Love The True Test Of Discipleship!

 (Homily for 3^rd Sunday of Easter Year C)

          The readings of this third Sunday of Easter are very much fascinating, the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (5:27b-32.40b-41) describes the first steps and experiences of the Church in history, their difficulties and their struggle to defend their faith. The second from the book of Revelation (5:11-14) tells us about the Church that lives and exists beyond human history, the Church in eternal adoration before the Lamb. The first reading is contextualized in the earthly Jerusalem, while the second is in the heavenly Jerusalem. In fact, these two readings permit us to contemplate together the journey and the destination of Christians, the Church here and the Church hereafter. Indeed, is as if these two readings urge us to climb, like Moses on mount Nebo, in order to see the Promised Land from afar (cf. Deut. 32:48-49). However, we are still journeying towards our own Promised Land, but in between our journey and our destination the Gospel of today (Jn. 21:1-19) tells us one of the most essential things to do in order to arrive at the desired destination, and that is Love. This episode between Jesus and Peter is ancient and yet so new and fresh in its vigour to interrogate us deep in the heart. This quaestio of Jesus to Peter is still valid for each and everyone us today. It is still valid for those in authority and those under authority. The question still resounds: “Do you love (agapao) me?”.

          In the first reading we see the audacity of the apostles, who were arrested for refusal to desist preaching in the name of Jesus Christ. Truly this courageous gesture of defiance has always been the propelling force of the Church especially in times of persecution. The apostles fearlessly continued their preaching with the assurance “We must obey God rather than men”. The most fascinating aspect of this passage is the indication of a double witness: the apostles and the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn. 15:26). No doubt, these two witnesses are necessary, for without the Spirit, the word, the preaching of the apostles becomes inactive, and in the same vein, the Spirit without the word risks to deviate from the original witness to Christ’s event.

         The second reading is a presentation of John’s vision about the heavenly liturgy. And in this imagery, the liturgy of the church is seen as the reflexion of the heavenly liturgy. At the centre of this passage, is Christ presented as the “lamb that was slain”, the Paschal Lamb, this tradition could be traced to 1 Cor. 5. Here, we are before the throne of the Lamb, and we re-echo our voices together with those of the living creatures and the elders saying: “the Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, glory and benediction” (Rev. 5:12).

          The passage of the Gospel is a fascinating one, which could be linked back to the first appearance of the Lord to the twelve by the lake of Galilee, here in the context of a meal. On the other hand, it could also be linked with the miraculous catch of fishes as presented in the earthly ministry of Jesus (cf. Lk.5). However, the episode of John 21 is not to be regarded as a retrojection of an appearance story into the earthly life of Jesus, rather it is currently regarded as a projection of the earthly miracle into the context and ambience of the resurrection.

          Moreover, the Gospel reminds us that the Church in her earthly sojourn, has a Guide and a Shepherd established by God, that is, the Petrine ministry in the Church. Therefore, this passage reminds us not only of the person of Peter and his ministry, but also of his function of shepherding the flock, and the figure of the successor of St. Peter. Upon consideration, the essentials of the Petrine ministry are contained in the three fold interrogation of Jesus to Peter: Simon of John, do you love me? Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, take care of my sheep”. This is parallel to the passage of the first Gospel (cf. Mt. 16:17-19), which dwells on the primacy of Peter. However, it is worthy to note that while in the Matthean account in Cesarea Philipi, the primacy is linked to a profession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of God”, in the context of our passage today, it is linked to a profession of love: “You know that I love you”.

          The ministry of Peter is that of representation, he represents the presence of the Risen Lord in the Church, who gave his life for his sheep, who “was dead, but now lives”. Therefore, Peter is indeed, the vicarious amoris Christi, he renders the Love of Jesus to and for his Spouse (the Church) visible. Little wonder, Jesus did not ask him, Peter do you love them (the sheep), but Peter, do you love me, for the flock is not entrusted to the love Peter may or may not have for them, but to the love of Christ, which passed and is expressed through Peter. His truly is a representation, because the Person that is represented (Christ) is not absent, is Risen, is Alive! Peter does not represent a dead person, but the Living One, an ever present God.

          Peter and his successors continue throw the net when they proclaim the word of truth, which is the Gospel of Salvation. Be that as it may, one could see the common thread that connects the first reading to the Gospel, for the first reading enables us to see the primacy of Peter in action, therein, he proclaims the Good News of Christ’s resurrection with profound courage, and at the same time denouncing the sin of the world (which revolves around the killing of the Son of man), and at the same time calling people to conversion. In that bid therefore, the first and the fundamental task of Peter is bearing testimony or witness to Jesus in Spirit and in Power. Little wonder, he declared: “Of these facts we are witnesses, we and the Holy Spirit”. And later, in the Church another task relating to this one will emerge, and that is the surveillance on the authenticity and exactness of the testimony, that is the orthodoxy, and therefore, the Magisterium. Above all, the first is more important, and that is rendering testimony that Jesus is risen and is the Lord. As such, it entails the prolongation on earth of the testimony rendered to Jesus at Caesarea Philippi: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16:16).

            But this testimony encounters an opposition, in the first reading, “we have ordered you, not to preach in that name again” (Acts 5:28). And till today, still in our own time, the testimony of his resurrection and lordship continue to encounter oppositions (legalization of abortion, injustice, violence and war etc.). The testimony of Peter, like that of Jesus, is a testimony that is bound to be contradicted, “Look he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed” (Lk. 2:34). Bearing witness to Him many a times leads to martyrdom or persecution. However, in the words of St. Peter, “it is better to obey God than men” (Acts 5:29). And again, one of the interesting elements that emanates from both the Gospel and the first reading is that Peter was not alone in the fishing and in the shepherding, “Peter said to them, I am going to fish, and they said to him we will come with you”. In the first reading we read, “But Peter and the apostles answered” (Acts 5:29). No doubt, today we see this sense of communion or togetherness in the collegiality of the Bishops. They are united in the tre munere: of teaching, sanctifying and governing (Lumen Gentium 22).

           In this encounter, with the interrogations on love, Jesus took Peter face to face to his own reality. Some have even said that the threefold questions of Jesus are in relation to the threefold denials of Peter. They see in Peter’s affirmation a renewal of his promise to Jesus. And Jesus restored trust in him. Similarly, in our spiritual journey at times like Peter we have derailed in so many ways. That of Peter was the denial of Jesus. Ours may be insincerity, greed, jealousy, pride, hardness of heart and hatred etc. But Jesus still asks us: “Do you love me?”. By means of this, Jesus restored Peter’s trust. One thing very interesting is that in the restoration of trust to Peter, in view of his responsibility as a Shepherd, Jesus questions him on love. This goes a long way in revealing to us the importance of love in the enterprise of authority and leadership in particular, and in discipleship in general. In that episode, Jesus did not ask Peter as it is often done in the church when one is about to mount a reasonable seat of authority, do you know how to preach, are you a good administrator, are you a good organizer? How many Degrees, Masters or Doctorates do you have? Instead Jesus asked him “Do you know how to love”, “Do you love me”. Jesus’ interview or evaluation centres on love. Truly, the centrality of love in the interrogation of Jesus reveals in no small way that Christianity is a religion of love. Christianity is not a religion of books or of doctrines but of LOVE. The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ are the reality show of the essence of Christianity.

          In posing this question Jesus did not call Peter by the new name that was given to him, when he assumed the mission, but Jesus called him by his former name: Simon (Jn. 1:42). The reference Jesus makes to the former name was to remind Peter of his defects and fragility as a human being, of his past and what supposed to be his present. In the first and second questions that Jesus asked Peter, whether he loves him. Jesus was using the Greek verb agapao (which entails a love of sacrifice, a love in which one is ready to give himself, it is the highest form of love), but Peter was responding using the Greek verb filein (which has to do with love of friendship). After the experience of distrust created by Peter he felt incapable of loving Jesus in a profound way. That was why he continued answering using another verb. Then, in the third question Jesus changed and asked Peter with the same verb filein that Peter has been using to answer His question of agapao. Here, we see the role love plays in the restoration of trust. How deep and intense is our love for God?

          Drawing the issue further, in the context of this Gospel periscope, we cannot talk about the ministry of Peter without mentioning that of John as well. As a matter of fact, at least three good times, we discover in the Gospel a rapport or coming together of Peter and John: ●At the last supper, Peter needed to go to the disciple that Jesus loved in order to know who was going to betray Jesus (cf. Jn. 13:23). ●On the day of Easter, the two ran to the tomb, the beloved Apostle ran very fast and arrived before Peter, but he waits for Peter to enter first in the tomb (cf. Jn. 20:2). ●Likewise, in today’s Gospel, the beloved apostle was the first to recognize the Lord, but it was Peter who went first to him, to one Jesus said: follow me, to the other he said I want you to remain. In the parlance of St. Augustine, the two represent the faces of the Church: the Church that is in struggle and the Church that contemplates. Or from another dimension, the ministerial Church and the Church of love, this brings to light, the rapport between hierarchy and sanctity in the Church. Peter in his ministry needs John, who puts his head on the heart of Jesus in order to know the desires of Christ. John is the prophet who listens and then reveals “what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Rev. 2:7). In all, in the New testament Peter and John are recognized as two different apostles, and yet always together (cf. Lk. 22:8; Acts 3:1; 4:13; 8:14).

          Beloved in Christ, whatever your own experience of faith may be, whether you have denied Him many times like Peter (Jn. 18: 15-27), whether you have doubted Him like Thomas (Jn. 20:25), whether you have made a selfish request like James and John and their mother (Mt. 20:20; Mk. 10:35), whether you feel that your sins cannot be forgiven like Judas (Mt. 27:5), just make a trial and respond to the question of and on love Jesus is asking you today. Do you really love Him? Despite what your past might have been He will forgive you, restore you and have confidence in you. For this St. Paul writes: “for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and the new one is here” (2 Cor. 5:17). May Jesus show us His Love and Mercy! Happy Sunday!!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

 

An Encounter with The Merciful Lord!

(Homily for 2^nd Sunday of Easter Year C)

Divine Mercy Sunday

     If the last Sunday, Easter Day underlined the mystery of the Resurrection, this present one is more of the human response to the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and his Absence-Presence. The “apparitions” or rather appearances of the Risen Christ to his apostles and disciples are not mere apparitions, but they are encounters, meetings with the person of the Risen Lord, because the concept of “apparition” tends to limit the event to an appearance of a ghost. But it is the concept of “encounter” that depicts very well the realism of the event. Having established the credibility of this realism, he sends his apostles out. As we read in the Gospel, Apostle Thomas is probably the paradigm of every man in the journey of faith: a passage from incredulity to faith in the Risen Christ, from the search of evidence to the joyful profession of faith, from skepticism to certitude of faith, occasioned by the immensity of Divine Mercy. His mercy is bounteous and endless. It would have been discouraging if God works and performs his wonders once, but instead he does them again. For the Word of God tells us: “Yahweh I have heard of your fame, I stand in awe at your deeds. Do them again in our days, in our days make them known. In spite of your anger, have compassion” (Hab. 3:2). “God who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ” (Eph. 2:4). Upon considering the lawlessness of man and God’s merciful love, Prophet Daniel affirmed: “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him” (Dan. 9:9). Isaiah put words into the mouth of Yahweh thus: “I it is who blot out your acts of revolt for my own sake and shall not call your sins to mind, remind me” (Is. 43:25-26a). Today as we celebrate His mercy, we cannot deny of being recipients of his merciful love: “But who can detect his own failings? Wash away my hidden faults” (Ps. 19:12). We are alive today not by our power and struggles: “It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but on God that showeth mercy” (Rm. 9:16).

     Today being Divine Mercy Sunday we are called to celebrate God's Mercy, for the whole world is enveloped in and by the mercy of God. Indeed, it behooves us today to affirm and reaffirm that Mercy (merciful love) is the most eloquent attribute of God. In her Diary, St Faustina wrote thus: “Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All God’s works are crowned with mercy” (n. 301). Mercy is the interpretative key to all the Mysteries of God and to all the Events of our Lord Jesus. For instance: ●The creation of man is a sign of God's merciful love. ●The incarnation of Jesus is purely a manifestation of the Divine Mercy. ●The signs and miracles performed by Jesus are equally splendid manifestation of God's mercy. ●The Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ are maximum expressions of Divine Mercy. ●The Resurrection doubtlessly is also an ultimate manifestation of God's mercy. As Pope Francis would say, Mercy is another name of God. In her Diary, St. Faustina attributed the following words to the Merciful Lord: “Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins that there are grains of sand in the world, all will be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy” (n. 1059). Indeed, the responsorial Psalm picks up this theme of the endless mercy of God thus: “His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 118:1).

     It is reassuring to all of us sinners to know that God’s mercy is beyond our imagination and the human doubt. Jesus in today’s Gospel invited Thomas to the Sacred Heart (the abode of Mercy) and He is doing same to us today. The story of Thomas no doubt is so appropriate for this Divine Mercy Sunday. The words of Thomas reveal to us a journey of faith and the journey reaches its apex in the mercy of our Lord. Even though he was one of the apostles but nothing much was known about Thomas, however he spoke and intervened four good remarkable times in the Gospels: ●First, when Jesus received the news of the death of Lazarus and wanted to go there even after the threat of the Jews, he said: “Let us go also and die with him” (Jn.11:16). ●Second, when Jesus says he was going to the Father, he spoke up: “Lord, we do no not know where you are going; how can we know the way? Jesus answered I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn.14:5-6). ●Third, is his famous doubt in today’s Gospel passage: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (Jn.20:25). ●And lastly, his surrender and proclamation of faith: “My Lord and my God” (Jn.20:28). These four interventions of Thomas depict four emotions that characterize a journey of faith: frustration, questioning, seeking proof and proclamation of faith.

          In the Gospel (Jn. 20:19-31) of today we are presented with the account of the two appearances of the risen Lord: first, to the disciples on Easter evening, and second to Thomas a week later, and the latter is peculiar to St. John. In this episode the purpose of the appearances of the Risen Lord is now seen as a way of establishing his identity. Prior to this, the earlier tradition presented the Risen Lord from a more spiritual dimension, here instead, we see an emphasis on the physical reality of the risen One, and this preserves the truth, the realism and the identity of the crucified – risen Christ. St. John underlines with vigor that Christ who appears and who is in the midst of his disciples is a living and real Being, the same Jesus  that was nailed on the Cross, for this he shows the hands and the side, those are the signs of martyrdom (v.20). He equally underlined the different ways of manifestation of Jesus before and after the Resurrection. There is a profound difference: He enters now unexpectedly, even when the doors are locked. Indeed, this Gospel periscope is replete with many themes, ranging from apparitions of the risen Lord, faith of the apostles, to the gifts of the Risen Lord to his people.

          However, the episode of the Gospel is equally situated in the context of a Christian community. Let us take into consideration the two great gifts that the Risen Christ brought to the first Christian community, of the apostles reunited in the cenacle: Jesus gave them the gift of peace “Peace be with you”. Peace biblically embraces all the divine promises: grace, blessing, divine benevolence, interior serenity and salvation. Secondly, he gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. “He breathed on them and said: receive the Holy Spirit”. Upon this, he gave them a mandate as well: “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained” (Jn. 20:23). The Holy Spirit was given to the first Christian community and to the entire church, specifically for the remission of sins, and for the regeneration of men in the life of grace. Having received this Gift are we regenerated?

          Thomas wanted to see him in his presence before he would believe in his absence. After his appearance he disappeared. Every time he was recognized off he was. In fact, in a way the Easter story is much more a story of his disappearances, than of his appearances. Indeed, it was as if he wanted to tell them something, to tell them: Now up to you, even though I am alive, but I will be absent, so it is up to you, little wonder he breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit. Anyone who has the Christ experience must have a change or transformation of life. And the attitude of Jesus towards Thomas the unbelieving apostle, reflects greatly God’s faithfulness and mercy, who condescended to accept the incredulity of man, in order to bring him to an unwavering faith, to a solid and definitive faith: “My Lord and My God”. This has become an uninterrupted confession of faith of the Church in the Resurrection of Christ.

          The evangelist wants to present Jesus to the Church in the new existential condition of the Risen, as the one to whom “every power in heaven and earth” (Mt.28:18) has been given to, and he transmits this power to his Church, the first is to forgive sins and second, the proclamation of the Lordship of Christ, and this is truly the real meaning of Easter, “It was for this purpose that Christ both died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rm. 14:9). In order to express their certainty in the presence of Jesus, the first disciples of Jesus, were using the title Lord, in Greek Kyrios, Jesus is the Lord, this was the oldest and simplest form of the profession of faith of the Christians, “if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that god raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rm.10:9). The Lordship of Jesus is founded on his resurrection, and he continues to reign. And it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to make this proclamation of faith, for “nobody is able to say, Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit” (1Cor. 12:3).

          The episode of today’s gospel relative to the two apparitions of the Risen Christ teaches us also the importance of faith in our relationship with Christ. In fact, Thomas that was not present in the first appearances, did not believe the testimony of the other apostles. He wanted to see Him personally, touch Him, he wanted to have a direct personal experience with Him. And he was satisfied when Jesus appeared the second time, after eight days. This time, Thomas was present, but Jesus does not applaud the unbelieving apostle, rather He says: “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn.20:29). As such, we should not ask for the tangible demonstration or sensible experience, as Thomas did, rather the grace to grow in a pure and genuine faith. To believe entails confiding and entrusting oneself to Christ and the testimony of the apostles: a faith that wants to see, touch, and experience is not a true faith, but distrust and diffidence to Christ and the first witnesses: the apostles. The Risen Lord declared blessedness for those who believe without seeing, and it does not mean that they (believers) will be immune to sufferings and trials.

          Indeed, the Resurrection of Jesus becomes the Yes of God to His Son Jesus Christ, Redeemer of every man. The Resurrection of Jesus is a motive of joy for us, because as St. Peter opined “Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Pt. 1:3). God is faithful, for this He did not abandon the life of His Son to death. May the Risen Lord fortify our little faith in Him and give us joy in times of affliction!

          The first reading (Acts 5:12-16) from the Acts of the Apostles reveals the power of the risen Christ at work in the Christian community. The power of the risen Christ is manifested in the signs and wonders that were accomplished by through the apostles. Even though, no mention was made of any preaching at this passage, however, it is obvious that there cannot be signs and wonders without the proclamation of the word. Again, it was recorded that more than ever, new converts were added into an already existing community. The phrase “were added” denotes an action of God, it is a reverential passive indicating that it was God who added them.

          The second reading (Rev. 1:9-11a.12-13.17-19) presents the opening vision of the book of Revelation, in which John; the visionary sees the risen Christ and receives the messages for the seven churches. Some biblical scholars have maintained that this vision is a continuation of the resurrection appearances, however, the fact remains that the language of vision is used in the episodes of the original appearances (cf. 1Cor.15:3-8), in verse 8 St. Paul asserts that the apparition he had on his way to Damascus is the last of the apparitions. However, the visions of the risen Lord still continues, in fact Paul himself had a later vision of the risen Christ (cf. 2Cor. 12:1-4). Above all, the underlining factor is that the resurrection appearances were revelations that formed the Church and gave rise to her mission in the world. On the other hand, the subsequent visions, for instance in 2Cor. 12:1-4 and this passage are continuations of what was begun at Easter. The overriding message of this passage is Christ’s revelation of himself as alive!

          The climax of this proclamation, Jesus himself is presented in his heavenly royal majesty, in his vision, John said “I turned round to see who was speaking to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and in the middle of them, one like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a belt of gold” (Rev. 1:12-13), and He was proclaiming in first person: Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and look, I am alive for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:17b-18). The message for the recognition of the Lordship of Christ is addressed to us today, little wonder the following words were addressed to John, thus: “I heard a loud voice behind me, like the sound of a trumpet, saying, write down in a book all that you see and send it to the seven churches” (Rev. 1:10b-11a).

          Beloved as we celebrate His Mercy today, let us take to heart the invitation of Jesus: "Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate" (Lk.6:36). As such, we are called to be objects and subjects of God's mercy. As daily recipients of God's mercy, we are called to be merciful to others. The event of this passage is timeless, it is ever new. Indeed, many a times our life as Christians is often like that of the apostles in the upper room. We are filled with fear, doubt and worry about the future. Behold, today Jesus is standing before us saying: Shalom! Peace be with you, receive the Holy Spirit! Another striking element is that after the Resurrection the wounds of Jesus remained, the wounds reveal the victory of his Resurrection and the fact that he is forever fixed in the act of loving for which he died. And when we reflect on this in the light of the present tragic realities in our world, it shows that his mercy does not seek to cover the harsh realities of life or to remove suffering, but gives us courage to persevere and win. In this period more than ever, Jesus is present in our midst saying: “Peace be with you”, receive His Peace and be made whole. May God continue to show us his mercy especially in our world today, torn apart by the presages of war, violence, hatred, fear and despondency. May the freshness of his mercy (Lam. 3:22-23) heal us and heal our world. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! Jesus our trust is in You!! Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu, SC)

 

 

 

 

Christ Our Hope Is Risen!

(Homily For Easter Sunday)

     Today we celebrate the great mystery of our redemption, and it launches us into another liturgical season. In the new calendar, Easter season is a journey of 50 days in which we are invited to reflect upon the post-resurrectional appearances of the Risen Lord, the consequences of Easter event in the life of the Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life. The season does not run forty days to Ascension, but now fifty days to Pentecost. This could be linked to the fifty days in which the Israelites enjoyed the fruits of the land. Similarly, the church this season reflects in these fifty days on the fruits of Christ’s Resurrection. As I have opined in my previous reflections, the Event of the Resurrection is foundational to our Christian faith, for its realism gives credence to our faith. As a matter of fact, only in the New Testament we encounter about 213 references on the death and Resurrection of Christ. In fact, in Pauline letters alone we have about 81 references; this in no small way reveals the importance of this event in the life of the Church. In the first reading Peter preached to Cornelius and to his entire household, that “God raised him on the third day”. While in the second reading St. Paul opines that the Resurrection of Christ and the consciousness of this mystery is the foundation of Christian ethics, for this he invites us to seek and look for the things that are above. In the Gospel, St. John seems to center the whole story on the empty tomb, because it resonates the faith of the “beloved disciple” on the Resurrection, but the credibility of the event is founded more on the apparitions.

          In the first reading (At. 10:34.37-43) we can see that the Easter appearances are revelatory encounters which founded the Church and launched the Christian Mission. Our Easter faith and the credibility of the Resurrection depend majorly on the testimonies of the first witnesses. Indeed, the credibility of the realism of the Resurrection is by no means an irrational leap of faith. In this passage, we heard about the formidable discourse of St. Peter, where he situated the realism of the Death and Resurrection of Christ at the center of his preaching. The apostles too declared themselves witnesses of the Resurrection: “Chosen witnesses”. They are indeed witnesses, who ate and drank with Jesus after his Resurrection. They had a first hand and direct experience of the Risen Lord. More than that, the apostles are witnesses with their life, for the Resurrection completely changed and radically transformed them. They really demonstrated the reality and the efficacy of Christ’s Resurrection with their life, for later, they all paid with their blood and martyrdom.

     The Gospel of today (Jn. 20:1-9) invites us to join our voices together to that of Mary Magdalene in shouting “Christ my hope is risen”. Upon encountering the Angel, three tasks were given to the women: ●To believe in what Jesus has already said concerning his death; ●To share the message to the apostles and to others; ●And to rejoice (chairete), for the Resurrection is a message of great Joy. We have to affirm with vigour and conviction our faith in the Risen Lord. That Jesus Christ is truly risen is a given fact, a historical fact, indeed the realism of this event cannot be jettisoned. Concerning the realism of the Resurrection, the Gospel makes reference to the apparitions of the Risen Lord to the women, and to the apostles, and as St. Paul would testify, that Jesus appeared to more than 500 disciples gathered together, some of whom were still alive when Paul was writing (cf. 1Cor.15:16). So, the empty tomb alone does not exhaust the question of the credibility of the Resurrection. It remains a pointer, and even more, a reason of our hope and joy. When they could see Him and find His body, Jesus was alive and victorious.

     Besides, in the gospel of John we have two accounts or stories on the Resurrection. The first in the twentieth chapter, while the second in the twenty-first chapter. In the second account, John shows us that the Risen Lord encounters us in our moments of fragility and in the futility of our everyday life (Jn. 21:1-14).The disciples laboured all through the night, but they didn’t catch any fish, when they were already disappointed and weary. They saw a man standing at the bank. He spoke to them in a lovely manner and invited them to go once more to cast the net. “They cast the net and could not get it in again because it was so full of fish” (Jn. 21:6), then the disciples recognized that “it was the Lord” (Jn. 21:7). The Risen Lord can turn our helplessness and hopelessness into an avenue of and for blessing and favour.

     In the Second reading we have two alternative readings (Col. 3:1-4 or 1Cor. 5:6-8) and both of them accentuate the ethical implications of the Resurrection. This is evident in the imperatives: “seek” the things that are above, “set” your mind on them. Drawing the issue further, in the words of St. Paul, we too are spiritually risen with Christ and in Christ, we are buried with him and risen with him (Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12). With and through our baptism we are made partakers of the gifts of Resurrection: ●We have passed from death of sin to the life of grace. ●We have passed from the condition of death through our original sin, to the condition of being alive in Christ and for Christ. It is upon this consciousness that St. Paul invites us to walk in the newness of life, to which the Risen Christ has put us (1Cor.5:6-8). We are called now to “look up” to the Risen Christ and to where he has ascended to, at the right hand of the Father. That is our goal! Let us take to heart the words of St. Peter thus “For you know that the price of your ransom from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors was paid, not in anything perishable like silver and gold, but in the precious blood as of a blameless and spotless lamb, Christ” (1Pt. 1:18-19).

     The passage from the epistle letters points out few existential indications on how to render the Resurrection of Christ evident in our life and actions. In the words of St. Paul “Brothers, if you are risen…” (Col. 3:1-4). Indeed, we are risen effectively with Christ in Baptism, we are risen anytime we turn from our sinful ways to the life of grace in God, through the sacrament of reconciliation. Brethren, let us pray and ask God the grace to live and to walk in the “newness of life” following the example of the Risen Christ. For through his Resurrection Christ renews, recreates and restores creation to Himself.

     As a matter of fact, our reflection on Christ’s Resurrection cannot but draw us closer to the total self-emptying of Jesus and as such an entrance into Kenosi, to the extent that he was subjected to all sorts of evil. On the cross all sorts of evil befell on Jesus. How did Jesus die on the cross? He died with the profession of the great Hope: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”. Even in the midst of all these evils Jesus did his profession of hope. Little wonder, on Good Friday the Holy Mother Church proclaims the Cross “sign of hope”. Here Jesus transformed the cross to an icon of love and hope. The Resurrection of Jesus is the response of the Father to the hope of Jesus. For St. Paul, Jesus does not only teach us hope, he is our Hope (cf. 1Tm. 1:1). On the other hand, the silence of the Father reveals that the paternity of God is not a paternalistic paternity. Little wonder, his absence during the crucifixion was apparent. Why was it unshakeable the hope of Jesus?  Indeed, because it was founded on the communion with the Father. At the basis of the communion in question, there is the Holy Spirit “Vinculum comunionis.” Jesus dies abandoning himself to the Father who brings the dead to life and calls into existence what does not yet exist (Rm. 4:17).

          Dear brethren in the Resurrected Lord, even in the present economic, moral, political and religious crisis we may be experiencing, together with St. Paul it is my utmost desire to reawaken in you the knowledge of the nature of the hope founded on the God of hope (cf. Rm. 15:13). On discovering this, St. Paul averred: “Our hope will not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rm. 5:5). Therefore, “we should always have our answers ready for those who ask us the reason for the hope that we have” (1Pt. 3:15). Our Hope is Jesus and the Resurrection is the reason for that hope. Yes, Christ among us, is our hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

          In which ever situation we may find ourselves, I repeat we should not give in to sadness and desperation, as the Resurrection is the response of the Father to the cry of Jesus on the cross. The Resurrection is an act of God, indeed God raised Him from the dead (cf. Acts. 2:24; Rm. 10:9; 1Cor. 6:14). Similarly, in the Resurrection of Christ we find the answer to all our questions for meaning. We only have to allow ourselves to be drawn and attracted by Him, as St. John affirmed “They will look to the one whom they have pierced” (Jn. 19:37). Let us look up to Him. The love of the Risen Lord does not leave us indifferent, He Himself confirmed it when He said “when i am lifted up from the earth i shall draw all people to myself” (Jn. 12:32). Let us allow ourselves to be drawn and attracted by the spectacle of the Cross and the Resurrection.

          Beloved in Christ, let us rejoice for Jesus has giving and consumed himself in love and out of love for humanity. He is the Love of the Trinitarian God manifested to us. Therefore, in the Easter season irrespective of the ravaging pandemic and the consequent panic, let us not give room to sadness and depression. Let us rejoice for the Faithful God has risen His Faithful Son from death. Jesus Christ the Crucified-Risen has healed our infirmity of sin. He lowered Himself so that we might rise; he lowered Himself for our salvation. The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is an event beaming and anchored on hope. In fact, it is ad rem to affirm that the life of Jesus is a life anchored on hope. His was a life lived in a total abandonment in the hands of the Father. More than anything else, the cross is the icon par excellence of Jesus’ hope, and indeed from his cross we learn how and what it entails to hope. The Resurrection should reaffirm our faith and reanimate our hope in Jesus. The Resurrection is indeed an affirmation that the Cross is only a provisional collocation according to Don Tonino Bello, which means is not a permanent place. Even the common cross that the entire humanity is carrying at this period in her history and your own personal cross is provisional. Jesus through His Resurrection is emptying any form of tomb in our lives, in order to set us free from bondage. As the Father listened to his voice and answered him with the Resurrection, may the Risen-Lord hear the cries and lamentations of the entire humanity and raise us from the death-tomb experience of violence, hatred, war and lack of respect for the dignity of human life. May He restore and reanimate our hope. Amen! Lord in your Resurrection is our hope. A wish of a Continuous Resurrection!! Happy Easter to you all!!!

(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu, SC) 

He Is Not Here! He Has Risen!!

(Homily For Holy Saturday)

     This according to St. Augustine is the Mother of all vigils, because this night we Christians relive the fundamental event of our faith, the passage from death to life, to life in Christ, the passage from darkness to light, the Holiest of all nights. We celebrate the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death. The Risen Lord is the Eternal Light that dispels the darkness of the world, the darkness that obscures our existence. The Liturgy tonight and the different texts chosen for the readings all revolve around the theme of life, of new life springing up from the power of God. The Liturgy of Light and the renewal of baptismal promises intone a hymn to the new man, risen together with Christ. The Easter proclamation focuses on three major themes: the deliverance of Israel in the Exodus, the baptismal deliverance of the new Israel (Christians); the Resurrection of Christ. The biblical readings for the Easter Vigil recall the saving acts of God like: the creation of the world and of humanity (Gen 1), the abundant blessings of Abraham (Gen 22), the liberation of Israel from slavery of Egypt (Ex 14), this is considered to be the most important reading, because the crossing of the Red sea is a type of Christ’s Death and Resurrection, the restoration of Israel (Is 54:55; Bar 3; Ez 36). In the light of all these readings, the resurrection of Jesus is presented as the climax of the proclamation that God indeed is not the God of the dead but of the living. From the New Testament, we see the text from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (6:3-11), where St. Paul invites them and us to lead a new life, because Christ is risen from the dead by the power of the Father. In the Gospel of Mark (16:1-7), we see the holy women in search of Jesus, and later the involvement of the apostles in the amazing event of the Resurrection.

     The message of the Resurrection of Jesus or better the Paschal mystery in its triple moments: of Passion, Death and Resurrection, is invariably the central nucleus and the predominant theme of the Christian faith. Through His descent into hell we reach truly that amazing and fascinating summit of the event of Jesus. An early Christian story says that Jesus entered the place of the dead with his cross, the weapon of his victory. Having released all those who were inside he decided to leave his cross standing in the center of hell, a sign that even those who pass that way do not find themselves in a place which is unknown to him. On Holy Saturday, we see the radicality of love that offers itself, even till the extremity of the same love. This is exactly what Jesus did for us.

     Jesus in that great silence lived the solitude of the apparent absence of the Father. Here, the hot-button question resounds: “where is God?” This is the interrogative point of Holy Saturday. But interestingly, to this silence and cry of abandonment by Jesus, the Father will respond with and through the Resurrection. For St. Paul tells us that “God…brings back the dead to life and calls into existence what does not exist” (Rm. 4:17), elsewhere he affirms that God raised Him from the dead (Rm. 10:9, cf. Acts. 2:24; 1Cor. 6:14). And it is today that the unprecedented message reaches us with a profound question “why do you look for the living among the dead?” And here, we hear for the first time the mind-blowing response, “He is not here, He has risen”. Yes! Christ has risen as he said. This event reveals that there is no darkness that cannot be transformed into light, no human misery that cannot be transformed into an avenue of mercy and favor. Dear brothers and sisters, we can never have enough voice and courage to repeat or better to shout aloud that Jesus is risen, but let us allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with joy that springs from this event.

     Reflecting deeply in tonight’s Gospel narrative, according to St. Mark, it is eminent the part the three women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome) played. They made headway to the Tomb, and this fact of going to the Tomb reveals that their hope was shaky. Certainly, they must have placed their trusts in Him, but his death shook the very foundation of their hope and trust in Him. However, they had the courage to go and pay homage to the corpse. The Marcan account reports that on arrival at the grave of Jesus the women were asking themselves: “who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” Afterwards they discovered that the stone was rolled back, then they entered the tomb, and saw “a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed”. And the young man said to them: “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here”. And behold, their reaction was characterized by fear, joy and uncertainty. Here, from the theological standpoint, the white clothing of the young man is suggestive of the fact that it is an angelic figure. Indeed, the women’s response was a typical reaction to an Epiphany: fear, wonder or silence. It is interesting to note that, the young man in white rope proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ, first to the women and invited them to go and “tell the disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him”. Galilee in Mark’s symbolism indicates a place where the proclamation of the Good News begins (cf. 1:14-15).

     The phrase: “He is not here”, indicates a new presence, Jesus is alive and active. Mathew in fact, accentuates the new life of the Risen Lord. This is also seen in the book of Revelation (5:6) where the image of the crucified and risen Lord was represented with the figure of a Lamb standing that seemed to have been sacrificed. Indeed, the Crucified-Risen Christ is the Living One “Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the living One, I was dead and look, I am alive for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:17b-18). And He alone is capable of transmitting new life to entire humanity.

     Indeed the belief in the Resurrection of Christ is not incumbent primarily upon the empty tomb. The Resurrection is by no means identical with the empty tomb, however, the fact remains that the empty tomb plays an essential role in the New Testament witness of Christ resurrection. Be that as it may, the empty tomb is a symbol that the appearances of the Risen Christ are not mere spiritualist visions. In and through His resurrection Christ overcome death and opened up man’s destiny beyond the grave and death.

     Let us pause and ponder a little while on the “Pro Nobis” of this event. In fact, in the second reading from the antique homily in the office of readings this morning, there we see that the phrase “for you” reoccurred several times. Hence let’s ponder on what Jesus has done for us. The Resurrection reveals Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind, and here subsists the “Pro Nobis” of His Death and Resurrection. For with the Resurrection of Christ, man is not only redeemed, but he has a divine destiny. He is called to a continuous resurrection, to self-transformation and social transformation.

     The Resurrection impacts the credibility seal on our faith, for without the Person of Jesus, without his death and Resurrection, our Christian faith would not have been credible. For this St. Paul affirms “we preach the crucified Christ” (1Cor. 1:23). In the same letter, he posits: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without substance, and so is your faith” (1Cor. 15:14). Yes! Because the center of our faith is the Person and the Event of Jesus of Nazareth. Christianity without the Crucified-Risen is empty. Without Christ our life will be devoid of meaning, Christ is the reason of our existence. In all, it behooves us to reaffirm with St. Paul that, “Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep” (1Cor. 15:20). It is because he rose that we can say “In him we live, in him we move, in him we have our being” (Acts 17:28). For the realism and credibility of His Resurrection, St. Paul questions, “who can bring any accusation against those that God has chosen? When God grants saving justice who can condemn? Are we not sure that it is Christ Jesus, who died, yes and more, who was raised from the dead, and is at God’s right hand, and who is adding his plea for us?...Can anything cut us off from the love of Christ?...we come through all these things triumphantly victorious, by the power of him who loved us” (Rm. 8: 34.35.37).

     Above all else however, the Easter event restores the hope of the disciples and commissions them to proclaim openly the saving works of God in Christ, through his Death and Resurrection. This is a mission which we are called to continue today, as a Church and as individual members. The saving work of the Risen Lord is and will continue to be an ever-present reality in the Christian community.

A wish to you all of a Continuous Resurrection!

He has risen as He said!!

Happy Easter to you all!!!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC) 

His Passion: The ‘Reality-Show’ Of Our Redemption!

(Homily for Good Friday)

O dear Lord, what can I say to you on this holy night? Is there any word that could come from my mouth, any thought, any sentence? You died for me, you gave all for my sins, you not only became man for me but also suffered the most cruel death for me. Is there any response? I wish that I could find a fitting response, but in contemplating your Holy Passion and Death I can only confess humbly to you that the immensity of your divine love makes any response seem totally inadequate.

      The above words of Henri J. M. Nouwen in his book, A Cry for Mercy, introduces us well into the context of today’s celebration, which culminates in the saving Passion of Our Savior and the Veneration of the Cross, the symbol of our redemption. Our finite human minds cannot comprehend nor explain the enigma of Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. Jesus died to set us free, to raise the fallen humanity, and to save man created in the image and likeness of God. But to do this, something needed to be done. It was obvious that only God can save man, for man cannot save himself. Then the issue is: Can God do this by means of a gesture of benevolence from heaven? But we know that no one has ever seen God. Can it be accomplished through the angels? But the mission of angels is that of a messenger, not a savior. It was only possible through a man who is at the same time God. And behold, God sent his Son Jesus Christ to come and redeem man. For in the Cross of Christ man rediscovers his real identity, his authentic self, his origin and his destiny. He is the unique Savior, only him can save man integrally and radically, in time and in eternity. Thus demonstrating in a most radical way, the extremity of God’s love towards us.    

     In today’s liturgy the pronoun “We” and the adjective “Our” resound in an unprecedented manner, they resound as the unique and authentic motive of the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first reading (Is. 53:13-53, 12) is insistent on this, when it says: “Yet ours were the sufferings he was bearing, ours the sorrows he was carrying…whereas he was being wounded for our rebellions, crushed because of our guilt; the punishment reconciling us fell on him, and we have been healed by his bruises…Yahweh brought the acts of rebellion of all of us to bear on him” (Is. 53:4-6). In this three verses of the prophecy of Isaiah we can see how many times the words “we and ours” reoccurred. In the Passion account according to St. John (Jn. 18:1-19,42), which has as a background the fourth song of the Servant of Yahweh, however, at the beginning and at the end, it tried to deepen the import of the Passion with two prophetic texts. The first prophecy is the one of the high Priest Caiaphas: “It is better for one man to die for the people” (Jn.18:14), and the second is taken from the prophecy of Zechariah: “They will look to the one whom they have pierced” (Jn. 19:37; cf. Zech. 12:10), this refers to the conversion and the salvation of the nations by means of the redemptive work of Jesus. It was equally at this backdrop that in the second reading (Heb.4:14-16; 5:7-9), the author of the letter to the Hebrews, urges them: “Let us, then, have no fear in approaching the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace when we are in need of help…he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation” (Heb.4:16; 5:9).

     Furthermore, the first reading is suggestive of three important elements to the understanding of Christ’s death: his suffering was innocent, vicarious and redemptive. The second reading, instead, revolves around the High Priesthood of Christ. The author enumerated the characteristics of the High Priest thus: he can sympathize with our temptations and infirmities because of his identification with man in the Incarnation; he prayed for deliverance and he was heard (at Gethsemane deliverance is not an “escape from” but to “save from”), he learned obedience. Indeed, we may well affirm that the Incarnation was so real that Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father, not as an automaton, but through struggle and temptation and an experience of learning.

     Today, we reflect on the Passion narrative of St. John. And each evangelist has his own perspective of the Passion, and at the heart of John’s  narrative is the perspective that the Kingship of Jesus shines through his humiliation. Jesus sets the Passion in motion, for he voluntarily came forward to be arrested. We can see how the temple police who were terrified by his personality fell back. Peter tried to stop the arrest, but Jesus intervened. On the Cross Jesus made his last will entrusting his mother to the disciple and his disciple to his mother. In the Gospel of John, Mary is seen as the symbol of the Church. We may say that the Passion narrative of John elucidates the words of Jesus in John 10:18 “I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord”. For Jesus decides the moment of his death: “He gave  up his Spirit”.

     Today we see an expression of Love displayed on the Cross by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is on account of this that our Lord Jesus said in the Gospel of John (15:13) that “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. This is indeed what this Friday stands for. So we thank God it is Good Friday because on this day we received the highest expression of God’s love. On this day, we received superabundance of God’s love. On this day God gave us His most ‘precious possession’, namely His Son. This Friday is good because finally our redemption is accomplished and the price of our sins fully paid (tetelestai). The word “tetelestai” (it is finished, accomplished, fully paid) occurred only in two places  (Jn. 19:28.30), and these are the only two places it is found in the New Testament.

     Through his death Jesus obeyed the Father, in the sense of pardoning his enemies. He submitted whole heartedly to the will of the Father, who does not desire the death of a sinner, but that he repents and lives. Christ accepted to die, in order that his enemies that led him to the Cross might live, hence he forgave them. On the Cross Jesus revealed this profound mystery of God’s mercy and love. He emptied himself and was humbler yet, even to accepting death on a cross (cf. Phil. 2:7-8).

      Through his event on the Cross, Jesus conformed to the will of the Father. Little wonder, it is said of Jesus that: “He was insulted and he did not retaliate with insults; when he was suffering he made no threats but put his trust in the upright Judge” (1Pt. 2:23). He did not put his trust in the Upright Judge so that he will punish his enemies and wrongdoers, but it was for the purpose of saving them, irrespective of their freedom. “He made no threats”, for he was not harbouring in his heart words to oppose his adversaries; he was not looking or considering those that are making him to suffer, but for those he was suffering for. What a Love in its extremity! St. Peter further expressed: “He was bearing our sins in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our sins and live for uprightness; through his wounds we are healed” (1Pt. 2:24; Is. 53:5).

     At Gethsemane Jesus touched suffering with his bare hands and lived it on his flesh. Suffering for him was not a hear-say experience. In fact, he “leanrt obedience through suffering” (Heb. 5:8). Jesus exclaimed “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mk. 14:34). Jesus lived the highest point of suffering, what the mystics called “the dark night of the Soul”, to the extent that He became sin, “For our sake he made the sinless one a victim for sin, so that in him we might become the uprightness of God” (2Cor. 5:21). When Jesus on the Cross cried out “My God My God why have you forsaken me” (Mt. 27:46), this was because he had the experience of the apparent disappearance of the Father. It was as if the Father left Jesus alone on the Cross, after he must have condemned sin and passed judgement on the world. However, in this traumatizing episode, man could learn what it means to do without God, to reject Him and to Sin. If Jesus could feel his apparent absence on the Cross, what more when we decisively reject or abandon Him ourselves?

     As a matter of fact, we see the total self-emptying of Jesus and as such an entrance into Kenosi, to the extent that he was subjected to all sorts of evil. On the cross all sorts of evil befell on Jesus: ●PHYSICAL EVIL: The death on a cross is the highest form of physical suffering and corporal torturing.●PSYCHOLOGICAL EVIL: Jesus was abandoned by all, he was denied and betrayed. He suffered solitude. We cannot but remember the ingratitude of those who wanted Barabbas instead of Jesus. There was the wickedness of those who gave him vinegar while he was thirst.●MORAL EVIL: The injustice of Pilate who suffocated and sacrificed the truth at the altar of unfounded consensus. The condemnation and death of an innocent. ●SPIRITUAL EVIL: Then here comes the pertinent question: where is God? Here we see the seemingly absence of God, and Jesus feels this abandonment: My God, My God why have you forsaken me?

     To us, as we meditate and ponder on and on, on the event of Jesus on the Cross, is as if He whispers to the ears of our heart: “I did not love you, just for joke”. Hence, our meditation on the passion of Christ has to inspire us to contrition and pains for our sins, but also to hope. A word of Hope, for us and for our brothers and sisters, for those that are humiliated, offended, oppressed and those their dignity has been dragged to the mud. This existential experiences bring us closer to the Jesus of Good Friday. However, the Cross of Christ is a Word of Hope! Let us not hide this hope from anyone. For we have this assurance of faith that: “If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his, so we shall be by a resurrection like his” (Rm. 6:5).

      Today being Good Friday, is not a day to express sympathy (eeee yaaaa), no room for passivity, rather his suffering and death should raise questions for meaning in our hearts, and thus lead us to conversion. Today is not the day to admire the courage of the few women that followed Him to the Cross, to condemn the acts of the Jewish religious leaders, Pilate, the crowd and the disciples, or a day to merely sympathize with Jesus, rather it is a day to empathize with Him. It is a day we should allow the reality-show of his death to inspire us like the Centurion to proclaim who He is in our life. For the Centurion: “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mk. 15:39). It is a day we are called to allow ourselves to be transformed by His saving death. The visible sign or fruit of the death of Christ in our lives should be that of transformation, in every individual and in the sinful social structures of our society.

         For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us and on the whole world!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

  

Jesus The New Passover Lamb And The Priest For Love Of Us!

 (Homily For Holy Thursday)

     Today marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, and it is indeed a celebration beaming with joy and gratitude for what God has wrought for humanity. In this evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper we gather to open the Paschal Triduum in preparation for the commemoration of the Lord’s Resurrection. Today being Holy Thursday, in a glaring manner we recall Jesus’ act of self-giving, orchestrated in the gift of His Body and Blood; the gift of the ministerial priesthood in the context of the Last Supper, in order to perpetuate his presence in our midst. That fulfills his promise to his disciples “I will be with you till the end of time” (Mt. 28:20). Jesus, indeed, is The Priest of the New Covenant, who unlike the priests of the old covenant offers himself and his blood, and not the blood of animals. The scene around which revolve the readings is the context of the supper where few persons reunited. However, the text and the context reveal that it is not just any supper like others. It is all about a unique supper, of great importance for all the guests. In the first reading, those that reunited were members of an Israelite family, who with the supper celebrate the liberation from slavery in Egypt. In the Gospel, those reunited for the Supper are Jesus and his disciples, and it was a dramatic moment, that pre-announces the Passion. Similarly in the second reading, we see the Christians of Corinth who were reunited first for supper, and later to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

     Our celebration today culminates in the rediscovery of the essence of Christ’ self-giving (the institution of the Holy Eucharist), the gift of his ministerial priesthood (the institution of the Holy Orders), and in the midst of these he continues to invite us to rediscover the value of service and of fraternal love (as exemplified in the washing of feet). We would like to make considerations on these three events: ●Institution of the Eucharist: Institution here does not mean enactment of a new rite. The institution is the investment of an existing rite with a new and profound meaning. This earthly banquet enacted by Jesus looks forward to the eschatological banquet. We may therefore, affirm that the Eucharist has both backward (the event of the Cross) and forward (eschatological banquet) imports. ●The establishment of the ministerial Priesthood: Be that as it may, the ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood of the faithful derive their priestly character from the nature of the Eucharist. ●The commandment to love: this is exemplified in the episode of the washing of the feet and the words of the Lord that accompanied it. In synthesis, we may well affirm that at the center of our celebration this evening are two symbolic elements: the Table and the Towel. It was at the Table of the Last Supper that God revealed the immensity of the divine love in concrete terms: a Towel and a Table (Bread), that is, in service and in total self-giving. A service orchestrated in a profound humility of washing his disciples’ feet. In fact, the act of kneeling before another, points to the voluntary poverty that Jesus embraces. Through the Table and the Towel He manifested how deep his love for humanity is, it is indeed an extravagant and endless love (cf. Jn.13:1), not just too much love, not just excess love, but endless love!

   In the first reading (Ex 12:1-8, 11-14), we see a fascinating description of the first Jewish Passover meal. In that event it was customary that a lamb has to be sacrificed for each family. Afterwards, its blood was put on the doorposts and lintel of the house to protect and protect its occupants (the Israelites). This served as an identification of the houses where the Israelites were. Then the houses without blood were for the Egyptians and when Yahweh passed over that night the firstborn of the Egyptians were massacred. Here, God promised the Israelites: “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood I will pass over you” (Ex. 12:13). The first reading therefore, is a narration of how the tradition of the banquet of Paschal Lamb began. It was a memorial sign of the passage from slavery to freedom (called the Passover). While the blood of the lamb protected and saved the Jews during the first Passover, now it is the Blood of Jesus that saves and liberates us. His Blood is the seal of the New Covenant, not the blood of an ordinary lamb. He is therefore, the New Passover Lamb. Be that as it may, we would like to make a few considerations: First, the Passover as an annual memorial of God’s great redemptive act. For a devout Jew believed that when he celebrated the Passover he was actually there coming out of Egypt with his forefathers. This indeed, is a strong realism. This type of realism tailors the Christian Eucharist. Second, the shedding of the blood of the lamb is a sort of prefiguration of the death of the Lamb of God. And for Christians, blood shedding is more than a mere ritual or cultic act, it is above all a moral act (cf. Heb. 10:5-9). Third, the Passover was eaten in haste and expectation. In the same vein, in the course of time, this sense of urgency has been transformed into the great expectation of the Messiah. On the other hand, the responsorial Psalm emphasized on the two aspects of the Eucharist: the sacrifice of thanksgiving and the communion among believers.

     The Gospel tonight (John 13:1-15) narrates an unexpected fact that is only seen in the Gospel of St. John: the washing of feet by Jesus. During their Supper Jesus rose from the table and removed his outer garment, with a towel around his waist and He began to wash the feet of his disciples (Jn. 13: 4-5). This was an incredible scene in the sight of the disciples, for this was the task of slaves. In fact, some biblical scholars have it that, even during that time it was not the slave that washes the feet of the guest; rather the slave brings a basin with water and a towel for the guest to wash by himself. Contrarily, Jesus went lower than a slave. Afterwards, He called the attention of the disciples to the moral implication of what he has done: “I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you” (Jn. 13:15). As such, what should characterize our identity as Christians is the humble service rendered to our brothers and sisters in need. Our presence should be a refreshing, enlivening and cleansing presence. He did not do it just to impress the disciples or to win their admiration; rather he did it in order to show them and to show us the example to follow. The washing of his disciple’s feet is a symbolic act. First, because through it Jesus shows how he bowed down to humanity by means of his Incarnation and his death on the Cross, Christ’s self-abasement. Second, is its moral implication: “I have given you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you” (Jn. 13:15). Jesus has given them and us a model of love: serving others. After washing the feet of his disciples, He asked them: “Do you understand what I have done to you?” (v.12). This question of Jesus still re-echoes even in the Christian assembly after so many years. Have we really understood the import of what Jesus did and how it has to shape our rapport with each other? He is still asking us even in the context of this liturgical celebration: “Do you understand?” We fail to understand when we do not love and care about those around us, when we are self-centered and think that the world revolves around us alone, when we are unable to cultivate and appropriate the virtue and value of humble service.

     Drawing the issue further, a deeper reflection on the feet washing reveals that this gesture of Jesus could be considered from two perspectives: Symbolic and Exemplary. First, the symbolic perspective maintains that the laying aside of his garments by Jesus is a sign of humiliation or better his self-emptying and kenosis (v.3). Second, the exemplary perspective, which is seen in verse 15: “I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.” On the other hand, the washing of the apostles’ feet by Jesus can also have other imports; let us pause a little on the words of Jesus: “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me” (John 13:8). Jesus says to Peter that he will have no inheritance if He does not wash his feet, which implies that Jesus will be Peter’s inheritance but only if Peter allows Jesus to wash his feet. For instance, it can be seen as a symbol of baptism; for when we are baptized, our sins are washed away, Jesus becomes our inheritance. May we also allow Jesus to wash us, to wash our feet, that part of us that is always stained.

     In the second reading (1 Cor. 11:23-26) St. Paul presents a detailed description of the Last Supper. Indeed, it is worthy to note that this is the oldest account of the Last Supper. It was written even before the Gospels, for St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians around the mid 50’s of the first century. Unlike in the Passover meal, in the Lord’s Supper Jesus added two more symbols (Bread and Wine). He took a loaf of bread, said the blessings and broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: “Take, and eat it, this is my body which is broken for you, do this in remembrance of me” (1Cor. 11:24). Similarly, he took the Chalice and said “This cup is the new covenant in my Blood, whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me” (1Cor. 11:25). And indeed, with the above words the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist was enacted. As such, Jesus anticipated the sacrifice of himself on the Cross as he handed the Bread and the Cup to his apostles. The hot button message of this old Pauline text is the fact that Jesus is the True sacrificed Lamb, not the animal of the Jewish Passover; but Jesus who is both the “Offering and the Offerer”. As it was in the tradition of the Jews to confirm covenants with blood, now Jesus declares the shedding of his Blood as a confirmation of the New Covenant. For this, St. Paul expressed with a sublime conviction, “Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God” (Eph. 5:2). Likewise in Paul (as in the Synoptic), the Eucharist looks both backward (to the salvific event on the Cross made present) and forward (to the second coming as anticipated here).

     In all, as we can see, within the context of the Last Supper Jesus instituted the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and of the Priesthood (Holy Orders). He passed it on to his apostles: “Do this in memory of me” (Lk. 22:19; 1Cor 11:24). In and with those words Jesus gave us the mandate to continue to celebrate it in commemoration of Him, and that we do each time we celebrate Mass. Here we have to pay attention, for the command “do this” (plural) is addressed to the Christian community as a whole. The Eucharist is an action of the whole church and the eloquent expression of the Eucharistic priestly character (cf. 1Pt.2:1-10; Rev.1:6). He who presides at the Eucharistic celebration is the mouthpiece of the Church’s priesthood. On the other hand, the one presiding exhibits the priesthood of Christ to the Christian community. Jesus instituted this sacrament for the commemoration of his Passion and Death (The One and Living Sacrifice), so that each time we gather to celebrate it, we relive in an unbloody manner the event of Christ, particularly the offering of Himself in a bloody manner on the Cross. It is not by chance that Jesus instituted these two sacraments in the same context, and this goes a long way to reveal that the two sacraments are intimately tied together. Indeed, Jesus is The Real Passover Lamb (the Eucharist) and The Priest (The Priest of the New Covenant) For Love of Us (He demonstrated this in the washing of feet).

Thank you Jesus for the Eucharist, Your Eternal Presence!

Thank you Jesus for the Priesthood, That makes You present in our midst!

Thank You Jesus for calling me to share in your Priesthood!

Lord Jesus, the Eternal High Priest may we never depart from your Eucharistic table and help us to commit ourselves to a life of humble service. The Table and the Towel are signs of liberation; Jesus set us free from every form of darkness. Amen!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)