DAILY HOMILIES #dead

At the death of a person, there is usually grief and sadness, especially from his close friends and family members, but no sooner have the tears dried up than the person is completely forgotten! It is as though they never existed. Nothing can be more painful than knowing that a time will come when no living person will remember you anymore. Thank God the Church set aside this day for the living to remember the dead.

The human body has different parts, and so does the body of Christ. All these parts have specialised functions and work together to keep us alive. We are not all Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Musicians, etc. We are not equally gifted. Some can work miracles; others can speak in tongues and interpret these tongues. Instead of fighting each other, let us learn to use our gifts for the benefit of all.

God is merciful, but we must first acknowledge our faults and beg for His forgiveness to access His mercy. If Ahab tried to justify his actions or cast blame like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he would have died that day. There is no short supply of mercy in God’s reservoir; the problem is our refusal to ask for it – the problem is our pride.

Lent is finally over. Am I also in haste to move on with my life? No more Stations of the Cross, no more fasting and abstinence. Am I going to return to my old habits and vices? Mary Magdalene refused to move on. Her actions proved she was a true friend of Jesus. She was among the Women of Jerusalem who wept for Jesus while the crowd cheered and mocked, but when others moved on, she went to the tomb early in the morning

Today, our Psalmist sings: “For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hopes of the poor ever perish.” When it seems like evil people are succeeding, don’t worry, keep trusting in God, don’t give up hope, and stop being good.

Today is not a day of tears. Rather, it is a day for prayers. Try to attend Mass or at least pray the rosary, no matter how busy you are. Visit the Blessed Sacrament and say the Lord’s Prayer, even for just one minute. Just take time to pray; pray for the dead. Pray for the souls in purgatory. This is why many masses are celebrated in every Catholic Church today.

Today, we particularly remember the saints we know: fellow Nigerians, relatives, heroes and heroines. They may not have been officially declared saints, but we believe they are in heaven, given how they lived. That is why a day like this is set aside to celebrate not just the Europeans whose faces appear each time we type “saints” on Google but also the many Africans who may have been forgotten due to our poor record-keeping culture.

God has truly visited his people. This is the meaning of the name “Emmanuel.” God is with us. There is no problem or difficulty worth taking your life. Present the matter to God in prayer and be sure that Jesus, who raised the dead, will make a way where there seems to be no way.

What we are celebrating today is HOPE. Hope that it is not yet over for the dead. Hope that one day, when we too depart, there would be people around here praying for us. Death is not the end. It is only a passage; a new beginning and our prayers go a long way to affect what comes to a person after they have died.

It is not in our place to wonder whether others would remember us, all we must do is to ensure that we follow the path Jesus has traced for us; that we live according to the beatitudes contained in today’s Gospel passage; that we wash our robes clean – clean of sin, clean of pride, clean of selfishness; that we love our neighbor as ourselves.

In pain and disappointment, Mary and Martha buried Lazarus. It is not easy to speak of faith when we are faced with serious challenges; when prayers are not answered or when tragedies strike. When Mary and Martha were still mending their heart-aches, Jesus showed up. He asked Martha this question: “Do you believe?” Now imagine yourself in Martha’s shoes. what would your response be?