FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B, 2024 BY FR MARTIN EKE, MSP

 Acts 9:26-31; Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32; 1 John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8

The first reading tells us about St. Paul’s experience after his conversion. He had escaped from Damascus where the Jews wanted to kill him for preaching and “proving that [Jesus] is the Messiah” (Acts 9:20-25). He arrived in Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples, “but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.” Then, Barnabas brought St. Paul to the apostles and told them the story of St. Paul’s conversion. The apostles accepted him, which enabled him to move “about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:27-28).

First, St. Paul was a notorious persecutor and murderer of Christians. When he converted, he was able to put his past life behind him and never allowed the guilt and shame of his past life to discourage him from answering the call of discipleship. Sometimes, God wants to do new things in our life, but we refuse to cooperate with God’s grace by letting ourselves become trapped in our ugly past life. St. Paul’s ability to break with his ugly past life challenges us to break the chains and yokes of our ugly past life and liberate ourselves from them. The word of God says in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not. See, I am doing something new!” Let us embrace the new things God is doing and move forward. 

Secondly, Barnabas intervened in St. Paul’s situation and became an instrument for St. Paul’s acceptance by the apostles. Let us not be like the Jews who wanted to kill St. Paul because he was no longer a member of their murderous gang, or like the disciples who refused to accept him because they were afraid of him. Perhaps we are the ‘Barnabas’ God wants to use to help someone. Let us not be reluctant to help or refuse to help. St. John urges us in the second reading, “[God’s] commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23).

St. Paul says in Colossians 3:13, “Put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, to bear with one another and forgive whenever there is any opportunity to do so. As the Lord has forgiven you, forgive one another.” Let no one be a stumbling block to opportunities of forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, and unity. The apostles teach us to give one another the opportunity and the benefit of the doubt to prove their new life. God is patient with us. He forgives us and gives us opportunities to live new life. We must do the same to one another.

God is not “unbelieving” in us as we are, sometimes, unbelieving in one another. Think of what would have happened to the prodigal son if the father was unbelieving in him? Think of what would have happened to the woman caught in adultery if Jesus was unbelieving in her? Think of what would have happened to Zacchaeus if Jesus was unbelieving in him? And many others. Let us not dismiss gestures of contrition. They are opportunities for reconciliation and restoration.

There is a tragic story of a girl who got pregnant at school. Her parents, being good practicing Catholics who held positions of honor and responsibilities in their community, parish, and the diocese, rejected the girl and refused her return to the family. Mediatory efforts by all and sundry failed to change their minds. For them, their daughter must continue her life with whoever impregnated her. Unfortunately, the teenage boy who impregnated her had disappeared. Unable to manage the rejection and the abandonment, the girl committed suicide. Now, who was responsible for the tragic death of the girl and her baby? Such a tragic story and others like it are caused by rejection and refusal of reconciliation and restoration.

 

Thirdly, St. Paul is a fulfillment of today’s gospel reading. When he was outside Jesus, he was possessed by the spirits of hate, jealousy, fury, persecution, murder, and so on. But when he was grafted to Jesus, the true vine, and was pruned of his vices, he began to bear much fruit. Jesus says in the gospel, “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).

In the same way, like St. Paul, when we are grafted to Jesus, we receive ‘spiritual antitoxin’ and ‘spiritual antivirus’ against infections and corruptions of the world and the Evil One. Then, we are flushed off and pruned of our sins and we can bear fruits of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).  Jesus says, “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (John 15:7-8).

May it be so for you and for me, through Christ our Risen Lord. Amen.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

 Acts 4:8-12; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18

We have two important celebrations today: Jesus the Good Shepherd and World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations was introduced by Pope St. Paul VI in 1963 to be a special day of prayer for vocations to priestly, religious, and consecrated life. At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. He instructed his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38). This instruction is for us to continue to pray for an increase in the vocations of ordained, professed, and lay ministries in the Catholic Church. We pray for more aspirants and more candidates to the ministries.

As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we pray for our spiritual and civil shepherds, and all those who make policies and decisions that affect us. We pray for our parents, who are our first shepherds and our teachers, who are our second shepherds. We pray for those who have, at several times, guided us in one way or another. We pray for our priests, who are with us from Baptism to burial. May our priests continue to “be shepherds with the smell of the sheep” (Pope Francis, 2021). We, also, pray for all of us because we are all shepherds by the virtue of our responsibilities and assignments.

In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In the seven verses of today’s gospel reading, Jesus mentions “lay down his life” five times to emphasize the importance of what he did for us, and what we also must do as shepherds in different ways and capacities.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” Jesus knows us and wants us to know him. He says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). To know him means to have an intimate relationship with him. To have an intimate relationship with him, we must hear his voice. To hear his voice means to do what is heard. There are many other distracting voices that want us to hear them: my own voice, voices from the world, and the voice of the Evil One.

A story is told about a poor lady whose two cows were stolen by a rich man who owned fifty cows. Now, the rich man had fifty-two cows, and the poor lady had none. The lady reported the matter to the village chief. The village chief said to the woman, “There are many cows in the rich man’s ranch, how would you identify yours?” The lady answered, “I know my own cows and my cows know me. I would call them by their names, and they would follow me.” The village chief and the lady went to the rich man’s ranch where the fifty-two cows were. The lady called the first cow by name. It came to her. She called the second one by name. It came to her.

This story reminds us of Isaiah 1:3, “An ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master’s manger; but Israel does not know, my people has not understood.”

“When he calls me, I will answer, I’ll be somewhere list’ning for my name….” (Song by Eduardo J. Lango)

Jesus says in today’s gospel that bad shepherds who have no concern for the sheep leave the sheep and run away when they see wolves coming and wolves catch and scatter the sheep. God condemns bad shepherds in Ezekiel 34:6-8, “Woe to the shepherds… who have been pasturing themselves! … You consumed milk, wore wool, and slaughtered fatlings, but the flock you did not pasture. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the stray or seek the lost but ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. They were scattered and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; over the entire surface of the earth my sheep were scattered.”

People fleeing from their homelands, dying across deserts and waters, trafficked and sold, and suffering inhuman hardships as refugees are due to bad shepherds. We pray for the repentance of bad shepherds.

We are all shepherds in different ways and in different capacities by our vocations, professions, and jobs; in our homes, our church ministries, our offices, our business places, our engagements, and our responsibilities. We are invited to listen to the Good Shepherd, know him, and imitate his self-giving and self-sacrificing manner of shepherding. “In your relationship with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B, 2024

 Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48 

Easter Octave begins on Easter Sunday and ends with Divine Mercy Sunday. (The word ‘Octave’ comes from Greek ‘okto’ and Latin ‘octo’ which means eight). Easter Octave means that Easter Sunday is celebrated for eight days. We are, now, in Eastertide until Pentecost Sunday, which means that our focus remains on the events of the resurrection, and we pray to become energized by the power of the resurrection. We are encouraged to go with the tide of Easter, not against it.

After Jesus had been crucified, the apostles and some of the disciples gathered together and locked themselves up in a room for fear of the Jewish leaders. The apostles and the disciples heard the news of his resurrection with utter disbelief. According to today’s gospel, when Jesus appeared and stood in their midst, “they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost” (Luke 24:37). He spoke to them, ate before them, and “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). He said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48).

Fearful Peter, after Jesus’ resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, was transformed from fear to vigor and bravery. He became a fearless witness of the Good News, as we see in today’s first reading. He boldly challenged the people concerning their wrong-doings and for their acting out of ignorance. He invited them, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:17-19).

St. John echoes the same message of repentance in the second reading, “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments” (1 John 2:1-3).

We are buried in tombs by our sins and weaknesses; but we rise to new life by our repentance. St. Peter said to the people, “you acted out of ignorance.” A lot of times, we are spiritually blinded by ignorance. Let us thank God for saving us from perishing the many occasions we acted out of ignorance. Is there something we are doing or have been doing out of ignorance? We pray for enlightenment through the power of this Eucharistic celebration and the power of the Risen Lord.

For some reasons, many of us may be frightened and scared as Peter, the apostles, and the disciples were. Like the apostles and the disciples, some of us see ghosts all around us. Jesus asks us the same question he asked his apostles and his disciples, “Why are you troubled?” Jesus says, “Peace be with you!” May we experience the power of Christ’s resurrection and be healed from our fears. St. Paul prays for us that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

Today’s gospel concludes with the words, “You are witnesses to these things.” St. Peter recalls while addressing the people, “of this we are witnesses.” These words are an invitation for us to witness Jesus wherever we find ourselves. We are to let people know Jesus and experience him by our words and actions. Unfortunately, many Catholics are afraid and timid to witness Jesus by words and actions. Some Catholics are unable to witness Jesus due to ignorance. Of course, more disappointing are Catholics, whose lifestyle is a betrayal of the faith.

We cannot witness what we do not have. If we are to preach Jesus, either by words or deeds, we must first experience him ourselves. In today’s gospel, Jesus spoke to the apostles and “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” May he, also, open our minds so that we can understand and witness “what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands…” (1 John 1:1-4).

In today’s gospel, Jesus invites us, “Look at my hands and feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see…” (Luke 24:39). Last week, we read about Thomas, who touched Jesus and was healed of his doubt (John 20:28). The woman who suffered hemorrhages touched Jesus and was healed (Luke 8:44). Mark 6:56 reports, “all who touched even the edge of his cloak were healed.” Let us, also, touch and see the goodness of the Lord.

Let us touch him with our desire of him. Let us touch him with our faith. Let us touch him with our prayers. As we touch him and by the power of his resurrection, may we receive spiritual and physical transformation from our sins and weaknesses. May we be transformed from ignorance to enlightenment and from fear to courage. Grant us, O Lord, the spiritual energy to go with the tide of Easter, not against it. Amen.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY: SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

 Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31

In the year 2000, Pope St. John Paul II canonized St. Faustina, and changed the second Sunday of Easter, which was celebrated as Low Sunday to be celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday. Low Sunday means Easter celebrated in a lower degree.  

St. Faustina was a Polish nun gifted with mystical visions, messages, and revelations from the Risen Jesus. This is a rare instance when a private revelation is recognized and raised to the level that it becomes a Sunday celebration by the Universal Church. The feast situates well following Easter Sunday to show that the events of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the redemption of humanity were out of God’s gratuitous mercy. God’s mercy is gratuitous because humanity did nothing to merit it. 

St. Faustina wrote in her diary, “Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All God’s works are crowned with mercy” (No. 301). God is so merciful and ever forgiving that he does not judge us according to our sins (Psalm 130:3). The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 gives us a good idea of the depth of God’s mercy and forgiveness. “God is love” (1 John 4:8); and his banner over us is love (Song of Solomon 2:4). Jesus is the highest expression of God’s love for us. St. John writes, “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” (John 3:16).

We proclaim God’s mercy, not only in words but also in deeds. God’s mercy continues in our world through us if we become instruments of his mercy. In the first reading, the early Christian community sets a good example for us. “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 houses 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). We are invited to imitate the early Christian community.

Jesus says, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers [and sisters] of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Yes, when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor, we do them for Jesus.

Jesus teaches us to be merciful even to enemies. He says, “Love your enemies and do good to them, … [like] the Most-High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36).

One of St. Faustina’s visions is the image of the Divine Mercy of Jesus showing two rays, one reddish (symbolizing blood) and the other whitish (symbolizing water), with the words “Jesus, I trust in you” at the bottom. The image takes us back to the passion, crucifixion, and death of Jesus.  When the soldier pierced the side of Jesus, “immediately blood and water flowed out” (John 19:34).

St. John says in the second reading, “This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood” (1 John 5:6). Jesus says during the Last Supper, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). St. Paul writes, “In him we have redemption through his blood” (Ephesians 1:7). About water, St. Paul writes, “Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26).

Thomas was privileged to put his finger in the pierced side of Jesus and was healed of his doubt. We are more privileged than Thomas because we go beyond touching him to consuming him. May Jesus whom we consume bear lasting fruits in us, especially the fruit of mercy. St. Gregory of Nazianzen writes, “Not even night should interrupt you in your duty of mercy. Do not say: ‘Come back and I will give you something tomorrow.’ … The Lord of all asks for mercy, not sacrifice, and mercy is greater than myriads of fattened lambs.” St. James writes, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, the master asked the servant, “Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matthew 18:33).

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

EASTER SUNDAY YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Acts 10:3, 37-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; 1 Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9 

The celebration of the resurrection of the Lord is the greatest Christian celebration because it is a victory over death and the accomplishment of the salvation of humanity. The Easter date is not set as that of Christmas. It was in 325 AD, during the Council of Nicaea that it was established that Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, which usually occurs on or after March 21st.  Therefore, Easter is celebrated between March 22nd and April 25th.  Easter is celebrated for 50 days (Eastertide), from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.

At Jesus’ crucifixion and death, his mission appeared to have ended up in a failure. But as we read in the gospel of today, “On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb” (John 20:1). An angel of the Lord removed the stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2). Jesus was freed from the darkness of the tomb. Jesus’ mission came alive again with an explosion. From a few followers in Israel, Christianity became a world religion that has influenced every aspect of human existence. At the moment, out of about 8.1 billion of the world population, Christians are about 2.4 billion, which is about 31% of the world population.

St. Peter explains what Easter means, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). St. Paul tells us that Christianity is what it is because of the event of the resurrection. He writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching, empty too your faith." 

St. Paul tells us in the second reading that the Easter event makes us people who are raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1). Jesus is no longer in the tomb. Let us not remain in the tomb of sin and sorrow. May the angel who removed the stone over the tomb of Jesus visit us and remove every spiritual or physical stone that prevents us from being raised with Christ. May our crosses and pains never be in vain. Amen. 

St. Paul encourages us to be transformed by the Easter event to become a people who “think of what is above, not of what is on earth” (Colossians 3:3). This means that we think and act according to what is pleasing to God, as St. Paul states in Philippians 4:8, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

St. Paul instructs us in the second reading to hide our life with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). In this world of violence, trials, and temptations, we must hide our life with Christ in God. To be guided, protected, and defended from the onslaught of this world, the Evil One and his agents, we must hide our life with Christ in God. 

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have become what St. Augustine calls “Easter people.” He says, “We are Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” Pope St. John Paul II adds, “The joy of Easter should not be a shallow joy, but rather a joy that comes from faith, that grows through unselfish love, that respects the fundamental duty of love of neighbor, without which it would be unbecoming to speak of Joy. … An Easter person constantly reflects and asks himself or herself two important questions, ‘How can I become Jesus to my neighbor?’ and ‘How can others see Jesus in Me?”’

Jesus’ resurrection followed his passion, cross, crucifixion, and death. Therefore, the resurrection story is a story of hope. We are not to give up in times of passions, crosses, crucifixions, and deaths but to look forward to resurrection and glory that follow. May our thorns change to crowns. May the light of Christ which we celebrated during the Holy Saturday ceremonies light our way and dispel every force of darkness.

We pray with St. Paul, may the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead give life to our mortal bodies also (Romans 8:11). Amen.

Happy and Spirit-filled Easter to you all!

HOLY SATURDAY YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil concludes the Triduum, the Sacred Paschal Mystery celebration, which began on Holy Thursday.

Before the advent of electricity, gas lights, kerosene lights, flash lights, and so on, people who kept vigil made fire with dry branches of trees, sat around it, and told stories. We do the same while keeping vigil for the Lord’s resurrection. We started with the ceremony of lighting the Holy Fire. The Holy Fire commemorates God’s creation of light on the earth, which was without form or shape and enveloped in darkness. “Then God said: ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good. God then separated light from darkness” (Genesis 1:2-5). We pray that the Holy Fire burns and purifies our hearts and makes us new. May the Holy Fire burn in our dark world and dispel all forces of darkness. We cast our afflictions into the Holy Fire. May we be freed from them. Amen.

Moments ago, we processed into the church building with lighted candles behind the Paschal Candle. The Paschal Candle is an image of the Risen Christ’s triumph over death. It is a symbol of hope and new life. Following the Paschal Candle into the church building is a powerful symbol that we are followers of the Risen Lord who assures us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). May the light of Christ light our way to triumph over sin and sorrow. Amen.

Let us recall a few lines in the Exultet:

“This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin.”

“This is the night that even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to his holy ones.”

“This is the night, when Christ broke the prison-bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld.”

The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners, drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.” 

The Old and New Testament readings we have read remind us of our salvation history which goes back to the creation of the world, the fall of Adam and Eve due to disobedience, the journey of God’s Chosen people, the prophecies about Jesus, his coming, his passion, his death and, now, his resurrection.

Soon, in this celebration, we will renew our baptismal promises in which we will renounce Satan and all his works. All these make us partakers in the Sacred Pascal Mystery. These deep and profound spiritual expressions are for our transformation. May our Lenten journey, the Triduum, and the Easter celebrations transform us. Amen.

Our world is enveloped in darkness of corruption, wars, violence, death, refugee crises, bad governments, insecurity, fear, poverty, sickness, suffering, godlessness, human made and natural disasters, and so on. 1 John 5:19 expresses the world's situation, “We know that we belong to God, [but] the whole world is under the power of the evil one.” However, Jesus assures us, “But take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He says, “because I live and you will live” (John 14:19). Joyfully, we exclaim with St. Paul, “Thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Our celebration continues in the morning when we gather again to celebrate the Risen Lord.

Happy Easter!

GOOD FRIDAY YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42

The 40 days of the Lenten season reaches its climax today, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. Today has been a day of fasting, abstinence, prayer, and meditation on the agony and death of Jesus.

What is good about Good Friday when it was such a gloomy day that the innocent Son of God, Jesus Christ, was tortured and brutally executed by his crucifixion on the Cross? It is called ‘good’ because Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and death are for our salvation and, therefore, for our good. The goodness of Good Friday is expressed in 2 Timothy 1:10, “… our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality…”

Good Friday is the only day of the year the Catholic Church does not celebrate the Eucharist. This is because Good Friday’s ceremony is a commemoration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is the meaning of the Eucharistic celebration.

Why did Jesus have to suffer gruesomely to accomplish our salvation? Could not our salvation be achieved by some other way? Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and death is God’s plan for humanity’s salvation. God’s plan for humanity’s salvation is a mystery beyond human’s full comprehension and clear explanation. The psalmist says, “Our God is in heaven and does whatever he wills” (Psalm 113:3). Jesus, in his humanity, did not, even, fully grasp the meaning of what he was going through. He prayed in Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). And cried out while hanging on the Cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). But later, in his divinity, he cautioned the two men on their way to Emmaus, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).

When you do not understand your cross and you ask, "Why me?" Jesus went through such an experience. May be, we will understand someday. May be, we will never understand. All is in God’s hands! There is power and freedom in trusting all things in God’s hand. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord; the Lord will be their trust. They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.”

Many times, we condemn those God used to bring to fulfilment of the prophecy about our salvation; such as Judas who betrayed him; the soldiers who arrested him, tortured him, and crucified him; the disciples who deserted him; the chief priests and the people who accused him falsely and insisted that he must die; Pilate who sentenced him to death and so on. How could our salvation have been possible without all these people? Every one of them played a role in God’s salvation plan for us. God uses what we consider unfavorable for our good. Also, let us not be quick to condemn others, especially when we do not have all the information.

One of the lessons of Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, death, and resurrection is that our difficulties and sufferings may be God’s plan for something good and great to come our way. We hear it often said that stumbling blocks are stepping stones to success. Let us view our stumbling blocks with the eyes of faith so that we may see God’s hand. The goodness of Good Friday is that the death and burial of Jesus are not the end of the story. His resurrection is. Therefore, let us pray and look forward to our own resurrection story.

We identify with the Passion of Christ as we all carry our various crosses. Some of us have fallen several times under the weight of our crosses. Some of us are praying that our crosses be removed. Some of us are feeling as if we are hanging and abandoned on the cross. Some of us are feeling like being offered vinegar to drink for our thirst. As we venerate the crucifix, we pray with Jesus, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

God did not abandon the Israelites when they sinned and were attacked by ferocious snakes. He directed Moses to mold a bronze serpent and place it on a pole, so that “anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed” (Numbers 21:9). If the bronze serpent gave healing, how much more we will receive healing by venerating the crucifix. Jesus promises us, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John12:32). “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day” (John 6:40). 

The message of the cross means nothing to a lot of people, but to us, it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). As we venerate the crucifix today, may we experience the saving and healing power of God. Amen.

HOLY THURSDAY, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15

Holy Thursday begins the three days of liturgical celebrations, which re-enact the last three days of Jesus' earthly life: the events of his passion, his crucifixion, his death, his burial, and his resurrection. The three days of liturgical celebrations are called the Sacred Paschal Triduum. Triduum is a word formed from two Latin words: 'tri' meaning three and 'dies' meaning day. 

Holy Week Wednesday is sometimes called Spy Wednesday. It is so called because Judas Iscariot had become a spy for the chief priests. He had received thirty pieces of silver from them and was seeking an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them (Matthew 26:14-16).

Two major events took place on Holy Thursday:

First event: During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe that Jesus celebrated the first Holy Mass on Holy Thursday. We read in the second reading, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). By Jesus’ proclamation, “This is my body,” “This is my blood,” Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament because Jesus did not say, “This is a symbol of my body,” or “This is a symbol of my blood.”

The Holy Mass is, also, the highest prayer of the Catholic Church. 'Lumen Gentium' (No. 11) of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teach that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (No. 1324); and “The Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith” (1327). 

Second event: On Holy Thursday, Jesus instituted the ministerial priesthood. The two actions of Jesus through which he instituted the apostles as priests are: (1) He commanded them, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (2) He commanded them, “You call me teacher and master, and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:13). We are “priestly people” (1 Peter 2:9) as we partake in the celebration of the Eucharist.

The priest used to end the Eucharistic celebration with the Latin words, 'Ite missa est,' translated, “Go, it is the dismissal.” A more meaningful translation of 'Ite missa est is,' “Go, you are sent on mission,” the mission of witnessing what has been celebrated. For short, Catholics call the Eucharistic celebration ‘Mass,’ derived from the Latin word 'missa.'

Each time, after the Eucharistic celebration, we are commissioned to go and wash each other’s feet. We are called to wash real dirty feet. The dirtier the feet we wash, the deeper our relationship with God.

Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday, which can be translated as Command Thursday or Mandate Thursday. The word 'Maundy' is derived from the Latin word 'Mandatum', meaning mandate. Jesus commanded the apostles, “Do this in remembrance of me;” “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

The first reading narrates the feast of the first Passover, which symbolizes the spiritual food for the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. The Eucharist is our spiritual food for our journey of faith and our journey to eternal life. Jesus says, “My flesh is real food, and my body is real drink” (John 6:55).

God commanded the Israelites to put the blood of the lamb on the lintel of every house in order to be saved from the angel of death. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and has purchased us by his blood. St. Paul writes, “In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). In prayer, we surrender ourselves, our sins, and our sorrows to the redemptive power of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ.

PALM SUNDAY YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Mark 11:1-10; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 1-15:47

Today, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, is the sixth and last Sunday of Lent. It commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week. The gospel’s passion narrative invites us to participate in the mystery of Jesus’ passion journey.

Almost all Jewish prophets prophesied the coming of the messiah who would redeem Israel from her oppressors. At the time of Jesus, Israel was governed by the Romans. Jesus’ disciples were convinced that Jesus was a political messiah who would lead a rebellion against the Roman colonial rule and drive out the Romans. Therefore, on arriving in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, he was given a rousing and heroic welcome. “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!’” (Mark 11:8-10). One of the meanings of the Hebrew word ‘hosanna’ is ‘save.’ The people cried to Jesus to save them from their colonial masters. We are doing the same. We are crying to Jesus to save us from our afflictions and whatever that has ‘colonized’ us physically and spiritually.

John 12:13 writes, “They took palm branches and went out to meet him and cried out.” It is from this line that this Sunday is named “Palm Sunday.” At the time of Jesus, for the Jewish people, palm branches were considered as symbols of victory and triumph. Unknowingly, the crowds proclaimed Jesus as the savior of the world who was to triumph and become victorious over death.

I do not think that the people would have cried to Jesus to save them if they knew that he was not a political messiah. A few days later, the people shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Could it be that the people were frustrated and disappointed that Jesus did not fulfill their expectation? If Jesus had led a successful rebellion against the Romans, would the people have cried “Crucify him! Crucify him!?” I do not think so. Do we do like those people? We get very disappointed, frustrated, and upset when our expectations are not met. Then, we become aggressive and destructive.

As we read in the gospel, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt (a young donkey). Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on a donkey, which was, at that time, the means of transportation for the poor; instead of a horse, which was the means of transportation for the rich, the high and the mighty. By riding a donkey, a beast of burden, Jesus makes himself our ‘beast of burden’ thereby fulfilling Isaiah 53:4, “He took up our pain and bore our suffering.” Like the donkey, Jesus carries our pains and sufferings.

By riding a donkey, Jesus identifies himself with the poor and the lowly, and he teaches us to do the same. He wants us to identify with the burdened, the needy, the sick, and the suffering. By riding a donkey, Jesus teaches us the importance of detachment and humility. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart.”  

St. Andrew of Crete writes, “Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in his path, but spreading ourselves before him as best as we can with humility of soul and upright purpose … It is ourselves that we must spread under Christ’s feet…”

In some cultures, in times of crisis or misunderstanding, carrying palm leaves or presenting palm leaves is a gesture of peace and reconciliation. Today, the Church gives us palm leaves, a symbol of peace and reconciliation, to take to our homes and places. Let us share the message of peace and reconciliation with one another. You may take a palm leaf from this Mass to someone as a gesture of peace and reconciliation.

Today’s celebration becomes even more meaningful if Jesus makes a triumphal entry into our lives and grants us peace and victory over evil. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me” (Revelations 3:20).

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-23

Jeremiah was sent by God to prophesy to the Jews at a time when political and religious leaders offended God so much. There was a lot of corruption and injustice in the land. The political and religious leaders did not care nor believed that corruption and injustice could make them lose favor with God and bring destruction to their land. They prided themselves on the Temple of Jerusalem and God’s covenant with their fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. The old covenant was sealed with animal sacrifices and animal blood. For instance, in Exodus 24:8, “Then Moses took the blood and splashed it on the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you ...’”

Jeremiah prophesied to them that the temple would be destroyed and the old covenant would no longer hold. He prophesied the nature of the new covenant as we see in the first reading, “But this is a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 13:33). The new covenant was no longer going to be sealed with animal sacrifices and animal blood, and the law written on scrolls and tablets of stone; but it would be sealed with the Blood of the Lamb, and the law written on the hearts of men and women. The Book of Hebrews calls Jesus “the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).  

Each of us is invited to a spiritual checkup during this Lenten season to examine the state of our covenant with God. God says, “I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” How does this apply to me? Regularly, God tries to place his law within me and tries to write it on my heart. How recipient am I? Do I do away with it, and place something else within me, and write something else on my heart?

Someone says, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” This is to say that what we consume is what we become. Ordinarily, if we eat healthy food, we become healthy. If we eat junk food, our health becomes junky. Those who accept God’s law and retain it in their hearts and put it to practice are children of the new covenant. Those who consume worldly things become children of the world. Worst still, those who consume bedeviled things become children of the devil and tools of the devil.

In today’s gospel, Jesus invites us to renew ourselves by dying to our sinful selves. He says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25). Jesus further assures us, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me” (John 12:26).

Further in today’s gospel, Jesus says, “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). His passion, crucifixion, death, and glorification made him the mediator of the new covenant and “the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). As he draws us to himself, let nothing pull us away from him.

“What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? … No, in all these things, we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 37-39). Amen.