You Are the One God is Looking For!

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, February 07, 2016

On a few occasions, I have said that one of the “lies” ever told on my behalf was told on the day I was ordained to the priesthood. In every Roman Catholic ordination, the candidates for ordination to the priesthood are called one after another and presented to the ordaining prelate, the Bishop. When each candidate is called by name, he answers “present” and then goes to the Bishop, and makes a sign of reverence, like a gentle bow. At the end of this exercise, the priest who made the presentation says to the Bishop: “Most Reverend Father, the holy mother Church asks you to ordain these men, our brothers, to the order of presbyterate.” After that, the Bishop asks, “Have you found them worthy?” The priest responds, “After inquiry among the people of God and upon recommendation of those concerned with their training, I testify that they have been found worthy.” Immediately, my Superior said those words, I started shedding tears, because it just dawned on me in a very powerful way, that I was not worthy. I wondered what God saw in me that he gave me the privilege to share in the priesthood of Christ. I wondered why my shortcomings and weaknesses did not lead to my expulsion. Those who saw tears in my eyes thought it was tears of joy. But it was essentially tears of gratitude to God who knew how unworthy I was, yet, in his goodness and mercy, still called and invited me to serve him and his people. 

The first reading taken from Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 and the Gospel, taken from Luke 5: 1-11, are stories of two individuals who were called and who were painfully aware of their sinfulness and unworthiness. Isaiah and Simon Peter were overwhelmed and almost speechless to be in the presence of the divine power who was calling them. When Isaiah encountered the Lord, he exclaimed, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). When Simon Peter realized he was standing next to a great prophet, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said to him, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). While Isaiah’s encounter with God looks like an event that happened in a trance, Peter’s encounter with God took place on a seashore. 

Simon Peter and his colleagues had worked hard all night fishing but caught nothing. By morning, they were getting ready to go home in disappointment. After paddling their boats to the bank of the Lake Gennesaret, they started washing their nets, boats and themselves in preparation to go home. Then, a stranger, Jesus, showed up! Uninvited, he got into Peter’s boat. As if that was not enough, he asked Peter to push the boat a little bit from the shore. Surprisingly, Peter obeyed his order. Jesus sat down and started teaching the crowds who had come to listen to him. At the end of his evangelical outreach, he rewarded Peter for his patience and kindness: “Put out your net into the deep water and lower it for a catch” (Luke 5:4), he said to him. In his response Peter said to him, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets” (Luke 5:5). That’s a huge statement of faith and trust in the words of Jesus. It’s a sharp transition and movement from sight to faith. It’s an immediate departure from empirical fact and evidence to profound faith. It’s a quick switch from what is seen to what is yet to be seen. By acting on the words of Jesus, Simon Peter and his colleagues caught a great number of fish that they had to summon others to come help them out. When Peter saw the miracle that had just happened, he realized that Jesus was a Prophet and a Man of God. Like many of us, he concluded he should not, in any way, be close to him. So, falling to his knees, he respectfully pleaded with him to leave. But instead of departing from Simon Peter, Jesus offered him an invitation to join him in fishing-out follow sinners: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). With those words, Jesus changed everything for Peter. He changed his profession, his life and destiny.

The expression “I am unworthy” or “I am a sinner,” has been used by some of us as our reason for not getting involved in any of the ministries of the church. Some once practicing and vibrant Catholics have become cold or stayed away from the Church for the same reason. But after listening to today’s Gospel, that can no longer be an adequate and cogent reason to give. If you consider yourself unworthy to join any ministry in the church, then you are the one that Jesus is really looking for. If your marriage has collapsed or is faltering, and you are blaming yourself for it, my message to you today is this: You are the one that Jesus is looking for. You procured abortion in the past, and the guilt is hurting and hunting you. You are the one he is looking for. Your son or daughter did not turn out alright, and you are blaming yourself for it. You are the one Jesus is looking for. Are you trapped in any habitual sin? You are the one he is looking for. If you are struggling spiritually and morally, then you are the one he is looking for. If there is anyone in your family that considers himself or herself not worthy to come to God, not worthy to come to church, please tell them that they are the one that the Lord is looking for. If you are struggling in your faith, then you are the one he is looking for. Do you consider yourself unworthy in any way, form or shape, you are the one he is looking for. The Lord is looking for sinners, not for the purpose of validating their sin, but for the purpose of offering them grace, mercy, healing, strength, and encouragement. He is looking for the lost in order to find them and lead them to safety. He is looking for the weak so that through them he can manifest his power. He is looking for the wounded in order to heal them. Jesus did not come for the healthy. He came for the sick. He did not come for the righteous. He came for sinners. He did not come for those who have got their lives together. He came for those with disordered and dysfunctional lives. Isaiah considered himself a sinner, he was still chosen. His unclean lips were touched, his wickedness was removed and his sin purged. Simon Peter considered himself a sinner, and even asked Jesus to depart from him. Jesus still invited him to follow him. In the end, he became a great apostle. He accomplished great things for the Lord. Do not let your unworthiness, your sin and your weakness to be the reason to stay away from God and the Church. In the Gospel of Luke 19:10, Jesus says that “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” Don’t hide or run away from him! He came for you! He came for me! He came for us all! 

“Isn’t this the Son of Joseph?”

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Everyone of us has a hometown where we were born or grew up. Jesus too, had a hometown. Last Sunday’s Gospel tells us that he returned to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and on getting there, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day. His home-folks have heard of his exploits in foreign lands. So, they asked him to take the reading and to teach. When he stood up to read, he was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. As he unrolled and open it, he found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” After the reading, he said: “Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing”  (Luke 4:18-19).

Upon hearing the wonderful blessings and favors that God has promised them, they were excited. In their excitement, they spoke highly of Jesus and were also pleasantly surprised by the gracious words that came from his mouth. But as we already know, there will always be naysayers, pessimists, doubters, negative minded people and peddlers of cynicism. Some of them were present in the synagogue. While some people in the assembly were marveling at the gracious words of good-news, healing, liberty, restoration of sight and a bountiful year of God’s favor that proceeded from the mouth of Jesus, others were raising doubt about his authenticity. To make sure that Jesus was not believed or trusted, they raised the question: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” The question immediately created doubts and skepticism in the minds of the people. Jesus read their minds and realized that they did not believe in him—not because he has done anything wrong, but because of his origin. He was a homeboy. They knew his father, Joseph. They knew his background. His sin was his background. He wasn’t one of those boys from rich, famous and noble homes. He was the son of a poor carpenter. As such, he was disbelieved, discounted, disparaged and dismissed.

But Jesus did not slip into self-pity. Instead he told them that he was aware that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place,” and that it was because of this disparaging way of looking at a homeboy prophet that Elijah, during the three and half years of severe famine in the land, was not sent to any widow in Israel, but to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon; that Elisha was not sent to the many lepers in Israel, but only to Naaman, the Syrian. Oh boy! On hearing those words which suggests that God had other plans for the Gentiles, they became infuriated, dragged him to the hill and tried to throw him over a cliff. 

You know, throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, his home-folks never really believed in him or his message. There were large crowds of people who followed him about for different reasons. Some came for healing; others came to be fed, others came to satisfy their curiosity, yet, others came to test him or set trap for him. Even those who were enthusiastically drawn to him had some doubts. When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, the crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). But when Pilate asked them after Jesus was arrested and brought in for trial “What shall I do with Jesus who is called Messiah?” They shouted “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22). Jesus was always viewed with doubt, suspicion and skepticism by his folks. He was never regarded beyond being the son Joseph, the carpenter. So, when he needed someone to stand up for him, to just say, “this man is a good man; this man is innocent” no one took the risk. “What the heck?” “Isn’t he the son of Joseph?” they may have reasoned. It was as if the son of Joseph didn't deserve to live. It was as if the son or daughter of “no-body” doesn't deserve to live. It was as if those who were born with no spoon at all do not deserve to live. It was as if an ordinary person, an everyday person, someone with no political, religious and economic connection does not deserve to live. Everything that Jesus did and taught was dismissed and ignored simply because he was the son of Joseph, because he did not come from an upper class society. All the miracles, signs and wonders, numerous healing that he performed and the amazing message of salvation that he preached were not enough to convince the doubters. It was after his death on the cross, which was immediately followed by the tearing into two, from top to bottom, the curtain in the temple, the splitting of rocks, the earthquakes and other mysterious events that took place, that made the centurion and those guarding him to finally exclaim, “Truly, this man is the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). But before then, Jesus was just “the son of Joseph;” someone to ignore, to dismiss, to belittle, and to do away with.

Familiarity, we are told, brings contempt. Jesus’ hometown folks had difficulty accepting the message of a man they were familiar with. Jesus grew up among them, he lived among them, ate with them and worshipped with them. Obviously they saw his holiness, his devotion, and his love for God. They knew he did not commit any sin or crime. But what could have kept them from believing his claims? Have you ever wondered why none of the 12 Apostles came from his immediate family? They saw him everyday! They saw him work, eat, get up in the morning and even use the bathroom. They were familiar with him but not intimate with him.

We can also fall into this trap. In the beginning, we were on fire for Jesus, but as time passes by, we fall into a daily routine that saps out the very life of God from us. Although we still come to church, attend several church activities, but our intimacy level with him may be dropping. We may have defined Christianity by our activities for God rather than our intimacy with him. Jesus’ relatives could tell so much about him— his favorite food, sports, color, etc. But they may not tell who he was. Intimacy with Jesus is not gained through seniority but through an ongoing relationship and intimacy. There are a good number of people who have grown up with Jesus, but today, the life they live is no longer different from those that do not know him. It’s possible they now see him only as “Joseph son!” They may know a lot about Jesus but do not really know him. Our relationship with him must produce an ever-increasing love for him and his people. Like John the Baptist, “He must increase, and we must decrease.”  As we live our Christian life, let’s strive to avoid spiritual indifference. It steals our intimacy with him, makes him simply “Joseph son.” Remember, we exist primarily to seek God, to love him and serve him. We are not just our parents’ children, we are God’s children.

Don’t Be A Fan!

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, California

Sunday, December 13, 2015

According to Wikipedia, a fan is a person who has an enthusiastic devotion to something or somebody, such as a band, a sports team, a book, or an entertainer. A fan is a supporter. Fans of a football club or a soccer club would passionately support their teams and oftentimes spend a lot of money to follow them around throughout the season of competition. The delusion or fantasy that most sports fans  oftentimes have is the belief that they have a special relationship with their teams, which of course does not exist. The owners of those clubs and the players do not even know the fans personally, and the fans do not know them personally as well. The lifestyle of each individual fan may not be the lifestyles of each individual player. Fans are not obliged to emulate the lives of the players that make up the team they support. They are not expected to hold their religious or political views. The passionate devotion for a team can be switched to another team. The relationship between fans and their teams, as much as it may appear deep from the outside, is not really deep; it’s not personal. Fanship is largely a social or entertaining affair. As a fan, you are not bound to follow a set of defined principles and you are not expected to support your team till death. I used to be a huge fan of World Wresting Entertainment (WWE), but today, I am no longer one, and don’t even watch wrestling anymore. Few years ago, I was a fan. Today, I am not. Even when I was a fan, I hated some of the wrestlers. Fans only cheer their teams. Disciples follow the footsteps of their master.  

In today’s Gospel (Luke 3:10-18), the desert preacher, John the Baptist told his audience (which also includes us) to stop being fans of God, to cease being God’s supporters and to become disciples. Last Sunday, (Second Sunday of Advent), we read from Luke 3:1-6 about how he began his public ministry by touring the region of the Jordan and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As the precursor or forerunner of Jesus, he led a movement of baptism at the River Jordan in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. He proclaimed loud and clear to those who cared to listen to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight. After hearing his message, different groups of people came to him. To the crowds who came and asked, “What should we do?” he said, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” This means, do not horde. Do not be selfish. Be generous and share with the less privileged. Share your goods and wealth with the less fortunate among us. To tax collectors who came to be baptized, he urged them to, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed” by the law. This means quit the greed and stealing. To soldiers, he cautioned, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” This means be content with what you have. Stop the selfishness and corruption.  The summary of John’s message to every group of people that came to him is: Don’t be a fan! 

John understood that there should be no dichotomy between faith and good works. He understood that it is not enough to cheer for God, to root for God, to say, “I believe in God.” Cheering for God must be matched by godly deeds, if not, it becomes a jeer of God. Faith in Jesus Christ must be matched by actions that are Christlike. A Christian who is not godly, not Christlike, not making effort to get better, to be more like Jesus is a fan, and not a disciple. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, “Not all who call me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.” And in John 14:15, he said “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Another way of saying this is, “If you believe in me, if you have faith in me, then live like someone who believes in me, who is called by my name. Match your words with actions.” Faith in Jesus Christ is good faith, but good faith must be demonstrated in good actions. Good deeds are testimonies of good faith. Good deeds are the fruits of good faith. Good actions must follow good faith. Terrorists groups like ISIL, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram etc are terribly bad because their beliefs are bad. Talk is cheap! Those who talk the talk of the Lord, must walk the walk of the Lord as well. Without good deeds, faith becomes a matter of cheerleading. The Christian becomes an empty and intense yeller who rubbishes God’s name in the public domain.  

Beloved in Christ, if you have enough dress, food or other material things but refuse to share with the less fortunate due to greed and selfishness, even though you are baptized, you are fan and not a disciple of Jesus. If you are a dishonest businessman or woman, you are a fan. If you are a teacher who does not care about your students, you are a fan. If you are a lazy student who does not want to try and to improve in your studies, you are a fan. If you are a soldier or a police, be loyal and avoid excessive use of force, but if you don’t, then you are a fan. If you are a truck driver who ignores the speed limit and continuously intimidate other road users with your reckless driving, you are a fan. If you are not a loving, lovely, tender and fair parent, you are a fan. If you are a child who does not honor your parents, you are a fan. If you are a husband or a wife who does not forgive and love your spouse faithfully, then you are a fan. If you are a priest or a religious who lacks kindness, compassion and pastoral drive, then you are a fan. If you are an employer of labor who exploits workers and pay them unfair wages, you are a fan. If you are a wasteful employee, you are a fan. A Christian supervisor who treats his coworkers disrespectfully and unfairly is a fan. A Christian politician who does not fight for the common good is a fan.  A Christian doctor or a nurse who does not strive to save life and does not treat the patients with compassion is a fan. Any Christian who practices racism and discrimination is a fan. Christians who are not real are not disciples but fans. The good news is that we can accomplish all these. We can live holy lives, noble lives, worthy lives, lovely lives, gracious lives, friendly lives, merciful lives, humane lives, tolerant lives, virtuous lives, compassionate lives, diligent lives, faithful lives, generous lives, humble lives, and communal lives. We can accomplish these, not by our power or might, but by the grace of God. Ministering to St. Paul, Jesus said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9) And in Philippians 4:13 St. Paul assures us that “We (I) can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (me).” 

The Voice Crying Out in the Wilderness!

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

December 6, 2015

Today’s Gospel taken from Luke 3:1-6 tells us that John the Baptist began his public ministry by touring the region of the Jordon and preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins, just as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah “A voice of one crying out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 

Sister and brothers, those words of prophet Isaiah were first addressed to the old Israel. But as the New Israel, it is also addressed to us. A profitable way of reading and meditating on the Old Testament is for us, Christians, to see ourselves as the “new Israel.” Like the old Israel, we have also been called to a covenant relationship with God. Like the old Israel, we have not been faithful to that covenant relationship. Like prophet Isaiah, John the Baptist invites us to submit to God by removing every hesitations, obstacles, hinderances, and impediments we have allowed to clutter our hearts. Those impediments inhibit and prevent the influx of grace that God sends to us. On this second Sunday of Advent, the Church urges us to rid ourselves of anything that is foreign or alien in the Kingdom of God. 

You know, the problem with contemporary Christians is not that they sin. From the beginning of creation, humanity has always struggled with sin. We all sin! Isaiah 53:6 says “Like a sheep, we all have gone astray.” In Romans 3:23, St. Paul maintains that, “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” The problem with today’s Christians is that we treat sin with levity. Sometimes, we celebrate it. The problem is not that we sin. The problem is that when we sin, we call it a mistake. There is a difference between a mistake and transgression. A mistake is an error in judgment— something we do unintentionally like pouring salt into a cup of coffee, thinking it was sugar, turning onto a one-way street and going the wrong way. These mistakes may happen because are are distracted or careless and not paying attention. But sin or a transgression is more than a mistake. It is a deliberate choice to do something we know is wrong. Mistakes are made unintentionally, but transgression or sin is deliberately done. Unlike a mistake, we choose to sin. We need to understand the difference between the two and call it what it is. Calling sin a mistake is avoiding responsibility. Any refusal to accept the responsibility of our wrongdoing may prevent us from seeking repentance, forgiveness and healing. If we deny it, we can’t get healed. The problem with us today is that when we sin, we rarely have some guilt. We call it unavoidable. Guilt is God’s gift designed to encourage us to move to repentance and reconciliation. Genuine guilt oftentimes leads to repentance, confession and then healing. Some people blame their wrongdoing on others. Some call it their neighbor’s fault or the devil’s fault:  “The devil made me do it.” Like Eve, we don’t take responsibility for our actions. We sin and still claim that sin has not made us sinners, that we are still good people. We sin and give reasons to justify our actions. We sin and never feel remorse or guilty of wrongdoing. We sin and claim that we are not hurting anybody, rather catching fun. We call sin, fun! Any message that condemns sin is equally condemned, and the preacher is seen as outdated, old-school, out-fashion and out of touch with the real life. 

Last Sunday, I said that Advent is a period of preparation and getting ready, not only to celebrate the historic birth of Jesus, but to celebrate his rebirth in our hearts and lives. This concept of Advent as a season of making adequate preparation for the coming or arrival of the Savior of the world is specifically highlighted in today’s Gospel: “Prepare the way of the Lord…” But How do we begin this preparation?

This is what the voice crying out in the desert has urged us to do: 

1. Prepare the way of the Lord— Clear the weeds of wrongdoing. Be in the right disposition. 
2. Make straight his path— Live a straightforward life. No double standardness.
3. Every valley shall be filled— Flee from spiritual shallowness. Know your faith, preach your faith, practice your faith. Talk about it at home, at work, on the street, everywhere by words and most importantly by the actions of your life. 
4. Every mountain and hill shall be made low— Remove every hesitation to falling in love with God. Uproot every spiritual stumps. Give up resistance to the word of God. Jettison habits like excessive drinking, gossiping, porn viewing, substance abuse and even food abuse. When any of these habits grows, they clutter our hearts and minds, and make it harder for us to be holy, to be the best version of ourselves, to love God wholeheartedly, please him and serve him with utmost devotion, dedication and commitment. 
5. The winding roads shall be made straight— Renew your baptismal promise to follow the way of Jesus. His way is easy and his burden is light. Stop suffering alone. Stop living alone in the cold. End your loneliness lonely journey by inviting Jesus to journey with you. Without him, life is painful and purposeless.
6. And the rough ways made smooth— Confess your sin through the sacrament of reconciliation, receive mercy, pardon and absolution. Sin makes our life rough, but God’s mercy smoothens it. Sin makes our life dull, but God’s mercy brightens it. Sin makes our life difficult, but God’s mercy makes a way even when there seems to be no way. Sin leads to darkness, God’s mercy brings and leads to light. 

And when we have accomplished all these by the grace of Jesus Christ who loved us and died for us, we all shall see the salvation of God.

Good News of the End-time!

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the First Sunday of Advent, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, California

November 29, 2015

The season of Advent is a period of expectation. The word “Advent” means “Arrival” or “Coming.” The entire season is a period of expectation of the arrival or coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. In the first reading, prophet Jeremiah (33:14-16) looks forward to the coming or arrival of honesty and integrity in the land. He looks forward in expectation to the days when the land will be safe and secured. In the second reading(1 Thess. 3:12—4:2), St. Paul looks forward in expectation when true believers will live blameless in holiness. In the Gospel taken from Luke 21:25-28, 34-36, Jesus looks to the future and speaks of a day when “the powers of heaven will be shaken.” Jeremiah, Paul and Jesus appear to be speaking about another world because the world they lived was as disordered as ours. Prophet Jeremiah preached when the Babylonian armies started the destruction of Jerusalem. St. Paul wrote when the first Christians were suffering tremendous persecution and a good number of them despaired. The words of today’s Gospel were Jesus’ last words before his passion. These three readings were addressed to a world as confused and chaotic as our world today. 

Our world is in turmoil. We are living in a very dangerous time. In my lifetime, I have never witnessed anything like this before. In the midst of today’s extreme suffering, chaos, terrorism, religious intolerance, hate and division, it is difficult to see how the visions, prophesies and amazing expectations of today’s readings will be realized. Extreme and violent terrorism is sweeping through the globe, destroying human lives and property. No one seems to be safe again. People are fearful. Resources that should have been used to combat extreme poverty are now being channelled to fight terrorists groups like Boko Haram, ISIL, Al Qaeda, Al Shabab etc. The name of the good, merciful and compassionate God is daily used to perpetrate heinous acts, thereby giving organized religion a very bad name and exposing every religious faith to ridicule and insult. No day passes-by without a breaking news of one mayhem or the other occurring somewhere in the world. As we grapple with these issues personally and collectively, and as our political and religious leaders wrestle specifically with acts of terrorism, the Church invites us to enter the season of Advent with hope and confidence in the Lord of justice. 

The season of Advent emphasizes the coming of the Prince of peace. In fact, he is already in our midst. Over 2000 years ago, he came to us as a human being. He is still present with us in the Word, in us and among us. At every Mass, he comes to us in the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-29). He also comes to us in grace. He speaks in our consciences; “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to dine with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Despite what is happening around us and around the world, let us not forget that God is still with us. The book of Psalm 46:7 tells us that “The Lord of host is with us, the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” Although, everything seems disordered and chaotic now, but at the end of time, God will tidy up what human beings have disordered. He will right the wrong and make right what has gone wrong. He will also mess up those who messed up his creation.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his followers to “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and anxieties of daily life…” Put simply, Jesus is warning his disciples to be careful so that their hearts do not become sleepy as a result of excessive drinking, noisy partying, getting drunk and being bogged down by the material things of the world. We should not let the cares of this world shift our attention from what matters most. We should not allow the challenges of today deny us of the great glory to come. We are in this heavenly race to win it. Therefore, neither the anxieties of this world nor the threat of ISIL or Al Qaeda should shake our faith in God. As we live our normal life, Jesus encourages us to “Be vigilant at all times, and to pray…” 

Beloved in Christ, I have a good news to share. The good news is that in the end, Jesus will come to right the wrong. The good news is that evil will not win. Haters will not win. Those who strive to divide us will not win. ISIS or ISIL will not win. They will not win this fight. Every terrorist group out there will not win. Bad people will not win. Their evil deeds will catch up with them, and justice will again be just. I have a good news to share. The good news is that Jesus is coming to save us. Isaiah 35:4 tells us to “Say to those who are fearful, ‘be strong, do not be afraid’ for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” 

With faith, let us continue to look at the world with the eyes of God. If we look at it with our natural eyes alone, we would see nothing else but filth, ugliness, and confusion. But with the eyes of faith rooted in God, we would see that God is still here with us. He’s still in charge. In Hebrew 13:5, he made a promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” During this season of Advent, I urge each of us not to ignore or give up on the world we live in. Let’s not see the challenges, difficulties and anxieties we face as obstacles between us and God. With the lens of faith in Christ Jesus, let’s believe that the guiding hand of God is working through these disorders. With the help of God, we can enjoy the vision of Jeremiah, live the blameless life envisioned by Paul, escape the imminent tribulations prophesied by Jesus and stand, not just before the Son of Man but beside the Son of Man.

Brothers and sisters, the end-time good news I have to share is this: when all is said and done, God through our Savior and Brother Jesus Christ will come to save you, me and everyone who believed in his name and did his will. Therefore, do not grow weary of doing what is good. Do not succumb to fear. Do not give up faith, hope and charity and give in to fear, division and hate. Instead, “Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand” (Luke 21:28).

Homily on the Solemnity of Christ the King

Jesus: The King With A Difference

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily on the Solemnity of Christ the King

Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, November 22, 2015

As we come to the end of the Church’s Liturgical Calendar, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. We celebrate Jesus as the Shepherd of our souls and the King of our lives. Many of us may not be able to connect or relate with the idea or image of a King. Some of us may even resent or reject the idea or image of king or kingship because of the ugly stories we have heard or read about many kings of past centuries. Some kings were brutal. Some were repressive and authoritarian. Some were extremely wayward. Their insatiable appetite for women was impossible to satisfy. Some of them were deeply immoral, power-drunk, control-freak and blood-thirsty. The shedding of the blood of innocents was something they glory and boast about. But Jesus is not such a king. He’s not like any king that has ever existed or would exist. His kingship is different. It is rooted in simplicity, humility, compassion, love, selfless service and sacrifice. 

In today's Gospel taken from John 18:33b-37, political power represented by Pilate met spiritual power, represented by Jesus. Pilate was troubled and nervous about the true identity of Jesus. He was not sure who he was, so he asked him: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Rather than answer yes or no to his question, Jesus turned his attention to another Kingdom not earthly, not made by human hands, not protected and made secured by a large number of armies and a stockpile of arsenal: “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”  Pilate may have been frustrated for not getting a direct answer from Jesus; but what Jesus told him was the truth. In fact, he did tell Pilate that the reason why he was born into the world was “to testify to the truth.” 

But why did Jesus refuse to answer a straightforward question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Why did he refuse to accept Pilate’s declaration, “Then you are a king?” My personal reflection gives me four probable answers: One, may be he did not want to be lumped together with earthly kings who were generally known to be deeply corrupt, morally bankrupt, brutally wicked, unbelievably greedy, unspeakably inconsiderate and mean, insatiably power-drunk, unreasonably feared for the wrong reasons. Jesus was not like any earthly king; even the best of them cannot be compared to him. He was someone that “People were amazed that he has done all things well” (Mark 7:37). Jesus was also anointed by Holy Spirit “And he went about doing good and healing all those who were under the power of the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38) Two, calling him the King of the Jews would geographically limit the length and breadth of his kingship. Jesus is not only the King of the Jews, he is also “the King of Kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16) including Pilate and the King of the whole world. Third, his kingship is of service not lordship in an authoritarian manner: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). His kingship is of love, not power; mercy, not punishment; compassion, not compulsion to flex power, might and authority; justice for all, not justice for some. Jesus’ kingship is of healing, not injury; making life better, meaningful and purposeful, not worsening it: “I have come that you may have life, life in abundance” (John 10:10). His kingship is about powerlessness, which is a new kind of power. It’s about winning our hearts, not overpowering it. Four, Jesus wants each of us, on our own, but with the grace he gives, to come to the knowledge and realization of his kingship as Pilate did: “Seek you first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33) 

Sisters and brothers, if the kingdom of the Lord is not of this world, the attitude of his disciples towards this world should be that of detachment, not attachment. This world, as we know it is passing away. Our earthly citizenship is not a permanent one. In fact, no one is a permanent resident of this world and no one has a permanent residence of this world. What each of us has is a visa that will expire at a certain date. When it expires, we depart. Our permanent residence is in the “Kingdom (which) does not belong to this world.” To qualify for it, we must daily follow Jesus who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the Way to God and the Way to the Kingdom. He is the Truth, and he came to testify to the Truth. He is the Life. He is our life when earthly life is gone. Since the Lord’s Kingdom and our permanent residence does not belong to this world, we should loosen our firm grip of this world. Never kill or harm or hurt anyone because of worldly things. Do not love material things more than spiritual things. Strive daily to store and accumulate more treasures and assets in heaven. In the Gospel of Matthew 6:20, Jesus tells his followers, "Store up your treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” The destiny of a child in the womb is the earth; but the earth is not the final destiny. The final destiny is the Kingdom where Jesus’ reign as King will be fully realized.

What About Encouraging Someone To Become A Redemptorist?

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Co-Redemptorist Preaching

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

November 8, 2015

The US Civics questions has the following as one of the questions: “What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?” The answers given are: “vote, join a political party, help with a campaign, join a civic group, join a community group, give an elected official your opinion on an issue, call senators and representatives, publicly support or oppose an issue or policy, run for office and write to a newspaper.” This tells us that for an American citizen to be truly involved and active in our democracy (the government of the people, by the people, and for the people), he or she must do some or all the answers provided. There is no sitting on the fence. If you care about an issue, let your representative officials know about it. Call them. Write them. Write to a local newspaper. If your voice is not being heard, look for like-minded individuals, join or form a civic group. If there’s a politician who agrees with you and is running for office, join his or her campaign. And during election, go out and vote. Don’t stay at home and then complain. Some people are good at complaining and saying all that’s wrong with the country, but they will not do a thing to effect a change. They won’t vote. They forget that elections have consequences. Whoever wins will one way or the other make decisions that will affect everyone. Every political decisions and policies affect real people.  

Having said that, let’s turn our attention to something that is already affecting our Church. Let’s use the same mode of the question by asking: “What are the different ways that Catholics can participate in the life of the Church? How can they contribute to the growth, sustenance and survival of the Church? How can laypeople contribute to the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How can we support the Church in the area of increasing the number of vocations to the priesthood and religious life? How can St. Mary of Assumption Church support the work of the Redemptorist of Denver Province? Some of the answers include: praying for the Church, praying for priests and religious, especially Redemptorists, praying for increase in vocation in the Church, especially in the Redemptorist of Denver Province, supporting the church by contributing our time, talent and treasure, by attending Masses on Sunday regularly, joining one of the societies in the church (like St. Vincent de Paul, Charismatic Renewal, Catholic Daughters, St. Mary’s Place, etc. I doubt if there is any regular church-going catholic who will not give some of these answers if he or she were to ask the questions the preceded these answers. We already know that we can contribute and support our church by offering the gifts of three Tees: Time, Talent and Treasure. 

Sisters and brothers, what about offering one of your sons and daughters to God and to the Church? Parents with kids, have you ever asked any of them to consider the vocation to the priesthood and religious life? Have we ever encouraged these wonderful young persons in our church to think about the priesthood or religious life? There are so many wonderful young persons in this parish. I see them in church every Sunday. Most, if not all of them, may never consider becoming a Redemptorist priest or brother unless someone encourages them to think about it. We have a responsibility to talk to young people and encourage them to consider the Redemptorist vocation as one of their options. In case you have not heard, in case you don’t know, the Redemptorist Order, founded by the holy man, St. Alphonsus Liguori, is in search of vocations. We need young men to join us. No human community or organization can stay for a long period of time unless there are new borns. Today, some European countries are giving incentives to young women to have more kids. Why? Because their population is dwindling. Low birth rate and aging population have led to some frightening projections about the continue existence of some of these countries. The Catholic Church is not exempted from these negative projections too. If the current trend continues— more aging priests and religious and fewer vocations, then future Church leaders: Bishops and Religious Superiors, would have no other options than to close some churches or decrease their ministerial and pastoral involvements. As I speak, this is already happening. 

This weekend is dedicated to creating awareness to the Redemptorist vocation. My superiors want me to talk to you about the Redemptorist vocation. Redemptorists have served St. Mary of Assumption Church for a very long time. Yet, only a few vocations to the Redemptorists have come from here. And there has been none in most recent times. What’s going on? I know that some of you have been praying for us. A good number of you have supported and continue to support our missions here and abroad financially. Today, I’m urging you to continue to support us by praying for us, assisting our work financially and most especially, by encouraging your child and another child to consider becoming a Redemptorist. The girls are not left out too. We have a female group of nuns called the Redemptoristines. Those of you who have been supporting us all these years, we thank you so much. Your contributions have helped in my training, formation and studies in the Redemptorist Order. I am one of the fruits of your contribution. Thank you so much! May God bless you!

In today’s Gospel taken from Mark 12:38-44, Jesus observed how the people were putting money into the treasury. The event most likely happened in a Synagogue. As he watched, he noticed that many rich people were putting large sums into the treasury. But he also noticed a poor widow who put in two small coins that worth a few cents. And he considered her gift the greatest. You may ask, why? The answer is simple! Rich folks who gave large sums did so from the abundance of their wealth. If a multi-millionaire gives a donation of $1 million, he is still rich. He still has surplus to live on. What he has given is not going to bankrupt him. He’s still going to be a millionaire. But this poor widow, out of her penury, gave everything she had, her whole livelihood. If there’s a young man in your family, talk to him about becoming a Redemptorist. But if there’s none, consider praying for us! Consider picking one of the envelopes on the pews and making a donation to the Redemptorist of Denver Province. Don’t forget, I am one of the fruits of your past donations. Many more fruits can still be harvested by the contribution you make today. We know things are hard. You have bills to pay. You have other financial obligations to attend to. All we ask you today is your widow’s mite. No amount is too small! Thank you! God bless you!