Pentecost Sunday Homily

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Whittier, California

June 9, 2019

I don’t know if fear is the opposite of faith because it is possible for a person to have faith while at the same time be fearful. But what I do know is that fear is a strong emotion that is triggered by a perceived threat to one’s life or livelihood. It can be a basic survival mechanism that alerts and warns us to respond to danger with either a fight or flight. So, fear is a crucial part of keeping us safe. However, when someone lives in constant fear from physical dangers in the environment or threats they perceive, the person can be incapacitated. This kind of fear can prevent someone from moving forward in life and even taking the necessary steps needed to protect himself or herself. Fear can prepare us to react to danger, but when it is constant, it can have serious health consequences. Studies have shown that living under constant fear can impact one’s physical, emotional and spiritual health. Among the many consequences of long-term fear are fatigue, clinical depression, and post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). To someone living in constant fear, the world looks scary, and the person appears to be trapped in darkness and living in darkness. 

Today’s Gospel (John 20: 19-23) says that “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for FEAR of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you.” Now, it is important to note that this is not the first time the disciples had expressed fear. When they faced storm and saw Jesus walking on the water, they were scared (Matt. 14: 22-29); when Jesus was in the boat with them but asleep, they were scared by the violent storm (Matt8:26). After the crucifixion of Jesus, they were again gripped by fear of the Jews. As a result of the present danger, they gathered in the upper room, the place of fear. Suddenly Jesus showed up in their midst. He knew his disciples were so afraid. So, what did he do? First, he said, “Shalom,” which means peace. He seemed to be saying to them, “Calm down now. I am here. I have got your back.” As soon as his disciples were about to celebrate their newfound relief and peace, Jesus shocked them. He showed his wounds. With that he reminded them of the injustice and evil that ended his own life. By showing his wounds, Jesus seemed to be saying to them, “Before you celebrate and dance at my appearance, do not forget what the wicked world had done to me. Do not forget the impact and consequences of evil. Do not celebrate so much as to forget that there is still evil in the world. Do not forget the catastrophic effects of injustice and wickedness. As you look at my hands, remember my wounds and the wounds of many others around you who are suffering injustice. Do not forget that evil is real!” But before his disciples could relapse into fear and sadness, Jesus quickly transitioned to something that is much more powerful than injustice, wickedness, evil, crime and sin. He returned not with vengeance, not with what was done to him, not with more of the same, not with violence, not with tooth for tat, rather, the injustice done to him was met with shalom, the gift of peace. It was met with absolute mercy, healing and restoration. As if that was not enough, Jesus gave them the greatest of all: “Receive the Holy Spirit,” and also empowered them to forgive and retain sins. 

As we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Gift of the Father and the Son, let us remember that the Holy Spirit is not a feeling, rather a person, a divine person, the third person in the Holy Trinity. He is with us to guide us safely to our ultimate destination of heaven. And he accomplishes this as the Comforter, Helper, Teacher, and Advocate. As the Comforter, he alleviates the burdens of life, consoles us when we suffer broken-heart syndrome, and makes us feel we are not alone. His comfort gives warmth and healing and prevents difficult events from getting in our way and journey to God. God is our refuge and destination, therefore, anything that attempts to divert our attention and journey to him is a distraction. The Comforter helps us to get back up and keep moving. Extreme pain and suffering can potentially deafen us from even hearing the voice of the Divine GPS. When that happens, we could miss our way, and enter into the wrong lane or highway of lamentation and depression. Eventually, we could get lost. But when the Comforter comes, he consoles, heals, and also recalculates our way back to God. As the Helper, the Holy Spirit helps us in all aspects of our lives; he helps us to fulfill our vocation in life; he helps us fulfill our destiny; he helps us to get saved. He also helps us in prayer when we do not know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). He reveals to us the will of God (1 Cor. 2:10-11). He helps in the building up of our faith and to live a victorious Christian life. As the Teacher or Counselor, the Holy Spirit teaches us the truth of God and offers us good counsel that keeps us on the track. He frequently asks us the question, “Will the road you are on get you to my place?” In addition to all those, the Holy Spirit is also our advocate. As we know, an advocate is someone who looks after your interest in a court of law, speaks and answers on our behalf. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate in heaven. He looks after our interests in the heavenly court. He does this not by providing evidence to show our innocence, or to bend the law of God. He knows that every accusation of the law of God against us is true. In the heavenly court, he points at the wounds of Jesus. By pointing at his wounds, he pleads for mercy, clemency and leniency for us. 

Brothers and sisters, everything the Holy Spirit does for us demonstrates among other things that we are not alone. Before his Ascension, Jesus promised not to leave us as orphans. So, none of us is truly alone. Even if you live alone, you are not really alone. The Holy Spirit is very much with you as the Comforter, Helper, Teacher, Counselor, and Advocate if only you will entrust yourself to him. 

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

  

The Catholic Church and the Power to Forgive Sin

Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:23). 

Folks, the Jews know that only God can forgive sin, but with the words above, Jesus transferred the power to do so to his disciples. With this, Jesus made each of his disciples and by virtue of ordination, each Catholic priest Alter Christus, which means, Another Christ. Do you know that if you commit a crime, let’s say a robbery and in the process you were caught and charged to court.  Now even after serving a jail sentence for your crime, you are still guilty before God. And if  you were acquitted  by a Judge, before God you are still guilty. Only God can truly forgive all sins; and in his omni-benevolence, Jesus has made it possible that through the ministry of the Church absolution, pardon and peace can be obtained. Praise the Lord! Serving a jail term for crime committed does not absolve the criminal. Being acquitted by a competent Judge does not bestow pardon and peace from God. Only a priest, Alter Christus, can make such possible. 

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Reflection on John 16:23-24 

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR          

Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name, ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete (John 16:23-24)

Sisters and brothers, whenever you read the above gospel passage, how do you interpret it? What does it mean to you? Should we take it literally? Is Jesus really saying that whatever we ask the Father in his name we will receive, no matter what it is and no matter what we asked? This is one of those passages in the Bible that should not be interpreted literally. It requires a deeper reading and deeper interpretation. When I was growing up in Nigeria, I heard a story of a young man who went to his church, and after listening to his pastor, a Pentecostal pastor preach on the Gospel of Matthew 5:29-30: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and through it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna,” decided to apply the passage literally. When he got home, he attempted to chop off his genital because it was leading him to sin. 

Anyone who applies “…whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you,” literally will be disappointed. If you sit down and think about it, you will realize that there are some things you have asked the Father in the Name of Jesus that did not come to pass. There are things I had prayed for days, weeks, months, and years that the Father has not given me. Having said that, does it mean that Jesus lied to us? Not at all! Because “For however many are the promises of God their Yes is in him; therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Does it mean that we should stop praying? Not at all! Jesus urges us to pray always and not to lose heart (Luke 18:1). 

What I am about to share with you is how I read, interpret and understand “…whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” There are two ways I look at it. Firstly, in the passage, Jesus seems to display the great deal of trust and confidence he has in his disciples to do the right thing and to ask for the needful. It is the same faith he had in the woman caught in the act of adultery that moved him to say to her, “Go, and do not sin anymore.” Although the woman was considered loose and wayward, Jesus saw she has in her what it would take to fix and mend her life and to live better. So, in the passage, “…whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” the good Lord appears to be demonstrating his abiding trust and confidence in us that we are not going to exploit his name for selfish purposes. Of course, a true and authentic disciple of Jesus will not exploit the name of Jesus for self-enrichment and self-aggrandizement. 

Secondly, in the passage the Lord seems to be saying: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name that is according to his will for you, he will give you.” How did I arrive at this? At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed thrice to his Father and pleaded with him to remove and end his impending suffering, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…” but will always add, “yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39-44). In the end, what Jesus asked for was not granted. It was the Father’s will for him that ultimately prevailed. 

In conclusion, not everything you ask the Father in the name of Jesus will be given you. Even when the intention and petition is selfless and good, not every prayer made in the name of Jesus will be presented to you. Eventually, it is the Father’s will and purpose for you and me that will prevail. Bear in mind that the purpose of prayer is not to change the mind of God or to inform him about something he does not know. God is not like President Donald Trump of USA or President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria that we have to persuade to do something for us. God is rather a good and wonderful Father who wants nothing other than the best for us. He wants to give us only what he considers are the best for us. But I must warn you, sometimes what God gives us is not always what we want. The will of God for us is not always a bed of roses. Sometimes his will discomforts us. Learn from Jesus’ own experience. His Father’s will for him did not make him laugh, smile, jump, dance and celebrate. It brought so much pain and anguish on him. But in the end, it is the Father’s will that leads to glory and to the crown. 

If you did not get what you asked for, do not give up. Feel free to lament, complain, cry, grieve, and express your disappointment. Feel free to tell God how you feel. Express your disappointment to him. However, after the season of lamentation, do what Jesus did. Accept your lot and surrender to the Father’s will.