THE CURE FOR ALL YOUR WORRIES. (Homily for December 1, 2016. Thursday of the First Week of Advent.)

Bible Study: Isaiah 26, 1 to 6 and Matthew 7, 21, 24 to 27.

If you ever done a transaction or business deal with a person in whom you didn’t have a single iota of trust? How did it make you feel? Dear friends, there is a great deal of wisdom in being able to trust. And trust is not something people earn, it is rather a gift you give to others. If you are stingy with trust, that is, if you don’t trust anybody, you would be constantly scared that people are trying to hurt you or take what is yours. Without trust, you cannot even afford to close both eyes at night.

Trust is indispensable for human survival but the question is: “In what and in whom do you place your trust?” What is that which gives you the assurance that you would sleep well tonight or that your day would be good? I am sure many of us will be quick to say GOD. But then, if we really trust God as much as we claim, how come we forget so easily to pray yet we never forget to lock our doors and gates with the heaviest metal padlocks? How come we never really take time to read our bibles even when we spend countless hours studying books to obtain educational degrees? How come we panic when our account balance is down but we never even shake a bit when we fall into sin?

In truth, we trust things, people and money far more than we trust God. And this is why we never put God’s words to practice in our day to day lives. We believe more in the wisdom of the world to get by than the wisdom of God. This is the point Jesus raised in today’s Gospel passage. “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon rock…. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”

We hear God’s words at times and we simply smile. We smile because we consider the demands of God as impossibilities. We smile because we cannot even imagine ourselves making the least effort to practice them more still because most people we know do not practice them yet they seem to be succeeding and getting on in life. We hear God’s words and refuse to practice them because we do not trust that our obedience to God’s commands will get us the best of all that life has to offer.

We don’t trust in honesty so we tell black lies to get what we want. We don’t trust in asking God and waiting for him so we steal things and take by force what we want. We don’t trust that happiness comes to us when we treat our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, so we commit sins of immorality. Even though we hear God’s word every day and we clearly know what God demands of us, we continue to build on sand. Our castles keep crashing and we are never wise enough to see the problem with our foundation.

Dear friends, God deserves our complete trust. Our responsorial Psalm today sings: “It is better to take refuge in the lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the lord than to trust in princes.” Even our first reading speaks of the advantages of totally trusting God. Isaiah says: “You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26, 3 to 4.

You get it? You have just found the cure for endless worries. Trust in the God and enjoy peace of mind for the rest of your life. No matter what happens to you henceforth, just smile and say: “I trust God is already taking care of it.” And let your trust reflect in your obedience to God’s words. Practice the word of God.

Finally my dear friends, HAPPY NEW MONTH TO YOU ALL. It is December, the last month of the year, it is also the busiest month for all or can I say, the month of the heaviest traffic worldwide and hence, the month of great anxiety and tension. As you enter this month, deepen your trust in God. Maybe it is not by coincidence that today’s readings is focused on Trust. God deserves more trust because he never fails, he fulfilled his promise by giving us Jesus his Son. Trust in God and he will never fail you this December.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may your words be more than mere entertainment for me. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

ANDREW; THE ADVENT CALENDAR. (Homily for November 30, 2016. Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle.)

Bible Study: Romans 10, 9 to 18 and Matthew 4, 18 to 22.

The title of today’s homily may sound funny yet it explains everything about today’s feast. Andrew is to Advent what the baby Jesus is to Christmas. How? The beginning of Advent year after year is determined by the Feast of St. Andrew. That is to say, it is not a coincidence that this feast is celebrated on the 30^th of November and it is also not a coincidence that the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew is always going to be the first Sunday of Advent. Does that ring a bell?

Why does the feast of St. Andrew announce the beginning of Advent? What is so unique about Andrew? Andrew was the first person to be called by Jesus to be his disciple and just like John the Baptist who announced the coming of the Messiah, Andrew was the one who went to tell his brother Peter about Jesus. Although Matthew from whose Gospel we read this morning mentions the fact that Jesus called both Andrew and Peter at the same time, John gives us a more realistic account of what took place.

John tell us that two of John the Baptist’s disciples were with him when he saw Jesus one day an announced: “Behold, the Lamb of God!” These two of his disciples left John immediately and started following Jesus. John 1, 40 to 42 reads: “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).”

The moment Andrew introduced his brother Peter to Jesus, not much is heard about him again. It was like he just withdrew into the background of the twelve disciples like a quiet kid while all the limelight and attention went to rather noisy Peter who eventually became the head of the Apostle.

Just as Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, the Feast of St. Andrew stands at such a strategic point in the Church’s calendar as he continues to be the one introducing the Church as a whole to the Advent Season; his feast is like the Calendar Marker that reminds us of the need to start preparing for the Baby Jesus. St. Paul in today’s first reading says: “How beautiful are the feet of one who brings Good News.” Indeed, how beautiful were the feet of Andrew when he ran immediately to tell Simon Peter: “We have found the Messiah.” How beautiful are the feet of St. Andrew today as he announces to the Church from heaven: “Advent is here! Prepare your hearts for Jesus!”

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my feet only announce Good News. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT CHRISTMAS. (Homily for November 29, 2016. Tuesday of the First Week of Advent.)

Bible Study: Isaiah 11, 1 to 10 and Luke 10, 21 to 24.

As Christmas approaches, a lot of people have so many things that make them happy as they look forward to the coming days with expectation. For some kids, it may be that new Christmas dress they have been promised or that surprise Santa Claus gift they would get on their beds upon waking up on Christmas day morning. For some others, it could just be the fact that the season affords opportunity to rest from work and visit old friends and family members in the village. Again for others, their cause for joy could be the opportunity the season affords to get a lot of free food and drinks from even their stingiest neighbours.

Whatever may be our reason for joy, today’s readings tell us exactly what should be our ultimate cause for happiness as Christmas approaches. Hence both our first reading and Gospel passage are set on a very joyful tone.

Today, Isaiah speaks about the stump of Jesse on whom the Spirit of the Lord shall rest and in the Gospel passage, Jesus happily reveals his identity as the stump of Jesse adding: “Blessed are you for seeing these things because many longed to see them but could not.” Dear friends, the Good news about Christmas is that GOD NEVER FAILS.  What God has promised, he will fulfil.

As at the time Isaiah was prophesying, many could only imagine what the Redeemer would look like, they longed to see Jesus but couldn’t. But then, aren’t we lucky that what even Isaiah could only imagine, we have come to know? Hence, Jesus rejoices with us and for us. And what are to do? We must also rejoice and be happy knowing that we do not serve a God who lacks integrity, we do not serve a God who does not keep his promises; we do not serve a God who says “Yes” today and changes overnight. We serve a God whose words are “Yes and Amen.”

Isaiah prophesied: “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD….” Isaiah 11, 2. Do you recall how Jesus would later on in Luke 4, 18 to 19 pick up the scroll in the synagogue to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.”

What should be our greatest cause for joy at Christmas? Is it mere festivities, Not at all! We celebrate Christmas in joy because God did not promise and fail, he kept his word and gave us his son. And we know his promises to us would surely be fulfilled. This is the Good News of the Season. God keeps his word! He does not disappoint.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I never experience any disappointment. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

WHO IS WORTHY TO WELCOME JESUS? (Homily for November 28, 2016. Monday of the First Week of Advent.)

Bible Study: Isaiah 4, 2 to 6 and Matthew 8, 5 to 11.

As we begin the season of Advent, our goal this period is to prepare our hearts spiritually to have the baby Jesus born again in us. In preparing our hearts for Jesus, it is important that we also imbibe the right attitude and disposition. This is the lesson we get to learn this morning from the Centurion who approached Jesus for healing.

It is not enough that we sweep our hearts free from bad thoughts or sinful desires. It is not enough that we live as shining examples of virtue. There is a way we can allow holiness get into our heads that we become proud unconsciously, even to the point of seeing ourselves as more important than others.

The words of the Centurion today are quite instructive: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof…” The centurion knew his worth and importance among the people, he knew there were very many who would consider it a thing of honour to be invited to his house. But he also know that before God, he was nothing!

How many of us today realize this fact: that before God, we are nothing; that on a good day, none of us is even worthy to celebrate Christmas? Dear friends, the key to winning the heart of God is HUMILITY. Without a humble disposition on our part, our preparation for Christmas would amount to nothing. There is nothing God hates as much as Pride; the feeling that we are holier or more important than others.

Jesus himself shows the depths of his humility when despite being God, he agreed to take the lowly nature of a man. And as if this wasn’t enough, he chose to be born like a mere peasant, not even in a qualified hospital but among sheep and goats. Without this humble attitude, we would never be truly prepared for Jesus.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, grant me a lowly disposition of myself. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy new week.

Fr. Abu.

SPIRITUAL VIGILANCE: BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS. (Homily for November 27, 2016. First Sunday of Advent. Year A.)

Bible Study: Isaiah 2, 1 to 5. Romans 13, 11 to 14 and Matthew 24, 37 to 44.

Dear friends, do you know it is only three weeks left to Christmas? I mean, just twenty eight days from now! This means, if you have not started making preparations and plans, you are seriously missing out. Even market women nowadays will advise you that it is better to buy the things you need now than wait till when they create artificial scarcity thereby forcing you to buy them at more exorbitant prices when the season of Christmas kicks in.

Year after year, I am sure you must have noticed there is usually fuel scarcity and fewer hours of electricity supply during this period. Now that filing stations are still begging you to come and buy, don’t you think you should act fast?

Nonetheless, my dear friends, there is no preparation for Christmas as important and as beautiful as the SPIRITUAL PREPARATION. If you like, open a filling station inside your bedroom, if you like travel to the four ends of the world, go get cards and decorations from Dubai, bring Santa Claus from New York, get the latest shoes from Tokyo, knock-outs and fireworks from Afganistan or the fattest cow from Sokoto, if you so care, paint your house white and red and plant the tallest Christmas trees with all the lights in the whole wide world, your Christmas would still amount to nothing if the spiritual preparation of your heart is missing.

If Christ is not born anew in your life, then your Christmas is a mere dissipation; a waste of time and money as well as opportunity for even greater crises. Without a renewal of our Christian-ness, without a deeper resolve to walk away from the darkness of sin, without allowing the baby Jesus affect our character and conduct, then Christmas is just another calendar event that comes and goes. And it is not surprising that even among Christians, Christmas season provides an opportunity for further increase in sin all in the name of celebrating the birth of Jesus; a time that many of us Christians engage in late night parties, carousing, drinking competitions, over-feeding, indecency, fornication, adultery, theft, lying to mention but a few.

How can I escape the trap of Satan this Christmas? What do I need to do to make this year’s Christmas the best I have ever had? The answer lies in our readings for this first Sunday of Advent.

Isaiah in our first reading today not only wets our minds about what sort of Messiah we are expecting at Christmas, he concludes by telling us how we are position ourselves to receive him graciously. He says: “O house of Jacob, come, Let us Walk in the Light of the Lord.” St. Paul takes off from there in the second reading when he says: “You know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep… the night is far gone, Let us case off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.” Meaning: No more drunkenness, no more licentiousness (anything goes), no more quarrelling, no more jealousy, no more provision for the flesh. Avoid these things and this would be the best Christmas of your life.

The true joy of Christmas is not the fun we catch in sinful acts, the real joy is that which the baby Jesus brings into our hearts when we allow him to be born again there. It is the joy and peace which the world cannot give but only Christ himself can give. John 14, 27.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus says: “WATCH, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Being watchful is a figure of speech that means: to be alert in the spirit; alert to temptations, alert to spiritual laziness such as forgetting to pray, alert to knowing when and how one begins to move towards sin, alert to knowing when the thief (Satan) is about to come into your heart and suggest something evil.

The Psalmist prays: “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not turn my heart to any evil.” Psalm 141, 3 to 4. The book of Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23 hits the nail on the head when it says: “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for out of it proceeds the wellsprings of life.”

Being watchful is GUARDING your heart, keeping clean and sparkling at all times so that Christ can find a place there in. It is like a cleaner who sits under the staircase in the banking hall constantly looking at the floor to ensure there is no sand or dirt. It is like a good security guard who only sees what looks like a shadow of an intruder and fires immediately. He does not wait till when the thief has captured him and bound him hand and foot. St. Peter puts it beautifully when he wrote: “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith.” 1st Peter 5, 8 to 9. 

Mind you, being watchful is not the same thing as doing nothing. Hence Jesus would further add in this same passage: “Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find SO DOING.” The best form of preparation for Christmas is asking myself this question: “If Christ were to come right now, will he like what I am doing?” If I know he wouldn’t, then why should I still allow myself do it?

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, make my heart a ready temple for you this Christmas. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy Sunday.

Fr. Abu.

BEHOLD, I AM COMING SOON. (Homily for November 26, 2016. Saturday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time.)

Bible Study: Revelations 22, 1 to 7 and Luke 21, 34 to 36.

Today we come to the end of the book of Revelations as well as the end of this liturgical year. We have summarily completed the entire Bible and from tomorrow we shall begin all over again not necessarily sequentially (i.e. from Genesis on) but selectively. The last sentence of the book of Revelation is a contains a powerful statement from the lips of Jesus himself: “BEHOLD I AM COMING SOON”.

You still remember that song: Soon and Very soon, we are going to meet the lord… soon and very soon… soon and very soon…. Soon and very soon…. we are going to meet the Lord….alleluia …..alleluia ….we are going to meet the Lord. Anyway, I think the song can also be understood to mean: “Soon and very soon, Christ is coming to meet with us… soon and very soon…. Soon and very soon…. Soon and very soon, Christ is coming to meet with us… alleluia … alleluia… Christ is coming to meet with us.” The fact that Christ will come to us very soon sets the tone for Advent when we actually prepare to receive Christ at Christmas.

Yes, Christmas is just a couple of days away and a little drive around town shows that people are busy painting their houses and fixing lights and other decorations. Right now, people are busy shopping and planning for the holidays and as usual prices of certain indispensable items are already skyrocketing.

In all of this, one very common denominator amongst every single person you meet this period is ANXIETY. For a million and one reasons, people are desperately anxious and everyone just seems to be a rush for something important. This accounts for the increase in traffic accidents and extreme outbursts of anger among drivers this period. It is one thing to prepare for Christmas, but a different thing altogether to welcome the baby Jesus into one’s heart – a welcoming that ordinarily should change us totally and make us resolved to live a better life in the coming year.

Jesus knew the danger of anxiety. Hence Jesus told us in today’s Gospel passage: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap” instead “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” Jesus is coming soon. Are you prepared to welcome him?

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I be found worthy on judgment day. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE? (Homily for November 25, 2016. Friday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time.)

Bible Study: Revelations 20 and 21. Luke 21, 29 to 33.

When God made man, he had no intentions that our life would be limited; that we would die or that we would have to suffer eternally. God’s intention for man as contained in Genesis 1, 26 simply states: “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

To be in the image and likeness of God meant that man was supposed to be like God, immortal, powerful, great, in-charge of every other thing that exists. But something went wrong!

The inability of man to resist the temptation to sin brought about a change in God’s plan. From the very first sin to the last sin you just committed recently, something keeps changing about the human story. This is because as attractive as sin may be, it ALWAYS comes with its consequences – and the greatest consequence of sin is man’s disqualification from enjoying life as God originally intended.

The book of Revelations may appear very difficult to understand but the message is very clear – God will judge the world and it is only those whose names are found in the book of life that will eventually merit heaven.

We live in an age where the talk about heaven and hell almost sounds archaic, you barely hear any preacher mention heaven or hell these days. The very word ‘sin’ even is not as common as before. We are more concerned with how to get the best of all that life on earth has to offer, how to be comfortable here and now and whatever would help us achieve our dreams of wealth, health and luxury is okay even if it means going against God’s commandments.

Dear friends, there is no better time to think of heaven other than now. Today is a day to repent, to begin afresh; to perform acts capable of insuring our names are in the book of life. These are the last days.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I be found worthy on judgment day. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

LOOK UP AND RAISE YOUR HEADS. (Homily for November 24, 2016. Wednesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time.)

Bible Study: Revelations 18 and 19. Luke 21, 20 to 28.

Both our first reading and our Gospel passage today begin on a rather sad and tense mood, they both speak of destruction, punishment and calamity, but surprisingly also, they both end on very joyful and hopeful tones.

John concludes by saying: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” While Jesus ends by saying: “Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near.”

Of course, there would be great distress upon the earth. Of course, many shall fall by sword and great signs shall appear in heaven and on earth. Surely, we all shall face judgment one day. Babylon (which signifies the great evils in this world) shall be thrown down and avenged.  But then, the message for us today is that in the midst of all these terrifying events that shall mark the end of time, there is no need for us to be afraid or go into panic attacks.

As our people would say: “A clear conscience fears no accusation.” No matter what would become of this world, those who continue to live in the light of Christ will surely be rewarded. Let us not be overcome by the pervasive evil around us. If you cannot beat them, don’t join them. Continue to raise your heads high in virtue and never give in to sin because your redemption is close at hand.

Right now, it may seem as if evil people are succeeding and there is nothing left for the virtuous. Sometime ago, a young man asked me if it is possible to become rich in this country without getting into some sinful act in one way or another. He was so convinced that the hardship of the economy today leaves no room for the success of the righteous. Today’s readings answer his question. Judgment day is real. Those who seem to be succeeding today through evil means will surely face God’s vengeance one day.

Today we mark the memorial of Andrew Dung Lac and companions. They were murdered under a fierce persecution against Christianity in their attempt to spread the Gospel in Vietnam. The stories of the martyrs challenge us to be brave and defend our faith no matter what we may face.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I endure to the end. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. (Homily for November 23, 2016. Wednesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time.)

Bible Study: Revelations 15, 1 to 9 and Luke 21, 12 to 19.

Our people have a saying that: It is the person who is pursuing you that eventually shows you the way to promotion in life. Meaning: You should thank your enemies because if not for them, you might not have advanced to where you are today. Dear friends, these words may be difficult to understand, but they are true. When people are against us and begin to try all means of pulling us down, they only succeed in raising us higher.

Never pray that your enemies should die, instead pray that the evil they melt out to you would be to your advantage in the long run. The truth is that we cannot avoid the hatred of others, no matter how good we are, people would still hate us. Even Jesus makes the point clear in today’s Gospel passage: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons…. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name.”

If you have never experienced the hatred of others, then you are lucky. I have seen hatred first hand. I know what it means to have even a person you once thought was your personal person turn around against you to witch-hunt you to the extent of even making others hate you. I know what it means for a person you used to eat from the same plate suddenly blacklist you all because of your choice to live as a child of the light.

But even as Jesus was saying this, he also added that the victory is already ours. “But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance, you will gain your lives.” When they thought they would finish you, God will use the finishing they planned to conclude your promotion. The very incidence that made you shed tears will one day become your cause for joy.

Do not return hatred for hatred. Even the book of Proverbs said: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Proverbs 25, 21 to 22. 

In fact, as at the time John was writing the book of Revelation, Christians in the Roman Empire were passing through the most bloody persecution ever Emperor Diocletan. Yet, John did not fail to write of their eventual triumph. “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.” Revelation 15, 2.

By “those who had conquered the beast” John was referring to those who refuse to deny Christ under the great persecution, those who refused to change their religion; those who by their death have won eternal life for themselves. Dear friends, never give up on your goodness, sorrow may last in the night but surely, I bet you, surely, surely, joy will come in the morning!

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I endure to the end. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

AS HARVEST DAY APPROACHES. (Homily for November 22, 2016. Tuesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time.)

Bible Study: Revelations 14, 14 to 19 and Luke 21, 5 to 11.

“And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat upon the cloud; ‘Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.’ So he who sat upon the cloud swung his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14, 15 to 16.

Using very graphic images, John in his Revelations, describes the end of the world in terms of harvest. This is just in line with Jesus himself taught about judgment day; how the sheep shall be separated from the goats; how those who have done well will rejoice while some will be sent to a place of crying and weeping.

In other for us not to get too attached to imagery, we must dwell on the essence of the message itself – there is nothing that we do that does not have its repercussion. For every good deed that we do and for every wrong deed that we do, we shall somehow get to receive a boomerang effect later. The good we do as well as the evil we do comes back to us.

Just as farmers harvest the crops they plant, we cannot expect to harvest good in places where we have sown evil. Our life on earth is very short. It is simply a time of planting for us and it is exactly what we plant, the way we choose to live and the very choices we make every day that would determine what the harvest of our lives become.

This day of harvest will definitely be a day of great disturbance, turmoil and sadness. As Jesus points out in today’s Gospel passage, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.” Luke 21, 10 to 12.

As you step out of your room today, let this images dwell in your mind. Let it affect every choice you make and every decision you take. Before doing anything at all, ask yourself this question: “On the day of judgment, will I be proud of what I am about to do, say or think about?” If your answer is: “No”, then don’t do it. 

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my life yield a great harvest. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.

YOUR OFFERTORY; YOUR PRESENTATION. (Homily for November 21, 2016. Feast of the Presentation of Mary.)

Bible Study: Revelations 14, 1 to 5 and Luke 21, 1 to 4.

There is a kind of giving that touches the heart of God. Our offertory is not just money we give in Church, it is an act of sacrifice capable of drawing the attention of God on our behalf. This is exactly what happened in our Gospel passage this morning: Jesus took notice of a poor widow because of her offertory.

In the eyes of the world, what she gave was small but to Jesus, it was really huge because that was all she had to live on. Her offertory became her Presentation. Her gift was not only accepted, it brought her into limelight in the Presence of God. Dear friends, what is your offertory? What is its value compared to your entire wealth? How come we only give the thinnest fraction of what we have? What is wrong with giving a truly widow’s mite?

By the way, as this story points out, a widow’s mite is not the smallest amount you can give, a widow’s mite according to this story is ALL YOU HAVE. The way we use the phrase “widow’s mite” clearly shows we do not even know what it means.

Now, what keeps us from giving like the widow is FEAR. Yes, we are too scared of never having enough and too scared of the future that we hold on tightly to what we have; so tight that we don’t allow other things come in. We say we can’t give because we don’t have and our words eventually become self-fulfilling prophecies. By saying we don’t have, we never ever get to have.

So far, we have talked about giving with reference to Money. The truth is that money is just one out of a million things we can give to God. In fact, giving money is not as important as giving other things such as telling the truth for instance. Oh, you never thought of it before, isn’t it?

Being truthful can be your offertory. In today’s first reading, St. John speaks of the one hundred and forty four thousand (a symbolic number) who have washed their robes clean. He says: “On their lips no lie has been found.” In other words, to wash one’s robes clean is to stop telling lies. If you cannot give all your money as the widow gave, at least give the truth at all times, let it be your presentation.

Again apart from money, truth and other good deeds we can give to God, our children are also great gifts that God is ever pleased to have. Today we celebrate how Joachim and Anne, made a gift of their daughter, Mary to God. At a very young age, they dedicated Mary to God and by that very act, committed themselves to her proper upbringing and spiritual development. Their act of presentation became the foundation of God’s choice of her as the Mother of Jesus Christ.

Dear parents, dedicate your children to God and give them the best home training possible. You never can tell, your daughter may just be the next icon God would use to change the world.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, I present my gifts, my money, my goodness and my children to you. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy new week.

Fr. Abu.