Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Tuesday Easter week 4- May 5, 2020

Tuesday 5th May 2020

4th week of Easter

Acts 11:19-26, John 10:22-30

Today a great number of people are referred to as Christians because they profess their faith in, and follow the life of Christ. In the first reading of today, we see that the name Christians was used by pagans who have been converted, to refer to the group of people in the early church who were living like Jesus Christ. The name Christians therefore means, 'Christlike'. It means, people who are like Christ or who follow the way of Christ.

It is true that many people who call themselves Christians have brought a lot of disgrace to christianity. They commit all sorts of evil and say they are Christians. Many people were converted to christianity in the early Church because of the life the early Christians and Apostles lived. Are you a Christian today? If your answer is yes, the next questions are, am I living like a Christian? Am I like Christ? Will people see me today and say I'm like Jesus? We should never forget that we are created in the image and likeness of God, we can therefore be like Christ in all that we do. God help us. Amen.

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP.

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Monday Easter week 4- May 4, 2020

Monday 4th May 2020

FOURTH week of Easter

Acts 11:1-18, John 10:11-18

During one of my pastoral works in a parish, I embarked on home to home visitation of those who worshipped in the parish. I was passing by a particular house when one man kept calling me to visit him too and pray with his family. The young man who was taking me round told me not to go because he does not worship in the Catholic Church. I did not have enough time to think, I entered the house and started conversing with them. It was during this conversation that I discovered that the man and his family members were muslims. Nevertheless, I was marvelled at how seriously they took my presence and how much they have known about the Christian faith. Their loud shout of 'Amen' during the prayer was also very amazing and they were happy to be sprinkled with holy water.

Peter would have had such an experience as we see in the first reading of today. The Jews never mixed with other nations. Some of the early Christians who were Jews also had that mentality. They thought that the Christian faith was for them alone and thus, they were angry with Peter to see him among the gentiles.

We are called to always remember that we are all children of God. God has no favourite and does not discriminate. Yesterday we heard Jesus tell us that he is the good shepherd, in the gospel reading of today, he tells us that he has other sheep which are not yet in the fold. We are to make effort to bring everyone to the fold of Christ. All that God created is good and clean, we are the ones who make judgement on one another. When Jesus commanded the Apostles to go into the world and preach the gospel in Matt 28:19, he did not intend that only a few people or region should be evangelised. Let us let go of our biases and prejudices and go out of our comfort zones to relate with one another freely. We can be very good friends despite our various backgrounds and religions, just as we are all children of God. No human person should be discriminated. God help us. Amen

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP.

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Saturday Easter week 3- May 2, 2020

SATURDAY 2ND MAY 2020

MEMORIAL OF ST. ATHANASIUS

THIRD WEEK OF EASTER

Acts 9:31-42, JOHN 6:60-69

Nothing has divided the Christian faith in history more than differences in doctrines. We see different Christian bodies preaching different things and different interpretations about the same gospel of Christ. Some pastors even attack and insult others from their pulpit. The Catholic Church has received more of the attack and criticisms because of our traditional way of worship. In fact, a pastor recently uttered some words against the Pope, but the reaction that followed even from non-Catholics shows that the pastor merely showed his ignorance of history and simple secular world events.

As the early Church is starting gradually, we see Peter moving from one city to another to strengthen the faith of the people, and it is very important to him that the right teachings are taught. Once you teach an error, it is more difficult to correct it.

There are some things that do not need that words should be painted when they are taught. Many people do not like the Catholic Church because she does not always tell them what they want to hear to be happy, but truth that will challenge them to live a better life. This is why in the gospel reading of today, many people left Jesus when he preached to them because he told them the truth. Teaching the right thing is very important, even though it makes us hated and unpopular.

We have a perfect example of staying with the truth irrespective of whatever happens in St Athanasius whose memorial we celebrate today. He stood on the side of truth to the end. He worked closely with Bishop Alexander and succeeded him as Bishop of Alexandria. His attack on Arianism, a teaching that denied that Jesus is God, made him to spend about 17 years on exile. At the end, he was happy that he suffered so that we have the right teachings today.

Let us pray today for our separated brethren, especially those who have been misled by wrong doctrines and have hated the Catholic Church for no reason, that they will re-trace their steps and come to know the truth. We also pray for ourselves, that we may be always ready like Jesus, St Peter and St Athanasius to stand on the side of truth. God help us. Amen

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP