The Divine and Human Interconnectedness!

 (Homily for 5^th Sunday of Easter Year B)

       In the readings of today the memory of Easter lingers on. For in view and through the Event of Christ we see the chain of relationships that exists between Jesus and the Father, between Jesus and his followers and between the Father and the followers. Our reflection this Sunday centres on the theme of mutual indwelling as suggestive of the epistle reading and the Gospel. And this mutual indwelling points to the divine and human interconnectedness, in the God / man relationship. Interestingly, the first reading reporting the initial effort of St. Paul to join the rest of the Apostles reinstates the necessity for each and every one of us, no matter what our past has been, to rediscover and go back to be part of the Vine, or better to be a branch of the True Vine. And no doubt, Paul did become a solid branch. What of you? Are you grafted in Christ?

     In today’s Gospel reading (Jn. 15:1-8) Jesus recounts one of his vital experiences in relation to us. Jesus sees himself as connected with us, as connected with the whole of mankind. Today Jesus tells us that we have our home in Him, as He has established his home in us. Last Sunday we meditated on the parable of the Good Shepherd and his sheep (Jn. 10:11-18), therein, we were taught about the close rapport existing between the Good Shepherd and the sheep that follow him and listen to his voice. Today, the word of God as we heard in the Gospel reading proposes another parable to us: “The Vine and the branches”, which is again significant, because it expresses better the nature and the profundity of the rapport existent between Christ and his faithful, between Christ and his Father, and between us and the Father. In his self-affirmation as the “True Vine”, the Father “the Vinedresser” and we the “branches”, he expresses the fact of the divine and human interconnectedness. Jesus presents a figure of a familiar God, an image of a God that does not terrify the people, rather a simple and humble figure of God: A Gardener (the Vinedresser)! An image that presents God as an accessible and approachable God, not a sophisticated and God, but also a God that is ready to prune and cut off from us those aspects and areas of our lives that make us spiritually redundant and stagnant.

     Through the imagery of the Vine and the branches Jesus expresses to his disciples the true relationship with Him and with one another. Jesus says: “Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me” (v.4). By this Jesus intends to tell his disciples and to us too, that He is not a personage of the past. This statement brings Jesus out of the past, out of history and makes Him present into the Now of our existence. This can and ought to change our whole outlook on life. This renders all life sacred and precious for we are grafted in Jesus, “now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). The branch has value or continued existence only if it abides in the vine. Jesus Christ is the true and real Vine, without him we can do nothing, and our existence will be devoid of meaning. This image more than anything else, evokes the reality of total dependence in Jesus. This reciprocal abiding reveals Christ in us and we in Christ. St. Paul captured this eloquently thus: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of god, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

     However, one may rightly ask: Why does Jesus present Himself as the true vine? The image of the vine was a rich one for the Jews since the land of Israel was covered with numerous vineyards. This allegory of Jesus has religious connotations as well. For instance, Isaiah spoke of the house of Israel as the “vineyard of the Lord (5:7). Jeremiah said that God had planted Israel “as His choice vine” (2:21). Behold, between us and Jesus there is a relationship of a tree and its branches. From the mother tree (Jesus) the branches derive all that are needed to grow and to bear fruits.

     As such, those who work in the vineyard or those who have come in close contact with the vine, understand better the close union that exists between the vine and the branches. It is a vital and profound union, in that, if the branches are not united to the vine, they cannot bear fruit, for from the vine, the branches receive the vital lymph. Indeed, we can refer this union as a spiritual-ontological union. The relationship existent between the Vine and its branches expresses adequately the relationship that exists between Christ and his followers. This indeed, is the divine and human interconnectedness! Our relationship with Jesus must be personal, intimate, indeed it must be a vital union. The unity of the stem and the branches is a living one. In fact, the sap that is the life of the trunk is equally the life of the branches, thus, we are made through this union partakers in the life of God. The faithful in Christ become through this rapport of interconnectedness, participants of the divine life, that springs up from Christ, and that has in Him, its fullness. Indeed, “from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace” (Jn. 1:16).

     Furthermore, the paramount event that made us branches of the Vine, that grafted us in Christ is the Sacrament of Baptism (cf. Rm. 11:16), for through it the Spirit of Christ was poured into our hearts (Rm. 5:5), and we become regenerated into the divine life of Christ. Besides, an essential and existential aspect of this union in and with Christ, is not merely through Baptism and adhesion to faith, rather the invitation to “remain” in him and he in us. The verb “to remain” forms the very backbone of this union. This call “to remain” in him is repeated several times in the context of our Gospel passage. It invites us to a vital communion and intimate friendship with Him. As a matter of fact, remaining in him gives us an assurance of our prayers being answered, for he says: “if you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it” (Jn. 15:7).

     Drawing the issue further, viewed from the optics of our baptism in Christ, “to remain” in Christ signifies: ●to be faithful to the responsibilities that emanate from our Baptism. ●to be faithful to the teachings of Christ. ●to remain in the love of Christ (Jn. 15:2). ●to remain in Christ, above all, signifies to mature in him (cf. Eph. 4:15), to become adults in faith and thus bearing abundant fruits of good works. Jesus even said “It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit and be my disciples” (Jn. 15:8). The more one remains united to Christ, the more he participates in his friendship and divine life, the more fecund he becomes spiritually. If you remain united to Christ, you will grow in the life of grace and in friendship with him. We have to realize that by nourishing our faith continually with his Word, prayers and with the sacrament of his Presence, the Holy Eucharist, we become matured Christians, and thus, founded in Him. In his words: “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person” (Jn. 6:56). The Eucharist is truly the sacrament of our remaining with and in Christ and Christ with and in us.

     Besides, the word of God today equally invites us to do away with all that impede us to the participation in Him, to ward off bad behaviours and sins that render us disunited and disjointed from Him. Else the Vinedresser “will take away every branch of mine that bears no fruit, and prunes every branch that bears fruit, that it may bear more fruit” (Jn. 15:2). Indeed, the following words of Jesus have to re-echo in our hearts: “Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch, and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and burnt” (Jn. 15:6). This reveals that out of our own accord there is a possibility of detaching oneself from Christ, and then be condemned to spiritual sterility and inertia, just like dried branches. For “as a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself unless it remains part of the Vine, neither can you unless you remain in me” (Jn. 15:4), separated from Christ we whither!

     The second reading (1Jn. 3:18-24) begins with the challenging and affectionate exhortation of St. John to love. We could imagine John, after meditating and reflecting on the words of his beloved Master, especially the ones about the Vine and the branches, he writes: “Children, our love must be not just words or mere talk, but something active and genuine” (1Jn.3:18). Indeed, if we love truly, if the living and authentic love of Christ reigns in our heart, we can be sure “to remain in light” (1Jn. 2:10), “to be God’s children and to know Him” (1Jn. 4:7). The theme of true and authentic love connects the second reading with the Gospel, for if we love our brothers and sisters, it entails that we are certainly “remaining in Him and He in us”. True and authentic love is one of the abundant fruits we have to bear for remaining in Christ, like the branches to the allegorical Vine. Here, we see once again the theme of mutual indwelling. Therein, love for the brethren becomes the external test of the mystical union with God, the mutual indwelling orchestrated by Jesus in the Gospel passage, while the internal test is the gift of the Spirit. The union with God and the love for the brethren is not a matter of either /or, but of both / and. In the last verse St. John offers us another veritable way of and for remaining in him: “Whoever keeps his commandments remains in God and God in him. And this is the proof that he remains in us: the Spirit that he has given” (v.24), and because of keeping his commandment he assured us that our prayers will equally be answered: “and whatever we ask we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandment and do what is acceptable to him” (v.22).

     The first reading (Acts 9:26-31) presents the initial tension between Paul and the apostles immediately after his conversion, at his first post-conversion visit, Paul was anxious to join the rest of the apostles, who on the other hand were reluctant to receive him. However, once this initial tension was overcome, Paul “went in and out with them” (v. 28), in the Lucan parlance this phrase denotes intimate companionship. Paul made open confession of his faith in Jesus Christ. Be that as it may, Paul’s desire to be part of the Apostles, thus to become a branch of the True Vine makes the first reading to dovetail into the overriding themes of the second reading and the Gospel. Indeed, when Paul founded his existence in Christ, we saw how his bold and fearless speeches being so effective, attracted the hatred of the authorities, that they sought to kill him. St. Paul indeed, is an existential example of what it entails to remain in him and to bear fruits that glorify God. We need therefore; to empty ourselves of all that is not of God and be refilled with all that is His. We need to detach ourselves from all that is worldly and attach ourselves to the True Vine, Jesus (freedom from and freedom for).

     May God save and deliver us from the tendency and mentality of thinking that we can do without Him, from the tragic illusion of detaching ourselves from Him. But if it happens that out of human weakness and frailty we get detached from Him, we have the grace of reuniting and reconnecting ourselves back to Him through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Lord Jesus Help us to understand that You are the Only True Vine, and that it is only when we have taken root in you that we can bear fruits. May the Father cut off from us all that does not allow us to bear good fruits to the glory of His name. Amen!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

Behold The Risen Good Shepherd!

 (Homily for 4^th Sunday of Easter Year B / Vocation Sunday)

     Even though today’s readings are replete with several themes, however the theme that overlaps in all, is that of the risen Lord, and his continued work of redemption in and through the Church. Beyond that, today the Church fixes her gaze on the mystery of love, which the Father has revealed to us through His Son, the Good Shepherd. The first reading speaks of the risen Lord carrying out his saving work in the world, and this was made manifest through the healing of the crippled. At the heart of that passage is the affirmation that the “name” which saves is the name of the crucified-risen Lord. The heart of today’s Gospel lies in the presentation of the risen Lord as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, orchestrated in and through his sacrifice on the Cross. The second reading brings to light our present participation and it’s ‘not yetness’ in the risen Christ, for “we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be”. In all, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who was crucified and has risen for love of us. Through his Passion, Death and Resurrection Jesus demonstrates immensely that he is the Good Shepherd who has power to lay down his life for his sheep and also the power to take it up again (Jn.10:18).

     In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:8-12) we encounter a particular pattern common in the Acts of the Apostles and similar as well to that of the fourth Gospel. That is the procedure of presenting a discourse after a miracle must have taken place. In the context of this reading, the discourse therein comes after the healing of the crippled man. Here, Peter shifts from the fact of the immediate miracle to the proclamation of what or who makes the miracle possible, that is, the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ., crucified and risen. In this perspective, healing is in close connection to salvation. Healing here, is the sign of the reality of salvation. In Greek, both words come from the same verb ‘sōthenai’, which stands to indicate to be saved or made whole.  Peter made mention of the name of Jesus, as a powerful name. A journey back to history lane, reveals that some of the early Christian exorcists employed the formula “in the name of Jesus” to heal the sick. In his name salvation is made possible, the sick are healed, and those in bondage are set free. Indeed, true, whole and authentic salvation is made available in and through his Name.

     At the heart of every believer is the fundamental desire for salvation. The desire for salvation can be manifested in a number of ways, it can be in the need for security, for liberation, purification, for fullness of life and love, for the need to overcome some barriers etc. However, the overriding question that arises from this desire is: who can save man? Here, we can find an answer in the Acts of the Apostles in the words of St. Peter, “there is no salvation in no other” if not in Jesus Christ of Nazareth (cf. Acts 4:10-12). Like Peter we have to firmly believe and proclaim that there is no salvation in no other except in Jesus Christ. There is no salvation in magic (whether white or black), there is no salvation in spiritism, and there is no salvation in gods made by human hands. St. Peter in his words reminds us that we have a common mission to carry out in this world: to proclaim that Christ is truly risen and only in him there is salvation. Jesus is the only Savior of the world, there is no other (v.12). We have to proclaim and make him known not with mere words, but with facts and with a transformed life.

     One may probably ask: why is it in Christ that we can find salvation? It is because He delivered us from the dominion of darkness and from the pit of sin. He helps us to recover what we have lost, that is, our human and divine dignity as children of God. Little wonder, St. John tell us “You must see what great love the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children – which is what we are” (1Jn. 3:1). What indeed is the motive for offering his life? The motive is that “He came so that we might have life and have it in abundance” (Jn. 10:10). However, this is not automatic, for we are called to make an effort, to welcome him, to accept him, “to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God” (Jn. 1:12). Secondly, he regains for humanity her true and authentic destiny, the eternal life, where there is fullness of life and of love, where the contemplation of God will take a different dimension, for “we shall see him as he really is, face to face” (1Jn. 3:2).

    The second reading (1Jn. 3:1-2) calls our attention to the mystery of God’s love, and through the paschal mystery we see in a glaring manner: “what love the Father has given us” (v.1), the Father “who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for the sake of us all” (Rm. 8:32). The passage further reinstates the filial relationship that exists between God and his people. And it is traceable to the paternal sensibility of Jesus, who accorded to his disciples and to us the privilege to call God “Abba Father” (cf. Rm. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). St. John opines that the world did not know “him”, probably not referring to the Father, but Christ. This of course is in connection with the Pauline statement that the rulers of the world did not know Christ, if not they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). In St. John’s parlance too, those Jews that crucified Jesus similarly symbolize the unbelieving world that rejects God’s revelation in and through his Son, Jesus Christ. This serves as a breach between the second and the first readings, particularly, with the assertion “you”, referring to the ‘Israelites’: “You crucified Jesus Christ of Nazareth”.

     St. John tells us that through faith and baptism, we have a common fundamental vocation and dignity. We are children of God not in a metaphorical sense, but we are God’s children really, and thus participants of his divine life. The full splendor of this dignity will be fully revealed in the world to come. We are therefore called to a full communion of life with God in eternal life: “we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is”, that will be the divine realization of our human destinies. In that bid, we have to spend our earthly existence in accordance with our vocation and dignity as God’s children (agere seguitur esse). Every Christian therefore is called to live and realize his or her vocation as a child of God. This has to be done according to one’s state of life, “There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit” (1Cor. 12:4).

     From the fourth Gospel (Jn. 10:11-18) we read the Good Shepherd discourse. The image of the Good Shepherd is an image that speaks of care, humility, accessibility and dedication, it inspires confidence. The parable of the Good Shepherd in the New Testament is the continuation of the Old Testament’s prophetic tradition that called God, the shepherd of Israel (cf. Is.40:11). Upon proper perusal into the fourth Gospel one discovers that the Jesus of John made several declarations on his identity, and one of those declarations appears twice in this Gospel periscope: “I am the Good Shepherd” (vv.11.14). And the basic point of this declaration is the fact that the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (vv.11b.15b.17.18), which is repeated four times in the passage. This basic point of the laying down of his life accentuates the importance and centrality of his “self-giving” in the liturgical season in which we are. It goes a long way to remind us that the risen Lord is the Jesus of Nazareth that laid down his life, “greater love than this no man has, for a man to lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). He offers his life spontaneously, freely and gratuitously, for the sake of love. Christ indeed is the Good Shepherd who with his supreme witness and test on the Cross gave his life for His sheep. There is a touching event that happened during the First World War, a French soldier was terribly wounded. So as a result, his arm was seriously disfigured by wounds that it had to be amputated. The medical doctor felt so sorry for him, because he was a handsome man; however he had to carry out the operation. After the operation he stood at the bedside of the young man, when the man regained consciousness, he told him: “I am so sorry that you lost your arm”. The young man retorted immediately: “Sir, I did not lose it, I gave it to France”. Similarly, Jesus did not lose his life, he gave it to us.

     Yes! He is the Good Shepherd that defends his sheep from wolves, and today there are many of those wolves, who have only come to destroy Christ’s flock. They are wolves in forms of false prophets, false evangelists, ministers of prosperity who relegate the themes of repentance and God’s kingdom to the background. However, particularly interesting are the following words of Jesus: “I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father” (v.14b). Knowledge here is predicated upon the readiness to obey his words and to do his will. And the knowledge existent between Jesus and his own is an offshoot from the knowledge existent between Jesus and the Father. As such, the model of this rapport is the reciprocal knowledge existent between Jesus and the Father (v.15).  By knowledge here, we mean experiential knowledge, not mere head knowledge. Ours therefore is a knowledge that is derived from our encounter with the risen Lord. This knowledge propels us to obedience, for “in this way we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (1Jn.2:3). At long last, this knowledge leads us to our eternal destiny, for St. John tells us: “And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3). Thus, we cannot but join our voices together to that of Simon Peter in affirming and proclaiming: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:68-69).

     Drawing the issue further, here we see a detailed presentation and representation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus himself explains the intimate relationship that exists between the sheep and the Shepherd. He talks about a mutual knowledge that co-exists between the Shepherd and the sheep: “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (v.14). Not just a mutual knowledge but also a personified knowledge: “the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out” (v.3). As such, it is not a relationship where one is active, and the other is passive, not a subject-object relationship, but in the vocabulary of Martin Buber an “I-Thou” relationship.

    Besides, in the context of this Gospel passage we come in contact with biblical exclusiveness and inclusiveness, for Jesus speaks of ‘his own’ and ‘other sheep’, that are not of the fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice”, this underlies the mission of the Church at all times, especially in our contemporary world, the task to bring people together, without any discrimination of race, sex, rank or color. The Gospel on its part gives us indications on how to carry out our mission on earth. The style and the spirit is that of the Good Shepherd, “who offers his life for his sheep”. It is a style of service, love and availability toward others. We are all called to the imitation of the Good Shepherd, for if we are shepherds like him, God will be always with us, as He was and is with Him, and we will have nothing to fear or to tremble. Therefore, we are all invited to emulate the qualities of the Good Shepherd, in the different spheres and dimensions of life, how do we strive to become good shepherds of those entrusted to us. Jesus told Peter: “tend my sheep” (Jn. 21:16). How do you tend his sheep in your care? As parents do we ensure the Christian education of our children?

     Above all, today as we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us pray so that, all in their specific calling may realize their primordial vocation as God’s children and the mission of proclaiming the message of Salvation, in accordance with one’s calling and the gifts received. It was Pope Paul VI who in 1963, desired to dedicate this Sunday, commonly known as the Good Shepherd Sunday, to the Sunday for Vocations, and that is the reason behind our celebration of the World Day of Vocations today. However, today specifically is a special day of prayer for vocations to the priestly, religious and other forms of consecrated life. As we celebrate Vocation Sunday we pray that God may instill in the minds and hearts of young men and women the desire to serve Him in a radical way. And for all those who are Shepherds in and for the Church we pray that they may continue to be authentic imitators of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

 

The Mind Blowing Encounter With The Risen Lord!

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

     The mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is the fulfillment of all that God promised in the Scriptures. The fulfilment and proof of this divine promise is at the center of today’s readings. In the first reading and the Gospel we see a convinced proclamation of the realism and thus the credibility of the Resurrection, we pass from the empty tomb to an encounter with the risen Lord. In the Gospel we see the Risen Lord in the midst of his apostles and disciples to assure them that he is the crucified risen Lord, the signs and wounds are indicators to the veracity of that event, so he proves that it is He! Once again he made reference to the Scriptures “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures” (Lk. 24:44-45). In the first reading, Peter on his part made reference to the scriptures thus: “But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled” (Act. 3:18; cf. Lk. 24:46). Indeed, today we see a sort of combination of the speech in Acts and the Lord’s instruction in the Gospel, to the apostles, and upon proper reflection, we can say that both are like two searchlights focusing on the same target: the words of the Scriptures that Christ must suffer! The second reading traces once again the redemptive power and universal implication of Christ’s death and resurrection, for “he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (1Jn.2:2).

     The first reading (Acts 3:13-15.17-19) centres on the renowned discourse of St. Peter after the miracle of the healing of the cripple at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. In the context of this reading, we can easily identify two diverse reactions of the apostle. At the first instance, St. Peter was hard on the people of Jerusalem, he accused them of the death of Jesus Christ, “It is God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after he had given his verdict to release him. It was you who accused the Holy and Upright One, you who demanded that a murderer should be released to you while you killed the prince of life. God, however raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are witnesses” (Act. 3:13-15).

     In this episode, we could see the power of the Resurrection manifest in the person of Peter. There is now a difference between Peter, the apostles and the disciples before and after the Resurrection. Ceteris Paribus, an encounter with the risen Lord should not leave us untouched or unchanged. Therefore, child of God, what has changed in you since after your encounter with the Risen Lord, in his words and through the sacraments?  At the second instance, St. Peter was extremely considerate and soft, to the extent that he almost asked pardon to the people and to the leaders “Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing” (Act. 3:17). As we can see, at this point, St. Peter didn’t state with precision, if it has to do with a culpable ignorance or not; however, his invitation to repentance in verse 19 is revealing of his stance. Their ignorance did not overrule the responsibility for their actions.

     However, the idea of culpable ignorance or not is not the main focus of the apostle, for he attested earlier that “while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead” (Act. 3:15). The raising of Jesus demonstrates that God can make something good from evil. Interestingly, God’s love instead of being discouraged by human acts of wickedness and sinfulness is rather stimulated to a more ardent manifestation. This indeed, is a message of hope for us, in that, in our misery and weaknesses, God never gets tired of giving us chances and opportunities to come back to Him.

     The conclusion of Peter’s discourse is sound, practical and logical. It ended with a logical and existential call to a change of life: “Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Act. 3:19). The Death and Resurrection of Christ, is the certainty of the possibility of being purified from our sins, by virtue of his bloody sacrifice. This is the message that the Church continues to transmit in every time and place, even to our own present time. Above all, the hit track of this passage is in the words “to that we are witnesses” (Act. 3:15b). Similarly, as Christians we are called to be witnesses to this event. This indeed, is an important message that runs through the first reading and the Gospel.

     The Gospel (Lk. 24:35-48) has as its pivot the appearance of the Risen Christ. The episode we heard in the Gospel happened on the evening of the day of Easter. The apostles and the other disciples were gathered together with Peter (v.33), and they were speaking among themselves of the things that have taken place on that day: the empty tomb discovered by Mary Magdalene, Peter, John and the women who said they had a vision of angels, which affirmed that Jesus is alive, the apparition of the Risen Lord to Simon, the testimony of the two disciples of Emmaus and recognizing Him at the breaking of bread. The passage says that “They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’” (v. 36). St. Luke took time to give us a detailed description of the state of mind and emotions of the apostles and the disciples at the appearance of Jesus: They were stupefied and afraid, troubled and doubtful, and they had a feeling of great joy. At the same time, they were stupefied in the face of this incredible and extraordinary event: The appearance and thus the presence of the Risen Lord. The greeting of Jesus to them is “Peace be with you”. This is not a mere wish or desire. Instead, truly the Risen Lord comes with Peace. And indeed, the troubled apostles and disciples needed it most at that time.

     And standing in their midst Christ did try to convince his apostles and disciples that He is truly the One. Therefore, the appearances more than the empty tomb lay a more convincing credence to the realism of the event of Christ’s Resurrection. However, the fundamental question that could arise from the Resurrection event in the Lukan context is: Is Christ truly risen? And if He is truly risen, what is the rapport between his crucified and risen body? To this, St. Luke in his Gospel offers us a convincing reflection. For he wrote to Christians who were living in an environment dominated by the Greek culture, whereby, the soul after death was believed to live separated from the body. And today’s passage is a response to such provocation. He did affirm that Christ is truly risen. He went on to reinstate that Jesus rose in his body in the physical reality, though his glorified body has a particular quality, for he can enter into a room “on closed doors’, he can appear in different places, he can appear and at the same time without making himself known. The fundamental fact is that the Risen Lord is not a ghost, without a body, in his words: “See by my hands and my feet that it is myself. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have” (v.19) and again “they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes” (vv. 42-43). The three gestures (look at my hands and feet, touch me, he ate the fish) are reveals that the One standing in their midst is indeed the crucified-risen Lord, though the conviction did not come in a sudden manner, rather he captured them gradually.  After that encounter with the Risen Lord doubts and perplexity disappeared from the minds of the apostles, for a “great joy” filled their hearts. They became more convinced of the realism of the Resurrection and their desire to announce it in the whole world grew stronger. This is how it supposed to be for us too, our faith in the risen Christ has to be more matured and convincing, in order to be translated into a joyful proclamation. The Risen Jesus is the same Jesus who was crucified. He carries on his body the signs of his passion and he says to his apostles and to us today “look at my hands and my feet that it is myself” (v.39). Thus, the event of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is not only a historical fact, but also an ever-present and always active event in the lives of believers.

     Besides, the risen Lord helps us to understand that his passion and death are not mere facts that happened by chance, but together with the resurrection are the culminating points of the salvific design initiated by the Father. Jesus is indeed, the interpretative key to all the Scriptures. Little wonder, he reminded his apostles: “This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, was destined to be fulfilled” (v. 44). Even though Jesus pre-empted this before his Passion, it was necessary that after his Resurrection, “He then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (v.45). Beloved in Christ, let us ask the Risen Lord to equally open our minds to the understanding of the Scriptures, of His word. For the opening of our minds will help us to understand that the history of Israel received its meaning from the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ; that our own history too and the destiny of humanity have in Christ the centre and the fullness of meaning. Indeed, it is the design of the Father who brought “everything together under Christ, as head, everything in heaven and everything on earth” (Eph. 1:10), all is recapitulated in Him.

     Above all else however, it is pertinent to note and as such it behoves us to underscore that Christianity is not a conglomeration of dogmas and moral laws, rather an encounter with the Person of the Risen Lord, and a proclamation of a fact: His Death and Resurrection. The call to testify and bear witness to this event is a responsibility of not only the Church, but of each and every one of us (ranging from the Pope to the newly baptized). The invitatory word “witnesses” is repeated in both the first reading and the Gospel. St. Peter says we are witnesses to these things, and Jesus says in the Gospel: “You are witnesses to these things”. Witnessing goes beyond telling people about the life of Jesus, it is beyond telling people that he has risen, witnessing to Jesus has to be existential, with our lives. Indeed our transformed life will show the people that the Risen Lord has touched us. But let us not forget that we can be reliable witnesses when our testimony is borne out of a personal experience and encounter with what or Whom we announce (Jesus).

     The second reading instead (1Jn. 2:1-5a) reinstates the purifying and salvific roles of his death, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Upright. He is the sacrifice to expiate our sins, and not only ours, but also those of the whole world” (1Jn. 2:1-2). The letter to the Hebrews equally affirmed that Jesus “lives forever to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). Christ truly, is the expiation for our sins. And he continues to act as our advocate before God by and through the merits and benefits of his death and resurrection.   

     In all, brethren, let us pray and ask the risen Lord to illumine us, to open our minds to the wisdom of the Scriptures, in order to become authentic witnesses of His Message and Person.

 (Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

 

    

An Encounter with The Merciful Lord!

 (Homily for the 2^nd Sunday of Easter Year B)

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 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 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 today’s Gospel (Jn. 20:19-31) 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, does our manner of life portray that we are 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 on 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 appearance 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.

     The first reading (Acts 4:32-35) gives us indications on how we can express and nourish this faith. The passage relates the preaching of the apostles after the first Pentecost. Interestingly, the newly converted Christians gather in a community, it was a gathering where all the believers present were united heart and soul. They sell their possessions and gave the money to the apostles for the common good. Indeed, they demonstrated their faith by caring for the needs of all the members of the community, and probably the needs of non-members as well. Truly, it was a community possessed of “one heart and one mind”, no doubt, the heart and mind of Jesus. As a matter of fact, this gesture of the Christian community is an ideal that should challenge our present Christian communities today. Faith has to be translated into works of charity. And indeed, in the first Christian community, they sold their goods and possessions in order to share with others. Is this working among us today?

     The first Christian community proclaims her faith in the Risen Lord, when they reunite with one heart and one soul to listen to the teachings of the apostles, sharing their gifts and possession with others. Here, the sacred author presents the first Christian community in her specific characteristics, as we have seen. They are the characteristics that should distinguish every Christian community. Do we see these characteristics in our own Christian community? May be in part yes, we gather to listen to the teachings of the apostles and of Christ (even though we may not be really assiduous and faithful like the first Christian community). However, of all these elements the one that is majorly lacking in our communities is that which makes a Christian community to be what it really is, not just an anonymous assembly of people. And that is fraternal union, being one heart and one mind, being a family of God’s children. Even though, there may be some objective difficulties: big population (human rapport becomes difficult). But to actualize this, there is need to conquer individualism and spiritual inertia that block the gestures of opening up to others. We cannot be Christians without being brothers, sisters and friends; we cannot be strangers to each other. As it happens, sometimes during kiss of peace, some people bring out their hands like corpse, no interest, no warmth, and no concern! Where then is the fraternal communion?

     In the second reading (1Jn. 5:1-6) St. John tells us that we can overcome the world as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ, the faith that makes us God’s children. Here, St. John orchestrated that faith in Jesus makes us sons and daughters of God, in the Son. As such, a condition that imposes a vital obligation upon us: love for the Father demonstrated by caring for the needs of others.

     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 suffering and difficulties in the world today, 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)