September 03, 2023; 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, (Year A)

Readings: Jer. 20:7-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27 

Jeremiah’s Burden – The burden of preachers!

1.    In today’s first reading, Jeremiah used the language of a betrayed lover to describe his relationship with God. God seduced, enticed, and manipulated him with promises of fidelity and commitment into a relationship. The Lord said to Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born, I dedicated you, and a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jer.1:5). And when Jeremiah protested, “Ah, Lord God! I know not how to speak; I am too young.” God told him, “Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you” (Jer. 1:7-8) The Lord then touched his mouth, saying, “See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.” (Jer. 1:9-10). Jeremiah was further assured: “But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: Against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.” (Jer. 1:17-19).

2.    Why then was Jeremiah mad at God? It was because “Violence and outrage is my message.” Because God’s Word has brought him “Derision and reproach all day.” Jeremiah thought that God’s promises at the time of his call would mean that everyone would love him and be receptive to his prophetic messages. But this was not the case. Those he preached to hate him; they ridiculed him, suspended him in the mud pit, threw him into jail, and threatened to kill him. And so, in the first reading, Jeremiah cries out complaining, “You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.” (Jer. 20:7). Jeremiah’s plight is that of every prophet who preaches the word of God. No wonder why some of today’s preachers preach what people want to hear and not God’s word. 

3.    Jeremiah’s burden came from his mission. He pointed out rottenness and corruption in high places, in sacred sanctuaries, among people who were supposed to be shining examples of virtue and champions of justice. He chastised the priests to reform their lives. He confronted kings and rulers to render justice to the poor. When Jeremiah preached, the outcome was violence and destruction; those in powerful positions and priests would mock and ridicule him. And so, he resolved not to speak of God’s Words anymore. But he immediately confesses his complete impotence to remain silent. Instead, he cried out that God’s word was like fire burning in his heart, imprisoned by his bones, “I grow weary holding it in, and I cannot endure it.” Jeremiah is gripped by the power of unrelenting love and so must keep on preaching.

4.    Jeremiah had to deal with the burden of his mission, just as Christ had his, dealing with his disciples who did not quite know what his mission was about. Last week, he asked his apostles: “Who do you say I am?” Peter had an A+ with his answer that Christ was the anointed one of God. Christ gave him an exulted position and called him the Rock on which he would build his church. Peter was given the keys of the kingdom to bind and to lose. Peter had his five minutes of fame! But in today’s reading, Christ said to Peter. “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” One wonders how deep Peter’s knowledge of Christ was. When Peter said that Christ was the anointed one, his understanding was that Christ would rescue God’s people from the hands of the Romans; establish a kingdom in which there would be no more poor or sick or blind or lame. As we recall in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), there will be peace, love, and justice in that kingdom. Sinners would be converted, and the world would be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

5.    Christ was expected to be a high priest or a judge; he was to be a warrior or a great prophet like Elijah. He was to be so great, prosperous, and powerful that suffering and pains would have no place in his life. And the Apostles saw themselves as sharing in the greatness of their master. They were destined to have high and influential positions in that kingdom. Why is Christ discussing suffering, the cross, or even dying? Peter had to prevent him from talking like that. But Christ saw in Peter’s reaction another form of temptation trying to derail him from his mission. He called him Satan, a tempter, a barrier, an adversary, and a stumbling block. Just like Jeremiah, no one wants to suffer, no one wants the cross, and no one wants pain. We want an easy way out, so we cut corners, peddle the truth, compromise our principles, and follow the crowd. No, Lord, this must not happen to you. Jesus rebuked Peter and reminded him not to give instructions but learn from him instead. Jesus lived a sacrificial life. He loves us above and beyond his call of duty. His aim is to bring us to a life of union with God. This means we must say ‘yes’ to God and ‘no’ to self. He calls us to dethrone ourselves and enthrone God and so please God in all that we do. Secondly, Christ invites us to take up our crosses as he did his and live a life of sacrifice. We must abandon our ambition and serve Christ and those entrusted to our care. We do this through prayer, a good sacramental life, and a life service life to others. We pray that we may offer ourselves “As a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” Amen.

Rev. Augustine E. Inwang, MSP

August 27, 2023; 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Isaiah 22:19-23; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20

Have You Ever Met Him?

1.    When faced with hard times, like a death in the family or betrayal of trust from friends, who would you say Jesus is for you? When faced with difficult situations in life, who is Jesus for you? Sometimes, it feels like we don’t know who Jesus is. This reminds me of a story told by Mark Link in his Sunday Homilies. A little girl went to CCD class for the first time. After class, her mother asked her, “Amy, how did you like CCD today?” The little girl said, “I didn’t like it at all.” Her mother said, “It was your first time. Just wait a few weeks. You’ll come to like it.” Three weeks later, the little girl came home from CCD with big tears in her eyes. “What’s the matter?” her mother asked. “It’s CCD,” the little girl answered. “Must I keep going?” “Why?” asked her mother. “What’s wrong?” “Well,” said the little girl, “everybody talks about somebody named Jesus. And I don’t know who he is. I’ve never even met him.”

2.    Christ must have wondered if those talking about him have ever met him. Do they know who he is? Was there anyone who understood him? Did they recognize him for who he was? Do they know what his mission was? Was Christ only a miracle worker, a healer, a food provider, or the one who raised the dead? This question was crucial to Christ. Has our knowledge of Christ changed us?

3.    So, to the question, “Who do you people say I am?” many people had opinions about Jesus and who they thought he was. But Christ was not interested in what others said about him, but rather, in an individual experience of him. And so, when Peter made his profession of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Christ knew that there was at least someone who knew and understood his mission. He knew that with Peter as the leader of the apostles, his work was safe, and his mission would go on without him. Peter could be entrusted with a leadership role over others. He was given the keys to the kingdom. 

4.    But how did Peter come to this sublime knowledge of Christ? Because this type of knowledge can only come from God, as St. Paul opines in the second reading: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For from him and through him and for him are all things.” I believe Peter came to this knowledge through his personal encounter with Jesus. He encountered Jesus when he was directed to catch many fish to the point that his nets were tearing. When Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” (Lk. 5:1-11). Peter could not have forgotten that experience! He saw firsthand how Jesus healed the sick, beginning with his mother-in-law. (Lk. 4:38-39). He heard, many times, the teaching of Jesus. He knew that Jesus taught with authority, unlike the Scribes and Pharisees. (Matt. 7:29). He was rescued from drowning in the sea of Galilee. (Matt. 14:22-33). He saw Jesus doing the kind of work reserved for enslaved people, like washing of feet. (Jn. 31-17). He saw Jesus feed the multitude with just five loaves and two fish. (Matt. 14:13-21). He, of course, witnessed Jesus as he spent hours in prayer, sometimes even throughout the night. (Lk 3:21; 11:1-13). Jesus lived with his apostles, so they experienced his simplicity of life. No ordinary human being could do all these except the anointed one of God! Yes, I know who you are, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

5.    With Peter’s confession, Jesus gave him the keys. He trusted him to take charge of his Church because Peter understood what true power meant. It is service above all; it is suffering, and at times, it entails sacrifice. It means being responsible for others in love. Jesus knew that Peter would always fall back on him for support. He knew that he would not arrogate power to himself like Shebna. Shebna used power and authority to enrich himself. He forgot the one who put him there and why he was placed in that exulted position. Corrupt leaders often feel they have absolute power and forget that the one who gave it can also take it back. And Shebna’s power was transferred to Eliakim.

6.    A true leader always looks for the source of his power. And this comes from the knowledge of God. We can know the worth of a person by the power they wield. Our understanding of Christ will assure our humility in the exercise of power. That is why power in the Church is service, and to exercise this power appropriately, one must have a deeper relationship with Christ. So, in your position of authority, who do you say Jesus is? In your family, who do you say he is? When faced with temptation and sickness that defile all cures, who is Jesus for you? In your free time alone and your confusion, who is Jesus for you? Let us pray for a proper understanding of power and authority so as to get to know Jesus personally and intimately. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

August 20, 2023; 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Readings: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28 

She Is Not One Of Us!

1.     In today’s Gospel Jesus said to the Canaanite woman “It is not right to take the food of children and throw it to the dogs,” instead of being insulted, her answer was “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Who was this woman, and why was she so ill-treated by Jesus, who was naturally compassionate and empathic to women, children, the poor, and the sick? Being a Canaanite woman, means she was a Gentile, a non-Jewish. The Gentiles despised the Jews and vice-versa. She was an outsider. She did not belong to the family of God’s chosen people. This woman whose daughter was afflicted with sickness must have heard of the wonderful things which Jesus did; she followed him and his disciples, crying desperately for help. After ignoring her for some time, Jesus told her point-blank, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Yes, Jesus was sent to minister to his Jewish people. This passage describes the first time that Jesus was outside of Jewish territory. It foreshadowed the going out of the gospel to the whole world. 

2.     How do we treat the outsiders of our world today? How do we relate with people who are different from us, speak other languages, have an accent, or do not belong to our class? How do we see the immigrants, Africans, native Indians, women, the poor, the disenfranchised, and the marginalized in our midst? We often put people into categories. They are Democrats; we are Republicans or Independents. We are not comfortable with people who have different political views from ours. You are either with us or against us. Those who do not belong to our group are the outsiders. Depending on the categories we place them in, the outsiders will always rely on us and the generosity of people around them. Their dependence is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness, but within that weakness lies their strength. An African proverb states that he who sees a person in the bush often forgets that they came from home. So, we see this woman, an outsider, going to Jesus for mercy, for love, for healing, not for herself but for her daughter, whom she loved dearly. She would not take ‘no’ for an answer until her daughter was healed. The disciples saw her as an embarrassment and a nuisance; and wanted Jesus to get rid of her. “Give her what she wants, and get rid of her.”, they demanded. Just the way we see and treat the outsiders we meet. They are embarrassments in our streets, feed on us like fleece, and we are tired of caring for them. We do not want them in our country taking all our jobs; we are spending too much money on their health care and welfare. The disciples’ reaction was not compassion and love and was far from a Christian response to someone in need. It was shameful and despicable. Jesus knew it. But just like all the outsiders, no insult would prevent her from getting what she wanted for her daughter. Yes, even the dogs eat the crumbs from the master’s table. But wait a minute! She was a foreigner, an outsider, a non-Jewish; her tribe was not among God’s chosen people; where did she get her faith from?

3.     Her faith came from her love, not for herself, but for her daughter. It was love that made her approach this stranger. It was love that made her accept rebuff and insult. She saw compassion in the seeming words of insult from Jesus. There is nothing more substantial and nearer to God than our love for others. We live better when we live for others. This woman’s faith grew stronger when confronted by Jesus. She looked into the face of Jesus and discovered in her heart something divine and ended up calling him Lord. “Lord help me.” When faced with sickness and deprivation, the outsiders only have their Lord to fall back on; and that is when their faith grows ever stronger. God is genuinely close to the brokenhearted. She came crying out for help and ended up on her knees in a prayer of adoration. She humbled herself and acknowledged the God of her salvation. She was not discouraged because the prayer of a contrite heart will always win favor from the Lord.

4.     The lesson from the gospel reading is that Jesus always takes advantage of every great opportunity to teach. Since his mission was to the Jews first, and this woman was a Gentile crying for mercy, Christ had to awaken true faith in her heart. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and to throw it to the dogs.” Her answer, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters,” demonstrated that her faith was strong enough for her miracle to be granted. “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Isn’t it funny that Jesus re-enforced her faith and showed it as an example to others? 

5.     Because of her faith, being an outsider was no longer a barrier to approaching Jesus. Peter recognized this after he visited Cornelius, a Gentile, when he said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35). And John noted, “But to those who did accept him he gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.” (Jn. 1:12). Our faith and the water of baptism are stronger than racial and tribal bond. In Jesus, it doesn’t matter whether you are an outsider; once you believe in God and commit yourself to him, “Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.”  May God, who accepts us as we are, help us to accept others as they are. Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 23, 2023; 3rd Sunday of Easter (Year )

Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Lk. 24:13-35

 

Suffering Is Part of Life! 

1.    In today’s Gospel, Jesus called two of his Disciples fools. Why? The two men on the road to Emmaus were frustrated and disappointed. They were upset with Jesus for acting as a stranger in Jerusalem and asking them a question. “What are you talking about to each other as you walk along?” How could Jesus ask them such a question: “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know what has happened there these last few days? “What things?” Christ asked them. Christ wants to know what is going on in our lives. He wants us to tell Him about our troubles, sadness, worries, and joys. He wants us to share our stories with Him. He wants us to tell him about the violence in our cities and how irresponsible gun ownership devastates the lives of ordinary people without guns. He tells us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” (Matt. 11:28-30). When we are confused, as the men on the road to Emmaus were, we must find Jesus walking on the road with us. Can we identify him? When in doubt, we must turn to Him for comfort. When we are disappointed, Christ will console us. He understands us now more than ever. Christ will always meet us on the way of our worries, fears, and anxiety. He will ask questions, and He will listen attentively to us. 

2.    “There at times when our sterile worries, futile pleasures, and vain preoccupations cloud our eyes so much that we cannot recognize the Lord as we should. As their conversation reveals, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus were thoroughly distracted, unfocused, frightened, and downhearted.” (New Horizon Homilies, Philip John, SSP, and Premdas, SSP). Their answer to Jesus clearly showed their frustration. They closed their minds to the Scriptures. One could feel their incredulity and doubts as they recounted their litany of woes to the stranger. They told him: “We were hoping He would be the one to redeem Israel.” (Acts 2:21). We have been tempted many times to turn away from God, Christ, and the Church because our expectations were unmet.

 

3.    Often, we think that once we go to Church, say our prayers, pay tithes, and keep the commandments, our problems will be solved. How false are these assumptions? Many people have been so disappointed by the sexual abuse of clergy that they swore never to return to or give money to the Church. Others stopped giving because they felt the Church had disappointed them. Yet others turned away because they disagreed with the Church’s teaching on marriage, divorce, gay marriage, and the like. Many have refused to approach the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and outrightly declined to go to confession. Like the men on the way to Emmaus followed the Lord with hope, joy, and belief that God sent him to establish His kingdom on earth, we often feel that way too. But when the storms of life hit us hard, we are disillusioned and stop believing in God and the Church.

4.    “Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?” Jesus then explained what was said about himself in all the scriptures, beginning with Moses and the prophets’ writings. Often in our frustration and despair, we turn away from Jesus, but He never abandons us; He speaks to our hearts. As the two men on the road to Emmaus who listened to a stranger talk to their hearts, Jesus is the stranger who walks with us on our road of sadness and stress. He will open our minds to the Scriptures, and our hearts will burn within us. He will lead us to the Eucharist and give us His body to eat and His blood to drink. 

5.    Whenever we turn away from the Church, Christ comes in search of us. He will never force himself on us but will always wait to be invited. And after explaining the Scriptures to the two men, He did as if He was going on further, waiting for them to ask Him in. Once He was invited in, He broke the bread with them. They rediscovered their Lord at the breaking of the bread. He was never far from them; they were too preoccupied to see Him. Let us pray that we may see Jesus who stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. May we hear the voice of Jesus as he breaks the Word that burns our hearts and breaks the Bread that feeds us and makes us whole? Amen.  

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 16, 2023, Divine Mercy Sunday 2nd Sunday Easter; Year (A)

 

Readings: Acts 2:42-47; 1Peter 1:3-9; Jn. 20:19-31 

The Divine Mercy Is Our Easter Gift

1.    Today, the 2nd Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. Today we celebrate God’s immense mercy, compassion, and love for humankind. St. John Paul ll declared this Sunday as divine Sunday on April 30, 2000, during the Canonization of Faustina Kowalska. Sr. Faustina had a personal apparition of Jesus. According to her, Jesus promised that a person who goes to sacramental confession and receives Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday should receive total forgiveness of all sins and punishment. In his Easter message on April 22, 2001, Pope John Paul ll noted: “Jesus said to St. Faustyna one day: “Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to Divine Mercy.” Divine Mercy! The Church receives this Easter gift from Christ and offers it to humanity.” 

2.    In today’s first reading, we see the community of God’s people bound together in mercy and love. Broken, yes, but full of hope. They enjoyed communal life, sharing, selling property and goods, caring for each one’s needs, and sharing meals. In this community, there was someone who denied Christ, those who ran away from Him, one who was absent from community gathering and prayer, and of course, those who wanted a share in the restored kingdom of Israel. Yet in the Gospel, Christ met them all together and wished them peace. There was no condemnation, judgment, malice, or anger, only love, forgiveness, and mercy. Come, touch my wounds, and be healed. Doubt no longer, and it is I, do not be afraid. 

3.    In that community, there was healing and forgiveness; faith was restored, and a profession of faith was made: My Lord and my God! This is what mercy means: to have a heart for those who suffer or a heart willing to suffer for others. “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.” (1 Peter 2:21). But that is not all. Christ gave the Spirit to His Apostles and entrusted to them the power to forgive sins. We experience the mercy of God more when we humble ourselves and go to Him in the sacrament of reconciliation and penance. There we meet, face to face with the God of mercy and love, a God of forgiveness, who said through Ezekiel the prophet: “As I live, says the Lord God, I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man’s conversion, that he may live.” (33:11).

4.    In the Paschal mystery we just celebrated, God appeared to us as a tender-hearted Father who does not give up in the face of his children’s ingratitude and is always ready to forgive. With the mercy of God, we know and are convinced that good will always triumph over evil, that life is stronger than death, and that God’s love is more powerful than our sins. St. Paul stated thus, “Where sin increased, grace overflow all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 5:21-22).

5.    Our opening prayer address the Father as “God of everlasting mercy.” And the psalm repeated several times, “His steadfast love endures forever.” All these readings illustrate God’s mercy in action. We are invited to feed the hungry, fight injustice, stand up for the truth and justice, and to know that God’s mercy is everlasting. Suppose we see ourselves as undeserved recipients of God’s mercy and love. In that case, we will understand that, ultimately, mercy results not so much from human effort but from God’s gift to humanity. 

6.    And so today, we are invited to experience God’s mercy if, in turn, we want to forgive others. That is what we pray for in the Lord’s prayer: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The spiral of hatred and violence, which stains with blood the path of so many individuals and nations the world over, can only be broken and healed by the miracle of forgiveness and mercy. God’s mercy is His way of dealing with the broken world, and humanity is consumed with an insatiable hunger for power. Let us commit our lives to the mercy of God. Let us resolve today to show mercy instead of judging others harshly and irrationally. May we not be so concerned with the wrongdoings of others for, “If you, Lord, mark our sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, and so you are revered.” (Ps. 130:3). May we treat others as we want to be treated ourselves. Amen.

 

                                           Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 09, 2023;Easter Sunday; Year (A)

 

Readings: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col. 3:1-4; Jn. 20:1-9

 

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

1.    I always imagine the day of the resurrection to be chaotic! No one expected Christ to rise from the dead. He did. He told his apostles, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matt. 20:18-19). They neither believed him nor took Him seriously. After all, after the above prediction of his death and resurrection, the mother of the sons of Zebedee wanted Jesus to “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” (Matt. 20:21). 

 

2.    Like His disciples and apostles, we, too, are inundated with our issues and problems than to be bothered with the resurrection of Christ. You would recall that at the announcement of the birth of Christ, the Angel said: “And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” (Lk. 1:36-37). And so, when Mary went to the tomb and did not find the body, she panicked and ran to Peter and John, who were shocked when they were told, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.” Could it be true? Now they remembered he had said, “He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Mt.16:21). The empty tomb made one thing sure, Christ is not in the grave. Could he have indeed been raised! Everyone can see the tomb, but did everyone believe that He had been raised? It is easy to see with our eyes but to believe, and we must have faith. Seeing is nothing; believing is everything. It is when we believe that we see; we walk by faith, not by sight.

 

3.    The resurrection of Christ demonstrates that we are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. We doubt because we are broken and weak. We have anger issues and are short-tempered, stubborn, jealous, ill-mannered, frustrated, and lazy. But the resurrection of Christ assures us that God loves us and that Christ has conquered our weaknesses, sin, and death. We have to believe that to every Good Friday, there is Easter Sunday. We know that every failure has the strength of the risen Lord. Every hurt and wrongdoing we can forgive is a prove of the resurrection of Christ. When we give in charity, say kind words, console, and show compassion and mercy, every visit to the sick or kindness to the oppressed attest to the resurrection and our faith in the risen Lord. We may be weak, but our risen Lord is strong. We are Easter people and so cannot stop singing alleluia. According to Paul: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.” (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection changed Peter from a coward to a fearless preacher; He changed Paul from anti-Christ to his courageous defender. He changed men and women down through the ages to carry the gospel to the ends of the world. Jesus’ resurrection is an invitation to share in his eternal life. He showed Thomas his wounded hands and side and healed his unbelief. We must reach and touch his wounds so that he may heal us. 

 

4.    The resurrection of Christ taught us once more that adversity always brings out the best in humanity. Though we do not know what tomorrow holds, we know who holds tomorrow. Christ has risen, and so we rejoice! May the resurrection of Christ help us to see things and people differently. May it teach us to have a better understanding of the teaching of Christ so that we may be generous, prayerful, gracious, forgiving, loving, tolerant, and accommodating. May we have the same experience that the Apostles had when they emerged from the Upper Room; that filled with the Spirit of the risen Lord, we may speak the word of God boldly so that those who hear us will say, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? …yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” (Acts 7-11). Rejoice, for Christ is indeed risen. Alleluia!

 

                                    Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

April 02, 2023; Palm Sunday; Year (A)

 

Readings: Is. 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt. 26:14-27,66

 

By His Wounds, We Have Been Healed

1.    Today is Palm Sunday, or the passion of Christ, and the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday is a joyful and triumphant celebration for Christ as he was given a red-carpet reception into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The use of palm branches to welcome royalties is an old tradition in the olden days and even today in some cultures. “The palm branch symbolizes victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. The palm was sacred in Mesopotamian regions and, in ancient Egypt, representing immortality. A palm branch was awarded to victorious athletes in ancient Greece, and a palm frond or tree itself is one of the most common attributes of victory personified in Ancient Rome.” So, Christ was received this day as a victorious king in Jerusalem. He did not ride a horse - a prestigious symbol of war, but a donkey, indicative of peace and humility – He is the king of peace.   

2.    The passion narrative from Matthew’s Gospel today displays many characters playing different roles in their relationship with Jesus. Judas Iscariot betrayed him; Peter denied him; the other apostles ran away, leaving him alone. But Christ relied on His Father: “The Lord God is my help; therefore, I am not disgraced.” (Is. 50:7). Many discordant voices, reactions, and insults trailed Jesus on the road to Calvary. False witnesses arose against him, and the Scribes and the Pharisees wanted him dead. Before Pilate condemned Christ to painful torture and crucifixion, he humiliated him by having him flogged. Women cried for him, while some men despised him. Soldiers ridiculed him, and bystanders mocked him. Those with Palm branches threw them away, and Hosanna to the Son of David was replaced with “Away with him, crucify him.” Yet Jesus rides on to Jerusalem with love and forgiveness for his murderers. Yes, “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:7-8). 

3.    “O Cross of Christ, immortal tree, on which our Savior died, the world is sheltered by your arms that bore the Crucified.” (Lenten Hymn). As we begin this Holy Week, we call to mind God’s love for humanity through the death of Christ on the cross. “Greater love than this no man has, that a man should lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn. 15:13). God’s love for us calls us to love Him in return. This love is creative and understanding for humanity. Christ’s love is redemptive. It is salvific. It is sacrificial. It goes above and beyond mere emotions to the very heart of God, who “Gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16). Christ’s love was so strong that He died the most shameful and excruciating death on the cross for our salvation. He reminds us, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mk. 8:34). 

4.    On this Palm Sunday, we are encouraged to reciprocate Christ’s love for humanity. Do we pray for forgiveness and repentance for our sins and the sins of others, especially our presumed enemies? Do we forgive others as we want God to forgive us? Do we seek God’s mercy for the times we have hurt others? What does Christ’s love tell us when we lie to cover our iniquities? Are we faithful to our spouses or significant others? Do we get closer to our families in prayer, love, and charity? Was the Lenten period a good time to bond with our children, friends, and others? Did this season of grace create a spiritually fertile ground for us as families? Did we pray, read the bible, say the rosary together, and meditate on the passion of Christ as we recall His love?

5.    We can do all these and more while we look forward to celebrating the paschal mystery of Christ on Easter Sunday. We can reciprocate God’s love even more by committing ourselves to this Holy week of grace and mercy. As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, “Let us give thanks to the Lord for everything, for “His anger lasts only a moment, his goodness for a lifetime. Tears may flow at night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Ps. 30:5). Amen!

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

March 26, 2023; 5th Sunday of Lent (Year A)

Readings: Ez. 37:12-14; Rom 8:8-11; John 11:1-45

 

Untie Him and Let Him Go!

 

1.    The readings of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent in Year A are carefully selected to be used for scrutinies. “The scrutinies are rites for self-searching and repentance and have, above all, a spiritual purpose. They are meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen, all that is upright, strong, and good.” (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). We saw that in the story of the Samaritan woman (3rd Sunday of Lent), who came to the well to draw water (John 4:5-42). From her interaction with Jesus, she discovered that Jesus is the Messiah who came to give us everlasting life through his words. Jesus told her: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14). In the story of the man born blind, John 9:1-41 (4th Sunday of Lent), we discover that we are all blind; hence, we must accept our blindness, faults, and shortcomings and go to Jesus for a cure. Christ warns: “If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still blind.” (9:41). In the bible classes hailed on Wednesdays of Lent, we look at the ‘Our Father’ prayer, to see the implications of this prayer in our lives and the fact we have not been able to apply it to our life as we should. In the second part of the Our Father, we ask God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us. The problem is that we do not forgive as a people. If we do not uncover why we should forgive those who sinned against us, beginning with ourselves, others, and God, we will not be able to live the authentic Christian life. Let us ask Christ to open our eyes so we may see him as our Savior, our Lord, and our God. In today’s Gospel reading from John 11:1-45, we see Jesus at the graveside of his friend, Lazarus. Christ wept for him and then raised him to life again. Jesus tells us: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (Jn. 11:25).

 

2.    In the first reading, Ezekiel promised the people that God had not abandoned them. He is with them permanently to rescue and bring them back to the land of Israel. “O my people, I will open your graves, and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 37:12). God promised to pour out his spirit on the dead bones and restore them to life again. In the Gospel, Jesus wept for Lazarus before he brought him back to life. He told those standing by to untie Lazarus, who came out of the tomb “tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in cloth, and let him go.” (Jn. 11:44).

 

3.    When faced with sad and frustrating situations, we want to hear those words, untie him, and let him go. We want someone to say; it will be ok; you are not alone; I am here. If there is anything you want, call on me. This is the time to see Jesus weeping with us. Let us be consoled that the Christ who weeps with us knows what to do for us, to draw us out of the darkness of despair to the light of his love. His love and concern for us will triumph over our sadness, pain, and loss. We must trust him enough to entrust our worries and anxiety to him. The book of Proverbs cautions us that “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Prov. 12:25). And Peter urged us to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1Peter 5:7). While Paul encourages us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6-7).  

 

4.    The God who does the impossible will do the possible for us in our despair and worries. We must do what Mary and Martha did - send words to Jesus, wait for Christ to show up, and then run out to welcome him, hoping he will cry for us and with us. After weeping, he will ask us, where have you kept him? What is the problem? How can I help you? Once these questions are asked, we know that our miracle is close at hand. He will call out in a loud voice and restore us to wholeness. He will call for us to be untied, released, and set free. Christ needed others to unbind Lazarus. He wants us to cooperate with him to free ourselves from bondage. We must be free from our shackles, frustrations, and doubts so that Christ may give life to our brokenness.

 

5.    May we never give up hope, for we know that after Good Friday comes Easter Sunday. We are not alone. “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). We pray that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is our life and our resurrection, may set us free from the sin of unforgiveness and teach us how to live a life of forgiveness and mercy. Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

March 19, 2023; 4th Sunday of Lent (Year A)

 Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

 

And Are You Trying to Teach US? Then They Threw Him Out.

1.    Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent – Laetare Sunday, so called from the first word of the entrance antiphon. Laetare “Rejoice,” taken from the Latin translation of Is. 66:10-11. We celebrate joyfully as we anticipate Easter Sunday 3weeks from today. The Gospel reading relates the story of the man born blind, whose eyes were opened by Jesus, demonstrating that Jesus is the world’s light. He came to cure us of our blindness if we accept that we are blind. So, how do you react when someone you feel inferior to you tries to tell you something you don't want to hear? Or the person accuses you of not listening to him. You are infuriated and tell him to get out of your sight. It doesn’t matter whether the person is telling you the truth. You feel they have no right to tell you anything. Instead of facing the truth about your life, you ask the wrong question. Who sinned? The question presupposes blame. Who is responsible for your bad situation in life?  

2.    When faced with national and natural disasters, sickness, and devastation, we always ask the wrong question: who sinned? We find faults and look for the culprit. But are we asking the right question? Christ directs our thoughts beyond the wrong question. Could we use the misfortune of others to correct the mess in our life? “Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed: do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But if you do not repent, you will perish as they did!” (Lk. 13:4-5). So, to the question: “Who sinned?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” Through the permissible will of God, evil can bring about some good for those who are prepared to learn from the mistakes of others. Like from the dead of Jesus on the Cross, we are told, by your Cross, you have redeemed the world. The death of Jesus became the means of our salvation, and the wood of the Cross became the tree of life for us. In the face of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, fire disasters, or otherwise, our question should not be, ‘Who sinned?’ It should open our eyes to see how God’s glory could be manifest through our pain and suffering. 

3.    Today’s readings point us away from the darkness of sin to Christ, the light of the world, as seen in the cure of the man born blind. Christ came into the world to destroy the darkness that envelopes us so we may be bathed in his light. Maybe we have been too complacent to the extent that we cannot see Christ in our midst. We must open our eyes and wake up from our spiritual blindness so Christ may shine in our lives. In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us to “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth… awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. 

4.    We are all blind in one way or the other. Our blindness may be physical, moral, or spiritual. Physical blindness, like the man born blind, maybe our inability to see with our eyes. But that does not mean the blind person is disabled. When we are deprived of one sense, like sight, touch, smell, taste, or hearing, other senses are heightened and enabled to fill in for the lost one. We are morally blind when we fail to see or deny our defects. Spiritual blindness may be caused by an inability to relate to Jesus due to ignorance, hatred, anger, or lack of forgiveness. Today, Jesus cured the blind man of his physical and spiritual blindness. He healed the blindness of those around him and convicted those who felt they could see. They were blind and refused to recognize Christ in their midst. They were blinded by their hatred of Jesus and projected that hatred onto the man born blind.  

5.    God is able and capable of healing our blindness. He can raise us from obscurity to greater heights, as he did for David in the first reading. Christ came to cure our blindness, physical, moral, or spiritual. But we must go to him. This, again, is the process of coming to faith in Christ. Before baptism, we were in darkness, but after baptism, we are washed in the water of rebirth and anointed, like David, and raised to the exalted position of king. Our understanding and knowledge of Jesus must grow exponentially, like the man born blind, from seeing Christ simply as a man – “The man called Jesus made a clay and anointed my eyes.” To a prophet – “He is a prophet.” And finally, Lord – “I do believe, Lord.”                                                                                  

6.    Being a disciple of Jesus may cost us everything. The blind man had to surmount many social difficulties. He endured insults, abuses, ex-communication, and abandonment by his parents. But he had a simple faith: he obeyed Jesus. He went to the pool and washed his eyes. His obedience was rewarded with the gift of sight, a symbol of his faith. He confronted the Pharisees: “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind, and now I see. I told you already, and you did not listen. “This is so amazing that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he would be unable to do anything.” With his newfound faith, the man is now a disciple of Jesus. We are called to be missionary disciples of Jesus, like the man born blind from now on. 

7. I ask you, brothers and sisters: “Are we blind, or do we claim that we can see?” Christ warns: “If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still blind.” If we refuse to acknowledge our shortcomings and open our eyes to see those in need around us, we condemn ourselves to darkness and deprive ourselves of the gift of faith and the light of Christ. Are we blind to our faults? Do we blame others and ask: “Who Sinned?” Or do we simply drive those we don’t care about away? The greatest of our weaknesses is to be conscious of none. The time is now to pick up our bible and read. The sacrament of reconciliation is still an option for Catholics. The area priests will gather for confession on March 23 at 7:00 pm at St. Joseph’s Monastery. Let us ask Christ to remove our blindness in the sacrament of reconciliation as we are washed clean to celebrate the Paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. Let us be less cynical but trust in the goodness of people. To do this is to recognize that Jesus is always in our midst. He wants to cure us of our blindness. The problems in our lives are never insurmountable for Jesus. The question is not ‘who sinned?’ but so that God’s works might be visible through us. Amen! 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP