May 30, 2021. Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

 

Readings: Deut. 4:32-34, 39-40; Rom. 8:14-17; Matt 28:16-20.

Love is the Language of the Trinity

1.     Last Sunday we reflected on speaking our native language. We concluded by saying that this language must be learned in our families from birth, that no interpreter was needed. It must be seen, experienced, felt, practiced and then spoken. The family that speaks this language is the family of God and God’s people. The Trinity speaks it. This also was the native tongue of the Holy Family. All members of God’s people must speak this same language. Luke tells us that the early Christian “community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” (Acts. 4:32). That was their language, their native tongue. They were called Christians because of how they loved themselves. Christ tells us, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love” (Jn.16:11). He gave us a new commandment, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn. 13:34-35). We are called to speak the language of God, the native tongue of the Trinity, both as a community and individually. For where there is charity and love, there the God of love abides.

2.     As we reflect on the Most Holy Trinity today, we call to mind that we worship the God who manifests himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are not three Gods but three Persons in one God. The Father is the Creator, the Son is the Savior, and the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier. Though there are three Persons having different responsibilities, the responsibility of one Person is the responsibility of all Persons of the Trinity. The Father is not older or younger than the Son or the Holy Spirit, the three Persons are the same in every way. This is a mystery revealed by God himself. We do not seek to understand it as a mathematical equation or calculation, but we must believe it as a revealed truth. And this is what we profess in the Nicene Creed, “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God…For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified.” The children of Israel believed in one God, hence Moses pleaded with them to avoid the worship of the Canaanite gods. The Lord of heaven and earth who created heaven and earth and sustains the world in being is more powerful than any created things or the gods of other nations which are themselves the work of human hands.

3.     Little wonder why Moses asked the children of Israel, “Did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the Lord, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?” (Deut. 4:34). God cannot be compared to other gods. For they are, like the Psalmist says, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but speak not, they have eyes but see not, they have ears but hear not, no breath is in their mouths. Their makers shall be like them, all who trust in them.” (Ps. 135:15-18).

4.     Today as always, we acknowledge the God who reaches out to us through the Holy Spirit. Hence St. Paul reminds us “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!” (Rom. 8:14). Due to the Spirit poured into our hearts by the Father and the Son, we can call God daddy, Father. This was unheard of, to address God as a son would his father. God is indeed our Father, He and the Son dwell in us through His Spirit. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20).

5.     Our mission as Christians is to make the God who manifests himself as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit known and loved. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Baptism in the name of the Trinity is the manifestation of our faith. Our prayer is Trinitarian. We begin and end every prayer by blessing ourselves in the name of the Trinity. We offer prayers to God the Father, through the Son and in the Spirit. And so, we must teach all nations about the God who loves us and seeks to create a loving relationship with us. May we experience the loving relationship enjoyed by the Trinity, a relationship of communion, unity and respect.

6.     Let us pray that we may speak the language of the Trinity, the language of love, communion, understanding, peace and unity. May the Triune God who initiates a relationship and communion with us assist us so as to live in peace and love with one another. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

May 23, 2021; Homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost.

 

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Gal. 5:16-25; John 20:19-23 

Speaking Our Native (Tongue) Language

1.     As we celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost today, we read these words from the first reading: “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the spirit enable them to proclaim.” (Acts 2:1-4). Today is the birthday of the church. We often think that the Holy Spirit came into existence on the day of Pentecost. That is far from the truth. God is eternally Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and manifests Himself as such. But on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit became the dominant reality in the life of the early Church. It was the source of all guidance. The leaders of the Church were men of the Spirit. It was the source of courage and power, the counselor, the comforter and a solace in times of difficulties. We can rightly say that the early Church was a Spirit-filled Church and that was the source of its power.

2.     “There were three great Jewish festivals to which every male Jew living within twenty miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to attend – the Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Pentecost means “The Fiftieth,” and another name for Pentecost was “The Feast of Weeks.” It was so called because it fell on the fiftieth day, a week of weeks, after the Passover. At least as many came to the Feast of Pentecost as came to the Passover. That explains the roll of countries mentioned in this chapter; never was there a more international crowd in Jerusalem than at the time of Pentecost.” Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. So, it was a holiday for all and the crowds on the streets would be greater than ever. It was on that day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. The disciples experienced the power of the Spirit flooding their beings in a way they never had before. “All filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Act 2:4).

3.     In verse 11 we read “Yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” With the coming of the Spirit the crowd heard the apostles, for the first time, speaking out openly about the mighty acts of God. They were ready to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and witness to the resurrection of Christ. With the power given them by the Spirit, they were able to preach the word of God in a way that struck straight to their hearts, that they could understand. The power of the Spirit gave these simple disciples a message that could reach every heart. Their chains of fear and intimidation were broken, they were free to move courageously among Jews and Gentiles alike, armed with the power of the word to set the captives free and preach a year of favor to the downtrodden.

4.     The disciples being understood by all who gathered is indicative that the ancient tragedy of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9) is now reversed. The people at Babel had arrogantly tried to “make a name” for themselves by building a tower to heavens – symbolizing the human attempt to see power, wealth, and security without any reference to God. In consequence God confounded the universal human language into many different languages, which made it impossible for them to complete that tower. At Pentecost, the Spirit-given ability of Jesus’s disciples to speak in various languages signifies that God is beginning to overcome human divisions. We too received the spirit at baptism. The Spirit gave us the power to speak words of wisdom and understanding that should be understood by all who hear us. The Spirit empowered us to do great things for God, to break the bonds of sin and division and bring about unity, peace and love. Yes “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:3). Paul reminds us that “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7). Have our Spirit grown dull and lukewarm? Why has the Spirit not burned the bad habits of our live and sow the seed of love in our hearts?

5.     The Spirit is God’s gift to us. Christ tells us “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Lk. 11:13). Instead of spreading gossip that hinders us from speaking our native language of love in praise of the mighty works of God, we ask the Spirit to help us be preachers of God’s marvels. Instead of proclaiming falsehood may the Spirit assist us to speak words of truth and honesty. For those who harbor strife, vengeful thoughts and hatred may the Spirit enable them to love God and their neighbors. We can only speak the language of love if we learned it from birth. Our parents must have taught us, not so much by what they say but by what they do. They must speak that language first at home with us through social interactions, relationships and the company they kept. No interpreter is needed, we must see it, feel it, practice it and then speak it.       

1.     Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come to us with his gifts of “Wisdom and understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord.” (Is. 11: 2-3). May the Spirit give us his fruit of “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal.5:22-23). May the Spirit conquer the indifference in our world and help us fight the internal battles of “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). And so we pray: Come O Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love, send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen. God bless you! 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

 

May 16, 2021; Homily for 7th Sunday of Easter - Feast of the Ascension (Year B) Stop Staring, Get Back to Work!

Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Mk. 16:15-20

Stop Staring, Get Back to Work!

1.     William Shakespeare understood life on earth as we see it today. In Merchant of Venice he said through Antonio, “I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, a stage where everyman must play a part.” (Act 1 Scene 1). And so, it is for everyone; we step into the scene from birth and play our part till death. The feast of Ascension reminds us that Christ, who died, rose from the dead and appeared to his Apostles for 40 days, now ascends into heaven, while the Apostles must continue the work of evangelization. The apostles were prepared for this task from the day Christ began his public ministry until now. He told them, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:15). And at the end of his ministry, he commissioned them to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mk. 16:15). We Christians must believe in Christ and witness to him. To be a true Christian is to be a missionary disciple.

2.     As Christ was being lifted up, the Apostles looked intently at the sky, I guess wondering what to do next. Angels had to intervene in order to bring them back to reality. “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). With that the Apostles recalled the words of Christ. “You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). They must prepare themselves for their mission. So back to Jerusalem they returned and devoted themselves to prayer while waiting for the Holy Spirit. Aren’t we like that most of the time? Thoreau was right when he said, “We live merely like ants, and our lives are frittered away by details.” We often get caught up in problems and are weighed down by difficulties. We tend to lose direction and find it difficult to see things in the correct perspective. At times like these we need to recall the vision faith gives us regarding the goals and meaning of our lives. Why are we here? What is the purpose of our lives? Christianity is not standing around waiting for something to happen; it is about making something to happen. We make it happen by witnessing to the Good News of Jesus Christ through word and deed.   

3.     The feast of Ascension gives us hope, strengthens our mission and empowers us to bring the gospel of salvation to others. It reminds us of our Baptism; when the word of God was placed on our lips by the minister as he said, “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.” (The Rite of Baptism). Jesus also received his mandate at his baptism. It was then that his mission was revealed. Hence, he said, “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, and let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” (Lk. 4:18-19). The letter to the Hebrews told us, “For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; Behold, I come to do you will, O God.’” (Heb. 10:5-7). This too is our mission, to do the will of God and bear witness to him.

4.     Ascension is about endings and beginnings. Christ’s personal ministry on earth ended, but the operation of the Holy Spirit in his followers to continue his ministry began. It is now time for us to step up and play our part in the mission of Christ. As he commissioned the disciples, so we are now commissioned to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, until the end of age.” (Mt. 28:19-20). Now the time for preparing his apostles for the mission to build his Church was over, but the time for the participation in the expansion of that church began. We must begin witnessing to Christ and carry on his mission to the ends of the earth. But we know that we are not alone. He is with us always in and through his spirit.

5.     To bear witness to Christ we must be men and women of prayer. We come to church to praise God, to hear his word and to break the bread of his body with our brothers and sisters. But we don’t stand by staring up to heaven. We have places to go and things to do. So, we must stop staring and get back to work! We must leave the church with fire in our hearts to preach the word and bear witness to him in the world. Christ has no one else except me and you to continue this mission of love. He has no body but ours, no hands and feet, no eyes and ears, no means to show compassion and love, to show mercy and offer forgiveness, to preach the word and baptize but ours. Our hands must be his hands, our mouth must be his mouth and the good that must be done by him must be done by us. If anyone is to die again for others, it must not be Christ but us, since we are called to bear witness to him. And so, we pray at this Mass that we may witness to Christ by celebrating His Ascension into glory. May this celebration of hope remind us that we too will join Christ one day to enjoy life in full communion with God, to behold his beatific vision, and live in peace and harmony with God and all the saints in glory. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

May 09, 2021; Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter, Year (B)

 

Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 Jn. 4:7-10; Gospel John 15:9-17

Love Breaks all Barriers.

1.     In the first reading, we see Peter, a Jew, in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile. Jews had nothing in common with the Gentiles. The Gentiles were not considered fit to be admitted into any place of importance, not to mention the kingdom of heaven. Peter’s presence in the house of Cornelius was therefore, considered a taboo, scandalizing and very offensive indeed, to the Jews. To that point, Peter said, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean. And that is why I came without objection when sent for.” (Acts 10:28-29). Peter began his preaching with these words: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is accepted to him.” (Acts 10:34-35). While Peter was preaching, we are told: “The Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit would have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.” (Acts. 10: 44-47). All Peter could say was “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?” (Act. 10:47). With that Cornelius and his household were baptized.

2.     The division, hatred and barriers in our world today are caused by man’s inhumanity to man and our inability to keep the commandment of love. It is the limitations we place on love that create animosity among people. Though many people in our society think that they are better than others, more intelligent, talented, richer and better endowed than others, it doesn’t make them right. Thoughts like these foster violence and bloodshed among brothers and sisters. The belief that one race is better than or more superior to others, makes it hard, if not impossible to love. Hence, St. Paul tells us, “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). Therefore, Christ exhorts us in the gospel: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love.” (Jn. 15:12).  And John stresses in the second reading: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” (I Jn. 4:7-8). We must love as we are loved by God.

3.     God’s love transforms and redeems us. He loves us sacrificially through his Son, who gave up his life for our sake. He tells us: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (Jn. 15:13). There is so much misunderstand and mistrust in our society because we have not kept the commandment of love. Christ demonstrated this to his disciples when he said: “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (Jn. 13:12-15). The disciple must walk in the footsteps of the master; hence the Apostles were so convinced of their discipleship and the teaching of their master, that they were not afraid to die for others as their master did. No mountain was high enough for them to climb and no barrier could prevent them from bringing the gospel of Christ to the ends of the world. Hence Peter went to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, to preach the gospel of salvation to him and his household. God took the initiative and proved to them that salvation was open to all his children regardless of race, origin and tribe. All are welcome in God’s house.

4.     It is not surprising that today we celebrate Mother’s Day. Today we remember those special women in our lives who celebrated and continues to celebrate and love us. They would willingly sacrifice their lives for us. They reflect the heart of Jesus, the heart of love. They were our teachers, our religious education instructors and our sole guide and providers from womb to birth and beyond. Their love for us was not just warm and fuzzy feelings; it was dedication, commitment, care, forgiveness, unselfishness and thoughtfulness. Our mothers’ love is captured by Paul: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, not pompous, not inflated nor rude. It does not seek its own interest, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:4-8). Hence, John tells us that God is love, to love is to communicate God. This love breaks all barriers and brings us together. St Paul urges us to “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Rom. 13:8). At the end of our life on earth we will be judged on how much we loved God in one another. May God who loves us show us how to love others so as to abide with him in all eternity. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP