FROM JERUSALEM TO NICAEA

Thursday, 5^th Week of Easter, Year C (Memorial of St Athanasius)

Act 15:7-21; John 15:9-11

It was a huge issue in the early Church whether non-Jews should be allowed to become Christians. The first Christians were all Jews and, following Jesus’ mandate to them, they felt the compulsion to preach the gospel to other nations. But what they were not sure of was how to accommodate the new converts into a new religion that was still very much like a sect of Judaism. The normal way to become a Jew was to be born so, but this new light brought by Jesus, how can one become part of it? To resolve this problem, the Church had to call a meeting of all the Apostles and other principle actors in the early Church. It was the first of its kind. It held in Jerusalem under the chairmanship of James who was then Acting Bishop of the Jerusalem Church.

In the First Reading of today, we hear Peter presenting his argument in favour of the position that Gentiles who wanted to become Christians didn’t need to go through any Jewish ritual or be made to observe purely Jewish customs. This position was supported by Paul and Barnabas and in the end James gave his ruling: We should not trouble Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write a letter telling them not to eat food offered to idols and to keep themselves from sexual immorality.

300 years after, the Church was faced with a different kind of problem. This time around it was not a question of new converts but a more theological issue regarding the person of Jesus. There were some who believed and taught that Jesus was not God as God Almighty was God. They held that Jesus was a righteous man specially chosen by God and endured with so much power that made Him above all other creatures but yet subordinate to and lower than God. It was an appealing doctrine which got many sympathisers. It major proponent was a brilliant priest called Arius. On the other hand, there were those who upheld the divinity of Jesus. They said that Jesus is God as much as He is man. He is truly God and truly man. He is of one nature and substance with God and is equal to Him in majesty and glory. Jesus is in essence, God made man for our salvation. St Athanasius whose feast we celebrate today championed this position which was more in line with Scripture. The Council of Nicaea was convoked so that the two parties can present their argument. At the end it was Athanasius’ position that prevailed.

From the council of Jerusalem to the Council of Nicaea, it is the Holy Spirit that is leading the Church. As the society evolves through the ages, the Church grows with it and the Spirit who is the principal animator of the Church continues to guild her along the way to understand God’s will concerning contemporary challenges and issues. We trust the Teaching Office of the Church because we trust that the Holy Spirit that guilds Her will never make a wrong turn or decision.

Good night and God loves you. 

HUMILITY IS SINCERITY

Monday, 5th Week of Easter, Year C

Acts 14:5-18; John 14:21-26

It has been said that humility is the mother of all virtues. This is very much true in the sense that humility attracts and beautifies all other virtues; the lack of it spoils even the noblest of gifts. It is not without reason that Scripture says that God accords His favours to the humble (1Peter 5:5). It is a garment that all Christians (regardless of how highly placed or spiritually gifted) need to wear constantly. Humility is sincerity; the opposite of it is pride and pretension.

I think the first reading of today is quite instructive in this regard. Paul and Barnabas were now preaching the good news of Jesus Christ in Lycaonia. In the hall was a cripple from birth who was listenning to the Apostle with rapt attention. When Paul noticed that the young man had developed enough faith to be healed, he said to him in a loud voice, "Get to your feet". Immediately, the cripple jumped up and began to walk. It was a miracle and those around were so astounded that they thought to themselves "Surely, these guys are gods; they have only visited us in human form". They named Paul Hermes and Barnabas Zeus after the gods they worshipped and were even ready to begin offering sacrifices to them when the apostles had to vehemently oppose it. "We are mere humans like you", they said in vexation and embarrassment, "why would you want to do such?" And they siezed the opportunity to even talk more on the greatness of God.

I wonder how many Christians or even pastors today will be able to act in like manner. How many of us will have the strength to refuse being exalted above our head? Ours is an age and society where there is so much craze for recognition and prestige and popularity. Many have been caught in the web and have begun to assume the place of God consciously or unconsciously. Usurping the glory that belongs to God alone, we have often sought to satisfy our egos with vainglory. It is evidence of lack of humility. Oh, how much we need this vitue today.

So let us pray, throug the intercession of St Catherine whose feast we celebrate today, that God will remove from us any gift that will make us proud and help us to use the gift we have in grateful acknowledgement of the Source.

WORK IS BOTH MISSION AND BLESSING

Wednesday, 5^th Week of Easter, Year C (Memorial of St Joseph the Worker)

Genesis 1:26-2:3; Matthew 13:54-58

Do you know why they say “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”? It is because idleness is a sin and one sin disposes one to commit more sins thereby making the person some kind of factory where sin is reproduced by the devil. But why do we say idleness is a sin? Idleness is a sin because to work is a divine mission, and idleness violates that mission. Where did you get the idea that work in a mission? The Bible makes it clear.

As we read in the first reading of today, God was the first person who engaged in work. He did the work of creation in 6 days and rested on the 7^th day. Then He hands over the whole of all visible creation to man giving him the mandate to maintain and sustain it by the work of His mind and hand. This was one of the first mission man received and it was a privilege to so partner with the Creator in the business of sustaining creation.

Along the line, man fell from grace through the sin of disobedience against God. As a result of this man was driven from paradise and part of the sentence was: “By the sweet of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground from which you were made”. Work then became a punishment due to sin but Jesus was to come to redeem man from sin and from the curse that resulted from it. So when the Son of God took the likeness of men, He willed to work as a carpenter so as to sanctify work and bring it to its original purposefulness. His redemptive work made work once again a mission to the glory of God and a source of blessing and fulfilment to us.

If we are able to appreciate this understanding of work, then we will be more disposed to have the right attitude towards work. Work, we must work because the opposite, which is idleness, is not an option but a sin. How do we work? We must work dedicatedly having in mind that it is for the glory of God that we work. Then we must work in such a way that we serve others through our work. That way we will gain the blessings and fulfilment that comes from a work well done.

Happy workers’ day and God loves you.  

APPRECIATING THE MIRACLE IN THE ORDINARY

Monday, Third Week of Lent, Year C

2 Kings 5:1-5/Luke 4:24-30

How would you define a miracle? What qualifies as a miracle for you? Something with an element of wonder, the spectacular, the outlandish, the awe-inspiring? Some will say a miracle is an indubitable intervention of the supernatural which cannot be explained otherwise. Miracles are supposed to be exotic and extraordinary, aren’t they? Yes, but if you permit me, I will like to present to you a vista into the understanding of the miraculous which includes the ordinary.

Our God is a God of miracles, no doubt, but He seems not to be too interested in the spectacular. And the difference between these too is clear. Miracles are meant to increase faith; spectacles are geared to satisfy curiosity. God prefers to woo us by “acts of love” rather than by “acts of wow”. If He seduces us by the wonders, we will follow and serve Him interestedly. But if He woos us by love, we will love Him back with the conviction that He loves us.

Take the Incarnation for example; what miracle is greater than God becoming man? But how did God bring it about? By descending from the heavens in splendour and power, with milliards of angels attending to Him? No but through the ordinary way of being born of a woman. When He was to begin His public ministry, Satan tried to tempt Him to do something spectacular like jump from a high mountain or change stones to bread but He refused to yield. Examine the miracles He performed during His life time; He tried to keep them as simple as possible without making too much show of them and warning those who noticed them not to publicise them. All he wanted to show by them was that “God so loves the world”; that was His way of expressing God’s love for us and thereby inviting us into the same love.

In the first Reading of today, Naaman, the Syrian Army General went to Prophet Elisha for healing. He expected the Man of God to do something outlandish, some abracadabra. But he simply asked his servant to tell the warlord to go and have a birth in the Jordan. Naaman was quite disappointed, that was not his idea of a miracle. He would have gone home in anger without receiving his healing if not for a servant who reasoned with him: “Master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult thing you would have done it. But here he simple says go and wash. Why not obey him?”

And no wonder, the kinsmen of Jesus where offended at Him as we read in today’s Gospel. They saw Him as ordinary, a carpenter, son of Joseph and Mary. Why would He dare insinuate He is something more, that He is the Son of God? So they were going to throw Him down the hill.

Miracles happen, my dear friends. They may not happen the way you want them. They may not be such that feed your curiosity or satisfy your fancies. They may just happen simply, like you take a simple drug and your ulcer is gone, like your drive from Lagos to Otukpo on our bad roads without any road accident, like you just had a safe delivery, like your husband has suddenly become more attentive and stable, and could it be because of the simple prayer you said? Miracles happen, they may not necessarily be spectacular. Oh God, help me to appreciate the “ordinary” miracles You let me experience because you love me!

Take care and God loves you.

THE PRODIGAL FATHER

Saturday, Second Week of Lent, Year C

Micah7:14-15.18-20/Luke 15:1-3.11-32

We read today the popular parable of the prodigal son, or should we say “the prodigal father”. Indeed it is difficult to say which of the two is more prodigal: the son with his inheritance of the father with is love. It is a story that regards all of us in our relationship with God, a story we can all relate to.

This young man was fine in his father’s house. He had all he wanted because his dad was both rich and loving. It seemed that the one other thing he subtly craved for was freedom from his father’s love. One can be so loved to the extent that he desires to be loved no further. That was how the young man asked his father for his share of the inheritance which was an awkward thing to do considering the fact that an inheritance should normally apply to the heir only after the death of the owner.

But this indulgent dad obliges his son. Shortly after that, the guy sold all he had gotten, took the proceeds and went off to a faraway country, far from the father’s house to “enjoy” life. He quickly squandered the whole money in loosed living and began to be in want. Nobody was ready to help me and he was shamed to go back home. How would he face his dad? When the suffering was too much, he decided that he would just go home, apologise to his dad and beg to be employed as a part-time servant. So he set out on his journey home. On coming close, the father noticed him and ran to embrace and kiss him. The man was so overjoyed at having his son back that he didn’t even care to listen to the young man’s rehearsed apology. And he threw a big party.

Hmm, beautiful and well articulated story by Jesus! The Father of the prodigal son is God. The son is you and me. Our heavenly Father is a big man; in our father’s house we’ve got all that we truly need. Close to the father is the best place we can ever be. But it often doesn’t feel that way. At times we actually feel like leaving the house and just go somewhere else where we think we can “enjoy” life better. Then we wander far away from the way only to realise later that it was better being home with the Lord. But we are not sure how to begin the journey. Will God accept me back after all that I have done? How can I face him?

God is a prodigal Father. He is so prodigal with his love. He is merciful, He is compassionate. He desires that we remain in communion with Him, for He knows that that is the best place we can be. You see, dear friend that, having such a loving Father, we really have no reason to misbehave. But He will force no one to remain at home. When we unfortunately stray, He eagerly awaits our return. Our sins may be much and grave but His love can very well contain them. Just come back home.

Have a nice day and God loves you. 

THEIR PLOTS WERE IN HIS PLAN

Friday, Second Week of Lent, Year C

Genesis 37:3-4.12-13.17-28/Matthew 21:33-43.45-46

My dear friends, you know about the story of Joseph in the Bible. That is the subject of our first reading today. He was a gifted chap and his father loved him so much. Unfortunately for him, the love of his father attracted the hatred of his ten brothers. His giftedness made the matter worse. He was anointed with the gift of dreams and God’s hand was on him. But his brothers were envious of him, they were afraid of his dreams and they were intent on putting an end to it. They thought that the best way to kill his dreams was to kill him.

Their wicked plot got vent when on one occasion their father Israel sent Joseph to check on them in the fields. When they saw him, they said to themselves, “Aha, here comes the dreamer, let’s us kill him and throw him into one of these pits... and we shall see what becomes of his dreams”.  Reuben suggested that they throw him rather into the pit without soiling their hand with his blood. They agreed on that and finely executed it. Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead, and Judah suggested it was an opportunity to make some extra money from their doomed little brother. He was brought out and sold for 20 shekels of silver, ten units cheaper than the prize for the betrayal of Jesus. For them, Joseph was gone for good and his dreams were now as good as dead.

But God had their plots in His plan. Think of that awhile! It was a very wicked complot that these sons of Israel had but see how God tailored it into His plan. It happened that they all agreed (without a single one objecting) that they should not kill him themselves; it happened that Ishmaelite traders were passing by at that moment; it happened that the traders wanted to buy a slave; it happened that they were going down to Egypt; it so happened that as they were busy plotting, God was working out something.  What they meant for evil, God turned into good.

You may be passing through a similar situation and all you can see is meaningless suffering. God is nowhere in the picture. People manipulating things here and there; trusted ones betraying you and even the friends you never expected to disappoint you have turned their backs on you. You just had a very painful breakup and it seems the whole world has crashed on you. This business partner you thought was genuine has just duped of some good money. Where go from here? Your dreams have gone blank and your aspirations are fading away like vapour before you. Give me your attention; I want to tell you something: it is not the end of the story. Do not be bitter or discouraged. God is working out something which you can’t see now. He has got their plot in His plan.

Have a nice day and God loves.

Monday, Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year C

Hebrews 11:32-40/ Mark 5:1-20

The ongoing AFCON has continued to highlight African football heroes and sprout a number of surprises. The defending champions had failed to make it to the knockout stages; the host, South Africa had crashed out to Mali; and now the tournament’s favourites, the mighty Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, the number one in Africa, has bowed out rather ungracefully to the less-esteemed Super Eagles of Nigeria. The deciding moment of the latest encounter came at the 78^th minute when the homeboy, Sunday Mba, made a solo run and rifled the ball into the Ivorian goal. Obviously, he was the hero of the match.

Talking about heroes, we have a number of them mentioned in the first reading of today. The eleventh chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews gives us an interesting catalogue of faith heroes in the Old Testament. We hear of Gideon and Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel “who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises... won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, and put foreign enemies to flight” (Heb. 11: 33-35). They were real heroes in their days and we have a record of their feats.

In the gospel reading, we see a no less heroic occurrence. It happened in Gennesaret where there was a demon-possessed man. So terrible was his condition that he was almost totally reduced to a beast by the malevolent spirit that controlled him. At the sight of Jesus the tormented man began to cry out. He ran and prostrated before the Lord and the evil spirits in him began to negotiate their exit for they knew that their oppression and bullying of that ‘son of Abraham’ had come to an end. They begged to be granted a soft landing: “As you are driving us from this man that we have maliciously reduced to an animal, let us at least enter these animals so that we can reduce them to nothing”. Well, Jesus granted them leave and 2000 pigs were drowned almost immediately. What a loss! But why did Jesus take that decision? Why did He not command those ‘yeye’ spirits to go to hell? May be He wanted to teach the guys of that village an important lesson, the lesson that a single human soul is worth more than thousands of pigs and thousands of dollars. Unfortunately they didn’t get the message. They asked Him to leave their territory because they prized the economic loss higher than the spiritual gain. We learn from their miscalculation and we adjust our ways.

Have a nice day and God loves you.