THE IMPERATIVE OF READING AND PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD IN WORD AND WITH OUR LIVES

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JANUARY 28, 2024, AT ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHUKUKU, FCT. HOMILY BY ARCHBISHOP I. A. KAIGAMA.

Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

THE IMPERATIVE OF READING AND PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD IN WORD AND WITH OUR LIVES

It is my great pleasure to be welcomed by Rev Fr. Charles Eketelu, and his team of collaborators, the candidates for confirmation, the man and woman to be joined in holy matrimony and indeed, all the parishioners of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Chukuku, for this my first pastoral visit to pray with and for you that all of you may continue to be united in Christ as we prayed during the week of Christian unity: “That all may be one” (Jn. 17:21).

Where the Bishop is, there is the Church,” according to St. Ignatius of Antioch. Today the Church of Abuja Archdiocese is in Chukuku. The Archbishop is here to confirm 108 parishioners and to commission 525 people from different parishes in the Archdiocese as lectors. Lectors proclaim the word of God during Liturgy and try their best to witness to the Word which they proclaim. We are grateful to these Catholics who have volunteered to be officially commissioned as lectors. God uses them to communicate His word loudly, clearly, slowly and solemnly to other brothers and sisters.

You may ask why we had to come to Chukuku? This is my first time to Chukuku for a pastoral visit. The visit had been arranged long before the chaplain of the lectors asked me to preside at this ceremony. Since I could not abandon the commitment in Chukuku, I asked if the lectors could join me and exercise their ministry of announcing the Word beyond the pulpit of their churches; to reach out to an area that is new and struggling to survive; to see for themselves that our Archdiocese goes beyond Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse and the Central Area, and that there is a lot of work to be done by every baptized Catholic who lives or works in Abuja. With me today the lectors are exploring the ecclesiastical geography of Abuja Archdiocese by coming to such an area in the periphery of the FCT.

Your baptismal mandate should go beyond just being cultural Catholics, namely, because your parents were Catholics, so you are a Catholic. You cannot be a mere Mass-going Catholic and being simply happy to be a “come and go Catholic” or to read when there is a big gathering of Catholics instead of being actively involved in the Church. As lectors you must make special effort to deepen your knowledge of scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to use you as you read God’s Word without any distractions by the way you appear or read.

Those for confirmation like the lectors must also read the word of God privately. It is fruitful to dedicate some time each day doing at home the Lectio Divina, i.e., the prayerful reading of scripture. Translating what we read into our daily life, makes us become the Gospel that others can easily read and understand.
In the gospel today, Jesus entered the synagogue in Capernaum and taught with authority, unlike the scribes. An unclean spirit possessing a man acknowledged the authority of Jesus before the man was set free from the demon (cf. Mk. 1:25). We can see that Jesus used His authority not to entrap or suppress, but to set people free from evil. The authority given to us is of service.

Today, authority is abused for personal gains. Leaders prioritize their own interests over the needs of others. The authority of Christ is an authority that uplifts, heals, and unites. As followers of Christ, we must imitate His example of humility and servant leadership. This means treating everyone with dignity, respect, and compassion, regardless of their social status or background; to build bridges instead of walls. There is no room for competition for power or visibility in serving in the Church. You are called to cultivate the inner life of faith, to act in a synodal way, whether as choir master, CWO leader or president of the lectors.

To those to be confirmed and to the parishioners of Chukuku and indeed, the entire Archdiocese we are called today by this commissioning of lectors to remember that the Word of God is the vitamins for our souls. Develop the habit of reading the Word of God daily. Catholics are often accused by others of not reading the Bible. The meaning of the triple sign we make when the priest or deacon announces the gospel reading: “Glory to you O Lord,” while tracing the sign of the cross on the forehead, the heart and the lips, means you are ready to proclaim the word of God not only in words but in action.

The readings today focus on divine authority as exercised in the messages of the prophets in the Old Testament, in the writings of the apostles in the New Testament and by the teachings and healing ministry of Jesus in the gospels. A true Christian speaks with moral authority, an authority that seeks to uplift, heal, and unite, imitating Christ’s example of humility and servant leadership.

St. Paul in the second reading exercised his God-given authority as Apostle to the Gentiles when he taught the Corinthians that marriage is a vocation of life-long partnership. Those who claim that the Catholic Church has approved same-sex marriage are mischievous. Marriage remains a permanent bond between a man and a woman, open to the procreation and education of children.

Let us spare some time to pray for the peace of Mangu Local Government Area in Plateau State as well as other troubled areas in our nation. Daily, many people are kidnapped or murdered, and their properties destroyed, and more threats to violence are even announced publicly. We have seen very disturbing photos and videos of how villages were attacked, and people butchered. Even within the Federal Capital Territory, the streets are becoming unsafe with the passing of every day. There is a lot to be done by the security forces, the government, and other stakeholders, beyond merely routinely condemning these acts of criminality.

As the psalmist advises us not to harden our hearts, we pray that the Word of God whether from the Koran or the Bible will dwell in our hearts to dispel all the evils and wickedness of our time.