Fr. Augustine Inwang, MSP - Homily for the First Sunday of Lent Year C - March 6, 2022

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

 

Temptation Builds Character

1.      Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian Noble Laureate, was asked about his new year's resolution. He said he would spend more time with himself, taking long walks in the fields, admiring nature more, and spending less time with human beings. He said that the more time he spent with human beings, the less he felt like a man. Many men and women through the ages have felt that way too. There is a desire in our hearts to make the journey inward to discover who we are. We often find frightening things about ourselves in the journey inwards. Temptations abound. Today Jesus begins his inward journey to discover himself and his mission. He had just received Baptism in the Jordan and was basking in the overwhelming love of his Father. "After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matt.3:16-17). 

 

2.      The first Sunday of Lent presents us with the temptation of Jesus. "Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." (Matt. 4:1) Our life is full of ups and downs; sometimes, we are on top of the world; other times, we are down at the bottom. At times we experience consolation during prayer; other times, we experience desolation. The Christian life is anything but static. Many saints experienced the dark night of the soul during their encounter with God. At times we feel that God is at our corner, answering every request. At those times, the sky is the limit to what we can do. Other times God seems so far away that we feel we are toiling in vain; nothing seems to go our way; our desert feels so dry, and our prayer so meaningless. We fall into temptation easily when we experience desolation. The devil tempted Jesus to use his power to turn stones into bread. He was hungry. He was enticed to worship Satan to acquire wealth. And finally, he was to demonstrate his miraculous powers to be praised by all. These temptations were to make Jesus powerful and bring glory to himself. But Jesus trusted his Father and shamed the devil. He showed the devil that all power belonged to God. He came to do the will of his Father, not his own will.

  

3.      The devil always gets us at our weakest point: when we are sick, hungry, jobless, impoverished, or desperate for friendship. Jesus teaches us that we can only stand up to Satan by being submissive to God. We must be steadfast in good times and in bad because St. Paul tells us that, "All things work for the good of those who love the Lord, nothing can separate us from the love of God." (Rom 8:28, 31). When we experience desolation, God takes us by the hand and leads us on. Therefore, we must be prayerful. Reading and knowing the bible will assist us in understanding what to say to the devil. Remember: tough times do not last, but tough people do.   

 

4.      Lent rests on a three-legged stool of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Fasting and almsgiving fortify us spiritually to fight against the devil. Christ went into the desert to fast and pray for strength to combat the powers of this world. St. Paul reminds us that "Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." (Eph. 6:12-13). Therefore, we must go into the desert with Jesus during the 40 days of Lent. Let us pray with him for the power to stand up to the machinery of the devil. As Christ surrendered to the will of God and fortified himself with God's word, so must we. With prayer and the word of God on his lips, He countered Satan: "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God; and again, it is written, "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test." And finally, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve" (Mt. 4:4,7,10). We often give in to temptation because we do not know how to fortify ourselves. Lent gives us that golden opportunity to do battle with the devil. We must give alms, fast, and pray if we are to face the temptations of our lives. Temptation builds character and makes us stronger. May we learn to be humble, forgiving, compassionate, and merciful. May God help us enter into this season of grace with commitment and the desire to change. Please read Psalm 51 as you pray for strength this week. Be blessed now and always. Amen.

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the First Sunday of Lent Year C - March 6, 2022

Homily of First of Lent Year C, 2022

Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 1-2, 10-13; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

Moses did not reach the Promised Land. However, he set for the Israelites laws and directives they were to keep in the Promised Land that would guide their relationship with God and with one another. The first reading was a pronouncement to be made during the feast of harvest thanksgiving. The pronouncement summaries Israel’s history and journey with God, from their ancestors to their settling in the Promised Land. The offering of the first fruits from one’s farm and the pronouncement were an expression of gratitude to God for his blessings. The reading encourages us to be grateful to God for his love and mercy, and to express our gratitude practically by offering to the Church of God from the blessings we have received.

On offering to the Church Sirach 35:6-13 says, “Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts. The offering of the just enriches the altar: a sweet odor before the Most High. The sacrifice of the just is accepted, never to be forgotten. With a generous spirit pay homage to the Lord, and do not spare your freewill gifts. With each contribution show a cheerful countenance and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. For he is a God who always repays and will give back to you sevenfold.” The Church uses the offering to serve humanity, carry out the work of evangelization, and build up God’s kingdom here on earth.

The devil does not want us to have a good relationship with God. He comes with all kinds of temptations to draws us away from God. The gospel story of the temptation of Jesus by the devil shows us some of the subtle ways the devil tempts us. The first temptation shows us that the devil tempts through our needs. The temptation shows how the devil tempts us to get what we want through improper means (turn stone to bread). The second temptation shows us that the devil tempts us to worship the things of this world and derive power and fame from them rather than from God (“I shall give you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish”). The third temptation shows how the devil tempts us to engage in harmful and dangerous ambitious activities and expecting God to save us (throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple and expecting angels to catch you).

The three temptations can be summarized as ungodly quest for wealth, power, and miracle. Jesus teaches us that when we put God aside and pursue wealth, power, and miracle, we become tools of the devil.

If the devil tempted Jesus who is God, he will tempt us more who are mere human beings. In the Book of Job, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you been?’ Then the Satan answered …  ‘Roaming the earth and patrolling it”’ (Job 2:2). This is why 1 John 5:19 warns, “We know that we are children of God, [but] the whole world is under the control [constant attack] of the evil one.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 also warns, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” St. Augustine encourages us where he writes, “Our pilgrim life here on earth cannot be without temptation, for it is through temptation that we make progress, and it is only by being tempted that we come to know ourselves.” The following words from the second reading are very encouraging, “No one who believes in [Jesus] will be put to shame… For every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:11, 13). Hebrews 2:18 assures us, “Because he himself was tempted through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  It is by the power of his name that we triumph over every temptation as he himself did.

The power of the evil one is the power we give to him. Listen to this parable:

“A donkey was tied to a tree. A demon came and released it. The donkey entered a farmer’s field and began destroying his crop. The farmer’s wife saw the donkey, got angry and shot the donkey with her rifle and killed it. The donkey’s owner saw the dead donkey, got angry and fired at the woman with his rifle and killed her. When the farmer saw his dead wife, he killed the donkey’s owner. The donkey’s owner sons seeing their father dead burned the farmer’s field. The farmer in retaliation killed them. When the demon was asked what he has done, he said: ‘I did nothing, I only released the donkey.’ Do you get it? The devil doesn’t have power to do much, except to release the donkey, and we do the rest.”

I wish you a spirit-filled Lenten Season.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C - February 27, 2022

Homily of Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

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

The first and second readings have words of encouragement for us. The first reading says, “As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just.” In the second reading St. Paul says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Jesus says, “Blessed is the one who does not lose faith in me” (Luke 7:21). Those who hold onto God, blessings come after tribulations.

This is the last Sunday before Lent. The readings invite us to proceed into the Lenten season with a contrite heart. The heart is described as the center of vitality of our spiritual and physical body. What is stored in the heart pilots our spiritual and physical behavior. The first reading says, “The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind” (Sirach 27:6). Jesus says in today’s gospel, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of store of evil produces evil; from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Therefore, what we feed the heart with and what we store in our heart matters. What we feed our heart with and what we store in our heart reflect not only in what our mouth speaks but also in our behavior. That is why St. Paul instructs us to fill our hearts with whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

Whereby a person who feeds his or her heart with dirty, filthy, violent, fake, false, and ungodly materials, reflects in the person’s behavior. Whatever is stored in the heart either sanctifies or defiles the soul and the body. Whatever occupies the depth of a person’s heart is what the person projects outside of himself or herself. It is what we have that we give. As quoted earlier, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of the store of evil produces evil; from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

In the Gospel Jesus tells us, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye, when you do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?’” By this statement, Jesus invites us to look inward ourselves more than the attention we pay on the faults and sins of others. We should rather become our own accusers (Proverb 18:17), rather than accusers of our brothers and sisters (Revelation 12:10).  An African adage says, “When we point one accusing finger at someone, the other fingers point at us and accuse us.” St. Paul cautions us, “Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things” (Romans 2:1). Last Sunday, Jesus instructed us, “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37).

An ancient Greek saying advises, “Man [woman], know thyself.” Self-knowledge helps us to recognize and acknowledge God’s grace in our life and be able to have more understanding of others, show empathy to them, and be less judgmental to them. A religious man who saw a man being led to the gallows wept in empathy, "There but for the grace of God, go I." Does this religious man’s expression challenge us about how we perceive and judge others?

May the Spirit of God lead us through a fruitful Lenten season. We pray:

“Grant to us, O Lord, a heart renewed; recreate in us your own Spirit, Lord!”

Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C - February 20, 2022

Homily of Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

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

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

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

When Saul realized that God had chosen David to succeed him, he was very envious; he made eleven attempts, according the First Book of Samuel, to kill David:

- Saul attempted to kill David with a spear (1 Sam. 18:11); - Saul plotted so that the Philistines kill David (1 Sam. 18:17, 21); - Saul ordered his servants to kill David (1 Sam. 19:1); - Saul attempted to kill David with a spear (1 Sam. 19:10); - Saul sent messengers to kill David (1 Sam. 19:11); - Saul sent messengers to bring David back so he can kill David (1 Sam. 19:15); - Saul sent messengers to kill David (1 Sam. 19:20); - Saul sent messengers again to kill David (1 Sam. 19:21); - Saul went himself in an attempt to kill David (1 Sam. 19:22); - Saul pursued David to kill him (1 Sam. 23:15); - Saul pursued David to kill him (1 Sam. 26:2).

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

David is a perfect example of Jesus’ teaching in today’s gospel: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic…” (Luke 6:27-29).

This teaching of Jesus is very radical. It is typical of human nature to do good to those who are good to us, and to punish those who treat us badly. David and Jesus teach us today that this must not be so.

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

One can only but lament that the cause of suffering, poverty, violence, war, destruction of life and property, injustice, corruption, and other evils is because the Golden Rule (Luke 6:31), “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” in today’s gospel is neglected. Rather, what happens many times and in many places is that people do to others as they would not have others do to them. Unfortunately, the culture of “might is right” has continued to rule our society and our world. The sad histories of domination, conquest and occupation, slavery, ethnic cleansing, holocaust, massacre, colonization, underdevelopment, apartheid, segregation, discrimination, and so on are expressions of the rejection of the Golden Rule.

Since it is in the nature of human beings to violate the Golden Rule, it is, therefore, important that defenseless citizens must be protected by the leadership and the law. Sadly, in many places, either the leadership is the violator of the law, or the apparatus to protect defenseless citizens does not exist or does not function; thereby, abandoning defenseless citizens in the hands of those who kill and plunder. We pray for the radical transformation of leaderships and the radical transformation of the apparatus of protecting defenseless citizens.

We pray for a life of love, forgiveness, and not seeking revenge (like David); and not to be like King Saul who was possessed by envious and murderous spirits. Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C - February 13, 2022

Homily of Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26

It is a fact that every choice has its effect. Good choice brings good effect and bad choice brings bad effect. In the first reading, Jeremiah prophesied to the people of Judah what would happen to them if they continued in their sin of adulatory and trusting in human allies. He, also, prophesied the blessings they would receive from God if they trusted in God:

“Cursed is the one who trust in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth” (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters, that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

The people of Judah did not listen to Jeremiah. They continued their sin of adulatory. Their king, Zedekiah, and his officials allied with Egypt; thereby seeking strength in flesh and turning away from God. The result was that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and carried Judeans into exile. Good choice begets good result. Bad choice begets bad result.

There is no doubt that many things are beyond our choice or control; but someone says that largely, we are our choices. When things are beyond our choice or control still provide opportunities for our choice. As people of faith, in all circumstances and in every choice, let us, prayerfully, be guided by the word of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. There are, also, times we need to seek the counsel of the wise to guide us in the process of discerning the good choice to make, or the bad choice not to make (Tobit 4:18, Proverbs 19:20).

Today, we are invited to reflect over our life to see the effects of the choices we have made or we are making. If the effects bring glory to God and love and peace to oneself and other human beings, that is the sure sign that the choices are good. We are encouraged to make such choices. But if the effects do not glorify God, and do not bring peace and love to oneself and other human beings, that is the sure sign that the choices are bad. We are encouraged to desist from such choices.

Today’s gospel are Jesus’ words of blessings, consolation, and encouragement to the poor (those who are humble), to the hungry (those who desire and pursue righteousness); to the weeping (those who are deprived of justice); and to the hated, insulted, excluded, and denounced on account of the Son of Man (those who are persecuted for standing for truth, and those persecuted for their faith in Jesus). “Blessed are you.” “You will be satisfied.” “You will laugh.”

On the other hand, Jesus denounces those who enrich themselves and live wasteful life on stolen money and property; the hypocrites, and oppressors of the poor, the oppressors of the weak, and the oppressors of just. Jesus pronounces curses on them: “Woe to you.” “You will be hungry.” “You will grieve and weep.” Prophet Isaiah says, “Happy the just, for it will go well with them, the fruit of their works they will eat. Woe to the wicked! It will go ill with them, with the work of their hands they will be repaid” (Isaiah 3:10-11).

The second reading was St. Paul’s caution to some Corinthians who did not believe in the resurrected Christ. In the same manner, nowadays, God’s word is mocked, rationalized, rejected, dismissed, not believed, and God’s messengers and believers of the word are persecuted.  Nowadays, in the face of corrupt and violent world, it is difficult to convince many people to remain righteous. For us believers, the readings and reflection encourage us to keep making choices which bring glory to God and well-being of humanity, and continue to persevere in our faith and in good work. “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP - Homily for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C - January 23, 2022

Homily of Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10; Psalm 19:8-10, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, they were faced with the reconstruction and the restoration of their temple and city which were destroyed by their captors. Nehemiah was their governor and Ezra was their priest. While the structural reconstruction and restoration were going on, Ezra led the people to a spiritual restoration. Spiritual restoration was necessary because the Jews were exposed to the worship of other gods in Babylon which produced a generation that did not properly follow the Covenant between God and their ancestors. A major part of the renewal of the Covenant was the reading of the Book of the Law to the people. The assembly was made up of young and old. Ezra read the word of God to the assembly from morning to midday. When the people heard of the story of God’s relationship with their ancestors, and how they, themselves, had violated the Covenant and disconnected themselves from God, they wept in sorrow and repentance.

In the same way, we, also, need to look back at our journey with God. An honest reflection will help us to see God’s faithfulness, and our unfaithfulness, and our disconnection from him. At the beginning of a new year, a resolve to renew our Covenant with God, reconnect and have a closer relationship with him should be of primary importance.

Ezra read out the word of God from daybreak till midday “and all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” How much time do we spend in reading the word of God, and how attentive are we to the word? Many people do not mind the time, the energy, and resources they spend on worldly activities while they are very apathetic to spiritual matters. Quality spiritual time means quality relationship with God! Jesus says, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you” (Luke 6:38).  Nehemiah encouraged the people, “for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). We can, also, interpret Nehemiah’s words to mean, “Quality time with the Lord must be your strength.”

While the first reading invites us to renew our Covenant with God and reconnect with him, St. Paul in the second reading invites us to examine our relationship with our fellow human beings, see how far we are disconnected from one another, and reconnect with those we are disconnected from. We cannot reconnect with God while we are disconnected from one another. “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21).

St. Paul writes in the second reading, “God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I do not need you.’ … So that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy” (1 Corinthians 12:24-26). Dalai Lama (the Buddhist spiritual leader) says, “We must recognize that the suffering of one person or one nation is the suffering of humanity.” Someone says, “When everybody is somebody, then no one is nobody.” Everyone matters. Everyone is important.

In the gospel, Jesus declares his mission by reading from the scroll of prophet Isaiah. The gospel invites us to continue Jesus’ mission to bring good tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, bring recovery to the blind, and set the oppressed free. Among us and around us are the poor who need assistance, people going through various types of afflictions who need support, and cases of injustice which need to be addressed. As we begin a new year, it would be good to include in our resolutions how to participate in Jesus’ mission. Since charity begins at home, let us see the realization of Jesus’ mission, first, in our immediate environment and, then, continue to the larger society.

In the first reading, Ezra read the word of God to the assembly. In the gospel, Jesus read the word of God to the assembly. Today, as we read the word of God or hear it read to us, let us not harden our hearts. May God grant us the grace of spiritual restoration. May we be able to create relationships whereby everybody matters and everybody is important. May we become disciples of Jesus who continue his mission wherever we are. Amen.

Fr. Martin Eke, MSP