TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 116:1-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

The first reading is Prophet Isaiah’s prophesy, which was fulfilled in the passion of Jesus Christ. “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheek to those who pluck my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” In today’s gospel Jesus referred to this prophecy, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days” (Mark 8:31). Jesus also did exactly what Isaiah prophesied: “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

The first reading, however, reminds us of what may come our way as followers of Jesus. There will be times when our backs will be beaten, our beard plucked, our face buffeted and spat upon. Jesus prepares our mind in John 15:20, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” Then he promises us, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven” (Matthew 5:11-12). During the time of any affliction, we are to set our “face like flint,” that is, we are to “resolutely” keep faith and believe that our God will not allow us to be put to shame. Jesus sets the standard for us, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

St. Mark writes in today’s gospel, “Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this, he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do’” (Mark 8:33). At that moment, Peter was a voice of discouragement in the mission of Jesus. Jesus immediately quietened the voice of discouragement. If Jesus, who is God, encountered difficulties, criticisms, oppositions, sufferings, discouragements, and frustrations, then, the same experiences await us who are his followers. When these experiences come our way, let us not surrender to them. Let us draw strength from Jesus; and like him, let us be strong and resolute.  On the other hand, let us not be forces of discouragement to anyone by our words and actions.

In the second reading, St. James instructs us that doing good work, especially to strangers and the needy whom we will get nothing in return, is another very important way of expressing our faith and witnessing Christ. St. James asks us, “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16). We fail to witness Christ when we can but fail to help the needy.  

St. James says, “What does it profit, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” (James 2:14). St. James concludes, “Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:20). St. Francis of Assisi said to his friars, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words;” and “Let all brothers preach by their works.”

Peter, who was one of the closest apostles to Jesus, became a Satan’s voice of discouragement in the mission of Jesus. Jesus stood his ground and did not yield to him. In the same way, our close ones can become Satan’s voices that discourage us from the good works the Spirit of God ministers to our hearts to do. Jesus teaches us how to stand our ground and let the Spirit of God use us. St. Paul instructs us, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20).

There are other types of Satan’s discouraging voices. For example, pride can discourage us from a humble good work. Pride can also discourage us from obedience. Selfishness can discourage us from stepping out of our comfort zone to do a good work that requires some sacrifice. Fear can discourage us from a good work that requires courage. Laziness can discourage us from a good work that is challenging. Low-esteem can discourage and destroy our aspiration to do a good work. Rules and regulations can discourage us from a good work of compassion. Greed can discourage us from a good work of sharing or a good work of giving. Anger can discourage us from reconciliation. Insult and persecution can discourage us from continuing a good work we are doing. And so on.

In all Satan’s discouraging voices, let us not yield but pray for the graces to stand firm and to remain resolute as Jesus did.

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

 Isaiah 35:4-7; Psalm 146: 6-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37

At the time of the prophecy of Isaiah in the first reading, worship of false gods and evil practices by kings and the people were rampant. Many worshippers of the true God were becoming fainthearted and beginning to wonder whether God had abandoned and forgotten them. The reading was a section of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies, assuring the people that God had neither abandoned nor forgotten them. Isaiah prophesied to the people, “Thus says the Lord: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: be strong, fear not! Here is your God, … he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened; the ear of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” Jesus and his mission were the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. As we see in the gospel, the healing of the deaf man who had a speech impediment was as Isaiah prophesied.

May God come to save the people in many countries and places where the leadership is blind, deaf, dumb, and lame, thereby inflicting sufferings on the people. May God come with vindication and recompense for his people according to his word, “Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you” (Isaiah 35:4).

May God come to save those who are going through various kinds of afflictions. As in today’s gospel, may there be exceeding astonishment at God’s saving grace. As prophesied by Isaiah, let streams burst in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. Let the burning sands become pools, and the thirsty ground becomes springs of water. May God’s children leap like stags in joyful dance, and may there be loud testimonies of, “He has done all things well,” by those liberated and those healed.

St. James in the second reading brings to our attention some of the diseases that cause blindness, lameness, deafness, and dumbness on many people and on our society. St. James mentions showing partiality, making distinctions, and becoming judges with evil designs. Therefore, all forms of racism, ethnicism, discrimination, segregation, gang-ups, cliques, and the like are evil designs.

St. James writes, “For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Sit here, please,’ while you say to the poor one, ‘Stand there,’ or ‘Sit at my feet’” (James 2:2-3). Are our governments and their apparatuses not guilty of this? Are some religious leaders not guilty of this? Are many people, homes, communities, and institutions not guilty of this?

St. James challenges the evil designs of giving awards, honors, titles, positions, allocations, admissions, placements, appointments, and opportunities that are not according to merit and fairness but according to privilege and favoritism.

It is spiritual blindness when we do not see the sufferings of the needy. It is spiritual deafness when we do not hear the cry of the needy. It is spiritual lameness when we refuse to step forward or step out of our comfort zones to help the needy. It is spiritual dumbness when we are silent to the truth and silent in the face of evil.

We read in today’s gospel, “And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned (in prayer), and said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (that is, ‘Be opened!’). And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly” (Mark 7:32-35).

Jesus spat on his finger and touched the man’s tongue with the finger! This is curious! What is the meaning of Jesus’ action? Among the Jews, during the time of Jesus, as it was among some African tribes, the medicine man/woman’s saliva was an important ingredient of some medicinal concoctions. Also, elders used to gently spit specks of saliva on someone’s palms while pronouncing blessings, or spew out saliva on or towards someone while swearing at the person or cursing the person.  It was believed that saliva has healing power, blessing power, and cursing power. Universally, spitting saliva on someone or on an object is a sign of disgust, disrespect, anger, or contempt. However, Jesus put his own saliva on the dumb man’s tongue to loosen the man’s tongue and installed the power of speech in the man.

Let us approach Jesus with faith so that he may, also, take us away from the crowd and give us similar personal attention. Let us present to Jesus our life, our family, our businesses, our plans, and our afflictions so that he may touch us, heal us, and restore us. May he do exceedingly astonishing deeds for us. May he pronounce ephphatha on us and break open everything that the Evil One and his agents closed up, covered up, sealed up, or tied up. For it is written in Revelation 3:7-8, “When you open, nobody can shut, and when you shut, nobody can open.” Thank you, Jesus, for you have opened our door of blessings which nobody can close. Alleluia!

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 15:2-5; James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When a child is about to leave home to settle in a different place, every wise parent or guardian takes time to instruct the child on how to embrace his or her new environment and life. Moses did the same. The first reading is his instruction to the Israelites on how to observe God’s commandments when they arrive in the Promised Land. Moses said to them, “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you” (Deuteronomy 4:1). This invitation is no longer for the Israelites of the Old Testament but for us, here and now. We are invited to hear and observe the word of God in order that we may live and take possession of all that God has given us. Not hearing and doing what the word says cause all kinds of losses and spiritual death.

The invitation continues in the second reading: “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves” (James 1:21-22). Regularly, the word is planted in us. Where do we belong in Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower? The path (where the word was taken away by the devil), or the rock (where the word was taken away by trials), or the thorns (where the word was taken away by anxieties and riches and pleasures of life), or the rich soil, who “when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance” (Luke 8:13-15).

Apart from the Ten Commandments, there were 613 Jewish precepts known as Mitzvot. The Jewish custodians of the law emphasized obedience to the Mitzvot more than obedience to the Ten Commandments. The precepts Mark cites in today’s gospel are from the Mitzvot: “For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace, they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds” (Mark 7:3-4).

Like the Pharisees, who were more concerned with humans made precepts and traditions than God’s Commandments, our generation prefers to listen to the world than to the living word of God. Thomas a Kempi writes in The Imitation of Christ, “Many hear the world more easily than they hear God; they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God.” Listening to and obeying the world cause defilement of heart which Jesus mentions in today’s gospel: “unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and folly” (Mark 7:23).

Jesus explains the reward of listening and acting on the word, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). In last the Sunday’s gospel, Jesus says, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). Which is why St. Paul reminds us, “The Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). 

Joshua spoke to the people of Israel about the power of the word of God, “Do not let this book of the law depart from your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may carefully observe all that is written in it; then you will attain your goal; then you will succeed” (Joshua 1:8). This is why the psalmist proclaims, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The psalmist, also, states, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. … The statutes of the Lord are true, all of them just… By them your servant is warned; obeying them brings much reward” (Psalm 19:7-14). St. James assures us, “But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).

Where is my Bible? How much time do I devote to reading the word of God, or to hearing the word of God, or to meditating on the word of God? Do I associate myself with individuals, groups, and programs that can help me grow in the knowledge of the word of God? Can I use some of the time I waste on satisfying desires of the flesh in embracing the word of God? St. Paul tells us, “Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Whoever sows nothing will reap nothing.  

Since “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God” (1 Corinthians 3:19); “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

 Joshua 24:1-2, 15-17, 18; Psalm 34:2-3, 16-21; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69

In the first reading, the Israelites had occupied the land of Canaan. God had fulfilled his promise by bringing them to the Promised Land. God had led them out of Egypt and granted them victory over many tribes and nations on their way. But that was not the end of the story. Another major challenge was to guide the Israelites to remain worshippers of Yahweh and not turn to worship the Canaanites’ gods. Joshua, their leader, summoned an assembly of the Israelites’ leaders, judges, and officers at Shechem to renew their covenant with God. The people recommitted themselves, “For it was the Lord, our God, who brought us and our ancestors up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He performed those great signs before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed… Therefore, we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God” (Joshua 24:17-18). The relationship between God and the Israelites after this event shows that the Israelites were unfaithful to their covenant with God.

Each of us can testify God’s “great signs before our very eyes,” and how he “protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples whom we had passed.” Along our journey, we have entered into covenants with God through our Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Matrimony, Holy Orders, promises, oaths, and vows, and so on. How faithful are we to these covenants? Have we, like the Israelites, followed the ‘Amorites’ gods’ in our daily concerns and worldly pursuits? Do we put God first in our plans and activities? Do we have certain ‘gods’ that we put first before God? God commands us, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me” (Exodus 20:2-3).

In the second reading, St. Paul speaks of the great mystery of marriage “in reference to Christ and the Church.” St. Paul uses the patrilineal tradition and language of his time to explain our relationship and covenant with Christ. “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands…” “For the husband is the head of his wife…” This means that we are to be subordinate to Christ, for he is our head. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her…” Christ loves us and died on the Cross for our sake.

Although St. Paul uses this passage “in reference to Christ and his Church,” the passage is also used to encourage husbands and wives to submit to one another and love one another. The passage begins with “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). This means that submission is required from husbands and from wives. The statement, “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands” must never be used to justify abuses of wives by their husbands, or to coerce wives to submit to abuses in their marriage.

In the gospel, many of Jesus’ disciples misunderstood him when he said to them, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53). They found Jesus’ teachings hard to accept. They were shocked, and as a result, they returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus asked his apostles whether they also wanted to leave. Peter replied, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Many non-Catholics and some Catholics find Catholic beliefs, practices, and teachings hard to accept. For this reason, many leave the Catholic Church as many of Jesus’ disciples left him. But for us faithful Catholics, we have come to believe, and we are convinced that the Catholic Church, as St. Paul affirms, is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone” (Ephesians 2:20). The Catholic Church was founded and established by Jesus Christ. He said to Peter, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Every other church was founded by human beings due to some reasons. While the strength and popularity of the human-founded churches depend and center on the capability and charism of their founders and leaders, all activities in the Catholic Church depend and center on Jesus Christ, the founder and establisher.

May God continue to empower the Catholic Church and all of us to continue to prevail at all times and in all circumstances. In the Catholic Church, may we continue to experience and testify God’s great signs and mighty deeds. May God continue to protect us along our entire journey and among all the peoples whom we pass. Amen.

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B, 2024 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:2-7; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58

The first reading tells us that Wisdom built her house. She sets up seven columns (canopies), dressed her tables with all kinds of meat and mixed wine. Buffet presents us with an imagination of this setup. Wisdom sends out her errand men to invite us, the simple and who lack understanding, saying, “Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding” (Proverbs 9:5). This invitation is for us by Jesus Christ, who is “the wisdom of God and the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Through the Eucharistic celebration, Jesus invites us to a spiritual banquet. In the Eucharistic celebration, we consume God’s word and the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus says in today’s gospel, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him” (John 6:55). Whoever remains in him draws from the wisdom of God and the power of God.

St. Paul, in the second reading, continues the invitation. “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise… Do not continue in ignorance… Do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:15-20). St. Paul was addressing the Ephesians; many of whom were in the habit of getting drunk and living immoral life. At that time, Ephesus was a city that produced a lot of wine. St. Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians to stop living foolish and ignorant life is to us since we at one time or another find ourselves behaving foolishly or ignorantly. Whenever we ignore the word of God, we behave foolishly.

Many governments, many institutions, and many media outlets propagate and promote policies and strategies that alienate the knowledge of God from the world.

I once watched a TV program where the panel spent an hour discussing the reasons for so much violence in our society. The panel also suggested solutions. Throughout the discussion, the alienation of God from our world never came up as the primary and major reason for violence. The Scripture says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). A godless people are a lawless people. Wherever God is alienated, there is anarchy. Prophet Zechariah confronted the Israelites during a chaotic time in their history with the following words, “Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you” (2 Chronicle 24:20).

Recently, the Governor of the State of Louisiana signed into law the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in public schools. Recently, also, the State of Oklahoma’s Department of Education ordered every teacher in the state to have a Bible and to teach from it.  These actions will go a long way to imprinting God’s values in the hearts of many children. We pray that anti-Christian groups and courts do not frustrate the implementation of the laws. C. S. Lewis writes, “Education without God makes a person a mere clever devil.” If God is absent in whoever we are, and wherever we are, and whatever we have, whatever we are doing, then the Evil One is present.

Religious leaders, elders, parents, and teachers have a lot of work to do since we pass on to our children what we have. Jesus asks, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39). It is said in Latin, “Nemo dat quod non habet,” meaning “No one can give what they do not have.”

Another type of ignorance that is hurting our society is ignorance of history and ignorance of culture. In some places, history is no longer studied in schools. In some places, the study of history is watered down. Many people’s language and culture are dying out since they are being abandoned. Those who lose their history and those who lose their culture lose their root. As quoted earlier, indeed, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

The first reading invites us, “Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.” St. Paul invites us in the second reading, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons… Do not continue in ignorance… , but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The gospel encourages us to feed on Jesus the wisdom of God and the power of God. Jesus assures us, “The one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” Jesus says, “Because I live, you shall live” (John 14:19). May God’s wisdom and power and the Holy Spirit cast out all foolishness and ignorance, make us advance in the way of understanding, lead, and guide us in all we say and all we do. Amen.