IBADAN UNIVERSITY SERMONS

1^st Sunday of Advent, Year A: 2004

What did you dream about last night? I don’t know if you can remember. It may have been a pleasant dream or an unpleasant one. But on awakening you came to the stark truth that real life is different from a dream. You can get the same feeling if you travel for a time, as I just did to the U.S. When you come home it is like waking from a dream.

Our present life is like a dream compared to the life to come. Although this life is real, one day we will wake up to a totally different kind of reality.

It is not wrong to have a dreamland experience. The only problem is when we take it as the sole reality which can never be shaken.

That is how many people live. Money is their god, and they spend all their time and energy on amassing it. They want it to pursue power and pleasure and are ready to trample on anyone to get their way.

That is how it was in the days of Noah until the flood swept them away, sparing only those who entered the ark with Noah. This ship carried them safely to a fresh and cleansed land. This ship, in the New Testament, is the Church, and it is piloted by Jesus Christ himself. When he comes again as judge, he will find one woman on board the ship, another left behind, one man taken aboard, another left behind.

There is a TV channel that shows rescue operations from floods. You can see people on the roofs of their houses or on tree tops with violent water rushing underneath them, until a helicopter comes and lets down a rope to pull them up. This is a good image of the rapture from sin. If we don’t experience a rapture from sin, we cannot expect any rapture into God’s heavenly kingdom. The rapture from sin is both a death to all selfishness and wickedness and a rising to a life of grace. The second rapture, into God’s kingdom, entails death for the body, while the soul comes before God until the resurrection.

Jesus asks us to stay awake. This dreamland of ours is not secure. The devil is there ready to penetrate our defenses wherever he finds an opening. And we have no defense against the Son of Man when he comes as judge, probing every recess and corner of our life history.

We are now in the night’s dreamland. But Paul tells us to be awake and “live decently as people do in daytime”. Our security is to stay with Christ in the ship of his Church. There he is our guard against falling overboard into the waves of doctrinal error and moral perversion. In the Church he is our escort to our eternal homeland.

In the dreamland of this life, may the Lord keep us awake to where we are going, and save us from the coma of seeing nothing beyond this life.

1^st Sunday of Advent, Year A

Confinement is one of the most painful things a person can endure: to be confined in a prison cell or to a hospital bed. For it is in our nature to be on the move. Look at the streets of Ibadan in the morning—millions of people moving millions of directions to millions of occupations. But what goal is all this motion heading to? One day we will all be stopped in our tracks and have to face the Lord. If we have grasped the Lord by faith, hope and love, and let him pilot all our actions, we can be sure that when we say goodby to this life we will have a safe and comfortable flight to our heavenly destination. But if we have made any earthly thing our principal objective in life, we will find ourselves stranded, like refuse waiting to be carried away and burned.

Advent, which means "the coming" of the Lord, is a call to focus on the goal of our life, to reexamine all our lives' movements, to correct what is deviating from that goal, and to throw all our energy into those movements that lead us to our goal.

When the Lord comes, he will find some people asleep. What kind of sleep? Not our nightly sleep which we all need, but the sleep of indifference, lack of initiative, lack of ambition, laziness, both in devotion to God and the service of our neighbour. He will ask what have we made of our lives, what have we accomplished, what kind of people have we become, how have we made use of our talents and the opportunities that came our way.

He will hear all kinds of excuses: I didn't have enough money; people were blocking my way; I was tired; etc.—Sorry, sleep on, take your rest. You will be left behind when he escorts his chosen ones into his kingdom.

When the Lord comes, he will find other people busy not in daylight activity, but in the undercover activity of the night. Apart from robbery, theft and cheating, Paul mentions drunken orgies, promiscuity, licentiousness, wrangling and jealousy.

These people were not resting. They were very active, but in a way hostile to God, neighbour and self. They use any means to pursue worldly ambitions, like political power and wealth, and damn the consequences to everyone else.—Sorry, you went for the gold and got it. In the process you left your soul and a trail of ruin behind. You will be left behind when he escorts his chosen ones into his kingdom.

When the Lord come, he will find finally other people who have been very busy about the business of their heavenly Father. They lived a blameless life and used all their energy and resources to serve God and the human community. He will praise them for this. But they will protest: "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty" (Lk 17:10). But he will insist that, since he found then awake when he came, he will "tie his belt, sit them down at table, and wait upon them" (Lk 12:37).

Who among us has never suffered injustice? Someone stole your money or property. Someone punished you for a wrong you never did. Someone cheated and got a position that should have gone to you. Someone blocked your chances because you don’t come from the right place. People told lies about you. You sit in a dark house because someone vandalized NEPA. We can go on and on. In spite of many good breaks, oppression has weighed on us right from our youth.

Jesus came to set things right. The mountains must come down. The valleys must be filled. The oppressed poor must be rescued. God is wonderful. His love will see that justice is done.

Because all of us have suffered injustice in one form or another repeatedly, we can easily identify with the oppressed poor that Jesus came to rescue. But John the Baptist confronts the oppressors and calls them to repent and confess their sins. He conducted an examination of conscience, as Luke reports, to help them see where they had gone wrong.

So while we are waiting for deliverance, the questions flash at us: “Have you cheated anyone?” “Are you in possession of looted money or goods?” “Have you spread false reports or gossiped about your neighbour?” “Have you dangled the prospect of marriage before someone in order to exploit the person sexually?” “Have you neglected your duties as parents, students or workers, or wasted the opportunities given to you to accomplish something worthwhile?” In a word, “Are you guilty of injustice?”

The axe is at the root of the tree. The tree with bad fruit or no fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. That should send many of us scampering to the confessional.

He is coming! When? To the extent that you have turned from sin and are doing something good with your lives, he has already come. Justice is flourishing and the world is a better place for it. But to the extent that we are surrounded by injustice and we suffer from it, he is yet to come.

Why is he taking time, while we are swimming in an evil world? The question is tantamount to asking Jesus why he would not come down from the cross. To do good when it is easy and costs us nothing requires little love. To do good when it costs us our comfort, our health, our wealth and our lives requires much love. God wants to fill his kingdom with people not just of pass level, but also with people of Olympic quality and performance.

He is coming at the end of the world which we cannot predict. But the end of our personal lives we can predict within a certain range, and it is not far away.

In the meantime, let our Lord and Master never catch us messing up our own lives and the lives of others, but let him find us persevering in the love of God and neighbour, undampened by the madness around us.

3^rd Sunday of Advent: Year A: 2004

Is it a good employer or business partner you are waiting for, or are you looking beyond to another person to fix your life? Is it a good marriage partner you are waiting for, or are you looking beyond for another person to fix your life? Is Jesus that other person, or are you looking for someone else?

Jesus’ name is shouted loud and firmly up and down this country. But there are those who would sow doubts in your minds. Why am I suffering one disappointment after another: “There is trouble in the city, danger at the door, poverty a-plenty, hearts gone wild with war. The dreams of men are empty, their cup of sorrow full.”

Jesus assures us that in all this trouble, even while John the Baptist is in prison, there is good news: The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, as Isaiah had predicted. Moreover, –what Isaiah did not predict– the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor. How is that? Count your blessings. Can you see, walk, hear? I thank God I can walk again after an accident smashed my knee, and I can see again after a cataract operation. What of your spiritual eyes and ears? These are much greater gifts from God, and are connected with rising from the leprosy of sin to a new life of grace where we can hear our Lord speaking to us through the Church and in our hearts.

But you are still battered like Job with so many troubles! So was John the Baptist as he languished in prison awaiting his execution. In spite of this, he was not a reed swaying in the breeze of every threat and promise, but stood firm like an iroko tree. He sent his disciples to query Jesus, not because he had doubts after proclaiming him the Lamb of God, but to let his disciples discover that Jesus was the one they should be migrating to.

“Blessed is the man who does not lose faith in me.” We need patient perseverance, as James tells us today, like the farmer working the ground until the harvest comes. If we don’t keep our sights on Jesus’s coming, we will degenerate into quarreling and fighting among ourselves about trivial things that are not important for our salvation.

In the day-to-day challenges that beset us, let us stand firm like John the Baptist, a towering iroko tree with our sights on Jesus.

3^rd Sunday of Advent: Year A: 2007

With a smile, the CEO picked up his fat salary envelope, adjusted his agbada, and phoned his driver to get the jeep ready to carry him home. As he stepped out of his office, he passed an applicant sitting with a forlorn look on his face, because he had just been refused a job. Maybe he was not qualified. Or maybe he was more qualified than te CEO himself, who got his position by influence or fraud.

Of all the great people of the Old Testament, John the Baptist is the greatest. But compared to the least in the New Testament Kingdom of Heaven, he is like the disappointed job applicant.

John the Baptist was certainly holier than most of us in this church today, but we enjoy far more privileges than he ever had. We enjoy the uninterrupted presence of Jesus in our midst acting through the sacraments, especially that of his body and blood. John the Baptist never had the privilege of assisting at the death of Christ or of attending Mass and receiving Communion.

And yet look at him. He was a powerful preacher who lived what he preached. He preached the imminent coming of the Messiah, and pointed him out in Jesus. Yet he was never permitted to walk as a disciple of Jesus. Therefore, while Jesus and his disciples feasted, John, the Bridegroom's assistant, could only stand at a distance, fasting, while he sent his own disciples after Jesus to learn about him and become his disciples.

John had it rough in playing his role of ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven. We have it easy, and enjoy the fruits of the Kingdom. With eyes and ears open, we take in all its beauty. With nothing to hamper our mobility, we walk up to receive the sacraments of the Church.

Some non-Catholics pass by the church, totally ignorant of the mysteries celebrated within. Others may peep in and even wish they could fully understand and take part in the blessings.

That is the beginning of wisdom. God is not jealous of his blessings, and there is no quota for those enlisting in his Kingdom.

Look at ourselves. Do we take God's blessings for granted? Or do we value them so much that we willingly suffer and sweat in Jesus' employment, at the same time beginning to reign with him in his executive office, with priests and heavenly incercessors at our call to provide us transport to our heavenly home.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year A: 2004

What’s in a sign? A sign may say “This way to the Conference Centre” – That says very little. Take all the books in the world. They are signs of knowledge – more than any one person can know. Jesus too is a sign – sent by the Father to point to the Father and all the Father has. “Anyone who sees me sees the Father” (Jn 14:9). No sign can be more meaningful than that, for me, for you, for anyone. This sign, through baptism, has been marked on us, and to everyone we meet we are to point to Jesus and the Father.

Jesus condemns those who demand signs and wonders (Jn 4:48), trivial signs with little meaning, signs that distract from God. He calls us to focus on the sign that God insists on giving us: “This is my son, listen to him” (Mt 17:5 etc.).

He is the sign Isaiah promised God would send: the son of a virgin whose name is Immanuel (7:14), and in 9:6: “the child with dominion on his shoulders, whose name is Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince of Peace”, and in 11:2: “on whom will rest the Spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and insight, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and fear of Yahweh; his inspiration will lie in fearing Yahweh.”

This wonder-son, the angel informed Joseph, is the child Joseph’s fiancee Mary was carrying. Even the Qur’ân was forced to comment: “We made Mary and her Son a sign for all the world” (21:91). Mary and Jesus are a single sign, because Mary’s whole life of grace is a sharing in the divine life of her Son. As Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14), so he wants us, like Mary, to be full of his grace and truth, and thereby be signs sent to show others the goodness God shares with us in his Son.

Paul’s conversion experience introduced him to the mystery of Christ, which thoroughly transformed him. This is what drove him to make Christ known everywhere in the world that he knew. God has likewise let his light shine on us. May it radiate brilliantly throughout our journey to the Father.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year A: 2007

The Annunciation according to Prosperity World TV: "Season's greetings! Peace and joy!—because FatherChristmas is around with chocolate and wine, chicken to dine, clothes so fine, no standing in line, all will be mine."

What does this mean, but "Chop and choke on the pleasures of this life." How different was the Angel's Annunciation to Mary: "Don't be afraid, say "Yes" to the breath of the Holy Spirit, and receive God's eternal Word in your womb." Likewise how different was the Angel's Annunciation to Joseph, and how different is the Gospel Annunciation of the Church to us: "Do not reach forthe goods that are beneath you, but welcome the gifts that come down from heaven."

Joseph's wedding plans were on course until he ran into a problem. He discovered that Mary, his fiancée, was pregnant. But God did not abandon him in his quandry. Like Mary, he received his own angelic annunciation.

The first thing the Angel did was to dispel his worry: The child that Mary conceived is the work of the Holy Spirit. That was the Angel's parting message to Mary, when she asked how it would be possible for her, a virgin, to conceive a child.

Joseph's immediate problem was now solved. He would go ahead and take Mary as his wife, but the relationship would be elevated to a new divine purpose. That is what the Angel explained next, repeating the same two points he had told Mary.

The first was the name he should give the child. It is a duty of parents to give each of their children a name, and it is the right of each child to receive that name. Even when parents abort a child and then repent, they still have obligations to that child, whose soul is with God. The first is to give it a name. The second is to ask the child's forgiveness for the crime of murder commited against it.

The names people give their children usually have a meaning, sometimes trivial, like a tennis player called "Candy", sometimes profound. The name "Jesus" points to the centre of God's master plan for the universe. He created the universe with mankind at its apex, mankind earmarked for glory, but consisting of men and women who could, would and did sin, wrecking their chances of glory. God himself came down to remedy the situation, to save people from their sins and put them once more on the path to glory. That is the meaning of "Jesus", "the one who would save his people from their sins".

The second point, therefore, is that this Jesus is Emmanuel, God himself with us. And, as explained to Mary, "he will be great and will be called Son of the Most High... His kingdom will have no end." God himself become man, he is the Alpha and Omega of history, with it all laid out from beginning to end according to the divine master plan.

Joseph at first dreamt of carrying on God's creation by having children in a normal marriage with Mary. This dream was rudely shaken by his learning of her preganancy. God repleaced his first dream with another dream sent through an angel. According to this dream, Joseph would not be God's instrument of creation by having children of his own, but he would be the instrument of God's re-creation by being the foster father of the Saviour of mankind.

Prosperity World TV lures you with the dream of riches, pleasure and children, with no thought of anything else. But the angelic annunciations to Mary and to Joseph offer you another dream, a real one:

• the dream of a child born for you,
• a friend who died for you,
• who made himself food and frink for you,
• who day and night stands on guard for you,
• who throught the maze of life is a guide for you,
• until he confers on your eternal reward on you.

Christmas Midnight: 2005

The Lord is coming on time, not a minute too late or a minute too early. Who can say, "I have finished all my preparations: sweeping, washing, ironing, painting; I've been to confession, did my penance, said all my prayers; I can sit back and wait for him to come"? For most of us there are loose ends in our lives we have not yet tidied up or put in order. And yet he comes, ready or not.

At Jesus' first coming in his human birth, who was ready for him? Mary, Joseph, a few shepherds. They were the only ones on hand to receive and welcome him that night. Shortly after, the Magi came, and Anna and Simeon welcomed the child Jesus presented in the Temple. But generally it was true that "he came among his own and his own received him not" (Jn 1:11). They were expecting a Messiah of a different sort, at another time and place. They were not ready to receive him at all.

When Jesus comes again finally, some will be ready to receive him, others not at all.

In the meantime, over the years Jesus comes in grace, especially at privileged moments such as Christmas and other feasts of the Church. In Jesus' public life many people did receive him, especially those struggling to free themselves from sin. The same is true of millions of people from that time until now. On the other hand, countless more are not ready to receive him at all.

Between those who are fully ready to receive him and those who will not receive him at all, others, maybe like most of us, are just half ready. It took all day to put this sanctuary and church in beautiful order for tonight's Mass. Likewise, there is much we have to do to put our lives in order.

The basic fact of Christmas is that Jesus meets us in a state of imperfect preparation. There was no 5 star hotel awaiting him when he was born in Bethlehem, just an animal shed. So too, he meets us struggling to be good, but still falling short of the mark. It's like my playing the keyboard in last Sunday's Dominican concert. I am not a professional musician; my performance was reasonably good, but not professionally perfect.

"Just as I am you come to me..." Jesus comes to us as we are, in the condition we find ourselves in. He does not leave us as we are, in our imperfect condition, but lifts us up gradually but surely to a better condition. He is the doctor who comes to help the sick. He accompanies us and assists us in our struggle to be better, to be fully prepared and transformed in his image when he comes to take us to himself.

It's always a shock to see a visitor we have been expecting arrive before we are fully ready for him. That is what the shepherds felt when the angels appeared to them. They had to be told, "Do not be afraid; go and find the baby lying in the manger." You can never be ready enough for him. But he is the Saviour, Christ the Lord. He will make good all that you are lacking.

It has happened to many a priest that, when he goes to open the church for morning mass, he finds an abandoned baby at the door. An abandoned or aborted baby is the sign of any abandoned, ruined life, of any abandoned, ruined society, just the way Jerusalem was at the time Jesus was born. What misery! What crying for help that seems never to come!

Then over the mountain suddenly come the beautiful feet of the preacher of good news, that your King, your God, at last has come, and you can see him face to face. Ruined Jerusalem, rejoice now, since you have seen the salvation of your God!

Who brought this good news? Today’s passage of Isaiah 52 speaks of a man-messenger. That could refer to John the Baptist, or possibly the angels in heaven appearing to the shepherds. But Isaiah 40:9 has a woman, when it says: “Go up on a high mountain, messenger of Zion. Shout as loud as you can, messenger of Jerusalem! Shout fearlessly, say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is our God.’” Throughout this verse the Hebrew has a feminine messenger. That could only fit Mary. Carrying the good news in her womb, she first went through the hills of Judah to announce it to Elizabeth, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. She then went to Bethlehem, where she gave birth to Jesus in a goat house, typifying the misery of poor, wrecked people. There Mary presented not news about Jesus, the Saviour, but Jesus himself to every abandoned and aborted baby that would come into the world.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. In doing so, he made himself very low for our sake. But now he is exalted far above the angels who sang at his coming. He did this to meet us in whatever misery or mess our lives happen to be in, to lift us up with him and give us power to become children of God, receiving grace after grace from his fullness.

Many people did not accept Jesus, from the accommodation master in Bethlehem to Herod and many more opponents. But others did accept him, and became his messengers to all they met.

Abandoned baby, don’t give up! Your Saviour is here to pick you up and hug you, so that you can tell everyone of his mercy and goodness.

Christmas Meditation 2007

I had a scarry experience when I was a small child. I was in the car with my auntie going down a hill in the rain when the car skidded and swung around. As soon as the danger started, my auntie shouted “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Nothing happened to us or to the car, and I remembered her prayer.

When we think of the Holy Family, we may think how beautiful was the home life of the three: their love, dutifulness, care, trust in God while Herod was hunting the child Jesus, the obedience and respect Jesus showed Mary and Joseph etc. We may think all that is quite far from the life of our families. How can we ever live like that? I think back on my own life and realize how difficult it would have been for my parents to raise their family without the help of my uncles and aunts who were always at our side. So also, the Holy Family is not merely a faraway model, but Jesus, Mary & Joseph are part of our own family and are there to help us.

In the Holy Family, Jesus respected his Father and Mother, as the first reading says. But, you may say, our children won’t listen to us; they talk back and won’t take any correction. What can I do? — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, step in and help us to train our children well!

In the Holy Family, Jesus took care of Joseph in his old age and death, and looked after his Mother Mary by bequeathing her to John. But in my family, the children have married and left us; they never come to see us and don’t help us in our need. — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, look after us, and change the hearts of our children!

In the Holy Family, there was “compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and love. But in my family, everyone runs away from household responsibilities; they are all fighting with one another and have no regard for one another’s needs. — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, step in and take control of my family; convert the hearts of each and every one of us!

The Holy Family regularly sang psalms and hymns to God. But in my family, they are screaming at the top of their voices to one another. — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, turn us around, put sweetness where there is bitterness, and turn harsh tones into soft ones!

In the Holy Family, the parents did not provoke Jesus or drive him into frustration. But in my family, my Mother is always out; my Father is drunk or with other women and does not pay for our feeding. — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, stand in the place of my parents. Look after us children, and make my parents awaken to their responsibilities!

The family that prays with the Holy Family will itself grow holy and will be a blessing to all around them. At the end, the Holy Family will assist them in their dying and escort them to eternal life.

Holy Family, Year A: 2007

If you want to know why a family is doing well or doing poorly, a good place to start is with the daddy. So in the Holy Family, the Gospel shows us that Joseph played a key role.

As a youth, Joseph learned carpentry, probably from his father Jacob, or his grandfather Mathan. Also, with a fairly good religious education, he was probably had a good knowledge of the Jewish scriptures. As for character, the Gospel describes him as "just", meaning an all-around good person.

As he matured, he got to know of Mary and took an interest in her. They met and decided to get married, going through a betrothal ceremony between the two families.

We heard last Sunday how his marriage plans nearly crashed, until an angel explained to him the origin of Mary's pregnancy and that he should go ahead with the marriage. He would not be a physical father, but a spiritual father to all those saved by Mary's divine son, Jesus.

If getting married to Maryh demanded of Joseph heroic generosity, his familh responsiblities were no less demanding. As a father, he had to provide for Mary and her child and protect them.

The first crisis came from the Roman eedict demanding everyone to register in his home town. It was harsh on Mary to have to travel on foot or on a donkey during an advanced stage of pregnancy. Joseph was there to assist here, and probably waited on her at every rest stop.

On reaching Bethlehem, Joseph's home town, we might have thought they would have relations to stay with. That was not the case, maybe because Joseph and his father were long gone from there. Public accomodation was all taken up, maybe because with Mary's slow pace of traveling they arrived late. But Joseph was resourceful and found an animal shed where they could be protected from the elements.

By the time the Magi or wise men came, Joseph, with his earnings as a carpenter, had secured a house, as Matthew tells us. Then, taking the angel's warning of Herod's plan to assassinate the child, he took Mary and Jesus, abandoned the house, and fled to Egypt. As a tradesman, he could support them there until Herod died.

On returning, he learned that Archelaus, who was no better than his father Herod, had taken over. Therefore he fled again outside the territory of Judaea to Galilee, and settled in Nazareth. There he supervised Jesus' education, whose brilliance was demonstrated at the age of 12, when they went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. On his part, Jesus was subject to him and Mary, and probably assisted him as a carpenter's apprentice.

Joseph was decidedly a man of action, action inspired by his attentiveness to God and willingness to obey him, action also inspired by his love of God enveloping his love of Mary and Jesus, and his determination to do take every step that was required to assure their safety and provide what they needed.

A family that had Jesus and Mary as members was bound to be holy. But they played as a team, and in that family, Joseph played the lead role, and played it superbly well. Why not invite them to be members of our own families?

Mary, Mother of God, 1 January: 2005

“I was trying to avoid pregnancy, but by accident I conceived.” – We frequently hear this, but we reject the explanation, because conception is the result of a deliberate action which is ordered by nature and God for the very purpose of conceiving a child.

In the same way, Mary did not just happen to give birth to Jesus, but she had to make a deliberate choice. Blessed is she who believed in the word of God spoken to her through Gabriel. She articulated her belief by saying “Let it be done to me according to your word.”

Your word! God’s word was active in Mary right from the start, by seeing that she was immaculately conceived, without any stain of original sin.

Mary also absorbed God’s word as a child when she studied the Old Testament Scriptures, which told how God was planning to save his people through a wondrous suffering but triumphant Messiah.

God’s word, which Mary learned from Scripture, filled her mind and heart with hope and love, so as to carry her through the tasks of daily life and all the joys and sorrows a girl of her age might meet.

Mary’s strong and willing faith prepared her for Gabriel’s visit, and she wasted no time in accepting God’s invitation to become his Mother. The title “Mother of God”, shocking as it is to non-believers, can only be denied by saying that Jesus is not God. Once we accept him as the divine Word of God, the second person of the Trinity become man, automatically we must accept Mary as Mother of God.

From the time Mary conceived Jesus in her womb, the word of God for her was no longer merely God’s scriptural revelation cherished in her heart and mind, but the very person of her Son, the Word made flesh. She then became God’s messenger, carrying him for a dramatic meeting with Elizabeth and, after Jesus’ birth, presenting him to a stream of heavenly directed visitors: the shepherds representing the Jews, and the Magi representing the Gentiles. Mary was with him in the Presentation in the Temple, in the flight into Egypt, and in his growing up at Nazareth. She followed him at a distance in his public life of preaching, and was there at his side as he hung on the cross. There her motherhood was expanded, and she became the mother of John and of the whole Church. For, if we have become adopted sons of God, we are also, like John, adopted sons of Mary.

The death of Christ was a painful separation for Mary, but her faith, which was rock solid at Calvary, was also rock solid while awaiting his promised resurrection. Her faith was also rock solid as she accompanied the Apostles in waiting for the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

At last, the word of God was addressed to her again, to leave this life by dying, and then to be carried as part of the First Resurrection (Rev 20:5-6) to her place at Jesus’ side in glory.

It was not by accident that Mary conceived. She made a choice accepting to become not merely the biological mother of Jesus, but his true parent, his mother for all that he is, and therefore the Mother of God.

Epiphany, Years A-C: 2005

NEPA goes off, the sun goes down, and people begin to light candles just to avoid stumbling. “The night is coming when no one can work” (Jn 9:4). Later in the night NEPA suddenly returns. A cheer goes up as everyone emerges from the idleness the darkness had forced them into.

Jerusalem, your light has come!

Yes, the birth of Christ was a mighty burst of light, an Epiphany. It shone not only in Jerusalem, but also over far-away lands. It was the true light, enlightening everyone who comes into the world.

Yes, as the Church teaches, God gives every human being—Christian and non-Christian—the enlightenment and grace necessary to see and accept in some general or confused way, by star-light, the redemption he offers us in Jesus Christ. That inner enlightenment, sufficient as it is for salvation, should normally mature, if not impeded, into full sun-light of Catholic faith.

Besides the inner enlightenment of grace, God sends outward signs, as he did in the wondrous star the Magi saw. It was visible to countless numbers of people, but only a few wise men could interpret its meaning. Later Jesus sent his Apostles and their successors throughout the world with a clear message people could easily understand.

The original burst of light from Christ’s birth keeps shining, even though not everyone welcomes the Gospel. It beams on us outwardly, through the preaching of the Church. It beams on us inwardly through God’s gifts of faith, understanding, knowledge and wisdom.

Let us, who have the full sunlight of the Catholic Faith, never have outage or disconnection, but walk constantly in the light, as children of the light, until we reach Jesus, Mary and Joseph in the eternal home.

Epiphany, Years A-C: 2006

Many people complain that they don't experience the full joy of Christmas. Not to have had turkey may be one reason, but a more serious reason is not to have seen Jesus and know the peace of his coming.

Seek, and you shall find. That is what the Magi did. Forget about "wise men" or whatever other translation you have. Magi is the proper name for a member of the Magian or Zoroastrian religion in Persia, in modern Iran.

The Magi saw a star. Forget about attempts to explain how a real star could lead them. A visionary star is enough. And that vision would be worthless if the Magi did not also have an inner revelation of the heavenly king the star was pointing to. The Magi followed the star to Jerusalem, a distance of about 1,000 kilometres. When they got there their vision of the star was suspended, so as to force them to make inquiries, "Where is the infant king of the Jews?" And the story of the star vision spread through Jerusalem.

Herod, an outsider who had grabbed he throne, felt threatened at the news of a new king born to succeed him, one who was not his own child, but the Christ, a descendant of David. He too made inquiries of the chief priests and scribes: "Where would the Christ be born?" And they told him "in Bethlehem."

Herod now knew the place, but did not know the time of Christ's birth. He called the Magi to make another inquiry, "Exactly when did the star appear?" They must have told him, but he asked them to go and identify the child and report back to him.

The Magi left and the star vision resumed, leading them straight to the house where Jesus was. In Jerusalem the Magi had inquired about where to find him. Herod had inquired of the priests and scribes and of the Magi themselves. Now, after locating the house, no more inquiry was necessary. They went in and saw the child with their own eyes. There was no crown, no corral beads, no other trappings to impress on them that this was a king. An inner divine revelation told them who this destitute child was.

Their gifts declare their faith in who he was: gold for a king, incense for a priest, the burial spice myrrh for his sacred passion. The gifts also pointed to the character of the Magi: gold for their wisdom and attentiveness to God, incense for their devout prayer, and myrrh for their self-discipline and mortification, especially in undergoing the rigours of a long journey.

The Lord had guided hem to Jesus by an inner revelation and the vision of a star. Now, by warning in a dream, he guided them back by another road where they would not have to meet Herod.

It is really puzzling to most people why Jesus should have gone to be baptized by John. John himself was shocked and could not understand it.

The same John helped to supply the answer when he said (Jn 1:29) “See the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus, God and man, stepped into the water. As man, he carried the burden of all our sins and dipped the whole of sinful humanity into the water. That is why he asked John to baptize him. John immersed him, but Jesus, as God, sanctified the water and gave it the power to wash away our sins in the sacrament of Christian baptism.

God himself hinted at the answer after declaring Jesus his beloved Son. The Spirit descended in the form of a dove. Where have we seen that before? When the flood water seemed to be subsiding, Noah released a dove, that came back with an olive twig to show that fresh life had come to the earth after a sinful generation had been washed away. In baptism, the water does not drown us, but drowns our sins; then the Spirit descends on us and we come out of the water as new-born children of God.

Jesus leads us through the water of baptism just as, in the Exodus, a column of fire led the people into the Reed Sea and onto the other side, while the water drowned the enemy pursuing them. Jesus, by baptizing us with the Holy Spirit and fire, drowns our sins and leads us through the water to a place of safety with him.

So why did Jesus undergo baptism? — For the same reason that he became man, to raise us up from sin to share his own divine life.

At his birth on Christmas, as Psalm 96 says, “the heavens rejoiced and the earth was glad”; at his baptism “the sea thundered with all that it contains.”

At his birth we see God as a baby sharing our frailty; at his baptism we see a perfect man, the model of our Christian adulthood and maturity.

At his birth, the star showed the Magi heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, the one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. At his baptism, the Father’s voice was heard over the waters (cf. Ps 29): “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” the first-born of many sons, in whom he also wants to be well pleased. The Spirit, as a dove, comes down not with olive-oil leaves, but with the refined oil of the Father’s anointing, the anointing that accompanies every Christian baptism.

At his birth, the holy innocent children shed their blood for Christ. At his baptism, John was not allowed to be baptized in water by Jesus, but he was allowed later to be baptized in his own blood for Jesus.

On this day that closes the Christmas season, let us join those who recognized the infant Jesus for what he truly is, who worshipped him and risked or laid down their lives for him. Let us also thank God for our baptism into the Church, constantly renewing ourselves in the Spirit and ready, like John, to lay down our lives for Jesus’ sake.

Baptism of the Lord, Year A: 2008

Deep down, we all have a hunger for God. But most of mankind might says with Isaiah, "You are a hidden God" (45:15). Others would add, "if you are there at all". In contrast to these agnostics, Muslims believe that God revealed to them many duties and restrictions, but never revealed himself.

But, for us, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory as of the only-begotten Son of God" (Jn 1:14).

Guided by angel voices, the shepherds recognized him in the micro-flesh of a child. The Magi did him homage a year or so later, guided by a star. John, while still in Elizabeth's womb, jumped with joy at his presence in the womb of Mary. Once more with joy, he pointed him out on the bank of the Jordan as the Lamb of God. This time, the Father and the Spirit corroborated his testimony: the Spirit in the appearance of a dove, and the Father in a voice endorsing Jesus as his beloved Son.

Here was the Son of God, now a man in full maturity, poised to command faith in himself no longer by heavenly signs and voices, but by the miracles he himself worked, starting by changing water into wine at Cana.

He came for us, entering the water of the Jordan to inaugurate the washing away of the sins of mankind. Why wash away sins? —So that the Church, in all its members, might be a fitting bride of Christ. The remainder of his teaching and acts, culminating in his death and resurrection, had the one purpose of drawing us to himself, transforming us in his image, and making us confidants of his Father.

So, our God is no longer hidden, even though the troubles of the world about us make us sometimes join Jesus on the cross in praying Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

Yes, Isaiah's vision has come to realization, "Rise, [Lady], and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned on you. For darkness covered the earth, and gloom all peoples. But on you Yahweh has risen, and his glory over you has become manifest" (60:1-2).

1^st Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

A man finds a good job for his son, but the son is led astray by co-workers, they embezzle money, get caught, and the boy is sacked. Will the father be eager to help the son find another job? Our earthly father, maybe not, but our heavenly Father, certainly yes.

Adam listened to Satan’s suggestion to his wife and stole from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He was caught and thrown out of God’s estate, himself, his wife and all their descendants. But God promised to send a descendant of the woman to crush the head of Satan and bring the race of Adam back to something even better than the estate which Adam farmed.

The new Adam had first to do battle with Satan. Satan is a crafty character, and he succeeded in checkmating Adam. How did he do that? – By dangling before him first some good fruit to eat, secondly the prospect of becoming a god himself, thirdly the secret of how to remote-control all the good and evil in the world, so as to guarantee his prosperity.

Jesus prepared to meet Satan by 40 days of prayer and fasting. Of course he was hungry afterwards and physically weakened, but he was spiritually strengthened. Satan tried his dangling act all over in an attempt to bring down the second Adam and at the same time discover his real identity: “Before we talk business, sit down and have a bite to eat. So you are the Son of God? All you have to do is turn these stones into bread.” — But, Satan, who are you to instruct the Son of God how, when and what to eat, as you instructed Adam to pick the forbidden fruit? And is eating food the most important thing in life? I am not interested in your proposal!

Satan didn’t get his answer, but was not put off. He stood Jesus on the pinnacle of the Temple Herod built and said: “As Son of God, it should be quite simple for you to sky dive down to the crowd below, with angels as your parachute. Once the people see that, you can cash in on your popularity rating and become king, president, emperor or whatever you want.” — No use, Satan, you lift people up to think that they are gods, so that you can crash them down to ruin. When I go up it is to be close with God and receive praise from him; I don’t come down again to gain praise from men. Do not joke with the Lord your God.

Again Satan could not figure out Jesus’ identity, but persisted in trying to bring him down. From his mountain observatory he showed him detailed satellite images of Manhattan, Victoria Island, Lekki Beach, New Bodija, every posh site on the earth. “All this is your jackpot if you simply do me homage.” — Satan, you must be crazy. You are trying to lure by means of earthly kingdoms the one who said “My kingdom is not of this world,” and who promised to deliver his disciples the kingdom of heaven, since they have chosen to worship the Lord God and serve him alone.

Throughout the interview, Satan was not sure who Jesus really was. But after his abrupt dismissal he could have a good guess: “This Adam is not like the first one I easily defeated. He is stronger than any man I have ever dealt with. And now, see angels coming to look after him. Probably he really is the Son of God!”

Seeing that the whole human race lay at the mercy of Satan’s tyranny, and seeing our lives fractured or sick in so many ways because of sin, the Father did not want to leave us that way. He sent his Son to defeat that prince of this world. Round one was the temptation in the desert. Round two was Jesus’ death on the cross, where Jesus dealt Satan a knock-out blow.

But Satan still tries to defeat the followers of Christ. Jesus is asking us to accompany him out to the desert during this Lent to attack Satan and defeat any lingering power he has over our lives. Let us go with him, accomplish our objective, and recover our standing in the Father’s employ as children of his Church and his kingdom.

1^st Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2008

Leave that TV.—Come away for 40 days and pray. Leave that pepe soup.—Come away for 40 days and fast. Leave that money you were saving for new jeans.—Come away for 40 days and share that with the needy.

It is hard to break away. But follow Jesus into the desert and see how you too can wax strong to resist any attempt of the devil to pull you down.

Jesus needed no strengthening, but he spent 40 days training in the desert to show us how to become spiritually strong. His battle with the devil demonstrated the strength he meant us to have in a world full of enticements to go astray.

Mr. Jesus, what are you doing out here in this wasteland without the bare necessitiess of life? You look emaciated and famished. Some people have observed your extraordinary character and have been calling you "son of God". If that is what you are, you must have power to work wonders. Why not order these stones to turn into bread, so you can satisfy your hunger.

Mr. Devil, bread is not the only or main thing that nourishes a man, but each and every word that comes from the mouth of God.

OK, Mr. Jesus, let's turn to the word of God. You know that just listening to it is not enough. You must put it into practice. Now Psalm 91 says, "He has commanded his angels to look after you. They will lift you up with their hands to keep your feet from striking a rock." Here we are on top of the Temple tower. Put God's word into practice. Jump down and let his angels carry you gently to the ground.

Mr. Devil, don't you know that it is also written in Deuteronomy 6, "Do not tempt the Lord your God."

OK, then, Mr. Jesus. Let's not disturb God. We know he has other things to do than to be working miracles at random. He expects us to help ourselves. Here from this satellite you can see the whole map of the earth, kingdom after kingdom. Now God has never stopped me from using my power to manipulate politics. See how I managed Nigeria's last election to suit my agenda. If Adedibu thinks he is powerful, he is nothing in comparison with me. I can put anyone I choose into any political office whatsoever. Now let's make a deal. You just kneel down and promise to be loyal to me, and all these kingdoms will be yours.

Mr. Devil, I have had enough of you. Don't disturb me any more, for it is also written in Deuteronomy 6, "Worship God and serve him alone."

By winning this battle, Jesus showed us how to put the devil in his place.

Our 40 days' of extra fasting is to help us appreciate the Word of God, Jesus himself, who nourishes us when we receive him by our mouth in Communion, by our minds in faith, and by our hearts in love.

Our 40 days of extra prayer is to help us attune our minds and hearts to him, so that we do not try to drag him into giving us things that are not good for us, but let him guide us to success in the vocation he calls us to live.

Our 40 days of being extra generous to others is to help us to put God first in our lives and put our loyalty to him before all other loyalties.

When we see what we have gained from this exercise, we will not miss that TV show, that pepe soup, or that money we were saving for jeans.

2^nd Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

It is a great leader who can not only say “Do as I say,” but also “Do as you see me do.” Jesus could say that. “I carry the cross. You carry your cross, following after me.” That is called the imitation of Christ. But the point of the Transfiguration is that we are not to be mere imitators of Christ, but images of Christ.

Yes, Paul could say, “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1), but he went on to say (in 2 Cor 3:18): “And all of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.” That is why he could also say (Gal 2:20): “And yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.” If we have been transformed into living images of Christ, acting like Christ is not only easy; it is natural to us, and it would be difficult to act otherwise.

Peter, James and John witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration so that they could be transfigured inwardly themselves in the likeness of Jesus’ glory, which was hidden in him all along. Their vision of Jesus’ glory was momentary, but its effect was lasting.

Peter, James and John were the privileged first to be shown Jesus’ glory. The other apostles had their chance after the Resurrection. And all Christians are offered once in a while a glimpse of Jesus’ glory.

 How does that take place? First, like Peter, James and John, they have to go up a mountain with Jesus: That means going off to pray with him, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist. Secondly, Peter, James and John went off with Jesus to be alone by themselves: That means dropping other business for a time to be alone with Jesus. In such circumstances we can hear the Father’s voice in our hearts, and the bright cloud of the Holy Spirit can overshadow us. An experience like that can be overwhelming and, like Peter, James and John, we may find ourselves falling on our faces. Then we may be wakened by the voice of the priest or the choristers, we lift up our heads and see only the human side of Jesus: his images in the church, the form of bread hiding his real presence, the people around us whom he dwells in invisibly.

We walk by faith and not by vision. The next time we come to church we may be saying, “God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” That is the way of Jesus. He shunned any display of his glory, and was determined to pursue his vocation of carrying his cross to death.

That is why Jesus warned Peter, James and John not to talk about the vision as long as he was in this mortal life. And that is why Paul was very reluctant to refer to his own visions (2 Cor 12). And that is why we should be very suspicious of anyone who advertizes him or her self as being a visionary.

Lent is a God-given time of opportunity, a time to go up the mountain and be alone with Jesus by fasting and prayer, especially the Mass. If we do so, Jesus cannot fail to shine on us to the extent we need so as to be refashioned in his image. The encounter may be fleeting, but will leave a lasting stamp on our lives. It will give us the faith to walk confidently through the dark valleys of moral confusion and hostility around us, and one day plant our cross next to that of Jesus and mount it to die with him. Then the hidden glory that had been growing within us all along will shine and give praise to Jesus’ own unsurpassable glory.

2^nd Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2008

Look in the mirror. Are you satisfied with the way you look? What about that pimple or wrinkle in your face? What about that tummy fat? Maybe some cream would help, maybe plastic surgery. Think of Stella Obasanjo.

Is it worth the effort? Most of us take our looks as a lost cause or useless cause, and concentrate on more important things. But we cannot be indifferent to the way we look before God. He sees us as we are and judges us accordingly. Christ's transfiguration showed Peter, James and John how glorious Jesus looked in the sight of his heavenly Father, and how we also can and should look in God's sight. All the light and brilliance that Peter, James and John witnessed in Jesus was merely an outward visible sign of Christ's inner spiritual beauty, the beauty of God himself, which is invisible to bodily eyes.

Similarly, the beauty of a baptized person, which we expect to grow, flourish, blossom and bear fruit in abundance, cannot be directly seen. It is the hidden life of sanctifying grace which you cannot observe directly, even in yourself, but you can only see its outward manifestations, not in physical beauty, but in good actions. Someone can be in a wretched physical shape and still be a winner in God's beauty contest.

If we ourselves are not transfigured inwardly by a life of grace, we are no more capable than a dog of hosting the Trinity and becoming a temple of God. God cannot come into our lives and make us his friends without transforming us foundationally by sanctifying grace and dynamically by the power of faith, hope and love. If God did not programme us in this way, he would be altogether out of our range, with no interface between him and us.

For all our outward accomplishments, for all the Mount Tabor manifestations of Jesus we may sometimes experience, our relationship with God is basically a deep inner secret. To be in contact with him, we don't need to see visions, hear voices, shout, shake and roll on the floor. But in our plain every-day life, whether we are crying or laughing, he is always and everywhere beckoning us: Believe in me. Trust me. Love me. When we respond positively, then, as Paul says (2 Cor 3:18), "with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit."

That is how God overhauls us spritually, repairing the blemishes left by our sins and making us shine with intense inner faith, hope and love. That makes a difference in our outward observable behaviour. But our inner life of grace is beyond human observation in this life. Only in the life of the resurrection will it shine for all to see.

In the meantime, if we take a good look in the mirror of our conscience, we will still find plenty of flaws that require attention. Lent is a time not only to campaign against these faults, but also a time to allow God to work on us, especially in the confessional. There he brings out his own anointing creams and plastic surgery to get rid of those character wrinkles and pimples and excess fat, and make us beautiful in his own image.

3^rd Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

How pure is “pure water”? I hesitate to drink from a nylon bag. But when people are desperate, as after the tsunami disaster, they drink from any gutter, and get cholera as a result. I mostly use water from a borehole. It is pure, but hard with lime and other chemicals. The soft pure water of Erin-Ijesha is heavenly ale to drink and refreshing to bathe in. A drink of cold clear water is what anyone is expected to offer a guest on arrival.

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus arrived both thirsty and hungry. He asked the woman at the well for a drink, and used her objection to offer her better water than what she had. The woman knew the value of bubbling spring water, which she thought Jesus was offering her. But she soon grasped the spiritual meaning towards which he was lifting her mind, and his narration of her secret marital situation led her, after a few more steps, to recognize that sitting here before her was the Messiah himself.

It seems Jesus never got the drink he asked for. The woman was so excited to receive her spiritual drink of the Spirit that she ran off to tell everyone in town. Her faith was the result Jesus was really thirsting for, and he got it. In the meantime food arrived, which Jesus had sent his disciples to bring. It seems he had no chance to taste this food either, because he saw another food coming, a chance to do his Father’s will and bring his Father’s work to perfection. The crowds of people from the town on their way towards him were the harvest he so eagerly called his apostles to gather. That was the object of his hunger.

If we live in the world of faith, we have the pure water and the tasty food of the Spirit to enjoy: prayer, the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and community with other people of faith. But staying on that level is not always that easy. The Israelites slipped down to the muddy waters of unbelief when they became so concerned about finding ordinary water that they revolted against Moses. Our faith gets tested in times of difficulty. And difficulties we will certainly meet if we are following Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. Sometimes our biggest hopes can be dashed and we have to start all over again at point zero. Do we still have faith in God in such occasions to pick up and go on?

Faith, Paul tells us, leads us to rejoice not only in good times and in the hope of glory to come but also in difficulties and trials, since these make us practice firm endurance, and that builds our hope of reaching the goal of accomplishing the work God has given us to do in life.

Christ, who died for us when we were undeserving sinners, will see that we succeed in living like Christ, dying like Christ, and drinking the waters of everlasting life with him.

3^rd Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2008

Did you ever ask yourself: At the Last Supper, did Jesus receive communion? The answer is Yes, because he did not ask others to do what he did not do himself, just as he underwent baptism beore requiring it of others. The point to conclude is that his food is our food, and his drink is our drink.

Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for water to drink, leading her to ask from him his own wonder-water that is life itself and gushes up now in the activities of grace, and later in the glory of eternal life. In John 7:39 Jesus explains that this gushing water stands for the Holy Spirit whom those who believe in him would receive.

Being one in substance with Jesus, the Spirit was implanted in him like a spring ever flowing and imbuing him with power, wisdom and goodness. That was Jesus' drink, quite apart from and far surpassing earthly water.

The same Holy Spirit has been planted in us by baptism, and his ever flowing action is our drink, imbuing us likewise with moral strength, widsom and goodness.

As Jesus continued his conversation with the Samaritan woman, words of wisdom poured out, exposing the secrets of her life so that she could recognize the secret of his life, that the one speaking to her was the Messiah.

As she dropped her bucket and ran to bring the town out to meet him, Jesus's disciples brought him food. Just as the drink he lived by and lived for was not ordinary drink, so the food he lived by and lived for was not what the disciples carried in their basket, for his food was to do his Father's will and complete his work.

The work at hand that moment was to harvest into the Kingdom of God the crowd of people coming towards him from the town. They were probably dressed in white, looking like a field of ripe grain. The grain had been planted by Jesus' words to the woman, and was ripe already, four months before a normal harvest, under the action of Christ, the "Sun of Justice" (Mal 4:2).

Jesus had planted. He sent his disciples out to reap where they had not sown, first right there in Samaria, and later throughout the rest of the world until the end of time. The planter and the reapers were to be of one mind and rejoice together in the same divine project. Their food was the same: to do the will of the Father and complete the work of building up his Kingdom.

When the townspeople came out, they came face to face with Jesus and heard his words with their own ears. Their minds were opened and they and recognized that his words sprung from the truth of God himself, and that he was the Saviour of the world. They became disciples, and they too began to drink of the Holy Spirit and eat the food of working in the service of the Kingdom of God, as newcomers to the Faith continue to do up to now.

May Christ's words penetrate our minds and capture our hearts, so that his drink, the life-giving Holy Spirit, and his food, zeal for the work his Father gave him, become our own preferred drink and our own preferred food.

4^th Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

How well are my children doing? How do I solve this problem? So many questions! Why ask me? You have eyes to see. Maybe you need better light or a little explanation or to have some things pointed out. In the end, there is nothing like seeing things for yourself.

The man born blind had defective eyes. Once Jesus corrected them, he saw plainly. But he saw more than the eye sees. He saw that his new ability to see could not come from any natural healing or medical treatment, but had to come from divine intervention, and that this miraculous gift of sight came through Jesus.

With this certainty, the man quickly and bravely brushed aside the objections of the Pharisees. This man must be from God, but exactly what is he? A prophet or more than a prophet? Jesus simply said, “I am the Son of Man.”

The man born blind could recognize right away the reference to Daniel 7 (13-14): “I saw coming on the clouds of heaven as it were a son of man... On him was conferred rule, honour and kingship... His rule is an everlasting rule which will never pass away, and his kingship will never come to an end.”

The man born blind immediately recognized that before him was certainly a son of man, certainly the son of man described by Daniel, and more than that, he was the divine Lord. So he went down on his knees before him.

Commenting on this, Jesus further asserted his divine authority to give the blind sight and make clear the blindness of those who repudiated Christ in spite of the divine evidence showing who he was: Son of God and Son of Man, the anointed Messiah foreshadowed by David, whose throne God assured would be everlasting.

By our Catholic faith, we are the ones:

1. whose eyes are opened —by the living faith we received at baptism.
2. and are made children of the light, which penetrates our minds and hearts and all our being.
3. so as to shine with goodness —by letting others share in our goodness,
4. with right living — by leading a blameless life,
5. and with truth — in all that we say or promise, and in our sharing our faith with others.

If we have compromised the light —a situation that this season of Lent addresses— and have been walking

1. in the darkness of mortal sin
2. or in the shadows of venial sin,
3. let us wake up, rise from the dead darkness or the shadows,
4. and Christ will shine on us.

5^th Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

God did not consult us when he brought us into this world, and he does not consult us when he takes us out of this world, but he does give us a say in what type of resurrection we are to have, whether it is really to be for glory, as every funeral notice makes bold to claim, or whether it is for condemnation, as is often the case.

Lazarus of Bethany was more fortunate than Lazarus the beggar, because he had two loving sisters who were very troubled over his sickness and later death, and called Jesus to come and do something about it. Jesus took his time, and then went into the danger zone where enemies were waiting to kill him. He defied the danger because there was still enough daytime of divine protection for him to go on working. The night would come later when his enemies would have their best of him.

Jesus arrived too late for Martha and Mary. They both complained that had Jesus come on time, their brother would not have died. — “Your brother will rise again.” — “I know he will rise on the last day.” — “I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

All the visitors followed Mary to the tomb. Jesus, showing his full humanity, wept and sighed and prayed to his Father, so that all could know that the miracle about to happen was from God. He cried with a loud voice, like the trumpet at the last day, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus did, and many believed in Jesus.

Lazarus in the tomb represents the status of a sinner. A sinner begins his first day in the tomb the moment he deliberately entertains the thought of sin. He has spent a second day when he gives consent to the sin. He spends a third day when he commits the sin by action. The fourth day is when the sinful action becomes an ingrained habit. Then he stinks thoroughly.

A sinner cannot come out of the tomb unless the Lord calls him by the grace of repentance. Then he stands up and takes a few steps. But he cannot go far, because he is bound by his guilt. The Lord then orders his priests to unbind him. “Whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven.” They do so, and he walks away freely in the land of the living.

If, like Mary, Martha and Lazarus, having put away serious sin, we learn to believe in Jesus and keep to his words, he comes to us and dwells in us. We shall surely die to this mortal life, as he did, but he will also just as surely raise us up to live with him forever.

6^th Sunday of Lent, Year A: 2005

He was born for this; this is why he came into the world. From his infancy he was the non-resisting disciple pursued by Herod. His adulthood was geared towards Jerusalem, to accept death, death on a cross:

When the day came, his disciples arranged the room for the Passover meal.

They entered with Jesus and began the first celebration of the Eucharist and the last time Jesus would taste wine on this earth, closing with a prediction of Peter’s fall.

Then in Gethsemane came the solitary prayer of agony,

The sudden appearance of the Betrayer with the Temple soldiers sent the disciples running away.

In the trial before Caiphas Jesus affirmed he was the Son of God and Son of Man foretold by Daniel; so they condemned him.

In the meantime Peter denied Jesus and went out to weep bitterly.

This was parallelled by Judas’ remorse and suicide.

Parallelling the trial before Caiphas, came the trial before Pilate, where Jesus affirmed he was the King of the Jews; Pilate however released Barabbas and, like Caiphas, condemned Jesus.

The scourging and crucifixion completed the action begun with the arrest of Jesus.

His dying on the cross reflected the desolation of the agony in the garden.

The tearing of the veil of the Temple, symbol of the Old Covenant, is tied with the institution of the Eucharist and the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, while the centurion bore the witness that Peter had promised but failed to deliver.

The burial of Jesus is the conclusion of the story that began with the preparation for the Passover meal.

This is the story of the humbling of Jesus to accepting death on a cross. “But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus, and every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Good Friday: 2004

Because Jesus is really a man, he really died. Because he is really God, he rose from death.

As a human event, Jesus’ death was a tragedy, a cruel murder of a good and great man, and it should make us want to wail and moan.

We may also feel outrage at those who killed him, until we realize that he freely laid down his life in obedience to his Father, taking the punishment our sins deserved. Then our outrage turns to self-accusation and remorse.

Then if we look deeper at the mystery of this event, we see in the blood flowing from his body the divine medicine to heal us from all the wounds of sin. That is why he went to death, to bring us to life.

Because Jesus is man, his suffering and death took a few short hours and is past. Because he is God, his suffering and death touch everyone through all time and space. They touch each of us individually, you and me, at every moment of our lives, especially in the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

For that reason, we do not cry at Jesus’ death, nor do we feel outrage, nor do we sit in remorse like Judas, but we rise up to thank, praise and honour him for what he has done for all of us:

Glory be to Jesus, who in bitter pain / poured for me the life blood, from his sacred veins.

Besides praising and cheering for Jesus, there is one more step he expects of us. That is to “go and die with him” (John 11:16). From St. Stephen onwards to our own day, Christians have shed their blood for Christ. Others, who have not had that opportunity, have shed their tears and sweat in another kind of martyrdom. What is clear is that if we do not die to ourselves and are not prepared to lay down our lives for Christ and his Church, we are not really his disciples. So let us not run away, but take up our cross and hang on it by his side. That is the way we can be united with him and be with him in Paradise.

Because the cross is so central, and there is no Christianity without it, we honour the cross as the principal sign of Christ and of the Church. We open all our prayers with the sign of the cross. We bless ourselves with it in times of temptation and danger, and any time we are starting on a journey, starting a class or meeting, or beginning anything new. Therefore today we will come up to honour the cross. It is our tangible way of honouring the suffering and death of Jesus that are always active in our lives.

Good Friday: 2005

Some days ago, in Edo State, a danfo driver refused to give the police the customary 20 and sped on. The police chased, shot at the danfo’s tires and sent it crashing into the bush, killing and injuring the passengers. The police van also crashed. A crowd gathered, caught some of the policemen and were ready to necklace them for demanding bribe and attacking innocent people. Justice must be done!

Jesus too, though innocent, was murdered. Who was to blame? Who should be necklaced for this crime? Pilate? Jesus’ countrymen who demanded his death? No one took action against Pilate or the Jewish fanatics. Peter drew his sword to prevent it happening, but Jesus stopped him. Our outrage runs out of steam when we realize that he freely and determinedly laid down his life in obedience to his Father, taking the punishment our sins deserved.

Then our outrage turns to self-accusation and remorse. It was by our sins that we, you and I, brought on his death. Why did we do it? Why did we offend God? Both Peter and Judas realized their part in Jesus’ suffering, and both went out and wept. Only Peter could not forget the love that Jesus had shown him, and so retained hope of eventual forgiveness, whereas Judas despaired and committed suicide.

Yes, we can turn back and be forgiven. We can stand at the cross with Mary and John and drink freely from the love and divine power pouring out of the side of Jesus. Jesus could really suffer death because he is really a man, but because he is also really God he could rise from death. And because he is really God, God’s loving power is active in him without restriction, to heal us from sin and all the wounds of sin and put us on our feet in the way of holiness. That is why he went to death, to bring us life.

Because Jesus is man, his suffering and death took a few short hours and is past. Because he is God, his suffering and death touch everyone through all time and space. They touch each of us individually, you and me, at every moment of our lives, especially in the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

For that reason, we do not cry at Jesus’ death, nor do we feel outrage, nor do we sit in remorse like Judas, but we rise up to thank, praise and honour him for what he has done for all of us:

Glory be to Jesus, who in bitter pain / poured for me the life blood, from his sacred veins.

Besides praising and cheering for Jesus, there is one more step he expects of us. That is to “go and die with him” (John 11:16). From St. Stephen onwards to our own day, Christians have shed their blood for Christ. Others, who have not had that opportunity, have shed their tears and sweat in another kind of martyrdom. What is clear is that if we do not die to ourselves and are not prepared to lay down our lives for Christ and his Church, we are not really his disciples. So let us not run away, but take up our cross and hang on it by his side. That is the way we can be united with him and be with him in Paradise.

Because the cross is so central, and there is no Christianity without it, we honour the cross as the principal sign of Christ and of the Church. We open all our prayers with the sign of the cross. We bless ourselves with it in times of temptation and danger, and any time we are starting on a journey, starting a class or meeting, or beginning anything new. Therefore today we will come up to honour the cross. It is our tangible way of honouring the suffering and death of Jesus that are always active in our lives. And it is a tangible way of drawing upon us the power of the cross which is Jesus crucified.

Touch his cross with faith, and receive his body in Communion with faith. He will touch you in ways that will surprise you.

Good Friday: 2007

How low can God stoop to lift us up to himself?

He came down to Adam and Eve and moved through the garden to to and talk with them (Gen 3:8). He spoke to their son Cain, to Abraham, Moses and a host of prophets. God was coming low to speak with them.

At last he spoke through his Son, his eternal Word, made flesh from the Virgin Mary. There he lay, a helpless baby, that had to flee with his parents to Egypt while Herod raged and killed every baby boy that could possibly claim his throne. Here God was coming much lower.

His was a simple, poor life, hidden for thirty years. When the time came for him to appear in public, his words electrified his hearers. However lowly and wretched their condition, he showed them how thye could become intimate friends with God himself. His miracles backed up his words and raised the hopes of thousands.

At the same time his popularity stirred up envy among some politically ambitious people. Not only did he outshine them in goodness, but he offered plenty of evidence that he not only spoke for God as a messenger, but he was the very message of God, God's Word, the fulness of God himeself.

With supreme wisdom and supreme courage he persisted in his witness to the truth of what he was and the salvation he offered his hearers and the whole of mankind. The opposition could do nothing as long as his hour had not yet come.

Then, on that Holy Thursday evening, his hour struck. After sharing for the first time his real body and blood with his disciples, he entered the garden of Gethsemane and his agony began. In his solitary prayer he experience all that lay ahead, and concluded, "Father, not my will but yours be done."

The action moved fast: The betrayer stings him, the disciples vanish, Peter denies him, his captors mock, beat and condemn him. They send him on a death march to Calvary. They strip him and crucify him. They continue mocking him until he gives up his spirit. He is lowered from the cross, lowered to the grave.

How low can God stoop to lift us up?

How low are we? No matter how far down we are with disappointments, oppression or sin, his arms reach under us to lift us up. The victory of the cross is to pull us from sin, stabilize us in virtue, give us peace of conscience, and fill our hearts with God's love and joy. With that we can face any other difficulty of life, as Paul explains (2 Cor 4:8-11):

We are subjected to every kind of hardship, but never distressed; we see no way out but we never despair; we are pursued but never cut off; knocked down, but still have some life in us; always we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus, too, may be visible in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are continually being handed over to death, for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may be visible in our mortal flesh.

Have you ever entered the mortuary at UCH or at Anatomy here on campus? I have been in both, but they are not places I relish going near, much less entering. At UCH, when the airconditioning is off there is the smell of rot mixed with formaldehyde, a sickening stench that locks in your memory.

From the time Jesus died to the time the women came to the tomb, 39 hours had passed, enough time for rot to set in. Yet the women eagerly rushed to the tomb, a dark, a spooky, a smelly place. What motivated them? The body of someone they loved was there. That is the same reason anyone would dare enter the mortuary at UCH or Anatomy.

The women also had to face a guard of soldiers, who could quite easily lay them out dead in the tomb if they did not observe protocol and settle them.

The women were brave. Maybe they had heard Thomas’ brave statement much earlier, “Let us go to Jerusalem and die with him.”

Let us enter the tomb. We came here in the night to reenact a visit to Jesus’ cadaver, the victim of a ritual murder. It should be fearsome, scary. Is it because we already know the happy ending that go in dancing as if we are not in the presence of death with the murderers still at large?

The call is still there, beckoning us with necessity: Die and be buried with Jesus! How? By death to sin, by a never-never return to any sin that cuts us off from God.

The women who set out in the morning had already died in spirit with Jesus and were thoroughly buried with him. That prepared them to meet the unexpected. The guards were knocked out, and an angel was there to announce: “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would.” — “You will see him in Galilee.” — But the women did not have to go to Galilee. They saw Jesus then and there.

The whole experience was a shock for the women. The one constant factor was their love for Jesus. But sorrow turned to joy, despondency catapulted into hope, a confused uncertain faith solidified into an unshakable profession of Jesus’ resurrection, fear of God’s display of power fell into a confident rush to Jesus’ feet, so that they could be charged with his resurrection power.

It was a transformation. Whatever their past — and Mary Magdalene certainly had a past! — they were now alive to God in a new, stable and permanent way. In going to the Apostles, they became missionaries to the missionaries. When they touched the feet of Christ with faith, they were imbued with the power of grace to please God perfectly in everything they did, as we can be if we touched the cross with deep faith on Good Friday, or if we renew our Baptism with deep faith in tonight’s liturgy. Where sin abounded, grace abounds. O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer. “Ile oba to jo, ewa lo bu kun.”

Their life of grace would accompany them to their dying days. But their death was not their end. Having been touched by Christ, death could have no permanent hold on them and, like Christ, they would arise.

We too, by keeping our eyes on Christ in his suffering, death and resurrection, can live holy and spotless lives, and be sure of our own resurrection to glory where we will be with him forever.

2^nd Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

How do you recognize a true believer? He is totally committed to what he believes in. He is ready to sacrifice all he has and his very life for the sake of what he believes in. He is so convinced that nothing you say to challenge his belief will shake him from it or raise any doubts in his mind.

Where can you find a true believer? Sometimes you can find it in a man and a lady who want to get married. They adore one another so thoroughly that they can see no fault in the other. Maybe only after they get married do they realize that they need to believe in an outside party, God, to shore up their fidelity to one another.

The more experience you have of the world, the more convinced you are that you cannot put absolute faith in any man. The political messiahs deceive you. The pop-stars, like Michael Jackson, can dazzle people with their singing, but not with their lives. Football or sport heros dazzle you during the game, but that is all. A Pentecostal pastor can command his devotees to blindly carry out any instruction, until one day his followers realize that there are flaws in his own life and teaching.

Maybe the person who commands the greatest faith in the world today is our Holy Father the Pope. That is because he is the Vicar of Christ, and is there to speak in his name.

Most of the heroes in our life, whether pop-stars, football players, the Pope, or anyone else – we have never met personally. At most we have seen them at a distance or seen them on television. Jesus Christ also we have never seen. But those he sent out to preach in his name from the time of his Resurrection to the end of the world, not only brought us news about him, but put us into contact with him. He breathed his Spirit into them so that they could provide us with the Mass and sacraments. These are not simply occasions of meeting Jesus, but they establish or strengthen Jesus’ presence within our souls. So we don’t have to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to meet him, or stay home and watch him on television. He is right there within us, NEPA or no NEPA, water or no water, money or no money, as long as we don’t drive him out by mortal sin.

What was Jesus offering his disciples when he said “Peace be with you”? Peace here is the calm security that comes from having Jesus himself and the Trinity dwell within us. Storms of temptation or persecution may shake us, but with him there we will weather any storm.

There are true believers in many cults or false prophets. We pity them for believing so easily and uncritically in a delusion that does not save them or uplift their lives, and for spending themselves without reserve in supporting and propagating their error.

But when we have the Truth itself made man, who suffered, died and rose to offer us an everlasting share in his own life, what is our reaction? Do I reject the offer, as so many do and miss out on the promises? Or do I accept half-heartedly, combining my faith with a life style that clashes with it? Or am I ready to sign on as a true believer, with all that I have and all that I am? “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

For the two on their way to Emmaus, Jesus was gone. There were rumours that he arose, but they had no evidence and were sad—until they recognized Jesus, and their whole life was changed.

“Is there a God in Israel?” the Jews of old used to ask in times of trouble. “Has Jesus quit the Catholic Church?” we may wonder when we see it rocked by one scandal after another, young people decamping to other churches, while evangelists of every anti-Catholic persuasion command the centre stage.

So we may feel very down about the Church—until we see an event like the Pope’s funeral. The man was not only successor of Peter, but also Vicar of Christ, and that not merely by carrying out his official duties, but by absorbing Christ’s character into his whole life and showing it to the world. The crowds attending the funeral shouted the verdict of millions across the globe as they proclaimed him a saint. Yes, Jesus is risen. We have seen his presence in the Church in John Paul II, and also in the faith that millions of people demonstrated during his death and burial.

Others have seen it too: political leaders across every divide, each with his own reason, Obasanjo to show gratitude to the man whose intervention saved him from execution, a good number of Muslim and Jewish leaders responding to the Pope’s outreach to their communities. Their hearts too were burning within them as he spoke to them on his visits.

“Christ was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience corruption.” The same can be said of the Church as it gets dragged down, but is always renewed and lifted up. Some members are lost, but better ones replace them.

God has no favourites, but judges everyone by his own performance. Christ paid heavily to redeem us, and he was convinced that the result was worth the cost. We have to live carefully to preserve and develop the precious life that he give us, and carry it unstained to our final face-to-face meeting with Jesus.

4^th Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

We have one chief shepherd-pastor, Jesus Christ, and many other shepherd-pastors who represent him in the Church. We have one gateway to the Father, Jesus Christ, but no member of the Church who can be called “gateway to the Father”.

Jesus could spend the night alone with his Father without abandoning the people he came to save. And he could preach to the crowds in the daytime and be pressed on every side without abandoning communion with his Father. His union with the divine nature was the gateway which made smooth and easy the transition from God to men and from men to God. As he had no problem coming down from heaven, so he had no problem going up.

He is the mediator, the gateway, for everyone, from the people who lived on this earth 5 million years ago or more to the last person to be born at the end of this age, from the Catholics of Ibadan to the Muslims of Mecca and beyond, to the Hindus of India, to the Bhuddists of Japan, to the Communists of China. For all of them, all roads to heaven converge in Jesus, the one and only entry point and gateway to the Father.

In our society we have parents who try to provide for their children, and we have armed robbers and people in authority who try to rob them of their birthright. We have those, like our late Pope, who preach the truth, guiding people to please God with the highest demands of holiness, and those who mix their preaching with error or nonsense that settles for an easier way, depriving people from developing as they should and pleasing God as they ought. We have those, like our late Pope, who remind everyone in the world that, as children of the one God, they should respect and love one another, and we have those who make a profit by manipulating people to violence.

Jesus is our chief shepherd in several ways: First, he is the risen Lord who has overcome death. By the Eucharist, he nourishes our union with him and assures us that we will not be lost but share his risen life in the end. Secondly, he teaches us through the Gospel and the preaching of the Church what is our calling in this life, and what to do or not do in order to get there. Thirdly, he gave us the example of his own innocent life, particularly in suffering insults, torture and death without any hint of retaliation.

That is why, if we have gone astray, we should come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, our Gateway to eternal life.

5^th Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

It was a sad experience to see Pope John Paul II first dying and then dead and put in a grave. At present I feel the same way about my senior brother who is dying of cancer.

The disciples too were troubled when Jesus said he was going away. How was that? By his death, and after his Resurrection by his ascending to the Father.

But Jesus softened the pain of separation and told his disciples and us not to be troubled, because he was going to prepare a place for us and come again to take us with him to the Father’s house. How and when will that be? By our own death and resurrection, of course. Then we will rejoin not only Jesus and the Trinity, but also all those who have gone before us to our Father’s house.

Thomas’ perplexity about both Jesus’ destination and the way we are to get where he was going elicited Jesus’ famous declaration: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

He is the way because he is the Word of God made man and our brother in every way. So he can connect with us and draw us after him the way he has gone.

He is the Truth and the Life because he, with the Father and the Spirit, is God, the goal of our journey.

To see him as mere man is not to see the Father, but to admit the miraculous works he did and believe in him is to open our eyes to his divine nature.

He is in the Father and the Father is in him. In the same way we are to be in him as the vine, and we are to be in him as the branches. In him we are to do greater works than he did? How is that possible? What were the works he did? They were, notably, healing the sick and raising the dead. But Peter tells us that, joined to Christ, we have become a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, and we are living stones making a spiritual house.

Now, what is greater, to heal the sick and raise the dead, or to make an offering to God of our very selves, cleansed of sin and shining with every virtuous quality and goodness. Spiritual conversion and goodness is greater than physical well-being, such as physical healing.

Of course, Jesus raised people spiritually as well as physically, but physical miracles are more obvious to everybody, and those are the ones that he used to show that he came from the Father. Spiritual healing is less evident to the eyes of a crowd, but more important in itself, and that is the greater work Jesus said we are to do. And that the Church does every time it conducts baptism or forgives sin.

Our risen Lord is constantly calling more people to conversion and is constantly increasing the membership of his Church. Besides the spiritual sacrifice of a blameless life, let us offer ourselves as his instruments in assisting the spread of the Church, as the first seven deacons, whose choice we heard in the first reading, did.

Yes, Jesus has gone from us, as far as his visible appearance is concerned, but he is present in a more powerful way in the souls of every person in the state of grace, and in the Church as a whole, with its saving sacramental mysteries. He will, on the day appointed, bring us to the home of our Father.

6^th Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

If it is hard to lose a brother, it is harder to lose a father. Jesus is more than a brother, more than a father. At the very centre of today’s gospel we find his words, “I will not leave you orphans.” Positively put, that means he will leave us in one way, but will stay with us in another real way. How?

He can no longer be pinpointed palpably and visibly in any geographical location. Therefore the world cannot recognize or find him, as is stated before and after the words “I will not leave you orphans”.

But we can know him and contact him. That is through the Paraclete he gave us, which is a Trinitarian gift. The Spirit comes to be with us and in us; so also do the Son and the Father, as seen in the verses introducing and concluding the statements that the world cannot comprehend this.

Christ’s making his home in us, with the whole Trinity, is superior to his physical presence during his earthly life. We don’t have travel to the Holy Land and stand in line to see him for a brief moment, but he is fully available at all times and anywhere for everyone.

There are certain resemblances between this universal presence and the Internet. As on the Internet, anyone anywhere can reach him, but unlike the Internet he can give each person full and undivided attention. Like the Internet, we have to be equipped and configured in order to contact him. Sanctifying grace and the gifts of faith, hope and charity are the connecting mechanism.

Once our connection with him is established, how do we make use of it? The opening and closing verses of today’s gospel tell us: We are love him and keep his commandments. That meas avoiding sins against God, our neighbour or ourselves, and also doing the good expected of us for his sake.

That is what Philip was doing in Samaria, as the 1^st reading describes. his preaching ther found a response and this was a cause of joy. Peter tells us to be ready to explain to others why we have hope — hope in the life to come, and hope to complete satisfactorily the work he gave us to do in our lifetime. Peter also tells us to be ready to handle opposition and disappointments along the way. Life is not a joy ride, but a struggle we joyfully undertake.

The central secret of our strength is the real presence of the Trinity within us.

7th Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2005

When Jesus came into this world he did not abandon his heavenly Father. When he left this world to go back to the Father, he did not abandon his followers. His coming was wondrous and could be frightening, but he made a soft landing as a vulnerable baby in a stable. His going was also wondrous and could be a traumatic loss to his followers, but he softened his departure by a warm farewell speech assuring them that they would be better off without his visible presence because he would be present to them more powerfully in a spiritual way, a way much more powerful than Emma Lou Harris’ departed bride was to the husband she left on earth.

Jesus’ going to the Father was bringing his humanity to its final state of glory, to share in the divine glory Jesus had from eternity. That is our destiny too, because we belong to him as he belongs to the Father, and he is glorified in us by the gift of eternal life. Eternal life is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. That goes beyond knowing God’s existence by reason. It is a revelation of God himself in his inner nature, and a communion with the Trinity.

In his humanity Jesus prayed for us, for our preservation from evil and that we may accomplish the work he gave us to do, since he sends us as the Father sent him.

In practical terms, this means gathering in prayer, as the first reading tells how the disciples and Mary prayed together in anticipation of the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost. It also means action in the world, where we will meet suffering for what we stand for, as Peter warns us.

Today we pray for closer union with Christ and greater strength and wisdom in facing our life’s mission, until the day his glory is revealed to us and our joy is complete.

Pentecost, Years A-C: 2003

What do we expect of the Holy Spirit? The Sequence states it:

• Come, H.S., send from heaven the ray of your light – to take away the blindness of the lack of faith, in those who do not know or accept Jesus as he really is and his Church: non-Christians, non-Catholics. And ourselves when we do not understand or trust in God.

• Come, father of the poor – Are we poor spiritually? Let him enrich us. Are we poor materially? Let him look after our needs.

• Come, giver of gifts – Paul mentions (1 Cor 12) “the ability to speak with wisdom, to speak with knowledge, to act with faith, to heal, to work miracles, to prophesy, to discern spirits, to speak in different tongues, to interpret tongues.” Crowning all, there is love, which is aided by seven special gifts that come up later.

• Come, light of hearts – Maybe we have difficulty in understanding our faith, even though we read and try our best. He will enlighten us. Maybe we have difficulty in learning at school, even while we study our best. He will help us understand. Maybe we have difficulty making decisions that affect our lives – should I marry this person; should I take this job; should I travel to that place etc. etc., even though we think seriously and consult others who can advise. He will help us to decide rightly.

• The best Consoler, sweet Guest of the soul, sweet Refreshment – How often we feel disappointed and bitter over some experience. If we are in the state of grace, he is right there in our souls to console us and mend our wounds. He is a friend whose company we can enjoy. After talking with him we go on our way refreshed, a new person.

• In labor Rest – Sometimes the job or jobs we have put an overwhelming burden of work on us. Even job a seeker has an arduous task to secure a job. “Come to me, you who labor, and find rest.” We are not told to stop working, but in our work itself we will find rest because we find the Holy Spirit present and working alongside us and within us.

• In heat you cool us – Maybe we have borne the heat of the day in work or travel or cooking or anything else. Yes, we want to sit in the shade and have a drink. But man doesn’t live by cool air and cool drink along, but he also needs the cooling presence of the Holy Spirit who soothes our spirits. Our spirit itself may have been agitated The Holy Spirit cools the heat of anger and annoyance that disturbs our soul.

• Our solace when we weep – If someone dear to us dies, it is right to weep. But we need someone to stand by us and offer sympathy. The Holy Spirit does so by his own divine friendship and also by joining us with the faithful departed in the communion of saints.

• O most blessed light, fill the heart depths of your faithful – Yes, let us open our hearts and let him in.

• Without your divine work man has nothing of value, nothing unstained – If anyone is living a good life anywhere, even outside the Church or Christianity (and we see that in many Protestants and Muslims), we have to attribute that goodness to the Holy Spirit.

• Wash what is dirty – Wash our sins away, not only be forgiving them, but also by washing away the urge to sin and the damage our sins caused in our own lives and the lives of others.

• Water what is dry – If we are like trees planted in the house of the Lord, where the Lord expects to harvest fruit, by all means we cannot afford to dry up and wither. The Holy Spirit pours on us the water of his grace whenever we turn to him in prayer.

• Heal what is wounded – We have the wounds of sin, when we have not yet shaken the habit of sin, and we bear the wounds of those who have sinned against us. The Holy Spirit can heal us. His healing is sometimes gradual, for reasons best known to himself alone, or it can be with one touch. In any case, we say, “Lord, come quickly.”

• Bend what is stiff – We know what an impediment stiff limbs can be, like my left knee. With loose limbs we can dance with the agility of angels. We are spiritually stiff when we want to stay where we have been and not change our ways from bad to good or from good to better, or to answer a legitimate call to venture out in a new way of serving the Lord.

• Warm what is cold – Just as heat can mean suffering or anger, so cold can mean lack of love of God or for our fellow man. We “cold shoulder” someone when we refuse to help him. The Holy Spirit enkindles in us the fire of his love, so that we are no longer lukewarm, but hot with divine love and cold against sin and temptation.

• Guide what is astray – Yes, bring us back, Lord our Savior.

• Give your faithful who trust in you the sacred seven gifts. These are the special gifts that allow love to rule our lives. They are (Isaiah 11): wisdom (for understanding the things of God), insight (for understanding the value of things on earth), counsel (to help us to be prudent and make the right decisions in our lives, power (to make us brave in doing difficult things and especially in facing the disapproval of others for the right ting we are doing), knowledge (especially of our talents and limitations, so that we do our best and trust in God to do the rest), fear of the Lord (to make us resist the sinful attractions of the world and the flesh), and respect for God (to make us give him his due worship and to give every person what we owe him in justice).

• Give us the reward for virtue. Give us a transition into salvation. Give us eternal joy – May the Holy Spirit crown his work in us by giving us the gift of perseverance unto the end, to a happy death that brings us to eternal joy.

• Amen. Halleluia!

Pentecost, Years A-C: 2004

Who is a really Spirit-filled Christian?

I was watching a film on the Magun channel about a woman who had become a witch and was about to kill another woman she hated. At that moment a pastor arrived on the scene with a team of prayer warriors who started shouting “Holy Ghost fire” at the witch until the witch fell on the ground and flew away in the shape of a crow.

This very fanciful film was trying to show that the pastor and his team were really filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. But what does Jesus say? He says (Mt 7:22-23): “Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not drive out demons in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers!”

Who then are the real Spirit-filled Christians, the ones Jesus recognizes and loves? Jesus gave the answer (Jn 14:23) when he said, “If anyone loves me he will keep my word and I will love him and we shall come to him and make our home with him.” There we have the crux of the answer: We must love him and keep his word. But there are many degrees in loving God, as many saints of the Church teach us (See St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzia, in Arintero, Las escalas de amor, p. 138 ff.):

1.         Active love. Those with active love serve God while the sun shines, but at the least trouble they get frustrated, sad and sometimes give up serving God, because they love God only to the extent that He suits them and their agenda.

2.         Impatient love. Those with impatient love are eager to use all their energy to serve God, but they envy those who have received greater graces than themselves, they despise those who have not received the gifts of the Spirit that they have received. They are obsessed with which level of spiritual perfection they have attained, and what progress they are making. Such people remain imperfect and cannot score high in the practice of any virtue.

3.         Peaceful love. Those with peaceful love are resigned to all that God allows to happen, pleasant or unpleasant. They are not worrying about going to heaven, or which giftrs God has given them. They are not trying to find out which degree of perfect6ion they have attained, but their focus is entirely on the glory of God. They are happy to see that there are some people more perfect than themselves and who love God more than they do. They are only sad that some people don’t love God or love him less than they do. Their only concern is that God be honoured and his kingdom come and that they play their own part in God’s programme. It makes no difference to them whether about which role, major or minor, God gives them to play in his programme.

4.         Restful love. Those with restful love may be battling with many problems around them, but in the midst of them they peacefully contemplate God’s infinite goodness. Comparing God’s infinite goodness to their own lowliness, they realize that they can do no good by themselves; so they allow God to do many wonderful things through them, and he does so.

5.         A martyr’s love. “I live; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me” (Gal 2:20). “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). Those who have a martyr’s love are immersed in God. It makes no difference to them whether God brings them out to shine or leaves them in a dark cupboard, whether people appreciate them and canonize them as saints or curse them as devils. Such people are so strong and bold that they would face bombs and bullets or the worst torture for Christ’s sake. This is the kind and level of love that has given the Church so many martyrs. This is the perfect love that Jesus commanded us to have when he said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).

People who have this kind of love are the real Spirit-filled Christians. May we move forward step by step towards this perfect love. It is a super-human task, but we have super-human means, the Spirit of Jesus living in us and lifting us to God’s heights.

Pentecost, Years A-C: 2005

How would you feel if you were dropped off at a motor park or an airport to go some place you never were before, where you don’t know anybody and you don’t have plenty of money?

The disciples of J