FRIDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

FRIDAY 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: JEREMIAH 3:14-17

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 13:18-23

THEME: RETURN TO THE LORD.

The first reading shows us the type of God we have. A God that begs his people to return to him from their far away journey. We have gone wrong in many ways but God does not care about it or them, he is only interested in our returning back to him, our God. He destined us not for his retribution but to win salvation (1Thessalonians 5:9). It is only when we have returned to God by making our hearts ready for the sower to sow the seed in a fertile or good hearts that will bear fruit in 30s, 60s and 100s. Remember that Jesus did not spare the tree that failed to produce fruit when every possible opportunities have been given to it to produce fruit (Mark 11:12-25). God is now asking us to return to him begging us. Can you imagine God begging man? Instead of us begging him to accept us, he is now begging us to come back. We can recall what happened to Pharoah who hardened his heart. And many others like Judas Iscariot. If we harden our hearts today, tomorrow may be too late for us. Why not change today and begin to produce our own flowers that will turn to fruit in 30s, 60s and 100s. Thanks.

THURSDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

THURSDAY 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: JEREMIAH 2:1-3. 7-8. 12B

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 13:10-17

THEME: WHY THIS CHANGE?

We are made to know that our forefathers who first accepted this faith were travelling very far with their legs in order to attend masses and receive other sacraments. Today everything is now at our beck and call but we are no longer embracing them. Why the change?

God is asking us in the first reading through Jeremiah why we have left him the fountain of the living water.

The gospel has given us reasons for that. Because we have closed our hearts from accepting the word of God, we have closed our ears to hearing it, closed our eyes from seeing the workings of the word of God.

A man who lived in Lagos for years came back empty handed. His kinsmen paid for him to go and learn a work. He did that for two months and stopped (a work he should learn in three years). When he was asked the reason for that, he said that even the Bible said it that the rich shall become richer and the poor shall become poorer, that he sees no reason why he should suffer himself while the bible is in support of the situation. He closed up to all the words of admonitions and advice given to him by his kinsmen and friends. That is also our problem today. We take positions and say we cannot move again when we have many opportunities to move more.

The rich shall become richer and poor poorer is not just the literary understanding but it has a spiritual dimension. St. Augustine who noticed God late in his life became rich in the Lord and in order to become richer he shouted. “Oh have I known you late”. Those who have the knowledge of God will look for him the more and gain more of it but those who do not have and do not make effort to have, even the little they know will be taken away from them. This change towards evil is the result of our closed areas we should have opened. Let us open our hearts, minds, eyes, ears and every other places we can open for God and get richer in his knowledge and heaven will be ours. This change is not favourable to and for us. Thanks.

WEDNESDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

WEDNESDAY 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: JEREMIAH 1:1. 4-10

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 13:1-9

THEME: THOSE WHO WILL ACCEPT IT WILL BEAR MORE FRUIT.

Jeremiah the prophet was called by God to preach and prophesy to his people Israel. He wanted to run away from that by giving excuses for he knew what result prophets get. God promised to be with him. Now the problem is no more from Jeremiah but now on those whom he will preach and prophesy to. Will they accept it? It is this question that the gospel came to answer.

Some fell on the road, among thorns, on stones or rocks and on a good soil. Many that are messengers of God are now everywhere preaching and prophesying to us. How do we make our hearts ready for the message? Do we prepare it to be a road or thorns or rock or the good and fertile soil? The onus lies on us to make our hearts ready to accept and work with the word of the Lord which has been given to us by God.

A story circulated on social media one time ago about a Barber who said that God does not exist. His customer tried to argue with him but could not fine enough reason to back his argument up. The Barber talked about the moral decadence in the world as a proof that God does not exist. He said that, there are many priests, pastors and other preachers everywhere but evil still has upper hand in the world which shows that God does not exist. The customer left the shop after his barbing, outside he saw a man with bushy and dirty hair. He went back and told the Barber that Barbers do not exist. He said to him, I am a Barber who just barbed you now, and I exist how can you say that? He went out and brought that man with bushy and dirty hair and showed him to the Barber. He said, if barbers exist, why is it that people like this still exist? He told him that they have refused to come to them barbers to barb them, then the man told him also that those who commit all those sins have refused to accept the preaching of those men and women of God outside their. And that made the Barber to be humble and accept that God exists.

It is not that preachers are no more doing their works but it is our disposition that is very important and not long and rich homilies, reflections and every other things. Igbos do say, ma onye agwalu kwe. If the one addressed accepts it. Let us accept the word of God with faith today and work with it so that we shall bear more fruit and our fruit will last and salvation will be ours. Thanks.

TUESDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

TUESDAY 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: MICAH 7:14-15. 18-19

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 12:46-50

THEME: HE REMEMBERS HIS PEOPLE.

The topic of the first reading is “He will cast our sins into the depths of the sea”. If we remain steadfast in love of God and faith in him, he will remember us and cast our sins away. He is rich in mercy and abounding in love (Ephesians 2:4, Psalm 145:8 and 103:8). He has nothing to do with our sins. Once we show him that we are sorry, he welcomes us back.

Gospel still on the same point. Jesus said that those who do the will of his father are his mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. If you obey the will of God, he will remember you as one of his family members. He does not forget those who obey him and walk in his ways. Think of our blessed mother Virgin Mary who was the first to obey him in the New Testament (Luke 1:38), he himself obeyed her at the wedding of Cana (John 2:5). He will also obey our requests if we obey his dictates.

God does not forget his people no matter the situation. Israelites stayed many years in Egypt and when the time came, he remembered them. The whole earth was wallowing in sin and death, he remembered us and gave us his only begotten son to die for us (John 3:16). He is still doing it in our own time. Let us not relent in doing good and being God’s children, he does not forget his people. Thanks.

MONDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.By Tobe Eze

MONDAY 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: MICAH 6:1-4. 6-8.

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 12:38-42

THEME: WHAT ELSE WILL GOD DO FOR US?

God in the first reading through the prophet Micah is asking us what again do we want from him. He has done many things for us but we have failed to recognize them.

Gospel also is following the same line. Some Jews asked Jesus for another sign when he had worked many wonders among them. I received a message through whatsApp one day which told a story about a rich man who fell sick and was rushed to the hospital. He used oxygen there. After his treatment, the bill was very high, when he asked why, he was told that it was because of the oxygen he used. The man started crying, he said, I am now 60 years old and since I was born, I have been using oxygen free but just for these two days I stayed here, I have to pay this amount for oxygen. He finally said, I AM OWING GOD.

Have we ever thought of all these free gifts of nature to us before asking God for more favours? ATR practitioners thank God, Ala, ancestors and their personal Chi every morning before doing anything. We Christians take them as candidates for hell. They may rise to condemn us on the last day or judgment day. We need to appreciate God for all he has done for us. He does not ask much from us. There is nothing that we will give him that will equate what he has done for us, what he is doing for us and what he will do for us. What else do we need from him? Remember some are lacking that which we have. To end with a story.

A man called Onumonu in my village. There was this holidays that I went home. I went to buy cement for my brother’s house that was under construction that time. I was to buy six bags and I was using lady’s motorcycle to carry them. I was carrying them two per a trip. I had to go there three times. When I was coming back for the first time, I met him with a cutlass, I stopped and greeted him and we discussed. He told me that he was going to get something for his goats. After the third one, I was washing the motorcycle when his two grandchildren came to my house crying. I scolded them for I knew them for doing that but they told me their father was dead. I thought it was their father not knowing that it was the man that I discussed with. When I rushed there, I saw him lying on a mat in his parlour. We rushed him to the hospital and the doctor confirmed him dead. What came to my mind that moment was just. I HAVE LIFE WHICH HE HAS NOT.  We have many things others do not have, we should thank God for them before asking for more. Thanks.

SATURDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. ByTobe Eze

SATURDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: MICAH 2:1-5

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 12:14-21

THEME: DO WE REMEMBER JUSTICE AT ALL?

Sometimes, after looking at what is happening in the world, one may ask, will anyone make heaven? We often pray against bribery and corruption in Nigeria pointing accusing fingers to our leaders and we are even worse than them. I have come to realize that many who shout that prayer are our major problems.

The first reading is seriously warning us of the evil we do to people especially those under us. Curse shall be upon us when we think about evils at night and execute them in the day. When we think about evil in the night of our hearts and execute them in the day of our actions. The poor in the reading are not majorly those who have no money or little money rather, those whom we oppress in one way or the other. Responsorial Psalm is reminding God not to forget the poor. If God remembers them, we that are oppressing them will be in trouble.

Gospel says that God’s son will make sure that victory comes. Are we going to be saved when it comes? Let us think deep in many ways we oppress people and relent from that. Snatching peoples’ lands, tress, animals, money, wives, children, parents and many other ways we do that.

A man from my place married a young beautiful lady. After few years of their marriage, the wife noticed that the man has a widow that he goes to every now and then. When he says he has nothing to give to the family, he goes to the widow and spend all. The wife has done all within her power but the widow has snatched him from the family. She came to me and told me about it. I recommended prayers and good behaviour towards her husband which she does. She latter called me and said that there is a little change.

Let us today go back to our God who is the God of justice and work towards the path of justice so that we will not be condemned but gain life everlasting. Thanks.

FRIDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

FRIDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 38:1-6. 21-22. 7-8.

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 12:1-8

THEME: RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOTHING MORE.

When a humble son approaches his father to beg for a favour, the father does not hesitate to grant him that for he is a righteous son, but if a wayward child comes, his father will not freely grant him his wishes.

In the first reading, we saw how God answered the prayer of Hezekiah not only his own but for the whole nation because he was upright. Can God answer your own prayers or my own today talk more of another through you or me because of your or my righteousness?

The gospel expands this through the last part of it where Jesus said, Ihe n’ asom bu ebere, obughi aja. We spend time attending all church’s activities and donating money and other things every now and then to things concerning church but our hearts are as dark as charcoal. It is not enough. We claim to be following the law and behind it, we punish people because of our own selfish interest.

A woman who was very devoted to the CWO. It happened that she had problem with the president in the market. The next CWO meeting she came late and the president saw it as the best avenue to punish her. After giving her reasons and proofs, the president persisted under the umbrella of the law. She was nursing a child that time, after preparing the child for the meeting, the child poured oil on himself which made her to start afresh. After that, when they were coming, the chain of their motorcycle broke into two, she had to roll the motorcycle to a mechanic who repaired it and she continued the journey and that made her to come late. Her hands were still filled with oil and grease from the chain. After telling all these, the president persisted on the law not because they could not adjust but because she had something against her.

Righteousness is the only thing that can exalt a nation not the amount of sacrifices we make with evil hearts (Proverbs 14:34). It was because God saw Hezekiah as a righteous man that he answered his prayers. The Jews were not righteous and they did not recognize that something greater than the temple was in their midst. Let us today uphold righteousness for that is the only thing God wants from us not evil sacrifices. Thanks.

THURSDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

THURSDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 26:7-9.12. 16-19

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:28-30

THEME: GOD IS THE SOLUTION.

After complaining in the first reading, Isaiah recognized that God was the only answer to their problems and he beckoned on him to come to their rescue. There would be no solution to their problems outside God.

In the gospel, Jesus God made man is calling us to come to him with our troubles that he is the only one who can help us with it. We should not think of anyone else to give us solution to our problems except him the Lord. These days we seem to have forgotten God and are now going after men and women of (so called) God. We have chapels almost in every parish where Jesus is waiting for us to come and meet him anytime anyday, we have priests almost everywhere looking for souls to be taken to Christ, we have morning masses and morning adorations almost in every parish but we leave all these and be looking for self-ordained ministers who will minister to and for us.

Jesus is the only way if we accept him. Sometimes he comes to us himself to help us but we like to stick to our normal old ways of life.

A man went to farm in a very far place. When he was returning, he was carrying a heavy basket of cassava on his head. A man with pickup car met him and decided to help him. He entered at the back. When the man wanted to cross an expressway, when they has traveled far, as he was looking left and right, from the glass he saw that the man was still carrying the basket of cassava even in the car. Even when God wants to help us, we continue to carry our problems as if we can solve them.

Let us accept Christ’s invitation and come or go to him who is the only solution to our problems. Thanks.

WEDNESDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

WEDNESDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 10:5-7. 13-16

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:25-27

THEME: BE HUMBLE.

One Igbo adage will always ask, Okwuru o n’ akari onye kuru ya?  Can an okro over grow or out grow the person that planted it? Assyrians were thinking they had gotten all they needed, they could do all without the help of God and God asked them the question above. He is asking us also today the same question. As they lacked humility so also we are lacking it in our lives today.

Jesus in the gospel is thanking his father for hiding the riches of heaven from proud men/women, those who are lacking humility and revealing it to those who are humble and still uphold humility like children. If we humble ourselves, certainly we shall be exulted and if we exult ourselves, we shall be humbled as recorded in the Bible (Matthew 23:12). We are just dust of the earth (Ecclesiastes 3:20), no need for bragging.

A story was told by a priest from my place. In his first posting after ordination, he was very young then. A woman came to the parish house looking for a priest. That was in the afternoon. The priest after taking his lunch decided to go for a little walk. He met that woman at the gate but she could not even talk to the person for Fada was not putting on soutane, talk more of greeting. She passed him and entered the parish house and was asking to see a priest. She was told that she left a priest at the gate. She came to Fada and asked him, Bia nnwa, kedu ebe ifuru Fada? Fada told her that Fada was not far from there. She started barking at him telling him that children of these days are no more respectful. As she was shouting, a lady passed and greeted, Fada good afternoon! And Fada responded, it was that time that she noticed that she was talking to Fada and started to beg. Fada cautioned her to learn how to apply humility in everything she does in life so that she can go far in life.

It is a serious virtue to be humble and we cannot get heaven if we are not humble. Let us humble ourselves today like little and humble children and God will be on our sides and reveal the riches of heaven to us now and forever. Thanks.

TUESDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

TUESDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 7:1-9

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:20-24

THEME: DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DESTROYED.

A famous story about tortoise and its three children on how many times will something happen to you that you will learn has a little connection with today’s readings.

In the first reading, the people of Emphraim was promised to be blot out from the face of the earth because of their evil plans against the people of God despite all that they have seen God had done for his people, they went ahead to plan evil against them.

In the gospel, the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida faced it with Jesus because of their obstinacy in their evil ways of life. They refused to change after all that Jesus had done for them.

It is likely that we are in the same category with these places about to be destroyed. We have remained obstinate in our sins and have left the faith we embraced earlier. Jesus has shown us many signs and wonders but still we plot evils in our hearts and with others. Christianity increases everyday but evils increase also. What is happening? We should run for our dear lives and run back to God so that we will not be destroyed in the presence of God as in the first reading and those whom we think are evil will not be better than us on the judgment day. Let us learn from the Holy Bible which is the word of God and not waiting like the first and second sons of the tortoise to have experience before learning. Thanks.