Because he lives…

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Holy Names Church

Easter Vigil Homily

April 23, 2011

Moments before Jesus died on the cross, he made a brief comment that is interpreted as an address to his Father, to his audience and to generations after. The brief comment is a three-worded statement "It is finished."And after that, he addressed his Father specifically, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” With that, the Lord bowed his head and died. “It is finished” are not the last words of Jesus on the cross, but they seem to be the most important and blessed words that our Lord spoke on the cross.

Remember, when Jesus cried, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” his mockers thought he was calling Elijah. They totally misunderstood what he said. When he also cried, “It is finished” they too misunderstood him. They thought and rejoiced that they have finished him. They mistakenly thought that he has been finished. But Jesus was not in any way finished by his killers and by death itself. Easter that tells us he triumphantly came back.

When Jesus cried “It is finished” he meant all our sins are taken away. All our guilt that should have been imputed to us but was rather imputed to him has been taken care of. And Jesus announced it on the cross. He declared that our salvation is won, our sins are forgiven. And we believe that because Jesus said so on the cross and the beloved disciple recorded it.

“It is finished” was not a cry of being finished. When Jesus declared “It is finished” he was not saying, “I’m finished. I’m done. I’m ended. My life is gone. I tried but was not able to do it. I can’t do it.” That is not what the Lord meant when he said that. With a victorious confidence, Jesus addressed his Father and to us. To his Father, he says, “It is finished,” which means the work that you gave me to do is accomplished. The mission that you sent me to accomplish is finished. “It is finished” therefore is a shout of victory. It is a cry of obedience, God-centered obedience. And it is a word that you and I claim by our faith in Jesus Christ. To us, the Lord also says, “It is finished” which means I have given you everything. I have told you everything. I brought you the most beautiful message of all: God is love! God loves you! There is nothing left behind. I have emptied the bag. I have told you everything you need to know to gain salvation. I have given you everything you need to have to gain salvation. The complete message of love, the message of salvation and deliverance has been preached completely.

“It is finished” therefore means there is nothing I have not done or said for you to achieve salvation. I have emptied myself completely for you. My love has been given out to you unreservedly. My entire life has been poured out completely for your liberty. Nothing remains!

“It is finished” does not mean the Lord is finished. It rather means that the enmity between us and God is over. The enmity between us and God is finished. The sin that separates us from our loving God is erased. The barrier of sin has been finally destroyed. “It is finished” means that Satan’s power and victory over us is finished and over. He can no longer win the battle. “It is finished” means “I have finished the evil one.” Jesus was not finished; instead he finished his enemies and our enemies as well.

“It is finished” therefore does not mean that our Savior’s life is finished and ended; it means rather that eternal death is ended for those who would believe in him. New life therefore has been won! Jesus’ mockers misunderstood what he said and thought that he was finished. But Easter tells us he rose. Easter tells us he has risen. Easter tells us he lives to die no more.

And because Jesus lives, because he lives we can face tomorrow.

Because he rose and lives, the fearful and timid Apostles could no longer hide in a locked upper room. Because he lives, they were no longer afraid of the Jewish authorities.

Because he lives Peter who denied him three times would make a three time confession of love, “Yes Lord I love you.”

Because he lives, three thousand people would believe in him in one single day.

Because he lives, Stephen would later shed his innocent blood for the sake of the Risen Lord.

Because he lives, Saul of Tarsus who later took the name Paul would abandon crucifying him and his disciples and became a strong defender the Christian faith, and towards the end of his life said, “I have been crucified with Christ” “I have fought a good fight of faith.” Because he lives, St. Paul would say, “For me, to live is Christ Jesus and to die is gain.”

Because he lives, fishermen would become fishers’ of men and women. Because he lives, Peter and Paul would shed their blood for him.

Because he lives, the Western and the Eastern martyrs of the Church would run to martyrdom just to demonstrate how much they love him.

Because he lives, a holy priest Maximilian Kolbe would volunteer to be killed in order to save another man who had a family to cater for. Father Kolbe died in hope of the new life in the Risen Lord.

Because he lives, African martyrs- St. Charles Lwanga and his companions would give their young lives in witness to the power of the Risen Lord.

Because he lives, the young preacher from Georgia, Blessed Martin Luther King Jr. would lay down his life so that the true freedom won for us by Jesus on the cross would be enjoyed by everyone- the oppressed and the oppressor alike.

Because he lives, St. Alfonsus Maria Ligouri would abandon his famous profession, his noble status, and his family’s wealth in order to follow the Lord and to bring his beautiful message of salvation to the poorest of the poor that lived in the mountain of Naples.

Because he lives, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador would refused to be intimidated by the political leaders, instead he pitched his tents with the poor- the friends of Jesus, fought for their freedom and rights and was eventually assassinated while celebrating the Eucharist. Because he lives, Archbishop Romero would refuse to obey the government when they asked him to stop preaching, but like St. Paul said, “I doomed if I do not preach the gospel.” And in words and deeds, he preached. He died defending the dignity of those created in the image of God.

Because he lives, you have become his followers; I have become his follower too. Because he lives, you have given your time, talent and treasure in the service and work of the Lord. Because he lives, we have all gathered here tonight. Because he lives, we can face tomorrow. We don’t know what tomorrow holds for us, but we know who holds tomorrow. Since the one who holds tomorrow is the one who loves us so much, we can live without fear of the unknown. The unknown is only unknown to us, but not unknown to the one who loves us so much, the one whom death could not hold in the grave.

Dearest beloved, the silence and the emptiness of Holy Saturday remind us of the silence of the world, our own silence in the face of the suffering of another. It reminds us of the silence of others, and sometimes our friends and family in the face of our own suffering. The emptiness of Holy Saturday reminds us of the emptiness of a life without God. It reminds us of the emptiness of a life of sin. Sin tends to be satisfying. But in the end, it is utter emptiness. Life without Christ is crisis. Life lived without an honest and profound relationship with God is emptiness. But Easter tells us that the emptiness and the silence of Holy Saturday is not the final word or the final day. Easter is the final word. Easter is the final day. Easter tells us that he lives. And because he lives, we can face tomorrow.

The seeming silence of God in the face of our difficulty does not mean we have been forgotten by God. Easter tells us that he lives. Because he lives, we can rejoice and be glad! We can be hopeful that after all the silence and emptiness of life, a new life, a new day, a new beginning would emerge. That’s what Easter tells us!

It tells us that every difficulty has an expiring date. Our pain, sorrow, loneliness, depression, illness, joblessness, lack, hardship etc have an expiring date. When that day comes, not even the devil can stop you from rising from that grave.

Because he lives, we too who believe in him would live!

Happy Easter!

‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani”

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Good Friday Homily

Holy Names Church

Memphis, TN, USA

April 22, 2011

Crucifixion was invented by the Persians, the Romans only perfected it. It was a crude way of killing criminals and breakers of the law. It was a method of carrying out capital punishment in the days gone by. On the day of the crucifixion of a criminal, people were asked to vacate the main streets and stand by the road side as the criminal was led on a crucifixion procession accompanied by two judges. The reason why two judges accompanied the criminal on this crucifixion procession is in case there is any onlooker who might have a genuine reason why the criminal should not be crucified. If there is any spectator who has a cogent reason (or reasons) why the crucifixion about to be carried out should not go on, he or she will be heard. The case of the criminal will be tried again immediately on the spot. If he is found innocent, he will be freed immediately. If not, he will be killed by crucifixion.

Sisters and brothers, Jesus too, like all other criminals was subjected to this process. He had his own crucifixion procession as he was being led to Golgotha. The fourteen Stations of the Cross is the summary of the Lord’s crucifixion procession experience. There were two judges following him to retry his case if there was any sympathizer with genuine reasons. Like other crucifixion processions, there was a huge crowd of people watching Jesus as he carried his heavy cross and walked the streets. But incredibly unbelievable, no one from the crowd came out to speak in his favor. There was no one with genuine and honest reasons in favor of the Lord. Nobody! No single individual spoke out to defend him. Meanwhile, some of the five thousand and four thousand people he fed were there, but none found any reason why the Son of Man should not be killed. Some of the lame he made to walk, some of the blind he made to see, some of the dumb and mute he made to talk, some of the deaf he made to hear were all present. But none condemned the killing of an innocent and righteous man. Some of those he healed their illnesses, those he liberated from the grip of demons, those who he comforted, those he forgave their sins, those he saved, those he raised from the dead and their family members were present. But none said, “This man is innocent, and I can prove it.” Some of those who received all sorts of miracles from him were there, some of those who listened to his message, a message with a difference where there. Of course his disciples had deserted him. Peter who was the only one present denied him. No one was courageous enough to condemn the killing of a righteous innocent man.

Jesus was rejected and treated like a common criminal. It was as if he incurred public hatred. Even some of those who believed in him and shouted, “Hosanna” when he entered Jerusalem were present during his crucifixion procession. But none spoke out on his behalf. They remained silent and probably died in their silence. Jesus was despised as if he had committed an abominable act. But the Acts of Apostles 10:38 says he was going about doing good and healing all those who were under the power of the devil.

Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem with his cross, and with no one to declare that he was innocent. When he got to Golgotha, a place of skull, they cruelly crucified the Redeemer of humanity. Before he expired, Jesus experienced serious bodily and psychological pain. Psychological pain is more painful because it is a pain within a pain. The Lord felt this pain as a result of the abandonment and rejection he received. Therefore, “At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46).

The Lord’s cry on the cross was quoted in Aramaic, and that was why those standing near did not understand what he said. The gospel says, “When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’”(Mark 15:35-36; Matthew 27:47, 49). They misunderstood! They were not quite sure exactly what it was that Jesus had said.

Each year during the Holy Week, specifically on Good Friday, we Catholics stand once again near the cross and hear Jesus cry again, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani.” Unlike the people who first heard Jesus cried out, we know exactly what he said, and we too recognize it as the opening verse of Psalm 22. But do we really know what it means? Did Jesus despair on the cross?

It is said that those crucified the way Jesus was crucified usually last up to 24 hours before giving up the ghost. But Jesus lasted just for three hours and then died. Why? Some argue that he suffered so much before he was eventually crucified. He was scourged at the pillar; he fell thrice on the way; he had sharp crown of thorns on this head which made him loose so much blood. Another reason given why Jesus lasted for only three hours before giving up the ghost is because of the weight of sin of humanity. A holy priest once said that immediately Jesus screamed, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” all the sins ever committed and that will be committed rushed into him. All these sins weighed him down and he died. Love for us was responsible for this great pain, sorrow and agony.

Jesus did not come to save himself. He came to save humanity. Sad enough, those he came to save killed him. But good enough, his death has brought life to us all. His death is the beginning of our life. He died that we may live. He became the guilty one that we may become innocent. His death has brought the end of everlasting sorrow.

The death of the Lord has given a new meaning to death. Through his death, the meaning of death has, as it were, been changed from the inside. Instead of representing the ultimate separation, it is now the path to greater union. Jesus does not bring us deliverance from death but deliverance through death. We also need to realize that Jesus suffered and died because of his fidelity to God’s will in his life. His preaching was good news for the poor; he ate with publicans and sinners. Many, including both political and religious leaders, found this offensive and threatening. If we show fidelity to the teaching and example of Jesus, we can face similar reactions. We may not face actual death. But we can face opposition and mockery in lesser, more subtle ways that are still painful.

“Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” is a cry of abandonment. It is a cry of rejection. The Lord cried that cry not because his Father has abandoned him. He lamented because he did not experience the Father’s love in the world. He did not find love. He did not find compassion. He did not find mercy. He did not find true friendship in the world. Jesus in his divinity knew that his Father has not abandoned or rejected him. After all, in John 14: 10, he had testified that he is in the Father and the Father is also in him. But he cried “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” because he was abandoned and rejected by all. Though the Father has not abandoned him, but he has been abandoned by his disciples and by all those who received one favor or the other from him. Even those who tried to crown him their king were no where to be found. The people who previously shouted “Hosanna” have all left him. In his humanity, Jesus felt alone and abandoned.

When confronted by suffering, evil, and abandonment, we usually ask the question why. This difficult question about the reality of evil in the world is never asked or put to the world, even though it is from the world that suffering and evil often come from. The question is put to God because God is the creator and Lord of the world. When we suffer, we usually don’t question the world. We question God. “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” therefore is not a cry of rejection of God, rather a cry of rejection of the world. It is a human cry. It is a cry familiar to all of us. Jesus cried to his Father asking not why his Father abandoned him, but why his Father let the world abandon him. He asked not why his Father abandoned him but why his Father allowed him to be abandoned. It is a similar question of why usually asked by those who suffer, “Who O Lord do I suffer?”

Jesus cried “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani” because he was rejected and abandoned by those he came to save. How is the Lord rejected and abandoned today? Like the people of Jesus’ time, many still reject him today. The world has not embraced the peace and the salvation he brought. We still live in a very hostile world where human life is recklessly abused, violated and butchered. Christians who are supposed to be the salt of the earth have become tasteless. Christians who are supposed to be the light of the world are turning their lights dim. Today, we abandon the Lord by the thoughts we love to entertain, by the things we love to see, by the actions we love to indulge in, by the words we love to speak, by the places we love to go.

Today we abandon Jesus by abandoning virtues, moral living, and holy lifestyle. We abandon Jesus by abandoning good deeds. We abandon the Lord by abandoning charity, by not fanning the flame of our faith, by not hoping in the Lord. When we abandon compassion, we abandon Jesus. If we abandon helping those in need, we abandon Jesus. If you want to abandon the Lord, then abandon striving to live in peace with all people. If you want to abandon the Lord, then abandon holiness. If you want to abandon Jesus, abandon striving for righteousness and upright living. Those who refuse to acknowledge their sinfulness and their need for confession and reconciliation are being in denial of themselves and in denial of the Lord. Pride abandons the Lord, but humility embraces him. Only a humble person has a real need of the Lord. Pride says you don’t need him.

The only thing God expects us to abandon is sin, not his Son!

Homily for Palm Sunday, Year A

Who is this?

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for Palm Sunday, Year A

Holy Names Church

April 17, 2011

Matthew 21:10 says, “And when Jesus entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?”

Mark 4: 14 says, “The disciples were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? That even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Today we celebrate the Palm Sunday. Today we gather together to celebrate Christ’s entry into the city of Jerusalem. Today we celebrate Jesus as the king who enters our own personal Jerusalem- our hearts. Today’s celebration is a momentary celebration of joy and triumph, because few days from now, the joyful mood will be turned into sorrow. Today we join the crowd to shout “Hosanna!” But few days from today, we will decide whether we are going to join the same crowd to shout, “Crucify him!” “Crucify him!” Today we are cheering him asking him to “Save us” for that is the meaning of Hosanna. On Friday, we will decide whether to join in jeering him. The same crowd that cheered “Hosanna” which means “Save us” on Friday jeered “Crucify him!”

It was the Passover time, and Jerusalem and its environs was crowded with pilgrims. The Passover law stipulated that each family must slaughter a lamb and throw a party. There was also a law that mandated every adult male Jew who lived within 20 miles of Jerusalem to come to Jerusalem for the Passover; but it was not only Jews who lived within 20 miles of Jerusalem that came to Jerusalem for Passover. Jews from every corner of the world also came to Jerusalem to celebrate their greatest national festival. There were more than two million people who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. It was this spectacular moment that Jesus chose to make a bold statement about himself and his mission.

Today’s gospel from Matthew 21:1-11 begins with “When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem….Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me.” With the donkey and the colt Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The crowd received him like a King. They spread their clothes in front of him. They cut down palms and waved their branches, and greeted him as they would greet pilgrims as they came to the Feast: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Then they shouted “Hosanna” which means “Save us.” Hosanna was the cry for help that a suffering and distressed people addressed to their king or their god. When we sing or recite “Hosanna in the highest” we mean, “Let the angels in the highest heights of heaven (help us to) to cry unto God, ‘Save us.”

With the singing and chanting of “Hosanna” the entire city of Jerusalem was shaken to its foundation, prompting onlookers to ask, “Who is this?” With the drumming and the dancing for the arrival of “he who comes in the name in the Lord”, onlookers asked, “Who is this?” The cutting down of palm trees and the waving of their branches prompted people to ask “Who is this?” The spreading of clothes on the ground for Jesus to match on prompted observers to ask “Who is this?” The noise that followed the arrival of Jesus made people to ask, “Who is this?” The city was already crowded. People were eating and drinking. They were in a jubilant mood. But here comes Jesus with his teeming fans, disrupting the enjoyment, disrupting the flow of fun. This led people to ask, “Who is this?”

“Who is this?” “Who is Jesus?” This question helps us understand the fickle reactions of people who were present at the first Palm Sunday. Every one of them was looking for something different in Jesus, and Jesus disappointed most of them.

Who was Jesus for the crowd? They wanted a miracle Jesus. They were attracted to him because he was a vigorous and a dynamic leader. They liked him for putting the Pharisees in their place. But of all the qualities that the crowd loved about Jesus, the most loved is his ability to perform miracles. The multitude followed him when they saw the lame walk, the blind saw, the sick healed, the dead raised, the lepers cleansed. They yearned for more miracles. They cheered him. In one occasion Jesus resisted their quest for more miracles and said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign. Truly I say to you, no sign shall be given to them, and he left them” (Matthew 8:11-12). The crowds wanted miracles. But Jesus sometimes refused to heed to their clamor.

Who was Jesus for the Pharisees? They wanted a Ritual Messiah. They believed that what constitute a true religion is how the adherents dressed, washed and ate, and not how they believed or prayed. But Jesus through his preaching said that the true way to God was by having faith in God and living a morally upright life. To demonstrate his rejection of the Pharisees’ lifestyle, Jesus willfully broke the rules set up by the Pharisees. He broke the Sabbath, had a chat with a Gentile woman, went to a Gentile neighborhood, ate their food, drank their water, slept in the homes, offered them salvation which Jews claimed to be exclusively theirs. Jesus also defied the laws of purification. The Pharisees wanted a Messiah who will keep their ritual laws and other laws, but Jesus disappointed them.

Who was Jesus for the Zealots? They wanted a military leader, a military Jesus. The Zealots were the radical nationalists who were ready to use force, even terrorism to overthrow oppressive Roman government. These wanted Jesus to call for a confrontational revolution. They wanted Jesus to take up arms and swords and declare war against the Roman government. They wanted a Messiah who would head their resistance movement. When Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem and forcefully cleansed the Temple, these Zealots were so impressed. But Jesus disappointed them when he said “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” in Matthew 22:21. Jesus disappointed them when again he said, “…those who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

Who was Jesus for the disciples? They wanted a victorious Jesus. They wanted a triumphant leader. They were elated to see Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. They relished being around him. Each of them wanted to sit beside him when he enters into his kingdom. Even James and his brother John in Mark 10: 37 asked Jesus, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” The disciples wanted a triumphant and victorious Messiah, but Jesus spoke of himself as the Suffering Servant. The disciples wanted earthly glory, human praise, but Jesus promised them persecution here on earth. The Lord made it clear that following him means taking up a cross. Jesus disappointed his disciples. They wanted a victorious Messiah but Jesus showed himself a humble servant of the Lord.

All these people were present at the first Palm Sunday, each with their own personal view of Jesus. As they waved the palm and shouted “Hosanna”, they happily thought that the revolution has finally started. The crowd assumed he would perform more miracles in Jerusalem. The Zealots were excited that Jesus has finally started the revolution that would unseat the Roman government. They were thrilled that he had come to Jerusalem, which is the seat of the Roman government. The disciples of Jesus expected this week to be their greatest week of popularity and glory. They expected this week to be the beginning of their reign when they would begin to associate with the elites and the most powerful in the city. But Jesus disappointed them all.

Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem was not the beginning of a revolution that the people expected. In fact, it was a funeral procession. The people thought that the Palm Sunday was the beginning of a revolution that will overthrow the Roman government. But Jesus knew it was a funeral procession; only him knew that it was the beginning of the end. On that day they were cheering him with the shout of “Hosanna.” But he knew that in few days the cheering would stop.

So the real meaning of Palm Sunday can be found in the question “Who is this?” “Who is Jesus?” Who is Jesus to you? In John 18:7, Jesus asks, “Who is it you want?’ A celebrity Jesus? A Ritual Jesus? A Military Jesus? If you are looking for any of those, you may be disappointed because you are looking for the wrong kind of Jesus. Jesus had already played the identity game with the Disciples at Caesarea Philippi when he asked, “Who do people say that I am?” They responded that some think he is John the Baptist. Others say Elijah the prophet. Some say Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus asks the most pertinent question, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter declared “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

Whatever view you hold about Jesus, do not forget that he was a man who lived and associated himself with the common people of the society. He did not limit his compassion to people he knew. He associated with everyone regardless of their class and status. His caring for others was not limited to family and friends. He was not bound by pride or obsessed with success and riches. He was all things to all people. The people wanted a hero, a military leader, but he chose to be a humble suffering servant. While kings sit on the table and wait to be served, Jesus was on the floor washing the feet of his disciples. Though he was in the form of God, he did not count himself equal with God. He became a humble servant, emptied himself for others. While some of us want to be served, Jesus says that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). And he truly served! While the preachers of today look for fame, while they are driven by self aggrandizement, Jesus begged people not to tell about the miracles he had done. While preachers of today are obsessed by sensationalism and human applause, Jesus was running away from being made a king. While some of us yearn to sit and hang out with the topnotch people, Jesus was avoiding being made a king. His friends were the no-bodies in the society.

The Palm Sunday event is a lesson in humility. After his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, guess what happened? There was no party, no coronation banquet, no awards ceremony, no prize, and no photo op. Jesus and his disciples quietly went away, and went to Bethany and rested for the night. The crowd who thronged during the day wanted to make him their king, but he slipped away. He did not come for earthly glory. He did not come for fame but to be shamed.

Following Jesus is not always glamorous. It’s not just about preaching to a huge crowd of people and telling them what they should do and shouldn’t do. Following Jesus requires a great deal of humility. Humility marks a Christian. Humility distinguishes a Christian. Humility keeps a Christian in check. Humility tells a Christian she is not better than any one else. Pride says you are better and above every one else. Humility seeks for no recognition, pride longs for human applause. Remember the story of the Poet and the Monk.

“Who is this?” It’s Jesus! Though he was the humble servant, but he is the bright morning star. “Who is this?” It’s Jesus! Though he was the suffering servant, but in him we have found the light that lightens our darkness. “Who is this?” It’s Jesus! Though he emptied himself totally and became a slave, but he is the way that leads us from death to life. “Who is this?’ It’s Jesus! Though he fasted for forty days and forty nights, but he is the bread of life that nourishes us. “Who is this?” It’s Jesus! Though he was the humble servant, but he is the Word and the Wisdom of God. “Who is this?” It’s Jesus! Though he was the suffering servant, but he is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the one who weeps when we weep.

What kind of Jesus are you looking for? An elite Jesus? A top-notched Jesus? The Jesus who lives, eats and dines in the White House? Or the Jesus who paraded himself with the poor, with the no-bodies? Palm Sunday tells us to be humble! Be humble if you are not. Remain humble if you are. Jesus did not say, “I am the good celebrity.” He says, “I am the good shepherd.” The shepherd is usually a poor servant who watches over the sheep. That’s who Jesus was! That’s the Jesus I serve! Jesus did not say, “I am the glorious King, the best there is.” He says, “I am the suffering servant.” He did not come to be served, he came to serve. That’s who Jesus was and is. “Who is this?” It’s Jesus!

Jesus wept and still weeps

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

Holy Names of Jesus & Mary Catholic Church

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

April 10, 2011

Dearest beloved, today’s first (Ezekiel 37:12-14) and Second (Romans 8:8-11) Scriptural readings and the gospel (John 11: 1-45) all speak about the resurrection, which is the hope of all believers. God does not want us to fear death because death is not the final word. The final word is resurrection unto glory. But my message today will not be centered on resurrection because we still have Easter. Though Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it is also about our resurrection. The victory of the Lord over death is our own victory. He won for us! He rose for us!

Today, I will rather preach on this message I have titled “Jesus wept and still weeps.” As you know already, the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35 “Jesus Wept.” The story begins when Lazarus from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha became sick. Sickness is a common human experience which sometimes leads to death. Lazarus’ sickness must have been a serious one to make his sisters send words to Jesus, “Master, the one you love is ill.” Jesus has been a friend of the family. He knows Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. So when his health deteriorated, they quickly informed Jesus about his falling health.

But on hearing the message of Mary and Martha about their brother’s falling health, Jesus waits. The bad news does not seem to move him. Instead Jesus downplays the important of the message with these words: “This illness is not to end in death, but it is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Someone may have murmured, “What the hell is he talking about? This is ridiculous! So it is just for the glory of God and your own glory that an innocent man had been plagued with sickness? Please give me a break?”

The response of Jesus is not what Mary and Martha expected to hear. Surely, the sick Lazarus must have been disappointed too. His best friend has not come to see him. And Jesus waits for two full days before starting the two day journey to Bethany. This is really a puzzling behavior. Why did Jesus wait? Why did he delay? Why did he not go immediately he heard that his friend is ill? Why does God wait? Whatever is his reason for delaying, the fact is that the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha did not appreciate the Lord’s delay. They expected him to leave everything behind to come and be with them. They know he has miraculous powers to even prevent their brother from dying.

But Jesus did not leave what he was doing. He did not respond to the emergency call. He did not rush to the bedside of Lazarus. He did not rush to comfort Lazarus’ sisters. Today’s gospel says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.” The Lord loves this family. But why didn’t he respond to the emergency call? Why does God wait?

Then Jesus says to his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” The disciples did not understand what he was saying. They thought he was talking about ordinary sleep. Jesus therefore spoke more clearly, “Lazarus is dead.” On arriving to Bethany, each of Lazarus’ sisters took turn to blame Jesus for his lateness and delay. They did not want to disrespect the Lord whom they loved so much, but they also wanted to give him a piece of their mind. That Mary and Martha said the same thing to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” shows that before Jesus arrived, they had said the same thing to each other. They must have rehearsed what they are going to say to Jesus when he finally shows up. It is not surprising that the same words that Martha said in verse 20 were repeated by Mary in verse 32.

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” is what Martha and Mary said to Jesus. That’s their subtle way of expressing their frustration and disappointment over the delay of Jesus. Of course in our human ways of looking at things, Jesus disappointed them. The Lord disappointed them by not showing up when his attention was needed. And the experience of Mary and Martha is also the experience of some of us. How many times have we waited just like they did? How many times have you asked “Why isn’t the Lord here when I need him?” “Why is God delaying?” “Where are you Jesus?” The other day I encountered two persons at different times in the Confessional who told me that they think God has forgotten them. One woman said, “Father, I feel that I am so insignificant that God doesn’t care about me again.”

So the pain and the frustration of Mary and Martha are sometimes our pain and frustration too. For some of us, it is not so much about the death of a loved one. It may be the death of a dream; the death of hope and aspiration; the death of a job, the death of a marriage etc. For some of us it may be the depreciation of health, depreciation in the quality of life etc. For some of us it may be depression, loneliness, friendlessness etc. Where has Lazarus died in your heart or in your home? Where has Jesus disappointed you? You've prayed, but no answers have come. You've pleaded, but God has delayed. You've waited, but he hasn't showed up. You've held the funeral, but he didn't attend. Where are you waiting for God to show up and be God for you?

We don't know why Jesus waits, and we don't know why God waits. No amount of theologizing and explaining can satisfy us while we wait. But my only conclusion is that something critically important happens to us while we are waiting. While waiting, life is lived. Faith is proved while we wait. Hope is tested while we wait. No one likes God’s wait. I do not like it either. When I ask God for something, I want him to give it to me without delay. But then, God waits!

Death is always a painful experience for the bereaved. Death causes sorrow. It brings tears. The tears of mourners usually bring other tears. When Mary broke down in tears before Jesus, the Lord sorrowfully asked “Where have you laid him?” Seeing where his friend Lazarus was buried, he was deeply moved, and “Jesus Wept.” The Lord must have wept loud and long for those around to notice and say, “See how much he loved him.” Jesus must have groaned, cried aloud and beat his chest for the crowd to say, “See how much he loved him.” The Lord’s grief and sorrow must have been so deep to move the crowd to say, “See how much he loved him.” After all, Jesus was not the only person weeping. His tears must have flowed uncontrollably; he must have cried like a baby. His grief must have been profound and very sincere for the Jewish people present to say “See how much he loved him.” The crowd saw the immensity of his sorrow and remarked, “See how much he loved him.” Some tears shed at gravesides are not always sincere. But the weeping of Jesus was very sincere, and the crowd testified to it. He loved him so much to weep for his death. He loved him so much to weep at what death has done to his friend. Jesus wept! Jesus still weeps!

The reason why Jesus wept has been a subject of debate among theologians. Some theologians argue that Jesus cried for the crowd due to their lack of faith. He looked into their hearts and saw that they did not understand him or his mission. That they were ignorant of matters of life and death; that they did not understand that he has powers to bring Lazarus back to life. Other theologians say that Jesus was weeping because he hated to bring Lazarus back from heaven. He knew heaven was a peaceful and wonderful place, and he cried for cutting short Lazarus’ enjoyment in heaven. For other theologians, Jesus was shedding tears of rage at the evil of death and sin. He wept because it is the sinfulness of humans that bought about death. Other theologians believe that Jesus was weeping for himself. They say that his friend’s death reminded him of his own death. Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus from death, so he does not have to cry. But cried in anticipation of his own death.

As plausible as those reasons are, I vehemently reject all of them. Hebrews 4:15 says, “We don’t have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…” Philippians 2: 5-7 says, “Jesus Christ who though was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God, something to be grasped. Rather he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness, and found human in appearance.”

Jesus wept because he cared. He wept for the same reason that we weep at funerals. Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. They were his friends. He grieved with the two sisters for the lost of their brother and his friend. He wept because his friend Lazarus had died. He identified with their pains and he understood their sorrows. That’s what friends do. They cry when you cry. The good news from today’s gospel is that Jesus identifies with his people especially those who are hurting. He is not an indifferent person, a Deus Absconditus. He feels our pain. He cries when we cry.

The shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept” reveals so much about Jesus. He wept for Lazarus’ death; he still weeps with those who mourn over the loss of a beloved one. He wept over the death of his friend Lazarus; he still weeps over the bloodshed that happen everyday around the world. The Lord weeps over the way we treat each other. He weeps for the wickedness in the world. He weeps for the mothers whose children roam the streets hopelessly. He weeps for all children whose fathers are in jail, who have never experienced a father’s love. He weeps for all the single mothers who have to bear the burden of raising children all alone. Jesus weeps for the gap that exists between the rich and poor.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus. He still weeps for the death of many dreams, for the death of many aspirations; for the death of faith and for the death of God in many hearts, homes and families. The family is one of God’s dreams for humanity. The family is a spark from heaven shared with all humankind. It is the cradle where we were born and constantly reborn in love. Jesus weeps over the state of many families today. The Lord weeps over the death of love in our families.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus. He still weeps for the death of love. Genuine love is fading, and our world is becoming cold, inhospitable and intolerable. The Lord weeps over the abuse of the wonderful things he has given to us. Food and drinks have been abused and turned into idols. Jesus weeps over substance abuse. We are controlled by food; our life is dictated by drinks and drugs. Jesus weeps over the abuse of the human body. The body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit is constantly abused with food, drinks, sex, drugs, and other substances.

In Galatians 5:16, St. Paul says, “Walk (live) by the spirit and you will not satisfy the desires of the sinful nature.” Jesus weeps that many who called themselves Christians do not walk in the Spirit. There is no difference between them and non-believers. They overeat like unbelievers, over-drink like unbelievers, and live like the unbelievers. The Lord wept for the death of Lazarus; he still weeps for the death of the sense of God. Jesus weeps for the death of the sense of sin. With carnal philosophies, we justify our behaviors and attitudes. Jesus weeps for the death of striving for excellence in virtuous living.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus, he still weeps for the death of many people due to hunger, poverty, diseases and neglect. The Lord weeps for the division of our world into belts of prosperity and belts of poverty. He weeps for the division of the world into two rooms. Jesus weeps aloud that in one room, things go waste; in the other, people are wasting away due to abject poverty. In one room, people are dying from excess and surplus; and in the other, God’s children die from penury, poverty, destitution, misery, and deprivation. Jesus cries that in one room, people are heavily concerned about being overweight and obese; and in the other God’s beloved children are begging for charity. Jesus is aggrieved that while some people do not know what to spend their surplus money on, others are looking for money to spend. Jesus weeps that poverty is disfiguring his children. The Lord weeps that untold suffering is insulting the dignity of many.

Jesus wept for the death of his friend Lazarus, the Lord still weeps today. He weeps for those languishing in prison. He weeps for drug addicted parents. Jesus weeps for Japan. He weeps for the Libyan people. The Lord weeps for African nations who have the worst bunch of leaders. Jesus weeps for the hostility in the world. The Lord wept, and still weeps. He weeps when you weep. He cares for you. "See how much he loves him" was the comment of the crowd on seeing Jesus cry for the death of his Lazarus. The Lord still cries for you when he sees you being hurt. Jesus cries seeing so many people suffer. The Lord cries seeing his children abused by those in political power. But after weeping he snatched Lazarus from the grip of death. He will also free us from all that trouble us.

The New Roman Missal: Understanding the new translation

Introduction

Changing the prayers of the Mass is something we Catholics should not take lightly. Dioceses and parishes throughout the English-speaking world are now in the process of adopting the new translation of those very prayers. In 2009, the bishops of the United States of America approved a brand new English translation. The Churches in US will start using the new translation as from Advent season of 2011.

A Brief Background

In the mid-1960’s prior to the Second Vatican Council, Mass was only celebrated in Latin throughout the world. As part of the process of liturgical renewal called for by the Council Fathers, Pope Paul VI in 1970 approved a new version of the Roman Missal to be used for all celebrations of the Eucharist throughout the Church. All the texts in this Missal were in Latin, which was still the official language of the universal Church.

With time, the Roman Missal was translated in many languages, including an official English translation which was published in 1973. Two years later, i.e. in 1975, a second edition of the Roman Missal came out, followed by yet another English translation. The English translation of the 1975 Missal has served English-speaking Catholics ever since, and this is the version we all are so familiar with.

In 2000, the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II approved a new revised edition of the Roman Missal, and it is the English translation of that edition that we would soon begin to use in our Churches as from Advent season of this year 2011. Note- this latest translation is characterized by a slightly more formal style of English and a grammatical structure that stays closer to the Latin of the Roman Missal. In Addition, many biblical and poetic images that were not retained in the 1975 English translation have been restored in this new translation.

Please keep in mind that the new translation is not for the people of United States alone. It is an English translation that will be used by all English-speaking Catholics all over the world. This new translation was fashioned by a group of linguists, Bible Scholars and liturgical experts from 11 different English-speaking countries. The group’s official name is International Committee on English in the Liturgy. Their task was to fashion a translation that will be suitable for all English-speaking Catholics around the globe.

Do not worry when you meet some unfamiliar words; with time, you will become more comfortable with the new translation just as you are with the previous one.

Translation from Latin to English

Translating a text from one language to another is never an easy project. In doing this, various approaches can be adopted, and which ever method is used to translate a text, for example from Latin to English, has both advantages and disadvantages. One widely used method of translation is called “dynamic equivalence.” To some degree, dynamic equivalence was the method used by the English translators of 1975 Roman Missal- that is, the Mass Prayers we all are familiar with, and we have been using it for more than thirty years. In dynamic equivalence method, the translators are free to paraphrase, that is, to use words that explain or define what they believed was the intended meaning of the original Latin text. In some cases, the reason to paraphrase is to make a translation more culturally specific, more natural to the ears of the listeners in a particular place and time. This approach- dynamic equivalence- sounds good and intelligent, but oftentimes translators who use this method must choose between various possible meanings of a word or phrase. And when they finally settle on a particular paraphrase, it can obscure or even eliminate other real meanings inherent in the original text. Also, a translation method that paraphrases the prayers of the Mass may decide to do away with some of the poetic images and biblical references that were present in the original Latin text.

The prayers of the Mass familiar to all of us are a product of dynamic equivalence. But the new translation coming our way is more of a Direct Equivalence translation. The group of translators who chose this method had good reasons for choosing it. The direct equivalence method is also the method being used by modern Catholic Scripture scholars when they translate the Bible from its original Hebrew and Greek texts. Paraphrasing a text depends on a scholar’s opinion or the opinion of a committee, about the meaning of a given word or phrase. The direct equivalence method, on the other hand, limits translation as far as possible to a single English word that corresponds to one Latin word. In the translation of the Roman Missal from Latin to English, it is important to ensure the words are linguistically faithful to the original Latin text and also be theologically appropriate.

Here is one familiar example of a dynamic equivalence translation from the 1975 English translations: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. This prayer is a paraphrase of the original Latin text. And because of the paraphrase, the scriptural roots of the prayer are no longer conspicuous. Some of us may not even know that that prayer has scriptural origins.

In the new English translation of that prayer, which is a prayer before Holy Communion, we have this; Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed. This prayer is drawn from the centurion’s words to Jesus in Matthew 8:8. This is what a direct equivalence translation is all about because it is a word-for-word translation, very close to a literal translation of the Latin prayer in the 2000 edition of the Roman Missal.

Another example of a paraphrased translation in the English Mass prayers used since 1975 is:

Priest: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

But in the new English translation we have:

Priest: The Lord be with you (in Latin Dominus vobiscum).

People: And with your spirit (Et cum spiritu tuo).

This new translation is, in fact, a literal, word-for-word translation into English of the Latin Roman Missal. Like the words of the centurion given above, it is also a recovery of the translation used between 1973 and 1975. By using this more direct translation of words in the Mass that go back many centuries, we can honestly say when speaking these words, that we are using the same words used by our ancestors in the faith.

Switching from saying “And also with you” to saying “And with your spirit” has important theological implications. The response “And with your spirit” recognizes the profoundly spiritual character of the prayerful dialogue that takes places between the priest and the people at Mass. It also acknowledges the spiritual dimension of every man and woman- that we are not only bodily beings but also spiritual beings.

Finally, the new translation does not only give a new translation, but it also gives alternative prayers. For instance, the Dismissal has these:

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

Or: Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

Or: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

Or: Go in peace.

Conclusion and Advice

Change is not always an easy experience. Changing from what one is familiar with to something new sometimes causes irritation. If you get upset with the new Mass translation or with the Church, remember that the Church has a very good reason for embarking on this new translation. The leaders of the Church know what they are doing. They have put together professionals who studied the work long and hard. The translations were discussed and revised over and over again in order to make them both accurate and meaningful to English-speaking Catholics everywhere in the world.

Remember when the Mass was only in Latin. Remember when the priest and the assembly were facing the same direction. After Vatican II, it took some time for Catholics to get used to the Mass being said in vernacular, with priest and assembly facing each other across the altar of the Eucharist. This is not the first time the Roman Missal has been revised. Revision of the words of the Mass has been done before; just the same way people got familiar with former revisions, so also we will. But keep in mind that the prayers of the Mass are not an end in themselves, but a means, a means to unite us with the Risen Lord, and a means to nourish that union.

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Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR; Holy Names Church, Memphis, TN, March 2011. Culled from “Prayers of the Mass: Understanding the Changes by Mitch Finley”

JESUS BREAKS THE LAW

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the 4^th Sunday of Lent, Year A

African Catholic Community in Memphis

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Dearest beloved, Jesus continues to break the law. The Lord continues to attack laws that hinder human freedom, that constitute a stumbling block, that divide the human family. Jesus continues to rubbish human laws, human-made laws that promote discrimination, encourage gender inequality, belittle others just because they don’t look like us, talk like us, worship like us, don’t have the same background and origin like us. Today, the Lord continues his assault on laws that violate love, compassion and mercy.

Last Sunday, we read the story of Jesus and an unnamed Samaritan woman. Jesus tired and hungry from his journey had sat down at the foot of the well. As he was waiting for his disciples whom he had sent out to buy some food to come back, a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus started talking to her. First, he asked her for a drink. But realizing that he was a Jew, the woman replied with a question, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” The Jews of that generation shared nothing in common with the Samaritans. They despised the Samaritans, and considered them less human than themselves. There was a law that forbade Jewish people from associating with the Gentiles. But the Lord does not obey any unjust law that maltreats any child of God. What is human law compared to the life of a daughter of God.

The Samaritan woman was thirsty. She was both physically and spiritually thirsty. The physical thirst is what brings her to the well day after day. Her spiritual thirst, that is, an inner thirst of fulfillment, joy and peace is what drives her from one man to another and for which she hasn’t found any satisfaction. By the time she met Jesus she was in her sixth relationship/marriage, yet she told Jesus she has no husband. When Jesus saw her, he did not see a Gentile woman to be despised and avoided. The Lord saw a woman in pain. He saw a woman whose life has been so messed up that she comes to the well when no one was around just to avoid her shame and guilt and to avoid the ridicule of others. Jesus saw a daughter of God in misery and sorrow. And there is no way he could have ignored her. Imagine for a second the deep pain of this woman who has had five failed marriages and the sixth man in her life was not even her husband. When Jesus saw her, he saw a deficient woman, a sorrowful and a miserable child of God. The Lord saw her loneliness and loneness. Jesus saw a woman who has been messed up by men, used and abused by men. By the time she met Jesus at the well, six men had already debased her and broken her heart and spirit. And the biblical symbolism of six is deficiency, lack, and imperfection. Jesus was the Seventh man. Biblically, seven symbolizes perfection, finality, sufficiency, and fulfillment. Jesus, the Seventh man was all she needed to experience a new life, a new dawn, a new era, and a new history.

Dearest beloved, by talking to this woman Jesus attacked two Jewish laws. He broke the law that forbade any Jewish man from talking to a woman without being in the company of others; he broke the Jewish law that forbade any Jewish person from interacting with a Gentile. Jesus even broke the law further by going into a Gentile town, taking up residence with them for two whole days. He ate their food, drank their water, slept in their homes, mingled together with them in their community. He preached to them, and offered them salvation which the Jews claimed to be exclusively theirs. He also forgave their sins which the Jews view as a blasphemy for they do not believe in the divinity of Jesus, and it’s only God that can forgive sins.

Jesus broke those laws in order to accomplish a higher good. He refused to obey any discriminatory and racial law that looked down on others for not belonging to the so called superior race. He also rubbished the gender law that disfavors women. By doing that, the Lord demonstrates that all human being- male and female are equal. He demonstrates that though we are different- different racial background, different language, different skin color, different language etc, we are still one human family, God’s family, God’s children, created in the image and likeness of God. By upholding her dignity as a woman, Jesus upholds the dignity of all women.

Today, Jesus continues his assault on human laws that make no sense. Today, he gave sight to a man born blind on a Sabbath day. Just because he did not let a child of God to suffer longer, the Pharisees concluded that he is not from God. They said he is not from God because he did a good act on a Sabbath day. May be the Sabbath day is a day of doing nothing, or a day of doing evil. Just because Jesus demonstrated God’s love to a needy man who has never seen the face of his father and mother, never seen how he looks like, never seen how the world looks like, and never appreciated beauty, the Pharisees instantly condemned Jesus and tagged him a renegade. For goodness sake, this blind man was born blind. He has never seen the light of the day. But he is a child of God. And when God remembers him, and decides to take away his suffering, those around complained. They became jealous.

This is what happens in our community, in our society, and even in our families. When God remembers you, when God decides to promote you to a whole new level, those around will start complaining, some would become jealous. But they wouldn’t remember the many years you were suffering, the many years you had part time jobs, and sometimes had to work three jobs just to make a living. But when God remembers you, and gives you a well-paid job, haters of progress will start complaining. They will start wagging their tongues and accusing you of all sorts of things. “He is sinner; she is a sinner and therefore cannot possibly be blessed by God.”

The story of the man born blind in John’s gospel is long and detailed. It is a story of blindness. In this story, the blind is not really the blind man but the Pharisees who were blind to see that what happened to the man born blind is God’s demonstration of his love and the establishment of his kingdom on earth. The disciples on their part demonstrated a lack of knowledge and insight to the whyness of human suffering. For the Jewish people of Jesus’ time, any form of human suffering is as a result of sin. Poverty, sickness, leprosy, blindness and other human calamites are consequences of sin. If you experience any suffering, it means you have sinned. Remember Job! His friends accused him of wrongdoing, hence the loss of everything he had enjoyed.

So when Jesus and his disciples saw the man born blind, the disciples asked Jesus whose fault it is –the man or his parents that he was born blind. Since suffering is the payment for wrongdoing, this man or his parents must have sinned for him to be born blind. Is this not how we view people’s sufferings sometimes? If someone is poor, we conclude he or she must have been lazy. If someone is in a perpetual state of material and financial brokenness, it must be his or her fault. If a man has lost his job, he is the cause. If a woman has not experienced the joy of motherhood, we conclude she committed several abortions when she was single, and now God is punishing her. We easily generalize and conclude that childlessness is due to the immorality and many abortions undertaken by the childless woman. Some even call her a witch! When there is earthquake or a tsunami, we say, God is punishing them for their sinfulness and recklessness. Every human tragedy is hastily seen as God’s punishment on the one who is suffering.

But Jesus gives us a different perspective of looking at human suffering. The Lord tells us that human suffering is not always caused by human faults and wrongdoing. Those who suffer are not always being punished by God. Like the case of the man born blind, suffering makes it possible for the works of God to be made visible. Jesus tells us that neither the man nor his parents had sinned. The Lord tells us, “It’s nobody’s fault. God didn’t make this man blind as a punishment. Rather, this blind man has come to us so that we can be made to see.” His blindness would lead to the opening of our eyes. The blindness of ignorance would be removed so we can see that not all who suffer are being punished.

The Pharisees prefer to see the blind man remain blind. But by coming to the aid of the blind man, the Lord opens our eyes and teaches us what we should do when confronted by human suffering. Although suffering can be redemptive; although suffering can bring about the manifestation of the glory of God, but the glory of God can only be manifested when we like Jesus decide to act. After the Lord had said, “Neither he nor his parents sinned, it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” he went ahead to open his eyes and thereafter alleviated his pain and suffering.

In his Apostolic Letter titled, “On Human Suffering”, Pope John Paul II used the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach us what we should do when confronted by suffering. The Holy Father argues that even though suffering can bring about healing and salvation through suffering, we should not fold our arms or become passive in suffering. We must do all we can to reduce suffering which is in keeping with the mission of Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. The Gospel, Pope John Paul II stresses, is “the negation of passivity in the face of suffering. Christ himself is especially active in this field” when he went about doing good, healing and curing all those who were sick. The world of human suffering calls unceasingly another world, the world of human love.

For John Paul II, “We are not allowed to ‘pass by on the other side’ indifferently; we must ‘stop’ beside the sufferer. Our common origin, the relationship we share must compel us to stop beside those who suffer. Our common humanity must drive us to stop by the side of the one who mostly needs our help, just what the Good Samaritan did. Anyone who stops besides the suffering of another person, whatever form it may take, avers the Pope, is a Good Samaritan. The stop beside the sufferer, explains John Paul II is not for curiosity sake but to be available. It must be a ‘stop’ out of compassion. It must be a profound compassion strong enough to inspire action of bringing help and relief to the sufferer. It is not enough to feel pity and sorry for those who suffer. The pity must drive us into action.

When Jesus saw the man born blind, he did not simply feel sorry for him. He did not tell him, “Oh Sorry! Today is Sabbath, I cannot do anything today. I will attend to you another time.” The Lord disregards a blind observance of the law in order to regard a child of God as a child of God. What is obedience of the law compared to the life of a human being? What is Sabbath compared to the life of God’s child?

Sister and brothers, we are the hands of Jesus reaching out to the entire world today. In the gospel of John 9:5, Jesus says, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” But in the gospel of Matthew 5:14, Jesus declares of us, “You are the light of the world.” This means we are the light of Christ bringing light to those in darkness, bringing sight to those who are blind, blind from seeing the truth. St. Paul in Colossians 1:27 tells us that the Christ in us is the hope of glory. The Christ in us has given us the ability to reach out on his behalf, in his name to the world. Therefore WE ARE THE ARMS OF JESUS!