Prepare to Return to God!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year B

St. Mary of Assumption Catholic Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, December 10, 2017

The three biblical figures that express in different ways the spirit of Advent season are prophet Isaiah, the Blessed Mother Mary and John the Baptist. Isaiah’s message creates and generates hope and expectation; the obedience of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, opened the door to the incarnation. Her ‘Yes’ to God made the marriage of humanity and divinity possible. Her ‘Yes’ began a new era and a new dawn for all generations; and the message of John the Baptist calls our attention to the necessity of preparing the way of the Lord. Each of these figures points to no other person but Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. The prophetic message of hope of Isaiah is that our guilt is expiated, that is, atoned and paid for. The message he delivered on behalf of God is that of comfort: “Comfort, give comfort to my people.” His message of expectation tells us that God is coming: “Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm…” Mary’s ‘Yes’ is captured in these words: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). In today’s Gospel, Luke tells us that in fulfillment of the Prophecy of Isaiah which says, “A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,” John the Baptist showed up in the desert and began to preach a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As people from all walks of life were coming to him for Baptism, he did not abuse the special privilege, or claim to be the expected Messiah, rather he said to them, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). 

Friends in Christ, the central theme of today’s Gospel and of course, the first reading, is preparation. Preparation is always going to be one of the core themes of the season of Advent. We are being urged to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” For the old Israel, the way of the Lord was Israel’s path to freedom from slavery in Egypt and from exile in Babylon. But in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist is preparing the people of his time, generations after, including ours, a new path to freedom. He started preparing the people of his time with a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sin. I believe everyone of us here is already baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I believe each of us has already been baptized with the Holy Spirit. But since our baptism, we have fallen into sin over and over again. Therefore, there’s an urgent need for repentance, conversion and forgiveness from the Lord. Some of us have gone to confession already as part of their preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. For those who are yet to do this, I urge you to get reconciled with God. And for those of us who claim that they confess their sins directly to God in their rooms and therefore don’t need the sacrament of confession and reconciliation, I ask you: how come you don’t baptize your kids yourself? How come you don’t cut a piece of bread, pour a glass of wine, say a prayer over them, consume them and then convince yourself that you have eaten and drunk the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? How come when you met your sweetheart, you don’t invite the members of your family and friends, officiate your wedding and marry each other yourself and believe that is the sacrament of matrimony? How come when you buy religious articles you don’t bless them yourself and believe they are blessed? If you confess your sins in the comfort of your house, it is possible God will forgive you. In fact, God can forgive you anyone, anywhere. I don’t think it is theologically correct to reduce the power of God within the confines of the confessional. But there’s a reason why Jesus gave us this sacrament. He wants reconciliation to be part of this “making up with God.” Reconciliation, by its very nature, requires someone else to bring about it. If B has offended A, for reconciliation to take place, C has to come in to set things right— plead on behalf of B, urge B to turn a new leaf, and then bring A and B together. That’s what God did for humanity. When the moment came for God to initiate reconciliation with humanity, he did not forgive us from heaven. He sent his Son. As Jesus was wrapping up his earthly ministry, one of the sacraments he bequeathed on the Church is the sacrament of confession and reconciliation. Folks, there are seven sacraments, not six or five. 

On this Second Sunday of Advent, let’s begin the actual preparation for Christmas. By this I don’t mean the glamor, the decorations, the Christmas trees and lights. I don’t mean the pomp and pageantry, the purchase and acquisition of needs and wants. By preparation, I mean a decision to turn towards the Lord. That’s the core message of John the Baptist in today’s Gospel. He’s asking us to level the mountain of wickedness in our lives; to turn away from darkness, turn towards the Light, Jesus Christ. He’s urging us  to change our mind, heart, and behavior. Like John, I urge each of us to look deep inside us, pinpoint those attitudes, lifestyles and behaviors that don’t constitute right relationship with God, and then begin the process of purging them. While the Israelites followed the desert way of the Lord to return to the Promise Land, those who are called by the name of the Lord must follow the way of repentance, conversion, change of mind, heart, and attitude (metanoia) and return to authentic relationship with God. 

Have You Fulfilled the Promises You Made to the Lord?

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Catholic Church, Whittier, CA

September 30, 2017

Dearest beloved, in today’s gospel Jesus narrates a story of a father and his two bad sons (although one is better). He went to the first and said, “Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” The first son replied, “I will not.” But after a soul searching reflection, he changed his mind and went in obedience to his father. The father went to the second son and gave him the same order. The second son replied with politeness, “Yes sir, I will go!” But never went. For Jesus, the first was the one who did his father’s will, even though he had said no at first. But it is important to point out that none of the sons in the story is the kind of son that brings full joy to a father. The first son was the first to disrespect his father. In the Jewish society, the response he gave to his father wasn’t what’s expected from a loyal son. But what he lacked in courtesy, he made up through his obedience. He became the virtuous son when he eventually went to the vineyard and worked. He did what the father wanted. The second son on the other hand, was polite, but ended up disrespecting him even further by not going to the vineyard to work. Courtesy without obedience is worthless. The ideal son would, after agreeing to do the work will eventually do it.

There’s another way to look at this gospel. But for me, I believe it highlights the two groups of Christians in the world. The first group are Christians who profess Jesus with their lips, but in their actions deny him. Their profession is better and bolder than their practice. In the gospel of Matthew 15:8 Jesus says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” They will promise anything, express outward show of piety and fidelity, but their practice is nothing to desired about. Describing such people St. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5, “They act religious, but deny its power that could make them godly.” St. urges us, “Stay away from people like that!” The second group are Christians whose practice is bolder than their profession. Outwardly they don’t appear pious or religious. They may look tough or rough. But they are the ones who take acts of kindness seriously. To Please the Lord is more important to them than what people think they are. They are not the “Praise the Lord” type but they live more Christian lives than those who always shout, “God is good.” 

In today’s gospel, our Lord Jesus teaches us that making promises is not enough; we must fulfill the promises we make. Making a promise to do something for the Lord and for the Church is not enough, we must fulfill those promises. If we promise to do something, let’s do it. Promises can never take the place of actual performance, and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds. The second son who promised his father that he would go to the vineyard to work, but never went had all the outward show of religion and outward mark of respect and courtesy. In his answer, he even called his father “Sir,” showing respect to his father. But his courtesy was empty since he  never did what he said he would do. True courtesy is obedience. The first son, though originally was disrespectful to his father, but won the respect and love of his father back by eventually going to the vineyard to work. 

The Christian way is the way of obedience, obedience to the Father through Jesus Christ. The Christian way is in performance and not in promise. Words are cheap; words can be deceptive. Our relationship with Jesus is deepened by deeds of charity. What gets us divine merit is deeds of charity, not empty promises. We are Christians because we follow in the footsteps of Christ. Profession of faith is important but it must be accompanied by charity. Faith professed must be demonstrated and lived out. Good deeds give life to faith. Good deeds demonstrate faith. Bad deeds and disobedience expose faith to ridicule. Christianity is a culture of profession and obedience to Jesus. In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 

In our Christian journey, we may have made many promises to God. Today, let’s review those promises and see if we have kept them. If we have not kept any of them, we have another chance to fulfill them. 1 Samuel 15:22 tells us that obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ is what makes us faithful Christians. Nominal Christians only make promises and professions but never fulfill and demonstrate them. Real Christians live out the professions they make and honor the promises they make. 

Who Is Satan?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Beloved in Christ, last Sunday, I preached a message I titled “Who is Jesus?” After everything I said about the Lord, I ended the homily with a question, “Is Jesus someone we are willing and ready to surrender completely and unreservedly to?” Today, I bring you another message I have titled, “Who is Satan?” The word śāṭān is derived from a Hebrew term which means, “accuser” or “adversary,” (devil means “slanderer). Now, views about Satan often range from the silly to the abstract, from the most hilarious cartoons to the most grotesque of figures. For some people, Satan is the red-skinned monster with horns. For others, he is the most ugly looking being with wings. Yet, for others, he is simply a voice that speaks inside of us urging us to do his bidding. But for some others, Satan is rather a invention by religious people in order to scare people from doing what is wrong, meaning, he’s not real and existent. But every committed Christian believes that Satan is real. Why? Because both the Old and New Testaments said he is real. Most importantly, Jesus said he is real. And  when we speak about Satan, we say that he is evil, bad, wicked, dangerous, and hurtful. We also call him a loser because on the cross, our Savior Jesus Christ exposed his wickedness and comprehensively defeated him by the shedding of his blood. On the cross, Satan’s fate was sealed. On the cross, he became a loser for life.

But is Satan really a red-skinned monster with horns? Not really! Is he an ugly and fearful looking creature with wings? Not really! Is he a horrible looking snake with several heads unleashing his venoms? Not really! Who then is Satan? The Bible tells us that he was created as a holy angel, as an angelic being who later fell from his position in heaven due to sin, and now he’s completely opposed to our loving God. And he’s doing everything in his power to thwart the plan of God. Isaiah 14:12 reveals Satan’s pre-fall name as Lucifer “How you have fallen from heavens, O Morning Star, son of the light! (i.e. Lucifer) How you have been cut down to the earth, you who conquered nations!” Ezekiel 28:12-16 describes Satan as having been created perfect, wise, beautiful, and placed on the holy mountain of God, but he became arrogant in his beauty and status and decided to sit on a throne above that of God. As a result, he was banished from the mountain of God. In the New Testament, Satan is given lofty titles as, “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “father of lies” (John 8:44), “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “ruler of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), “ruler of demons” (Matthew 10:25), and “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). And in the Gospel of John 10:10, Jesus describes what he does, “The devil comes only to steal, slaughter and destroy…” In the Fourth Lateran Council, the Catholic Church, on the topic of Satan decreed that “in the beginning, God created together two creatures, the spiritual and the corporeal, that is to say, the angelic and the earthly, and lastly man, who was made of both spirit and body.” Continuing, the Council said, “The Devil and other demons were created by God good in their nature but they themselves have made themselves evil.” In that decree, the Church clearly teaches that Satan and other demons were originally angelic beings created by God in a state of innocence, but they became evil by their own act. Satan generated evil from within himself, corrupted himself and others. 

Brothers and sisters, it’s easy to call Satan a liar, loser, the father of liars, the first sinner, and the accuser. It’s easy to call him the prince of darkness, leader of the wicked, originator of evil, a disgraced and ungrateful son of damnation. It’s easy to describe Satan as a thief, destroyer and killer. But do we see him as someone whose sole purpose is to thwart, obstruct, hijack, and destroy God’s plan for us? Is he someone we are doing everything in our power not to spend earthly life and everlasting life with? Do we see him as our greatest enemy? Your greatest enemy is not your brother or sister. It’s not your boss or neighbor. Your biggest and most formidable enemy is not that person that was rude or mean or ugly to you. It’s Satan! Since he lost his place in heaven, he vowed that he would make sure that you and I do not enjoy the bliss of living in the presence of God. Everything he does is to destroy God’s ultimate plan for us, which is, to know the only true and living God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. Satan’s singular mission is to elevate himself above God in our lives. He produces a counterfeit of everything that God does, and then waits and hopes to gain our attention and worship, and also to join him in opposing God. Satan is the source of every false teaching and philosophy out there that oppose God and God’s matters. He’s trying to convince us that he has a better deal for us by luring us into false pleasure, cheap crown, short-cut, reckless fun, vain glory and power. If we fall for him,  he will destroy God’s plan for us. 

In today’s Gospel, Satan tried to use Simon Peter, who was previously used by God to reveal the identity of Jesus, to derail, thwart and obstruct God’s plan for Jesus and for the world. As soon as Jesus told his disciples his mission— that he must “suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised,” Satan tried to use Peter to dissuade and discourage Jesus from realizing God’s plan for him. But Jesus knew the source of Peter’s nice try effort, and immediately rebuked him, “Get behind me, Satan!” Think about this! If Satan had succeeded in blocking God’s plan for Jesus, humanity would have been doomed. And if Satan succeeds in thwarting God’s plan for you, that would have consequential effects on your family, friends, church and society. Whenever I see these young people who are trapped in the prison of addiction of drugs, I usually say to myself, “these could have been our teachers, firefighters, doctors, police officers, parents, priests or religious.” So, whatever idea you have about Satan, see him as someone who hates you so much, and is bent on destroying your dreams, aspirations, joy, and ultimately, the plan of God for you. Therefore, whenever he suggests you do his bidding, say to him, “Get behind me, Satan.” 

 Who Is Jesus?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, August 27, 2017

For over two thousands years, the question, “Who is Jesus?” has remained a dominant topic of discussion, a central issue and subject matter that won’t go away. When the Pharisees asked Jesus, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Or who is the one that gave you this authority? (Luke 20:2), they were basically trying to figure out the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” When they demanded for a sign from Jesus (Matt.12:38), they were seeking for the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” When Pilate asked Jesus during his trial, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:2), he was also seeking for the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” When the same Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), he was searching for the truth of the question, “Who is Jesus?” When the Council of Elders of the people, the chief priests and scribes said to Jesus before their Sanhedrin, “If you are the Messiah, tell us” (Luke 22:67) they were looking for the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” When they posed a question to him, “Are you then the Son of God?” (Luke 22:70), they wanted to know the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” When the disciples of Jesus, with pleasant amazement asked the question, “Who is this man that even the wind and sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41), they too were looking for the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” Historians, theologians, archeologists, biblical scholars, writers, etc. have at various times in the past and in the present attempted to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” 

But answers to this simple, yet complex question are littered throughout the Gospel accounts. Our knowledge of the story of Jesus and our encounter with him will determine the kind of answer we give to the question, “Who is Jesus?” In today’s Gospel (Matthew 16:13-20), Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13b) Put differently, tell me what folks in your community and neighborhood are saying about me. Tell me their answers to the question, “Who is Jesus?” The disciples had no trouble or difficulty remembering what others are saying about him: some think you are John Baptist, others think you are Elijah, but there are others too who think you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets, they replied. Now, it’s important to note that Jesus was never likened to a criminal, a terrorist, a rebel, a law-breaker, an arsonists, or a murderer. He was thought to be one of the men of God; one of the authentic prophets of God. Impressive! But Jesus was not only interested in what others are saying about him, he was also interested, and I would say, more interested in what his disciples say about him. So, turning to them, he asked, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15) Asked differently, Who is Jesus to you? Simon Peter spoke for the group, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Jesus was thrilled and glad with his answer and right there placed him in a position of authority, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of 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” (Matt. 16:17-19). 

Sisters and brothers, who is Jesus to us? How we answer this question will determine how each of us relates to him. Our notion of the Lord will determine how we serve and worship him. Many of us have been told and taught who Jesus is right from our catechism class. Our parents, teachers, faith formators, God-parents, church-folks etc. have told us who Jesus is. At every Mass, our priests preach to us and in their preaching, we learn who Jesus is. Just like the disciples of Jesus, we can also tell what others have said about him. There’s nothing wrong with that. After all, that’s how we started learning who Jesus is. But today, I want to ask each of us personally, “Who is Jesus?” Is he someone that worth our time on Sunday and during the week? Is he someone we can trust? Is he someone worthy of our love? Do you think he loves us, forgives us and protects us? Is Jesus someone who has the authority to tell us how to live, what we should be doing and what we should not be doing? Is Jesus someone we are looking forward to spending eternity with? 

You know, it is easy to say that Jesus is the Son of God, or the Son of Mary, or the Savior, or the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity. It is easy to say that he is a miracle Worker, wonder Worker, a Deliverer, Liberator, Protector, and a Healer. It is easy to say that Jesus is the Light of the world and that he is Lord and God. It is easy to call Jesus Teacher, Preacher, Greatest Physician, Greatest Doctor, Greatest Giver and the Good Shepherd. It is easy to call him, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” It is easy to call him the Lamb of God, the Prince of peace, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Solid Rock on which we stand. In answering the question, “Who is Jesus?” we can describe him in simple ordinary terms or in high sounding theological terms. Everything we have said so far about who Jesus is is true and accurate. But is he someone we are willing and ready to surrender completely and unreservedly to? 

When the Answer is Slow in Coming, Do Not Slow Down Prayer!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, California

Sunday, August 20, 2017

The beginning of the Gospel of Matthew 15 tells us that the Pharisees were not happy that Jesus’ disciples were breaking the tradition of the elders, which is, not washing their hands in a proper way before a meal. When they registered their displeasure to Jesus, he used the opportunity to rebuke them for their zeal to keep man made laws while at the same time ignore God’s commandments. To drive home his message, he said, “It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one” (Matt. 15:11). At the end of the argument—about what really defiles and makes a person unclean— he withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon, an area considered unclean by the Pharisees. To really call their bluff, so it seems, Jesus entered a non-Jewish territory. Surprisingly, a Canaanite woman there courageously approached him and pleaded with him to heal her daughter. At the time, the racial divide and discontent between Jews and Gentiles was deep. So, it was a big deal that Jesus was in that region, and was even a bigger deal that a Canaanite woman would approach him so directly to heal her daughter. Jesus is breaking down racial, ethnic and religious barriers and inviting everyone regardless of race, religion and tongue to come to him. While some Jews, like the Pharisees were rejecting the offer, people considered outcastes, like the Canaanite woman, were accepting it. delay

I believe that the needy woman knew who Jesus was—his racial background, his title and what he was able to do. She knew that Jesus was a Jew, but the problem at hand far outweighed the issue of racial differences. Coming to Jesus, she called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” At first, Jesus was silent. Then his zealous disciples suggested that he send her away. Rather than send her away, Jesus tested the woman’s resolve, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” The woman was not ready to back off, rather, she pleaded further, “Lord, help me.” Responding to her plea, he used a derogatory term that was often applied to Gentiles by Jews of that time: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” If this Canaanite woman was fainthearted, she would have ended every plea here and walked away. But she did not feel insulted nor deterred in persisting for the cure of her daughter, instead she courageously told Jesus, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” With this, Jesus said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” 

Brothers and sisters, it will be a mistake to spend time wondering why Jesus said it is not right to give to dogs food meant for the children. There are times we call those who are close to us “unbeliever,” “sinner,” “rascal,” “goat,” “dog,” “stupid,” etc. But when we call them such names, the tone with which we say them and the accompanying smile on our faces take the hurt and irritation away. When a brother, sister, friend or parent call us a derogatory name with a softer tone and smile, the sting or the insult which usually accompanies such is rooted out and filled with affection and laughter. We can be certain that the compassionate Jesus said what he said with a softer tone and a friendly smile on his face. We can be very certain that the smile on his face and the compassion in his eyes robbed those words of all insults and bitterness. 

But the lesson to be learned from this Gospel passage is persistence in prayer. The Canaanite woman’s persistence and solid-rock faith in Jesus saved her daughter. Her refusal to give up brought healing to her daughter. Her persistence in prayer resulted in the deliverance of her daughter from an aggressive and tormenting demon. Her practice of PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens) saved the day. The story which started badly ended so well! Glory be to God! Now, how many times have we prayed earnestly for something very dear to us, and God seems to ignore us? How many times have we asked, sought and knocked and the answer is delaying in coming? And when that happens, some of us turn on our heels and walk away; some of us become angry, disappointed, depressed and even promise to stop praying and stop going to church. Some think that God just doesn't care about them. But in the Gospel of Luke 18:1, Jesus teaches us of the importance of perseverance in prayer and not giving up. The woman in today’s Gospel teaches us the importance of persistence in prayer. Against all odds, she refused to give up. Against all odds, we can also refuse to give up.  The silence of God, as frustrating and upsetting it can be for us, is not necessarily a refusal by God. Just like the tenacity of the Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel was tested and tried by Jesus, we also can be tested and tried. So, I urge you, when the answer to your prayer is being delayed, continue to ask, seek, knock and pray fervently and earnestly. Mark this, in such times, the temptation would be to just conclude that God isn't interested and then to quit praying. Again, I urge you to continue to ‘disturb’ the heaven with your request. God’s silence can be an opportunity to grow in faith, opportunity to learn to pray, opportunity to develop trust in God. If there’s one thing that the story of the Canaanite woman teaches us today, it is that persistence in prayer can break the silence of God. I leave you with this words of St. Paul, “With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Today’s Gospel passage (Matthew 17:1-9) was also read on the Second Sunday of Lent, but today, it is presented to us in a different context. Why? Because the actual event contained in this gospel passage— the Transfiguration of the Lord,  is what we are  celebrating today. The story begins with Jesus taking three of his disciples— Peter, James and his brother, John to a high mountain, and right before them, he was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling and brilliant as light. But before the disciples realized what was going on, two great figures of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah appeared to them and began to discuss with Jesus. Moses was the supreme law-giver of Israel; the one who received the Ten Commandments. Elijah was regarded by many as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He was seen as the prophet who brought the very voice of God to his people. In Jesus, Moses and Elijah saw the consummation of all that they hoped, longed for and looked forward to. 

What do you think the three disciples were doing as these things were happening? Look at it this way! Their master who took them to the mountain has suddenly changed in appearance and two strange persons who were not originally part of the team have suddenly appeared and overtook their hanging out time with Jesus. What do you think was going on in the minds of the disciples? I guess they were speechless, terrified and dumbfounded. But they didn’t remain in a state of shock and awe for too long before the impetuous Peter jumped right in and ended their speechless bewilderment with these words: “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” St. Luke’s account of the Transfiguration has an interesting additional comment about Peter. After stating Peter’s request to make three tents, the Evangelist added, “He did not know what he was saying.” Well, as Peter was saying something he did not know, Someone said something he knows perfectly, something that is true and indisputable: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Those are the words of the Father. They are words of testimony and confirmation. The Father knew what he was saying. He was telling Peter, James, John, me, you, all of us that Jesus is his Son, and that if we know what is good for us, then we should and must listen to him. The appearance of Moses and Elijah did confirm that Jesus is the Messiah, but their confirmation wouldn’t have been powerful enough without that of the Father. So, from the cloud, the Father revealed/confirmed loud and clear the true identity of Jesus and that salvation is possible only by listening to him.

In the Old Testament, to hear and obey God’s Word was the identifying mark of a genuine response to God. In the Transfiguration story, the Father is urging all disciples of his Son to listen to his Son’s teaching found in his words, actions, and in the self-giving death he will later accept. What are those teachings? Let’s examine some of them.

Jesus taught he came to save people from all walks of life: “I have come that you may have life, life in abundance” (John 10:10). To be saved therefore, repentance is needed.  According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus began his earthly ministry with the message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). The call to repent is a call to abandon sin because sin hurts. It takes away our peace and joy. It cuts us off from life and dries up within us the very source of our freedom and dignity. Once we let go of our old sinful ways and surrender to Jesus totally, listening to him becomes a delight and pleasure. With the story of Zacchaeus the rich tax collector, Jesus teaches that God does not despise anyone who repents of his or her sin and returns to God because “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus also taught that the way to God is primarily by faith, but faith in God must be demonstrated in doing what is good. In John 14:1 he says, “Have faith in God and have faith also in me.” And in John 14:15, he said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” About what should be our greatest pursuit in life, Jesus said, “Seek you first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33) and “Store up your treasure in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy and where robbers do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Money is useful but it can potentially turn someone away from God. Jesus told the young rich man in Mark 10 to sell everything he had, give the money to the poor and then follow him, not because charity alone makes one righteous but because Jesus knew that the young man’s god was money. Jesus wanted to set him free from his false god. About how we should live among ourselves, Jesus said, “And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35). How did Jesus love us? Take a look at the cross! In this command, Jesus calls us to love selflessly and sacrificially, to love until it hurts, to love without counting the cost, to love even when it is very difficult to do so. Of cause, none of us will be able to do this without him who called us to live this way. As the branches of the true Vine, we can only bear fruits of sacrificial love if we remain in him because “Cut off from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). What about prayer? Jesus said we should pray always and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). What about the poor among us? Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me” (Matthew 25:40).What about the greatest gift of himself? Jesus said, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53). What about forgiveness? Jesus said, “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions” (Mark 11:25).

Brothers and sisters, it is impossible to be a faithful and fruitful disciple without listening and obeying Jesus. As we listen to him, our human nature is transformed into the likeness of his divine nature. As we listen to him, we become more and more like the One we are listening to. We become more transformed and transfigured, and our lives will definitely radiate and reflect the glory of the Lord. 

I leave you with this question: Whose voice are you listening to?

Keep Your Eyes On the Ball!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

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

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Solomon, also named Jedidiah, was the son of King David and Bathsheba. He was not the oldest son of David, but David promised Bathsheba that Solomon would be the next king. While David was still the king, his older Son, Adonijah declared a palace coup and made himself the king. But he was outsmarted and outmaneuvered by Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan, who urged David to declare Solomon king according to his earlier promise. Solomon was thereby anointed a king while his father, David, was still alive. He inherited a considerable empire from his father. Like his father David, Solomon was also devoted to God. God was pleased with him. God accepted his ordination as the king of his chosen people, Israel. In today’s reading (1 King 3), God appeared to him in a dream and said to him, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” Wow! That’s an open check offer. But when Solomon opened his mouth to ask, he did not ask for money/wealth, power, death to enemies, and fame. He did not ask God to help him control the whole world and make everyone submissive to him. He did not ask to be spoken well of and be loved by everyone. He did not even ask God for good health, long life and an easy life. He only asked for wisdom: “O Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” 

Solomon’s request thrilled God. His request delighted God. His request made God dance. Because God was so happy with him, God answered his prayer and then gave him more than he requested: “Because you have asked for this— not for long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right—I do as you requested.” God blessed King Solomon with matchless wisdom, and the best known story of his wisdom was the case involving two prostitutes. Both women had given birth to male children almost at the same time, but one of them lost her baby. When she realized at midnight that her baby boy was dead, she quickly exchanged her dead son with the other woman’s living son. When the case was brought to King Solomon, he resolved to cut the living child in two—half to one and half to the other. But the rightful mother of the child, deeply moved out of love for her son said, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby. Don’t kill him” (1 King 3:26a). But the other woman said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two” (1 King 3:26b). With this, Solomon was able to know the true mother of the living baby, and ordered that the baby be given to the woman who did not want the child be cut in two. 

Solomon was a young King, but it did not take long before his wisdom spread far and wide. People came from surrounding nations just to hear his wisdom. One of those celebrated visits was that of the Queen of Sheba who came from southern Arabia to listen to his wisdom. Apart from his wisdom, Solomon was also known for being the one that build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. He is the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem. After the temple was completed, he erected many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem. By every human standard, King Solomon was a very successful king. He had wisdom like no one. He had massive wealth like no one. He was the wisest and wealthiest king. He was loved, protected and blessed by God immensely. He started well with God. He started with the Spirit of God, but ended in disaster. Solomon is the definition of the Latin adage, “Corruptio optimi pessima,” (the corruption of the best is the worst). At the beginning of his kingship and through his reign as the King of Israel, he was the best. Best man. Best king. Best soul. But he ended his life with this memorable quote: “Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” 

But how did a man so blessed, so gifted, so endowed with the best things life has to offer ended in disaster, in failure and in huge disappointment? The answer is very simple! He took his eyes away from the Ball. He took his eyes away from the kingdom of heaven. He took his eyes away from God.  The writer of the book of Hebrew urges us, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God (12:2). King Solomon had large fields of treasure, fine pearls, net that collected the best of fishes. He had everything he wanted, but didn't use what he had to get himself a seat at the table. He chased the beauties, the pleasures and the kingdoms of this world, found them, but in the process he lost his way. 

Sisters and brothers, the story of Solomon reminds us once again of the fleeting nature of things and of the vain nature of most of the things we pursue in life. Whatever we have and are today are passing away. Everything! Wisdom. Wealth. Fame. Power. Profession. Vocation. Status. Position. Class. Everything is fleeting. But we can use what we have and are to acquire the field and treasure of the kingdom of heaven. We can use our knowledge, wisdom, beauty, treasure etc. to get for ourselves a place in the kingdom of God. Jesus, in today’s Gospel (Matthew 13:44-52) compares the kingdom of heaven like a treasure buried in the field which a person finds and hides again, then departs with joy. After selling everything he has, he buys that field. God’s kingdom should be something that we are willing to sell everything we have in order to purchase. Nothing else should come ahead of it. It should be our greatest pursuit and greatest inheritance. Nothing in life should top it! Not parents, siblings, friends, jobs, spouse, country, profession, children. Absolutely nothing should top our pursuit of heaven. God wants heaven for us even more than we want it. He wants us to be right where he is. Another word for heaven is happiness. If we resist heaven, we resist happiness. 

Don’t be a Solomon! Keep your eyes on the ball. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Solomon took his eyes away from God and ended up in disaster. Peter took his eyes away from Jesus and almost got drowned. Keep yours firmly fixed on him! 

The Four Types of People in the Church

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA 

July 16, 2017

In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23), Jesus used a familiar picture to describe different responses to the word of God whenever it is preached. He used the image of a sower to teach how people receive the word of God, how they react to it, and what they do with it. A sower went to his farm to sow seeds. As he spread the seed, some fell on the path and were quickly eaten up by some hungry birds. Some fell on rocky ground, but due to lack of sufficient soil, it sprang up immediately. When the sun arose, it was scorched and killed for its lack of support and foundation. Some seed fell among thorns, and as the thorns grew up, it choked it to death. But the sower’s effort and industry was not entirely a futile one. Some of his seed did fall on rich soil and produced bountiful fruits. You know, it’s not difficult to figure out that the sower is the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and his Bride, the Church; the seed is the Word of God, and the soil is each of us, our hearts. It’s about the kind of soil we provide for the seed, God’s word, to either thrive or die. But from the parable of the sower, we can identify four types of people that can be found in the Church.

The seed that fell on the path are people who go to church regularly but the church never goes into them. They go to church with their minds and hearts shut against the life-changing word of God. Pride, prejudice (i.e. preconception) and fear prevent them from hearing the truth. Prejudice causes them to reject anything they don’t want to hear; pride convinces them that they know everything and do not need any further instruction; and fear shuts their ears from hearing anything that condemns the things they love and do. The Gospel of Jesus calls for a change of life and lifestyle. These churchgoers are fearful of the new life expected of a disciple; they don’t want to lose their old lives, which obviously they enjoy. As such, they remain on the pathway and hardly get to the destination of complete union and enjoyment of God. They stay on the side-way and never gain entrance to enjoy the rich soil of the Kingdom of God. Eventually, they are eaten up by spiritual hawks and are denied the opportunity to bear fruit.

The seed that fell on rocky ground are church-folks who hear the word of God, receive it with great joy, but easily fall away when tempted, tested and persecuted. After hearing the gospel of prosperity, breakthrough, and material abundance, they become so excited at what they stand to receive from the Lord, even when they don’t plan to give anything, not even their life to him. But once it appears that God is delaying to answer, they give up. They want the crown but not the cross. They are addicted to good feeling, and their addiction has convinced them that every form of suffering, even redemptive suffering is unacceptable. They want to live the kind of life that Jesus, our Master never lived. To such Christians, every inconvenience, no matter how small, is a reason not to go to Church or be involved in the life of the church. When they pray at all, they do so telling God what they want, what he has not done and never thank him for what he has done for them. These Christians pick and choose the passage of the Bible to accept and believe. Their faith in God is so shallow that any itchy feeling is a reason to walk away from him and go in search of a sharp-sharp miracle working God. 

The seed that fell among thorns are Christians who are anxious and troubled about many things that they forget the most important of all— knowing, loving and serving the Lord.  Such Christians become too busy to go to church, too busy to pray, too busy to read the Bible, too busy to volunteer for anything in the church, too busy join any ministry and sometimes, too busy for their families. They are so engrossed in the things of this world, so absorbed with their businesses that they have no time for God, the church or anyone else, including themselves. The fleeting things of this world crowd their hearts and finally crowd Jesus out.

But glory be to God! There are some seed that fell on rich soil and produced bountiful harvest. These are Christians who accept the word of God with an open mind. They are not too proud to listen and to obey. They don’t assume to know it all. They are attentive to the word of God and accept it even when it condemns what they love to do. They understand that it is not enough to show up in church, that the church must show up in them. In the house of God and in the community, they use their talents, time and treasure in the building up of God’s house and God’s people. They continuously give and never get tired of giving. Like Jesus, the Holy Redeemer, they give without counting the cost, they make sacrifices for others, and lay down their lives for others. Like St. Paul appealed, they are not tired of doing what is good because they believe that at the proper time, they will reap a harvest (Galatians 6:9). Because of their unyielding attachment to Jesus, they constantly bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

Friends, what type of Christian are we in the Church?

Don't Suffer Alone!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) begins with Jesus’ prayer of praise to the Father for revealing to little ones what he has hidden and kept away from the so called wise and learned. But who are the wise and learned? From the Bible, we know that these are the scribes, pharisees, religious and political leaders of Jesus’ time who callously rejected the salvation Jesus so clearly lays before them. They are folks who, due to their intellectual pride, deny themselves the gift of God’s grace. They are those who would mock biblical passages like “Blessed are the meek…” “Blessed are the poor…” “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you” as utter nonsense. For these egotists, hedonists, the “wise and learned,” the message of Jesus will never make much sense. The “wise and learned” are those who, after hearing the message of Jesus would say, “It was nice talking to you,” or “We will hear you concerning this topic another time” (Acts 17:32b). 

But this Gospel is not about them. It’s not about the proud and arrogant who do not want to receive the good-news of Jesus. It’s not about the know-it-all. It’s rather about the little ones, that is, his own disciples “to whom the Son wishes to reveal himself and the Father,” and those who are burdened. By the calculation of the world, the little ones are losers and unintelligent, but not so by divine calculation. As a mater of fact, Jesus calls them “blessed by the Father” (Matthew 25:34). Little ones are blessed because they know that “The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25)  as such, they lean on God totally. Little ones know that God can confound conventional wisdom, and that apart from God, no one knows it all. They know that pleasure is illusory; that the things we own can actually own us; that power not rooted in Christ can breed corruption; and that fame is always an unfaithful spouse. Little ones are those who yield to the Lord’s solemn invitation: 

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

You know, whenever a loved one passes away, we often pray and ask that God will grant them eternal rest. Wherever their names appear, it is usually accompanied by the abbreviation R.I.P. which means “Rest in peace.” Our concept of rest for a departed relative is living and spending eternal life in the presence of God and being wrapped in God’s loving embrace. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus assures those who labor and are burdened that he will give them rest when they come to him, indicating that rest is not only an after earthly life gift. Life on earth does not have to be all about labor, toil, exertion, sweat and burden. Rest can be attained right here. Rest is possible right here. Rest is achievable right here. Do not make your life all about labor, toil, and burden. Jesus promises rest to those who come to him. This rest is a taste of eternal life. It’s a joyful refreshment even in the midst of the storms of life. It’s a secure communion and relationship with God and God’s people. Jesus’ rest is not a delusion or a figment of imagination or a hallucinatory feel-good experience. The rest that the Lord promises is not an opium. It does not make you forget about your problems and life’s troubles. It’s rather an assurance, blessed assurance that God knows about our problems, and that God is going to help us deal with them. It comes from the belief that we are not carrying our burdens alone. It comes from our unyielding faith that God would not allow the problems of life to swallow us up, that in God’s time, God will intervene. God will step in. And guess what? When God steps in, miracles happen. 

Friends, Jesus never promised us a burden free life. What he said is: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. We are definitely going to carry something that we do not want, something that inconveniences us. But Jesus promises to lighten them and to give us his rest. Like I said before, this rest comes from the knowledge that God knows. God knows what he is doing! God will do something! God will intervene! “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end, he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25)  to deliver and save me. Coming to Jesus does not and will not add even a feather-weight burden on anyone. On the contrary, coming to him lightens every human burden. He says that his yoke is easy unlike the heavy burdens placed on people who ignore him. 

Are you burdened by sickness, come to him!

Are you burdened by family problems, come to him!

Are you burdened by addiction and failures, come to him!

Are you burdened by any burden, come to him!

Are you burdened by financial issues, come to him!

Are you burdened by emotional, social and spiritual issues, come to him!

Don't suffer alone!

Costly Crown or Cheap Crown?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, July 2017

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives five lengthy speeches, and today’s Gospel passage (10:37-42) is the conclusion of the second of these speeches. This passage consists of two parts or two themes. In the first part or theme, Jesus teaches the apostles the meaning of discipleship before sending them out on their mission. He tells them the challenging demands of following him. He tells them that following him will cost them something significant. You know, the gospel does not contain only a feel good message. There are some folks who only want to hear a feel good message of material abundance, material breakthrough, prosperity, stressless life, unlimited and uninterrupted joy and peace. They want a church that preaches such and that makes them feel happy. Such folks do not want to hear Jesus say, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4) because they are addicted to good feelings. In their feel good addiction, they want to avoid every inconvenience and pain. They want the crown but not the cross. Such Christians are like students who want good grades without hard work of reading. The Gospel of Jesus promises us peace, joy, good life and grace, but to attain all that, we must be ready to walk the long, narrow, winding steep and high road: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:38). Nothing good in life comes easy, and that includes eternal life.  Jesus calls us not to let anything or anyone, even those who are closest to us— parents, brothers, sisters, other relatives, friends etc. be more important than he is. He does not make this request for his own glorification or benefits. He has all the glory he needs, after all, he is the Son of God. Nothing else can be higher than that. He wants us to love him more than anything or anyone and to give him a central place in our hearts and lives for our own sake and happiness. Experience has shown that no one is really happy and fulfilled until he or she possesses and is possessed by the life that only Jesus can give. We are all addicted to more, but none of the material and pleasurable things we seek more of would satisfy us. The ultimate longing of the human heart is God. No wonder St. Augustine once said, “You have created us for yourself O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” 

Sisters and brothers, do you want the crown, the costly crown? Then hear me out! The costly crown that only Jesus can give is attained through the cross. If you don’t want the cross, then you cannot have the crown. May be there’s a crown other there for you, but it’s not the costly crown of glory, rather, the cheap crown that perishes  when earthly life is over. If you don’t want to give up anything for the sake of Jesus, even though he gave up everything for us, then you are looking for the cheap crown. If you don’t want to love him more than everything and everyone, you are looking for the cheap crown. If you don’t want to carry your cross and follow him, you are looking for the cheap crown. We give ourselves the cheap crown, and cheap crown preaches forgiveness without requiring repentance. It preaches God’s love and mercy with no mention of his wrath and justice. It drags us to the confessional with no intention of making effort to quit a sin that has become habitual. Because of cheap crown, parents bring their kids to catechism class and then stays home on Sunday. They baptize their kids but never raise them up as Catholics. Because of the cheap crown, we receive communion without being in union with the Lord. Cheap crown is communion without confession and repentance. Cheap crown is the preaching of material prosperity and breakthrough with little or no relationship with Jesus Christ. Cheap crown is wanting everything without giving anything. It is losing nothing for the sake of Jesus but wanting everything from him. The Lord is not giver of this kind of crown. His crown comes at a cost. It will cost us something. For the sake of this crown— costly crown, many saints gave up everything, including their lives. Costly crown must be sought for. We should be ready to sell everything we have to purchase it. This crown is costly because it cost a man his life, it cost Jesus his life. Because of this crown, God sent his only begotten Son. Costly crown is seeking first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. It leads us to share what we have with others. 

And this brings us to the second part or theme of today’s Gospel. In it, Jesus announces rewards, not rewards given to the disciples themselves, but rewards that will be given to those who welcome them. Those who made extreme sacrifices in order to bring the message of life to us deserve our kindness, generosity and hospitality. They includes the Church’s hierarchy, our priests, religious, and also our parents, grandparents, teachers, spouses, neighbors, friends, and all who have taught us about God and faith in him. Like most of you, I did not get my faith out of a textbook, but from God through my parents, priests, (some of these priests were used by God to get me to where I am today) catechists, faith formators, and teachers. In my early twenties, my faith in God was deepened by many members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal I met in Lagos, Nigeria. Each of them strengthened my faith. Jesus announces that those who show kindness to those who bring them the good-news are showing kindness to him, and those who show kindness to him, are showing kindness to the One who sent him— the Father. Acts of kindness can be a gift of cold water. A cold water is so refreshing when it is taken on a hot afternoon day. It quenches thirsts. Those who bring you good news, like you, do have some thirsts as well. Sometimes, the thirst is spiritual, but other times, it could be material. Those who receive them, offer them cold water, hospitality and pray for them, Jesus assures, “will surely not lose their reward.” So, if you want the costly crown, accept the costly cross. Travel through the field to the golden land!

God bless you!