Be a Good Steward of Your Opportunities in Life.

Homily for September 1, 2018.

_“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” *(Matthew 25:21)*_

We do not all have equal opportunities in life but we all have equal abilities to make the best of our opportunities. Some of us were born with silver spoons, others with “clay pots.” Some were born into homes of physical, psychological and mental abuse, some into havens of love, abundance and peace. Some of us knew God even before we knew sin, others only came to know God at a later age.

This is the point St. Paul makes in today’s first reading. He says “not many of you were wise, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth…” but God, the perfect equalizer. choose what is foolish to shame the wise and what is weak to shame the strong so that at the end, NO ONE CAN BOAST about anything. In other words, that you came from a Christian home or that you came from a wealthy home does not mean you are “better” or even “luckier” than anyone else. Why boast when you did not choose your parents or the home you were born into?

One can actually look at life and blame God for being so unfair. The parable of the talents given by Jesus in today’s Gospel passage answers these questions. The master had three servants and to one he gave five talents, to another, two talents and to the third, he gave one talent. There is just no way we can all be the same; there is no way we can all have the same amount of talents and gifts.

Rather than engage in useless competitions with one another or expend so much energies fighting for equality (a fight that will never end), rather than engage in the “pull-him-down” games we play often, there is much peace that comes with accepting our own truths and realizing it is not what we have that counts but how we manage it.

About thirty to twenty-five years ago, two men in this country became millionaires. They had the same amount of wealth. One decided to build the biggest mansion in the world with his money and the other decided to begin a bank. Today, that mansion has become a useless artefact but the bank today is one of the best in the country. You see, even if we were all to have the same opportunities today, we can never be equal still.

Dear friends, stop complaining about what you don’t have or that someone else happens to be more favoured than you. Focus on your own opportunities, use even your limitations and lack to your advantage; trade with your own unique talents – make the best of your unique situation.

You see, the one who got two talents did not ask for more simply because another got five. He traded with his and produced four while the other produced ten. Your two talents can never produce ten. God will not judge you for failing to produce ten. He knows four is your capacity. You are unique, you are different, your entire life is itself an opportunity; use it and make the best of it. Stop competing with others. Compete with your own self by striving to be better than what you were yesterday.

Finally, the one who got only one talent is like most of us who are so envious of others that we fail to look inwards and realize our own potentials. We bury our talents by continuous complaints and failure to give thanks and seize the opportunities available to us. This man was so used to complaining that when the master arrived, he complained about the master’s character saying he was a hard man bla, blah blah. Stop blaming God, stop asking “why me?” Stop looking at the expanse of your lack or the seemingly “unfairness” of God, take your one talent today and start working!

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, make me realize that my very life is an opportunity. Amen.

*Happy new month. Welcome to the Ember-ember season of festivities and joy. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 21^st week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Psalm 33:12-21 and Matthew 25:14-30).*

Foolishness versus Wisdom.

(Homily for August 31, 2018).

 

_“The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever, I will thwart.” *(1st Corinthians 1:18-19)*_

Whenever the scriptures talk about foolishness, it always does so within the context of wisdom. We become wise only when we realize we have been foolish. In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus is not simply entertaining us with a story, he wants us to examine ourselves, to ask certain questions and to find out where we really belong.

There were ten maidens, five were foolish and five were wise. The only thing that differentiated the foolish from the wise was the fact that they went along with some extra oil; they didn’t depend only on the oil in their lamps. The question I must ask myself now is: “Where and what constitutes my extra oil?” or better put, “what is that thing I do that will help me get to heaven when everything else fails?”

Coming to our first reading, St. Paul like Jesus, distinguishes between the foolish from the wise using the message of the cross as the yardstick. As a Christian, how do I relate with the message of the cross? St. Paul says, talking about the cross is foolishness to those who are doomed for destruction. Do I laugh at those who are against the Prosperity-Gospel?

What constitutes a cross for me? Could it even be the case that this cross is the extra oil needed to gain heaven? Have I been resisting the cross (sufferings, sacrifices, discomfort and inconvenience that comes with being steadfast to God)? In other words, am I becoming foolish by seeking a life free from the cross; am I throwing away my extra oil?

I was listening to a radio program some time ago. The presenter asked people to call into the show to say what they would like to collect from their ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-husband/wife. I was particularly touched by a lady who called to say she has nothing to get back because her present relationship was her very first. You needed to hear the reaction of the Radio Presenter who was shocked to find out that a lady of twenty-five had never been in a previous relationship. He was like: “Where have you been? What have you been doing with your life?”

Our society is fast losing a sense of moral rectitude. Standards which hitherto were considered as normal now constitute a cross for those who wish to live by them. In the wave of scandals, satan tries to preach a false gospel – if so and so are doing it, then who are you not to do it? What’s even wrong about it? Dear friends, let us never be shaken. Foolishness will never become wisdom no matter how popular it becomes.

Even if you are the only one left standing, stand for what is right and true; carry the cross, it’s your extra oil. Don’t be an average Christian, stop trying to just be like everyone else.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, increase my wisdom. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 21^st week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Psalm 33:1-11 and Matthew 25:1-13).*

Never forget the End.

Homily for August 30, 2018.

_“Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” *(Matthew 24:44)*_

Jesus says to us today: “Watch, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” To be watchful is to be alert in the spirit. It reminding oneself constantly that the end must surely come.

Just as a good security officer never goes to sleep while on duty, being watchful requires that we diligently guard our heart. The book of Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23 defines what spiritual watchfulness is all about when it says: “Guard your heart will all vigilance, for out of it proceeds the wellsprings of life.”

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. 

The best way to keep watch is to get busy. It is not enough that we are watchful, we must also be doing what God desires. Hence Jesus says: “Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes, will find SO DOING.” Before we begin an activity, let us ask ourselves “if the world were to end right now, will God be happy to meet me doing this?”

Always remember the end; always remember that even the air you breathe is borrowed and you will have to relinquish it someday. Thinking of our death often helps us to be less materialistic, it also helps us to forgive easily. Reminding ourselves that we shall die helps us to take life lightly and refrain from complaining when we don’t seem to have all we need.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, help me to be prepared always. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 21^st week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Psalm 146:2-7 and Matthew 24:42-51).*

The Head of John the Baptist.

Homily for August 29, 2018.

_Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him.” *(Mark 6:17-19)*_

Once upon a time, a popular musician sang: “If you stand for the truth, you will always stand alone.” The wordings of this song really underscores our celebration today. Indeed, we are reminded that there is a price we must pay if we dare to speak the truth to others especially those in positions of authority over us.

It is not easy to summon the courage to correct your king, your leader or even your Priest/Pastor. For the last two days, we have read about how Jesus gave it very hot to the Scribes and the Pharisees describing them as hypocrites. We all know that these Scribes and Pharisees had a difficult time accepting the truth and their immediate response was to plan the elimination of Jesus.

In all honesty, none of us likes to be told the truth especially by those we consider to be below us in any way. We are always faced with two options; to silence the voice that speaks the truth or to silence our pride and admit our errors. While the first option is most popular and in fact easier, the second option is the only option available to any true believer in Christ.

What we know from this encounter is that Herod, as well as Herodias, never had peace afterwards. In fact, the killing of John the Baptist was just a footnote to the report of how Herod heard about the fame of Jesus and in an attempt to satisfy his restless conscience tried to convince himself that Jesus is the resurrected version of John the Baptist. In other words, Herod strongly wished he could undo his actions, he wished day and night that he could turn back the hand of the clock; he wished he could raise John the Baptist back to life.

If I fail to accept correction but begin to fight the mouth that tells me the truth, the simple fact is that I will never know peace. Truth never dies no matter how much we deny it. The death of John the Baptist did not legitimize the marriage between Herod and his own brother’s wife. It only made them adulterers and murderers. Is there someone you are keeping malice with right now? Someone, you wish was dead? Someone you often talk about in a very negative light all because he or she told you the truth? Think twice, leave the person and enter into the truth.

In today’s first reading, God tells Jeremiah that He is ashamed of those who are too shy or too scared of speaking the truth to people. “Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.” Let’s face it, if you speak the truth, you will die but even if you don’t speak the truth, will you live forever? Let us never be afraid of speaking the truth especially when we are completely certain of our facts. By keeping quiet in the face of evil, we actually partake in the sins of others.

Secondly, speaking the truth also entails speaking directly to those involved. If you know I am a bad person, come to me and tell me face to face, if possible use the Nathan method, tell me a story and conclude with, “You are the one I am talking about.” Tell me my mouth is smelling, I will cry but I will not forget to brush my teeth next time. Don’t go telling other people about me, using me as a gossip-topic when you have not been able to tell me my flaws. (It is sad how people come to you praising you in your face only to go behind you and run you down).

You may assume I know my flaws but you see, everyone has a blind spot. I may be doing something bad and thinking nobody knows about it feeling secure in my evil. The day you will mention it, that day I will repent. If you cannot tell me my sins to my face, it means you are only assuming and by talking about me to others, it means you don’t want me to change, you are only interested in destroying my name. Never entertain gossips, be wary of those who run others down, you also will not be spared.

Thirdly, the words of that musician with which we began this reflection are not true. Yes, if you stand for the truth, you will never stand alone; God stands for you. It only takes faith to believe the words God spoke to Jeremiah. “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you to deliver you.” What are you scared of? Go on, tell him or her the truth today lest you will go to hell for partaking in that sin by keeping quiet! God always fights for us, even it means rewarding us with the direct access to heaven in the process. So don’t worry.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, increase my courage. Amen. St. John the Baptist, Pray for us.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Bible Study: Jeremiah 1:17-19, Psalm 71:1-17 and Mark 6:17-29).*

Fr. Abu.

Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees (Continued)

Homily for August 28, 2018.

_“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” *(Matthew 23:13)*_

Today’s Gospel’s passage just like that of yesterday calls for a deep examination of conscience. Once again, we must bear in mind that Jesus never set out to just condemn these religious leaders, His words were uttered out of love for them to wake up from their slumber and make them apply the needed changes in areas where they were getting it wrong.

Today, we hear Jesus accusing the Scribes and Pharisees of paying so much emphasis on TITHES while ignoring the weightier matters of the law such as justice, mercy and faith. In fact, Jesus says the issue of the tithe is like a fly compared to a camel. If I begin to preach that failure to pay tithe is tantamount to going to hell, I am sincerely a Scribe and a Pharisee because I have turned the truth upside down.

We Scribes and Pharisees today are more concerned about the number of people who come to our churches than the quality of their spiritual life. We wash the outside of the cup; we make the people feel good yet inside their hearts is full of corruption, wickedness and evil. No wonder, as churches increase exponentially in our cities, crime and evil also increase.

True change can only begin from the inside. As the saying goes, if you want to change the world, begin with the man you see in the mirror. If my preaching must be of any relevance, I must first do away with my hypocrisy and love for money. I must admit the truth and lead by example so as not to demand certain standards from the people which I am not even willing to meet.

Today, we celebrate a Saint who didn’t just preach but practised what he preached. Augustine was born in Numidia. His family were ethnic North Africans (the Berbers). His father was a pagan, but his mother was a devout Christian.

His mother had a strong influence on the young Augustine, but to her disappointment, Augustine left his Christian background and joined the Manichean sect, founded by the prophet Mani in 240. He also fell in with friends who followed a hedonist approach to life. He also remembers an incident when a youth – stealing fruit from an orchard because he liked the idea of rebelling. This period stuck in his mind and helped formulate his idea of the inherently sinful nature of man. Despite his wayward lifestyle, he developed an interest in philosophy and was impressed by the writings of Cicero. Augustine became an expert in Latin and rhetoric.

In his late teens, he developed an affair with a young woman from Carthage. She gave birth to his illegitimate son Adeodatus in 372. In 384, he was given a more prestigious position as a rhetoric professor at the Imperial Court of Milan. Eventually, he annulled his marriage as he made plans to become a celibate priest. In 386, at the age of 31, he made a formal conversion to Christianity. Augustine was baptized with his son by Bishop Ambrose in April 388. His mother died shortly after his event. Afterwards, they returned home to Africa, where his son Adeodatus died shortly after. Augustine gave away his wealth to the poor and converted his house into a monastic foundation for himself and a group of like-minded Christians.

In 391, he became the Bishop of Hippo and for the next 39 years became an influential preacher, often speaking against his former religion of Manichaeism. In the last half of his life, Augustine was noted for his piety – shunning his former hedonistic lifestyle and living a life of simplicity and devotion. As one of the last great Christian theologians before the dark ages of the Medieval Period, Augustine was very influential on the development of Christianity.  He was canonized in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give us the grace to practice what we preach that our life may not preach a gospel different from that of our lips. Amen. St. Augustine, Pray for us.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 21^st week in Ordinary Time, Bible Study: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, Psalm 96:10-13 and Matthew 23:23-26).*

Will You Also Go Away? Taste and See that the Lord is Good.

Homily for August 26, 2018.

_“Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” *(John 6:60)*_

Today, we finally come to the end of our six-week journey; the encounter between Jesus and the large crowd that gathered about him. In the course of this journey, we have learnt a lot of lessons such as: how a good shepherd should care for his sheep, the power of thanksgiving which multiplies our little, the Holy Eucharist as food which endures to eternal life, the fact that bitterness is self-destruction, and that wisdom means caring more for our souls than our bodies.

Reading through John chapter 6, we have done a catechism course on the Holy Eucharist, the true body and blood of Jesus Christ. However, something quite striking happens in today’s Gospel passage, despite all that these people got from Jesus, (teaching, healing miracles and food), despite almost making Jesus a king, they still had the guts to walk away from Jesus. What is the meaning of this and how does it apply to our own lives today?

*Lesson One: Walking Out of Jesus is Refusing to Follow His Word.*

The attitude of nowadays Christians can be summed up in a comment I once read somewhere which states: “The commandments of God are fine, but some are just impossible to keep.” Obeying the Sabbath day is easy, after all, it affords us the opportunity of meeting with friends and showing off our nice dresses and accessories. Honouring our parents, showing respect to the elderly, that’s okay. No problem. But what happens to the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth?

Dear friends, each time we refuse to obey God’s instruction in any aspect of our lives for the reason of their sheer difficulty, we are no better than this crowd. We are like children that never learnt to walk because walking proved too difficult. We are even worse than the crowd because unlike them, we do not walk away but remain and attempt to re-write the Bible to suit our convenience.

Now, let us examine ourselves: Where and how have I walked away from Jesus? What are those aspects of my life that are completely at variance with God’s expectations? What are those Biblical teachings I consider too hard or just unreasonable?

*Lesson Two: Marriage and Dating, common examples of Walking Away from Jesus.*

Many young persons today do not accept the church’s insistence that sex before marriage is a sin. They claim there is nothing wrong with falling in love and getting to know the person they want to marry intimately. What they fail to realize is that the same disciple required to sustain one’s virginity before marriage is the discipline required to remain faithful in marriage.

Now, consider what St. Paul is saying in today’s second reading; that wives should be subject to their husbands as the head of the home. How many wives still believe and accept this portion of the Bible? Some husbands read only the beginning aspect of this passage, and close their eyes to the latter which states that husbands must love their wives and take care of her more than their own body?

How many husbands will refuse to put food in their mouth unless their wife has eaten to her fill already? How many husbands will take care of their wives’ body, bathe it daily, adorn it with the best clothes, ensure her hair is well made and the hairstyle is changed regularly even before they remember to bathe their own body? Men, do your part and submissiveness will follow. Women, know that men need respect, affirmation and constant praise not nagging, fighting and suspicion. Men, know that women need respect, listening ears and enough money to look good.

*Lesson Three: The Christian Life is a Choice.*

The beauty of what happens in today’s Gospel passage is that when the people walked away from Jesus, He did not call down fire from heaven to burn them. Jesus will not even try to use sweet mouth to get them back. In fact, Jesus asked the twelve: “Will you also go away?” That is a question for you and me today. Many have walked away from Jesus already through their sinful lifestyle. What about you? Will you follow suit or stay with Jesus – be an authentic Christian?

This is the point Joshua makes in today’s first reading. “If you will be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve…” Joshua 24:15. In other words, if you have a problem with following God’s instructions, no need putting one leg in and another out, just decide where you really want to be. Our psalmist today sings: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” What is keeping you stuck in those sinful habits, why not give God a try today. Taste God, follow those “difficult” instructions you have always resisted and you will see that God is Good.

As at the time Peter said “to whom shall we go,” he had no idea how the Holy Eucharist would be. He probably had other thoughts but with that statement, Peter was making a choice to be submissive and remain with Jesus. This is the same disposition we must all have; a disposition to love and obey all of God’s instructions even when doing so proves too difficult, too unpopular or seemingly unreasonable.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I will not walk away, I will not follow the world, to whom shall I go, you alone have the key to eternal life, I believe in you, give me the grace to remain faithful to this commitment. Amen.

*Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. Bible Study: Joshua 24:1-18, Psalm 34:1-22, Ephesians 5:21-32 and John 6:60-69).*

Unveiling the Masquerade of Self-Exaltation (Selfie).

Homily for August 25, 2018.

_“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” *(Matthew 23:11-12)*_

We live in a highly narcissistic world. Never before have “Selfies” being so popular. As the popular musicians, Psquare, sang it: “nobody ugly anymore.” You only need to visit Instagram or other social apps for a few minutes to discover how much people are going crazy just gather as many likes as possible.

The truth is that this phenomenon is not peculiar to our day. In the time of Jesus, the best way of having a selfie was not with a smartphone, it was by dressing in a particular way, walking in a particular way and doing certain “holy acts” in public to attract as many likes as possible. And the people who were most guilty of taking such selfies were the religious leaders of the day.

What is wrong with taking a selfie? What is wrong with just being attractive and popular on social media? What is wrong with generating an online trend? After all, don’t these social media apps and advert companies pay lots of money for this? (For instance, a Kim Kardashian only needs to just smile a little online and millions of people will be liking, commenting and racking their brains guessing the meaning of her smile while her bank account swells infinitely).

There is nothing wrong with looking good and showing it off or even getting paid for doing so. There is nothing wrong with being holy before others (religious selfie). The only problem Jesus has with such behaviour is the LARGE GAP between what is shown to others and the reality on the ground. This is what I call the masquerade effect.

How do you feel when you see a beautiful person online only to discover in reality, the person is not even a female (or male) as they projected themselves to be online! Disgusting right? So also, Jesus was disgusted with these religious-selfie-stricken-leaders of his time.

So what is the solution? How can we free ourselves from this widespread malaria? The answer is simple: Ask yourself, “am I really this way or am simply wearing a masquerade?” Stop trying to impress people. Your life’s worth is not based on the number of people who love you or follow you online. Develop real friends instead; friends who can tell you your flaws face to face and make you work hard on eliminating your weaknesses.

Forget about creating a perfect image of yourself before world only to end up feeling depressed and worthless when no one is watching or liking. If you really want to be popular, then follow the Jesus-way: Become a servant to everyone you meet. Humble yourself before people, be a person of empathy. Become nothing to someone and you will be surprised how everyone will make you something.

As for those of us who are religious leaders, we must also be mindful of the masquerade phenomenon which manifests itself in a subtle form of us project ourselves as gods before our parishioners and faithful. As my Archbishop said last Saturday, a priest who is transferred and carries the people along with him to his new place has failed to let them know that he is not the Blessed Sacrament.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, free me from the selfie-spirit; use me to draw people to you and not to myself. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 20^th Week in Ordinary Time: Ezekiel 43:1-7, Psalm 85:9-14, Matthew 23:1-12).

St. Bartholomew’s Life Teaches us to Avoid Prejudice.

Homily for August 23, 2018

_“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” *(John 1:46)*_

It is so easy to write off a person, a town or even a city. We Nigerians are so used to asking a person “where are you from?” and this is a question that immediately brings out our prejudice and further our divide. We relate with people not based on what they are but based on where they come from.

Just because you know one or two businessmen who are Igbo, you conclude that all Igbo men are lovers of money. You read about Boko Haram on the internet, and you suddenly assume every Northerner is a Muslim jihadist. Well, let me not say anything about my own state, Edo, because it also suffers from a not-so-good prejudice. The point is clear, we cheat ourselves by denying faith and reason when we hold on to these false notions.

The life of St. Bartholomew who we celebrate today is a clear testimony to this fact. He was deeply prejudiced about Nazareth. Perhaps he had had some bad experience about one or two people from that town and so he concluded that the entire town was good-for-nothing. He was obviously not pleased when Philip told him that the Long Awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ is from that same Nazareth.

Bartholomew (also known as Nathanael) asked a question, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Imagine someone asking if anything can come out of your town. I think the best response is for you to live your life in such a way that your town would forever be famous because of you. Today, Nazareth is famous because of Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t you also change the “sad story” of your town for good?

Jesus said two things about Bartholomew that sums up his life; one, he was a man without any guile. Meaning, he was such an upright person unlike the Pharisees Jesus condemned for their hypocrisy. Jesus read his heart and found him worthy of that title. Can Jesus say such about me today? What are those secret sins and bad habits I keep pushing under the carpet and pretending to be a saint before the world?

The second thing Jesus said about Bartholomew was that He saw Bartholomew under the fig tree. A priest in his homily a couple of days ago explained that the fig tree was a symbol of the prayerfulness of Bartholomew. Even before meeting Jesus face to face, Batholomew had established the habit of going to the fig tree (a quiet place; similar to the Blessed Sacrament) and what he didn’t know was that each time he went there alone to pray, God was with him, taking note of his prayer.

This is the reason Bartholomew immediately called Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Israel. Bartholomew’s faith in Jesus as God was firmly established because it was obvious that only God could have seen him going under the fig tree to worship. Do I realize that each time I go to a quiet place to commune with God, I am not simply passing away a time? That I am really doing something that is very important? Do I often visualize God looking at me even when no one else is around?

Finally, Jesus promised Bartholomew that he would see greater things; heaven opened and the angels ascending and descending. This promise is not reserved only for Bartholomew, it is for all of us so long as we are people without guile and we are as prayerful as Bartholomew. Dear friends, every sacrifice we make for being Christians is worth it because heaven is real and heaven awaits us who remain faithful. That fact is further reinforced in today’s first reading. Don’t let anyone deceive you that heaven is not real. Jesus can never lie.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, increase in me a longing for heaven. Amen. St. Bartholomew, Pray for us.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Feast of St. Bartholomew: Apocalypse 21:9-14, Psalm 145:10-18, John 1:45-51).*

Come and Eat but Please Dress Properly.

Homily for August 23, 2018.

_“Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness.” *(Matthew 22:12-13)*_

“Come and Eat” is a universal language. To be invited to a meal is a sign of honour. To turn down an invitation without any reason at all is a sign of irresponsibility. However, to go as far as beating up and even killing the person who brought the invitation is a call for war. What kind of guests would hear “Come and eat” and still refuse to show up? This is very strange! But then, this is our situation today.

Do you notice how we become so used to the things of God that we lose the sense of the sacred such that even outsiders begin to remind us of proper decorum in Church? Do you notice how we Catholics tend to look down on our priests while we run after and sing the praises of Pentecostal Pastors to the extent that many Catholic priests today feel pressured to copy them in other to feel relevant? Indeed, the saying is absolutely true that you never value what you have until you lose it.

Again, do you notice how we allow sins fester in our lives while at the same time convince ourselves that all is well? The common lie we tell ourselves is “people are really bad, unjust, immoral, dirty and crazy. I am not that bad; I am better than most people; in fact, I am trying.” Jesus sums it up when he said: “In truth, I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31.

Even the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading today testifies that God will gather people from all nations. The fact that we are Catholics or that we are Christians should NEVER be seen as a direct ticket to heaven, it is what happens behind closed doors; our actual relationship with God, that counts. In reality, like these guests, we ignore God’s invitation to come-and-eat without even realizing it.

The other aspect of the parable has to do with taking God for granted. Dear friends, we must realize one truth: *that something is free does not mean it is cheap.* The fact that the guests were invited on a platter of gold did not give any of them the right to come in without a wedding garment.

The fact that Christ paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross or the fact that we can always go to confession SHOULD NEVER give us the license to just plunge ourselves without restriction into disobeying God’s commandments. Dress properly; meaning, show some love and respect to God in your daily life.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, do not cast me from your presence like this young man without a wedding garment. Amen. St. Rose of Lima, Pray for us.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 20^th Week in Ordinary Time: Ezekiel 36:23-28, Psalm 51:12-19, Matthew 22:1-14).*