DAILY HOMILIES #unity

Nigeria is ranked as one of the most religious countries in the world. However, Isaiah’s prophecy about Isreal is true of Nigeria – “these people draw near with their mouths and honour me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.” (Isaiah 29:13). Nigeria is a nation badly in need of repentance. If Jonah were to visit Nigeria today, his message would be simple: “Forty days more, and Nigeria shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4). This is a message we must hear as we celebrate our independence today.

The sad reality is that just as the Jews did not believe (even Jesus’ disciples doubted), many Christians today still cannot pick a side as to what they believe - whether the devil or God. Some of us still fear the devil more than God. We must ask ourselves: Which kingdom do I belong to? If I say I belong to God, do I live by the principles of God’s kingdom?

Apart from the Gentile converts, a large number of those who embraced Christianity were Jews who believed that Jesus was truly the long-awaited Messiah, but those who didn’t believe felt threatened and sought ways to end the spread of Christianity among Jews. However, in their attempt to stop Jews from converting to Christianity in their numbers, the Jewish authorities suffered many setbacks. One of such setbacks was their lack of unity.

Paul looked into the future while addressing the elders (pastors) at Ephesus concerning fake pastors whom he described as ‘fierce wolves.’ Jesus also saw the future when He spoke of the world’s hatred against His disciples. Today, this hatred no longer comes from external forces but from fierce wolves in sheep's clothing operating from within the church

What Qualities Make Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd? In today’s Gospel passage from John 10:11-18, Jesus provides four answers to this question: 1. Sacrifice - “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (verse 11). 2. Knowledge - “I know my own, and my own know me.” (verse 14). 3. Unity – “I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, so there shall be one flock, one shepherd” (verse 16). 4. Power – “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (verse 18)

We can read John 3:16 in this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave us His Body and Blood that whosoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood would have eternal life and be raised on the last day.” (cf. John 6:54). In other words, today we are celebrating God’s greatest gift to humanity; the gift of Himself made readily available in the Holy Eucharist.

All these arguments about the Blessed Virgin Mary, the use of images in the church, the number of books in the Bible, etc. etc., what good has it done? You ask if I have given my life to Christ, and I tell you I am a Catholic, the next thing, you start trying to convince me that I will go to hell. You don’t believe in my doctrines, does that stop you from loving me as your fellow Christian? Why this hatred and animosity in our hearts?

If Satan succeeds because of his internal unity, we the body of Christ should not allow disunity to break us apart. When we are united, it is difficult for anyone to destroy us. Jesus says “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man.” Is it the case that Jesus is referring to Satan as a strong man? Of course, by strength, Jesus is referring to unity. What makes us strong is our unity.

HEAVEN HAS NO BRANCHES. Heaven is one place, there are no separate departments in heaven, there are no branches in heaven, and there is no such thing as Catholic Heaven, Pentecostal Heaven, or Redeemed Heaven. It is the same Jesus Christ that we serve; there is no Catholic Jesus as separate from Pentecostal Jesus.

Man’s opinion about you may be damaging but it is God’s opinion that matters. The name people call you is just an identity, it does not define your essence. The fact that people are laughing at you or insulting you does not make you a loser. Let God have the last word.

Jesus has given us His own flesh and blood, it is because He knows that as our bodies need food to survive, our souls also need the Eucharist to survive. The more we strive to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, the more we strive to live a sinless life and the more we receive Jesus, the more we become strengthened with more grace and power to be holier Christians. Do not stay away from communion, it is your ticket to eternal life.

Wherever it occurs, disunity prevents people from facing a common enemy. Think about this, if only the Pharisees were united in thought and doctrine with the Sadducees, perhaps they would have been able to put an end to the missionary enterprise of Paul but they couldn’t stop him. In our Gospel passage, Jesus is praying for unity among his followers. Even in the prayer, Jesus highlights the scandal of disunity when he says “. . . MAY THEY ALL BE ONE . . . SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SENT ME.”