Make it your turning point!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily on the Feast of the Pentecost 

St. Gerard Majella Church

May 27, 2012

Beloved in Christ, today we celebrate the feast of the Pentecost. Today, we celebrate the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise in John 14:18: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” On the eve of his Passion, Jesus promised to send the Advocate, the Counsellor, the Helper and the Teacher who will stay with us until the end of time. When he comes, the Lord assured us, he will help us remember and understand all that he had taught us: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth” (John 16:12-13). Today, we celebrate the profound action of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and on the Church. 

Having received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and the Son, the once confused and fearful Apostles, fearful of the Jewish leaders, fearful of the killers of Jesus, confused of what next to do after the “exit” of Jesus suddenly experienced something extraordinary. Having received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles could not stay in hiding anymore. With the power of the Holy Spirit, they broke out from the spirit of fear and timidity. With the power of the Holy Spirit, all doubts, all hesitations and all uncertainties disappeared. From the hiding place of the Upper Room, they made their exit to the streets of Jerusalem, preaching that Jesus is Lord. With the power of the Holy Spirit the Apostles were able to speak in different languages. With the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, they were able to speak in new language- the language of love. People who speak different languages may not be able to understand themselves; but they will certainly understand the language of love. When the language of love is spoken, everybody understands it. With the language of love, the Apostles tell powerfully the mighty deeds of God. With the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the Apostles, all fears disappeared; all emotions of timidity vanished; all confusion and hesitation vamoosed. In 2 Timothy1:7, St. Paul says, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity but that of power, love and self-control. And in Romans 8:15, he also says, “We did not receive a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of sonship that enables us to cry out, Abba, Father.’”

Dearest beloved, as Christians, we have all been given the Holy Spirit. As people born anew, baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we have been given the Holy Spirit. As the people of God, confirmed and commissioned as soldiers of Christ through the sacrament of Confirmation, we have been given the fullness of the Spirit and sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If this Spirit is not active in our lives, if we are not manifesting the gifts of the Holy Spirit, if we are not bringing people to Jesus through words and good deeds, if we are not walking in the Spirit, if we are not courageous to undertake the mission of Christ, if we are not able to say clear and loud “Jesus is Lord!” and mean it, if we are not firebrand members of the Church, if we are not renewed inwardly and outwardly, if the hope of an everlasting peace and joy in heaven does not keep us steady in our Christian journey, if we are not filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control, then it is possible we have grieved the Holy Spirit. St. Paul in Ephesians 4:30 warns, “Do not grieve (do not offend, vex or sadden) the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption.” How do we grieve the Holy Spirit? We do so by living a sinful life; living a double-standard life, living as if God is not there and does not matter. We grieve the Holy Spirit by being hateful, by being bitter and angry, by being restless because of the cares of the world, by being impatient, by being unkind and mean, by being immoral/sinful/vicious, by being proud and by being “other-control.” Other-control means that one is not in charge of himself/herself, something else- drink, food, bad habits are in control. The person is controlled by things other than God.  

But today can be the turning point! Today can be the turning point of waking up from our spiritual slumber. Today can be the turning point of living in the Spirit. Today, we can resolve to reawaken the Giant in us. Today can be the turning point in our life as Christians. Today can be the turning point of breaking away from those shackles that hinder us from growing in our faith. Today can be the turning point if we stir the cup of salvation filled with the water of life so as to taste the sweetness of the Spirit of God. If you drop a cube of sugar in a glass cup of water without stirring it with a spoon, you are likely not going to feel the taste of the sugar. We are the cup, the water is the life given to us by God. The sugar is the Holy Spirit deposited in us at our baptism and confirmation. We need to wake up the Giant. In 2 Timothy 1:6, St. Paul says, “ ... I remind you to fan into flame the gifts of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands.” If the flame of fire of the Holy Spirit is dimming, fan it. If the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not being manifested in you, fan and fan into flame those gifts. St. Paul knew the consequence of walking in the flesh. When the blazing fire of the Christians in Galatia started dwindling, St. Paul wrote: “O you foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?... Are you so foolish that after beginning in the Spirit, you are trying to end up in the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1,3)

Sisters and brothers, as we sing and pray, “Lord, send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth,” let us submit to the promptings of the Spirit. Today, let us ask the Love of the Father and Son to transform us once again. Let us ask him to make today the turning point in our lives. Let us ask him to come into our lives, change us, mold us into the image of Jesus and take away from us what does not give glory to God. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to do something new in our lives. Remember 2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us, “The Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Where he is, there is righteousness, peace, and joy.

Happy Pentecost!

Fr. Marcel’s Bulletin Message On The Solemnity Of The Ascension Of The Lord, Year B

St. Gerard Majella Parish

Baton Rouge, LA, USA

May 20, 2012

Beloved in Christ Jesus, today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. As we celebrate the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, three points may be considered. Number one: Jesus is going up to heaven, but not exactly as he came. From heaven he came as the Son of God, now he goes up as the Son of God and also the Son of Mary. He came from heaven as the only Son of God, but now returns as our Brother and Redeemer. In one sense, he is the only begotten Son of God, but in another sense, he is not the only begotten of the Father, for through his own suffering and death, he has ransomed and begotten each of us as sons and daughters of God. Through his redemption, we all have become God’s adopted sons and daughters. We have become brothers and sisters of the Lord. Number two: Jesus goes up to heaven without really leaving us. He stays with us as the Risen Lord. Although he is not physically present with us, he is spiritually present in and among us. He is present in the Holy Spirit whom he sent to us, for it is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. He also continues to be with us supremely in the Eucharist, in common and private prayer, in our neighbor, in the poor, and in those who evangelize for the Lord. In Matthew 21:20, Jesus promises us, “And behold, I am with you always until the end of time.” 

The Ascension of the Lord is not really a change of place for Jesus. We must avoid the danger of boxing Jesus into heaven, away from us. After all, heaven is living in God’s presence, a presence which begins here and now with the grace of the Lord and then culminates in the glory of heaven. Jesus knew this all too well, and that’s why in John 17:3 he defines eternal life (that is the glory of heaven) like this: “And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ who sent.”

The third point to consider as we celebrate the Lord’s Ascension is that his Ascension into heaven reminds us of the destiny of his followers. A Christian is a pilgrim. We are on a journey, and when someone begins a journey, he or she wants to get to the destination. The hope of the Christian pilgrim is the destination of heaven. 

Writings about heaven do not get press coverage. You can hardly read an article on heaven in the New York Times Magazine. Even in the Church, homilies or sermons on heaven are seldom preached about. Some people argue that we know little or nothing about heaven. Theologians continue to argue whether heaven is a place or a state. Heaven, most conclude, is a mystery. Because no one has come from heaven to earth to tell us what it looks like, we shy away from talking about it. Even when the rich man in hell wanted Father Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers on earth to warn them to change their lifestyles or else they would end in hell, his request was immediately turned down. What is in heaven is not adequately known. Some people have asked me questions like, “How is heaven like?” “I hope there will be food in it?” “What are we going to be doing in heaven?” “I hope heaven is not going to be a boring place?” I read about the story of a doctor and his terminally ill patient, who was very scared of dying. Out of fear of death, the patient asked his doctor: “What is there in heaven?” The doctor answered: “I don’t know.” In amazement, the patient said: “You do not know? But you are a devout Catholic and you attend Mass daily, yet you don’t know what is there in heaven?” At that time, a loud noise was produced by someone trying to force the clinic door open. It was a big dog, the doctor’s dog. Entering the clinic, the dog runs, jumps, and kisses the doctor. The entrance of the dog provided a teaching opportunity for the doctor. The doctor said to his patient, “Did you see my dog? He did not know what was in this room, but he knew that someone, his master, was here, and that was enough for him. I do not know what is in heaven, but I know one thing: God my Father is there, Jesus my Redeemer is there, and that is enough for me.”

Some theologians tell us that heaven is a place, while others argue it is a state. While we wait on them to figure out whether heaven is a state or a place, I can categorically, emphatically, and certainly tell you that heaven is the reward of righteousness. Heaven is the reward of compassion. It is the reward of love-love of God and love of neighbor. Heaven is the reward of holiness and purity. Heaven is the reward of uprightness. It is the reward of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, welcoming the strangers, visiting the sick, the shut-in in and the imprisoned for the sake of Jesus. Heaven is the reward of forgiveness and tolerance. It is the reward of not getting tired of doing what is good. It is the reward of working for justice and peace for the sake of Jesus, the Prince of peace. Heaven is the reward of prayer, which is talking to God. It is the reward of looking up to God and touching God through prayer. Heaven is the reward of simplicity and humility. Heaven is the reward of not giving up on God even in the face of unspeakable suffering and hardship. Heaven is the reward of keeping the Lord's commandments. Heaven is the reward of working for God wholeheartedly with no regrets. Heaven is the reward of joy drawn from a profound relationship with God. Heaven is the reward of obedience- God's centered obedience. Heaven is the reward of being a faithful witness of God. It is the reward of not clinging too much to the things of this world. Heaven is the reward of depending and relying on God. Heaven is the reward of following Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Heaven is the reward of honest living devoid of hypocrisy. Heaven is the reward of saying yes to God daily. Heaven is the reward of looking heavenward daily. It is the reward for those who spend their earthly life storing up treasures in heaven.  

Heaven is our goal and our target! Over there, our tears will be wiped away. Over there, all our limitations will be gone. Over there, we will see Jesus, our Brother and Redeemer. Over there, we will see our loving Father. Over there, we will see the Holy Ghost, our Comforter. Over there, we will see our awesome Mother Mary. Over there, we will be in their company and in the company of all the saints and angels. Over there, we will not hunger anymore; we will not be sick anymore. Over there, there will be no more trouble again. Over there, all people of different races, nations, and tongues will be united in one big family. Over there, our song is not going to be composed by Jay-zee, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Tupac, Mariah Carey, the Backstreet Boys, Bob Marley, Boyz II Men, Bryan Adams, Tu Face, P Square, Cyndi Lauper, etc., but by the Angels.  

Do you wanna go? Join me as we walk over there with the steps of love! 

The Lord’s Chosen are chosen for joy, love and friendship

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B

St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

May 13, 2012

Today’s Gospel message flows from what Jesus said in last Sunday’s Gospel: “I am the vine and you are the branches.” The vine and the branches have a deep relationship of togetherness and love. The branches depend on the vine tree for life; and the vine relies on the branches to issue out its fruits. A tree usually bears fruits through its branches. Those who are called by the name of Jesus Christ, those who have faith in him, those who believe in, those who have surrendered to his lordship are the branches of the true vine. To them Jesus says: “I no longer call you slaves because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” 

Sisters and brothers, we are not slaves, not even to our Lord and master. We are rather friends of Jesus. You know, slaves do not have to love their masters. In fact, slaves hardly love their masters. Slaves do not sit on the same table with their masters, eat and dine with them. The master does not die for his slaves. If anything, he would sacrifice the lives of his slaves just to keep his. Slaves live in squalor while their masters live in affluence and pleasure. We are friends of Jesus. He did not only tell us everything he heard from the Father, he even died for us. Like I said before, love does not have to exist between a master and his slaves; but between friends, there is love and intimacy. Between friends, there is a desire to please each other. Between friends, there is a yearning to make sacrifices for each other. Between friends, there is obedient love. Between a master and his slave, there is just blind obedience, obedience generated not by love but by fear. Jesus calls us friends because he does not want us to be scared of him but to love him. And let’s remember that he first loved us. In the beginning of the Gospel of today, he says, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.”  To highlight the fact that he was the first to love us, he said, “It was not you who chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain (last)...” 

Yes, Jesus chose us first. He chose us because we need him and he needs us as well. We need him to survive. And guess what? We are chosen by the Lord for joy. No matter how hard the Christian way is, it is still the way of joy, happiness and peace. There is a great joy in serving the good God. There is joy in doing what is right, that is why St. Paul says in Galatians 6:9, “Do not be tired of doing what is god, for in due time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up.” A Christian is a person of joy, joy rooted in the Son of God who died to set us free. It is a joy generated by faith in a good and awesome God. A sad or gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms. A Christian is a possessor and a spreader of good news. Good news is good news. It brings joy; it makes happy and causes delight. So, when a Christian is not joyful, then something is wrong. A sad and gloomy Christian is loudly saying one thing: I am not saved, and I do not have the joy of salvation. When King David indulged in adultery and repented, part of his prayers was “Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your Holy Spirit” (Psalm 51:12). One clear thing that salvation brings to a believer in Christ is joy. St. Paul knew this too well that’s why in his letter to the Philippians 4:4, he declares: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.” A Christian is a person of joy and delight because she understands that though a sinner but she is a redeemed sinner, and it is this realization that causes her  to be joyful. That makes her rejoice in the Lord at all times. 

We are also chosen by Jesus for love. In the Gospel of today, the Lord says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” We have been sent into the world to love one another and to love the other. Love is our Christian identity. Love is our habit. Love defines us and defines our relationship with Jesus. We were created in love and chosen for love. Love brings life in the society. It enthrones the reign of God in our society. It makes the whole creation new. Love can remove crimes, violence and reduce human suffering. It lightens both our burden and that of others. In today’s world of violence and hate, we are called once again to love just as Jesus loves us. There should be no discrimination in love. God is love and any person who loves is godly. “Sometimes we live as if we were chosen and sent into the world to compete with one another, or to dispute with one another, or to quarrel with one another.” But Jesus tells us today that we are chosen primarily for love. And we are to teach others, by our life of love how to love with no strings attached. Remember, no matter how much we love, we can never love like Jesus. In fact he says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down his life for his friends.” But that’s what Jesus did. Jesus never gave a commandment that he himself did not keep. Whatever he has asked us to do, he has already done himself. 

Beloved in Christ, we are also chosen to be the friends of Jesus. Jesus says he is not going to call us slaves but friends. And he says we are his friends if we keep his commandments. So, what makes us the friends of Jesus is not just the verbal expression of “I am a friend of God” rather the keeping of his commandments. Since the one who created and owns us is not calling us slaves, no one should be called slaves either. We are all God’s children; we are all friends of Jesus. In Galatians 3:28, St. Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

You know, being a slave of God was a title of honor. It was nothing to be ashamed of from the beginning. Moses, Joshua, David etc were known as slaves of God. Even St. Paul thought that being called a slave of God was a huge honor. Men and women of God in the past were proud to be called slaves of God. But Jesus tells us he has something greater to call us, “You are no longer slaves but friends.” With this, Jesus offers us the greatest intimacy with God. He chose us to be his friends. This means we no longer have to look at God from a distance. We are not like slaves who have no right to enter into the presence of their master. We are not spectators or a crowd of people who only look at men and women of authority from a distance. Jesus, our Lord and Brother has given us the permit to enter freely into the presence of the King of kings without any harassment from the secret service. “In him we live and move and have our being.” We are no longer strangers or aliens but intimate friends of God. Glory be to God! 

Bearing good fruits in Christ

Bearing good fruits in Christ

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B

St. Gerard Majella Church

May 6, 2012

In last Sunday’s gospel reading taken from John 10:11-18, Jesus says of himself, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In today’s gospel which is taken from John 15:1-8, Jesus declares, “I am the true vine...” Our Lord is the Good Shepherd who cares and loves the sheep so much to the point of offering his very life for the sheep. And if we want him to be our Shepherd, then we must remain a sheep, for a wolf has no shepherd. Jesus is also the true vine, and his Father, our Father is the vine grower. And we his disciples are the branches. The branches cannot bear fruits unless they remain part of the vine tree. The vine tree, its branches, and the grower of the vine have a relationship of love. The branches need the vine tree to survive, the vine and its branches need the grower to look after them. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus was constantly in touch with his Father through prayer. On earth, he was not doing his own thing but the will of his Father. His Father’s will was his own will. His Father’s wish was his command. His Father’s will was his food. The relationship between him and his Father was so close and so deep that he declared, “Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father” (John 14: 9). Jesus’ relationship with his Father is never questionable. The Father’s love for the Son is not in doubt. In Matthew 3:17, the Father says, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” Even Jesus testified of his Father’s love for him in John 10:17, “My Father loves me because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.”

What is questionable sometimes is our love and relationship with Jesus. Jesus says he is the true vine and we are the branches. Therefore, for us to bear good and lasting fruits, we must remain in the vine- Jesus: “Whoever remains in me, and I in him will bear much fruit because without me you can do nothing.” The image of electricity and the bulb will help us understand more what our Lord is saying. Just as electricity provides the power necessary for the bulb to burn, so the vine provides the life necessary for the branches to produce fruits. A house cannot have light unless it is connected to the very source of electricity. We cannot have the virtuous fruits of the Spirit unless we are connected to Jesus the true vine. As long as we are connected to Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit can run into us keeping us alive and thriving. But if we dismember ourselves from Jesus, we will not be able to produce life-sustaining and life-giving fruits. This could lead to spiritual dormancy and inactivity. In the end, it can lead to loss of faith; it can lead to loss of the sense of the sacred  and the loss of the sense of God. Catholics who do not produce fruits expected of the children of the resurrection are a threat to Christianity; they can harm the Body of Christ and expose our faith to ridicule. Their action can make more converts for atheism than atheists are able to do. What are the fruits expected of a Christian? Galatians 5:22 says, “The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” 

To bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we must remain in Christ Jesus. We must renew our relationship with him on a daily basis through prayer. The secret to the faithfulness of Jesus was his constant contact with his Father. Over and over again, he would withdraw into a lonely place to pray. For us to be able to keep and maintain constant contact with Jesus, we must pray and attend Masses. At Mass we  encounter Jesus both in the Word and in the Eucharist. Prayer doesn’t have to be about asking. Asking for one favor or the other is just one aspect of prayer. Prayer is being in the presence of God. It involves making out time to be silent and to acknowledge the presence of God. We must make out time to turn off the TV, radio, the phones, the computer and just think about God. For those of us who find it very difficult to concentrate, to meditate and to pray, let me suggest a practice that can help. Place two chairs (seats) facing each other. Sit on one, then invite Jesus to sit on the other. Believe in your heart that he is sitting on the other. Close your eyes and then talk to him. If you have nothing to say to him, still shut your eyes and remain silent for a while. If you want to talk to him but don’t know what to say, you can say repeatedly, “Jesus, I love you” or “Jesus, I need you” or  something else. Remember the injunction of St. Paul, “Walk by faith and not by sight.”

A good disciple of Jesus Christ makes out time for the Lord. He/she understands that prayer is touching God. Prayer is the oil of the Christian life. If there is no oil in a running car, it is only a matter of time before there is a mechanical meltdown. In the same way, when a Christian goes on without prayer, without connecting with Christ, it is only a matter of time before he or she suffers spiritual meltdown. With constant contact with Jesus through prayer, studying and meditating on the Word of God (Bible), and attending Masses regularly, the Christian enriches his or her life, and his or her contact with the Lord enables him or her to be a fruitful branch. In the end, he or she radiates the glory of God. His or her life makes others want to serve the God that makes him or her the way he or she is. The life of a fruitful child of God gives glory to God. Such a life demonstrates the goodness of God; it bears testimony to the good God. Our greatest achievement is that by remaining in Christ and producing good fruits we bring glory to our God who is good at all times. 

  

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

St. Gerard Majella Church 

Baton Rouge, LA

April 29, 2012

Today is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a day that we all are called to pray and to reflect on the meaning of God’s call especially that to the priesthood and the religious life. It’s the Good Shepherd Sunday. And in today’s gospel taken from John 10:11-18, Jesus made a distinction between a good shepherd and a hired one. Shepherds were primarily called to care, to serve and to protect the sheep. They were absolutely responsible for the sheep. If anything bad happens to the sheep, the shepherd in-charge of the flock must produce some kind of proof showing it was not his fault. There were two kinds of shepherds: the hired one and the shepherd-owner. The hired shepherd saw keeping the sheep as just a job. He moved from one flock to another depending on the condition of pay and service. Because he was a hired hand, he would not risk his life for the sheep. He cared less for the sheep. Seeing a wolf, a lion or a human intruder coming, he would abandon the sheep and flee leaving the sheep at the mercy of the invader. Jesus is not such a shepherd!

On the other hand, there was the shepherd-owner. He is the good shepherd. It is a natural thing for him to risk his life in the defense of his flock. The sight of a wolf, a lion or a human intruder never scared him. He would fight to save his flock.  The sheep had good care because the faithful shepherd had personal interest in their wellbeing. He saw that they find plenty to eat and drink because he was personally attached to them. As a  good and faithful shepherd, he fed the sheep, but a bad one fed on the sheep. 

The good shepherd-owner had a good knowledge of the sheep. He knew each of them. He can identify his own sheep no matter where they were. He can narrate personal story of each of his sheep. He knew each of their strengths and each of their weaknesses. He knew their mood. He knew the meaning of the sounds they made. The good shepherd knew what the sheep wanted and when they wanted it. During the day of grazing, his flock of sheep can mix and mingle with other sheep, but as the sun set, the good shepherd was able to identify one after another, all his sheep and led them home to safety. When he had led them to the sheep-pen, he would not go home. Instead, he made his bed across the entrance of the sheep-pen. That means, no intruder will be able to enter the sheep-pen without passing through him. In today’s gospel, Jesus says he is that Shepherd. 

In today’s gospel, Jesus says of himself: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” As for someone who is hired, who is not a faithful shepherd, Jesus says he “sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters the them.” You may be wondering, “Why would he do that?” The Lord answers “because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.” He has no interest in the flock of the sheep. He just wants to work and make some money. But Jesus does not work for money. He works for love. He loves his own so much that he laid down his life for them. He suffered and died to set us free. Everything he did and accomplished, he did and accomplished for us.  

Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd. Now in Greek, there are two words for good. There is agathos which simply describes the moral quality of a thing; there is kalos which means that in the goodness of a thing, there is a quality of winsomeness, attractiveness and loveliness. When Jesus is described as the Good Shepherd, the word is kalos. Jesus is more than efficiency, he is also lovely and attractive. In him, there is not only efficiency and fidelity but also loveliness. Most times, when people describe a doctor as a good doctor, they are not only describing the doctor’s efficiency and skill as a physician but also the sense of sympathy and kindness and the graciousness he/she brings which distinguishes him or her from other doctors. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who attracts people not just by the efficiency of his work, but by his love and compassion.  

Dearest beloved, the good news is that we have a Good Shepherd. We are not alone! We cannot walk alone! We have a lover that stands beside us daily. We are not like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. We have someone who has laid down his life for us and is ready to do it again and again. He cares for us so much. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your burdens on him because he cares for you.” He will not let devourers devour us. He’s with us in every step of the way. When the tempter calls us, he says to us, “Do not be afraid for I have conquered the world.”  

Because He Lives...

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

St. Gerard Majella Church

Easter Vigil Homily

April 7, 2012

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 also 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 tells us he triumphantly came back.

“It is finished” was not a cry of being finished. When Jesus declared it, he did not mean: “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.” It was rather a victorious declaration first to his Father, and secondly to us. Addressed to his Father it means: the work you gave me to do is accomplished. The mission 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 can 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” 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 is reserved. Nothing is kept away from you. Everything- my life, my Body and my Father has been given to you. 

“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” 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, St. Alfonsus Maria Liguori 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!

Few Hours Away

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for Holy Thursday

St. Gerard Majella Church

April 5, 2012

Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God. He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1: 29). The gospel of Matthew says that Jesus began his mission of preaching the good news by touring all of Galilee: “Jesus toured all of Galilee. He taught in their synagogues, proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, and cured the people of every disease and illness” (Matthew 4: 23). To make sure his message was well spread, Matthew tells us that “Jesus continued his tour of all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues, he proclaimed the good news of God’s reign, he cured every sickness and disease” (Matthew 9: 35). Jesus did not only make himself available, he toured all the towns and villages teaching, proclaiming, feeding and healing people. Acts 10: 38 says that Jesus went about doing good, healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him. He opened the eyes of the blind, he cleansed the leper; he raised the dead; he fed thousands who came to listen to him; he was all things to all people. He gave hope to the hopeless; life to the lifeless. He restored the woman caught in the act of adultery and forgave the prodigal son. Jesus gave his entire life for the life of others.

But brethren, few hours away, the one that cured and healed many sicknesses will be rejected all. Few hours away, the one that proclaimed the most beautiful message “God is love” will be denied love. Few hours away, the hands that blessed everyone will be nailed to the cross. Few hours away, the feet that went about bringing healing, relief, restoration, joy, hope and love will be bound to the stake. The mouth that spoke the most beautiful message “God is love, God loves you” will cry and scream of abandonment. Few hours away the one whose only passion for us is love will experience the passion of hate. Few hours away, the Good Shepherd will be attacked by wolves. Few hours away, the enemies of good, will attempt to block the Way to eternal happiness. Few hours away, the Truth will be rejected. Few hours away the One who is Life and life-giving will breathe his last. Few hours away, men and women will choose darkness rather than the Light. Few hours away, wickedness and injustice will be unleashed on the Just One. Few hours away, the friend of the poor will be crucified. Remember he is the Poor One who stands in solidarity with all the poor in the world. Few hours away, He will be cursed and treated as a common criminal. Evil will appear to have conquered him. Few hours away, the Soul of life will be killed. Few hours away, darkness will seize our world; Satan will go on rampage; darkness will appear to have overcome the light. Jesus will appear to have been overwhelmed by pains. Few hours away, Jesus our Savior will experience the greatest rejection by the same people he toiled and sweated for. Few hours away the same people that cheered “Hosanna in the highest” few days ago will turn around to jeer “Crucify him!”

But Jesus was not taken by surprise. He was not unaware of what awaits him. He was well aware that he was about to be betrayed. You may think that such knowledge would have easily turned him to bitterness and hatred. But it made his heart run out in greater love than ever. The most surprising thing is that the more they hurt him, the more Jesus loved them. It is very easy and sometimes so natural to resent betrayal and to grow bitter under insult and injury; but Jesus met the greatest injury and the greatest rejection and hatred with the greatest humility and profound love.

The Lord knew what awaits him. But before that, he demonstrated the most profound example of humility, love and service. He washed the feet of his disciples. 

Life in Palestine in the time of Jesus was hard. The roads were dusty. In dry weather they were inches deep in dust and in wet they were liquid mud. The popular means of transport was your feet. The shoes ordinary people wore were sandals. They had little protection against the dust or the mud of the road. People walked long distances on rough, dusty and muddy roads to go from Galilee to Jerusalem, for example. Travelers often arrived their destinations with sore and aching feet. As a sign of hospitality, the host would see to it that his guests were given a warm foot bath and massage as a way of relieving their aches and pains. This was usually done by the house servants or slaves.

Few hours away before Jesus was crucified, he did something that none of his disciples, that none of us was prepared to do. The Master and Lord became the slave and the servant. He washed the feet of his disciples. In our worldly way of thinking, a student does not deserve more honor than the teacher; and a servant does not deserve more honor than the master. A common man in America does not deserve more honor than President Obama. A common man in Nigeria does not deserve more honor than President Jonathan Goodluck. But Jesus washed the feet of his disciples showing them and showing us how we must behave towards each other.

This should make us think. Our society is full of people who are standing on what they have- money, power, influence, educational degrees, connections, associations etc when they ought to be kneeling at the feet of their brothers and sisters. By standing on our money, power, influence, academic qualifications, and associations we let all that define us. We begin to place ourselves in a different level. We end up belittling our brothers and sisters who do not have what we have. But when we are tempted to stand on your money, prestige etc, let us imagine again the picture of Jesus, tied around him a towel, kneeling at the feet of his disciples washing their feet.

We are truly great if we have the humility of service, the humility to serve others. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Anybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” And in Matthew 23: 11, Jesus says “The greatest among you must be your servant.”