Homily 2nd of June 2020

HOMILY THURSDAY 2 JUNE, 2022. 7TH WEEK OF EASTER: ACTS 22:30; 23:11; JOHN 17: 20-26. FR. SILAS .H. BLAZZE
The Emeritus Archbishop of Ibadan any moment of his addressed to us seminarians then, would always emphasized this word, INITIATIVE. This is what St. Paul in the first reading demonstrated. St Paul knew that they would do whatever they could to persecute him and even condemn him to death, but that was not what the Holy Spirit had guided him to do. He still had one last mission to do, to evangelize to the people in the city of Rome, the capital and centre of the Roman Empire. Hence, it was not yet time for St. Paul to be persecuted to his death. And that was why he incited the two opposing groups, the Pharisees and the Sadducees to near riot simply because he said that he was a Pharisees believed that led him to put on trial there.
St. Paul as Saul was indeed a Pharisee and a Zealous one at that, before he was called by God and was redeemed, turning over a new leaf and embracing a new path in life as Gods servant. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were often at loggerheads they were diametrically opposite in their believing firmly in the spiritual and immaterial world, the resurrection of the dead, the presence of spirits and angels, while the Sadducees represent the secular party, those who firmly reject all those, particularly oppose the notion of life after death and the resurrection.
That declaration by St. Paul was enough to drive the assembly into a frenzy, each group defending their own viewpoints and attacking the other, to the point that some of those same Pharisees even defended St. Paul and said before the assembly how he was innocent and not to be punished, totally contradicting their own stance earlier on. It was also proof that whatever false charges and accusations they wanted to impose on St. Paul was not valid and right in the first place. Nonetheless, St. Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to guide his path, and he was rescued by the guards who led him to the Roman governor, before whom the apostle would claim trial and appeal before the Emperor himself, paving for his final missionary journey to Rome.
The question is, what are we then going to do? In the face of opposition and persecution, should we then turn away from the Lord for the sake of convenience and happiness, for respite and joy? Or are we going to follow the example of the Apostles and the saints especially those martyrs like Peter, Paul, and Luke etc. The temptation for us to give in to the pressure of the world, to conform to the path of sin and abandoning our faith can be really great at times, but that should not be a reason for us to turn away from God and find the way out and seeking convenience and pleasures for ourselves.
May the Lord continue to guide each and every one of us that we may be always ever faithful to Him and strong in our convictions to walk in His path, despite the persecution and oppositions, rejections and hardships that we may have to endure. Amen

Homily Thur.27Th.2022

HOMILY THURSDAY 28, 2022: WITHIN EASTER OCTAVE. ACTS 5:27-33;JH 3:31-36
FR. SILAS .H. BLAZZE.
No matter the pressures, coercions or any other attempts, the Gospel of the Risen Christ MUST preach to all human race.
In our first reading this morning, we heard of the confrontation between the Lords Apostles and the High Priest, the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council. The Sanhedrin led by the High Priest had arrested and gathered the Apostles, who had earlier on been arrested for preaching about the Lord Jesus among the people of Jerusalem, and when they miraculously escaped the prison and were once again proclaiming Gods truth and resurrection, the Sanhedrin arrested them again and tried to pressure and coerce them not to preach anymore in the Name of the Lord under strong words and treat of persecution. Yet, none of those could persuade the Apostles to do otherwise, as they trusted in the Lord and his providence.
They refused to obey the commands of the High Priest and the Sanhedrin, and also refuse to be coerced or pressured by their threats, as they were the servants of God and were tasked by the Lord with the evangelization of the whole world (Mk 16:15). They were sent by the Lord and had been strengthened by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses among the nations, and they would not back down or silenced by the treats of the authorities or anyone else who were opposed to the Lord and his works among the people of God.
While the Gospel is the continuation Jesus dialogue with Nicodemus about the love of God. Jesus admonishes us to cling to God and gain eternal life. For He says, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and curse; therefore, choose life, that you may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him. Now, God also has given us the gift of freedom to choose or reject this invitation.
My dear people of God, in our liturgys of today, each and every one of us as Christians have been entrusted with the same mission, which we have inherited through the Church, to be the ones to bring forth the Good news of Gods salvation, His light, truth and love to all the people, to all mankind, our fellow brethren throughout the whole world. We are given this task to fulfil will of God, and to help countless brethren of ours, all our fellow men a men and women who are still wandering off in the darkness of this world. If we do not avail ourselves to reach out and help them, then who will do so? And if they fall into damnation when we could have done more to help them, then the blame and consequence for that will fall squarely on us. Therefore, we must try our best even in the smallest things to bring them back to the light of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray in this mass, for the grace to preach the Gospel of the Risen Christ even in the midst of persecutions and trials. Amen.

Homily 27th April 2022. 2nd week of Easter

HOMILY WEDNESDAY 27, 2022: WITHIN EASTER OCTAVE. ACTS 5:17-26; JH 3:16-21: FR. SILAS .H. BLAZZE
As Christians and the followers of Jesus Christ, we are likely going to face challenges, trials and oppressions for our faith in Him. As Christians we may have to endure the same sufferings that the disciples and apostles had suffered for their in God.
In our first reading this morning, taken from the Acts of the Apostle, we heard of how the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High council were angered by the actions of the Apostles, and the many other disciples of the Lord who had continued to carry on His works, proclaimed His truth and love among the people, many of whom were convinced and witnessed the miracles they had performed. The Sanhedrin were fearful of the Apostles and the Lords continuing influence, that despite their successful efforts in condemning the Lord Jesus to death by the Romans on the cross, instead that had invigorated the lords followers all the more.
However, we heard how the Sanhedrin attempted to crush the early Church as much as possible by arresting the Apostles and the other disciples. Hence, the Lord was with His servants and His beloved ones, and He protected them, sending them, His Angels to rescue them from their prison, breaking free their chains. And the Lord told His disciples to continue their work, to proclaim His truth and love among the people of God, and not fearing the attempts of those who tried to dissuade or force them to abandon their mission and works.
While in our Gospel also, just as Abraham willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac, prefigures the perfect offering and sacrifice of Gods beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This passage in the Gospel of John tells us of the great breadth and width of Gods love. Not an excluding love for just a few or for a single nation, but a redemptive love that embraces the world, and a personal love for each and every one individual whom God has created in his own image and likeness (Gen 1:26, 27). God is the eternal Father of love who cannot rest until his wandering children have returned home to him. As saint, Augustine of Hippo (354-430) once said, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. But God gives us the freedom to choose whom and what we will love.
My dear people of God, our Lord and savior had done all these because He does not want us to fall into eternal damnation and be lost from Him forever. And therefore, He has given us the means to leave behind our past, sinful existence and enter into the new existence in His light and truth. Dear friends in Christ, in todays liturgy, all of us are being reminded again today to put our faith in the Risen Lord to follow Him wholeheartedly. We should no longer allow worldly desires, temptations, or any fears and doubts to prevent us from doing what has been expected of us as Christians. Let us all henceforth commit ourselves anew to the Lord, and strive to do our best in our respective way of life so that we may be good examples and inspiration for many others that they too may come to believe in God through us, just as how the apostles and the countless saints and martyrs has inspired us.

Friday Homily the 5th week of lent

THE HOMILY OF FRIDAY IN FIFTH WEEK OF LENT YR C, 8THE APRIL, 2022. JER. 20:10-13;JOHN 10:31-42. REV. FR. SILAS .H. BLAZZE.
In our liturgy this morning, let us reflect on powerful way to ask God for the protection against the forces of darkness. Jesus reminded us this powerful prayer in Our Lords Prayer; deliver us form the hands of our enemies.
In our first reading, Prophet Jeremiah cried out to God to protect him against those who are working hard to see his downfall. For he says; My persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed (Jer. 20:11). Jeremiah had to go through a lot of troubles for sake of the Lord, and yet, He endured all of it patiently, and entrusted himself and his works to the Lord. Of course there were moments when he was exhausted and tired of facing all the oppositions including his closest friends, and which he spoke to the Lord about, but in the end, he believed that God sent him, for a good reason, and no matter what, in the end, those who believe in Him and trust in him will never be disappointed. Jeremiah, just as many other prophets who came before him, might have to endure all those bitterness and hardships, but through their faith and dedication, they had done a lot of works like Jesus Christ in the gospel also for the sake of the mission entrusted to them by the Lord.
In the Gospel also we seen the clearly similar experienced in the life of Jesus being opposed by the Jewish people in Jerusalem and Judea who were against Him and were incensed and angry when he spoke of His truth, that He is indeed the Son of God, the Messiah or savior sent into. As John says in his writing; For God so love the world, He sent his only…whoever believe in him will not die but has eternal life (Jh 3:16). Still, many did not believe in Him, because they admitted that the man they saw before, is mere Son of a carpenter from Galilee, could have been the savior of the world.
Dear friends in Christ, the readings of today continue to prepare us for the celebration of the Lords passion, His suffering, death and resurrection which we will all focus on throughout the Holy Week next week after the Palm Sunday. Therefore, we have heard all the trials and challenges that the faithful servants of the Lord had to endure in their works of faith, the ultimate trial in His passion, His crucifixion and death. All of us as Christians must remember the Lords words, that His disciples, we have to carry our crosses daily and follow him.
Are we ready to enter into the mystery of the Lords passion, the most important events happening throughout the Holy Week leading to Easter? Are we able to focus our attention on Him and all that He had done for the sake of our salvation? Or are we going to remain stubborn and obstinate in the manner of how the Jewish people, especially the members of the Sanhedrin had done, in opposing the Lord and his truth? Are we going to continue living in the state of sin, and walking down the path towards our destruction and death?
Let us pause for a while and reflect inwardly how far we have journeyed with the Lord so far towards achieving joyous Easter celebrations of the suffering, death and the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. May God help us all and assist us more with the gift of faith to begin Holy Week in a sober reflections of our journeying with the Lord.