March 23, 2025; 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year C)

                                     Readings: Ex. 3:1-8; 1Cor. 10:1-6; Lk 13:1-9

 

Lent is A Time To Change Our Minds

1.    There is a story about a man named Bill, a prominent contractor. Over time, the pressures of his business led him to turn to alcohol. Before long, he separated from his family, and his company went bankrupt. One day, while walking down the street, Bill happened to look down and saw a bent, rusty nail on the sidewalk. He thought to himself, “That nail is a perfect picture of me. I’m rusty and bent out of shape, too. I’m good for nothing but to be thrown away, just like that nail.” Bill stooped down, picked up the nail, and put it in his pocket.

 

2.    When he got home, he took a hammer and began to straighten the nail. Then, he used sandpaper to remove the rust. Afterward, he placed the restored nail alongside a new one and could hardly tell the difference between the two. A thought flashed through Bill’s mind: his life could be straightened out and cleaned up just like the nail. But he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Could he endure the hard blows and sanding? He decided to try. Today, Bill is reunited with his family and has returned to the construction business. He owes everything to that old, rusty, bent nail he found on the sidewalk at just the right time. To this day, he keeps the restored nail in his wallet.

 

3.    Today’s liturgy reminds us that our God is a God who gives a second chance to His children. In revealing His name to Moses, He assured the children of Israel that He is the God of the living; He is always present and accessible to His people. He is “The Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity” (Ex. 34:5-7). In the first reading, God revealed His name as ‘Yahweh,’ translated as ‘I am who am.’ He said, “This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” According to the Psalmist, “The Lord is kind and merciful.” God, the great I Am, is a merciful God. He loves us so much that He doesn’t judge us as we deserve; instead, He gives us a second chance when we fail, allowing us to come back to our senses and return to Him. His mercy is not merely a concept but a transformative power that can straighten and cleanse our lives, just like the nail in Bill’s story.

 

4.    Jesus encourages us in the Gospel to take advantage of the many opportunities God has given us to change our minds. Those who died in tragic circumstances were not necessarily worse sinners. Their deaths should prompt us to repent and believe the Gospel. This is what we promised on the day of our Baptism: to reject Satan and all his works and to believe in God. Through the natural and political disasters of His time, Jesus illustrated the fragility of life and called for a life of repentance. He uses the story of the gardener to highlight God’s patience and offers us precious opportunities to be saved: “Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down” (Lk. 13:8).

 

5.    The call to repentance is not solely an invitation to turn away from our sinful ways; it also calls us to produce the fruits of good living and holiness. God’s mercy is infinite, but we are finite beings. We do not have eternity to change our minds. “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps. 95:7-11). If we fail to bear fruit, we should heed the warning: “For three years now, I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?” (Lk. 13:7). This image of the unproductive fig tree illustrates how it drains resources and deprives other productive trees of nourishment. It must be cut down so that others can thrive and be nourished. This emphasizes our role in nurturing others; if we are not enriching the lives of those around us, we are taking away from them. We must be givers, nurturing and enriching the lives of others.

 

6.    Repentance means a change of heart, attitude, and mind. It is not just a suggestion but essential for our spiritual growth. We can change our minds in both small and big ways. We can shift from being inactive to active, from not praying to praying, from being uncharitable to charitable, from being sinful to sinless, from being unmerciful to merciful, from neglecting to attend Mass regularly to making it a priority, and from not bringing our children to church to ensuring they are with us. Lent is not just about receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday and palms on Palm Sunday. It is not only about fasting, abstaining from meat, and eating fish on Fridays. It encompasses all of this and more. It provides us a golden opportunity to change our minds, repent, and turn back to God.

 

7.    At various points in our lives, we have been like the fig tree, in danger of being ejected and rejected as useless. But God’s mercy, the Great ‘I Am,’ took pity on us and granted us a second chance. Like Bill, we must be grateful to God for His mercy and our second chance.  Let us receive God's mercy and stop complaining about the misfortunes of our lives, for Christ made it clear that accidents and sickness are not punishment for sins but a great opportunity to repent and change our minds. As God gives us a second chance, we must also give a second chance to others and help them grow in love, hope, and trust. May we see the bigger picture of God's plan in our lives and worship him in spirit and truth! Amen.

 

8.    Rev. Augustine Etewmma Inwang, MSP

March 16, 2025, 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Readings: Gn. 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil 3:20-4:1; Lk 9:28-36

“This is my Chosen; Listen to Him.”

1.     In the first reading, God initiates a covenant with Abram, putting His life on the line and promising to make Abram’s descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Despite being old and seeing no immediate fulfillment of this promise, Abram places his faith in God, trusting that He will remain faithful to His word.

 

2.     In the Gospel, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain during prayer. Like God, He commits His life to saving His people. The transfiguration signifies the new life we can have with God. Just as God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, Jesus, the new Adam, will guide us to a life of everlasting happiness in heaven. At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah speak with Jesus about His impending death (his Exodus) and its purpose in saving humanity. ‘Exodus’ means to remind us of the Israelites’ flight from Egypt. Through His death and resurrection, our lives will be transformed; our pain will turn to joy, and death will give way to life, with Christ reigning in us forever. Jesus will lead a new exodus – liberating not only Israel but every race and people, not from bondage to Pharaoh but from slavery to sin and death. He will lead all mankind, not to the territory promised to Abraham in today’s first reading, but to the heavenly commonwealth that is described in today’s Epistle. Moses, the giver of God’s law, and the great prophet Elijah were the only Old Testament figures to hear the voice and see the glory of God on top of a mountain (Exodus 24:15-18;1 King 19:8-18).    

 

3.     However, we must first follow the example of Christ. His transfiguration was preceded by prayer. To pray is to change; to be transformed further requires sincere and frequent prayer. We connect with God in prayer by lifting our minds and hearts to Him, constantly praising and adoring Him. During prayer, we seek God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness for our sins. We pray because we desire to be in communion with God. Without communication with Him, we may find ourselves “running well but off the road.” Through prayer, God establishes a covenant of love with us, transforms our appearances, and clothes us in a dazzling white garment, preparing us for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

 

4.     When we pray, we listen to Jesus. “Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.’” God the Father invites us to heed Jesus. This is what He desires from us: “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). Jesus teaches us to forgive those who have wronged us, love our enemies, and do good to those who hate us. He encourages us to give to everyone who asks of us and to treat others as we would like to be treated. Christ urges us to stop judging and condemning others, to share what we have, and to treat everyone with the same unconditional love that God shows us (Luke 6:27-42). We can fulfill these teachings only through prayer, which brings us into the presence of God and effects change in our lives.

 

5.     When we pray, God transforms our appearances and our relationships, making it possible to forgive those who have hurt us. Prayer inspires holy thoughts, allowing us to echo Peter’s sentiment: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” The “here” that Peter longed for was to be at home with God. Jesus will transform our lives, making them like His in glory. May it be so now and always! Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

March 09, 2025; First Sunday of Lent (Year C)

                                         Readings: Dt. 26:4-10; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13

Temptation Builds Character

1.    Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian Nobel Laureate, was once asked about his New Year’s resolution. He stated that he planned to spend more time alone, taking long walks in the fields, appreciating nature, and spending less time with others. He expressed that the more time he spent with others, the less he felt like himself. This sentiment resonates with many people throughout history. We deeply desire to embark on an inward journey to discover our true selves. However, this journey can reveal unsettling truths about who we are, and temptations often arise. 

2.    Today, we begin Jesus’s inward journey with him as he seeks to understand himself and his mission. After his baptism in the Jordan River, Jesus was filled with the overwhelming love of his Father. The scripture states, “After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened. He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:16-17).

3.    The first Sunday of Lent introduces us to the temptations of Jesus. Scripture tells us, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1). Life is filled with highs and lows; at times, we feel invincible, while at other moments, we may feel defeated. There are days when we find consolation in prayer and others when we experience profound desolation. The Christian Life is never static. Many saints encountered ‘the dark night of the soul’ in their relationship with God. In moments when we feel close to God, our possibilities seem limitless. Yet, during other times, God feels distant, and we may feel our efforts are in vain, our prayers empty, and our deserts parched. During these times of desolation, we are particularly vulnerable to temptation. 

4.    The devil tempted Jesus to use his power to turn stones into bread when hungry. He was also enticed to worship Satan in exchange for wealth (position) and urged to demonstrate his miraculous powers for the crowd’s applause (prestige). These temptations sought to make Jesus powerful and bring glory to himself. However, Jesus trusted his Father and rejected the devil’s offerings, demonstrating that all power belongs to God. His mission was to fulfill his Father’s will, not his desires.

5.    The devil often targets us at our weakest points: when we are sick, hungry, unemployed, impoverished, or longing for companionship. Jesus teaches us that we can only resist Satan by submitting to God. We must remain steadfast during both good and bad, for as St. Paul reminds us, “All things work for the good of those who love the Lord” (Rom 8:28, 31). In times of desolation, God holds our hand and guides us. Therefore, we must be prayerful, and reading the Bible will help us understand how to respond to temptation. Tough times do not last, but tough people do.

6.    Lent is founded on a three-legged prayer, fasting, and almsgiving stool. Fasting and almsgiving strengthen us spiritually to combat the devil. Christ went into the desert to fast and pray for the strength to confront the powers of this world. St. Paul reminds us, “Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, powers, and rulers of this present darkness, and with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Eph. 6:12-13). Thus, we must join Jesus in the desert during the 40 days of Lent. Let us pray with him for the strength to stand against the devil. Just as Christ surrendered to God’s will and armed himself with God’s word, we must do the same. Armed with prayer and scripture, He countered Satan: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God,” and again, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Finally, He commanded, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship, and Him alone shall you serve” (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10).

7.    We often succumb to temptation because we fail to fortify ourselves. Lent gives us a golden opportunity to engage in this battle against temptation. We must give alms, fast, and pray if we wish to confront the challenges in our lives. Temptation builds character and makes us stronger. May we learn humility, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy. Let us earnestly approach this season of grace with commitment and a sincere desire for change. Please take a moment to read Psalm 51 as you pray for strength this week. Be blessed. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

EIGHT SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, 2025 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Sirach 27:4-7; Psalm 92:2-3, 13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45

The first reading and the gospel bring to my mind the words of Jesus in Matthew 15:11, 18-19, “It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one … But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy.” This is why Psalm 51:12 prays, “A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.” 

Chickens incubate their eggs by sitting on them to keep them warm and turning them regularly. This process is called brooding. After a period of time, the eggs hatch into chicks. This process happens to us concerning unresolved evil thoughts stored in our hearts. They are only brooding and will surely come out of our mouth or manifest in our attitude sometime, somewhere. Sometimes, they come out or manifest in a surprising or even embarrassing manner.

This is why the first reading warns us, “When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear, so do one’s fault when one speaks…. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind” (Sirach 27:4 & 6). The heart is described as the center of vitality of our spiritual and physical body. What is stored in the heart pilots our spiritual and physical behaviors. Therefore, what we feed our hearts with and what we store in our hearts reflect not only in what our mouth speaks but also in our behaviors. Whereby a person feeds his or her heart with dirty, filthy, violent, fake, false, and ungodly materials, these vices do reflect in the person’s communication and behavior. That is why St. Paul instructs us to fill our hearts with whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

Whatever is stored in the heart either sanctifies or defiles the soul and the body. It is what we have that we give. In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of the store of evil produces evil; from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Jesus says, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). What would Jesus say about the impure of heart?

Jesus invites us to another act of inward-looking. He says, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye, when you do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?’” This statement does not mean that we do not speak the truth, or do not correct one another, or do not encourage one another to do the right thing, rather, by this statement, Jesus invites us to look inward ourselves more than paying so much attention and being overly critical of other persons’ faults, wrongs, and sins. Jesus instructed us last Sunday to stop judging and to stop condemning (Luke 6:37). St. Paul adds, “For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things” (Romans 2:1). This is the sin of hypocrisy Jesus cautions us about. We often say, “When a person points one accusing finger at someone, the other fingers point at the accuser.” 

Socrates says, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” Self-knowledge helps us to recognize and acknowledge God’s grace in our life and be able to understand others more, show empathy, and be less judgmental to them. St. Paul advises us, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1). A political prisoner, John Bradford, while witnessing a public execution in the Tower of London around 1553, is attributed to have said, “There but for the grace of God, go I.” Does this remark challenge us concerning how we perceive and judge others? 

Finally, instead of concentrating our attention on the faults, wrongs, and sins of others, St. Paul advises us in the second reading, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Yes, indeed, our fault finding and being critical of others neither help us nor anyone one. Rather, spending our time fully devoted to the work of the Lord can never be in vain.

March 02, 2025; 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: Sirach 27: 4-7; 1 Cor. 15:54-58; Lk 6:39-45

A Tree is Known by Its Fruit!

Have you ever followed someone expecting to be directed to a destination, but the person stopped and said, “Don’t follow me; I am lost?” This would be embarrassing and unfortunate indeed! Today’s Gospel exhorts us not to follow people who do not know where they are going. “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit.” Yet Jesus invites us to follow him. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:29). In another place, he says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6).

We have often deviated from the path to eternal life by our actions and yet take it upon ourselves to be a guide, a yardstick, and a standard of moral rectitude to others. Why don’t we correct the ills in ourselves first? We have sometimes ignored the plank in our eyes while attempting to remove a splinter in our neighbor’s eyes. Haven’t we pointed accusing fingers at others while forgetting that some of those fingers are accusingly pointing directly at us?

Last Sunday’s readings encouraged us to exercise restraint in our dealings with others as we saw David with Saul, who was out to kill him (1 Sam. 26:2-23). Today, we are urged to exercise restraint in the way we use our tongues. Do not be eager to speak, correct, and condemn others while ignoring the same ills in yourself. None of us is so perfect and without fault that we should hurry to correct others. We are not without fault hence we should be patient and not be hasty in condemning or criticizing others. Check your intentions before pointing out the faults of others. Is my correction done out of love and to build up my neighbor, or is it to tear them down and humiliate them in the process?

Christ reminds us that a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit; what is the effect of your words of correction on others? Has it improved their character or caused anger and humiliation? As we look forward to the season of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday, let us be prepared to take stock of our lives as we enter the desert of prayer, fasting, and penance with Christ.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, Son of the living God, you who did not open your mouth before Pilate, do not allow me to open my mouth when I do not know what to say and how to say it. Amen.

                                                Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, 2025 BY FR. MARTINE EKE, MSP

1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Like 6:27-38

God sent Saul, the king of Israel, on a mission “to put the sinful Amalekites under a ban of destruction; [to] fight against them until you have exterminated them.” But Saul disobeyed the Lord. He took the king captive and “pounced on the spoil.” When Samuel confronted Saul, he gave his excuse, “from the spoil the army took sheep and oxen, the best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the Lord” (1 Samuel 15:14-20). This is an example of, “never accept responsibility,” “make excuses,” “find someone to blame.”

Samuel announced to Saul, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the Lord’s command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, to listen, better than the fat of rams. For a sin of divination is rebellion, and arrogance, the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord in turn has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

When Saul realized that God had chosen David to succeed him, he was very angry and made eleven attempts to kill David:

- Saul attempted to kill David with a spear (1 Sam. 18:11); - Saul planned to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines by giving David his daughter Michal in marriage  (1 Sam. 18:17, 21); - Saul ordered his servants to kill David (1 Sam. 19:1); - Saul attempted to kill David with a spear (1 Sam. 19:10); - Saul sent messengers to kill David (1 Sam. 19:11); - Saul sent messengers to bring David back so that he could kill David (1 Sam. 19:15); - Saul sent messengers to kill David (1 Sam. 19:20); - Saul sent messengers again to kill David (1 Sam. 19:21); - Saul went himself to kill David (1 Sam. 19:22); - Saul pursued David to kill him (1 Sam. 23:15); - Saul pursued David to kill him (1 Sam. 26:2).

The eleventh attempt is as we read in the first reading, “Saul went down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand men … to search for David.” We can see how desperate Saul was. Today’s first reading informs us how David had the opportunity to get revenge against Saul but chose to spare Saul’s life. At that time when the law was, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24), David stood out in showing mercy and forgiveness to Saul who made eleven attempts on his life.

David is a perfect example of Jesus’ teaching in today’s gospel: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic…” (Luke 6:27-29). This is a very radical teaching since it is typical of human nature to do good to those who are good to us and to punish those who treat us badly. David and Jesus teach us today that this must not be so.

This teaching by Jesus is a difficult teaching to accept, especially for those who are in pain and grieving due to the wickedness of human beings and where the enemies are unrelenting. The teaching is, “Do not take revenge.” “Do not retaliate.” St. Paul writes, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord”’ (Romans 12:17).  We pray for God’s grace, protection, healing, and intervention.

However, Christianity does not encourage cowardice and subservience. St. Paul writes, “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). Christianity teaches legitimate defense of oneself and defense of life and property by legitimate authority. Jesus says, “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into” (Matthew 24:43). “… one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36). Legitimate defense of life and property can be seen in these statements. If Pope Urban II had not called the Crusade in 1095 against the Muslims, perhaps, Christianity would not have survived. It is in support for the defense and protection departments that Churches provide chaplains for the spiritual needs of their personnel.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in numbers 2265 and 2266, “Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm.” “For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their responsibility.” We pray that legitimate authorities do not fail to carry out this divine giving responsibility. We pray that legitimate authorities do not, themselves, become wicked oppressors of the weak, the vulnerable, and the defenseless, as it is the case in many places and many countries.

May God continue to protect and save his own from their enemies as he protected and saved David from King Saul. God promises, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” This promise came true concerning David and King Saul. May we keep God’s word, blessing those who curse us and praying for those who hate us. And may God’s promises continue to be fulfilled. Amen.

February 23, 2025; 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (Year C)

                                 Readings: 1 Sam. 26:2, 7-9; 1 Cor. 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38

How Do You Treat Those Who Hate You?

Today’s readings deal with forgiveness, hatred, revenge, rancor, hurt, and stressful relationships. It is very easy to love those who love us, our friends, and those we are well disposed towards. But does that make us Christians? We would not be different from the pagans, sinners, heathens, and those who do not know God. Christianity calls us to be different, to stand out, and to act in ways that are opposite to the norm and the expected. By doing things differently, we can show the world that we are followers of Christ. In the first reading, David demonstrated this Christ-like attitude in the way he treated Saul, who was out to kill him. David had Saul, his archenemy, at his fingertip and would have killed him without anyone knowing: Saul’s guards were all asleep. But David would not do it. He respected the image of God in Saul and spared his life. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts the crowd to love their enemies and pray for those persecuting them. He gave us a reason why we should behave this way: “…that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt 5:44-48.

Soren Kierkegaard admonished, “Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son, who had fallen most low, could still be saved. The bitterest enemy and he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle again.” We know that we have been hurt many times, but do not forget that you have hurt people many times too. If we ask God for forgiveness and mercy, the more reason we should extend the same to others. Christ was quick to remind us, “So will my heavenly Father do to you unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart,” Mt. 18:35. Thomas Fuller was right when he observed: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself: for every man has need to be forgiven.”

To forgive and do good to those who hate us is very difficult indeed if we were to do it on our own. But we have the Christ who prayed for those who killed him on the cross as our leader and guide. If we go to him for help, he will surely assist us. God will always be with us if we trust him and go to him for help to forgive those who hurt us. And you will truly be rewarded with happiness and peace each time you dare to forgive those who hurt you and pray for them.

Let our prayer this week be: Lord Jesus, you who treated your enemies with love, and prayed for those who nailed you to the cross, teach me to forgive those who hate me and speak ill of me behind my back. Give me the courage and strength I need to love and pray for them. May I never be mean to people who are mean to me but let me treat them with love and respect today and always. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

December 29, 2024; The Feast of the Holy Family (Year C)

                     Readings: 1 Sm. 1:20-21, 24-28; 1 Jn. 3:1-2, 21-24; Lk 2:41-52

We Must Always Return to Jerusalem to Find the Missing Link in Our Relationship

1.    When a man and a woman get married, they always think of a place they can call home, a place to return to after a day’s job, and where they would raise a family. A home should be a mini-church where the family gathers for prayer, reflection, and spiritual discussions. It should also be a mini-school where children learn about their faith and the teachings of the Church. It should also be a mini-social center where the family shares meals, celebrates special occasions, and supports each other. Children learn to be good, loving, graceful, forgiving, gentle, humble, and spiritual from their parents. At home, they learn to pray. They learn table manners from home as well. What they learn from school should complement what they learn from home. Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Mary was a homemaker while Joseph was a carpenter – the breadwinner and the child Jesus learned from his parents. At least, so it seems! Was their home free from anxiety? Were they worried about anything or any member of the family?

2.   In the Collect today, we asked God to give us the shining example of the Holy Family so that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity and so, in the joy of his house delight one day in eternal rewards. We want to model our family after that of the Holy Family. The first reading narrates the religious practice of Elkanah’s family. It was customary for them to go and present themselves to the Lord in the temple in Shiloh to fulfill their vows. They would offer sacrifices and prayers of thanksgiving to God for the blessings received. Samuel was an answer to Hannah’s prayer. She had asked the Lord for him and promised to offer the child to God should God answer her prayers. Now Hannah went to make good her pledge. Since God was at the center of her life, she dedicated Samuel to God. This dedication and commitment to God’s teachings and the example the Holy Family sets should inspire and motivate us in our family lives.

3.   In the gospel, we meet Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, who, as a typical Jewish family, also made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. It was, no doubt, a joyful celebration where families traveled in groups and enjoyed the company of one another. Things sometimes get in the way of such gatherings, and the important things often get ignored or forgotten. In this journey, we see a typical family dynamic in the Holy Family. The boy Jesus was forgotten and inadvertently left behind in the temple. One can only imagine the anxiety and panic that Mary and Joseph experienced during those agonizing hours that they could not account for Jesus’ whereabouts. They took him for granted and let their guards down. They thought Jesus would be taken care of by family members. They took some time out to be Mary and Joseph and not parents of a young boy of 12. Most families often find themselves in a similar situation. They take things for granted and usually feel that the kids will be just fine in the care of others.

4.   Isn’t it true that we often take things for granted ourselves, get busy with our jobs, and think of providing material things for our children, and we usually forget who is taking care of them? Children who grow up without close supervision from parents and caring adults develop their personalities and take up the guardian’s attitude. Truth be told, once you become parents, you live not for yourselves but for the children. Hence, the Church teaches the importance of responsible parenthood. This is not a burden but a privilege and a responsibility that we can handle. Christian homes must be enabling environments for children to grow into responsible adults. If not, it may be too late to salvage the situation when they discover the children are not with them.

5.   The beauty of the Holy Family and what makes it holy is that after paying the price for taking things for granted, they returned to the source where it all began – the temple. It was in the temple that they discovered Jesus. While they took things for granted, God was at work protecting his own. God had taken charge of Mary and Joseph’s situation. In referring to giving time to one another in the family, we must admit that the demands of time and situation are different today. The Holy Family of Nazareth was like any human family of their time. They also experienced the struggles of life – being refugees, working hard to make ends meet, having to meet the demands of the law, and all the other tensions that an ordinary family had to face. Despite all that, they were happy together. They went through their struggles together. But most of all, they always had time for God. God was in the center of their lives. To turn our families into holy families, we must allow the bond that binds us together to grow stronger and our love for every family member unconditional. We must bear with one another in love and forgive each other as soon as a misunderstanding occurs. We must never take any member of the family for granted. Most of all, we must always return to Jerusalem to find the missing link of our relationship; there, we will see Christ. He will teach us that the family that prays together stays together. May the Holy Family intercede for us on this day and into the new year. Amen. Happy Holy Family! Happy New Year to one and all.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

December 22, 2024; 4th Sunday of Advent (Year C)

Readings: Mic. 5:1-4; Heb. 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45

 

The Sinless and Most Humble Woman

1.     Who is the greatest? Is it the wealthiest person in the world? Or the most influential person? Could it be the person who boasts about himself and his riches? Jesus addressed his disciples about who the greatest is: “Let the greatest among you be as the youngest and the leader as the servant.” He asked them: “Who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves.” (Lk. 22:26-28). As we end the Advent season and begin the solemn preparation for the birth of Christ, I want to look at the humility of the Blessed Mother, Mary. After the fall, God’s love for humanity and his desire to enter a deeper relationship with us chose the sinless Virgin to be the mother of his son. Mary said ‘Yes’ to God. Yet Mary did not see herself as the queen of the universe but as the Handmaid of the Lord. “I am the Handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word,” she said. The angel also informed the Blessed Mother that her cousin, Elizabeth, was with child. She was elderly and long past the child-bearing age. Nothing is impossible for God. When Mary heard that message, she thought of nothing else but being with her. 

 

2.     Mary did not dwell on her glory. Instead, she immediately thought of her cousin and went to share her joy and look after her for a few months before the birth of John the Baptist. Mary’s selflessness is truly inspiring. She is not only sinless but also humble. Unsurprisingly, Jesus, our servant leader, took after her in service and greatness. How often do we see Mary as the blessed one, the chosen one, and the one who should be adored and even worshipped? But Mary debunked our wrong notion of her. When Elizabeth greeted her, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” Mary replied, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; For he has looked upon his Handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” Mary did not see herself as great, not because of her achievements but because of God’s mercy and graciousness. God looked down on her with compassion and chose her for greatness. She was grateful to God and believed and trusted in God’s promises. She devoted her life to God, listened to God, and pondered God’s mercy and love. Mary always points the way to her son. “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2:5) is her command to us. Mary’s greatness lies in her humility and service.

3.     As we celebrate Mary’s visit to Elizabeth on this fourth Sunday of Advent, we know that Christmas is here. When the Blessed Mother Mary visited Elizabeth, her cousin, she brought Christmas to her family. She shared not just the news of her pregnancy, but also the love of God and her own joy. Mary shows us why Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. She invites us to share what we have with the people around us, to bring joy and love to their lives, and to embody the true spirit of Christmas.

 

4.     When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Lk. 7:19). Jesus did not tell them that he was the Christ; instead, he said, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” (Lk.7:22). In my opinion, this is what Christmas is all about. Like Mary and Jesus, her son, we are to bring solace to the lives of the people around us. Christ sent John’s disciples back to tell him what they had seen and heard. It is about being there for people who are in need. We aim to assist them the best we can and bring a change into their lives.

 

5.     This is what we must do. As we visit families and friends, we must bring good tidings to them. We must go to them with love and share what we have with them. If there is misunderstanding and dispute, we must bring about healing. If people are in need, we must share what we have, no matter how small. We can bring with us some labor of love, like cleaning the house, doing laundry and dishes, or cooking and serving too. We can share our joy and laughter with them. Praying with our family and friends and encouraging them to return to Church may be all they need now. In your gift-giving, think of what will make a difference in their lives; not just give anything, but let it be something durable, something that counts, like a bible, a Missal, or a rosary. You may even spend some time with someone lonely and pray with them. These are all practical ways to embody Mary’s humility and service daily. May Mary, our mother, show us how to celebrate Christmas through our labor of love. Amen.

 

6.    Hail Mary, Gentle Woman: Gentle woman, quiet light, morning star, so strong and bright, gentle mother, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom; teach us love……

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

December 15, 2024; 3rd Sunday of Advent (Year C)

 

Readings: Zep. 3:14-18; Phil. 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18

Live, Love, and Laugh

1.    Today is the third Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday. At this Mass, we wear a rose-colored chasuble and light the rose-colored candle. The Entrance Antiphon is from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” There are 10 days to Christmas, the birth of Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16). We rejoice, not because everything is perfect, but because despite the deplorable condition of the world and its sinful nature, God deems it fit to come to our rescue through his Son, born of a woman to reconcile us to himself. The birth of Christ will bring us joy, peace, and happiness. But we must prepare for his coming by a life of repentance so that He may find us waiting in expectation for him. John the Baptist is still in the desert, calling us to repent, to a change of heart. He tells us to change the direction of our lives. Good deeds must accompany our repentance.

 

2.    Those who went to see John and heard his preaching were touched by his message. They wanted to know what practical bearing such a change of disposition might have on their lives (what should we do?). John told them that heeding the call to conversion implies a shift in one’s lifestyle. He answered the persistent questions of their hearts and called the crowds, the tax collectors, and the soldiers to a new way of relating to others. To the question ‘What should we do?’ John answered: “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. Whoever has food should do likewise.” We must share what we have with others, especially those who do not have as much as we do. The love of God is made manifest through sharing. The early Christians lived a life of sharing: “The 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. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or house would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.” (Acts 4:32-35). Christ reminds us that whatever we did for the least of his people, we did it for him (Mt. 25:31-46).

3.    To the tax collectors, John said, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” They, too, must be baptized in preparation for the Messiah. Tax collectors were detested and discriminated against as the instruments of the Roman occupying power and seen by their fellow Jews as extortionists. John told them to live in social justice with their compatriots, avoiding the corruption that typified their profession, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” The Messiah has no discrimination: He excludes no one from his presence. John, the evangelist, expressed it better, “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave the power to become children of God.” (John 1:11). John the Baptist assured the tax collectors that living a life of grace would guarantee them a place in the new dispensation.

4.    Soldiers, too, wanted John to help them out. Soldiers were serving in the army of Herod Antipas as police. They supported the tax collectors in levying tolls and duties. John reprimanded them against intimidating the people. Though poorly paid and using their positions to extort money from people and threaten them with trumped-up charges, they were to change their approach to their duties. “Do not practice extortion; do not falsely accuse anyone. Be satisfied with your wages.” John reminded them that having a new life means having a different outlook on things and people. By treating people fairly, with justice, love, and compassion, we experience the peace and joy of a new life of grace at the birth of Christ. Let us apply the instructions John gave the different professions to ourselves and rejoice as people who have experienced Jesus in their lives.

5.    On this Gaudete Sunday, we rejoice and celebrate for “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love; he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” Christ, our life has come into the world; therefore, we must live, love, and laugh. His birth brings us life; we celebrate life because he lives. Life makes it possible to love; we love and laugh because God is in our midst. So, dear friends, let us do something that will bring joy, laughter, and happiness to somebody’s life today. Let us give something to someone this Christmas that will bring a smile to their faces, no matter how small. For in sharing our joy with others, we experience God’s love. St. Francis tells us that it is in giving that we receive. May we give a gift of love to someone this day so that they may live, love, and laugh, for Jesus, the greatest gift giver, is in our midst. May God bless us today and always. Amen!  

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP