Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Twenty Second Sunday of Year, C – September 1, 2019.

Readings: Sirach 3:17-20.28-29; Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:4-5ac.6-7ab. 10-11(R.11b); Heb. 12:18-19. 22-24a; Gospel Luke 14:1.7-14.

Theme: Pride Goes Before A Fall

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, since the devil deceived our first parents, Adam and Eve, he has not stopped his deceptive pranks. Perhaps this is why we are living in a world where the devil is constantly deceiving God’s children to be arrogant. We cannot forget how angels wanted to be like God and ended up badly. This is why this homily titled “Pride Goes Before A Fall” aims at urging us to fight the devil head-on by embracing the call to humility and simplicity of life. Before attempting that, we shall explore the background and summary of the readings in order to derive some practical lessons.   

                                                    
Background and Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Sirach 3:17-20.28-29) reveals that gentility and humility are prerequisites for finding favour in the sight of God. It notes that although God is great, the prayer of the humble could bring him down to the level of the lowly. The reading further discloses that “there is no cure for the proud man’s malady, since an evil growth has taken root in him.” It surmises that “the heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.”

The second reading (Heb. 12:18-19. 22-24a) discloses the glory of the beatific vision, the heavenly Jerusalem. It reveals that the festival of heaven would be populated by millions of angels with the whole Church in which everyone is a “first-born” son and a citizen of heaven. It presents God as the supreme judge who is in the midst of the spirits of the saints who have been made perfect through the blood of purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s. 

The gospel reading (Luke 14:1.7-14) narrates how on a certain Sabbath Jesus went to a house of a leading Pharisee for a meal and watched people taking places of honour. This made him to catechise his audience using a parable. He emphasized that if someone invites you for a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour because a more dignified person may have been invited and the person who invited the two of you might ask you to give up your place for this man; and to your embarrassment, you would have to take the lowest place. Instead, Jesus advised that you should take the lowest place so that later, you could be promoted to a higher place. He maintained that “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.”

He goes ahead to advise that when you give a lunch, do not invite your friends, relations or rich neighbours because they can pay you in return by inviting you for theirs. Instead, he advised that you should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind because they cannot repay you. Just so, you will be rewarded by your father in heaven.      

Pastoral Lessons

1. Embrace Humility: Our liturgy calls us to shun what St. Thomas Aquinas describes in his Summa Theologica as the cause of sin which is the pride of life. Pride of life is anything that is “of the world,” which leads to arrogance, ostentation, pride itself (1 John 2:16), presumption, and boasting. The bible says:  “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself…” (Sir 3:18). Little wonder, Jesus warns about taking places of honour.

2. Always Put Others Ahead of You: Jesus’ call that we should take the lowest places means that we should always put others ahead of us. In this way, we could be promoted by God to higher places.]

3. Work for an Inclusive Society: Our liturgy calls to embrace the gospel of social-inclusion and humility where race, gender, religion, political persuasion and social status are knocked down by our common-humanity and shared-interests.  

4. Be Your Brother’s Keeper: Jesus insists that we should be brother’s keeper. This means that we should be more concerned about the plight of the vulnerable especially orphans and widows. 

5. Work for the Common-Good: Jesus wants us to pay particular attention to justice and equitable distribution of resources. Only then can we be said to have built a world where justice and peace flow. 

6. Seek Heavenly Reward: We are invited to look beyond immediate reward by working towards the great festival in heaven where millions of angels with the whole Church in which everyone is a “first-born” son and a citizen of heaven are gathered.

Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Twenty First Sunday of Year, C – August 25, 2019.

 Readings: Is 66:18-21; Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1, 2; 

Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Gospel Luke 13:22-30.

Theme: The Hard Way, the Only Way

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, 1989 American thriller movie titled “The Hard Way, the Only Way” directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini in which a Special Forces team infiltrates the “Golden Triangle” between Brazil and Colombia to kidnap Pinheiro, Bolivia's notorious drug dealer, resonates with the message of the gospel. This is because, in the movie, the only way out for three government agents to outwit their pursuers and reach the “Mission de la Serra” to take Pinheiro captive and unmask the traitors was “the hard way, the only way.” The “The Hard Way, the Only Way” is “To follow the trail of death and destruction in a world where only the strong survive.”

This is why our liturgy cautions us about the way to perdition. It reveals that the way to destruction is wide while the road to heaven is narrow and difficult. It points to Jesus as the narrow and only gate to heaven. It particularly draws our attention to follow the Royal Road of the Cross. It charges Christians to avoid the temptation of following shut cuts by working out our salvation in fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We shall take a look at the summary of the readings in order to draw some spiritual lessons.

Background and Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Is 66:18-21) reports that God would gather people from every nation under the earth to witness his glory. It notes that he would bring people from far distant islands to proclaim his splendor. It maintains that nations would gather on the holy mountain in Jerusalem where the people would offer sacrifices to the Lord.

The second reading (Heb 12:5-7, 11-13) highlights the fact that God disciplines his children because he loves them. The reading emphasizes that although at the time of trial suffering might seem unpleasant and painful, it is nonetheless part of training. The reading goes ahead to point at perseverance as an essential ingredient for the Christian life.

The gospel (Luke 13:22-30) narrates that Jesus as was going about towns and villages teaching and making his way to Jerusalem, someone asked him if only a few will be saved. And Jesus replied: “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many ill try to enter and will not succeed.” He also made the point that once the Master locks the door, some people would come knocking and saying, we once ate and drank with you, you taught in our streets.

But then he would reply them: “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men.” He adds that there will weeping and grinding of teeth when they see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in heaven while they themselves turned outside. He notes that people would come from the east, west, north and south and take their places at the feast of heaven and those who are now first, would be last.

Pastoral Lessons

1. Salvation is Universal: Both the first reading and the gospel suggest that salvation is universal which means that God calls everyone to repentance and redemption.

2. Salvation Requires Earnest Effort: We are reminded that salvation requires our earnest effort because although the door is narrow and exclusive, the invitation to the kingdom is wide and all-inclusive.

3. Salvation Needs Urgent Attention: While Jesus’ analogy of the door was directed at the Jews who felt that as the chosen people they had the exclusive ticket to the joys of paradise, we are warned to be on red alert otherwise, others would make heaven ahead of us.

4. There are No Automatic Tickets: Just as being a Jew is not an automatic ticket for making heaven, being a Christian does not guarantee business class reservations. If we busy ourselves with the pompous mentality that we have been saved or we belong to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church without concretely applying ourselves to the demands of the gospel namely, taking up our crosses daily to follow Jesus, we might end up badly.

5. Economy Would Judge Business Class: Since the gospel suggests that the Gentiles who are faithful would make heaven and stand in judgement against the Jews, if we are not careful, those in economy class (the unchurchy) would judge those in business class (the churchy).

Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Twentieth Sunday of Year, C – August 18, 2019.

Readings: Jer. 38:4-6, 8-10; Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:2, 3, 4,18 (R.14b); 

Heb.12:1-4; Gospel Luke 12:49-53.

Theme: Fire to the Earth

Introduction

Dearly beloved in Christ, today’s gospel contains one of the most misconstrued words of Jesus. Those who take on Christianity use this scripture as basis for accusing Jesus for calling for a bloody revolution. That is not all, they conclude that he cannot be the Prince of Peace he claims to be since he said: “I have come to bring fir to the earth ...” Far from it – to understand what Jesus said in context, we must realise that sacred texts can either be taken connotatively or denotatively.

While connotation refers to the suggestive or associated meaning of words, denotation refers to their literal or actual meaning. Taking the way of connotation, some biblical scholars are of the opinion that the fire Jesus talks about means the glow of love kindled in believing hearts. Others hold that it refers to other human emotions or the transformation effected in the world by Christ’s coming. To denote that Jesus was actually calling for war is to miss the mark. We shall now consider the text and its implication for our lives. 

Background and Summary of the Readings

In the first reading (Jer. 38:4-6, 8-10), the prophet Jeremiah is persecuted because he spoke truth to power. To the unwise, the prophet was stirring a revolution in the land – it would seem he was trying to cause division but in reality, he was doing his work namely, being the true prophet of God. Although he was thrown into a cistern, the God he served so well vindicated him.

The second reading (Heb.12:1-4) is very consoling because it assures that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.” It also calls us to look unto “Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” who is always with us. It urges us to shun the life of sin, persevere in all circumstances and not grow weary or fainthearted in our race of faith.

The Gospel (Luke 12:49-53) reveals how Jesus spoke of bringing “fire” to the earth. To be sure, this is not the first time the scripture talks about fire. In the burning bush, God spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2); in Ezekiel (1:4, 13) the image of fire was used to symbolize God's glory. What is more, fire was also used to symbolise righteous judgment (Zechariah 13:9), his wrath against sin (Isaiah 66:15-16, his protective presence (2 Kings 6:17) and his holiness (Deut. 4:24). Most importantly, the Holy Spirit manifested itself as tongues of fire when it descended upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Matt. 3:11 and Acts 2:3).  Fire is both a cleansing and purifying agent in biblical thought.

Pastoral Lessons

1. Expect Persecution from Family and Friends: As disciples of Christ, we are encouraged to be encapsulated by the fire of God’s love by being prepared for persecution from family and friends based on the scripture which says: “A man's enemies are the men of his own household” (Micah 7:6).

2. Practise Christianity of the Cross: Our liturgy reminds us that Christianity is a religion of the Cross as such; every disciple of Christ should be prepared for heartbreak, rejection, persecution, disappointment and even death. 

3. Friends of God also Suffer: God does not spare his friends. "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

4. Face Opposition Courageously: The seeming division which the gospel (Luke 12:49-53) suggests indicates that those who are consumed by the fire of God’s love ought to face opposition courageously.

5. Beware of a Secular Agenda: We should beware of secular humanists and or people with hardened hearts who oppose the truth of the gospel and propose a secular agenda to that effect.

6. Jesus’ Coming would Reveal Men’s Hearts: We are reminded about the "effect" of Jesus’ second coming which reveals the stubborn state of the human heart that searches the mundane and stands in the way of holiness, truth and justice.

7. Choose God Above All Else: The gospel calls all believers to choose God above any human affiliation such as parents, spouse and or children.

8. Talk-Truth to Power: Our attention should be drawn to his inner conviction and resilience to talk-truth to power while damming the consequences - Like the Prophet Jeremiah, pastors of soul are charged to take responsibility for talking-truth to power while relaying on God.

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. The prophet Jeremiah is persecuted because he spoke truth to power.

2. The prophet was stirring a revolution in the land.

3. The second reading…assures that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.”

4. The Gospel reveals how Jesus spoke of bringing “fire” to the earth.

5. Fire is both a cleansing and purifying agent in biblical thought.  

Conclusion

Our liturgy reveals the cost of discipleship while bringing the fire of love to the earth. It calls us to carefully consider the cost before following Jesus or launching into the deep. The Word of God says: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39). May Christ help us to true followers of God through Christ Our Lord.

Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Nineteenth Sunday of Year, C – August 11, 2019.

 Readings: Wisdom 18:6-9; Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:1 and 12.18-19.20 and 22 (R.12b); Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19; Gospel Luke 12:32-48.

 Theme: The Ultimate Security

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, last Sunday the gospel indicated that “a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns” (Luke 12:15). Today, the gospel demands that we should not be afraid but rather, seek the ultimate security. Our society is no longer safe. From Boko Haram to Killer-herdsmen, armed bandits to hired assassins, ritualists to cultists and nefarious activities of commercial kidnappers who have cheapened life, there is a general feeling of insecurity in the country. The atmosphere is tensed as parents are no longer sure that their children are safe in school; travelers are frightened about our highways; worshippers are afraid of suicide bombers and market men and women are not sure that the day would end well as one mishap or the other might happen.

It is in this kind of scenario that seeking for the ultimate security becomes a sine qua non. Before doing that, we shall browse through the readings and state the kinds of security there are towards drawing some pastoral lessons.

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Wisdom 18:6-9) tells us how the forebears of the people of Israel had an unshakable trust in the Lord. It narrates how the people waited for God to deliver the righteous from evil ways and punish the enemy. They people felt privileged and gloried by God because of how he dealt with their adversaries. They then resolved to offer a secret sacrifice to the Lord with one accord even as they enacted a holy law which makes for sharing their joys and sorrows together through chanting the hymns of their ancestors. 

In the second reading (Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19), the writer of the letter to the Hebrews states that only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for or prove the existence of realities that we cannot see. Noting that it was by faith that the ancestors pleased God, he disclosed that it was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call of God to go to an unknown country; it was by faith that Sarah conceived in old age. He surmised that through one man who was marked for death, descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore were brought forth.

The Gospel reading (Luke 12:32-48) gives highlights on the theme of security. Jesus urged his disciples not to be afraid because God has given them the kingdom. He further maintains that they should sell their possessions and give to those in need stressing that they should get purses that do not wear out but store their treasures in heaven where no thief or moth can destroy.

He emphatically stated that wherever a man’s treasure is, there is his heart. Jesus then calls for vigilance and readiness because the Son of man is coming at an hour no one expects. He praises the servant who at his Master’s return, is found diligent in his duties. He further reveals that the servant who knows and does not fulfill what his Master wants would receive many strokes; the one did not know but acted in a way that he deserves beating would receive fewer strokes. He concluded that to whom much is given, much is expected.

One theme that runs through the readings is that of security. This is because, in the first reading from the Wisdom literature, the people of Israel looked up to God as their ultimate security; they traced the wellbeing of their ancestors to God; they linked their success over their enemies to his divine majesty noting: “You glorified us by calling us to you.” In the second reading, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews makes the point that faith means being secured in the arms of God. He cites Abraham and Sarah as being justified by faith because they felt secure under his protective hand. The gospel reading invites the Christian to look for divine security. This brings us to the various types of security there are:

Types of Security

1. Social and Physical Security: This means the protection of one’s position or life. In a society where people easily lose their jobs or their lives, social and physical security becomes paramount. Because of this, most people are trying to defend their jobs ad their lives. This is why those who can afford it usually employ body guards. 

2. Material and Financial Security: This relates to possessions such as houses or real estate, stocks, shares and money in the bank and cars. The craze for amassing of wealth is occasioned by material or financial security. Because people do not want to be poor, they prefer to save for the rainy day.

4. Emotional and Psychological Security: This has to do with a feeling of being loved and treasured. Every human being wants to be appreciated. Therefore, almost everyone desires that requisite affirmative action from friends and family as well as colleagues. This amounts to the demand for emotional and psychological security.

5. Divine/Spiritual and Moral Security: This involves relaying on God in whom we move, live and have our being. It is a total surrender to the will of God; it is faith and trust that all will be well even though things are not moving fine. It is the friends of God who seek after divine/spiritual and moral security rather than rely on man or material possessions.   

Practical Lessons

1. Trust God Totally: Based on the submission of the first reading (Wisdom 18:6-9) that the forebears of Israel had an unshakable trust in the Lord, we are called to have an unshakable faith in God to is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine. Little wonder the second reading reveals that: “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for or prove the existence of realities that we cannot see.”

2. Allow God to Fight Your Battles: In the face of evil, insecurity and total annihilation of life by insurgents, killer-herdsmen, kidnappers et al, the position of the first reading that the people waited for God to deliver the righteous from evil ways and punish their adversaries invites us to do our best but allow God to fight our battles for us.

3. Offer a Secret Sacrifice: The reading urges us to consistently offer a secret sacrifice to the Lord with one accord even as we enact a holy law which makes for sharing our joys and sorrows together through chanting the hymns of the Saints.

4. Nothing is Impossible to God: The reminder of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews in our second reading (Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19) that Abraham obeyed God and Sarah conceived in her old age demonstrates to us that nothing is impossible with God. The saying attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: “Impossibility exists in the dictionary of fools” comes in handy here.

5. Behave as Heirs of the Kingdom: The blessing that the descendants of Abraham would be as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore calls us to behave as heirs of the kingdom of light, justice and peace. Our way of life would show whether we are children of the kingdom or the devil.

Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Eighteenth Sunday of Year, C – August 4, 2019.

Readings: Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23; Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:3-6,12-14,17; Colossians 3:1-5,9-11; Gospel Luke 12:13-21.

Theme: Being Rich in the Sight of God

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, today’s charge of “Vanity of vanities,” by Qoheleth the preacher and that of Jesus which invites us to be “rich in the sight of God” calls for sober reflection. We are living in a world where some Christians behave as if they would not die. Perhaps we have not come to terms with the reality that we live in time and space but God exists outside time and space. What this implies is that, we are corporeal, mortal and finite. There is a time to be born and a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). This is what Archbishop Gabriel Ganaka of Blessed memory calls the “Hatch” and the “Dispatch.” The thrust of our reflection today is that this world is transient and so we are. Therefore, our reflection shall draw practical lessons from the warning of Qoheleth and the story of the Rich Fool as presented by Jesus.  

Background & Summary of the Readings

The preacher, Qoheleth tells us in the first reading (Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23) that all is vanity. He maintains that even though a person labours hard through wise, skillful and successful ways, he or she must leave that toil to someone who has not toiled for it all. He further reveals that, apparently, the toil and strain under the scourging sun, the laborious days, the cares of office and restless nights of such a person amounts to great injustice. Qoheleth surmises that these amount to vanity.   

In the second reading (Colossians 3:1-5,9-11), St. Paul urges the faithful to look for the things that are in heaven where Christ is not on the things that are on earth. He uses the death of Christ as a focal point for the Christian to kill everything that is earthly: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed which is described as “worshipping of a false God.” He charges that Christians should put on “a new self” which does not discriminate but unite all. 

The gospel (Luke 12:13-21) reveals the consequences of greed. It narratives how Jesus, in responding to man who wanted him to intervene in an inheritance tussle with his brother, gave the parable of the Rich Fool to drive home a point about the vanity of being fixated about material possessions. He tells how after a bumper harvest the man in the parable thought of pulling down his store and building bigger ones. He also said to himself: “My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God decided to call him that night. At that Jesus asked, whose will his hoard be? He then concludes: “So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.”

Four Sins of the Rich Fool

1. Pride: The first sin of the Rich Fool as deduced from the gospel text is that, he did not acknowledge God for a bumper harvest. He attributed his plentiful harvest to his wisdom and so, he excluded God from his future plans which were cut short.

2. Avarice: The man was avaricious which constituted his second sin. He did not think of the poor or needy people around him. In his plan of enjoyment, he did not include family, friends and nieghbours. As such, his plan of enjoyment could not see the light of day.

3. Debauchery: His third sin was the wet appetite he had for having it cool by eating, drinking and having a good time. He had mapped out a plan for licentiousness and a life of debauchery. Sadly, that ended as a dead wish.    

4. Senselessness: Fourthly, his sin was that while he was wise in the things of the world, he was foolish in the sight of God. If he was not “wise,” he wouldn’t have had a bumper harvest. Although he was diligent in his toil and strain under the sun, he was senseless in divine realities.  

Practical Lessons

1. Seek Divine Wisdom: The first reading teaches us to always seek divine wisdom which would turn our “toil, strain, cares of office and restless nights” into moments of grace by being sensible in divine realities through being foolish in the sight of men and wise in the sight God as the gospel indicates.

2. Attribute Everything to God: We are called upon to attribute every of our success to God as doing that would help us to view the seeming “great injustice” of leaving our property to others who didn’t work for it as an opportunity to move to a new world where the material is transformed into something indescribable.

3. Live An Impactful Life: In a world where some parents steal or kill to amass wealth for their children, Qoheleth charges that we live impactful lives such that our children would grow in virtue after we are gone because the houses and cars parents think they are leaving for their children would be obsolete tomorrow. 

4. Look for the Things of Heaven: In a world where your social relevance is measured according to your cash or coat, St. Paul urges us to look for the things that are in heaven where Christ is not on the things that are on the earth which are fleeting.

5. Do Not Worship a False God: We are challenged to shun avarice or greed which St. Paul described as “worshipping of a false God” as that is the shortest way of compromising our faith – the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

6. Resist the Sins of the Flesh: St. Paul insists that we kill everything that is earthly namely, fornication, impurity, guilty passion and evil desires by putting up “a new self” otherwise, we would not make heaven.

7. Shun Inheritance Tussle: In a country where there are rising cases of brothers killing each other because of land or other related family inheritance issues, we are urged to avoid bad blood about issues surrounding inheritance because nobody would take a dime with him or he when they die.

8. Live a Balanced Life: Unlike the Rich Fool in the gospel text who was engrossed in planning for a life of debauchery, we are to have a balanced kind of spirituality which sees having it cool through eating, drinking and having a good time as a way of praising God.

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. The preacher, Qoheleth tells us in the first reading that all is vanity.

2.  In the second reading, St. Paul urges the faithful to look for the things that are in heaven where Christ is.

3.  The gospel reveals the consequences of greed.

4. But God decided to call him that night.

5. Be rich in the sight of God - store up treasures for yourselves in heaven. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we are called upon to shun pride, avarice, debauchery and a senseless attitude which makes us wise in the things of the world and foolish in the sight of God. Like the Rich Fool, we may be proficient and efficient in one thing or the other in life but the question is, would that lead us to eternal life? This is why the scripture says: “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworm destroys them and thieves cannot break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). Therefore, make concerted efforts to be rich in the sight of God. May God help us to store up treasures for ourselves in heaven. Amen!