HOMILY FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME AND THE 25TH PRIESTLY ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY OF VERY REV. FR. DR. MATTHEW IHENSEKHIEN, VERY REV. FR. DR. JOSEPH OKOJIE, and VERY REV. FR. DR. VINCENT OJO, AT THE SEMINARY OF ALL SAINTS UHIELE EKPOMA (FEB 4TH 2024)
1. The healing ministry of Jesus: Today’s gospel presents us with the healing ministry of Jesus. The healing ministry of Jesus, as recorded in the synoptic gospels, shows Jesus’ commitment to restore the whole person to God and not a mere focus on a single dimension of healing. As we have it in today’s gospel, it involves preaching, teaching, praying, visitation, healing, and deliverance. Thus, the healing ministry is all-encompassing. The background for this engaging ministry is found in Isaiah (Is. 61:1) and manifested in Luke 4:18. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, and to declare the year of God’s favor. This explains the mission of Jesus. A part is not separated from the whole.
Thus, we must understand that the healing ministry of Jesus must not only focus on the physical restoration of a sick person but also the absolute restoration of man to God. Otherwise, of what relevance is the physical restoration of sight if you cannot hold the miraculous vision? Of what relevance is the restoration of your arm if your names are not written in heaven? Mark 8:36 puts it this way: “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul?” while Luke 10:20 says, “Do not be glad because evil pirits submit to you, but be glad because your names are written in heaven.”
2. ANNIVERSARY: We are discussing the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and, by Providence, celebrating the priestly ministry of three of our great priests. VERY REV. FR. DR. MATTHEW IHENSEKHIEN, VERY REV. FR. DR. JOSEPH OKOJIE, and VERY REV. FR. DR. VINCENT OJO. They have been involved in ministry for the past 25 years. I start by saying thank you to you, Fathers, for accepting to be priests. And congratulations for staying faithful and remaining in the priesthood for these past years. I must confess that, at your ordination, some of us were not yet born, while many of us here were just kids. For example, I was just eight years old when you were married. That means a lot for you and for us. So, these are the true fathers: daddy and papa. Your ministry has been a source of blessing to many. Like Jesus, you have been involved in preaching, teaching, praying, and even deliverance. You have delivered many from ignorance. We came here possessed with ignorance and arrogance, but through your formation, you eliminated and illuminated us. Formation is a business of elimination and illumination. This is the true healing center; others are cultural. The biggest demon in the world today is not spirit husbands or wives, but ignorance and arrogance. You can’t come to this place and remain the same. So, the psalm of today says, Praise be to God who heals the brokenhearted. It is believed that when the heart is restored, the whole human being is alive.
3. The Reminder: As you celebrate your anniversary, permit me to remind about the following. The priesthood exalts, the priesthood exaggerates, and the priesthood exposes (Fr. Innocent Elogie calls this the three Es of the priesthood).
3.1. The priesthood exalts: Hebrews 5.1: “Every high priest is chosen from among men and appointed to serve God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.” Through this divine choice and appointment, we are exalted. We become God’s ambassadors and are specially set apart as peculiar people, not regular people (1 Peter 2:9). This particularity is seen in all things, even in our lack of conventional dwelling (Matt. 8:20). The priesthood is a position that exalts a person by conferring honor, prestige, or elevated status. This is the ontological and sufficient exaltation of the priesthood. Anything more than this is evil. In fact, Jesus says in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” You have already been exalted; do not seek to be exalted. James and John, who sought to be exalted in Matthew 20:26–27 Jesus said to them, Whoever desires to be great must be your servant. Whoever wants to be first must be your slave. Hence, grateness is not the number of servants we have but the number of those we serve. The desire to be exalted leads to pride and arrogance, potential disregard for others (they can’t collaborate), and vulnerability to disappointment (if external validation is not received, they feel dissatisfied and depressed). and this is dangerous for your stage and age.
3.2. The priesthood exaggerates: Exaggeration means overstating or embellishing the qualities or significance of something. As alter boys back in the day, we used to think that the priest was a superman. He does not sin, feel weak, or be angry. He is rich, he is well connected, and at home and abroad, everybody honors him. These were exaggerations, and funny enough, many of us are living in these exaggerations. Healer, Prof., Spiro, Master, Erama, Baba; the older you are in the ministry, the more money you will have. Beloved, it is our duty to take care of our priests and desist from living in the exaggerated mode.
3.3 The priesthood exposes: From the very day we answered the present and proceeded to the sanctuary, we have been on the stage. We are constantly on the stage. Being on stage is a revelation of our qualities and capabilities, strengths and weaknesses, our private and public lives, character and credibility, temperament, and judgement. It exposes us to privileges and dangers. It exposes us to emotional and mental health, burnout and stress, isolation and loneliness, criticism and conflicts, accusations and suspicion, men and women, spiritual warfare, threats and violence, You may be getting old, but the light is not getting old. This consciousness should challenge our conscience, lest we slide off track! As you forge ahead into the future, kindly remain a priest for God’s people.
Fathers, we celebrate you. We celebrate your constructive skills, your fatherly love, your friendship, your patience, your songs, stories, laughter, and smiles. We celebrate your resilience and courage despite the discomfort for many years. (SA Anthem)
From the sanctuary to the gallary,
You revealed the truth to Calvary,
From the class to the pulpit, you explained it.
With chalice and stole, you have served.
With pen and notes, you preserved the truth.
We celebrate your honesty and integrity.
Renowned formators and true mentors
Even on the playground, you showed the way.
We celebrate your friendship and patience.
Your academic papers were never a pay pass.
Through your divine debate, we understood our faith.
We celebrate your quest and findings.
True counselors can’t sell us.
True teachers, true preachers
We celebrate your wisdom.
Hymn:
Join we now as friends and celebrate.
The brotherhood we share is all one.
Keep the fire burning, kindle it with care,And we’ll all join in and sing.
Chorus……
Let us make the world an alleluia. Let’s make the world a better place.
Keep a smile handy, have a helping hand, and let us all join in and sing.
