the journey must be made, in order to discover the person or thing holding or preventing us from living a fulfilled and peaceful life? If we do not let go of the past, we will not venture out on the path of self-discovery. The journey may be hard, difficult and at times treacherous, but we must not give up. Trust the process and follow your star. Going forward will be difficult, if not impossible, if we keep looking back on the memories of yesteryears. What happened in the past must be left where it belongs, the past, if we must find the treasure we are searching for in the future.

4.     Sometimes people, situations, circumstances or self may prevent us from setting out on the journey of self-discovery, peace and tranquility. The Jews saw themselves as the chosen people of God. They believed they had a monopoly on salvation. The magi were foreigners, the gentiles, the outsiders and those who did not belong, the rest of mankind called by God to know him through Jesus. To us also the Lord Jesus was sent as our redeemer. Christ demonstrated in the Scriptures that he came for the least, the last and the lost, in his teachings. He cured the servant of a Roman centurion who was a pagan and marveled at his faith. (Mt. 8:5-13). He reminded them, “Many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness.” (Mt. 8:11-12). He cured the daughter of a Canaanite woman after he challenged her faith (Mt. 15:21-28). Jesus our king reminded us, “Everything that the Father gives to me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” (Jn. 6:37).

5.     Today’s feast teaches us that we must be open and accepting of everyone. We should be like Christ whose concern is our salvation. “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” (Jn. 6:40). The magi brought gifts to Jesus, gold for his kingship, frankincense for his royal priesthood and myrrh for his death and burial. What gift do we bring to our king? We should give him ourselves, our time, talent and treasure. He will accept whatever we give him from our hearts. May we see everyone as we are seen by God and may our celebration today bring us closer to the joys of heaven as we begin this new year. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP