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?