Friday, October 28, 2011

Homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10/ Psalm 131/1Thess 2:7-9, 13/ Matthew 23:1-12

THEME: ALL HONOUR BELONGS TO GOD


Honour and shame are the core value of many societies. Honour is a public claim to worth and public acknowledgment of that claim. Shame is a lack of sensitivity to one’s honour, carelessness in guarding and maintaining it. The very nature of the Priestly ministry demands humility and service. This is because the one in whose ministry we share came to serve, not be served and to give his life as a ransom for many. Thus in the exercise of our ministry, let us not create the impression as if we want to usurp God’s glory. The liturgy for today will remind all Priests that to God belongs all glory and honour.



As we prepare to celebrate the universal kingship of Jesus, the prophet Malachi in the first reading, sends strong warnings to the priests of God who have become demy-gods in the discharge of their duties, promoting their own ideals and preaching falsehood, all in the name of honour and fame. He says, “I am a great king, says the Lord of host and my name is reverenced among the nations. And now O Priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of Hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings…” (Malachi 1:14-2:2).



If God decides to turn the blessing of the Priest into a curse, what will become of that Priest? Not only have the Priests strayed from honouring God, they have caused the flock of God to do same. That God will make of them a reproach to the very people they minister to cannot be over-emphasised.



Today many men and woman of God stand accused of this message. We sell the blessings of God for money. We have failed to heed the charge of God that freely we have received and freely we must give. Many men of God are not approachable. They are leaving in luxury at the expense of their flock. They have shown partiality in their dealings with God’s people.



They have shown partiality with their dealings with the rich and poor. They have alienated the poor people and aligned themselves with the rich and have failed to even rebuke the rich for their misdeeds. The prophet will ask, “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors” (Malachi 2:10-11)?



St Paul in the second reading presents to us a model of what the Priest of God should be like. The Priest of God must be like a mother, loving and caring for her own children. The Priest of God must be ready and eager to hand over to the flock not only the good news but his whole life as well. Even though, it was Paul’s right to depend on the Thessalonians for his needs, he gives us an example of a Priest who must work and provide for his own needs. It is when the Priest of God has done this that the Word of God becomes a living power among God’s people.



In the gospel reading, Jesus challenges the religious leaders of his time not to arrogate to themselves the honour which they do not deserve. He condemns their double standard behavior and urged his followers in the following words, “Do what they tell you because they occupy the chair of Moses but do not do what they do” (Matthew 23:3). Jesus reminds us all that every honour goes with responsibilities. When Jesus cautions his disciples not to allow themselves to be called Rabbi, Teacher or Master, he meant to tell them that it can trigger of pride and usurpation of the honour and praise that belongs to God alone as is evident in the life of the Pharisees.



Our duty as leaders of our various Christian Communities is to lead others to Christ and not to ourselves. Jesus admonishes all leaders to adopt a servant leadership; a leadership based on service and humility. This is because in this lies true greatness. The paradox of Jesus’ statement lies in the fact that when we exalt ourselves, we are humbled but when we humble ourselves, we are exalted.
Honour is not self-imposed. It is the daily fruit of humility and service. We are reminded by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews that “Every high Priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weaknesses… and no one can take this honour upon himself, but takes it only when called by God just as Aaron was” ( Hebrews 5:1-4).



In sum, the Priesthood is a gift. Sometimes, we behave as if it is meritorious. The readings of today should cause all unfaithful ministers to repent. This is because the coming of the universal king is imminent. May Christ be our light, shinning in our hearts especially in the hearts of all Priests and God’s ministers. Let us be servants to one another for in this lies our true greatness.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Homily for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Exodus 22:20-26/ Psalm 18/1Thess 1:5-10/ Matthew 22:34-40

THEME: YOU BEAR THE IMAGE OF LOVE


Last week, I reminded you that we bear the image of God and so our responsibility is greater; a responsibility which makes us greater than Caesar’s image on the coin. Today, we are invited to reflect on one of the images of God which we bear namely LOVE. Love is at the heart of God’s creation.



In the Gospel reading, the religious leaders during Jesus’ time are not satisfied with trapping Jesus. Today, it is a Lawyer who becomes an instrument of that trap. He asked Jesus, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind…you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-39). By Jesus’ answer, the Pharisees stand condemned because, they fail to love him who is God and neighbor to them.



Jesus reminded them that on the commandment of love hang the law and the prophets. Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophet. We are called upon to reflect this image of love as we prepare to meet the king of kings who comes to judge the living and the dead. This is because, we will be judged according to the law of love.



Indeed, the king we are awaiting shows us that a man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. Jesus did not only say this, he demonstrated it by dying on the cross for us while we were still sinners.
The first reading gives us practical ways by which we can reflect this image of love by loving God and our neighbor as ourselves.



To begin with, Moses exalts the Israelites “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction” (Exodus 22:20). Condemnation is there for those who refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereignty; those who refuse to love God with the totality of their being.



Another sin against the commandment of love, Moses admonished them is “You shall not oppress a resident alien for once you were an alien in Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). Justice and righteousness are the foundations of God’s throne. It is said that the oppressed is the worse oppressor. The converse should have been true. This is because one who has been oppressed must rather be compassionate. How do we treat widows and orphans n our communities, both in the Church and in secular society? Often, we treat them with contempt forgetting that they hold the key to unlocking our entrance to heaven.




According to the book of James, “If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: care for orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:26-27). Knowing the plights of orphans and widows, Jesus himself showed compassion to them. A case in point was when Jesus raised to life the son of the widow of Nain. Jesus, by this action, restored hope to this poor widow whom hitherto will have been without any inheritance according to their Jewish custom. A little bit of love shown to such people will restore their hope. This is our duty as Christians who bear the image of God and it is upon this that we will be judged.
Furthermore, Moses warned them against lending money to the poor at usury. Jesus paid the debt that we did not owe. The moment we fail to restore dignity to the poor of our society, we miss heaven (Matthew 25:45ff). To have poor people among us is a blessing. It is a privilege to support the poor people in our communities. This is because they hold the key to our salvation. In this regard, I duff my heart out to the St. Vincent De Paul Society in our various parishes.



In last week’s gospel reading, when Jesus answered them on the issue of payment of tax, the Pharisees were amazed. However, in today’s gospel, we realised that such amazement only led them to trap Jesus all the more instead of causing them to repent. Are you amazed or fascinated about Jesus? Is that amazement or fascination bringing about conversion in your life?



By Jesus’ answer “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your and with your entire mind”, Jesus affirms again what it means to give to God what belongs to God. God demands of us a total self- giving. We are reminded that fulfilling your social responsibility does not mean a denial of God and giving yourself totally to God does not mean a denial of your social responsibility. They complement each other.



Pope Benedict XVI's 2005 Encyclical Letter "Deus Caritas Est" (God is Love) sums up beautifully the message of today's Scripture readings:
"Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. (...) In acknowledging the centrality of love, Christian faith has retained the core of Israel's faith, while at the same time giving it new depth and breadth. The pious Jew prayed daily the words of the Book of Deuteronomy which expressed the heart of his existence: 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might' (6:4-5). Jesus united into a single precept this commandment of love for God and the commandment of love for neighbor found in the Book of Leviticus: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (19:18; cf. Mark 12:29-31). Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:10), love is now no longer a mere 'command'; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us."




In conclusion, “…The fruit of faith is LOVE. The fruit of love is SERVICE. The fruit of service is PEACE says Blessed Mother Teresa." The face that we bear the image of love shows that love will bear witness against us of for us on the day of judgment. May Blessed Teresa of Calcutta teach us how to love God and neighbor in unity and harmony.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 / Psalm 96/1Thess 5:1-5/ Matthew 22:15-21

THEME: YOU BEAR THE IMPRINT OF GOD’S IMAGE

In five weeks time, mother Church will celebrate the universal kingship of Jesus Christ popularly called the Feast of Christ the King. This feast brings to an end the Church’s Liturgical Year. The readings of the last three Sundays reminded us of the Parousia (the second coming of Christ). It urged us to respond to God’s invitation to the heavenly banquet, a rejection of which is a total rejection of God and the beatific vision.



In the first reading, God proves Himself faithful to the house of Israel to the extent that even when he did not find a worthy leader among His chosen people to rescue them from their enemies, he finds a pagan king, Cyrus to bring them out of exile. The prophet says, “For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me…” (Isaiah 45:4-5).



Every leader that God chooses, He anoints. Thus Cyrus was anointed. Isaiah says, “ Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him and the gates shall not be closed” ( Isaiah 45:1). We are presented with a prototype of an anointed servant. This brings to sharp focus the fact that we can only be sent on mission when we are called and anointed.



Indeed, Cyrus did not know God but God used him to accomplish great things. What about us who know God? He will do greater things we us. Do you know God?



In today's Gospel (Matthew 22:15), the Pharisees try once again to entrap Jesus in his speech. They realize that they are being portrayed by Jesus as having refused an invitation to conversion of heart (last Sunday's banquet story 22:1-14). Therefore they begin to plot against Jesus by launching an attack. They begin their questioning by flattering Jesus, attempting to take him off guard. A Pharisee compliments Jesus for being honest, teaching the way of God authentically, and taking no account of any person's status or opinion.




The rejection of the Israelites meant that God is capable of raising leaders in every age and time. Jesus becomes that perfect revealer of God who wields authority for the common good namely that he paid the debt that he did not owe. Indeed, Jesus’ authority was a servant authority or leadership. Thus as we anticipate the Feast of Christ the King, Mother Church presents to us the servant Kingship of Jesus as a model for all authority figures.



The kingship that Jesus brings is not one to cause confusion and riot but of peace. By Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees and the Herodians that we should give what belong to Caesar to Caesar and what belong to God to God, he called on all Christians to respect constituted authority for the common good. Indeed, respect for constituted authority is a conditio sine qua non for an acceptance of Jesus’ kingship.




Two images are before us: that of Caesar and that of God. To the first image, Jesus asks a simple question: "Whose picture is on the coin?" And the answer is simple, "Caesar." Therefore, give to Caesar what belongs to him, i.e. the part of your possession that belongs to him. But Jesus also has a second, penetrating question: Whose image and blessing is on every human being? And the answer is simple, "God's." Therefore, give to God what belongs to him, i.e. your entire being, whole and undivided.




From whom do we receive the blessings of life and to whom do we owe thanksgiving and allegiance? Is it God? Is service to God and to Caesar compatible? Or are they competing loyalties that carry with them divergent senses of blessing? The Lord commands not only to give to God what is God's (that is, everything), but also to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, that is to say, to live completely the requirements of justice and peace in social relationships, and to work for the common good.
Indeed, at the time that this incident took place, the Jews were under Roman rule and they might have been having problem paying taxes to Caesar. They were, therefore, preoccupied with overthrowing the Roman regime. Thus they were anticipating a Messiah who will come and topple the Roman authority. But they found the opposite. They were so pre-occupied with toppling the Roman regime that they were ready to kill even when their weaknesses were laid bare to them by Jesus.



Today, like the Jewish authorities, we have rejected God’s offer of salvation which He has accomplished in Jesus Christ. We will not plot to kill Jesus but we have rejected God because of our apathy to the things of God.



If the image of Caesar was stamped on Roman coins that were to be rendered to him, the human heart bears the imprint of the Creator, the one Lord of our life. He has marked us for his own and sent us on mission to the world. Do our human projects make us better prophets, servants and agents of the Kingdom of Jesus? Let us never be ashamed of working publicly for Jesus' kingdom, and telling people about him. He alone guarantees us authentic joy and deep hope, for all the people in our time." His kingdom will have no end.




It is only those who bear the imprint of God who will be rewarded with salvation. Paul, in the second reading, used this image to warn believers not to be caught napping. Since we do not know when the Lord will return for his people, we must live in constant attitude of watching and waiting, while we are busy working and witnessing. Paul emphasises that as believers, we know that the Lord is surely coming while unbelievers are living in constant ignorance of God’s plan. Are you a believer, yet living in constant ignorance of God’s plan? Then you are sure that that day will catch you like a thief.




In conclusion, let us pray this week for the courage and wisdom to give simple, truthful answers when we find ourselves in ambiguous and compromising situations. We are marked and blessed with God's image. Let us never forget to whom we really belong, and why we really do the things we do. We are not called for ourselves, but we are summoned by the Lord and sent to the world, to proclaim his name and his saving works. It is a daunting mission. But it is also cause for rejoicing.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 25:6-10 / Psalm 23/Phil 4:12-14, 19-20/ Matthew 22:1-14

THEME: God’s generous offer of salvation.


The readings of today bring to sharp focus God’s gratuitous gift to mankind. We cannot underestimate any longer the fact that God takes the initiative in saving us.
As a result of Original Sin, our mind is darkened and our will weakened; indeed man has lost the sense of sin. Our God, whose steadfast love remains eternal is aware of the human condition and never, abandons His own. The first reading is an indication of God’s initiative to rescue fallen humanity.



The prophet says, “On this mountain the Lord of host will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines…” (Isaiah 25:6). It is important to note that this feast excludes no one; it is devoid of status, race, colour and the like. It is God who takes the initiative to invite us; so it is His gratuitous gift to us. The Letter to the Hebrews makes is more explicit, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to innumerable angels in festal gathering and to the assembly of the first born who are enrolled in heaven and to God the judge of all and to spirits of the righteous made perfect…” (Hebrews 12:22-24).



Isaiah gives us an eschatological (the end times) picture of our eventual union with God. He says, “And He will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces…” (Isaiah 25:7-8).


In the Gospel reading of today, God the Father is still inviting the people of Israel to come, in spite of what they did to His Son. Matthew's parable of the wedding feast and the declined invitations (22:1-14) is the last of three successive parables of judgment (beginning in 21:28) against Israel, especially her leadership. There are obvious connections among the three parables. Each has an "authority figure" (father, landowner and king, respectively). "Sons" or "a son" appear in all three and the destruction of those opposed to His son.



The wedding feast has and will always be ready but mankind has always rejected God’s generous offer of salvation. Indeed, God never relents in this offer for he commanded the servants, “Go, therefore, into the main streets and invite everybody you find to the wedding banquet. Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guest” ( Matthew 22: 9-10). However, the king found one who was not in a wedding garment. Amazing! This tells us that even though God’s offer of salvation is universal, we must justify our inclusion with deeds namely willingness to submit ourselves to him.


The succession of invitations corresponds to God's declaration of truth concerning his Kingdom and his Son -- first to Israel and then to the Gentile nations. Matthew presents the kingdom in its double aspect, already present and something that can be entered here and now (1-10) and something that will be possessed only by those present members who can stand the scrutiny of the final judgment (11-14).


Matthew's addition of the guest without the wedding garment can certainly leave the reader perplexed. I think that Matthew wants to lay emphasis on the communal and individual aspect of the kingdom of God namely even though we have all been called, we are responsible individually to ourselves. Was it not the king who commanded his slaves to go out to the highways and byways and bring in anyone they could find? How then could the king be so cold and harsh to someone who has been "rounded up" for the royal feast, without even having the time to procure clean and proper clothing?


It is important to recall that this story is an allegory and things do not necessarily follow normal ways of thinking and acting. Some scholars believe that the king provided the proper attire for his guests. It is not surprising then that the king becomes furious upon seeing a man improperly attired. This shows that this man deliberately refuses to receive the generous gesture of the king on providing proper attire.



Again, the saying: "For many are called, but few are chosen," should not be taken as a forecast of the proportion of the saved to the damned. Rather the saying is meant to encourage vigorous efforts to live the Christian life. The wedding feast is the Church but at the same time the age to come. Matthew's parable confronts us with the paradox of God's free invitation to the banquet with no strings attached and God's requirement of "putting on" something appropriate to that calling.


Every day in the Mass, Jesus offers us his generous gift of salvation so that we can be better equipped in this age of apathy, rationalism, sexual explosion, humanism and the like. St. Paul gives us an assurance that in the midst of all these challenges, God is even more generous because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.


Indeed, Christ is the Good Shepherd who never leaves his flock untended says the Psalmist. For some of us, it is certain habits we formed in our formative years that are making it impossible for us to response to God’s offer of salvation. The Good Shepherd says come as you are. He is calling you today; he is waiting to lead you greener pastures.


In sum, God is still inviting us to the banquet. Fortunately for us Catholics, we not only celebrate the present reality of the heavenly banquet (the Mass) but in the company of the Angels and Saints, we celebrate our future union with God in the same Mass; indeed, we celebrate HEAVEN ON EARTH. Like those invited to the banquet who gave excuses, many of us are giving excuses for not attending the banquet (Sunday Mass). Many still attend without participating fully in the meal due to marriage issues or sin. Let us beware that when we fail to participate in this earthly banquet which is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, the consequence is total separation from God. Oh what a tragedy it is not to see the face of God again?