A NEW YEAR, A NEW NAME AND A FRESH START. (Homily for January 1, 2017. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.)

Bible Study: Numbers 6, 22 to 27. Galatians 4, 4 to 7 and Luke 2, 16 to 21.

Our first reading this morning contains powerful blessings. And I pray for you this morning that these blessings will surround you, uplift you and catapult you to a higher level in Jesus Name. Amen. They say the beginning shows the end, the morning shows the day, it is how you lay your bed that you lie on it. You have started well already this year by honouring God in coming to begin your New Year in the house of God. In fact, I consider that this year which begins with a Sunday is a special year.

Just yesterday I read about a popular man who made fifty prophecies about the year 2017. He said so many things would happen and I guess this pattern would be followed by others who love to gain popularity among their followers. Please do not go after any man or woman who wants to tell you how tomorrow will be. Everything about the future has already been revealed by God and it is contained in the Bible. You do not need me to tell you anything different from what God himself has already said and if I must prophesy there is only one thing I would say: Just as you saw the end of 2016, you shall see the end of 2017 and everything it brings, the world itself is coming to an end and no one knows when. Are you prepared?

As much we are desire to receive blessing from God this new day, as much we like to hear prophecies of good tidings to kick us off in a happy and joyful mood, as much as we all desire to have a refill of hope and enthusiasm on this day, let us remember that with God, there is always a time for everything. Our second reading today tells us: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law.” Galatians 4, 4 to 5. Jesus Christ could not have been born a year earlier or later. There was a specific time under the calendar of God. There is a time for your blessing. There is a set time for your breakthrough. Keep looking up to God. Keep trusting him. Keep being steadfast in your prayer.

Lazarus was already dead four days yet Jesus did not arrive late. The widow of Nain attended the funeral procession of her only son yet it was not too late for Jesus to wake him up. Jairus daughter was sick and by the time he brought Jesus home, he met flute players singing funeral hymns, they asked him not to bother Jesus yet Jesus proved to them that he did not arrive late. He said “Talita cumi” Dear friends, your time is your time. I don’t want you to have any false hope instead I want you to deepen your trust in God because when he wants to act, no one can stop him.

Exactly eight days ago, we celebrated the birthday of Jesus Christ. Although many argue that Jesus was not born exactly on the 25^th of December, the point is that is the day we choose to use for his birthday and anyone who disagrees is free to pick another day for himself or herself so long as the birth of Jesus is celebrated. So, following the tradition and custom of the land, on this day, the newly born baby was given the name, Jesus. As Luke tells us, this was the name given by the Angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Names are not mere means of identity. Names carry a lot of meaning and a name can define the future of a person. The Name Jesus means “Saviour.” In the course of his life, Jesus did exactly what that name meant. He saved the world and even today, he continues his ministry of salvation. 2017 is like a new born baby. It is the name you call it that it will answer. Give this New Year a name and you will be surprised how 2017 will fulfil every single detail of the name you have given to it. Today is not a day to complain at all. Please speak blessing over your 2017. Say everything good and positive about this year. It will listen, it will obey.

On this day that the baby Jesus is named, one happy woman is Mary. Have you ever seen a woman after delivery? Do you know how happy she is? She has just faced the life or death process of giving birth. To eventually carry her baby is her greatest joy. Even the bible acknowledges that the presence of a baby makes a woman forget the pains of nine month pregnancy. In other words, today is a Mary’s day. No wonder on this day, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.

In today’s Gospel passage, we are told “She treasured all these things in her heart.” As we begin a New Year, we ought to emulate the outstanding disposition of Mary. She was told she had a great responsibility to carry and she did not complain, she was waiting for it. All she said was “I am the handmaid of God, let it be done according to God’s will.” Mary accepted the plan of God in her life, she took in the highs and the lows, she was ready for the joys as well as the pains involved. She never gave up but continued to look forward gallantly in hope to that day of her reward when all generations would actually start calling her blessed.

Mary is so outstanding today because she knew her role in God’s plan and was willing to obey every detail, every command to the letter. When the Child was born, she gave the very name “Jesus” in obedience to the Angel’s instruction. She knew that through her, God was about to fulfil his promise.

Lastly, today is the world day of Peace. Let us as Pope Francis admonish follow the footsteps of Saint Therese of Lisieux: “Practice the little way of Love. Never miss out on a kind word, a smile or any small gesture which sows peace and friendship.” In other words, I must henceforth smile at anybody I meet regardless of what or who that person is to me. I must spread joy and peace. I must follow the manual that Jesus gave in the beatitudes. I must be meek, merciful, peaceful, pure in heart, hunger and thirst for justice. I must actively show mercy by refusing to discard people, by refusing to harm the environment, by refusing to engage in competitions with others whereby I seek to win at all costs. This New Year, I must banish violence from my heart, I must banish violence from my words, (no more shouting at others, no more insults), I must banish violence from my deeds (no more jungle justice). Every one of us can champion peace.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of a new year. Amen

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

Fr. Abu.

PEACE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN WAR. (Homily for December 31, 2016. New Year Vigil Mass.)

Bible Study: Numbers 6, 22 to 27. Galatians 4, 4 to 7 and Luke 2, 16 to 21.

Our first reading tonight sounds more like a prayer than an admonition. Indeed it is a formula of blessing which God himself gave to Moses. There is one aspect of the prayer that forms the bedrock of our reflection this evening. It says: May the Lord lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Peace. Yes, Peace. What is Peace? And how can the world today find peace?

In his message for the 2017 world day of Peace, Pope Francis shares some of his ideas on the topic of peace. In the beginning, he noted that the foundation for all peace is the recognition that every human being is a sacred gift, endowed with great dignity and made in the image and likeness of God. Once you see your fellow human being in this light, you wouldn’t want to harm, hurt or be violent towards him or her no matter what he or she may have done to you.

This very night, I want us to carry out a little exercise. Think about all those who offended you in this year 2016, picture in your mind all the violence, hatred, injustice and pain you suffered from people. Now, the question I sincerely want to ask you is: What are you planning to do with all these people whose names and faces you now picture? Do you intend to carry the pains and hurts into the New Year? Pope Francis says: “When victims of violence are able to resist the temptation to retaliate, they become the most credible promoters of nonviolent peacemaking.” This means peace begins with those who are already victims of violence. I am sure there is no one here who has not been hurt before. We all are victims. But we have a choice either to become promoters of peace by entering 2017 in a clean state or carry the smells and dirt of 2016 along with us.

But today, I encourage you to choose peace instead. Since 2016 will never come again, since this year will die forever tonight, let us decide to allow the hurts and pains of 2016 to die with it. This is a night of crossing over, if we don’t get to forgive and let go, if we still plan to recall the past and retaliate, then it means we are not fully crossing over. Why is Peace necessary? Pope Francis recalling the words of Pope Paul VI fifty years ago in the first world day of peace message stated: “Peace is the only direction of human progress…” Do you want to be blessed in life? Do you want to be successful and achieve your dreams of a greater future, then Peace is absolutely necessary.

There is no progress when there is no peace. When we look at our world today, listen to news headlines, we cannot but notice that the world as a whole is “engaged in a horrifying world war fought piecemeal.” This has brought about great suffering all over the world. We hear of terrorism, organised crime, abuses of migrants, human trafficking, devastation of the environment and so on all because the world has refused to follow the path of nonviolence and embrace peace instead. The question Pope Francis asks is “Can violence achieve any goal of lasting value?” Nothing! Violence has never and will never produce anything good instead it will only lead to more suffering, forceful migrations of people from their homelands, death (both physical and spiritual death) of many if not of all.

One great man once defined anger as “the punishment we inflict on ourselves because of the mistakes of others.” In war, there is never a winner. Every battle is an endless cycle of attack, retaliation, counter attack and further retaliation. It never ends. Picture those who have hurt you and wish them good, drop your plans of doing evil to them. Realize that there is no amount of retaliation that will compensate for the harm they have done because it will only bring you more pain and injury. Even Jesus acknowledges that both war and peace begin from the heart.

Conquer that voice that keeps crying out for violence deep inside you, allow Jesus speak to your heart as you reflect on Jesus’ own life and words. In Matthew 5,44 Jesus said: “Love your enemies.” When someone slaps you, “turn the other cheek.” In John 8, 1 to 11 Jesus refused to allow the crowd stone the woman caught in adultery to death. Jesus would never consent to jungle justice as is now rampart in Nigeria today. For instance when a small boy of 7 stole garri, he was stoned and burnt to death. Has this violent treatment stopped stealing in Nigeria? Dear friends violence no matter how attractive it may seem cannot achieve anything. On the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter brought out his sword to begin a war, he slew the ear of Malchus and would have cut off someone’s head but Jesus stopped him. He replaced the ear and asked Peter to put back his weapon. Jesus not only preached Peace. He practiced it to the end.

We must be people of Peace because as Pope Benedict XVI said, there is already too much violence, too much injustice in the world. Violence cannot stop violence. The world today need more love, and more Goodness. We not only believe in, we also practice what the Gospel teaches, “Love your enemies.” (luke 6,27). This is our anthem, it is our identity, it is our supreme rule, our magna carta. It is not as is we are to do nothing when people hurt us. No, we are no simply to fold our hands and allow people crush us. Rather, work with love, trace out the roots of the conflict and disagreement and speak directly to our offenders using a language free from hatred or violence. The Pope extols Mother Teresa as an icon who fought poverty, injustice and disrespect for human life by identifying herself with the world’s poorest, caring for the world’s rejected; the unborn and those abandoned. By her work, she became the conscience of world leaders. There are also many others who have achieved great things through non-violence such as Mahatma Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffer, Martin Luther King Jr, Leymah Gbowee and so many others. Not left out is John Paul II who succeeded in ending the communist regime in Europe without lifting a single gun or knife.

The Church has always stood for non-violence as well as other Christian denominations. In fact, according to Pope Francis, all religions stand for and promote non-violence. “No religion is terrorist… The name of God cannot be used to justify violence. Peace alone is holy. Peace alone is holy, not war.” It means that any group or body that preaches war is not a religion.

The family is the bedroom of the world where non-violence must be taught and learnt. When conflicts and friction arise, the cure is not force but dialogue, respect, concern for the good of the other, mercy and forgiveness. At times, by inflicting violence on children, Parents indirectly teach children that the only solution for the mistakes of others is a violent response. Yet, such children only get hardened and device tricks to hide from their parents, they then go haywire the moment they leave home. “The Politics of nonviolence have to begin in the home and then spread to the entire human family.

This New Year, let one of our resolutions be to follow the advice of Saint Therese of Lisieux: “Practice the little way of Love. Never miss out on a kind word, a smile or any small gesture which sows peace and friendship.” In other words, I must henceforth smile at anybody I meet regardless of what or who that person is to me. I must spread joy and peace. I must follow the manual that Jesus gave in the beatitudes. I must be meek, merciful, peaceful, pure in heart, hunger and thirst for justice. I must actively show mercy by refusing to discard people, by refusing to harm the environment, by refusing to engage in competitions with others whereby I seek to win at all costs. This New Year, I must banish violence from my heart, I must banish violence from my words, (no more shouting at others, no more insults), I must banish violence from my deeds (no more jungle justice). Every one of us can champion peace.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace. Fill my heart with Peace that I may be a promoter of peace. Amen

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

Fr. Abu.

AM I FOR CHRIST OR ANTI-CHRIST? (Homily for December 31, 2016. Seventh Day of Christmas.)

Bible Study: 1st John 2, 18 to 21 and John 1, 1 to 18.

Whenever the word “Antichrist” is mentioned, our minds tend to go directly to the devil but a better understanding of that word is in the context it appears in today’s first reading. The antichrist is not necessary the devil himself but anyone who claims to profess faith in Christ yet brings about division and distortion of the truth among Christians.

According to John, “So many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us…. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth.” 1 John 2, 18 to 21. 

From what John says, it is either we are Pro-Christ or Anti-Christ. We cannot be the both at the same time. It is either we are promoting Christ by our life or we are giving a wrong message about Christ to the world. In Christ, there is no division, anyone who is championing division in the Church not for Christ.

Six days ago, we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ into the human race. Why was Jesus born among us? To bring us life and this life is the light and this light entails that we live above sin in a world that has been so crippled by darkness. If we call ourselves Christians, then our lives ought to shine like bright stars in the world, that is, there has to be a difference in our pattern of life. However from the way many Christians live today, from the way they pretend to be in the light while full of darkness inside, we can only conclude that there are more Antichrists in the church than there are true Christians.

Jesus himself told us that it is by their fruits that we would know the antichrists. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits…“Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7, 15 to 21. 

John says in our Gospel passage: “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” John 1, 9 to 12.

Have I fully received Christ? Am I a wolf in sheep clothing? Do I outwardly claim to be for Christ yet act against him in private? And finally, as a child of God, what are my New Year resolutions? 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I belong to you, may I never be anti-Christ by what I do, say or think. Amen

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

Fr. Abu.

FAMILY IS THE FIRST CHURCH. (Homily for December 30, 2016. Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.)

Bible Study: 1st John 2, 3 to 11 and Luke 2, 22 to 25.

No one can function to his or her fullest capacity without a family. And a family is not restricted to those to own one is related by blood. Those you meet and interact with on a daily basis are your family, even your work colleagues, you fellow team members. These are people you did not select but as long as you live, they are essentially part of your story. We all need persons around us we can call family. More still, the fact that God himself has been born and raised in a human family shows that family is essential to human survival. If family was not so important, God could have made Mary raise Jesus as a single mother but God had to send an Angel to Joseph requesting him to marry Mary and raise the boy Jesus.

Children who do very well in life are those raised in environments of strong moral families. A broken home, an abusive parent, a dysfunctional home always leaves a terrible scar on the children. But how can a family succeed in its aim of producing great men and women capable of raising our society to a higher level? The answer lies in today’s liturgy.

Take a look at the picture of the Holy Family. Do you notice that Jesus Christ is at the middle of Mary and Joseph? What does this say to you? That for any family to survive, God must be at the middle. So, if we want our families to be holy, if all we want is to hear good things about our family, then we must put God at the very centre of our family.

Sing: “When Jesus is in the family…happy happy oh… happy happy oh…

 

The Bible says: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he grows, he will never depart from it.” On the other hand, Children must learn to respect and honour their parents. As we saw in the Gospel passage, when Joseph and Mary eventually found Jesus, they took him home and “he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.” If God himself was obedient as a child, then who are you to be stubborn towards your parents?

Remember the fourth commandment which states: “Honour your father and mother so that your days would be long.” The book of Sirach further clarifies this commandment in our first reading today: Those who honour their father atone for sins, and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure….when they pray they will be heard…. For a father's blessing strengthens the houses of the children, but a mother's curse uproots their foundations… For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and will be credited to you against your sins; in the day of your distress it will be remembered in your favour; like frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.

In our Gospel passage this morning, we read about how Joseph and Mary “forgot” to take Jesus with them when they were on their way home. They had to go through the hurdle of making a three days temple back to the temple to look for him. At times, as families, we do not remember to bring Jesus with us. We try to move on with our lives without the rhythm of daily prayers, we assume that things are fine and that money answereth all things such that we can afford to simply come home to sleep and rush back to work again. Joseph and Mary had not gotten home yet when they noticed Jesus was missing, they refused to enter their house till they were re-united with Jesus.

The question for us today is: “Is Jesus missing from my family?” or put it this way “How often do we talk to Jesus, listen to him, play with him, worship him and allow him guide us as a family?” A family that does not pray together cannot stay together. If truly Jesus is missing from your home, then no need going home. Home is supposed to be a place of peace but when a home lacks Jesus, the Prince of Peace, then that home become a place of restlessness, endless trouble and scatter scatter.

The best way to allow Jesus take the middle position in our family is to re-think our understanding of the family. We must start seeing the family as a church. My family is not just a place to go and rest or have fun, rather it is a place to meet God. If this is how I see my family, I will ensure I take out anything that is alien to God from my home. I must ensure that those I call family are close to God. I must ensure that we all gather every day to pray and share the word of God. A family that lacks God is like a church that lacks a tabernacle, it is like Joseph and Mary furious searching for Jesus, it is always chaos and trouble.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, come into my family and make it holy. Amen

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

Fr. Abu.

TO KNOW GOD IS TO OBEY HIM. (Homily for December 29, 2016. Fifth day of Christmas.)

Bible Study: 1st John 2, 3 to 11 and Luke 2, 22 to 25.

When the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be a mother, recall that the question Mary asked was “How can this happen since I do not know man?” There are certain kinds of knowledge that we don’t get by reading books. Mary knew Joseph’s name but she still did not know him. If she had, she wouldn’t have remained a virgin. Knowledge is not a matter of intellectual activity. Knowledge transforms. Knowledge changes a person.

One can acquire a Ph.D in the study of God yet all he succeed in getting is mere intellectual proficiency. To claim you know God, there must be an encounter and the fruit of such an encounter must show in the kind of life you live. In today’s first reading, St. John tells us precisely what it means to know God which is: KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS.

One who claims to know God and yet disobeys God’s commandments is a LIAR deceiving himself. You may know so much about God but if you are not keeping his commandments, then it means that you are still locked up in darkness. If you find it difficult to keep God’s commandments and consider it a struggle to obey them, then it means God has not yet had an impact in your life. To know God is to walk in the light. To know God is to do the right thing regardless of who is watching. To know God is to serve him wholeheartedly keeping his commandments out of pure love for him not out of fear of punishment or desire to appear holy before others.

The summary of the entire commandments is to Love God above all else and to love one’s neighbour as oneself. Hence, if you harbour hatred for your neighbour in your heart, it is a clear sign that you do not know God. “Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

Simeon simply saw the baby Jesus yet knew immediately that this child was God. Simeon did not see Jesus work any miracle, yet he had more faith than those who saw Jesus perform countless miracles. To know God is to be in the spirit. When you reach that point where the Holy Spirit speaks in your heart like Simeon, then you can claim to know God.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, open my hearts to that deep encounter with God that I may be changed forever. Amen

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

Fr. Abu.

REMEMBERING THE HOLY INNOCENTS. (Homily for December 28, 2016. Feast of Holy Innocents.)

Bible Study: 1st John 1, 5 to 2, 2. Matthew 2, 13 to 18.

 

Today we celebrate a rather painful episode of the Christmas story; the great massacre of innocent children by King Herod. Some questions that bother the mind of many upon reflection on today’s feast is: “Where is God when bad things happen? Was it the case that God was not aware beforehand that Herod was planning such evil? How come he did not remove it from Herod’s mind, yet he sent an Angel to warn Joseph in a dream to flee with Mary and the child at night? How come God did not also send Angels to warn the fathers of all other babies whom Herod slaughtered? Was it a crime to have been born almost at the same time at Jesus in Palestine that year?”

That bad things happen to good and innocent persons is something that we cannot completely comprehend. However, nothing should ever make us lose faith in God or assume he does not care or that he is powerless. God is there, he sees everything, he knows everything and he has never stopped being God. All he demands from us especially when things get really rough with us is TRUST. St. Paul would assure us that all things work unto good for those who love God. Romans 8, 28. Sometimes a lot of good can still come out from situations we describe as terrible.

On the other hand, let us put ourselves in the shoes of Herod. If for instance, you hear for instance that somebody is coming to take over your position as the Managing Director of a multi-national company, would you just sit there and fold your hands? If as a wife, you see that your husband begins to give too much attention to another lady outside the house, would you do nothing? If you were told that everything you have worked for and all that your family possesses which you have inherited would be taken away from you and given to somebody else, wouldn’t you try to stop it?

At times, we pray the worst prayers over the people who seem to threaten our position, our wealth, our children or our precious possessions. Little do we realise that each time, we are trying to fight our so called “enemy”, each time we send arrows to them, to prevent them from ever succeeding, we are simply being Herods. I am sure if you ask Herod, he would tell you, he didn’t do anything wrong by ordering the death of those innocent children. He would tell you that he acted in self-defence. He heard a king would be born in his kingdom and he did all he could to prevent another king rising. He tried to protect what ws rightfully his. 

Dear friends, haven’t we killed so many innocent people with our lips by speaking ill of them simply because they were a threat to us? This is why our first reading this morning from the letter of St. John says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1, 8 to 10.

Today is not a day to feel hatred for Herod over what he did, neither is it a day to recount the people who have committed similar atrocities against their fellow man. Today is a day for us to look inwards and ask ourselves how well we have fed the Herod that is in us. Today is a day for us to examine ourselves and recount bad things we may have done to people to the extent that even our victims had to cry to God to also ask him why he allowed us do such evil things to them.

Today is a day for us to examine our fears and ask ourselves what is it that we are trying to hold on to. That is, what are we afraid of losing for which we are prepared to kill? Did we bring anything to this life? Are we going to take anything with us when we die? So why are we so scared of losing the things that we must lose eventually? Did Herod not eventually die and leave the throne for another person? Was he thinking that by killing the innocent children, he would reign for ever? Does he know whether the throne went to his son or someone else?

There is something about destiny and competition. At times, we engage in very useless competition with people forgetting that who God has said he will be, he must be. We try to stop people from outshining us and we waste a lot of time and energy, we even have sleepless nights just to prevent others from overtaking us, yet after everything, we cannot stop the will of God from happening. A little boy you brought up may eventually become your master tomorrow and if that is how God want it, there is nothing you can do about it. Your driver, your house-help, that “useless thing” may eventually become your saviour tomorrow so why being a Herod for nothing.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to trust you even thing are hard. Amen. In a special way, I pray for the repose of the twenty two children who died in a ghastly motor accident on their way to attend my diaconate ordination on December 17, 2011. These were innocent children who wanted to see for the first time how people are ordained, they did not attend the ceremony physically but were there in spirit. Have mercy on them and grant them a place in your kingdom O Lord. Amen.

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

Fr. Abu.

YES, JESUS IS REAL. (Homily for December 27, 2016. Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.)

Bible Study: 1^st John 1, 1 to 4 and John 20, 2 to 8.

If at all, there could be any atom of doubt about whether or not Jesus Christ was actually born as man from the womb of the virgin Mary and lived among men, there is one great evangelist whose writings stand tall to quench such doubts. John, also known as the Beloved Apostle whose feast we celebrate today writes with utter conviction: “Something we have heard from the beginning, something we have seen with our eyes, something we have touched…”

John is saying in essence that Jesus was not just a figment of the imagination. John is saying I was with Jesus, I saw him with my very eyes, I had series of conversation with him, I ate with him, I followed him while he performed all his miracles, I touched him. Infact, at the foot of the cross, I was the one he entrusted his Mother to and she lived with me from that day.

Our Gospel passage today takes us to that familiar scene of the Resurrection Morning. The fact that we are reading about the resurrection just within the same week as we celebrate the birth of Jesus carries a lot of meaning. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of his victory over sin and death. And if he was really born as man, we must be reminded immediately that that same baby Jesus was the same man who rose from the dead. Without his rising from the dead, then there would have been no need for us to celebrate his birthday.

On that faithful morning, when the Mary Magdalene brought the news that the body of Jesus was not found in the tomb and even the stone had been rolled away, Peter and John immediately ran there to see things for themselves first hand. We are told that John being a younger man reached the tomb first but in humility he did not go in until Peter had gone in first. He saw and he believed. There was no room for any doubt in his heart anymore. No wonder John did not write like one guessing. He wrote his Gospel and the three epistles with all conviction.

Something quite striking in our first reading today is that John tells us that the whole purpose of preaching is SO THAT OUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE. Having looked at life, one cannot but conclude with St. Augustine that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Only God can guarantee our happiness.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to understand you and love you just as John the Beloved. Amen.

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

Fr. Abu.

BEWARE OF MEN BUT LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. (Homily for December 26, 2016. Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr.)

Bible Study: Acts 6, 8 to 59 and Matthew 10, 17 to 22.

Just yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Jesus Christ himself. Today, we are celebrating another birthday, but this birthday is not a birth to human life but a birth into Supernatural life. Our opening prayer at mass this morning sums up today’s feast perfectly: “Grant Lord, we pray that we may imitate what we worship, and so learn to love even our enemies, for we celebrate the heavenly birthday of a man who knew how to pray for his persecutors.”

What is so unique about St. Stephen is not just the fact that he was the first martyr but that even while he was being stoned to death, he refused to allow bitterness and hatred becloud his mind. St. Stephen showed us what it really means to love by praying for the persons who were persecuting him. By the example of his life, St. Stephen imitated Jesus Christ who while on the cross prayed for his persecutors: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23, 34.

In our Gospel passage today, Jesus says: “Beware of men…” In other words, be careful of your fellow men. As much as it is good to trust people, do not expect from fellow humans that which only God can provide. Do not assume everyone means well for you, some persons actually become angrier with you when you are progressing. The case of Stephen is one of internal betrayal. Stephen was killed not by the Roman Emperors nor by strangers to the faith but by his fellow synagogue officials. When they discovered he had superior wisdom and no one could argue with him, they became jealous and instigated his death.

The question is: “if Stephen had decided to be quiet with his gifts of preaching and working of signs and wonders, would he have died like this?” But then, are we to hide our talents like the man who dug a hole to hide the talent his master gave to him to trade? Are we not supposed to use what God has given us to promote his kingdom? When Jesus says, “Beware of men” he doesn’t mean we should be afraid of people or hide our talents, he meant we should be prepared for shock and disappointment even from those we least expect. We would be shocked because we would be surprised to know how many hate us just because of we are doing what is right.

But the same Jesus also said in Matthew 5, 44: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Meaning if in the course of being careful about people, we then get to realize our enemies, we should not write them off or cut them away from our lives. Rather, we should love them just the way God himself loved us by sending us his son to die in our place even while we were still sinners and enemies of God. (Confer Romans 5,8). Christmas is all about God loving his enemies. Mankind was at enmity with God because of its sins. But God loved still by sending us his Son Jesus Christ. Stephen made enemies for himself by showing his talent but then, he loved his enemies by praying for their forgiveness while they were stoning him to death.

When last did I pray for my enemies? And what kind of prayer am I praying for them? How have I loved my enemies and what do I plan to give them in imitation of what God did for me?

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to imitate you just like Stephen. Amen.

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

Fr. Abu.

MEETING CHRIST ON HIS BIRTHDAY. (Homily for December 25, 2016. Christmas Mass at Dawn.)

Bible Study: Isaiah 52, 7 to 10. Hebrews 1, 1 to 6. And John 1, 1 to 18.

Finally, the day we have been waiting for has come. Yes, today is the day we celebrate the birthday of Christ. Now we can celebrate and rejoice with a joy that knows no bounds. For the past four Sundays, we did not sing the Gloria during mass. Now we sing it joyfully reflecting on the meaning of the words: “Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth peace to men…” Jesus is born this day and that is why we are celebrating his birth. But one question I want to ask is: “Where is the celebrant right now?”

Can we be celebrating someone’s birthday when the person is not there? Can the ceremony begin without the celebrant? Impossible. It is either we wait for the celebrant to arrive or we cancel the birthday party. Isn’t it? Dear friends, until we meet Jesus, until we allow Jesus to be present in our minds, until we realize that Jesus is the reason for the season, our celebration is null and void. A lot of people celebrate Christmas without even giving a single thought to the celebrant, all they are really concerned about is how to catch fun. Such celebrations are not Christmas but Funmass.

So, how and where do we meet Jesus so that we can really celebrate a worthy birthday for him? This is where our readings at mass this morning come in. In the Gospel passage, John explains: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being... He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him… But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God… And the Word became flesh and lived among us…” John 1:1-14

This Jesus whose birthday we are celebrating today is the WORD of God. And so, for us to meet him, we must spend time with our Bibles. Jesus is the word that was with God in the very beginning of creation. That is why God did not say “Let ME make so and so…” instead, he said: “Let US make…” Everything that exists came into being through Christ who is the word of God. Christ from the very beginning was with God as the Word and when the Virgin Mary said “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done unto me,” Christ the Word took flesh in her womb.

Today we are celebrating that Word of God, which has been born in our midst. The best Christmas treat we can ever give ourselves is to spend time with the Word, digest it and allow it to take flesh in our heart and lives. The Bible is not an ordinary book, the words is contains as John tells us is God himself. No wonder the book of Hebrews in our second reading today tells us that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. Jesus Christ is the living word of God sharper than any sword we can ever imagine.

When next you hold the Bible, don’t play with it, know that you are holding Jesus himself and as you celebrate today, let the Bible be present in the midst of all the food and drinks. Man shall not live by bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of God. Your Christmas would not be complete if you do not gather with your family to share the Word of God this very day.

There is great power in the word of God. No wonder the prophet Isaiah announces in our first reading: “How beautiful are the feet of him who brings good news, (that is, good words), proclaiming peace, good tidings and salvation. We are celebrating today because Christ, the word of God took flesh and dwelt among us. When we reflect daily on the Bible and pattern our lives according to the written words it contains, the Bible becomes flesh in our lives and we then begin to experience Jesus in a personal way.

As John proclaims, Jesus “was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” Do not be surprised that many people will never read the Bible, they would even do the opposite of what the Word of God says in the name of celebrating Christmas. But for us who have heard this message, let us be the ones to make a difference. Let us be the ones to receive Him through the Word that we may have power to claim the position of Children of God.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may your birth multiply my joy. Amen.

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

Fr. Abu.