Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Wednesday Week 13 Ordinary time - July 1, 2020

WEDNESDAY 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Amos 5:14-15,21-24, Matthew 8:28-34

In Leviticus 11:27, God told Moses to instruct the people of Israel not to eat swine. Pure Jews therefore adhere to the law so tenaciously that they can even give up their life if forced to do so. We see a good example of it in 2 Maccabees 8, when King Anthiochus Epiphanes IV tried to force a woman and her 7 sons to eat swine flesh, and when they refused, he killed them one after the other.

In our various cultures and traditions, there are things we also forbid to eat. Some do not eat snake, snail, dog, cat, rabbit and the likes. I understand that there is a part of India where they do not eat cow. It is the case therefore that what is forbidden in one culture may be the best delicacy in another culture.

In the case of the Jews for example, it was only their mix up with the Greeks during exile that made them to test swine flesh under threat of torture and death. Some continued to eat it even after the exile, thus we had people who reared them as their business just as others reared goats, sheep and other animals. Nevertheless, swine was not a common thing among the Jews and many did not regard it as worthwhile. Jesus as a Jew must have heard and had his own experiences of swine not seen as important among the Jews.

In the gospel reading of today, we see how Jesus values the life of a human being more than that of an animal by casting demons from them into the herds of swine. Human life is the ultimate, and every other innanimate thing such as businessds can be sacrificed for it.

In some places, animals are treated better than human beings, forgetting that human life is irreplaceable. Though we are not called to be cruel to animals, we are called to be conscious of the sacredness of human life.

I remember a story of how a man fought his neighbour and killed him because he had injured his goat that had eaten the yam of his neighbour. The incessant killings of Fulani herdsmen in various places due to misunderstanding between them and the owners of farmlands which the cows destroy has already attracted international attention.

Let us therefore be more compassionate to our brothers and sisters, knowing that human life is the most important thing, not what we have or our businesses. God help us. Amen

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Tuesday Week 13 Ordinary time - June 30, 2020

TUESDAY 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II

AMOS 3:1-8,4:11-12, MATTHEW 8:23-27

As human beings, we see things happen around us daily and we think that they are just normal things that happen. We sleep at night and wake up in the morning and we think it is normal. We plant and the seed grows, blossoms and yields fruits, we think they are normal everyday happenings. This attitude of seeing everything as natural has made many people especially scientists to begin to doubt the power of God. Many have become atheists: for them, they can solve their own problems because things happen coincidentally.

In the first reading of today, the prophet Amos makes us to understand that nothing happens without the knowledge of God. God is aware of whatever happens because everything begins and ends with him. Even if things might seem like natural occurrences, God who knows in eternity, has power over all natural occurrences because he created everything.

This is very vivid in the gospel reading of today. Jesus was in a boat when a heavy storm was threatening the lives of the Apostles who were with him. Everyone was scared except Jesus who surprisingly was sleeping in the midst of the chaos. When they made recourse to Jesus, nature listened and obeyed him.

Many of us may be experiencing some chaos and turbulent moments in our lives, we do not have enough faith to call on Jesus. He knows the cause of everything, and nature obeys him.

We therefore need not be afraid of things around us, God is always travelling with us, he will calm the storms in our lives. God help us. Amen.

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Monday Week 13 Ordinary time - June 29, 2020 - Ss Peter and Paul

MONDAY 29TH JUNE 2020

SOLEMNITY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL

Acts 12:1-11, Psalm 33:2-9, 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18, Matthew 16:13-19

Today we celebrate the most important personalities in the history of the Church. Peter and Paul are traditionally referred to as the two pillars of the Church. The foundation of the Church rested on their shoulders.

Peter and his brother Andrew from Capernaum, were direct Apostles of Jesus. He was a fisherman by profession until Jesus called him to become a Fisher of men. His zeal for the work of God was so obvious that Jesus always counted on him and took him along on almost all activities. As we see in the gospel reading of today, Jesus saw him competent enough that he handed his Church over to him, giving him the keys to the kingdom of heaven and promised to be with him to the end of time. Though he had his weaknesses as we all do, he took the work of God very serious. He was among the first disciples to run to the tomb to see Jesus after his resurrection, and he took his position as leader of the church after the day of Pentecost. He preached the first public sermon at Pentecost, worked the first miracle after the ascension of Jesus and was very active at the first Council of the Church where he states that Gentiles should be accepted into the Christian fold. Peter is the first Pope of the Catholic Church. His great witness to the faith led to his martyrdom around the year 67AD during the reign of Emperor Nero. He was Martyred on the Vatican Hill where we have St Peter's Basilica today.

Paul on the other hand though not a direct Apostle of Jesus, was called directly by Jesus after his ascension. Jesus saw the zeal and courage in him thought he was using it wrongly to persecute the Christian faith. He is mostly known as the Apostle to the Gentiles because he took the gospel to the known pagan world of the time. He endured a lot of persecution for the faith during his Missionary activities, and his many letters to various Christian communities, serve as part of the word of God today, as well as a guide to the Christian faith.

As we see in the 2nd reading of today, Paul, in his 2nd letter to Timothy told him that he had worked so hard and was waiting for his crown of glory. Like St Peter, he was also given his crown by Emperor Nero who beheaded him on the Ostian way at Tre Fontane where today we have the Basilica of St Paul.

On 29th June 268AD, the bodies of Peter and Paul were brought to St Sebastian Catacomb and are both celebrated together as one of the 12 most important celebrations in the Liturgical calendar of the Church.

Jesus has also called us in a very special way, how are we working for the kingdom of God? What contribution are we making to endure that the word of God reaches the ends of the world? How committed are we to the work God has entrusted to us? Can we like St Paul boast that we have finished the work God has given to us and are waiting for our crown of glory?

Let us be more zealous about the work of God today, and commit ourselves more seriously to it. God help us. Amen.

St Peter and Paul: Pray for us.

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP