October 03, 2021; 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Readings: Gen. 2:18-24; Heb. 2:9-11; Mk. 10:2-16 

It is Not Good for the Man to be Alone

1.     Vima Dasan, SJ, in his book ‘His Word Lives’ writes, “Questioning the children before Confirmation, the Bishop asked one nervous little girl, “What is matrimony?” She answered, “A place where souls suffer for a time for their sins!” “No, no,” said the parish priest, “that is purgatory.” “Let her alone,” said the Bishop, “She might be right, what do you and I know about it?” It is obvious that priests, apart from what they read and hear during counseling and marriage preparation do not know much about the actual life of married couples. Some may have some idea, good or bad, based on the married lives of our parents. That is about all they know. Today’s readings present us with, first, the intention of God concerning man and woman, and second, the causes for divorce.

2.     The first reading from the book of Genesis tells us how God felt about man after creation. God felt pity for man’s loneliness. “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God then worked hard to fix that problem. “I will make a suitable partner for him.” But the problem could not be fixed by animals and things, none could take care of man’s loneliness. Only a human being can solve a human problem. When a woman was brought to man his problem was solved. “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman’ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” Case closed! Right? Not so fast. A woman was taken from a man’s side not to lord it over him but to be his friend, his partner, his companion, his helper, and his wife. The man on the other hand, is not to lord it over his wife or to be her master. He too is to be a friend, a helper, a companion and a partner to his wife. The marriage bond between a man and a woman will endure if these conditions are met.

3.     The Church sees in marriage “a covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life and which of its own very nature is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children” (Cannon 1055). It is, therefore, important that any person who wants to enter into marital covenant must be free to give consent to a life-long commitment to the other. “If their free consent is missing or seriously flawed, there is no marriage. In such cases, marriage tribunals may issue a declaration of nullity (an annulment). An annulment does not make a marriage invalid; it simply declares that it always was invalid, despite appearances to the contrary.” (Archbishop Terrence Prendergast SJ, ‘Living God’s Word’). It follows therefore, that any marriage that was validly entered into with consent freely given and accepted cannot be dissolved. It is in perpetuity till death. It is binding and enduring and remains so for the good of the spouses and the well-being of children. Compatibility and communications, finances, trust, commitment, fidelity, patience, and endurance should be painstakingly discussed and stressed during marriage preparation. When these issues are not properly treated before the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, spouses may look for an easy way out by way of divorce, with the excuses that they were not well informed before they gave their consent.

4.      Jesus addresses the question of divorce in the today’s gospel. They asked him, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” He asked them, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.” Married life is not a bed of roses. It is a covenant between two individuals, with their personalities intact, who try to live a life of happiness and bliss together. It can only be possible through tolerance and endurance. St. Paul tells us how the marital bliss can be achieved. “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over to her to sanctify her. So husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church.” (Eph. 4:21-32).

5.     If husbands and wives must live together in peace and harmony and avoid divorce and the resultant harm and hardships on the children, there must be a conducive atmosphere for love and peace to reign. Since marriage is a sacrament, God will always supply the graces needed by the couple to thrive. But they must ask for it. Prayer and the faithful reception of Christ in the Eucharist at Mass must be cultivated. Selfishness must be avoided like corona virus. Husbands and wives must respect themselves and approach the challenges before them with trust in God and their abiding love for each other. They must avoid external influences that may corrupt peace and harmony in their homes. They must take their problems to God first before their neighbors. This will ensure a lasting and peaceful coexistence between them. May God guide and protect all married couples now and always. Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

     

September 26, 2021; 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

 

Readings: Numbers 11:25-29; Jas. 5:1-6; Mk. 9:38-43, 47-48

 

They Are Not One of Us

1.     There is a story told about a young man who died and went to Heaven. As he was being conducted around Heaven, he saw many people around having fun and enjoying themselves. He would ask who the people were, and he would be told, those people there are Hindus, by my right there are Muslims; over there are the Protestants etc. etc. They came to a tall walled fence with people feasting and celebrating with dancing and music. He asked who those people were, and the angel told him not to make noise, that those were Catholics, they believed they were the only ones in Heaven. Whenever I think of this story, I recall the old belief that outside the Catholic Church there was no salvation. Some people still hold that belief till today.

2.     In the first reading we read about Eldad and Medad who were among the 70 elders appointed to assist Moses. They did not join others at the ceremony and yet, they too received the spirit and prophesied. Joshua wanted to stop them, but Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!” Also, in the gospel John approached Jesus and reported, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” To him Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” This brings in a powerful dimension on how we receive people of other faith.  

3.     We often find ourselves in a position of trying to prevent people from doing a good deed because they are not one of us. We like to put people in boxes and divide them into groups of those who belong to us and those who do not? We see people as foreign, strangers, international born. We see their color as brown, black or white, but of course ours is better. They are Asians, or Europeans, or Caucasians or Latin Americans, but we are Americans. They have an accent and do not speak like us. They are Republicans, Democrats, or Independents. They don’t like us, and we don’t like them, because we are better than them. This perception and way of thinking is sinful and scandalous. It is wrong! It makes it hard to accept people for who they are, sons and daughters of God, created in the image and likeness of God.

4.     St. James referred to this way of thinking and perception in his epistle. We rely on our self-importance, arrogance, and pride. He said, “Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire.” This is because we see ourselves as deserving while others are undeserving. We are the ones who will go to heaven while others are hell-bound. Christ made it clear that all good deeds come from God. We cannot, on our own, do any good without the grace of God. Therefore, we should avoid giving scandal by how we live.

5.     We sometimes bring this perception and way of thinking to our ministries in the Church. We will not do anything that was done by another parishioner, for fear that we are doing their work. God has endowed us with gift of talent, time, and treasure, we must invest our gift in the building of the kingdom. No one is better than other. St. Paul captured it well in his letter to the Ephesians: “And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy one for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-12). We are called, gifted, and equipped for ministry. Our gift is not for us alone but to be used for others and to build up the kingdom of God on earth. Therefore, we should not look down on anyone or think that others are not worthy of God’s call.

6.     Let us pray that we may rather die than sin against God and our neighbors. That we may never scandalize the young ones by our way of life and our perception of others. May we see everyone as a child of God, created in the image and likeness of God. Amen.       

  

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

September 19, 2021; 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Jas. 3:16-4:3; Mk. 9:30-37

Authority in Service

1.     In the first reading the Book of Wisdom addresses the difference between the just and the wicked. The wicked is tired of the religiosity of the just and their claim of immortality and God’s justice. For them, it is useless pursuing a life of righteousness and justice in the world where both the just and the unjust suffer equally, despite God’s promise of security for the just. Why not live your life today since there is nothing more to it? With this kind of reasoning Christ’s prediction of his death makes no sense. No wonder why it was so difficult for the apostles to take him seriously. Who wants to suffer the agony of the cross? What is the purpose of living for others when we can live for yourselves? Why carry the cross when one can live a comfortable life? While on the road, instead of thinking about the second prediction of Christ’s death, the apostles are thinking of who is the greatest among them. They were thinking about their future, their retirement plan, and their place in history.

2.     Even the mother of Zebedee’s sons would not allow her sons to be left out. Approaching Jesus, she too made her request, “Command that these two sons or mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” (Mt. 20:21). It is like they wanted to be sure Jesus made his will before he left them. They had to be sure their contribution in the mission project counted for something. While Christ was telling them “The Son of man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”, they were busy “Discussing among themselves who was the greatest.” The apostles’ way of thinking was by no means different from the way we think. We are ambitious! We want to be great, be respected and be acknowledged as benevolent leaders. We want to be sure that our tomorrow is secured. Sometimes in struggling for greatness, we overlook the plight of others. Christ shared with them his fear of rejection and crucifixion, but they were concerned about their own selfish ends and ambitions. Like the wicked in the first reading, who cares! How insensitive they were to his feelings!

3.     Christ knew them well. He used their insensitivity to teach them a lesson on authority and service. He taught them the meaning of real greatness. “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk. 10:43-45). He practiced what he preached by his life. He washed their feet, and told them, “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. 13:13-15). Authority in the Church is for service. Hence the motto of the Holy Father the pope is: Servant of the servants of God. He is the chief servant of us all. He is called to serve others, and so are all other ministers. Ours is not to lord it over others but to lead them by the power of our example and teach them how to willingly serve others.

4.     Christ presented them with another symbol of authority – humility and dependence. He introduced a child into the picture and told them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” A child does not depend on his importance and greatness but on his parents’. His security and safety come from his parents and guardians. Christ wants his apostles to rely on God, the father us all for greatness and strength. If God is not the source of their greatness they will derail from the right path and seek it through other means. And this will lead to jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder, and every vile practice, according to St. James, in the second reading. Of course, what the disciples were discussing was anything but a path to greatness. The followers of Christ are called to avoid the disordered path to greatness. If they want to be first and have authority, they must walk the path of service.

5.     The second reading points us to the root cause of conflicts in a spiritual life that is not rooted in humility and service. James asked, “Where do the conflicts among you originate? Is it not your inner craving that makes war within your members?” Pride and petty jealousy stir up hatred in a heart which cries out for vengeance even against the innocent. “Let us best the just one, let us condemn him to a shameful death.” (Wisdom 2:19-20). We are often blinded by our inordinate desires and motives that make it difficult to see the needs of others. Instead of relying on God and the wisdom that comes from above, we look down and trust our instinct to earthly wisdom. So, we only think of ourselves and our self-importance. A humble person sees others and not himself.

6.     According to Philip John and Premdas in ‘New Horizons’, “What motivates my decisions, shapes the style or my functioning? In the exercise of authority, what is my primary unexpressed, gut-level concern? To service or to be served? To win popularity, to ingratiate myself, to be able to cling to the seat or power? Or is it an attitude of humble service? The number one crisis in the Church at all levels is the crisis in authority. Starting with the wrong question, we end up in a sorry mess. The wrong question is: Who is the greatest among us? The right question is: How can I be a humble servant.” Many leaders in the church have caused incalculable harm to the body of Christ due to their insatiable desire for power and authority. We allow pride and our sense of importance to control our willingness to serve the church and those entrusted to our care.

7.     At this Mass may we take some time to reflect and pray on our understanding of power in the church. Let us pray that we may not be ruled by our passion for authority and power but our willingness to serve like Christ. May we depend on the wisdom that comes from above so that our service may be meaningful. As Christ came to serve and not to be served, may we learn the true meaning of authority for the service of God and humanity. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

September 12, 2021; 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time ( Year B)

Readings: Is. 50:5-9; Jas. 2:14-18; Mk. 8:27-35 

There is No Crown Without A Cross

1.     A cross is something we would like to run away from. It represents pains, sufferings, difficulties, sadness, and loneliness. Criminals were hung on the cross to die a shameful and painful death. According to St. Paul, “Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree.’” (Gal. 3:13). Christ removed the curse associated with the cross and made it an object of salvation, therefore, we can say “In the cross is our salvation.” We can never go through life without experiencing some form of a cross. So, in the Gospel Jesus tells us “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

2.     There is a story told of a man who wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. He got a cross the same size that Christ carried and went on his way. As he went along, he felt that the cross was too heavy and so he cut off some part of it. When he came to a river too deep to cross, he had an idea. He threw the cross across the river, intending to walk on it to the other side. Unfortunately, the cross was shorter by the piece he cut off and so his journey came to an end. Christ’s warning is ad rem, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” We cannot claim to know Jesus if we run away from him. Christ did not run away from his cross, he embraced it. It was through his cross that he saved the world. As we say on Good Friday, “We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by Your cross, You have redeemed the world.”

3.     This point is very clear in today’s gospel. Christ asked his disciples who they thought he was. Was he one of the prophets like John the Baptist, Jeremiah, or Elijah? Was he just a miracle worker? A healer? A storyteller? Or just a friend and lover of the sick? Yes! He was all that and more. Peter got it right. He was the Messiah. The Anointed one. The one sent for the salvation of the world. This was all well said. But Christ had to explain to them what his mission in the world was all about. He is the suffering servant we hear about in the first reading. He will be beaten, his beard plucked and he will be spat upon. He will rely on God for protection and guidance, but he will not run away from pain and suffering. Yes, he will suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and finally he will die a shameful death as they will nail him to the cross, the object of shame and disgrace. His kingship will be different from that of the world. He will reign supreme on the Cross and by his cross he will save the world. Peter could not imagine this Messiah going through such ignominy. “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” (Mt. 16:22) But Christ stood firm and put Peter where he belonged, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mt. 16:23). How do human beings think? Human beings think of comfort, pleasure, leisure and how to avoid pains and suffering – the cross at all costs!

4.     Many of us are ready for the crown without the cross. We want the glory without work; to pass examinations with flying colors without studying. We shy away from sufferings and pains but yearn for exulted positions. Christianity is not having a life without pain and suffering; it is being prepared for both. Christ shared good times with his disciples, but he also had his share of pains, rejection, and crucifixion. Many times, people have wondered why a loving God would allow us to suffer. We wonder why the world is often plagued with sickness, hunger, viruses, and death. What is the place for suffering and the cross in the world created lovingly by God? Why should children be born without limbs. What role has fire, earthquake, landslide, tsunami, and many other natural disasters play in the world while thousands are displaced or lose their lives. Why does one religion attack and persecute another in the name of God or Allah? We may not know the answers to these questions and there are many more questions to ask. We must know that pain and suffering have their place in the world.

5.     Our call to follow Christ, the suffering Messiah, demands that we be prepared to lose our life in order to get it back. Losing our life may not necessarily mean martyrdom but it means dying to ourselves, our selfishness, and our pride so that we may live for Christ. Christianity is hard work. Hence James tells us bluntly, “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead!” Our faith must be alive and active. It means getting up and contributing our gifts of time, talent, and treasure to advance the kingdom of God on earth. If we want the crown of eternal life, we must not shy away from the cross of our daily life. Let us pray that the crosses we carry may not be too heavy for us. May we identify our suffering with that of Jesus. Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

September 05, 2021; 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time (Year B)

 

Readings: Is. 35:4-7; Jas. 2:1-5; Mk. 7:31-37 

The Lord is Doing Something New, Can You See it?

1.     In the first reading Isaiah addressed the children of Israel during their captivity in Babylon: “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God he comes to save you.” For they felt abandoned by God. They knew that they brought this disaster upon themselves by turning their backs against God. They were not faithful to their covenant with God. Therefore, Isaiah assured them that God will revisit them and bring them out of captivity, for God can never be absent from his people. God’s salvation is expressed in terms of healing the blind and the deaf, the lame and the mute. “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe.”

2.     The gospel took up the theme of the presence of God in a broken world. He opened the ears of the man who had a speech impediment. “He took him off by himself away from the crowd.” Christ was compassionate and sensitive to the plight of the man. He did not want him to be embarrassed by his defect. Christ did not just restore his physical deafness; he restored his spiritual deafness as well. According to Eugene H. Maly in ‘The Word Alive’ “The physical defects are the result of sin, of alienation from God. The restoration of wholeness, then means not only the physical cure; it also symbolizes the destruction of evil, the renewed presence of the saving God.”

3.     By opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, Christ has opened not just his eyes but his mind and heart as well. The deaf can hear, not only human words, but also the Word of God. The lame can walk, but also, he can follow in the way of the Lord. A wholeness of the body without a wholeness of the spirit is broken wholeness. “The evil that the Lord overcomes is not just the evil of broken limbs, but also of broken hearts. Hence Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins as he cured his sickness.” (Mk. 2:2-12). This is the new thing that God is doing in our world. “Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:19).

4.     Our baptism is a call to proclaim the goodness of the Lord. Though Christ told those who witnessed the opening of the deaf man’s ears to tell no one, they did not obey him. Why? The answer lies in the word “proclaim.” We are told, “But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it.” Christ did not want the people to misunderstand the reason for healing the sick and restoring defects. He did not work wonders for applause, neither was he a political leader. They, on the contrary, especially the deaf and dumb man, were announcing the good news (proclaim). Their ears were opened to hear God’s word and their tongues were loosened to proclaim it. Something more had happened than just a physical healing. God’s presence was to be felt in and around them.

5.     Therefore, to fully participate in the life of Jesus and experience his goodness, we must open our ears and eyes to the plight of our brothers and sisters in the world. The plight of the deaf and dumb is our plight too, their incapacities is ours as well. If they are disabled it will affect us in one way or the other. Many of us are deaf and dumb – not physically, but spiritually. Do we open our ears to hear the stories of wounds, sin, division, racism and hurts around us and in our world? What have we done about it? Do we dismiss the inequalities and injustices and poverty that is crying for attention around us? We must know that what affect one person affects all of us. We cannot isolate ourselves from the problems around us. It may not happen to us today, but if we close our eyes and pretend that it does not concern us, we may be in for a rude awakening. When it is our turn there may be no one to help us.  Do we spend some time in prayer or are we too lazy to even try? Do we hear Christ calling us to pay attention to the needs of the people around us? How blind are we to their needs? St. James tells us to show no partiality as we adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. We must not prefer the rich to the poor. Both should be treated equally.

6.     Let us go to Jesus with our deafness, and he will take us aside, touch us and remove our deafness, and loosen our tongue to proclaim his praises. We can spend quality time in prayer during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Sundays from 9:00 am before our 10:00 am Mass. He will also open our eyes to the needs of people around us and his mercy will direct us to help them. Since the healing of the deaf and dumb demonstrates the compassion of Christ, may it also touch our hearts and help us to be compassionate. We pray that we may be more attentive to the word of God that was planted in our tongue, and on our ears on the day of baptism so that we too may hear the word of God and proclaim it in praise of God for blessings received. We have listened to the gospel reading and heard the word of God at this Mass, may our spirit be lifted so that we too can proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. May our eyes be opened to see the needs of our brothers and sisters around us and our ears be opened to hear his word and put it into practice now and always. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP