Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, Year C

Do Yourself  A Favor!

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Who is to be blamed when something bad happens? When natural disasters like earthquake, hurricane, tornado, tsunami, volcanic eruptions etc happen and kill people and destroy wealth, whose fault is it? Who is to be blamed for the bad things that sometimes happen to us? What is responsible for the numerous diseases that affect and devastate human lives? Few months ago, it was Ebola; now, it is Zika virus. Why do some people get lucky, while others don’t? Why do misfortune frequently happen to some, while others swim in the ocean of fortune and comfort? For people of Jesus’ days, all misfortune, suffering, hardship, every affliction of disease is a consequence of sin. As far as they were concerned, material poverty is as a result of spiritual poverty. All suffering is God’s punishment on a sinful person or persons. But today, we consider such a belief not only ridiculous but also wrong. But while it is false to assume that all human suffering results from sin, it would be just as false to assume that sin does not result in suffering or misfortune. You know, even when forgiveness has been obtained, sin leaves a mark on us. 

In today’s Gospel taken from Luke 13:1-9, Jesus asserts two undeniable truths: those who suffer have not necessarily sinned; but those who remain in sin and thrive in it will eventually reap the fruit they have sown. Yes, the Galileans that Pilate mingled their blood with the blood of sacrifice were not greater sinners than all other Galileans; but that does not mean that those who perpetuate in doing evil will go unpunished. Yes, the eighteen people that were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them were not more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem; but those who continue to harm others will perish in like manner. Do you think that those who died in plane crash, on road accidents, during natural disasters, and terrorist attacks were worst sinners than those of us still living today? Jesus said, “By no means!” But guess what, if we do not repent and turn away from our evil ways, Jesus said, “we will all perish as they did!” Not because God is a destroyer. Not because God is the one that brings or causes peril. But because the refusal to repent, which is the refusal to be loved by God, is enough punishment that unrepentant persons bring upon themselves. God does not punish, but wrongdoing does. Refusal to be loved by God brings extreme punishment.  

Christianity is not just a bunch of creeds that have no direct impact in our daily life and in the way we treat and relate with each other. It is not simply a profession of faith without a demonstration of faith. It is not a religion of sterility. A sterile Christian is a lifeless Christian. Christianity is a faith-based and fruit-based institution. Those who are called by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ ought to bear good fruits. An authentic Christian is like a fig tree that bears fruit in season and out of season, not like the one described in today’s Gospel. A fruitful Christian brings glory to God. A sterile Christian mocks God and exposes the Christian faith to mockery and ridicule. One of the fruits expected of a Christian is ongoing repentance and conversion. Repentance is a frequent theme of Lent. Simply put, it means turning the page of the past which is filled with hurt, anger, hatred, immorality, racism, discrimination, hostility, unforgiveness, murder, religious indifference, etc. Repentance entails making a decision with the grace of God to return home to God. It means exiting from walking in the shadow of death and entering into the life of God and the light of Christ. To repent is to seek for healing. Sin hurts! Sin wounds! Sin makes us sick! To repent is to start doing some good to ourselves, to start showing some love to ourselves. To repent is to allow God to work on us, that is to “cultivate the ground around us and fertilize us” so that we can bear good fruits. To repent is to run away from being cut down. In the parable that Jesus told in today’s gospel, the owner of the orchard had ordered the gardener to cut down a particular fig tree that had not produced any fruit for three years. An unrepentant sinner is like that fig tree. If we don’t bear fruits of love, purity, kindness, hospitality, friendship, holiness, forgiveness, generosity, prayer, perseverance, etc, we may be facing the Gardener’s Knife. Jesus’ call to repentance is a call to do ourselves a favor, do ourselves some good, show ourselves some love, and give ourselves some peace and joy. It’s a call to end the self-infliction.

Brothers and sisters, the season of Lent is the season of returning to God. Our Savior Jesus Christ has urged us in today’s Gospel to embark on this homeward journey today. There may not be much time. If we want to be right with God, today is the day and now is the hour to take the first step. The priest that preached during the 11:30 AM Mass last Sunday made a good point when he said over and over again that we are good people. It’s true! Everyone sitting in this church is good, but are we good enough for God? Are we good enough to inherit the Kingdom? Are we so good that there is no area of our life that needs repentance, nothing to improve, and nothing to deepen, and nothing to do more? Repentance is not only about giving up what is wrong; it is also about deepening the good we are already doing. It is about doing more— being more kind, more generous, more loving, more forgiving, more patient, more tolerance, praying more, helping more. I have severally encountered penitents who said to me, “Father, I do help my neighbor, but I just realized that I can be more helpful.” That’s repentance too. Some say, “I give money to the church, but I just found out that I could’ve been more generous.” That’s repentance as well. Whenever you say to yourself: I can pray more; I can be more patient with my spouse and children; I can devote more time to my family; I can spend more time helping others; I can be more tolerant and welcoming. Repentance is taking place in your life. 

Beloved in Christ, twice in today’s Gospel Jesus warns, “if you do not repent…” Refusal to repent is refusal to be restored to one’s prime place as a son or daughter of God. Refusal to repent has consequences. God never tires of forgiving us, we should never be tired of asking for forgiveness. Refusal to ask for forgiveness is refusal to be forgiven. Do yourself some good. Give yourself some love. Do yourself a favor by repenting and returning to God. 

What Does Jesus Command Us To Do?

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Today we consider one of the astonishing events in the story of our faith. The man the Apostles knew as friend and rabbi was suddenly revealed to a privileged three as the Son of God. Jesus had chosen, from among his twelve friends, Peter, James and John, and took them to the mountain to pray. The mountain is a natural place for encountering God. It was on Mount Sinai that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. It was on Mount Horeb that Elijah encountered God. People encountered God through Jesus’ great sermon on the Mount. Jesus was crucified on Mount Calvary and ascended into heaven from Mount Olivet. As Jesus was praying, something amazing happened: His face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white, radiating with heavenly light. Then two great figures of the Old Testament: Moses— the man whom God used to deliver the Jews from slavery, and Elijah— the great prophet of Israel who boldly stood up for God at a time when idolatry had swept his land and fought hard against it, appeared and were chatting with Jesus. 

While Jesus was in deep communion with the Father, his three friends were sleeping and probably snoring. And guess what? They almost missed a remarkable event because of sleep. Among us, there are some folks who just can’t keep their eyes open during Mass and at family prayers. When the Mass is going on, they are sleeping away as if they came to Mass to continue their sleep. At family prayers, they are sleeping also. But during meals, they are the talking ones. When the family is watching a movie, their attention is rapt. But once it is prayer time, the “demon” of sleep takes over them. Prayer time is blessing time, not sleeping time. Peter, James and John almost missed a glorious event because of sleep. But somehow, they managed to shake off their sleepiness and then saw Jesus talking with two men who were long dead and gone—Moses and Elijah, (representatives of the Law and the Prophets). What were they talking about? His Exodus! The word “exodus” brings to mind the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian enslavement and also anticipates the freedom Jesus will win, through his suffering, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. The three apostles did not know what to make out of the appearance of Moses and Elijah. They were confused! Then the impetuous Peter interrupted their shock and awe and said, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Luke 9:33). He did not count himself and the other two apostles. If it was good to be where they were, they too should have a place to stay. He was still confused, because the Gospel said “he did not know what he was saying.” As Peter was still talking, the voice of the Father sounded from the cloud and said to them, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him” (Luke 9:35).

Beloved in Christ, just as the Father commanded Peter, James and John to listen to his chosen Son, so we are commanded. By definition, a Christian is a person who follows  and listens to Jesus because you cannot follow someone you are unwilling to listen to. But what does Jesus command us to do? Love, forgive, repent, witness, and be in solidarity with the most vulnerable, the poor, the sick, the dying, the grieving. There are some folks in our community who suffer due to their race, nationality, creed, etc. Jesus asks us to be mindful of them, to see them as one of us— brothers and sisters. He asks us to be his ambassadors to the sick, the hungry, the rejected people in our community. He commands us to welcome and treat with respect prostitutes, tax collectors, foreigners, lepers, drug addicts etc. He commands us to welcome newcomers to our church, community and nation. 

The season of Lent is the season that prayer, fasting and alms-giving are more emphasized. In the Gospel of Matthew 6:1-6, Jesus teaches us not to blow our trumpet when we give alms as the hypocrites do. He does not want us to make a public spectacle of our prayer. He also does not want us to appear gloomy when we fast so that it would be known only by our heavenly Father. Fasting, prayer and alms-giving are not the goal or the end. They are means to the end. When we talk about prayer, many of us know what we are talking about. In fact, many of us do pray. When we talk about almsgiving, we know it is the sharing of our resources with the less fortunate ones in our midst. But when the topic of fasting is mentioned, many of us narrowly think it entails abstaining from food or drinks only. But besides fasting from food and drinks, there are also attitudes and behaviors that we need to fast from. At the transfiguration of Jesus, the Father revealed his Son to us and also asked us to listen to him. During this Lent, the Son is definitely asking us to do the following: 

Fast from judging others; feast on God that lives in them

Fast from emphasizing our differences, instead feast on our oneness

Fast from the darkness around us; feast on the light of Christ

Fast from thoughts of illness, feast on the healing power of God

Fast from words that pollute; feast on words that purify

Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude

Fast from deep seated anger; feast on the joy of the Lord that is our strength 

Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism

Fast from worry; feast on trust and confidence in God

Fast from guilt; feast on God’s forgiveness and mercy

Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation

Fast from stress and from working without rest; feast on self-care

Fast from hostility; feast on letting go and on friendship

Fast from bitterness; feast on pardon

Fast from selfishness; feast on compassion for others

Fast from discouragement; feast on seeing the good

Fast from religious indifference; feast on enthusiasm and passion for the Lord

Fast from suspicion; feast on goodness

Fast from gossip; feast on spreading the good news

Fast from seeing evil everywhere; feast on the ever presence of God 

Fast from noise; feast on quiet silence

Fast from talking too much; feast on listening

Fast from hate; feast on love

Fast from always trying to be in control; feast on involving others

Fast from sin; feast on righteousness and upright

Jesus Battles the Devil!

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the First Sunday of Lent, Year C

St. Mary’s of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Temptation is a suggestion to do what is wrong, an enticement to seriously consider doing what is deplorable, and an opinion that rejects the truth, spins lies and tries to use them to our disadvantage. For instance, the expression, “Heaven helps those who help themselves” is an opinion that has variously been used to persuade people to do what is criminal and sinful. Some Christians even contend that it is in the Bible. Although it sounds pious and spiritual but there is no where it is written in the Bible. Temptation, in itself, is not a sin or a crime; but yielding to it may either be one or both. Temptation tests our faith in God. It tests our character too. Our victory or otherwise defeat in it will determine where we stand with God. 

Today’s Gospel (Luke 4:1-13) is the temptation of Jesus in the desert. Jesus was about to begin his public ministry. To adequately prepare himself for it, he went to a desert where he fasted and prayed for forty days. At the end of the marathon and bruising spiritual exercise, he was hungry. Aware of Jesus’ immediate needs at that moment in time, the devil approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus said to him: “One does not live on bread alone.” The devil wanted Jesus to prove that he was the Son of God by performing acts that would gravely betray that very identity. There was nothing essentially wrong in turning a stone into bread, but if Jesus had done that, he would have used his powers selfishly, and he would have obeyed the devil. And obedience to the devil is disobedience to God. Jesus knew his identity all too well, and didn’t need to prove it to the devil by doing the devil’s will. Do we know our identity? Do we really know who we are? Do we know that each of us is a beloved child of God? If we do, then we should not worry about what naysayers, liars and haters are saying about us. We don’t need to prove ourselves to satisfy them. We may never satisfy them. What they say we are, what they say in their gossip about us, is not who we are. We are God’s beloved! That’s our identity. As long as we act as such, we have nothing to worry about. 

Having lost out in the first temptation, the devil took Jesus up and in one instant, showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and then said to him: “I shall give to you all this power and glory, for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” But Jesus replied him: “It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.” The devil was bitting more than he could chew. He actually wanted the Son of God to worship him. Jesus wants the whole world to acknowledge him as the Lord and Savior, but he cannot achieve that by worshipping a false god. As children of God, are we allowed to pursue our goals by whatever means? Does the end justify the means? Are we supposed to use every available means- good or bad, to achieve our objectives? Jesus says no! The devil’s shortcut shortens our peace and joy. His shortcut is a shortcut to misery, sorrow and eternal damnation.

After the devil’s two attempts to make Jesus cave to his whims and caprices failed, he pushed even further. He led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the temple and then said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Again Jesus responded: “You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test.” Having failed thrice to make Jesus obey him, he left him alone for a while. 

The third temptation is like the the first: “If you are the Son of God…”  The devil wanted Jesus to prove a point to him. He asked him to prove that he was God’s Son by jumping from the parapet of the Temple. Jesus is God’s beloved Son. He has powers, but doing what the devil suggested would amount to putting God to the test, and obeying the command of the devil. Some Christians have unreasonable faith. Some are so naive in the practice of their faith. Such people believe in a God of magic, not in the God of miracles. I worship a miracle-working God, not a magic performing God. A story is told of a young man who jumped into a lion’s cage in the zoo because the Bible promises that nothing harmful can happen to God’s children. It’s possible his soul went to heaven, but his body was a special lunch for the lions.

Beloved in Christ, Jesus was tempted with selfish pleasure, with fame and with power, but in each of them, he showed his mettle, his faithfulness and commitment to his Father. Are those three things: pleasure, fame and power not what virtually everyone in the world is scrambling for, and most times, at the detriment of others, their faith and relationship with God? Like Jesus, we are also tempted. Just as Jesus triumphed over all the enticements of the evil one, we too can. When the devil calls you, call upon Jesus. When he offers you bread (which stands for bodily pleasure), seek for the Bread of Life. When he offers you fame, seek for the humility and simplicity of Jesus. When he offers you the shortcut to prosperity, ease and comfort, follow the Lord’s right path to true freedom.  But if you are too weak, too tired to pray, if your heart is torn in pieces and you seem confused, scream aloud and say: “Get behind me, Satan.”

You Are the One God is Looking For!

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, February 07, 2016

On a few occasions, I have said that one of the “lies” ever told on my behalf was told on the day I was ordained to the priesthood. In every Roman Catholic ordination, the candidates for ordination to the priesthood are called one after another and presented to the ordaining prelate, the Bishop. When each candidate is called by name, he answers “present” and then goes to the Bishop, and makes a sign of reverence, like a gentle bow. At the end of this exercise, the priest who made the presentation says to the Bishop: “Most Reverend Father, the holy mother Church asks you to ordain these men, our brothers, to the order of presbyterate.” After that, the Bishop asks, “Have you found them worthy?” The priest responds, “After inquiry among the people of God and upon recommendation of those concerned with their training, I testify that they have been found worthy.” Immediately, my Superior said those words, I started shedding tears, because it just dawned on me in a very powerful way, that I was not worthy. I wondered what God saw in me that he gave me the privilege to share in the priesthood of Christ. I wondered why my shortcomings and weaknesses did not lead to my expulsion. Those who saw tears in my eyes thought it was tears of joy. But it was essentially tears of gratitude to God who knew how unworthy I was, yet, in his goodness and mercy, still called and invited me to serve him and his people. 

The first reading taken from Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 and the Gospel, taken from Luke 5: 1-11, are stories of two individuals who were called and who were painfully aware of their sinfulness and unworthiness. Isaiah and Simon Peter were overwhelmed and almost speechless to be in the presence of the divine power who was calling them. When Isaiah encountered the Lord, he exclaimed, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). When Simon Peter realized he was standing next to a great prophet, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said to him, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). While Isaiah’s encounter with God looks like an event that happened in a trance, Peter’s encounter with God took place on a seashore. 

Simon Peter and his colleagues had worked hard all night fishing but caught nothing. By morning, they were getting ready to go home in disappointment. After paddling their boats to the bank of the Lake Gennesaret, they started washing their nets, boats and themselves in preparation to go home. Then, a stranger, Jesus, showed up! Uninvited, he got into Peter’s boat. As if that was not enough, he asked Peter to push the boat a little bit from the shore. Surprisingly, Peter obeyed his order. Jesus sat down and started teaching the crowds who had come to listen to him. At the end of his evangelical outreach, he rewarded Peter for his patience and kindness: “Put out your net into the deep water and lower it for a catch” (Luke 5:4), he said to him. In his response Peter said to him, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets” (Luke 5:5). That’s a huge statement of faith and trust in the words of Jesus. It’s a sharp transition and movement from sight to faith. It’s an immediate departure from empirical fact and evidence to profound faith. It’s a quick switch from what is seen to what is yet to be seen. By acting on the words of Jesus, Simon Peter and his colleagues caught a great number of fish that they had to summon others to come help them out. When Peter saw the miracle that had just happened, he realized that Jesus was a Prophet and a Man of God. Like many of us, he concluded he should not, in any way, be close to him. So, falling to his knees, he respectfully pleaded with him to leave. But instead of departing from Simon Peter, Jesus offered him an invitation to join him in fishing-out follow sinners: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). With those words, Jesus changed everything for Peter. He changed his profession, his life and destiny.

The expression “I am unworthy” or “I am a sinner,” has been used by some of us as our reason for not getting involved in any of the ministries of the church. Some once practicing and vibrant Catholics have become cold or stayed away from the Church for the same reason. But after listening to today’s Gospel, that can no longer be an adequate and cogent reason to give. If you consider yourself unworthy to join any ministry in the church, then you are the one that Jesus is really looking for. If your marriage has collapsed or is faltering, and you are blaming yourself for it, my message to you today is this: You are the one that Jesus is looking for. You procured abortion in the past, and the guilt is hurting and hunting you. You are the one he is looking for. Your son or daughter did not turn out alright, and you are blaming yourself for it. You are the one Jesus is looking for. Are you trapped in any habitual sin? You are the one he is looking for. If you are struggling spiritually and morally, then you are the one he is looking for. If there is anyone in your family that considers himself or herself not worthy to come to God, not worthy to come to church, please tell them that they are the one that the Lord is looking for. If you are struggling in your faith, then you are the one he is looking for. Do you consider yourself unworthy in any way, form or shape, you are the one he is looking for. The Lord is looking for sinners, not for the purpose of validating their sin, but for the purpose of offering them grace, mercy, healing, strength, and encouragement. He is looking for the lost in order to find them and lead them to safety. He is looking for the weak so that through them he can manifest his power. He is looking for the wounded in order to heal them. Jesus did not come for the healthy. He came for the sick. He did not come for the righteous. He came for sinners. He did not come for those who have got their lives together. He came for those with disordered and dysfunctional lives. Isaiah considered himself a sinner, he was still chosen. His unclean lips were touched, his wickedness was removed and his sin purged. Simon Peter considered himself a sinner, and even asked Jesus to depart from him. Jesus still invited him to follow him. In the end, he became a great apostle. He accomplished great things for the Lord. Do not let your unworthiness, your sin and your weakness to be the reason to stay away from God and the Church. In the Gospel of Luke 19:10, Jesus says that “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” Don’t hide or run away from him! He came for you! He came for me! He came for us all!