The Affliction of the Proud Has No Healing.

_(Sunday 1^st September 2019. Read Sirach 3:17-29, Psalm 68, Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 and Luke 14:7-14)_

_“The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favour in the sight of the Lord… The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has taken root in him.” *(Sirach 3:18&28)*_

Last Sunday, Jesus taught us to strive to enter heaven through the Narrow Door. Today, Jesus was invited to dine in the house of a Pharisee (the same people that Jesus heavily criticised for their hypocrisy) and as always, Jesus took advantage of the occasion to teach two powerful lessons; humility and feeding the poor. Just as one will be required to bend and squeeze to fit through the narrow door, Jesus’ call for humility requires that we purge every atom of pride so as to be small enough for the narrow door. Again, just as it would be shocking for many to be turned out of heaven despite their familiarity with God, our first reading today speaks of pride in very shocking but straightforward terms.

At face value, our readings today appear all too easy to understand so much so that for many Christians unfortunately, humility is just a matter of taking the back seats at events or dressing shabbily. In fact, when asked, no human being will ever admit that he or she is proud. So the real question before us today is: “What exactly does it mean to be humble?” or better put, “How do I know if I am proud or if it is just self-esteem?”

*Lesson One: What exactly is Humility?*

The first point we must take home today is that humility can never be faked. It is not something we do, it is what we are. Humility goes beyond taking back seats, humility is not the same thing as stupidity, humility is knowing our true worth yet giving God and others their due. There are two dimensions of humility; God-centred humility and People-centred humility.

A. God-Centred Humility.

Our first reading today says: “For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble.” (Sirach 3:20). In our opening prayer at this mass, we prayed: “God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good…” Humility is giving God reverence; it is coming to terms with our nothingness before God our creator. Humility is channelling the praises we often receive from others to God as the source of our talents, our riches and in fact, everything good in our lives. It is ensuring that we do not take the glory that rightfully belongs to God.

Humility is being able to give God thanks from the very depths of our hearts not grudgingly as though we are being forced. In truth, proud people cannot do thanksgiving, they will change Church on harvest day because they see no reason to give. Even when you help them, they will never thank you because they feel they deserve it or that you have simply done your duty and this is the same attitude they show to God. How many of us here have joyfully done our family thanksgiving this year?

Humility as our second reading today points out is respect for God; it is recognising that “you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” This is the house of God, it is not a place to steal, to gossip, to play with our phones (even while mass is going on), not to walk about like someone on a fashion runway, not a place to litter things around; not a place for buying and selling and so on.

B. People-Centred Humility.

In very simple terms this has to do with how we treat those we believe are less than we are in any way. Once upon a time, a young engineer got a job in a large cooperation abroad. He was the only successful candidate out of over ten thousand applicants who had applied for the position in different countries all over the world. He was truly a genius. The company sent him his flight ticket, his visa and everything he requested to resume his job. Upon his arrival at the Airport, he noticed a grey-headed man holding a card with his name and standing with other cab drivers. Without greeting at all, he walked to the man and shouted at him for not coming earlier to carry his luggage. The grey-headed man profusely apologised and carried the luggage obediently while the young man walked gallantly to the car eliciting the admiration of virtually all the ladies at the airport. “He must be one of these young billionaires,” some thought, seeing the type of car that had come to pick him. On the way to the hotel, the young man constantly berated his driver with all kinds of insults. He almost gave his driver a slap for booking an executive room instead of a whole suite. The next day, upon getting to the office, this young man discovered the shock of his life. This grey-headed driver was actually the owner of the company that had employed him.

In his letter to the Philippians St. Paul warns, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but IN HUMILITY REGARD OTHERS AS BETTER THAN YOURSELVES. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:3-8).

*Lesson Two: How do I know if I am proud?”

In his book “The Way” St. Josemaria Escriva beautifully answers this question when he wrote: “You are humble not when you humble yourself, but when you are humbled by others and you bear it for Christ.” (The Way 594). Simply put, the litmus test for humility is how you react when you are disgraced, falsely accused, insulted or humiliated in public. The very fact that you are angry when people say things that are not true about you or expose your dirty secrets should tell you who you are. Very often, we have an image of ourselves which we project to the world. We lie to ourselves and we want others to believe this lie by all means. Like the Scribes and Pharisees, we care more about what people think of us than what God thinks. According to St. Josemaria, “If you knew yourself, you would find joy in being despised and your heart would weep before honours and praise… Don’t forget that you are a dust-bin. That’s why if by any chance the divine Gardener lays his hands on you, and scrubs and cleans you, and fills you with magnificent flowers, neither the scent nor the colour that embellish your ugliness should make you proud. Humble yourself: don’t you know that you are the rubbish bin?” (The Way 595 & 592).

Why do you want to fight when someone insults you (calls you a name that is not yours)? If you ever catch yourself saying to someone in annoyance: “Do you know who I am?” bear in mind that the only correct answer to that question is: “dust.” Think for a moment what would happen to you after your death, how strangers will bathe your body or how your friends will laugh and drink to stupor on your burial. Think of how quickly you will be forgotten and you will learn to be live more humbly. Self-esteem is coming to terms with this truth. It is the maturity we gain when we decide to love rather than lord over others.

*Lesson Three: Invite the Poor And Those Who Can Never Repay You.*

The last point we must take home today reminds of the parable of the Rich Fool that Jesus gave a few Sundays ago. “God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21). Recall that St. Ambrose teaches us that if we need new barns to store our goods, we should make use of the bellies of the poor, the widows, the orphans, the lame and so on.

Today, Jesus is saying, when you give a banquet do no invite your friends, your neighbours, your family members, not even your rich neighbours. Why? “So that they too would not invite you in return and you be repaid.” Jesus is very particular about this repayment because He wants us to use our wealth to store riches for ourselves in heaven where thieves cannot break in and steal, where moth and rust cannot destroy.

As Nigerians, we love celebrations, so much so that there is almost no weekend we are not invited to a party. It is not just a mortal sin but also a crime against humanity that in a country filled with so many hungry people, patients dying in hospitals due to lack of funds, children unable to go to school, communities lacking clean drinking water, etc., Christians would be spraying money (dollars) on the floor at a party.

Must your wedding be the talk of the town? Whoever says you must paint the town red to do that burial? Will the dead rise to eat cow meat or wear new clothes? If you do not invite so and so to that occasion you are planning, will it stop your celebration from being memorable? Painfully, some foolish ones go the extent of borrowing while some get into crime and engage in all kinds of nefarious activities just to host such parties. Truly, we should be ashamed of ourselves if our conscience does not bother us.

*Lesson Four: Pride Comes with Endless Afflictions.*

The common denominator of proud people is that their actions are always motivated by a very strong desire to “show them”, to make a statement, to prove something. One who is proud (whether rich or poor) lives their entire life like a race competition. When we are proud, we have only one life-goal; to outshine others. We never have peace of mind because when the ego is in charge of our lives, we are constantly under threat. We are never satisfied with what is ours. Whatever progress anyone makes becomes a problem to us because as soon we know about it, we refuse to sleep until we achieve something greater than that. Nothing frightens us more than the laughter of others so we live basically to please people and as a result, despite all that we show to the world, there is always this feeling of emptiness within us.

The only cure for this affliction is to kill your pride. We cannot be proud and happy at the same time. If you are not a happy person, if you feel constantly restless and stressed out, examine your heart because all your problems may just be hinged on your pride.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. Teach me to sing with Mary your mother the Magnificat: “My soul magnifies the Lord for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. … He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away…” (Luke 1:46-53). Amen.

Happy Sunday and Happy New Month. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C. Bible Study: Sirach 3:17-29, Psalm 68, Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 and Luke 14:7-14).

Be a Good Steward of Your Opportunities in Life.

Saturday 31^st August 2019. Read 1Thess.4:9-11, Psalm 98 and Matthew 25:14-30.

_“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 all our opportunities in life. In the parable of the talents given by Jesus in today’s Gospel passage, the master had three servants. To one the master gave five talents, to another, two talents and to the third, he gave only one talent.

Now, Jesus does not tell us the criteria the master used in distributing the talents but the bottom line is that like these servants, we there is just no way we can all be the same. It always seems like some persons are more blessed than others but the truth is that God has no favourites. Just as our talents are different, our problems (defects) are different.

As to why this person has more of this or that than you do is not really your concern. God who created you and knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb knew your capacity and in his own wisdom, endowed you with gifts and talents unique to you. Avoid envy and pride. Focus on your opportunities, use even your limitations and lack to your advantage; trade with your own talents – make the best of your unique situation.

St. Paul drives home the point perfectly when he exhorts us to mind our own businesses. “We exhort you, brethren, to … aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you; so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody.” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12) 

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 each day.

Finally, the one who got only one talent represents persons who allow envy to consume them and fail to look inwards. They never focus on their own potentials. They are always complaining and blaming everyone else for their failures in life. As a result of their ingratitude, they fail to count their blessings and take no notice of the one talent God has given them. They even blame God for not being fair. 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 trying to sow where he has not reaped.

The master called this servant wicked and slothful. In truth, we are wicked and slothful when instead of developing our God-given abilities and talents, we focus on pulling others down. We are wicked and slothful when we live with envy, picking faults in everyone and failing to do the will of God. We are wicked and slothful when we complain about our leaders but fail to that which is in our power to do for the overall benefit of society.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, make me realize that my very life is an opportunity of which I must give account. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 21st week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1Thess.4:9-11, Psalm 98 and Matthew 25:14-30).

The Head of John the Baptist.

_(Thursday 29^th August, 2019. Read 1 Thess. 3:7-13, Psalm 90 and Mark 6:17-29)_

_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 three days, we read about how Jesus gave it very hot to the Scribes and the Pharisees. While Jesus was giving it hot to them, John the Baptist summoned courage to walk up to Herod, the King of the Jewish nation to tell him it was not right that he, a leader of the nation would marry his brother’s wife while his brother Philip was still alive. Herod was not only going against God’s commandment (Thou shall not commit adultery), he was showing a very bad example as leader of the nation.

In all honesty, none of us likes to be told the truth even when our conscience already echoes it. Whenever the truth hits us, we are always faced with two options; to silence the voice that speaks the truth or to silence our pride, admit our errors and change. Herod just like the Scribes and Pharisees would later do chose the first option. He tried to silence John the Baptist by arresting him but deep within him, he knew John was speaking the truth. Herod would go to the Prison and listen to John the Baptist preach but like most of us, Herod failed to apply what John the Baptist was saying until it became too late.

Herod may have considered sending Herodias away and doing the right thing but he kept postponing it. When you hear a good sermon, and fail to act on it, time will come when it might be too late. The time came when Herod celebrated his birthday and in a state of happiness, he made a promise not knowing it was going to cost him the head of John the Baptist. Herod was terribly ashamed at his action but rather than upturn the promise, he was more interested in saving his face before his guests. His pride did not allow him realize that the little girl might have as well asked for his own head. He went ahead to give the order for John’s beheading.

What we know from this encounter is that Herod, as well as Herodias, never had peace afterwards. When Herod heard about the fame of Jesus, he tried to satisfy his restless conscience by saying that Jesus is the resurrected version of John the Baptist. He wished he could undo his mistake. Some lessons we learn today are:

First, 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. Silencing the voice does not make the evil you do right.

Secondly, it is better to die for telling the truth than to support it with your silence. The greatest disaster of our age is not the presence of evil people but the indifference of good people.

Thirdly, speaking the truth entails speaking directly to those involved. John the Baptist spoke directly to Herod. He did not use his issue as a gossip-topic. Do not be a coward, if you cannot tell me my mouth is smelling, then keep quiet. Don’t go telling others.

Fourthly, the life of John the Baptist is a pointer to the fact that death is not the end of our life but a passage to a greater and better life.

Finally, learn to think before speaking otherwise you end up regretting it. Be a master of your emotions, in moments of anger, hold it. In moments of excitement, hold it. Learn the habit of speaking to God and hearing from him before talking. Do not make promises you might never keep.

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: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13, Psalm 90 and Mark 6:17-29).

Woe to You Scribes and Pharisees (Part 3).

Wednesday 28^th August 2019. Read 1Thes. 2:9-13, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:27-32

_“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” *(Matthew 23:27)*_

One of the most difficult thing to do is to try to correct a person senior to you or one whose primary job is that of correcting others. It is a task that requires true courage and even the willingness to risk one’s own life. For his harsh reproaches of the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus earned himself so much hatred that eventually culminated in his arrest, false accusation, hasty trial and crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary.

Jesus would have tried to be quiet (or even diplomatic) but he said the truth just as it is. This is one important lesson we must learn from Jesus who told us “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).

When it comes to correcting our religious leaders, there is a tendency for us to quote passages such as “Touch not my anointed ones, and do my prophet no harm.” (1 Chronicles 16:22 & Psalm 105:15). In truth, the greatest harm we can do to God’s anointed ones and prophets is our failure to tell them the truth or to pretend before them; that is, to praise them in their presence only to go behind them and start complaining. In our attempt not to touch them, we inflict great blows by not saying the truth just as it is. Anyone who cannot tell you the truth is not your friend.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus speaking in love told the Scribes and Pharisees to their face how they cared more about their public image while their hearts were full of iniquity. Jesus likened them to whitewashed tombs which were beautiful to look at from the outside but were full of dead men’s bones inside. It was another way of saying, people get attracted to the Scribes and Pharisees hoping they would lead them to God but the closer they get, the farther away they go from God. Jesus had to warn the people: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practise and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” (Matthew 23:2-3). If people get close to me, would they see something different from what I portray in public?

Jesus also condemned the fact that the Scribes and Pharisees had a practice of adorning the tombs of the prophets who were persecuted for their righteous deeds saying if they were alive years before, they would not partake of such, meanwhile, they were so filled with hatred for Jesus and would eventually see to his death. This means that they were not better than their ancestors who killed the prophets. The question is: “How do I react when someone tells me the truth?”

In today’s first reading, St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians stated: “For you remember our labour and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behaviour to you believers.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-10). There is a difference between giving with a cheerful heart and giving with a fearful heart. If we give only out of fear, then such giving has become a burden and as St. Paul says, the minister must work hard to avoid becoming a burden to the people.

Above all, as leaders in our various walks of life, we must be holy, righteous and blameless in our behaviour. This entails avoiding a secret life rather than trying to put up a show. For there is “nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2).

Finally, today we remember the great African Bishop and Doctor of the Church, one from who was influential in the development of Christianity. Saint 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 and did her best to instruct him but she kept praying to God for his conversion. While following the way of the world, Augustine developed an interest in philosophy and became an expert in Latin and rhetoric.

In 386, at the age of 31, he made a formal conversion to Christianity. Augustine was baptized with his son by Bishop Ambrose on 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. He was canonized in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give us the grace to practice what we preach. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of the 21st week in Ordinary Time. Memorial of St. Augustine. Bible Study: 1Thes. 2:9-13, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:27-32).

Woe to You Scribes and Pharisees (Part 2).

Tuesday 27^th August 2019. Read 1Thess. 2:1-8, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:23-26

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

Once upon a time, I saw a video that had gone viral on social media platforms especially around Nigeria. It was the video of a very popular “man of God” who was addressing his staff who head various churches across Nigeria and he dropped a bombshell: “Go and tell the people that if they fail to pay their tithes, they cannot go to heaven.”

This was the first time since the two-thousand-year history of Christianity that payment of tithes would become the key to paradise. Not even Jesus Christ himself would preach such heresy. That statement revealed a lot about the love of money among those of us who claim to be doing God’s work. For the sake of money, we sometimes misinterpret the word of God, create false hopes in people and issue all kinds of threats so as to get as much money as we can from those who come to us seeking salvation. The truth is that this was exactly what the Scribes and Pharisees were at the time of Jesus.

Already, from yesterday, we saw how Jesus mercilessly lambasted them for their deep-seated hypocrisy and theological blindness. Today, Jesus speaks specifically on the issue of tithes. He says: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23).

Note that Jesus did not say tithing is sinful, rather, that tithing is not as important as justice, mercy, faith and (in Luke’s Gospel) the love of God. In fact, Jesus likened the emphasis on tithe above other virtues to the difference between a gnat (a very tiny fly) and a camel. “You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matthew 23:24). This is what we do when we equate the payment of tithe with going to heaven. In fact, there is never anywhere that Jesus taught that failure to pay one’s tithe makes things tight in our lives.

Going further, Jesus mentioned the washing of the outside of cups and dishes while inside their hearts were full of extortion and rapacity (the violent seizure and carrying off of another’s property; plunder). Truly speaking, is this not exactly what happens in our churches today? When the inside is dirty, there is no point washing the outside.

When the inside is only interested in what he/she can get from the people, no matter how beautiful the sermon or homily is, God is not pleased with it. The inside, the intention matters a lot. Many of our churches today have become entertainment centres; things are done just to get you excited and keep you coming not because they are really interested in your salvation but in your pocket. So evil continues to increase as new church buildings are dedicated daily. There is so much evil in our society today that we men and women of God would be seriously held accountable in the day of judgement if all we do daily is just to talk about tithes. Payment of tithes is NOT required to go to heaven.

Today, we celebrate St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine. This woman remains for all time a model for mothers and for every one of us. Monica knew her son Augustine was not a good boy but she never stopped praying for him. She prayed and prayed for years until God started answering her prayers little by little. Eventually, he became a priest, a bishop and even a principal doctor of the Church. St. Monica teaches us that the best disposition we should have when we hear of scandals is to pray. She could have disowned her boy just as most of us are quick to walk away from the church but she fought for her son on bended knees.

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.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 21st week in Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Monica. Bible Study: 1Thes. 2:1-8, Ps.139 & Mat. 23:23-26).

Woe to You Scribes and Pharisees.

_(Saturday 24^th August 2019. Read 1 Thess.1:1-5,8-10, Psalm 149 & Mat.23:13-22)_

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

In yesterday’s Gospel passage, Jesus spoke about those who will be turned back at the entrance of heaven because they tried to enter by the large door, the easy door, the more popular door, meanwhile, the narrow door remains forever open. Many Christians today are living a very false life, they are not what they portray. It is sad that despite the multiplicity of churches, evil seems to be on a rise in our society. Our real problem is hypocrisy and only very few Christians who are not hypocrites follow that narrow door.

These Scribes and Pharisees were supposedly the holiest of persons in the time of Jesus but Jesus’ heavy rebuke on them will teach us something about ourselves; the fact that we are always trying to deceive people when we really cannot deceive God. For the next few days, we are encouraged to look inwards and examine our consciences to find out how we resemble these “holy persons” and how we can amend our ways.

If at all nothing makes us examine our conscience, let us consider the latest news around our country today; the fact that some eighty names have been published who are being alleged with crimes we never knew they were involved in. These persons are our brothers and sisters, philanthropists, mentors, builders of churches, sponsors of politicians, respected and revered in the society, honoured in traditional palaces, speakers at international events, just name it. Today, reading the news, our hearts are filled with shock, shame, anger and even hope that what they might eventually be proven innocent.

I have read a lot of posts recently on social media regarding these names published and arrested and it saddens me that rather than look inwards, some have taken to attacking a particular tribe and people. It seems as if we are already trying to distance ourselves and find ways of drawing a line between ourselves and those who until last week we were longing to meet. We are like the men who brought the women caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. We have picked up stones already but we now need to listen to Jesus: “Let him who has not sinned be the first to cast a stone.”

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus accused the Pharisees of:

One. “Shutting the kingdom of heaven”. You wonder, how on earth can those who are leading people to heaven be the ones shutting down the same door? But this is just reality. Is it possible that in my preaching about heaven, I am just misleading the people? Does my life proclaim a different Gospel from what I preach?

Jesus said that they neither go in themselves nor would they allow those who want to go in. As a parent, a teacher, a respected person in the society or even a priest, do I have certain hidden sins that (when exposed), would become grave scandals to those looking up to me? Why not I repent before the truth comes out!!! How proud would I be if people get to know the true source of my wealth?

Two. Jesus accused them of travelling far and wide to convert a single person to the faith only to make him or her a more qualified candidate for hell. Am I simply interested in increasing the number of persons who come to my church? What is my aim of going out to evangelize? Is it just to win arguments or to actually tell people the truth? When I correct my children, do they catch me doing the very things I warned them against?

As a priest or the leader of a church, am I more concerned about the amount of offertories, tithes and seeds than in the actual spiritual nourishment of souls? Do I tell them how to get to heaven or do I just try to make them feel good and get them to keep coming back?

Three. Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of not teaching the truth regarding swearing and oath-taking. How sound is my theology? What efforts do I make to update my knowledge? Jesus called them blind guides because they were teaching things that they themselves did not even know. These Pharisees taught that if one swears by the altar, it is nothing but if one swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound by the oath. This way, they seemed to place more emphasis on the gift than the very altar itself which again revealed where their true interests lied. Jesus needed to correct them.

Dear friends, in conclusion, let us examine our consciences and repent. We should not be so interested in attempting to convert anyone as much as we should be interested in living in the light ourselves.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, cleanse me from all forms of hypocrisy. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 21st week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Thess.1:1-5,8-10, Psalm 149 & Mat.23:13-22).

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

Saturday 24^th August, 2019. Read Apocalypse 21:9-14, Psalm 145:10-18, John 1:45-51.

“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).

True Love is Sacrificing for Others,

_(Friday 23^rd August 2019. Read Ruth 1:1-22, Psalm 146 and Matthew 22:34-40)_

 

_“But Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.’” *(Ruth 1:16-17)*_ 

The love of God is the summary of all the commandments. It is also the greatest of them all. What does it mean to love God? It means to value God so much in your heart that you would rather die than offend him.

At the heart of Christian worship is love. Another word for love is worship. To love is to worship. In other words, if we were to really love God, we would truly worship him by keeping every one of his commandments even if we don’t feel like keeping them. To love God is to sacrifice one’s own will for the sake of doing the will of God.

Take away love, and all that we do in Church becomes a waste of time and energy, a show or drama so to say! This was why Jesus had to ask Peter this question three times, “Do you love me?” “Peter, do you love me more than these?” “Peter, do you really love me more than these?” How can we claim to be serving God if we love other things more than God?

The first and greatest commandment is also intricately connected to the second commandment which is: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Of course, as St. John says:  “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20).

The Story of Ruth and Naomi in the Bible is a story of Love. How I wish our daughters will increase the love they have for their mothers-in-law and stop seeing them as enemies competing for their sons’ attention. Ruth refused to leave Naomi, her mother-in-law because she was wise enough to know that Naomi, being an aged woman cannot survive on her own without help. Here comes another lesson in love; the care for the old.

I often wonder why our old people are not treated with as much care and love as they deserve. I wonder why here in Africa, the moment a person is old, he or she is suddenly labelled a witch even by their own children.

When I consider the love and attention parents give their children at a point in their lives when these children are fragile, helpless and unable to fend for themselves and I consider how children “reciprocate” this love and attention, I become moved to tears.

Love is empty if it doesn’t require anything from you. True love requires sacrificing for others especially for the old.  Just as loving God demands our wholehearted worship, loving our neighbours also demands sacrifice on our part.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, help me to love you with better each day. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Ruth 1:1-22, Psalm 146 and Matthew 22:34-40).