12/14/24 - Sermon For the Christmas Party at SAMS

Saint Aloysius’ Minor Seminary (SAMS), Kitiwum

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Dear parents, dear students, my dear brothers and sisters,

I want to welcome you to this Christmas Party celebration for 2024. I had to change the time for this Holy Mass from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. I am sorry if the change has caused some inconvenience. Still, I wanted to see how possible and feasible it would be for me to be present for two events in two different locations: the Christmas Party here at SAMS and the ceremony for the roof finishing of the New Church in Nkanchi Village. I am sorry I will be absent for the rest of the celebration, but I will be with you in spirit.

For many, Christmas means big, jovial meals with family and friends, singing seasonal hymns in church, and exchanging gifts. For some generous souls, it also means serving meals to the poor or visiting lonely people in hospitals or nursing homes. Gift-giving was part of the Christmas story at the dawn of salvation. The Shepherds brought the gift of themselves to Jesus and were the first to sing the praises of the new-born King (Lk.2:9-20). The Magi brought the most expensive gifts to Jesus. "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell and worshiped Him. And when they opened their treasures, they presented gifts unto Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh" (Matt. 2:11).  However, we need Christ to come to our hearts.

It is terrific to exchange and give gifts at Christmas, but for a deeper understanding, let us turn to St. Augustine and St. John Henry Newman. For both, the coming of Jesus is directly linked to the doctrine of original sin—that “terrible aboriginal calamity,” Newman calls it, “which brought about humanity’s state of alienation from God and continues to serve as a breeding ground for personal sins. The Incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas, is God’s chosen means of undoing this terrible damage through the redemptive, grace-giving life of Jesus Christ.”

Against this background, Augustine, in his Christmas homilies, enjoys marshaling paradoxes to illustrate “the humility of God.” He, therefore, speaks of the newborn Savior as “unspeakably wise, wisely speechless as an infant; filling the world, lying in a manger; so great in the form of God, so small in the form of a servant, in such a way that neither the smallness diminished the greatness, nor the smallness overwhelmed by the greatness.” Let us remember that the Savior of the world was born in a manger, and as they say in pidgin English, “for inside beef them chop box.” The people did not have space for Mary and Joseph at the inn despite Mary's condition. Mary and Joseph did not insult the people but quietly sought refuge in a cave.

And to what end? Augustine’s answer is: “Unless he had a human birth, we would never attain the divine rebirth; he was born that we might be reborn….His mother bore him in her womb; let us bear him in our hearts. The virgin was big with the incarnation of Christ; let our bosoms grow big with the faith of Christ. She gave birth to the Savior; let us give birth to praise. We mustn’t be barren; our souls must be fruitful with God.” Jesus did not count his equality with God as a thing to be grasped but emptied himself and took the form of a servant to live our human condition except sin, but God raised him on high so that in his name, every knee must bow (cf. Phil. 2:6ff). Let the giving of gifts and the not giving of gifts spoil the spiritual meaning of Christmas.

Writing fourteen centuries later, John Henry Newman offers much the same account of Christmas in his inimitable fashion. After the fall, he points out, the Second Person of the Trinity “might have remained in the glory he had with the Father before the world was. But that unsearchable Love, which showed itself in our original creation, rested not content with a frustrated work, but brought him down again from His Father’s bosom to do his will and repair the evil which sin had caused.”

The first Christmas wasn’t the end, but the beginning, since it remains for us to complete the work of redemption in ourselves. Here’s Newman again: “The first grace is faith, the last is love; first comes zeal, afterward comes loving-kindness; first comes humiliation, then comes peace; first comes diligence, then comes resignation. May we learn to mature all graces in us—fearing and trembling, watching and repenting because Christ is coming; joyful, thankful and careless of the future because he comes.”

So, dear friends, Christmas most certainly does mean big, happy family dinners, familiar carols and hymns, gift-giving, and acts of kindness performed for the needy and the sad. Pile on the Christmas trees, the holiday wreaths, the familiar music, and enjoy every blessing. But amid it all, let’s keep the eyes of our hearts fixed on that tiny figure in the manger. Ultimately, nothing we do would count significantly if he hadn’t come to celebrate that first Christmas with us. Let us think of the things that will block Christ from entering hearts at Christmas: hatred, jealousy, envy, stinginess, lies telling, theft, calumny, lack of forgiveness, licentiousness, and a life of indiscipline could be obstacles to Jesus coming into our hearts. We need to cast that off and embrace the spirit of love and forgiveness, justice and peace, unity and solidarity, kindness, gentleness, magnanimity, joy and happiness, generosity and charity, and work to deepen our faith in the One whom we welcome at Christmas, Jesus Christ, our Savior.

In Jeremiah 23, we read, “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise for David a righteous Branch …. when men no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but as the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of the north country and out of all of countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their land” (Jer 23:5-8).

What does this passage mean? If God was powerful enough to bring His people out of Egypt and Babylon, where they were enslaved, back to the promised land, then He has the power to bring us back when we are enslaved by sin. This is why Zechariah said after his tongue was loosed, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people to set them free” (Luke 1:68). Jesus Christ gives us freedom from sin.

This is what Christmas is all about: the Son of God becoming the Son of Man to set us free from being slaves to sin that leads to death. Not many people were aware of His birth in a cave in Bethlehem. And while on earth, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10). Unfortunately, Christmas for many is a secular holiday devoid of the divine. It is tempting to believe that only a minority of people know and have a relationship with Jesus, “but to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12).

This Christmas, may we never forget that if God had the power to bring His people out of slavery while in Egypt and Babylon, He has the power to get any one of us back to Him no matter how far we have wandered, no matter what we are enslaved by. Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son? We only need to turn to Him in humility. It is never too late. Always remember that the greatest gift God the Father ever gave is the gift of His Only Begotten Son, who gave His life for us to save us from our sins. Let us, likewise, give ourselves to Him this Christmas by purging ourselves of every hindrance to our faith.

Let us thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for saying ‘yes’ when the Archangel Gabriel asked her if she would be the mother of God. If she is the mother of the Head of the Church, she is the mother of the members of the Church. Thank St. Joseph for his steadfast love that Christmas morning and beyond.

I pray you and your families have a blessed and holy Christmas and New Year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon, SD

12/1/24 - First Sunday of Advent, Solemn Vespers for the Advent Season

Saint Aloysius’ Minor Seminary (SAMS), Kitiwum

First Reading:  Jer. 33:14-16

Second Reading: 1 Thes. 3:12-4:2

Gospel: Lk. 21:25-28, 34-36

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Happy New Church’s Year. Thank you for joining the SAMS for these solemn vespers. We are delighted that you can attend despite your other programs. May this moment help us prepare for Christ’s birth by bringing us closer to him in a manner worthy of our Christian vocation.

One part of the Advent story focuses on expectation and anticipates Christ’s birth before Christmas. However, there is more to Advent than waiting for Christ at Christmas. There is also the meaning of Advent and its history.

The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming,” a translation of the Greek word parousia. In the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul (now France), Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and his first miracle at Cana. During this season of preparation, early Christians spent 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration. It was called "St. Martin's Lent" for the 40 days that started on November 11th, the feast of St. Martin of Tours. Initially, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas.

By the 6th century, however, the Roman Catholic Christians began to connect Advent to Christ's coming. But the “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming in the manger in Bethlehem but his second coming in the clouds as the judge of the world. In the late 6th/early 7th century, Pope Gregory I composed many prayers, antiphons, and psalm responses. Many themes and ideas can be traced to the Roman Advent Season. Nonetheless, the Advent season was still not explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas until the Middle Ages.

“On that day…” is a phrase that features in many of the first readings through the beginning of the Season of Advent. The Season starts with a sense of anticipation. The readings from the Book of the prophet Isaiah express the longings of the people of Israel for the coming of the day of the Lord – the day when many of the anxieties and struggles of life are brought to a peaceful resolution. The readings point to a longing Christians understand as finding fulfillment in the birth of Jesus celebrated on Christmas. They also point to a longing that remains in our hearts today.

Jesus came into the world in a manger one day in Bethlehem. Yet a return is awaited, a return in glory when the fullness of the kingdom of God will be made manifest. It is a return that will bring justice, peace, and life our hearts long for. Thus, in Advent, we celebrate:

1. Christ's first coming occurred more than 2,000 years ago, and we await his second coming at the end of time. Thus, Advent has two meanings: the coming of Christ into the World as man (the Incarnation) and the Second coming when He will return. Do not be fooled to hear those saying the end is today or tomorrow. That is one of the mysteries of God known to Him alone. On our part, we are to be ready.

2. The Season of Advent is, thus, divided into two parts:

1. The first part is from the First Sunday of Advent till December 16th, during which we prepare for the Second Coming of Christ.

2. The second part is from the 17th to the 24th of December, preparing us directly for commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas.

1. Advent is a movable season with a changing start date. One way to know the date of Advent is to see that it starts on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) or the following Sunday after the Sunday of the Solemnity of Christ the King. Sometimes, this season can begin as early as November 27 or as late as December 3rd, but it will always go on for four Sundays.

2. Advent is the beginning of the New Liturgical Year. The birth of Christ founded our faith. We are beginning the new calendar year in the Church, Year C.

3. We also celebrate the theme of hope in Advent. The Israelites were hoping for a Messiah, and Christ came into the world. We live with that same expectation. We are hopeful that the Anglophone socio-political crisis will come to an end. Students hope to pass their first term exam even when they are not working hard enough, and we hope that next year, we shall do this or that. A person without hope is dead. The season of Advent helps us to hope in all aspects of life, and we need to hope for the good things in life by doing good and avoiding evil.

4. The season of Advent reminds us that the promises God made in the Old Testament are being fulfilled. There is the Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree, which consists of the symbols of the Messiah coming from the line of Jess (Lk. 3:23-38). We read a lot from the prophet Isaiah during this season, which reminds us that we are hoping for the return of the Lord of Justice and peace.

5. The Advent Season helps us focus on Light instead of darkness. Christ will come to us as the world's Light to free us from the darkness of sin and death. We need to cooperate with that light. Sometimes, we prefer darkness to the light. Darkness here symbolizes evil deeds such as hatred, jealousy, envy, calumny, unjustified anger, telling lies, theft, licentiousness, and stinginess. In contrast, light symbolizes the good things of God: joy, happiness, love, charity, truthfulness, forgiveness, sympathy, kindness, gentleness, politeness, the practice of justice and peace, gratitude, readiness to apologize, and the spirit of listening, not looking down on people because their status quo in life. The list can be inexhaustive.

6. The Season of Advent also prepares us to give at Christmas. When Jesus was born, the Magi brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and Myrrh. The saying that “the more we give, the more we receive” is not only a saying but a reality. Those who practice charity never lack. We give because God has given us first. Some people may say that what they have is their hard work and that those who do not are lazy. Such a mentality shows ungratefulness to God, who gives us everything for free. Some people could want to work hard, but they are bedridden with sickness; some people were once hardworking as well, but they are now handicapped because of an accident or illness. The list may continue, but the bottom line is that they are incapacitated in various ways, and some of these obstacles are man-made, such as government policies that impoverish more people and benefit a few, policies that do not allow some people to progress, while others are living luxurious lives.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives if you are kind. Be kind anyway. If you succeed, you will win some unfaithful friends and genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, I sincerely believe that the good we do for others is storing treasures for ourselves in heaven. It is like a bank. When you save money, it is like you have put it away from you, but the money is kept safe. If you were to be attacked by armed robbers, the money you have in you will be taken away, but what you saved will still be yours. Jesus tells us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal” (Matt. 6:19-20). To store treasures for ourselves in heaven is to do good to others through material gifts, spiritual gifts, moral instruction to those who need it, psychological assistance, and any other way that helps someone to be a better version of himself/herself.

May our preparation during this Advent Season for the coming of Christ at Christmas rekindle our faith and make us committed disciples of Christ in our words and deeds. May our Lord, who bore the eternal Son in her womb, intercede for us and give us something of her unconditional yes, love, generosity, and humility. Happy Advent Season to you all.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon, SD

10/19/24 - PTA Meeting

Saint Aloysius’ Minor Seminary (SAMS), Kitiwum

First Reading: Eph. 1:15-23

Gospel: Lk. 12:8-12

Dear brothers and sisters,

Welcome to Saint Aloysius’ Minor Seminary for the PTA meeting today, Saturday, October 19, 2024. I want to thank all of you for coming and for braving the situation at hand—the crisis. I admire your courage, especially those from distant places like Douala, Yaounde, and Bamenda. I know you have had some bad experiences on the road, but thank God you are here, and we are praying for your safe journey back home.

This is the first time we have held the PTA meeting since the crisis. Roadblocks have been frequent, and kidnappings and killings have been rampant. Coming to this meeting amidst all the uncertainties is an ample testimony to the love you have for your children, the institution, and education. Thank you for your commitment and your passion.

PTA stands for “Parents, Teachers’ Association.” It is used in the Milieu of Education to ascertain that education is the duty of the teachers who teach in class and the function of everyone who works in the school environment and takes care of children at home as a parent or guardian. It is a delicate and holy duty to take care of children, and this must be done with care, love, dedication, and devotion.

In SAMS, we are guided by four pillars of formation: the human, the spiritual, the pastoral, and the intellectual, as well as the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Students and your children are drilled through these pillars and counsels to be well-equipped for societal leadership tasks. Saint Aloysius’ Minor Seminary and Bishop Rogan College Minor Seminary in Buea are different Catholic schools. Other Catholic schools like Saint Augustine, Saint John Bosco, Sacred Heart, Regina Pacis, and Our Lady of Lourdes, just to name a few, can take students who are non-Catholics; the minor seminary is for Catholic boys who have at least a remote intention of becoming Diocesan priests even if not all of them will become priests.

In the Gospel passage today, Jesus says, “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.” We have come here today because we acknowledge Christ as our Savior. You took the courage to come here because you believe He will protect you. How do we recognize Christ, especially during the moment of crisis? We should first pray for the perpetrators of this crisis and those who still support it implicitly, tacitly, or remotely and openly. May God grant them the spirit of conversion.

Dear friends, this meeting is for the parents and guardians to see where their children are schooling, to know the people taking care of them, and to see the environment where the children live. You will learn about the projects we have been able to carry out, which you are supposed to support financially and otherwise. You will learn about every sphere of life in this institution: curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The teaching staff and the auxiliary staff members are the people who care for your children every day. They work hard to take care of the children, and some walk more than 7 to 8 miles to be here. Before leaving the chapel in the morning, breakfast is ready; before classes are over, lunch is ready; and before evening prayer is over, dinner is prepared. Sometimes, I wonder why children here do not perform well in class. They watch other students walk from Kitituwm to Saint Augustine and have no food to eat. They have electricity and water flowing in abundance. We teach them how to use the water system toilets, but some are reluctant to do the right thing. It is, therefore, our joint task to help them to be neat in dress, orderly in presentation, and polite in language.

Dear parents, in today's first reading, Saint Paul says, “Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.” Equally, I thank God for your commitment and love to help the growth of this institution. Your presence here today is proof of your determination to support us in helping your children better. One of the ways of doing this is by prompt payment of fees. Compared to other schools, our costs are the lowest.

As Saint Paul says, we should pray to rise above principality, evil authority, dominion, and power. We must pray for an end to the ongoing Anglophone crisis. It is ravaging our society and preventing progress and development. May God guide you and protect you. May Our Lady, our mother, and mother of the Church, intercede for us. Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

8/22/24 - Memorial of The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint Aloyius’ Minor Seminary (SAMS), Kitiwum.

First Reading: Ez. 36:23-28

Gospel: Mt. 22:1-14

Dear friends, today we celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This memorial was first instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1954. The Catholic Church teaches that “as Christ is King of the world and saves the people from their sins, Mary is queen over the earth because of her role in the story of divine redemption, serving as mother to the Savior.”  The fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary speaks of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This means that Mary is crowned Queen of heaven and earth. Why should she be regarded as queen?

In Africa, and particularly in Cameroon and in some of our traditions, we have traditional leaders who are called “Fon” equivalent to King. A ‘Fon” must be from a royal family and only male children of the royal families become Fons. Their mothers are automatically called Queen mothers and when they play their roles well, they are loved by the people. Their roles are always to solicit the Fon to listen to the pleas of the people and grant their requests. The people will respect the mother of the Fon without hesitation. There is that closer connection with this description and the Kingship of Jesus and the Queenship of Mary.

Pope Benedict XVI draws a closer look at the link between the Kingship of Jesus and the Queenship of Mary. He says, “The small and simple young girl of Nazareth became Queen of the World! This is one of the marvels that reveals God’s heart. Of course, Mary’s Queenship is relative to Chris’s Kingship. He is the Lord whom, after the humiliation of death on the Cross, the Father exalted above any other creature in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth (cf. Phil. 2:9-11). Through a design of grace, the Immaculate Mother was fully associated with the mystery of the Son: in his Incarnation; in his earthly life, at first hidden at Nazareth and then manifested in the messianic ministry; in his Passion and death; and finally, in the glory of his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. Mary is a Queen in her service to God for humanity, a Queen of love who lives the gift of herself to God to enter into the plan of man’s salvation.  She answered the Angel: ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord’ (cf. Lk1:38) and in the Magnificat, she sings: God has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden (cf. Lk. 1:48). She helps us. She is Queen precisely by loving us, by helping us in our every need; she is our sister, a humble handmaid.”

In the Litany of Loreto, Mary is acknowledged with the following titles: “Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Queen of families, Queen of peace.” We can approach Mary and ask for her intercession and then listen to her advice: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn. 2:5).

The suffering people of Anglophone Cameroon, the suffering people of Ukraine, and other parts of the world that are in turmoil ask Mary, the Queen of Peace, to intercede for them. The people of the United States of America ask Mary to intercede for them so that peace may reign in their forthcoming presidential elections. The people who are struggling to make ends meet ask for her intercession.

She, as Queen, will always lead us to Christ, and ask her Son Jesus Christ to grant our needs. May Mary, our Queen, and Mother, intercede for us. Amen

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

7/21/24 - Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Weekend Masses at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish, Springboro, OH (Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 4:00 PM, and Emmanuel Catholic Church, Dayton, OH Sunday, July 21, 2024, at 10:30 AM).

First Reading: Jer. 23:1-6

Second Reading: Eph. 2:13-18

Gospel: Mk. 6:30-34

Theme: Be Selfless Shepherds

The prophet Jeremiah was upset with the way the shepherds treated the sheep during his time. Shepherds and sheep are figures of speech or metaphors for leaders and the subjects or leaders and the people they govern. Leaders are people with goals and good leaders remain focused on those goals and would not allow anything to distract them from their goals.

There is a story about a man who went to Church every morning to pray. There was a pandemic in his city, and the people were poor, sick, suffering, and dying because of the pandemic. He prayed this prayer: “Lord Jesus, you are the divine physician, the God-made man, who came on earth with a mission – to free God’s people from the bondage of sin and death. You cured the sick, you opened the eyes of the blind, you made the lame walk and you cured all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, and you even raised the dead to life, because you cared and had sympathy and great concern for the people. Come to our aid, O Lord, and free us from this pandemic so that your people may prosper once more and continue to give praise to your Holy Name. Raise qualified medical doctors and nurses among us to treat and help to eradicate this pandemic. I asked this prayer in faith through the same Christ Our Lord, Amen.”

One day, as he knelt before the altar to pray, Jesus appeared to him. He was so happy that the Lord had physically appeared to him. Jesus said to the man: “My son, I have heard your prayer but before I answer it, you have to do something for me.” The man replied, “Yes, Lord, I am ready and willing to do what you will ask me to do on behalf of the people. There was a very high mountain in that city and Jesus told him to climb that mountain. He would see someone at the summit of the mountain. Jesus instructed him: “Make sure you say nothing else to the person you will see on that mountain; all you need to do is to say the prayer you have been praying for the past two years.” It took two days to climb to the top of the mountain. When this man got to the top of the mountain, he saw a beautiful girl holding a bag of money. He said to himself, “I will marry this beautiful girl and the bag of money will be ours to begin a new wonderful life. Forgetting what Jesus had told him, he opened his mouth and asked the girl: “Are you married?” At that question, the girl vanished from his sight. He lost everything and had to take two days to walk back to the city with nothing.

When leaders become selfish, they cease to be leaders and become rulers or bosses. A leader relies on God and obeys the Word of God, while a ruler relies on his power and is care-less about God. Leaders build genuine relationships with people based on their ability to inspire, direct, and help others to grow, while rulers build false relations through intimidation, corruption, and dictatorship, and are full of hatred for one another. Leaders remain focused on their goals to help others while rulers remain focused on what will benefit them personally.  Leaders are sympathetic, caring, loving, forgiving, tolerant, compassionate, and happy at the progress of others, while rulers lack empathy, they care less about others, and they seek revenge on those who dear speak against them; they seek to eliminate them

The first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, which concerns the shepherd and sheep, has a thematic connection with the Gospel we just read, which includes the description of the crowd following Jesus “like sheep without a shepherd.”  The prophet Jeremiah uses a common metaphor from the Ancient Near East to speak of human kings and leaders as shepherds to the people (sheep). The shepherds, that is, the leaders, were supposed to take care of their sheep by feeding them, protecting them, caring for them, treating them when they were sick, and guarding them against predators. The leaders at that time were not doing these things. Think of King Ahab who married Jezebel and committed murder to take Naboth’s vineyard. Think of King Nebuchadnezzar who forced his servants to worship false gods. King David was an outstanding leader, but when he became selfish, he committed adultery and murder. These rulers were so unjust, and the lack of justice brought chaos and unrest to the communities.

The world's chaos is great because we have more rulers than leaders. Like the story above, many become selfish and cease from being leaders to being rulers. For example, some of us continue to witness a system of bribery and corruption as if it were normal. What is abnormal is becoming normal. Our cook went to do his ID. When he returned, he noticed that they had attributed the wrong date of birth to him. He went to correct the mistake and he was arrested and detained for trying to forge documents. When we paid the money, they asked us to pay, he was released without making the corrections on his ID. The rich and “powerful” people trample on the poor to remain on top while the poor go wanting.

Due to the failure in leadership, and the fact that the people became stubborn, the Israelites found themselves in exile to Babylon. It should be noted that the sheep too became stubborn to the word of God, and the prophet reminded both the sheep and the rulers of their infidelity to God to no avail.

Thanks be to God, in Jesus Christ, we see a new wave of leadership. When the apostles reported all that they had done to Jesus, Jesus asked them to come to a deserted place and rest. This is a sign of a leader who feels for the people working with and for him. The people who saw them leaving conjectured where they were going and arrived at the place before Jesus and his disciples. When Jesus saw the crowds, he pitied them and began teaching them many things. Jesus is that leader who “broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, ... establishing peace.” Thus, through the cross, he reconciled us with God. He is that selfless leader who gave himself up to death for our salvation. Jesus is that shepherd who cares for his sheep in good and bad times.

Dear friends, we can be like Jesus who taught us to love beyond the limit of friends. As leaders and subjects, we should submit to the will of God and listen to His Word. We need to seek justice for the oppressed and stand out as the voice for the voiceless. The injustices in the world create chaos and cause people to flee looking for greener pastures elsewhere. When the income of working families cannot sustain them, for example, $60.00 or less as a monthly salary, and yet the government spends billions to buy weapons and to use those weapons against the people they govern; how can there be peace? As Christians, we must keep doing what is right by listening and following the example of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. The Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis is a sign of hope and faith for the world. Every good leader should recognize Jesus as the true Shepherd and try to imitate him.

May Jesus give us the grace to live up to our baptismal promises. May Mary, our Mother, and Mother of the Church intercede for us that we may be faithful disciples of Christ as she was; and may the Holy Spirit enlighten our leaders to be true leaders caring for the flock entrusted in their care. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

10/15/2023 - The Inaugural Mass for the 2023/2024 Academic Year

At the beginning of every school year, a date is chosen for the inaugural Mass to be said by the bishop of the diocese of Kumbo who is at the same time, the proprietor of this minor seminary. The inaugural Mass for this new school year, 2023/2024 was slated for October 15th, 2023. As usual, the students came out in fanfare to welcome the bishop at the entrance to the school campus. The welcome was hilarious, and the bishop, Msgr. George Nkuo always enjoys that moment with the students.

After the greetings at Mass, the Rector, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon, read the welcome address to the bishop. The address is put in its entirety below:

WELCOME ADDRESS PRESENTED TO BISHOP GEORGE NKUO, THE BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF KUMBO AT THE INAUGURAL MASS FOR THE 2023/2024 ACADEMIC YEAR OF SAINT ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY (SAMS), KITIWUM

My Lord, Bishop George Nkuo, the Bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo, and the Proprietor of SAMS,

We, the SAMS Community, including the auxiliary staff, the teaching staff, the students, the sisters, the parents, some represented here, and the priests, wholeheartedly welcome you today for the inaugural Mass for the 2023/2024 school year. This new academic Year marks the beginning of the 31st Academic year since the opening of SAMS with the first batch of students on Friday, September 3rd, 1993. Thus, on September 3rd, 2018, SAMS clocked 25, but the silver Jubilee could not be celebrated because of the Anglophone Crisis. This year, on September 3rd, 2023, SAMS was 30 years old.

My Lord, you came as the Bishop of Kumbo Diocese at the beginning of the 14th Academic Year of SAMS, 2006/2007. This new school Year is the beginning of the 18th academic Year within your reign. Within the past 17 years, you have continuously nurtured SAMS even within the seven years of the Anglophone crisis. SAMS was the only school that was not shut down due to your diplomacy and wisdom in handling such unforeseen issues. Within these 30 years, SAMS has produced more than a hundred priests who are serving not only in the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda, but also in the whole country of Cameroon and around the world. We continue to thank God for his mercy and protection.

We can recall that during these years, we lost two students who were actively in school: Nuh Desmond from Fundong in 2002, and Fonsiysi from Mbiame. May they rest in perfect peace. It is too much and so painful to lose two students who are actively in school, but the worse could have happened especially when the crisis started. We have reasons to thank God for his protection and to thank you, our dear bishop for your constant spiritual and material support.

My Lord, SAMS continues to be outstanding in all aspects of priestly formation because of your paternal care, and the dedication of the members of staff, both auxiliary and the teaching staff. We had an honor student who scored 11 As in the ordinary level during the 2023 GCE session. Lesta Bongajum (in absentia) is the second student to score so high since the creation of SAMS. We are grateful to Fr. Michael Nforfi for his commitment, especially to the liturgy.

Saint Ignatius of Antioch was outstanding in defending the unity of the two natures in Christ and he paralleled that unity with the unity of the Church led by a bishop. Pope Benedict XVI, commenting on the Letters of Saint Ignatius said inter alia: “Overall, it is possible to grasp in the Letters of Ignatius a sort of constant and fruitful dialectic between two characteristic aspects of Christian life: on the one hand, the hierarchical structure of the Ecclesial Community, and on the other, the fundamental unity that binds all the faithful in Christ.”

My Lord, we thank you for bringing that unity to the Diocese of Kumbo. You have united the presbyterium of Kumbo as well as the laity. Sometimes, we may have ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see, but the truth you stand for remains. We are trying the best we can to bring up these kids to obey legitimate authority beginning with the obedience of their parents leading to the obedience of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Such obedience brings order and unity to the Church. Your presence here today symbolizes that unity.

We thank you as we call on you to continue to lead us in this Eucharistic celebration.

Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD

Rector, SAMS, Kitiwum

The bishop continued with the Holy Mass. During the sermon, the bishop highlighted the necessity of being hardworking and honest students, for what they are now will repeat itself in their future ministry if they become priests. Being lazy now, telling lies now, cheating now, etc, will reoccur in one’s future life if one does not check that now. By this, the bishop officially inaugurated the academic year 2023/2024. May God guide and protect us throughout this year. Amen.

7/8/2023 - Homily for my father on the occasion of his Memorial Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City, Maryland

First Reading: Wisdom 4:7-15

Second Reading: Revelation: 20:11-21:1

Gospel: Matthew: 11:25-30

Dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends,

We got the sad news of the death of Herbert’s wife. May she rest in peace.

“My time to die has not yet come” (Damian Lon, May 26, 2023). These were the words of my father to me when I went to see him on May 26, 2023.  I took what he said literally not knowing that he was speaking to me about his faith in the resurrection of the dead. What my father was saying was, “my time to die is now, but do not consider this as death, but as life in eternity.” He told me three times that he was not going to die soon, and I went ahead to tell him that what he said was the audacity of hope. So, I told him to keep hoping, and my reasons for saying that was that he should live on for twenty more years.

My father believed that his death will be an entrance into life. In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul says, “If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (1 Cor. 15:13–18). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, “‘We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess’ (Council of Lyons II). We sow a corruptible body in the tomb, but he raises up an incorruptible body, a ‘spiritual body’ (cf. 1 Cor 15:42–44)” (CCC 1017).

The resurrection of the body had been taught and affirmed by the Fathers of the Church. In his letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna said very vehemently, “[W]hoever perverts the sayings of the Lord for his own desires, and says that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, such a one is the firstborn of Satan. Let us, therefore, leave the foolishness and the false-teaching of the crowd and turn back to the word which was delivered to us in the beginning” (Letter to the Philippians 7:1–2 [A.D. 135]).

What gives me joy is the firm faith of my father. His faith was expressed in many ways. He loved people especially children. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Saint Paul gave us the theological virtues: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love or charity. He had nothing but he gave away all he had. He healed people with herbs. He was sympathetic to them when they fell sick. He forgave people their offences, and told everyone to forgive.

In our African culture, those who qualify to be ancestors are those who lived a holy life. The first reading tells us that “an unsullied life, the attainment of old age.” Even though my father was old physically, but he also attained the spiritual age because he lived an unsullied life. He is now living in a new heaven and a new earth – the resurrection from the dead. He is honoring Jesus’ invitation: "Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Through the strength and power of his love he has forever destroyed the power of sin and death for all who trust in his mercy and love. When we look upon the pierced side of Christ, we learn most clearly that “the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them” because nothing can keep us from the love of Christ Jesus (Wisdom 3:1).

Dear friends, we make heaven by the way we live now. If we have something to change, it is now. My father was not a perfect human being and none of us is, but in the name of our Lord, the Lord of mercies, we can strive to be holy. It is, then, with confidence in the grace and mercy of Christ, that we lovingly entrust Pa Damian Lon to him, to the one who died for us, who said, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me” (John 12:26).

Let us pray to the Father of Mercies, Lord of the living and the dead, to welcome Pa Damian into the everlasting life of heaven.

"May the choirs of angels welcome you,” Damian, “and lead you to the bosom of Abraham; and where Lazarus is poor no longer may you find eternal rest.” Amen.

4/16/2023 - Divine Mercy Sunday

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER 2023: DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

First Reading: Acts 2:42-47

Psalm: Ps. 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Second Reading: 1 Pt. 1:3-9

Gospel: Jn. 20:19-31

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. It was in the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland that during the 1930s, a young uneducated nun by name of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska found herself as a member of that Congregation. She came from a poor family that struggled during the years of World War I; so, she was only able to have three years of simple education. Because of all this, she was entrusted with the humblest tasks in the convent to work in the kitchen or in the garden. She did not refuse, and she did all tasks happily.

Good enough, she received extraordinary revelations or messages from our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus asked her to record all the experiences, which she compiled into notebooks that are today known as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, containing God’s loving messages of Divine Mercy. Thus, on April 30th in the year 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sister Faustina Kowalska to be now known as Saint Faustina Kowalska. On that same day, Pope John Paul II declared the 2nd Sunday of Easter as the Divine Mercy Sunday. He also called Sister Faustina, “the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time.”

The word mercy is usually used to mean an act of pardon, such as the cancellation of punishment although when we say, “He is at the mercy of the court,” we mean that one’s fate depends on the decision or judgment of the court to acquit or to sentence. However, Divine Mercy goes beyond the cancellation of punishment.

First, Divine Mercy is “a devotion to Jesus Christ associated with the reported apparitions of Jesus to Sister Faustina Kowalska.” It is a prayer group with the venerated Christological image of Jesus with rays of the rainbow colors gushing out of him to indicate the flow of his mercy to mankind. Through the recitation of the chaplet of Divine Mercy, which gives us access to the mercy of God. There are four promises if we recite the chaplet of Divine Mercy: the promise of defense – Jesus promises to a dying person that he will be their defense, the promise of Mercy at the hour of death not as a just judge but as a merciful Savior, Promise of Hope – pray for sinners as the last hope of salvation, the promise to answer prayers – we will receive everything we ask from God.

The Church teaches that “the Gospel is the revelation of Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners” (CCC 1849). Thus, “Divine Mercy is God’s love reaching down to meet the needs and overcome the miseries of His creatures.” The Bible presents some images of miseries and God’s mercy such as barren women becoming fruitful at the end: Sarah became the mother of Isaac, Rachel became the mother of Joseph, Hannah the mother of Samuel, and Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. God will always show His mercy to His children who cry out in faith to Him.

Today, in the Gospel, Jesus institutes the Sacrament of Confession by giving the power to forgive sins to his apostles: “Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (Jn. 20:23).  To those who wonder why Catholics go to confession to a fellow human being, tell them that it is biblical, and it is the command of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, tell them that God became a human being so that we may be saved easily through the instrumentality of fellow human beings. Therefore, we need the ministry of the priest to execute this function.

Saint Isidore of Seville once said: “Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists of confession. In confession, there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly, do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God.” Dear friends, when we are merciful people, we realize that since God forgives us every time we come to him, we ought to forgive each other as readily as God has forgiven us in Christ. Only when we learn to forgive can we live like the community of believers like the community in the Acts of the Apostles today. They had everything in common and they met frequently for the breaking of bread – that is – the Eucharist. We too are meeting for the breaking of bread, but are we united? Are we able to share with one another what we have? Are we ready to forgive offenses committed against us?

On Divine Mercy Sunday, almost four years ago, my mother died. The exact date was April 28, 2019, which was Divine Mercy Sunday that year. Please, join me to pray for my beloved mother. I wish she were still alive for me to tell her how much she had taught me about Divine Mercy. My mother used to speak her mind and after that she kept nothing in her heart. She was bitter and angry when things were not moving well. She died on Divine Mercy Sunday to be overshadowed by the mercy of God, and second, to teach us to be merciful to one another.

Dear friends, if we ask God for mercy, let us be merciful ourselves. For when we show mercy, we free ourselves of the heavy load of hatred, worries and anxieties. Pope John Paul II said, “There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy – that love, which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of God” (Shine of Divine Mercy in Cracow, Poland on June 7, 1997).

Let us pray that the Spirit of God may help us to rise above our human inclinations “for in justice, we are all condemned, but in mercy, we are redeemed through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

4/08/2023 - Easter Sunday

EASTER SUNDAY

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Psalm: Ps. 118

Second Reading: Col. 5:6b-8

Gospel: Jn. 20:1-9

Dear friends,

Hurray! Easter is here! Happy Easter to everyone!

I wish everyone a wonderful Easter. We have journeyed with Christ in his suffering and so, it is fitting that we rejoice with him in his resurrection. The week, beginning with Palm Sunday (Holy Week) was full of activities and liturgical celebrations which were all geared towards the Easter joy. After Palm Sunday, the priests of the Diocese of Kumbo gathered at the Saint Jerome Biblical and Pastoral Center for their sanctification. They brainstormed on the issue of ongoing formation of priests as a well of deepening their knowledge in what they believed in. They equally talked about the Management of Stress in Priestly Life. These two presentations were a teamwork of Fr. James Ndifon, Fr. Emmanuel Fale, Fr. Augustine Foka, and Fr. Pontianus Tardzenyuy. The final presentation was done by Binju-Nkambe Deanery priests who talked on the Priests as Ministers of God’s Word and Sacraments. Then, they all had a penitential service and individual sacramental confessions. On Wednesday, April 5, we all gathered at the Cathedral for the Chrism Mass – a very thrilling and wonderful celebration where the priests renewed their vows, the oils of Catechumens, of the Sick, and of Chrism were and Christians brought gifts to support the ministry of the bishop.

We entered the Easter Triduum beginning with Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Jesus was having his last moments with his apostles, and the best gift for them was the gift of himself – the Holy Eucharist, and to concretize this gift, he gave the Sacrament of Holy Orders (Ordination), so that in pronouncing the Words of the Master over bread and wine, transubstantiation would take place – they will become his body and blood. Then, he taught them the lesson of humility by washing their feet. Thus, the priesthood is for service. It was also on this night that he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and he suffered the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. We had a class-by-class adoration till midnight to share in his agony. On the morning of Good Friday, you students acted the Passion of Christ so well that the event became so real as if Christ were being crucified at those same moments. We joined at 3:00 PM to celebrate the Good Friday event. Our celebration went on till 4:46 PM and we retired to do other things that were related to the passion of Christ like watching the Passion Movie.

Yesterday, Holy Saturday, we gathered at 9:00 PM to begin the vigil celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. We witnessed the four parts of this celebration: the service of light which began outside and ended with the Easter Proclamation – the Exultet, then the liturgy of the word; after the seven readings from the Old Testament, we sang the Gloria again and rang the Church bells in jubilation and then we sang the Alleluia again to acclaim the Lord in his majesty. Although we did not have Baptism or Confirmation, we, in the third part -Baptismal Liturgy, renewed our baptismal promises, and the celebration culminated with the last part – Holy Communion.

Alleluia Christ is risen! It is fitting that we should rejoice as a people who followed him in the final events of his life that were leading to this great moment.

Many non-Christians believe that the soul is immortal. Even people of no particular religion admit they have an instinctive belief in the afterlife. There is something fundamentally human about this. Something in us knows that death is not the end. There is the general slogan that after death is life.

But Christian faith is more demanding than that. Christian faith reveals much more and demands much more. Christians believe not only in the survival of the soul, but also in the resurrection of the body. We believe that humans are creatures composed of body and soul. These elements are separated at death; the soul is sundered from the body, and so human life cannot continue. But the day will come when soul and body are reunited — and life begins again.

I had a friend in my primary school days. We were both poor, but we were both struggling hard to get an education. He was very brilliant; thanks be to God. We thought we could both become priests, but he had a different vocation and career. After High School, he was given a scholarship to study to become a medical doctor in Britain while I continue to the Major Seminary to become a priest. He graduated as a medical doctor before I was ordained a priest. A year after my ordination, he told me he was coming home to visit. I was so excited that I will see him again. I did not have a car; I would have been the one to pick up from the airport. He took public transport to come home but he reached home in a casket. Their car was involved in a ghastly accident, and he died at the spot. I was the one to do the funeral but could not contain my tears. His mother walked up to me and said: “Father, if you are crying instead of consoling us, what do you expect me to do?” I gathered courage and wiped my eyes to do the Mass. I was wondering what made the mother of my friend so strong! It is faith in the Resurrection.

On Saturday, April 27, 2019, I left Ohio for Baltimore to bury Leonel, the son of Alfred and Benedicta my Cameroonian friends. Their son fell off the bed and was found dead on the floor. He was 31 years old when he died. The funeral was on April 27, 2019. Alfred and Benedicta were in tears and me too. The very next day, Divine Mercy Sunday, April 28, 2019, I boarded an early flight back to Ohio to assist with Confessions at Emmanuel’s Catholic Church, in Dayton, Ohio where I was residing. While in the plane waiting for takeoff, a message came to my phone from the sisters of the Cross in Nkanchi that my mother just died. I flung the phone away, my eyes full of tears. Immediately I got home, I met the good and wonderful pastor, Fr. Angelo Anthony and broke the news to him. He felt so sorry, but I was still able to assist with confessions from 10:00am till Midday. The archbishop of Cincinnati, Mgr. Schnurr Denis came for a confirmation Mass at 2:00 PM. During Mass, the pastor announced to the people that I had lost my mother. I cried and the people cried. I guess, my friend, Jack and his wife Mary Ann Sorra felt the same deep feeling of loss when his dad, William Reybold died. Again, what is it that make us wipe our tears after such a loss? It is faith in the Resurrection. Let us honor our parents when they are still alive. I wish my mom were still alive for me to show her how much I love her, but I believe that she is in the better place.

Resurrection is the rising again from the dead, the resumption of life. The Fourth Lateran Council teaches that all men whether elect or reprobate, “will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear about with them” (cap. “Firmiter”). In the language of the creeds and professions of faith this return to life is called resurrection of the body (resurrectio carnis, resurrectio mortuorum, Greek: anastasis ton nekron).

Our creeds speak of this with greater precision. If we were to recite them in their original Greek, we would say that we believe in the resurrection, not simply “of the body,” but “of the FLESH.” The Greek word for flesh (sarx) was evocative. It could be used to describe the meat hanging in a butcher’s shop.

In the creed it means the meat that hangs on our bones. Back in 1274 the Council of Lyons stated clearly: “We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess.” This flesh will rise. It won’t be something else, or somebody else’s. It will be this flesh, and we will love it as our own.

When Jesus rose again, he rose in the body his mother had birthed — the body that had been crucified. He still had his wounds (see John 20:27), but they no longer hobbled him. Christian poets say that he wore his scars like jewels — like trophies of victory. “The flesh is the hinge of salvation.” So said one of the early Christians. And our Catechism insists on the point: “We believe in God who is creator of the flesh; we believe in the Word made flesh in order to redeem the flesh; we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, the fulfillment of both the creation and the redemption of the flesh” (no. 1015). On the last day we will rise again with our bodies, now glorified.

We believe not just in the survival of the soul, but in the resurrection of the body. We were created to live forever and find peace and satisfaction in a way that is fully human — in both flesh and spirit. We were made for this, and nothing else will do.

The promise of Easter is the promise of such a resolution in life, such fulfillment in God’s presence forever. Let us, therefore, rejoice with Christ’s rising from the dead and let us be an Easter people. Jesus went through those hard moments for our sake. W may have serious problems in life but let us look up at the Cross of Jesus for healing, for resolution, for salvation. May this Easter be a wonderful one for us as we continue to bear witness to him in words, gestures, and deeds. Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

4/08/2023 - Holy Saturday

HOLY SATURDAY: THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT

Reading I: Gn. 1:1-2:2 or Gn. 1:1, 26-31a

Psalm: Ps 104

Reading II: Gn. 22:1-18 or Gn. 22:1-2, 9a, 10-12, 15-18

Psalm: Ps. 16

Reading III: Ex. 14:15-15:1

Psalm: Ps. 15

Reading IV: Is. 54:5-14

Psalm: Ps. 30

Reading V: Is. 55:1-11

Psalm: Ps. Is. 12:2-3,4-5,6

Reading VI:  Bar. 3:9-15, 32-4:4

Psalm: Ps 19

Reading VII: Ez. 36:16-17a, 18-28

Psalm: Ps. 42

Gloria

New Testament: Rom. 6:3-11

Alleluia x3.

Alleluia Chorus

Gospel: Matt. 28:1-10

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Happy Easter to you all!

A story is told of a corpse that was being transported in a casket from Buea to Bamenda. The casket was carried on the carriage of the car, and they were people inside the car. There was a young man who did not have space inside the car, but he was bent on going for the funeral. So, he climbed and sat on the carriage of the car beside the casket. On the way, armed robbers blocked the road and stopped that vehicle demanding money from the occupants of the car. The driver pointed to the casket on the carriage of the car, telling the thieves that he was transporting a dead man. When the thieves looked up, they saw the young man who sat beside the casket and thought that the dead man had come out and was sitting on top of the car. The thieves fled. If the dead man had come out, they would have taken him for a ghost including the occupants of the car. We gather tonight to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus – that he has truly risen from the dead – and he is not a ghost.

This night we celebrate “the greatest and most noble of all solemnities” (Roman Missal, rubrics for Easter Vigil). The readings recall the account of the creation of the universe and put Abraham as the Father of faith and leader of the chosen race, and Moses as the one who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt dry-shod through the Red Sea. We are led into the prophecy of Isaiah who reminds us of the Lord’s invitation to come to the mountain of the Lord. In all, the readings point to the person of Jesus Christ, and us, his chosen people, who share in his death through Baptism in hope of the resurrection into newness of life as Saint Paul tells us today.

We gather tonight, dear friends, to celebrate with an outburst of joy, the being alive of the one who was betrayed, handed over to executioners who brutally murdered him, buried him, and kept soldiers to guard his tomb, but not the soldiers, and not even the heavy stone could prevent him from coming out of that tomb. This coming out was not resuscitation but a resurrection. Resuscitation means coming back to this life as in the case of Lazarus who was raised from death, but Lazarus had to die again. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, “By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection, God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives forever, so all of us will rise at the last day” (CCC 1016).

Dear friends, Christ truly rose from the dead. As the CCC testifies, Saint Paul in about A.D. 56 said, “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve …’ The Apostle speaks here of the living tradition of the Resurrection which he had learned after his conversion at the gates of Damascus.” (CCC 639)

There are proofs of the Resurrection in the Bible. The empty tomb, though in itself not a direct proof of the Resurrection, but still is an essential sign for all (CCC 640). He was not in the tomb as witnessed by the women, then by Peter and the Beloved Disciple, but the linen cloths were still lying there. Thus, the empty tomb suggests that “the absence of Jesus’ body could not have been of human doing and that Jesus had not simply returned to earthly life as had been the case with Lazarus” (CCC640). The appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalene and the holy women, to Peter and the twelve apostles, to the disciples on the way to Emmaus, led the community to exclaim, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon.” The prophecy of Jesus that after three days he will rise came true today. With all these evidence, Christ’s Resurrection is an historical fact (CCC 643). His Resurrection rekindled the faith of the apostles in him. So, our own faith should be rekindled.

Jesus himself sought to prove to the apostles that he was the same person who is now risen from the dead and was appearing to them in a glorified body. He did this by sharing a meal to establish a direct contact with his disciples. He proves to them that he is not a ghost asking them to “verify that the risen body in which he appears to them is the same body that had been tortured and crucified, for it still bears the traces of his passion” (CCC 645). In Jesus’ Resurrection, “he passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space” (CCC 646).

Dear friends, before the coming of Christianity to us, our forefathers believed in life after death. If they did not believe, how would they be calling on the ancestors to intercede for them? Can a dead person hear and answer us if not for the fact that he/she is alive in another way? The resurrection in a Christian sense, coming after the Resurrection of Jesus, tallies with this original belief of all people even before the introduction of Christianity into the various cultures of the world. At death, we celebrate life; that is why we even have elaborate death celebrations (Cry-die).

Tonight, we stand to bear witness to the Resurrection and to say that it is the raison d’être of our faith. We stand to say that we are a believing people, and that the Resurrection of Christ points to our own Resurrection. So, we can say with St. Paul that alive or dead, we belong to the Lord. As people who belong to the Lord, we shall not fear death in such a way as to lose our faith in the Risen Lord. Again, our land is full of bloodshed. Today, let us pray that the risen Lord may come to our aid and put an end to this violence. We remember those who have died during this crisis and because of this crisis, praying that they may rest in peace. Amen.

-Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

4/08/2023 - Good Friday

GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION: SERMON

First Reading: Is. 52:13-53:12

Psalm: Ps. 31

Second Reading: Heb. 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Gospel: Jn. 18:1-19:42

Dear friends,

Yesterday, at the last supper, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Ordination so that after he has gone physically, he will remain spiritually with us. His real and substantial presence remains with us in the species of bread and wine. Thus, the unbloody sacrifice which began yesterday has culminated today on the cross of the bloody sacrifice of the Son of Man. Jesus sheds blood to save us all.

Yesterday, we talked about the main events we are celebrating during the Easter Triduum: The Last Supper, the Lord’s Passion, and the Lord’s Resurrection. Today, we are remembering his passion. This morning, you students performed so well on the passion play. We did the stations of the cross from the valley to the hills of SAMS, Kitiwum. We felt a little bit of discomfort climbing that hill. Let us remember that Jesus did with the crown of thorns on his head, the heavy cross on his shoulders, the brutality of the soldiers all around him, but he did not give up; he forged ahead and finally reached the place of his crucifixion.

When we look up at the Figure on the cross, what do we see?

Pontius Pilate saw someone, a Jewish leader who was embedded in obscurity, he could not understand him. The chief priests saw someone who was a troublemaker; the passers-by saw a common criminal dying a shameful death and mocked and laughed at him. Mary saw her only Son being led to the slaughter; the disciple Jesus loved, saw a closest friend dying. Simon Peter saw someone he loved but fear overwhelmed him to confess his faith in Him at that crucial moment. Maybe the rest of the disciples were still figuring out whom they were seeing, but the soldiers saw someone who must die because he was causing people to turn attention away from them and believe in him.

We, when we look at the Figure on the cross, or generally, when we look at the cross what do we see? Maybe some of us are seeing only the cross and wondering why they have to struggle to bring such a heavy image into the Church. Some may see the head bowed down and the eyes closed; someone may see the thorns pressing on his head and blood oozing out. One can see the holes made by the nails in his hands and feet. Maybe I am seeing someone who spoke of love of God, love of neighbor, love of enemies. He has carried that love to the cross to die to save us all. Yes, when I look at him on that Cross, I see the ultimate love, supreme love. The question now is, how am I supposed to reciprocate this love? Last evening, he told us; “If I your Lord and master, has washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.” Or “I have given you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you.”

Dear friends, I will keep saying this repeatedly. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ must love in the most difficult moments. Jesus demonstrated this sacrificial love, the agape love, by accepting the shameful death on the Cross. While on that Cross, he was still able to forgive his executioners: “father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Let us see love on that Cross. I am not imposing, but anyone with the eyes of faith will see love on that Cross.

The Anglophone crisis has touched us to the core of our being. All we see around us seems to be misery, suffering and deaths. When we look at the Cross of Jesus, the picture will change. We will see love and find reasons to love even those who have treated us or are treating us badly. The soldiers and the rebels have both killed, kidnapped, raped, tortured, burnt houses and businesses, looted property, they maimed, they block roads and businesses, yet they ask for money that would have been gotten from those businesses. They have closed schools, and many children whose parents cannot afford to relocate are forced to stay at home, and in such situations, we have seen great misery; 12 years old girls are getting pregnant. Everyone is angry about what is going on, but we can do nothing since the power to speak and do remains in the hands of the gun owners.

The only thing that will free us from this dungeon is love. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Love until it hurts. Real love is always painful and hurts: then it is real and pure.” This love must come from loving Christ first whom we should love above all others. Saint Augustine said, “whatever and whomever we love, we must not love them more than we love Christ.”  The point here is that we should not love someone, something here on earth as to take ourselves away from our ultimate end who is God. That is why Saint Augustine went on to distinguish between divine love, lawful human love, and unlawful human love. Yes, this distinction is very important as we need to avoid acts of infidelity in the name of love. Jesus summarizes the ten commandments into love of God and love of neighbor. The first three commandments talk about the love of God and rest talk about love of neighbor.

Thus, if you love your neighbor, you will not disrespect your parents and your elders, you will not kill, you will not commit adultery, you will not tell lies, you will not bear false witness, you will not covet your neighbor’s wife and you will not covet your neighbor’s goods. Any of these will be the unlawful type of love which Saint Augustine talks about. Rather, we should love even the people who are holding the guns and harassing us, we should share the little we have with them.  This love will dispel the darkness of hatred, and envy in our land.

As we journey with Jesus today in his supreme act of love, let us pray that we may be drawn to love as he did even to the point of dying on the Cross to save us all. Let us pray that we may be able to deepen our faith in him and do as he commanded – love one another as I have loved you. We share conquer because we are a loving people. May the love of Christ in all its richness fill our hearts and enkindle in us the fire of that same love. Amen.

- Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

4/07/2023 - Holy Thursday

EASTER TRIDUUM

HOLY THURSDAY EVENING MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER: SERMON

First Reading: Ex. 12:1-8, 11-14

Psalm: Ps. 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

Second Reading: 1 Cor. 11:23-26

Gospel: Jn. 13:1-15

Dear friends,

Today, in the Catholic Churches, the world over, we begin the celebration of Easter Triduum. Triduum comes from Latin which means three days. Originally this refers to Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. This is a period during which the Church traces the final days of Jesus’ life, his suffering, his death, and his resurrection from the dead. Each of the days is traditionally marked with a particular liturgy. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explains the Easter Triduum thus:

“It is the summit of the liturgical Year – from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. The singly celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten season and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil. The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:

• Mass of the Lord’s Supper

• Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

• Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Beginning with the Easter Triduum as its source of light, the new age of the Resurrection fills the whole liturgical year with its brilliance. Gradually, on either side of this source, the year is transfigured by the liturgy. It really is a ‘year of the Lord’s favor.’ The economy of salvation is at work within the framework of time, but since its fulfillment in the Passover of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the culmination of history is anticipated ‘as a foretaste,’ and the kingdom of God enters into our time” (CCC 1168).

Today, we celebrate the first of the three days which is called Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday. Maundy is from the Latin mandatum which means ‘command.’ It is so called because on this day during the Last Supper, he gave his final command of love to the apostles: “A new commandment, I give you that you love one another as I have loved you.” He summarized that love during the last supper with his apostles:

1. He instituted the Holy Eucharist – giving himself to us as food for our salvation.

2. He instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders – to be given to men who will continue to reenact this Holy Sacrifice of offering bread and wine to become the body and blood of Christ.

3. He washed the feet of the Apostles – a great sign of humility and love, introducing leadership for service in a very practical way. The water is a symbol of Baptism.

It was also after that dinner that Judas betrayed Jesus. It was that night that Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane and the sweat dropped from his body as blood. That is why we are called to spend at least an hour with Jesus after Holy Mass tonight.

Dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends, during this celebration, let us renew our faith in the two sacraments Jesus instituted at the Last Supper: Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders. It is through the ministry of the priest that Holy Eucharist is made available to us, that Jesus is brought to us. Without the priest, there will be no Holy Eucharist. Let us think of the faith of our first Christians in the Eucharist. When bishop Joseph Shanahan walked a thousand miles from Nigeria to Cameroon, and when it was time for him to go back, the Cameroonian Christians led to the shore of the sea and their one cry was: “Please, Father, come back quickly and bring Jesus to us.” Please, pray for your priests that they may be worthy ministers of the Word and Sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist. Let us pray that the world may recognize the importance of the priesthood and pray for more vocations.

This priesthood is for service. That is why Jesus washed the feet of the apostles. He, their Lord, and Master, was the one washing their feet. Even though we shall symbolically wash the feet of some twelve people this evening, the real lesson about this is service; authority and/or power is for service. We serve God by loving and serving one another. Christ served even to the point of death, the shameful death of the Cross which has become the symbol of our salvation. The Cross is our hope of salvation – Ave Crux Spes unica: Hail Cross, our only Hope.

The Last Supper was also Christ’s farewell to his disciples. All of them would run away from him, one would betray him, one would deny him three times before the cock crows. We begin this evening’s celebration recalling all that happened to him, and promising to be different, promising to be with him in good and bad times. Let us pray that we may committed in following Christ all the days of our lives by receiving his body worthily, listening to the good admonition from priests, and being of service to the Lord by loving and serving one another. Amen

- Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon (SD)

1/22/2023 - Silver Jubilee of Sr. Genevieve Epie

THANKSGIVING MASS AT CATHOLIC MISSION NYANGDONG, DIOCESE OF KUMBA, SOUTHWEST REGION, CAMEROON

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

First Reading: Is. 8:23-9:3

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 27:1,4,13-14

Second Reading: 1 Cor. 1:10-13,17

Gospel:  Mtt. 4:12-23

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Today is the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. Today, we have also gathered to thank God for 25 years of saying yes to God’s call by Sr. Genevieve Epie. This day was made by the Lord, we rejoice and are glad.

I have never been to Nyangdong before. I am glad I could make here today. I left Kumbo on Friday after classes to be here. It was difficult to make up my mind to come because I am running a school (Minor Seminary), and only two of us priests are there, and because of the difficult terrain and the distance to come here – to leave one difficult Amba land to another Amba land is a hard nut to crack. However, the power of God is stronger than any obstacle, and love is the only weapon that can dispel the darkness that has flooded our land.

Dear friends,

Theme: “The People who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” We heard these same words on Christmas Day. Christmas was the celebration of Light, who is Christ himself. Today, we hear the same theme of light recurring. Christ the light has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts, and if we cooperate with him, we will be full of light, and the light in us we help to dispel the darkness in others. Christ the Light has shown us what true light is by what he said and did: he proclaimed the Good News to us, he provided food for the hungry, he cured the sick, raised the dead, he forgave sinners and ate with them as a sign that he had accepted their apologies. He saw their remorseful hearts even before they could utter any words to him. Matthew the tax collector, the Mary Magdalene, the Nicodemus, the Zacchaeus, and a host of others, came to Jesus or Jesus called them and they accepted his message and followed him. They left darkness to follow the true Light, Jesus Christ himself.

In the Gospel, at the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus called some of his apostles. He called them first to have an intimate relationship with him, to become his friends, so that he could send them out to preach the God News. They would preach nothing except the Good News, and the Good News is about Him- Christ. In our traditions, we have the Fons, the Chiefs, or in general, the traditional rulers. In my tribe (the Nchaney tribe), when the Fon sends his message to deliver a message, the proclamation of that message is done in direct speech. The message they are giving, though not their own, have become their own too. The same too, during our Baptism, we are made priests, prophets, and kings, ambassadors for Christ, and we are supposed to represent him in everything. The Apostles, except Judas Iscariot, listened to Christ and carried on His message and evangelized the entire world.

When we follow Christ as Christians, we become people of light. When we love as Christ loved, when we are charitable as Christ was, when are compassionate as he was, when we are sympathetic, when we give food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, shelter to the homeless, water to the thirsty, when we visit the sick, the imprisoned, when we forgive and accept forgiveness or accept the apologies of others, when we are honest, transparent, when we pay our debts and owe nobody, when we speak the truth, when we keep to our promises especially those made at Baptism, and the list can continue, then we are truly the people of light reflecting the image of Christ in us.

Dear Sr. Genevieve, on October 28th, 1997, you received your temporally vows and by this you became a member of the Congregation of the sisters of St. Therese of the Child Jesus of Buea, and on December 29th, 2006, you professed your Perpetual Vows/Final Profession, and became a permanent member of that congregation. Priests and religious know that the day of ordination and the day of Profession is not a graduation day; rather, it is the day we say yes in a more perfect way. Bishop Esua used to say that when you receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders at whatever degree, it is like you have entered a house, locked the door and swallowed the key.

Sister Genevieve, right from your conception, I am sure that God prepared you already for this vocation. Your mother used to sell Ekwang to the Baseng Primary School children during their break time. Even when you were near birth, your mother could not stay at home or in the hospital. Nowadays, two weeks or even one month before birth, people want to go to the hospital. Our older parents were working until the child would start coming out. So, during break, your mother went to sell Ekwang, and you told her that it was time. You did not waste time to come out when your mother was rushed to the hospital. You came out healthy unlike some of your siblings who were always sick. For example, since your older brother was always sick, his name was changed from Ebong to Enongene, meaning, “let us just be looking at him.” You are strong to take up the task of strengthening your siblings. That is why you began admiring the sisters especially when they were asked to help in the distribution of Holy Communion. Your admiration led you to finally take a decision to be one of them, and like the Apostles, you said yes to follow Christ. Today, we gather to thank God for your continuous yes to God, and we say, the Lord is good, and all the time, the Lord is good.

You were blessed with good parents. Your father (may he rest in peace (October 17, 2008), was the son of one of the pioneer catechists in our Anglophone zone, Mr. Sango Pius Epie. I read something about the Catechist, Sango Pius Epie. When the Germans were driven out of Cameroon by the French, British and Belgian Coalition, Pa Epie kept the Church going in the absence of the priests. The only thing he lacked was the sacrament of Holy Orders. A Christian came to him to report his Baptism card was missing. Catechist Epie recognized the Christian and called him by name. He told him the name of the priest who baptized him and the exact date he was baptized. When they went to the register, everything was as he said. When your mother married your father, she converted to Catholicism and became one of the staunch Catholic Christians in BASENG. May your father rest in perfect peace, and may you continue to imitate him in his faith.

Surely, all has not been the bed of roses. We know that the rose flower also has thorns. Your primary school years, secondary and high school years, and your further studies in the United States of America surely brought you great joy and great pains. I cannot forget the many times my phone would ring at 1:00 am and I will be like, who is this calling me at this time – and you would simply say, “please, father, help and explain this assignment to me.” In the convent too, you might not have had it easy with yourself and with other sisters. You might not have had it easy as well in your workplace and space, but you are still there as a sister. As you clock 25, it is an occasion to thank God that despite all the hurdles of life, you have kept the faith like Saint Paul. Those moments of difficulties should have made you stronger and that is the spirit we should all adopt. Most of the time, difficulties are but steppingstones to greater things, greater success, and greater opportunities to come. Just that at times, we would hardly realize that fact.

So, after 25 years, what next? It is time to count your blessings and name them one by one. Do not allow negativity to eat you up. Saint Paul exhorts us in the second reading of today’s liturgy, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.” It had been reported to me that there are some divisions among you: “I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas, or I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Religious men and women are supposed to be a unifying force for the rest of mankind. We should be the champions of love and unity among ourselves and others. We should be the champions of forgiveness in words and deeds because we are called to follow our master Jesus Christ who demonstrated his love for us to the point of a shameful death on the cross.

What is it that is causing divisions among us? Is it possible for a sister, a brother, a priest to say to the other, “As far as I am concern, we shall meet only in heaven?” With this type of attitude, are we sure to see heaven? Maybe we should rather say, “See you in hell.” But the person you are bearing a grudge with may not come there. What is it that is bringing division among us? Power mongering? Money? Relationships? What is it that is making us not to forgive one another but we preach forgiveness? There is a story about a young girl who wanted to become a Rev. sister, but before she went to the convent, there was a young man who wanted to marry her. She finally took the decision to go to the convent. She was so happy, so hardworking, so full of initiative and she was really loved by all. After her first profession, she became so sad, and everyone was wondering what the problem could be. She had received a letter from the young man who wanted to marry her saying that he had walked around the entire world and there was no one else to get married to him except that sister. She was very honest as she gave the letter to the superior. The superior was also so good; she asked everyone to pray for her intention. Things did not seem to be working any more for this sister.

In pain, the superior took a decision that she should go and get married because every vocation is about happiness.  She got married happily to that young man, and they began living together happily. They got two kids, and when the two kids were still so young, the man abandoned this girl for another woman. For good 15 years, this man stayed away from the wife. This other woman got this man because of his riches. She planned to convince the man to sign books in her favor, but failed, so, she planned to kill the man. The secret leaked and the man narrowly escaped from being assassinated. Like the prodigal son, he said, I will go back to my legitimate wife and apologize. The wife was teaching in Yaounde. He went to the house and saw the kids who could not recognize their father. One of the kids went to call the mother: “Mama, one man is looking for you in the house.” When she came and noticed that he was the husband, she went back and call for her friends saying, “Please, come to my house right now and see something very important.” The friends gathered and were looking around and saw nothing strange. When all had gathered, she said, “Look at this fellow here, look at this bandit seated here. This is my husband of whom I told you about. I knew he was going to come.” She did not allow him to say anything, but she asked him to embrace him. They now have five kids.

Dear Sr. Genevieve, dear friends, this is a story about forgiveness. When we forgive, we free ourselves to serve God truly. When we fail to forgive, we bring about resentment and divisions that Saint Paul talks about. We are sinners in need of God’s grace. As people of the light, we need to dispel the darkness of grudges, hatred, and lack of forgiveness so that we can see clearly how to praise God in our lives. We must go out to love because love is the best weapon against the darkness of this world; love is the weapon against hatred, against divisions, against injustice, against jealousy, envy, and calumny. When we love, we readily appreciate the good in others, we applause the successes of others and seek to imitate them. When we love, we can worship God in spirit and truth.

Dear Sr. Genevieve, my brothers and sisters, at the wedding feast in Canaan in Galilee, Jesus changed water into wine at the request of his mother. She told the servers to do whatever Jesus would tell them. Listen to the voice of Our Lady, the mother of God, the mother of the Church and our mother. Listen to her voice to go to Jesus. Do not do anything that will lead you away from Jesus. May she continue to intercede for you, and may God bless and protect you all the days of your life.

Thank you all for coming to thank God for the religious life of Sr. Genevieve. May her example help us to remain steadfast in faith, enduring in hope, and excelling in charity. May the good Lord who brought all of us here safely lead us safely back to our various destinations. Amen.

– Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Fale

1/9/2023 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

SAINT ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY (SAMS), KITIWUM

First Reading: Is. 42:1-4, 6-7

Psalm: Ps. 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

Gospel: Mt. 3:13-17

Theme: The Baptism of Jesus should remind us of our own Baptism

Dear friends,

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord ends the Christmas Season. This feast is very significant because it marks the beginning of the ministry of Jesus and confirms him as the Son of God. It is documented in the Synoptic Gospels (Mtt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Lk. 3:21-22). Christ’s baptism remarkably shows all three persons of the Trinity at the same time: the Son being baptized, the Holy Spirit descending, and the Father speaking from the heavens. In this event, the father and the Holy Spirit confirm the divinity/deity of Christ, and Jesus submits to his Father’s will.

By Choosing to be baptized, Jesus fulfills all righteousness – to prepare himself to be the perfect sacrifice for us. The prophet Isaiah foretold: “Surely, he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:4-6). Thus, this is the meaning of fulfilling all righteousness. John the Baptist wanted to stop him, but Jesus persisted because he had to suffer on our behalf. This should not be taken to mean that no matter what we do are saved. People should not be saying, “Christ has won salvation for us because he took away our sins.” This is wrong! Rather, we should consider the promises we made at our baptism.

As we reflect on Jesus’ Baptism, we are reminded of our own baptism. Pope Benedict XVI once said during this feast: “Baptism is communion with the One who conquered death and holds in his hand the keys of life. Belonging to this circle, to God’s family, means being in communion with Christ, who is life and gives eternal love beyond death.” It is not right to be thinking that because Christ did this (accepted Baptism from John, meaning he accepted death on a cross for our sake), we are saved despite our evils. On January 8, 2006, during the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Benedict XVI presented Baptism as a “yes” to God’s commandments and a “no” to the culture of death.  This is what he said,

“They (the commandments) are a “yes” to a God who gives meaning to life (the first three commandments); a “yes” to the family (fourth commandment); a “yes” to life (fifth commandment); a “yes” to responsible love (sixth commandment); a “yes” to solidarity, to social responsibility, to justice (Seventh Commandment); a “yes” to the truth (Eighth Commandment); a “yes” to respect for others and for their belongings (Ninth and tenth commandments). This is the philosophy of life, the culture of life that becomes concrete and practical and beautiful in communion with Christ, the living God, who walks with us in the companionship of his friends, in the great family of the Church. Baptism is a gift of life. It is a “yes” to the challenge of really living life, of saying “no” to the attack of death that presents itself under the guise of life; and it is a “yes” to the great gift of true life that becomes present on the Face of Christ, who gives himself to us in Baptism and subsequently in the Eucharist.”

To say “yes” means to cooperate with the graces God has given us to remain holy, doing his will all the days of our life. To say “no” means to refuse to cooperate with the evil one. That is why at our own Baptism we promise to deny Satan in all aspects and to believe in the Trinitarian God. On this note, Pope Benedict XVI again teaches us:

A gift of friendship implies a "yes" to the friend and a "no" to all that is incompatible with this friendship, to all that is incompatible with the life of God's family, with true life in Christ. Consequently, in this second dialogue, three "noes" and three "yeses" are spoken. We say "no" and renounce temptation, sin and the devil. We know these things well but perhaps, precisely because we have heard them too often, the words may not mean much to us. If this is the case, we must think a little more deeply about the content of these "noes". What are we saying "no" to? This is the only way to understand what we want to say "yes" to. In the ancient Church these "noes" were summed up in a phrase that was easy to understand for the people of that time:  they renounced, they said, the "pompa diabuli", that is, the promise of life in abundance, of that apparent life that seemed to come from the pagan world, from its permissiveness, from its way of living as one pleased. It was therefore "no" to a culture of what seemed to be an abundance of life, to what in fact was an "anticulture" of death. It was "no" to those spectacles in which death, cruelty, and violence had become entertainment. Let us remember what was organized at the Colosseum or in Nero's gardens, where people were set on fire like living torches. Cruelty and violence had become a form of amusement, a true perversion of joy, of the true meaning of life. This "pompa diabuli", this "anticulture" of death was a corruption of joy, it was a love of deceit and fraud and the abuse of the body as a commodity and a trade (Mass in the Sistine Chapel, January 8, 2006).

Thus, the Pope would go ahead to enumerate other aspects of the pompa diabuli in our lives: “It is an "anticulture" manifested, for example, in drugs, in the flight from reality to what is illusory, to a false happiness expressed in deceit, fraud, injustice, and contempt for others, for solidarity, and for responsibility for the poor and the suffering; it is expressed in a sexuality that becomes sheer irresponsible enjoyment, that makes the human person into a "thing", so to speak, no longer considered a person who deserves personal love which requires fidelity, but who becomes a commodity, a mere object. Let us say "no" to this promise of apparent happiness, to this "pompa" of what may seem to be life but is in fact merely an instrument of death, and to this "anticulture", in order to cultivate instead the culture of life. For this reason, the Christian "yes", from ancient times to our day, is a great "yes" to life. It is our "yes" to Christ, our "yes" to the Conqueror of death, and the "yes" to life in time and in eternity” (Mass in the Sistine Chapel, January 8, 2006).

At our own Baptism, we need to pay more attention to the “yes” of our promises. When we focus on the positive, life becomes more meaningful and propels us forward to pay attention to the one who gives life to the full. Again, Pope Benedict XVI elaborates on this and says: “Just as in this baptismal dialogue the "no" is expressed in three renunciations, so too the "yes" is expressed in three expressions of loyalty:  "yes" to the living God, that is, a God Creator and a creating reason who gives meaning to the cosmos and to our lives; "yes" to Christ, that is, to a God who did not stay hidden but has a name, words, a body, and blood; to a concrete God who gives us life and shows us the path of life; "yes" to the communion of the Church, in which Christ is the living God who enters our time, enters our profession, enters daily life” (Mass in the Sistine Chapel, January 8, 2006).

There are other areas of Baptism that we must seek to know as Christians. First, the Baptism of infants should be mandatory because children are born with the stain of the original sin. Baptism takes away original sin, and so Children must be baptized to open the way for them to paradise if they were to die. We read in Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth in guilt. And in sin, my mother conceived me.” If we were conceived in sin, and if Baptism is the Sacrament that takes away that sin, does it not follow that we should baptize children immediately after they are born to take away that sin? Let us keep to this good tradition of the Church. It is also expedient for us to know that in pericolo mortis (in danger of death), anybody with the right intention to do what is done in the Catholic Church as far as Baptism is concerned can also baptize. If someone was in need of Baptism but he/she is sick and dying, anybody can give the Baptism. If the patient gets well, the person who did the Baptism should present the information to the priest who would conclude the rite by anointing the candidate with the oil of Catechumens and the oil of Chrism. The one who did the Baptism is automatically the minister of Baptism, and he/she would be issued a Baptism register.

There are three types of Baptism through which we can be saved. There is the sacramental Baptism with water where candidates learn doctrinally normally, and are baptized with water (Baptism of infants is included). The second is the Baptism of desire when the candidate has the explicit or implicit desire to be part of the Catholic Church founded by Christ but there are some obstacles or is suddenly snatched by the hand of death. Lastly, there is the Baptism of blood (martyrdom -a catechumen killed before Baptism). The Church provides us with the means to be saved. Let us cooperate and work for our salvation.

May the celebration of this feast rekindle in us the gift of faith we received at Baptism. May Mary our mother and model intercede for us that we may remain true and faithful disciples of her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

– Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Fale

1/8/2023: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF SAINT ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY (SAMS), KITIWUM, DIOCESE OF KUMBO, CAMEROON

First Reading: Is. 60:1-6

Psalm: Ps. 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

Second Reading: Eph. 3:2-3a, 5-6

Gospel: Mt. 2:1-12

Theme: “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another road” (Mt. 2:12).

Dear friends in Christ,

The feast of the Epiphany commemorates the mysterious visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus as they were let by the star. Their visit brings out the meaning of Epiphany, manifestation. It is a word from the Greek roots meaning to show, to display (phanein). The feast celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the three wise men from the East. The coming of the Magi shows that Israel was seeking the messianic light, of the star of David, seeking the one to be the king of the nations. It was also an indication that the pagans will seek Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world. This feast shows that “the full number of the nations” now takes its “place in the family of the patriarchs," and acquires Israelitica dignitas (is made “worthy of the heritage of Israel”) (CCC 528).

From different findings, it is said that the Magi came from the East. Eventually, three names were associated with them: Gasper (Casper), Melchior, and Balthasar, and they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matt. 2:1-12). Gold signifies royalty, pointing to the kingship of Christ, Frankincense – purity, the Holy One of God, and Myrrh, an ointment that will be used to embalm Him at his death. They all had something in common, to worship the newborn King. Kings came to worship the King – a sign of humility. They were also obedient to the voice of God. They were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod who intended to kill Jesus, so they went home through another road.

When we encounter Christ, we must go back through another road. When we listen to the voice of God with faith, like the tax collectors and sinners, in the Gospels, we must take a different road. We come to Christ with our doubts, we must take the new road of faith; when we come to Christ with our bitterness, we must go back full of happiness and joy; when come Christ thinking he has not answered our prayers, perhaps because he has not given us the exact thing we are asking for, we much go back with trust and confidence that he has answers for our prayers. We must be ready to take “no” for an answer to our prayers. It is left for us to ask ourselves this question: what is the new road that I must take either to meet Jesus or after I have encountered him?

I must first of course, recognize the obstacles that block me from encountering Jesus – the Herod in my life that I must dodge to go home and continue to live with Christ. May Jesus himself help us in our discernment process. Amen.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale

1/1/2023 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Theotokos)

MASS AT SAINT ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY (SAMS), KITIWUM CHAPEL

First Reading: Nm. 6:22-27

Psalm: Ps. 67:2-3, 5,6,8

Second Reading: Gal. 4:4-7

Gospel: Lk. 2:16-21

Theme: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his son, born of a woman…” (Gal. 4:4)

Dear friends in Christ, Happy New Year!

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Theotokos). Today is also New Year’s Day of the Calendar Year 2023, and today, we celebrate the World Day of Peace (56th World Day of Peace). Pope Francis said, “No one can be saved alone. Combatting Covid-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace.” We join with Mary, the mother of God to celebrate New Year’s Day, while standing in need of peace for our World, and for Anglophone Cameroon. As a corporate personality – the Church, when one part of the world is sick, the entire world is sick whether others notice it or not. We need to work together for the spread of peace around the world, and we ask Mary to intercede for us.

Mary is the mother of God (Theotokos). This was the title accorded to her at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.  In Lk. 1:43, when Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth called Mary “the mother of my Lord.” And she continued in Lk: 1:44, “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” The One in the womb of Mary is Lord, and in the Old Testament, Lord referred to the Almighty God. In Ex. 5:2, the hardhearted Pharaoh asked: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice …? I know not the Lord.” Throughout the Old Testament, two Hebrew words are used for God: Elohim and Jehovah YHWH (for original Hebrew). “Jehovah is the Anglicized rendering of the Hebrew, Yahveh or Jahveh, signifying the Self-existent One, or The Eternal. This name is generally rendered in our English version of the Old Testament as LORD printed in capitals. The Hebrew Ehyeh, signifying I AM, is related in meaning and through derivation with the term Yahweh or Jehovah” (Jesus the Christ, p. 36). When Elizabeth called Mary “the mother of my Lord,” she was referring to Jesus still in the womb of Mary as Lord, here equivalent to God – meaning Jesus is God and Mary is her mother. Therefore, Mary, the BIOLOGICAL MOTHER of Jesus, is the mother of God.

At Holy Communion, we receive Jesus in flesh and blood, and in like manner,  the Council of Trent said that Jesus is present in the Eucharist “truly, really, and substantially” (Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1651). Mary gave Jesus his human nature, but at the same time, through her virginal conception, she harbored the Divine Son of God. I once made a mistake in talking about the maternity of Mary. Mother, I am sorry, you are truly the biological mother of Jesus, and if a test were to be conducted, I believe your DNA will match with that of Jesus over 500%. Right from the conception of Mary in the womb of Anna her mother, she was preserved from the stain of original sin to prepare her to be the mother of God. Thus, on this New Year’s Day, when we also celebrate the Word Day of Peace, we call on the Theotokos to intercede for us for peace in our world and in Anglophone Cameroon in particular.

My dear people of God, we need to know certain truths about Mary the mother of God, our mother, and mother of the Church. At the Wedding Feast in Cana in Galilee (Jn.2:1ff), after telling Jesus that the people had no wine, she turned and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2:5). Mary will never advise anyone to do anything against her Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, any supposed Marian apparition that is shrouded in disobedience to the Church by the visionary, or having an obscure meaning in relation to Jesus Christ, will be given a negative response by the Church.

As we celebrate New Year, let us thank God for last year 2022. We thank God for his protection over our lives, for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and for the wonder of his creation. We thank God for the gift of one another. Personally, I am thanking God for my parents, and may my mother rest in peace; for my siblings and other relations, for my friends and benefactors, for my teachers at all levels of my education, and for everyone around the world who is loving a fellow human being. I am thanking God for all those who have supported me to carry out and to continue to carry out so many projects here in SAMS, in my village of Nkanchi, and other places in Kumbo Diocese and beyond. I look at what has been accomplished within a year, and all I can say is a big THANK YOU to God and a BIG THANK YOU to all the generous people in the United States of America who are supporting me financially to do all these things which you are all benefitting from. Please, join me to pray for them asking God to bless them individually. I say this from my heart: these people love God and that is why they are doing things to people unknown to them.

Our God is always faithful. While thanking him for all the good things He did for us, let us apologize to him for our infidelity. I am confessing my sins to him as well: my bad thoughts and actions, and my omissions throughout last year. May God forgive me and all of us for our mistakes. The Good News is that God’s arms are extended ready to embrace us as we come back to him. Let us pray that 2023 should be a year of faithful service to God and neighbor. If I gave water to one thirsty person last year, I should endeavor to give to two this year; if I gave clothes to one naked person last year, I should try to give clothes to two naked people this year etc. Let us continue to do good, as Mother Teresa of Calcutta would say, even when no one appreciates us. We could make some new year resolutions specially to love God and neighbor and make sure we keep to them. Yes, there will be difficulties, but they should not stop us from loving. Only love will bring us true peace.

May Mary, the mother of God, our mother, and mother of Church, intercede for us. May she give us something of her true discipleship, of her love, and of her perseverance. Once more, happy New Year.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale

12/25/2022 - Christmas Day

Masses at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish, Mbiame, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon.

Preamble: In the diocese of Kumbo, priests working in schools are sent to help in the parishes during the Christmas vacation. Since the students went for their Christmas break on December 17, 2022, it was necessary that I have a congregation to celebrate with.

I was sent to help in the Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish, in the town of Mbiame in the Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. This is one of the old parishes that opened in 1965 when Kumbo was not yet a diocese.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Sermon

Readings:

Vigil Mass: Frist Reading; Is. 62:1-5

Psalm: Ps.89:4-5, 16-27,27, 29

Second Reading:  Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Gospel: Mtt:  1:1-25

Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Mission, Reeh (Outstation)

Mass during the Night: First Reading: Is. 9:1-6

Psalm: Ps. 96:1-2,2-3,11-12,13

Second Reading: Ti. 2:11-14

Gospel:  Lk. 2-1-14

       Mass at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish (Parish Church)

Mass at Dawn: First Reading: Is. 62:11-12

Psalm: Ps. 97:1,6,11-12

Second Reading: Ti. 3:4-7

Gospel: Lk. 2:15-20

Mass at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish (Parish Church)

Mass During the Day: First Reading: Is. 52:7-10

Psalm: Ps. 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6

Second Reading: Heb1:1-6

  Mass at Saint Charles Lwanga Catholic Mission Mbve-Mbolum (Outstation)

Theme: “The People who walked in Darkness have seen a great Light.”

Dear brothers and sisters, merry Christmas to you all.

I want to speak to you from my heart. The whole world celebrates Christmas. In most Christian Countries, like the USA, streets are lit even before the First Sunday of Advent in preparation for Christmas. At Christmas time, there are different displays of light in different parts of the world, Christmas creches of different kinds to show how different countries celebrate Christmas in their cultures. All these celebrations commemorate the birth of a special child of God, the baby Jesus, our Savior, and Redeemer – the Light Himself. He is the Light that has come to dispel every darkness in our world, and we, like the Shepherd and the Magi, recognize that Light and are supposed to follow the star that will lead us to the great Light.

First, we need to discover the dark areas of our lives and allow Christ to cancel them out for us. Our darkness areas may be laziness and sloth, bribery and corruption, infidelity in our vocations, abortion, lies telling, jealousy, calumny, envy, greed, pride, selfishness, torture, hatred,  involvement in wars and supporting wars, unnecessary anger, lack of forgiveness, intolerance, resentment, scamming and stealing, domestic violence. Carelessness, indiscipline, falsehood and bearing false witness against others, lack of accountability, indecision, keeping bad companies, foul language, engagement in drugs, discrimination, sluggishness in carrying our important duties, bearing grudges with one another and the list can continue. What is my dark side? Can I allow the light of Christ to shine on me and take away the dark side of me?

As I said before, the whole world is gathering because of the birth of a child, yet one darkness that is plaguing us is abortion. There is a story about a village that kept praying that God should grant them good medical doctors who would discover and deliver them from an epidemic that was taking away lives. One day, one man was praying in Church, and Jesus appeared to him. He was very happy to see Jesus, and he had the opportunity to personally present the request of the village to Jesus. “Lord, we have been praying and begging that you enable the village to have qualified medical doctors to cure us of this epidemic, but you have not answered us. We have not had any student who is willing to study medicine to become a medical doctor. Please, Lord, help us.” The Lord answered, “I have sent you so many children who would have become doctors in this village, but you have murdered them through abortion. Tell your people to stop this evil and you see the results.” In trembling and fear, the man went to deliver the message to the entire village. The Fon (king) of the village decreed that anyone who committed abortion from henceforth would be ostracized. The people stopped committing abortion and after several years, they had a good number of medical doctors, and the epidemic was dealt with.

Abortion is more than an epidemic, and it remains one dangerous area of darkness in our midst. Inasmuch as we struggle to dispel the other areas of darkness in our lives, this one area must be completely eradicated from our midst. Let us stop the killing of innocent babies. On December 28, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents whom King Herod killed with the intention of killing the baby Jesus. Are we not worse than King Herod if we continue killing babies before they are born. We who are alive are denying life to others – injustice. We kill babies, yet we gather to celebrate the birth of a child – what a paradox?

Second, we need to recognize the light in our lives and embrace it to dispel those dark areas in us. We must respect the gift of life we have, and the gift of life in others. Again, let us respect life. In his seminary days, the young Carol Wojtyla who became Pope John Paul II, was told, “Only love can drive out hatred.” He kept this in his heart, and that is why he had great love for people. Let us go out to love someone. Let us embrace the light of a holy life, a life of prayer, self-denial, forgiveness, being ready to apologize when we wrong others, transparency and accountability, joy, happiness, peace, justice, generosity, appreciation, kindness, magnanimity, humility, fidelity in our state of life, sincerity, honesty, and trust. Dear friends, if we practice these virtues, then we are embracing Christ the Light of the world. We can begin in our families, in our schools, and in our parish community. Let us remember the promise that Christ himself made: “The gates of the netherworld will never hold out against this Church” (Matt. 16:18).

Dear friends, I will like to wish each one of you a Merry Christmas, and I urge us to be people of light. May we not allow the darkness in this world to overtake us especially the darkness of hatred, violence, and torture that is plaguing our Anglophone community today. May Mary, our Mother, the Mother of the Church and the Mother of Jesus whom we celebrate at Christmas, continue to intercede for us. Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all of you.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale

4/16/2022 - Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil

On Holy Saturday, that is during the day, the Church continues to wait at the Lord’s tomb in prayer, while meditating on his passion and death, his descent into Hell, and awaiting his resurrection. There was no Mass today because we were still in sorrow about the death of Jesus

An ancient homily for Holy Saturday by an unknown author found in the office of readings for Holy Saturday says:

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh, and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him, Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying:

“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.

“I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise.

“I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.

“For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

“See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

“I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

“Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God.

“The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.”

The Easter Vigil is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities. What happened outside is called the Lucernarium – that is the ceremonies of the lights. Then there was the Easter proclamation – the Exultet, forming the first part of the celebration.

The Second Part we just had the liturgy of the Word. The First Reading on Creation, or Second  Account oon the creation of Man, Second Reading on Abraham’s sacrifice. Third Reading on the passage through the Red Sea. Fourth Reading on the New Jerusalem. Fifth Reading on Salvation freely offered to all. Sixth Reading on the Fountain of Wisdom. The Seventh reading on the New Heart and new spirit. Then, the singing of the Gloria, and ringing of the bells again

Then follows the reading from the New Testament. Then the singing of the Alleluia. Then the Gospel and the homily. This is a beautiful celebration that recalls  the creation of the world, and how God led us to this moment we are celebrating today. There cannot be an Easter without a good Friday. Truly enough, there cannot be anything good without sweat.

Dear Friends, tell me of anything good that comes easy! Even when you are given a gift, you must earn it from the heart of somebody. And earning that gift means you have done something which attracted that friend of yours to enable him/her to give you something as a gift. True rejoicing comes to us today because we have also sacrificed to follow Christ during Lent till this moment. This is the moment we have been waiting for. Most often people get scammed because they go for what is easy. They think by giving someone a thousand dollars, they will earn 50 thousand dollars in a week, but they end up losing all. Jesus Christ did not choose the easy path; he chose the way of the cross. No one says we should go out and look for suffering, but rather that we should work for what we earn. This will not always come easy, and when we feel overburdened, we can look up to the cross of Jesus for strength and consolation, and a hope that will never fail.

Dear friends, the resurrection is true. Even by watching plants or crops, they first die, then they grow. We die, and we rise; Christ died and then rose. From our tradition, even before the coming of Christianity, our forefathers believed in life after death. Let us pray that our faith in the risen Lord may continue to grow from strength to strength. Amen.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale

3/27/2022 - The 4th Sunday of Lent

There is more than enough to eat in my Father’s House; why stray?

Dear friends in Christ,

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally called Gaudete/Laetare Sunday – Latin words for rejoice. We should rejoice because the Lord has “removed the reproach of Egypt from you” (First Reading), and we are now a new creation (Second Reading). We should rejoice because the mercy of God is limitless. We say in one of the prefaces at Mass that “in justice, we are all condemned but in mercy we are redeemed through Jesus Christ.” When we give each one his/her due either positively or negatively, we are exercising justice. When you are paid according to the amount of work you do; this is an exercise of justice, and when you are punished for committing a crime, this too is an exercise of justice. So, in justice, since the obvious truth is that we commit sin, it would me that according to divine or human law, we are all condemned. In human law, the exercise of justice could even an act of vengeance. In contrast, thanks be to God for his boundless mercy, some forbearance is exercised, and everyone is granted mercy who asks for it. Why then, should we stray when there is an abundance of his mercy, an abundance of what to eat that awaits us?

The Gospel narrates a parable that is very well known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The characters in the story are the younger son, the elder son, the servants, and the father  who some scholars call the extravagant Father or the wasteful father. However, the story demonstrates the aspects of sin, envy, mercy and celebration. In real life situation, a father cannot just share his property between his two sons without some interrogation. The younger son asks for a share of his property – who told him in the first place that he would have a share of his father’s property? This part of the story also demonstrates something about the God-given freedom to mankind. He does not interfere with the freedom he gives us. We choose freely to stay with him or to move away from him, but his attitude is that of waiting with extended hands for anyone who decides to come back to him even to the displeasure of those who did not stray (elder son). True freedom is to remain with him and do his will because he has an abundance of everything we need. This younger son came to his senses and told himself that he had to go back to his father who has everything and ask for forgiveness. The attitude of the father shows some extravagance in human terms – he gave back to the younger son the things he (the younger son) had taken and squandered in a useless way, and perhaps more than what he had taken away. Nonetheless, this is the attitude of God toward every repentant sinner. Again, why do we go astray when he is always waiting for us?

The father in the story is God, and the two sons and servants represent us. The servants do just what they are told to do: “Kill the fattened calf and let us celebrate because this son of mine was lost and has been found.” They did that and played the desired music, and the celebration points to the heavenly joy among the hosts of angels and saints who celebrate to welcome one new person in their midst. In another sense, the Father in the Gospel represents the Catholic Church with Jesus as the head of this Church. The Catholic Church is endowed with all the means of salvation: the sacraments, the commandments, the scriptures, her doctrines etc. The Catholic Church teaches that, “Called to beatitude but wounded by sin, man stands in need of salvation from God. Divine help comes to him in Christ through the law that guides him and the grace that sustains him: work for your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (CCC 1949).

When people leave the Catholic Church or stay in it but do not follow the teachings of the Church is like the younger son going away from abundance to live a life of misery. Why do people go away from the Church? They think the Catholic Church has too many laws; there are no miracles in the Catholic Church; the desire to grow rich overnight by listening to the prosperous gospel preached by some pastors and deceptively telling the people: “suffering, poverty, sickness etc are no longer your portion.” People want things the “easiest” way out but let us remember that Jesus says that the spacious road leads to perdition (Mt. 7:13). He, the Son of God took the narrow way (death on a cross), and not that we should go out looking for suffering, but rather that we should keep his commandments and celebrate the sacraments, and the stay in the Church that has those laws that govern us to the truth. The younger son thought he was being freed by going away from the father, and the elder son thought he was being burdened by staying and obeying the orders of the father. Both were mistaken: staying with the father is an aspect of true freedom.

Dear friends, as we continue with our Lenten observance, let us remember that nothing good comes easy. Scammers easily get those who think that they could get things the cheapest way out; those who think that they can send $2,000 to an unknown person and get back $20,000 in a week. Nothing like that can ever happen. We need to stop putting God to the test, asking him for miracles as a prerequisite for our faith. Instead, we should believe, miracle or no miracle, because faith is one of the theological virtues that lasts (1 Cor. 13:13), but above all, let us, like the father in the story love unconditionally as he did to his younger son. May the Spirit of God continue to live in us so that we may not be deceived by those who extort from the weak and the vulnerable. May this season of Lent purify our intentions and help us to go closer to God. Amen.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale

3/2/2022 - Ash Wednesday

Burning the old self to receive the new

Dear friends in Christ,

In Egyptian Mythology, there is a story about a bird that regenerates through the process of burning itself. The bird knows that it is painful to go through that process, but it takes the pains to go through it by not only burning parts of the body, by burning it entire self to ashes. This is an act of deep faith that compels the bird to do such, because after the flames comes a gorgeous new reborn bird “so beautiful that it has been dedicated to the sun in all its glory.” We can also think, in this light, of someone with a very grievous wound that must be taken care of by cleaning it with alcohol without using an aesthesia. There is such an excruciating pain that is only known to the bearer of the wound who must endure the pains to experience complete healing at last.

In our first reading of today’s liturgy, the Prophet Joel  exhorts: “Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.” To do this, Saint Paul tells us to “be reconciled to God,” and that “now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” because “for our sake, {God} made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” Like the bird in the Egyptian mythology, Christ went through that process of regeneration by dying even death on the cross. He knew the pains he had to go through, but he still undertook that journey for the sake of mankind.

In the Gospel, Christ prescribes, and the Church adopts, these three ways of doing Lent: Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting.

To give alms, like the bird above, we must burn in us the spirit of selfishness, the spirit of envy, greed, and the thoughts that to give, one must have millions or goods in abundance. Those are things that we must burn in us. The truth is that even the trillionaires are still searching for money; so, no one ever has enough. There is always that insatiable desire to have more. However, as Christians and followers of Christ, we must give in the spirit of the Gospel – like the widow who gave two small coins, but by so doing she gave all she had. To give is an act of generosity that comes from the love of God in our hearts and impels us to give because of the graces God gives us. By so doing, we get more, and that is what Christ promises us in the Gospels.

To pray, like the bird in the Egyptian mythology, we must burn certain things in us that block our spiritual growth. We must burn the spirit of vain pleasure, laziness, jealousy, hatred, unforgiveness, indecision, calumny, bearing grudges, and those in any position of authority must burn the desire of lording it over others, the desire to use authority to downgrade others, the desire authority in the wrong way over the weak and the most vulnerable in society. We often hear those in power, whether in the Church or in the government, using their position to abuse minors, or to get what they want by force. These things give us vain pleasure, and like washing one’s wound with alcohol to receive healing afterwards, it is painful to let go what gives us “joy.” However, if we know that glory, and the true joy that will come by letting go these things, we will let go all of them so that we will experience great joy in the Lord. It is only when we let go (burn these things), that we can pray properly. We must take the pains to burn these evil tendencies in us to experience the Easter Joy to come.

To fast means to let go of certain things that we cling to so much so that they become obstacles to our Christian faith and journey. In the wilderness, Jesus fasted from food for forty days and forty nights. Thus, it is okay to immediately think of fasting from food and drink. In a Christian spirit, we should not only fast from food and drink, but we must keep aside something to give away after Lent. This will teach us the spirit of detachment. In addition, spiritual fasting is at the core of Lent. Spiritual fasting is seeking to eliminate most, if not all, the obstacles of our Christian faith. These obstacles may include doubt: at times we doubt if there is a God at all, or if the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ after consecration, we doubt the intercessions of the Saints, and even doubt our very existence, and that is why some people think of taking away their own lives. The next obstacle is sin: there are various sins we commit because they give us “pleasure.”  People steal to get what gives them pleasure, people are unfaithful in their states of life – marriage life, priesthood or religious life,  and single life, because they derive what their bodies want. This will be called true fasting when we burn these things in us.

Dear friends, the season of Lent is called the Holy Season because each of us struggles to be holy. We have not attained that perfection yet, but we must keep fighting to get there: “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.” When we burn all the above things, we open the way for the Lord to enter and dwell in us. He will make us clean and pure, and he will continue to pour his graces on us because he sees us struggling to get there. We can burn these things because the joy of the Resurrection will be far greater than keeping them, and at last, the joy of eternal life is our goal, knowing that it is the gift of faith in us that will endure to that eternal life.

As we begin this season of Lent, let us embrace all that God has given in thanksgiving to him. May what we have and are not take us away from him but bring us closer to him. It is by acknowledging his presence in all the events of our lives that we will be able to burn all that is an obstacle to us to follow clearly and closely. May Holy Lent help us to live in great anticipation of Easter. AMEN.

– Fr. Emmanuel Fale