Are You Ready To Answer When He calls?

 (Homily 2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. B)

          In the scriptures we have a list of God’s calls, but today we are made to understand that God’s call is real and personal, he calls by name, and there is need for the human response. A common thread therefore, that runs through the first reading and the Gospel is the theme of divine call and its response. The Scripture is replete with wonderful examples of God’s call and the human response. We cannot but remember the first divine call addressed to man, the call of Adam and Eve into existence (Gen. 1:27); the call of Abraham to go out of his father’s land and people (Gen. 12:1-4); we remember the call of Moses from the land of Midian (Ex.3:4ss); the call of Gideon (Jug. 6:11ss); that of Isaiah (Is.6:1ss); the call of Jeremiah (Jer.1:4-10), and that of Ezekiel (Ez. 2:1-4) and the call of all the prophets. Besides, in the New Testament, we see the mission of John the Baptist that began even before his birth (Lk. 1:8-20). And the climax of all the call is seen in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, who personally called his twelve apostles (Mt. 10:1-4).

          In the first reading, (1 Sam. 3:3b-10.19), we read the episode of the call of Samuel, a call to be a prophet. The call of Samuel is replete with a good number of lessons that will enable us understand fully what it means to be called by God and how we can respond to God’s call. Samuel as a lad was at the service of Eli the priest at Shiloh. His presence in Shiloh was a fulfilment of his mother’s promise to God that if God blesses her she would return the child to God. It is important to note that when she fulfilled the promise, God blessed her again with three other sons and two daughters (1 Sam.2:21). This is unlike most of us who even forget our promises to God talk more of fulfilling them. It is important to note that he was called while he was lying down in the temple where the ark of God was. Samuel was at the service of Eli the priest at Shiloh. His presence in Shiloh was a fulfilment of his mother’s promise to God that if God blesses her she would return the child to God. It is important to note that when she fulfilled the promise, God blessed her again with three other sons and two daughters (1 Sam.2:21). Samuel heard the call of God and with the help and directives of Eli, he responded thus: “speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1Sam. 3:10). Sometimes when God calls us we do not recognize his voice like in the case of Samuel, we may need somebody to help us (Eli: Priest).

           The responsorial psalm (Ps. 39) reinforces the theme of divine call and its response, therein Christ is pictured as the one responding, “Here am I, Lord. I come to do your will”. The verb “coming” is not to be strictly linked to his Birth (the moment of the Incarnation), for his “coming” is equally connected with his Baptism, the event through which  he embarked on his Messianic mission and to his earthly life, in which he responded consistently and constantly to the Father’s call and will.

          Today we read from the Gospel of John (John 1:35-42), the Johannine version of the call of the first disciples. John in his gospel tried to bring the event of the first call to the ministry of John the Baptist, he bore witness to Jesus. Here, we see an encounter replete and dense with significance. John indicated Jesus to his disciples: “Look there is the Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:36). The title “Lamb of God”, as some biblical scholars have revealed is connected to that of “servant of Yahweh”. Indeed, the prophecy of Isaiah 53 may offer us something more as regards this comparison between lamb and servant. In a nutshell, the central message of this passage is about the readiness to answer the call of Jesus and the disposition to follow Him wherever He goes, predicated upon the positive attitude of the followers or disciples of John the Baptist, who listened to their master, left him and followed Jesus.

          The two first disciples are introduced, John and Andrew from the folk of fishermen. Even though they were fishermen, but one could say that they have been prepared by John to become the disciples of the Great master. After this preparation John indicated Jesus to them. Likewise, for us to have an authentic and life changing encounter with the Lord, we need to prepare our minds and hearts, and activate our internal disposition.

          On seeing them following Him, Jesus asked them the spiritual fundamental question: “What do you seek?” Here, through the help of their master, they made a step towards Jesus, and as we can see Jesus made more steps in condescension towards them. What do you seek? This interrogation should always resound in the heart of every Christian, whether young or old. For it is a question that instils hope and passion for the Lord in us, and at the same time it is a question that  puts us back to the right track towards our destination. Let this question resound and reecho once again in our hearts as it did in the heart of those two disciples, what actually do we seek? Why do we seek Him? Unfortunately, many Christians seek him today for imaginary and temporary benefits. Just like that crowd searching for Jesus after the multiplication of bread, “I say to you, you seek me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (Jn.6:26).

        Indeed to this profound interrogation, Jesus got a wonderful reply from the two disciples: “where do you stay?” Interestingly, in the gospel of John, the verb “to stay” does not mean just a physical habitation. In Greek, it is the same word that is used for the verb “to abide”, especially in the passages that speak about the Son’s abiding in the Father. And Jesus replied, “Come and see”. . Another important verb is “to see”, which theologically entails seeing with the eyes of faith. The Gospel passage further said that they stayed with Him. At their first encounter they called Him Rabbi, but after staying with Him they now said “We have found the Messiah”. In their second encounter of staying with Him, their relationship with Him and their knowledge of Him grew, thus from Rabbi to Messiah. They came to the knowledge of his real identity. It is only in the experience of staying with Jesus, especially in the Blessed Sacrament and in the least of his brothers, that we discover who He really is. Seeing where someone stays or abides shows the truth about that person. And if we take our reflection a little bit higher we see that the theological abode of Jesus is in the Father, for He says “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (Jn. 14:10.11). We could say that the two disciples on coming and seeing, discovered Jesus relationship with the Father, but most importantly, they discovered that they could be part of this relationship, for in the words of Jesus “On that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you” (Jn.14:20). Beloved in Christ, you too can be part of this relationship, why not?

          In the second reading (I Cor. 6:13c-15a.17-20), St. Paul presents us with another type of call this time around: the call to holiness. He reminds us of how to bear witness to Christ. This suggests also the call out of sinfulness. Here the body is presented as the center of moral and spiritual encounter. St. Paul here explains to us that we don’t own our body though it is with us. In fact he calls it members of Christ as well as the temple of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price (Blood of the Lamb). Elsewhere he invites “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice…do not conform yourselves to the mentality of the contemporary world” (Rm. 12, 1-2). St. Paul exposed some of the ill-behaviors of the Corinthian community. He precisely condemned immoral sexual behavior and to bring them back from their hangover to their gnostic belief, Paul reaffirmed that the Christian experience brings the whole person (body and soul) under the Lordship of Christ.

          In all, the readings of today ought to serve as an invitation to us to dispose ourselves for an authentic and life transforming encounter with the Lord. There is thus need of a personal and experiential encounter with Him, for at long last, the two apostles of the Gospel recognized and believed Jesus as the Messiah, not because of what their master told them, but based on their first hand personal experience. It is indeed an encounter that connects one not only to Jesus and to the Father, but also to each other, for whoever encounters Jesus cannot contend Him within himself (cf. Jn. 1:41-43; Jn. 4:29), he or she has to make Him known to others. And indeed, the Good News is that Jesus is still inviting us today: Come and See!

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

 

Through His Baptism, We Too Are God’s Beloved!

 (Homily for the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord-Year B)

          We have celebrated the event of the birth of Jesus with enthusiasm and euphoria. The event of today: the solemnity of the Baptism of Jesus marks the end of the celebration of the anniversary of the historical birth of Jesus: the Christmas tide. The event of the baptism inaugurates the active life of Jesus and by implication the adoption of every Christian as sons and daughters of God. The solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord marks the first Sunday of the Church’s year. The child Jesus we celebrated in the manger in swaddling clothes, has grown and matured, he is now thirty years and this event marks a choice of a radical decision in his life. With the event of the Baptism, Jesus faces his destiny and mission, he begins the work in realization of the purpose of his incarnation. It was a moment of decision for Jesus, and Jesus courageously accepted Baptism for our sake. The Baptism of Jesus is a decisional stage in the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world as God, it could be considered as the second epiphany. The events and happenings of his birth might have been long forgotten or buried in the hearts of a very few. After thirty years of silence and a hidden life, Jesus has become a man among others. He had to pass through a rite for sinners, of those who need purification, yet he was Pure and needed no purification. The action of the Holy Spirit is central in today’s liturgy, an action that was centered on Jesus of Nazareth.

         In the first reading (Is. 55:1-11) Prophet Isaiah makes a special and universal invitation to all, to come to the Living Water. The living Water, Christ, who through his own baptism has sanctified our own water of baptism. The living water that Isaiah prophesied about is Christ in whose name we were baptized. In this passage we have a universal invitation, and no one is left out, for there is no barrier in this prophetic invitation. The invitation is open for all nations.

          In the second reading (1Jn. 5:1-9) St. John draws our attention to the importance of believing in Jesus Christ. In fact, in his parlance, the believe in Jesus as the Christ is the prerogative for been born of God, and from here springs love and observance of the commandments of God and thus, victory over the world. Most importantly, he highlighted three entities that bear witness to the sonship of Christ: the Spirit, the water and the blood. Indeed, just as St. John opined, the testimony of God is greater than that of men. In light of this, the water of baptism which Christ brings continues to be efficacious in our lives.

          In the Gospel passage (Mk. 1:7-11) St. Mark highlights the core of our celebration today, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Christ had to be baptized in order to make a way for us, in order to purify henceforth, the water of baptism for his brothers and sisters. This is because, as the first among his brothers (Rom 8:29), he always takes the lead in order to show us the was. In fact, in one of his famous songs, Rick Founds sang: “You came from heaven to earth, to show the way; from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay; from the cross to the grave, and from the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift your name on high!”  More than that, it is worthy of note that by accepting to be baptized, Christ purified the water in which we are baptized. Others enter to be purified by the water, He enters to purify the water for us. This event so briefly recounted by St. Mark is in some way the synthesis of the Markan Gospel concerning the identity and the mission of the Son. As we can see, in the episode, Christ descends from Galilee on a path that leads him straight to the Jordan, which is geographically the lowest place on earth. And he entered the dirty water, that is a symbol of the image of humanity made of earth. On entering the muddy water, Jesus gave it the colour of his divinity. However, a proper and deeper perusal of the passage reveals that St. Mark only recorded Jesus’ exit from the water, because going down into the water symbolizes the image of dying, and coming from the water symbolizes the image of the resurrection.

          The Son of God comes from the muddy waters, true God and true man, in line and identification with penitents. This indeed is an unfathomable solidarity. No doubt, at the heart of the divinization of man is the principle of solidarity, for it is God who shows solidarity to us. At the event of his Baptism, the skies were torn apart, and therein St. Mark used term “skizein” which is suggestive of something irreversible. We notice that it is the same term that St. Mark used at the moment of Jesus' death, when the veil was torn (Mk. 15:38). They are two moments of the revelation of God, as the one who offers his life for all. The veil has been torn and now Jesus is the open door (cf Heb 10:20). In the event of Baptism the Spirit manifested himself in form of a dove that descended on Jesus, bringing blessings and the irruption of power for the fulfillment of his mission. The dove that hovers above him testifies that he can make this sacrifice of himself precisely because he has the Spirit. A voice came from heaven, this entails that now heaven is here, because God is here.  And we see it in man, in a new way of living, as children: "You are my Son" (Mk 1:11; cf Ps 2:7). He is the Face of the Father. Here sonship and fatherhood meet in a single reality.

          Indeed, at the heart of the Baptism event is Jesus’ experience of God’s fatherhood and the approval of his sonship. A voice was heard from heaven: “This is my Beloved Son...” Again, the Holy Spirit came upon him (cf. Mk. 1:10; Mt. 3:16; Lk. 3:22). The coming of the Spirit of God serves as a sort of equipment and empowerment for a crucial task. For instance, we remember Othniel (cf. Jdg. 3:10), Gideon (cf. Jdg. 6:34), Jephthah (cf. Jdg. 11:29), Samson (cf. Jdg. 13:25), Saul (cf. 1Sam. 10:10) and the servant of God (cf. Is. 42:1). Interestingly, in the case of the men we mentioned above, the coming of the Spirit was temporarily for a particular task, but for Jesus it was an empowerment and a mandate for life. It is a permanent indwelling. The Father’s voice stands as an approval. The words uttered by the voice of the Father is a quotation from Psalm (2:7) “I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh: He said to me, ‘You are my son, today have i fathered you’”. This particular psalm describes a trying time in the life of the king of the holy people. As such, on hearing the voice Jesus was assured that he is the Messiah, the King sent by God. As a matter of fact, the event of Jesus’ Baptism accomplished two things in Him: His self-identification and manifestation, and the reception of his mandate, he was thus, commissioned.     

          The Baptism also inaugurated a new phase in the life of Jesus. He was presented officially to the world by the Father, as the Messiah who speaks and acts authoritatively in His name. This marks the beginning of the public life of Jesus. From this moment Jesus will begin the pronouncement of his so called “You have heard how it was said..., but I say this to you” (Mt. 5) and the manifestation of his authority when he speaks, which surprised the scribes and the Pharisees. In fact, in ancient times this marked the beginning of the narration of the life of Jesus. As a matter of fact, St. Mark the first evangelist, in his gospel started with the Baptism of Jesus. Indeed, the Baptism of Jesus is very important because it is linked to the manifestation of the Spirit and the inauguration of a new era. John the Baptist spoke about the two era in this way: i baptize you with water, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit. The descent of the Holy Spirit launches the beginning of redemption. It indicates that new creation has began, because the Spirit has reappeared on the water like at the beginning (cf. Gen 1:2). In the words of St. John: “but the hour is coming -- indeed is already here -- when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24). The Holy Spirit was already in Jesus of Nazareth before his birth. For the Holy Spirit descended on Mary, before the one at Jordan. But there it happened in silence and it was less-known. Here instead there is manifestation to the world of the reality of the Spirit. The prophetic and messianic unction of Jesus was made known to the world. At his Baptism Jesus appears as the long-awaited on whom the Spirit of the Lord descended, as it was written by prophet Isaiah.

          Again, the importance of Baptism, more than the manifestation of the Spirit, is also linked to the solemn proclamation of the Father: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him”. The one who made himself a servant has been proclaimed now as a Son (cf. Is. 42:1). Indeed, once again we go back to St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names” (Phil. 2:9). This indeed is the apex of the Epiphany, it is no longer a star, but the very voice of the Father, who revealed to the world who Jesus of Nazareth is: the Beloved of the Father. Jesus confirmed by calling God constantly with the name Abba Father. Through his words and actions he manifested the conscience and awareness of being the Son of God and he made us adopted sons and daughters of God. And the consequence of this revelation is in the words of the Father: “listen to him” (Mk. 9:7). We have to listen to Jesus who continues to speak to us even till today. He speaks to us through the Gospel, and he speaks to us in the name of the Father. However, this imperative does not just mean paying a momentary attention to him, but it means believing in Him, giving him our adhesion of faith and welcoming Him. As such, Baptism re-proposes to us the double movement we have seen expressed in the episode of the Magi, which is probably the central idea of Epiphany: God comes towards man with the revelation, but man have to go to God with faith.

          Then, we may well ask: why did Jesus accept baptism? Jesus accepted Baptism for our sake, not because of any sin he has committed, but instead our own Baptism is because of sins. Jesus as the Son of God was sinless and so needed no Baptism. According to the CCC 1213, Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us children of God, members of the Church and sharers in her mission. Going back to the question, first, Jesus accepted Baptism for the forgiveness of sins, not his own sins, but our own sins. Through his incarnation Jesus made himself similar to us, and by accepting Baptism, he wants to make us similar to Himself, and St. Paul captured it vividly well when he affirms thus: “every one of you that has been baptized has been clothed in Christ” (Gal. 3:27). Second, Christ had to be baptized in order to make a way for us, in order to purify the water of baptism in which we ourselves were to be bathed. By accepting to be baptized, Christ purified the water in which we are baptized. Others enter to be purified by the water, He enters to purify the water for us.  Third, Christ identified Himself with the people in their search for God. In other words, Jesus allows Himself to be baptized too because He wants us to feel that He is one with us in our longing and desire for God. His Baptism reveals his solidarity with the sinful humanity. The solidarity he extended even through His Eucharistic presence. The same Jesus that went to John in humility for Baptism is the same Jesus who is mysteriously hidden in the signs of Bread and Wine. And in every Eucharistic celebration we welcome Him with the same words that John the Baptist used to welcome Him: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold He who takes the sins of the world” (Jn. 1:29).

          The celebration of today has drawn my attention to an age long Catholic tradition of Infant Baptism. After many centuries, the Church still upholds the tradition of the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism to infants. Even though, there are some who criticize this praxis, but the Church retains it necessary to continue this tradition, because administering Baptism to infants constitutes a particular sign of the prevenient love of God; who saves us, “not because of any upright actions we had done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own faithful love” (Tt. 3:5). Again, because Baptism elevates a creature to the supernatural order, it effuses grace, virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As such, it will not be just to deny an infant all this grace that God in his love offers us. However, let us not forget two important considerations: First, Baptism is administered to infants in the faith of their parents. Second, though it is true that Baptism administered to infants is an immense gift offered to unconscious beings, however, it behooves us to reaffirm that Baptism is a reality to be rediscovered and deepened progressively all through one’s existence. The Baptism received as infants in the faith of the parents, has to be lived and realized fully as adults. Authentic and matured Christians cannot remain at the infantile stage of faith, they have to be able to know how to develop all the supernatural potentialities that Baptism bestow. For at the heart of Baptism are the four programmatic words: Rebirth, Initiation, Consecration and Empowerment.

          Above all else, however, the occasion of Jesus’ Baptism is an avenue to reflect over our lives as Christians and possibly ask ourselves what the effects of the Holy Spirit are in our lives since after our Baptism? What are the effects that the Holy Spirit produces in our spiritual and moral life? Indeed, to say it with St. Paul “what you have received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father” (Rm. 8:15), and again “The Spirit himself joins our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God” (Rm. 8:16). By means of Baptism a Christian becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, a place in which He lives and a place from which He wants to render Himself present to man. As such, a Christian by virtue of his Baptism is like a movable Monstrance of the Spirit. Are we conscious and aware of this truth of faith? Doubtlessly, Baptism did two things in the life of Jesus, so it does in our lives too. First, through Baptism we are given a mission like Jesus, we are commissioned with a mandate. Second, we are called to make the Son of God manifest in the world and also we are sent by the power of the Holy Spirit. By virtue of our Baptism we ought to become the Beloved of the Father. Are you truly God’s beloved in words and works? Are you keeping to the promises you made or that were made on your behalf on the day of your Baptism or you are paying allegiance to the Devil? May the Baptism of Jesus we celebrate today revitalize the consciousness for our own Baptism and recharge us with vigour to carry out our mission as children of God and members of the Church. Amen!!!

 (Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

 

The Epiphany Event!

 (Homily for Epiphany Sunday-Year B)

          The feast of Epiphany, is a feast of God’s manifestation to man. Epiphany is from the Greek word epiphaneia which means appearance or manifestation, in this case, the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of the whole world. For through the visit of the wise men, the universal salvific will of the Father is made manifest. Thus, Epiphany is the feast that celebrates the universality of salvation. The feast originated from the Eastern Church; there it was merely a celebration of the Lord’s Baptism. The Baptism of the Lord was interpreted as the first of his epiphanies or manifestation. Historically, when this feast spread to the West, it began to be celebrated mainly as a commemoration of the visit of the Magi. However, in the Catholic tradition it is identified as the feast of the three Kings. More than that, Epiphany celebrates mainly the self- revelation or manifestation of God to the Gentiles (to non-Jews = the Magi), and this is portrayed by the visit of the three wise men in the Gospel, with the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Indeed, at the heart of the Epiphany event, at the threshold of the quest of the Magi are three S’s: see, search and submit. These three verbs were programmatic in the search and encounter of the Magi with the New Born King. They embarked on the journey because they wanted to see Him, and for this desire to see Him, they went in search of and for Him, and when the sought and saw Him, they submitted themselves to Him in adoration. These three action words should characterize as well our own journey of faith.

           The readings of today converge on the theme of the Christian universalism, thus, the universality of God’s salvation. In Mathew’s Gospel, this universalism is represented by the visit of the magi (the pagan world), who came from the East to adore the New Born Baby (Gospel). In their gesture we see the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “At his light all peoples will walk” (first reading). On his part, St. Paul (Second reading) was enabled to receive the mystery of God: “That the gentiles now have the same inheritance and form the same Body and enjoy the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph. 3:6).

          The first reading (Is. 60:1-6) could be divided into two, while verses 1-3 dwell on the fulfillment of (Is. 40), at the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, verses 4-6 are about the prediction of the eschatological pilgrimage of the gentiles to Jerusalem after the reconstruction of the city. Besides, verses 1-3 are symbolic of Christ’s event, and as such the message therein supersedes the return of the exiles from Babylon, the Christ event is the salvific event. This idea is further explicated with the imageries of “light” and “glory”. On the other hand, verses 4-6 presents the response of the gentiles to that revelation, fulfilled through the coming of Christ. And the journey and visit of the Magi is symbolic of this response. More still, verse 6 with its reference to “gold” and “frankincense” influenced in no small way the story of the Magi in (Mt. 2:1-12).

          The second reading (Eph. 3:2-3a.5-6) from the Pauline epistle combines the two basic themes of the first reading and the Gospel: God’s revelation (epiphany) and the participation of the gentiles to the Messianic Salvation, thus the universality of Salvation. St. Paul calls it a mystery, “This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations” (v.5). Such mystery consists in the call of the gentiles to participate in the same inheritance and form the same body and to be part of the same promise through the Gospel. God is the unity and the inheritance of all peoples, He reveals Himself to all peoples, Jews and Pagans alike. For this, he affirmed “in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised and uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything” (Col. 3:11). St. Paul undoubtedly spoke about “a mystery”, something inaccessible to the thought and the intellect of man; something that only God, in his love and freedom can reveal to man. Prophet Isaiah had an intuition of this mystery, when he saw all peoples walking towards Jerusalem in order to render cult to Yahweh, the Lord of the nations.

          In the Gospel reading (Mt. 2:1-12) Mathew presents the episode of the journey and visit of the Magi to the Child Jesus. Mathew regrettably reports that his people did not know when salvation was at hand, but foreigners, the Magi did. The pagans recognized the presence of the Messiah while the Jews did not. It is only in Mathew’s account that we find the story of the three wise men or kings, who came “from the east” to worship the King of the Jews. This account on the Magi’s story gave rise to plausible facts concerning this Divine Child: ►First is the tracing of Jesus’ Davidic descent, which according to the Jews is a qualification for the “messiahship”, “This is the gospel concerning his Son who, in terms of human nature was born a descendant of David” (Rm. 1:3-4a). The importance attached to the infancy narrative of Mathew and Luke throws more light to this. ►Second is the dating of Jesus’ birth (eg. Mathew and Luke) towards the end of Herod the Great’s reign (4.B.C), this too is historically plausible. ►Third, the use of the star as a messianic symbol in the Scriptures, “I see him – but not in the present. I perceive him – but not close at hand: a star is emerging from Jacob, a scepter is rising from Israel” (Num. 24:17). In turn we are also called to become stars that lead others to Jesus. How often do we indicate Jesus to others or enlighten others as a result of our encounter with Him?

          Today’s Gospel in no small way revolves around the adoration of the New Born King by the three wise men, the Magi. In Mathew’s account they observed and followed the star (v.2), which reveals that they had knowledge of astrology. Again, we are told that they came from the east, this implies that they came from Mesopotamia, which according to the Hellenist world is known to be home for astrologists. However, it is worthy to note that this Gospel is not just about the Magi, rather the One who has been born, the King of the Jews. Jesus was born at the fullness of time or better when the time was fulfilled (cf. Gal. 4:4). At that point in time people were longing for the Messiah, despite this longing, which for some was real, and for others was apparent, in today’s Gospel we see different categories of people and their reactions about his birth and presence:

■Herod, the king was blocked by seeing Jesus because of his suspicion. The birth of Jesus meant insecurity for him. Little wonder, he killed whoever he suspected to be a rival. Thus, his reaction towards Jesus was that of hostility.

■The Chief priests and the scribes, this group reacted differently. They were indifferent to the presence of Jesus, they didn’t care. They were busy with their affairs in the temple and legal dealings. Probably, they were afraid of King Herod, little wonder, they handed him the information and remained unmoved. They did not even dare to lead the Magi. They remained unmoved in Jerusalem, but Jesus was found in the poverty of Bethlehem.

■The Magi, were learned people, but their knowledge did not get over their head. As such, their reaction was that of openness and acceptance. The magi represent the whole human race, people of every language and colour who set out to adore Jesus. And in this event, the prophecy that will adore and bring Him gifts is fulfilled (Ps. 72:10). To find Jesus we need to search for Him with faith, to find Him we need to pass through Jerusalem as the Magi did, here Jerusalem stands to symbolize the Church. In that sense, the journey of the Magi is a symbol of an itinerary of faith. When they found Jesus, they adored him and offered him gifts: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

           Be that as it may, the Magi did not present mere gifts to the King; rather the three gifts they offered to Him were replete and beaming with significance: Gold: symbolizes a gift for Kings, denoting his Kingship. It was indeed a sign of their sincere and total love. Frankincense: the ancient people used it for religious worship, and it points to gods and divinity. It is therefore a symbol of the divinity of Christ. The Magi used it to adore Him. Myrrh: in the ancient world myrrh was used to prepare dead bodies. On the Cross Jesus was offered wine mingled with myrrh (cf. Mk. 15:23). And his body was anointed with myrrh for burial (cf. Jn.19:39). For instance, we remember the women that came with myrrh to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body (cf. Mk. 16:1). This depicts the vulnerability of the human nature that Jesus assumed. This gift is therefore symbolic of Jesus’ humanity

          The prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in the episode of the arrival of the Magi to Jerusalem, and in turn we could equally say that the Gospel is the fulfillment of his prophecy that “at his light all peoples will walk”, and the Magi did follow the star. Therefore, with the fulfillment of this prophecy, God’s revelation brings to their realization various novelties of great importance: ●That the center of the nations is not a city (Jerusalem) but a person: Jesus, the Messiah and Lord, born in Bethlehem. ●The journey towards this center will not be only for the Jews, but for all, Jews and pagans alike. ●The people will not converge to Jerusalem to render cult to Yahweh in the temple, but in Bethlehem to adore a Baby in the arms of his Mother Mary.

          The passage of the Gospel gives us a wonderful indication on how to locate Christ, the Savior, and that is as the magi have demonstrated, through openness and disposition of heart, with the sincere desire of having the knowledge of the truth without prejudice. Similarly, there are as well obstacles that may hinder us from locating and encountering Christ, the Savior. First, is fear, fear of encountering one who overhauls our life. For if you encounter Christ you have to change your orientation and criterion of judgment.  Second, is servility to the powers that be, as it happened to the religious leaders in the time of Jesus, who were slaves to the political power of Herod. The powers that be today could be ideologies, dominant current of thoughts contrary to the Gospel. Third, is ambition for power, as it happened with Herod, and attachment to the things of this world. We need to liberate ourselves from the things of this world and personal prestige, allow ourselves to be guided and led by the light that comes from above (as the Magi allowed themselves to be led by the star).

         In all, the red thread that runs through the readings of today is the revelation of God in Christ and the universality of God’s Salvation. The Epiphany inaugurates a new direction, a new route. They went home through a new road because they were enlightened by God, and that new way is Jesus. Jesus in the event of the Epiphany gives us a new way and a new direction. He offers himself as the Savior of all, without exception. What have we to offer Him in return? The magi presented Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. The journey of the Magi might be taken as an expression of man’s religious quest, and as such man as capax Dei, to say it with St. Augustine. The question that should stem from our hearts is whether we still have this religious zeal and quest today? Do we still have the quest for God? What is our own reaction to this New Born King, is it that of hostility, indifference, or concern and love? That of the Magi was love and adoration, even me today I have come to adore him. What of you? Let us join the Magi in this marvelous and admirable Adoration of the New Born King! Come let us adore the leading-Star!! Come let us adore the Light that enlightens all men and makes them one!!! Let us pray asking God to enable us to seek Him with a sincere heart like the Magi, no matter the distance and what it may cost. Amen!

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

 

Beginning The New year With Mary!

 (Homily for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God & New Year Day)

          We are at the threshold of the New Year (2021), and it is frankly motivating beginning the year by confessing the Sovereignty of God and the divine Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God coincides with the ushering in of a novelty, the New Year. The celebration of this great mother today is indeed a symbol of the Church’s solicitation of her blessings and care. So that as she took care of her son, she will also take care of us in the course of this year and beyond. We celebrate today the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and a perusal into the readings of this day suggest two sentences that situate us well into the context of today’s feast: ●First, in the epistle, “but when the completion of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law” (Gal. 4:4). ●Second, in the gospel, “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk. 2:19). Though these sentences are not in direct connection with the title: “Mother of God”, but it presents Mary as a model of faith. The two verses (Gal. 4:4 & Lk. 2:19) emphasize on Mary not merely as Theotokos, but as the paradigm of faith. Therefore, the solemnity of Mary Mother of God not only reminds us of Mary’s divine Maternity, but also it brings to our consideration the admiration and the imitation of Mary as a model of faith. The title of Mary as Theotokos was defined by the Church in one of her first ecumenical councils held at Ephesus in 431. However, the thrust of today’s readings is the birth of Christ as the inauguration of the saving act of God. The three readings of today are closely knit, in the passage of the Gospel; the episode of the circumcision is linked with the epistle reading: “born under the law”. And again, the naming of Jesus is linked with the threefold name of the Aaronic blessing in the first reading.

          As we begin this New Year let us learn from our Mother Mary, let us surrender to God’s will just as she did: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”, “Let it be done to me according to your word”. Let us appropriate her dispositions of heart and mind. As we begin this year with her let us hearken to her advice: “do whatever he tells you”, because in his word is our peace, he has the message of eternal life. The name January is derived from the name of the Roman god: Janus, and Janus had two faces, one looking back and the other looking forward. Therefore, today is a day to look back on all that we have done the past year and make a proper examination of conscience. It is not an invitation to make us remain in the mistakes of yesterday or to live in regret, rather it will help us to redirect our steps and rediscover some essential values needed in our lives as Christians. So it is equally a day and time to look forward to the new year ahead of us. We need to treasure the time God has given to us in this life and in this year. Each year is unique, irreplaceable and unrepeatable. We need to invoke and allow the grace of God to sanctify our ordinary time and transform it to an extraordinary time, a special time of grace, from chronos we need to pass to kairos. For this, St. Paul invited the Ephesians to “make the best of the present time” (Eph. 5:16).

         The first reading (Num. 6:22-27) presents the Aaronic blessing and this is really a particularity of the Old Testament anticipation of the Church’s faith in the Trinity, the threefold “Holy” (cf. Is. 6:3). From the time of creation it has been God’s plan and desire to bless every living thing He has created, “God blessed them” (Gen. 1:22); and he blesses in a particular way, Adam and Eve as representatives of the entire humanity, “God blessed them” (Gen. 1:28); after the flood, God blessed Noah and his sons (cf. Gen. 9:1); he also blessed Abraham so that in him all peoples will be blessed (cf. Gen. 12:2-3; 23:17-18). Consequently, St Paul writes: “All nations will be blessed in you. So it is people of faith who receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith” (Gal. 3:8b-9). And before leaving this world to return to His Father, Jesus blessed His people (cf. Lk. 24:51). In this passage we see the threefold blessing with which to begin this New Year: ► May the Lord bless you and keep you (v.24). ►May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you (v. 25). ►May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace (v.26). And the three times repetition of “the Lord” (Yahweh) points to the divine sovereignty. Indeed, this threefold blessing is crowned with God’s intention to bless his people, for in the last verse we read, “They will call down my name…and I will bless them” (v.27). A blessing is a divine word that has power to pass on good things, and indeed, the idea of the passing of good things from generation to generation is really appropriate for this day (New Year’s Day). And today, the Church through her priests invokes all these blessings on all the faithful, and I invoke these blessings on you all, on your families and on our society at large.

           As a matter of fact, in biblical terms, “name” is very important, especially when it has to do with the name of God, which the Jews considered unpronounceable. The name in general indicates the whole person, in toto. Thus, with reference to God, the name of God is associated with his being. As such, to bless in the name of God entails invoking upon the people all that God is and all that He has done and does for his people. Even the responsorial psalm took up again the theme of God’s blessing on Israel and on us today: “May God show us his kindness (mercy) and bless us” (Ps. 67:1). Interestingly, the word kindness (mercy) of God, which is “hesedh” in Hebrew, embraces all that God has done in his mighty acts towards Israel and for us in Jesus Christ.

          The epistle (Gal. 4:4-7) from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians talks about the purpose why God sent his Son, that is, “to redeem those who were under the law”. Here, St. Paul stressed that the purpose of the Incarnation was man’s liberation from the law to the status of sonship, for we are no longer slaves but sons. Therein, we notice the latent stress on being “born of a woman”, which denotes that his origin is not only from “above”, but also from “below” (He took flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary). It equally alludes to the divine maternity of this “woman”, the Mother of God. Thus, situating us well into the context of today’s solemnity.

           St. Ignatius of Anthioch called Jesus “the Son of God and of Mary”. This title or affirmation elevates Mary at the side of the Heavenly Father. At the same time it collocates her close to us as our mother, the mother of the Church. For Jesus whom she generated has taken us as his brothers and sisters. He united himself with us to the extent of forming one body with us, he is our Head, but also our brother. In the words of St. Paul he is “the eldest of many brothers” (Rm. 8:29). In the second reading St. Paul stressed on it vigorously thus: “God sent his Son, born of a woman…so that we could receive adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4.5). As Jesus in Mary becomes the Son of Man, we, sons of men, we are made sons of God. At the moment when, from Son he made himself a servant, we who were servants/slaves become sons. Thus the apostle reminds us: “you are no longer a slave, but a son” (Gal. 4:7). This indeed is the admirable exchange around which revolves today’s liturgy of the word. And Mary was the “locus” and the Mediatrix of that exchange. And having being made children of God through the Spirit, we acquired the right to use the language and confidence of sons before God, calling him like Jesus: “Abba Father”. This is Jesus’ “ipsissima vox”, that is his own voice without passing through any translation. We need to be more conscious of this our right as sons and daughters, therefore, we cannot but imitate Jesus our Brother, who in the anguish of the Garden of Olive, as well as in the moments of joy, always was entrusting himself to the Father: “Father if it is possible…”, “I thank you Father”, “Father in your hands I commend my spirit”. We need to re-construct our life on this filial rapport with the Father.

          Furthermore, still on the purpose for the coming of the Son, we deem it fit to underscore that it is not merely an event of the past, rather it is an event with direct existential importance for us today. The liberation of man from the bondage of the law, made possible by the coming of the Son of God, is a wonderful and wondrous blessing! The most sublime blessing, the summary of all the blessings of God to humanity is Jesus, the gift of the Incarnate Word. Little wonder St. Paul affirmed: “Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). The Son of God became man so that we may become sons and daughters of God. And this becoming, is a process, and not a momentary conquest, for it requires us to live everyday like sons and daughters of God. Thus, “agitur seguitur esse” (i.e. our actions have to correspond with our being, our filial status in God).

          The Gospel reading (Lk. 2:16-21) summarily highlights the two important historical events in the life of Jesus: the circumcision and the naming of Jesus. However, when we go back to the preceding verse to the Gospel text of toady, where the shepherds say to one another, “let’s go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us” (Lk.2:16), and in verse 20 the evangelist says: “the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told”. The angel announced to the shepherds “A Savior has been born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord”. Even though the sovereignty of the Messiah is not readily seen in the Child, rather all seem to give evidence to his submission to the law of the people, as in the second reading. Indeed, the truth remains that the Son of God, becoming a baby in the womb of the Blessed Mother Mary, and being born in Bethlehem of Judah, manifests his sovereignty in a most humble manner. Once again, there is the theme of the divine name in the Aaronic blessing and its connection with the naming of Jesus which means Yahweh saves. Indeed, Jesus’ name is a programmatic description of the whole purpose of the Incarnation.

          The passage of the Gospel noted something very important about Mary: “She treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk. 2:19). What are the things that she treasured and pondered in her heart? The words and the events of those days, all that happened in the occasion of the birth of Jesus. Christmas was for her an event to treasure and to meditate on and on, it was for her a school of faith. The word of God was made flesh two times in her life: first physically, when she carried and nourished him (the Word) in her womb for nine months; second spiritually and existentially, every moment of her life was inspired by the word of God and she carried it out faithfully, the word of God became the compass that directs and gives bearing to her life. Let us join in her deep pondering on the Word of God. We cannot imitate her in the first incarnation, but we can imitate her in the second. In the words of St. Augustine we can like her “conceive the Word in our mind”. This merited her the beatitude that Jesus proclaimed on the visit of his mother: “More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk. 11:28). St. John says: “to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name” (Jn. 1:12). We have been begotten to the Father, through Jesus, and we are children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, and his mother Mary, our mother too. On the cross Jesus handed her over to us (cf. Jn. 19:27).

          Above all else however, in the first reading the word of God says “so shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel, and I will bless them” (Num. 6:27) and in the gospel we are presented with the naming of the Child of Bethlehem, who was named JESUS, a name which means Yahweh saves. Be that as it may, beginning the New Year with this double invocation of God’s name and the name of Jesus surely paves way for innumerable blessings and favor. Indeed, the Lord who has wrought wonders in the history of the chosen people, will continue to do it even in our own time and in our life.  And may our Blessed Mother Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God continue to accompany us in our earthly sojourn! May she (Mary) who is an embodiment of God’s blessings attract God’s blessings to us!! May we all be assured of her intercession this New Year and beyond!!! Happy New Year to U all!!!

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

 

At The School Of The Holy Family!

                                        (Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family - Yr. B)

          There is no gainsaying the fact that Christmas is a family time. For it is a time of re-union of families for the celebration of the Birth of Christ. It is fitting therefore, that during this family time yearly we reflect on the Holy Family of Nazareth: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We call it “the Holy Family” because it is the most holy of Families: Mary was immaculately conceived and was sinless, Joseph was her chaste spouse, and Jesus was the Son of God. Not only that, but also because they were faithful to God and to each other. Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, and indeed the event of Christmas in se is a feast of God’s entrance to the human family. In his project of salvation of mankind God thought it wise to begin the decisive phase from and within the context of family. Thus, he sent his Son to be a member of the family of Joseph and Mary. A closer glance at the readings of toady readily suggests that the pivot around which revolves the message of this day is faithfulness expressed in the dynamics of love and togetherness. And that is what other families are called to appropriate.

          The Holy Family is at the center of our reflection today. And we cannot but affirm that it is a family sui generis! The Holy Family was not a smooth and problem free family, rather it was a family with her numerous problems and internal conflicts, yet they remained faithful to each other. That is why it could be suggested as a paradigm to our Christian families. The Holy Family was a family with special grace yet a family with trials. We can remember vividly well how sin affected family life in the first pages of the Book of Genesis. After eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:16-17) great tension disrupted the spousal relationship between Adam and Eve. Not too long after that, the sons of Adam and Eve entered in a dispute that ended in the murder of Abel (Gen. 4:1-16). Sin wounded greatly the life of the family. Indeed, Jesus came to heal the wounds caused by sin, including that of the family. As such, God the Father sent his Son among us, and in doing that, He entrusted Him to a father and a mother. And that is the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family teaches us how to remain calm in the midst of all kinds of existential storms.

          The first reading (Gen. 15:1-6; 21:1-3) presents the encounter between Abram and the Lord in a vision. Therein, the Lord invited Abram: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great”. But in turn, in this seemingly dialogue Abram asked God what He will give him, and thus reminded God of his childlessness. Even upon the Lord’s invitation to him not to fear, Abram rather expressed his fears to the Lord, for he has no offspring as heir. He fears that Eliezer of Damascus will be his heir. But God assured him, that Eliezer will not be his heir. Afterwards, we see what I would like to call the central point of this passage, that is when God invited Abram: “Look towards heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them…So shall your descendants be”. At this point, God reminded Abram that he is the Creator, he is that great Designer. Little wonder, He invited him at the beginning to fear not. The reference to the heavens and the stars is a reminder to Abram that he who created all these, is able to give you offspring any time, and He actually did. And even without, seeing this realized, Abram believed God, he believed in what God can do. Indeed, “he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness”. Above all, God really fulfilled his words for Sarah conceived and bore Abram a son at old age. In this passage therefore, one thing that stands out is the faithfulness of Abram.

          The passage of the Gospel (Lk. 2:22-40) throws light on the growth and maturity of Jesus, and the fact that he was filled and endowed with wisdom. Here we see that wonderful scene of the encounter between Jesus and Simeon, “the Nunc Dimitis”, and secondly the encounter with Anna. However, our interest today is not going to be focused more on the encounters between Jesus and Simeon, Jesus and Anna, rather on the growth and development of the Child of Bethlehem (Jesus) within the ambience of the Holy family. Be that as it may, we are going to make three considerations:

►First points to the fact that Jesus is fully human, thus, he has to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. Though we call him perfect man, this does not allude to a complete maturity from the outset, humanly speaking. Instead, Christ is perfect man in line with the perfection that comes from each stage of the human development and growth, he passed through.

►Second points to the fact that this human development and growth to maturity, contextually took place within the ambience of a human family. Even though, nothing much was recorded about Jesus’ life in the Holy Family, in exception of the time they visited the temple when Jesus was twelve. Biblically, there is a sort of silence about the life of Jesus in the Holy Family. In all, the Holy Family remains the divine context where Jesus was prepared for his saving mission. Again, because the Holy Family despite all odds remains the paradigm for the Christian family life. Likewise, Christian families should be a context divinely set out for the physical and spiritual growth of every Christian child.

►Third, this passage presents Jesus in the context of a prophetic succession. For He (Jesus) is the Last and the Greatest of the prophets. Not only that, but he transcends them all, because he is the eschatological prophet.

          As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, it is the church’s intention to present the Holy Family as the pattern of Christian family life. Though the readings we have today gave different indications on how to realize it. Above all, the Gospel periscope from Luke presents the Family in general as a place of development and growth to physical, mental and spiritual maturity. Even though existentially speaking, the situation and conditions that the Holy Family lived were somewhat uncommon. It is a family sui generis!         

          We remember the uncommon circumstances that surrounded Jesus’ conception. We cannot but remember how Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit (Lk.1:35), without the knowledge of Joseph. We remember how Joseph decided to pack her belongings and ready to drop her (Mt. 1:18-19), before the angel came and made him changed his mind (Mt. 1:20). Indeed, we cannot but remember Mary’s and Joseph’s plan that was abruptly changed by the divine plan, and the challenges that surrounded his birth: no place in the inn, he was born in a manger, the trials and insecurity in Bethlehem (Lk. 2:8b; Mt. 2:13-14). Afterwards Joseph received another message to run away with his wife and son to Egypt. Not only that, Mary and Joseph even suffered the distress of not knowing the where-about of their twelve year old son (Cf. Lk. 2:48). Before Jesus began his public ministry nothing again was said about Joseph, we may well presume that he died, here the Holy Family must have suffered the pain of bereavement and separation through death. Jesus in his public ministry faced many oppositions and threats of death. No one could imagine what Mary passed through at the foot of her son’s cross. The gospel passage of today, indicated how poor they were, to the extent that they were not able, to sacrifice the normal offering of a Lamb at the occasion of the circumcision of their Son, rather they presented the gifts of the poor: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (Lk.2:24; cf. Lev. 12:6-8).

          Besides, we heard the rather unhappy prophecy of Simeon, that a sword will pierce the heart of the Mother (Lk. 2:35). We cannot but remember their flight to Egypt in the middle of the night (Mt. 2:14), with the cries of the murdered children in Bethlehem everywhere. We recall how He (Jesus) ran away from them, and how they had to search for him for three days, before he was found in the temple (Lk. 2:45-46). Remember what the mother told him: “My child, why have you done this to us?” and his seemingly unhappy reply: “why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk. 2:48.49). Behold, these difficulties did not stop, even as He grew up, for we still recall that episode when they heard about his preaching and miracles, how Mary and some members of the family got scared, they went after him, to get him back home, thinking that he had lost his mind (Mk. 3:21). We cannot but remember the marriage event at Cana (Jn. 2), they didn’t seem to have understood each other (Jesus and Mary).

          Indeed, the Holy family was not an easy Family, not even a very normal family, but they excelled in one thing, and that is where we have to take them as model and paradigm for Christian families; and that is the fact that despite all these odds, they remained faithful to each other. The faithfulness of Joseph to Mary, even though not being the father of the child. The faithfulness of Mary to Jesus, when she heard about his arrest and condemnation, she went to Jerusalem to be with him, she stood by him till death. Mary indeed is faithful like a rock. And Jesus in turn remained faithful to the Mother even at the point of death, for some of his last words were for Mary: “Mother, behold your Son. Son, behold your mother” (Jn.19:26-27). We are called therefore, as families, little churches to appropriate the virtues of the Holy Family, especially that of faithfulness. We are called to be faithful like them!!!

          The second reading (Heb. 11:8.11-12.17-19) from the letter to the Hebrews took up once again the theme of Abraham’s faithfulness. Interestingly, the faithfulness of this couple was brought to the fore. First, Abraham who obeyed God’s word and invitation to go out to a place he does not know, his unshakeable faith in God when he readily offered Isaac, the Child of the promise. Second, Sarah who conceived by and through faith, even when she has passed the age. Their faithfulness to God hinges on the omnipotence of God and undoubtedly on Abraham’s believe that God can raise men even from dead (Heb. 11:19). And of course on the words of the psalmist that “the Lord remembers his covenant forever” (Ps.105:8).

         In the light of today’s Feast, in our present day society there are some situations and human conditions that tend to disintegrate the nucleus of the family and as such require a good dose of reflection. Today we talk about separated parents or broken marriages, many a times their children suffer because of the conflicts of the parents, divorced and remarried parents with children, adoption of a child by a single, be it man or woman, adoption of children by homosexual or lesbian couples etc. These are complex and difficult situations that cannot but make us reflect over and over again. In the realization of the divine plan of God, He needed a father and a mother for His divine Son. Just like in the case of Joseph and Mary, in the education of children, the father and the mother have their roles. This tells us the importance and the necessity of the figure of a father and a mother in the human family. Let us not forget that it is the natural right of children to have parents: father and mother. This original initiative of God should propel us today to make some reconsiderations in our clamour for freedom.

          As we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we need to appropriate the virtues emanating not only from the Holy Family but also from the readings of this day into the reality of our different families. In our society today, where the institution of marriage and family is under serious attack, we need to swim against the currents of this contemporary world that are inimical to the wellbeing of the family. We need to identify these anti-values that are served at the supermarket of our present society and in the means of social communication, ranging from the rebellion of the children, quarrels and confrontations between husband and wife, little or no interest on the children by the parents and excessive interest on the children by some possessive parents to the abandonment of the children by the parents and that of the parents by the children. Conscious of all this, we need to endeavor to construct a family founded on the family values present in today’s liturgy of the word: respect and appreciation, obedience and mutual help, concern and care, prudence and the search for family stability, goodness and reciprocal love. We need to incarnate these values in our families and society today in order to ward of the anti-values that are fast destroying the concept and the commitment of the Christian family. Today we need to insist on the importance of responsible parenthood; else we end up raising drug addicts, delinquents, and violent children because of the absence or irresponsibility of the parents. Some of the challenges facing families today, is that there is no enough time to be together and to pray together. In all we cannot but affirm that the true model of the Christian family is the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph: the Holy Family.

          Above all else however, three points stand out today: ●The feast of the Holy family as a reminder to all families to emulate their faithfulness to God and to each other. ●It reminds us of the entrance of Jesus to the human Family, for Jesus is one of us and one with us today. The feast of the Holy Family reminds us of the importance of welcoming Him as a member of our families, or even better as the center of our family, as he was in the Holy family. ●As we have seen, the Holy Family was battered by many trials, but what kept the Holy Family together during these trials is love for each and God. One of the greatest challenges facing families today, is that there is no enough time to be together. As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, let us turn our marriages, families and homes from broken marriages, families and homes to united marriages, families and homes. As the Holy Family survived all their crises and storms through love of each other and faith in God, let us earnestly pray during this Mass that our families torn apart by the presages of hatred, separation and selfishness will conquer these storms through love for each other and faith in God. Amen!!!

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