REFLECTION ON SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING—NOVEMBER 24, 2013

At the twilight of the First World War, the socio-political and economic atmosphere in the world was a turbulent one. Secularism was on the increase and there was an uprising of precarious dictatorships in Europe and beyond. Long before this historical setting, Christ was seen and revered as the Universal King in the Christendom. However, this idea was waning owing to the pernicious influence of the First World War on Christianity in particular and religion at large. Majority of men and women had thrust Jesus and his authority out of their private and public lives. Respect and reverence for his Kingship was waning in the midst of political and socio-economic unrest. This was the historical context that in which Pope Pius XI introduced the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to reinstate people’s faith, reverence and allegiance to the kingship of Jesus; that world leaders should learn from Christ the perfect exemplar of leadership, and that we must allow Christ to reign in our minds, hearts, wills, and bodies for peace to reign in the world.  

 

Christ’s Kingship and authority was prophesied in the Old Testament. Isaiah portrayed him as one whom “government is upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the almighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace. He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and forever" (Is 9:6-7).  In Jeremiah, he is the "Just seed that shall rest from the house of David— the Son of David that shall reign as king, and shall be wise, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth" (Jer. 23:5). In Daniel 7:13-14, he was given “power and glory and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes, and tongues shall serve him. His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed." These O.T prophecies are reaffirmed by the angel Gabriel in Luke  1:32-33, "the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end".

Furthermore, Jesus himself publicly stated before Pilate and Jews that he is the king. This was the epitaph which Pilate placed on the wood of the cross thereby confirming the kingship of Jesus. In his last discourse with his disciples, speaking of his kingly authority, Jesus declared: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18).

From time past, kings have risen and fallen who wanted to rule and dominate the world and to make their dynasties last forever. Centuries have come and gone, kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen, the memories of kings and emperors in their splendor and power have gone extinct but the kingdom of Christ stands firm forever. Christ the universal king is the same yesterday, today and forever. The difference lies in the fact that he chose a path less travelled by earthly kings—the part of love, humility and service. He is the king who came to serve and not to be served. A king who stooped so low as to wash the feet of his subjects. He is a king whose only crime was love; who humbled himself and accepted death, even death on cross. At the cross, his merciful love opened the gate of heaven for a criminal who was nailed with him.

Our world today which is enveloped by materialism is suffering from what I call “memory loss of divine authority”. That is to say that many, in the chase of wealth, power and influence, have overlooked the authority of God in their lives. Obsessive and excessive inclination to material things and human beings things give them the power to control us. Little wonder, many serve money and can do any atrocity to have it. What about those who have sold their souls to the “false king”—the devil? Today God is calling us to come into the kingdom of the king whose dynasty shall last forever—the Prince of peace.

The feast of Christ the king reminds us that no matter what we think we are, where we rule and dominate, all shall one day stand in judgment before the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is a call for all of to remember that we are all subjects of the King of the ages. It is call for the world leaders to imitate the ideal kingship of Christ. No matter who is in the seat, Jesus Christ is the king. We pray that God will touch the hearts of our earthly leaders that they may understand that they are but mere stewards of the Jesus Christ the ideal King, until one day we all shall finally gather in his heavenly kingdom where he lives and reigns forever and ever.

A KING LIKE YOU

Walking Working and in a land I was born

Times and tides have come and gone

I search and crave but I’m yet to find

A king like you so merciful and so kind

Your words like gentle drops that hit

The young green on a summer’s heat

Like the dry land touched by the rain

In our parched hearts come and reign

The scepter is held by musketeers

And so our eyes are down in tears

On the jackal’s head lies the crown

The wise is led astray by the clown

I beseech you in your glory to rise

Dry the river flowing from our eyes

Cast your light once more in this grave

For a king like you is all we now crave.

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BREAD BROKEN FOR OTHERS, BLOOD SHED FOR OTHERS

The Eucharist is a thanksgiving celebration of the people of God. In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in a thanksgiving sacrifice as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to the Creator as the giver and sustainer of life. In the Old Testament, Melchizedek, who was both a priest and king (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1-4), offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. His offering prefigured the offering made by Jesus, our high priest and king (Hebrews 7:26; 9:11; 10:12). In the Old testament, the priest is separate from the victim of sacrifice. However, in the New Testament, the priest and the victim are inseparable. Jesus offered His Body and Blood for the live of the world.

In the Gospel reading of today Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day” (John 6:53-54). At this proclamation, Jesus was left with a fewer number of followers as the crowd who followed him grew thinier. This crowd was expecting an earthly food as he gave them during the miracle of multiplication of loaves. Jesus, however, introduced a spiritual food which sustains the soul into eternity. Like the Israelites who journeyed on arid lands with different challenges of hunger thirst were fed by God with a manner from heaven, so are we who  journey through life amid earthly challenges, temptations and tribulations are nourished by the Holy Eucharist as food for the journey.

In his homily at the 2014 celebration of the solemnity of Corpus Christi in Rome, Pope Francis said, "If we look around us, we realize that there are so many offers of food that do not come from the Lord and which seem to satisfy more. Some nourish themselves with money, others with success and vanity, others with power and pride. However, the food that really nourishes us and satiates us is only that which the Lord gives us! The food the Lord offers us is different from the others, and perhaps it does not seem as tasty as certain foods which the world offers us". There is a hunger in man which earthly foods cannot quench. It is a hunger for God, for eternal, for peace of soul.These can only be satisfied by the sacred food and drink which Jesus offers.

The Eucharist also summarises our daily living. In it, Christ invites us to become bread broken for others and blood shed for others. At the last supper he said: "Take it; this is my body." "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many" (Mtt. 26:28). Jesus not only said those words, He lived them by a life of self-giving and by giving His life on the Cross. You and I are to do the same. Our daily lives must mirror the Eucharist. We must give  ourselves in availability for others,  pour out our lives in service and in love of others.

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WIND OF CHANGE FROM THE UPPER ROOM

Acts 2:1-11; 1COR. 12:3-13; John 20:19-23

Shortly before the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus said to his disciples: “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (Jn 16:7). Today, we celebrate the fulfillment of Christ’s promise of the Holy Spirit—the Paraclete to the world. The word Paraclete is from the Greek parakletos, meaning “advocate”, “intercessor”. This phenomenal event is popularly known as the Pentecost. The Pentecost has no Christian origin. So why do we refer the day of descent of the Holy Spirit as Pentecost Sunday?

The name Pentecost is derived from the Greek “pentecoste” which means “fiftieth (day)”  It corresponds to the  Jewish feast called Shabuoth or the Feast of Weeks. This Jewish feast was a thanksgiving for the wheat harvest and took place seven weeks after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Christian association of this feast started in Acts 2:1-45. Fifty days after the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles while they were in the Upper Room. This happened on the day when all Jews gathered to celebrate the “Shabuoth”. Little wonder today is exactly fifty days after Easter Sunday.

At Pentecost, God reversed the Babel event with the Upper Room event. In Genesis 11:1-9, the Tower of Babel was built by the proud men of  the land of Shinar after the flood to affirm their power over their creator. But God defeated their design by confounding their language, and hence the name Babel, meaning "confusion." Today in our world, we have people who embark on intellectual and scientific Babel projects either to debunk the mystery of the existence of God or to compete with God in ordering the cause of the universe. Such people bring back to the world the fruits of their confusion. On the contrary, the Pentecost was accompanied by great signs among which was the speaking in various tongues by the occupants of the Upper Room. The apostles began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:4); all were able to understand them in their local tongues (Acts 2:8). Thus, humility, prayer and total dependence on God led to the unification of human language, showing that with God all things are possible.

Before the Pentecost, they were locked up in the Upper Room in an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. As they were inside the room, they were unable to confront the injustice, prejudice, hatred, violence, idolatry, pride, immorality that were being perpetuated outside the Upper Room because they the Spirit had not come. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, He endowed them with his different gifts. They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (Is. 11:2-3). The doors of the Upper Room were thrown wide open. There was a radical transformation that pushed the apostles to leave the Upper Room with the zeal to love; to change world. They healed, prophesied and made converts.  The whole community noticed something exceptional.

My dear friends, what do we do when we live our various churches today with the gifts of the Spirit we received? Let us allow the Holy Spirit to transform us. The fire which rests upon the heads of apostles is a symbol of transformation, renewal and power. Allow the this Fire to burn down the Tower of Babel in you which is a road block to your spiritual growth. Be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that you can begin to transform the world. The church buildings represent the Upper Room. When we leave this Upper Room can we be able to see the level of immorality, hatred, injustice and abject poverty in our neighborhood? Can we be able to do something to better people’s helpless condition?

Finally, in as much as we thrive with the variety of gifts as St. Paul mentioned in 1Cor. 12:3-13, let us be also familiar with his admonition: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (ICor. 13:1-3). Let us speak the language of love, it is the language of the Holy Spirit.

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TESTIMONY OF A GOOD LIFE

PROLOGUE
Death is an enigma which has frustrated all efforts of philosophical, spiritual, cognitive and scientific enquires into its meaning and to proffer solution to it. We can at best accept the fact that death is an inevitable end; a debt every mortal must pay, and a call every soul must answer. To support this claim and to buttress the point, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “Of this at last I am certain that no one has ever died who was not destined to die sometime”. To this end, we have gathered here today, not sing a post-humous eulogy, but to testify to the good life of our dear mother, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika who joined the saints on the day of the lord, Sunday May 11, 2014. She has traveled across the bridge where there is no more sorrow. She is no more within the confines of space and time.
 
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE
There are two remarkable and most important days of our journey on earth: the day of our birth, which marks the beginning of sorrow, and the day of death, which marks the beginning of eternal joy for those who lived good life. Little wonder, when we are born we cry and people rejoice. But when we die, we rejoice, people cry.
Our dear mother was a cause for joy in 1945, when she was born into the family of late Mr. Chinaka Osuala and late Mrs. Nwannedie Chinaka Osuala of Duruomeniho Ebikoro in Umuduruaku Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. as the third (3) child of her parents. In 1957, she received baptism in the Catholic Church. In 1957, she received her first Holy Communion. And in 1960, she was confirmed by Rt. Rev. Dr. J.B Whelan.
She attended Holy Rosary School Eziachi where she studied up to standard four (4). Due to the vicissitudes of life, she could not continue with her dream of becoming a school teacher. However, that dream did not die completely as she taught her children in the family both secular and Christian education.

MARITAL LIFE AND SOJOURN
Mama was married to Ezinna Stephen Obika of Umukee in Umuoba Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. They wedded in the church in the year 1973. The marriage was blessed with eleven children (8 now Surviving). Her life was punctuated with different challenges in life like the painful exit of her four children. But these made her even stronger, resigning to the will of God.
She lived with her husband at Owo in Ondo State, the then western Region she engaged in different traders. At the out break of the civil war, they where forced back home where they were faced with the harsh realities of war, saddled with the responsibilities of fending for the family. Till sickness struck her in 2012, she was a strong business woman and hard working farmer. She was blessed with good health and extraordinary physical strength.

RELIGIOUS CONVICTION.
From ab initio, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika had a strong believe in God and she clearly defined her purpose on earth: to serve God whole heartedly and make heaven at last. She sees the Catholic Church as the avenue to achieve this goal.
Therefore, she engaged in various pious societies and devotions. Till death, she was a bona fide member of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Catholic Bible Society of Nigeria (CBSN), St. Jude Society, Legion of Mary. She was an ardent devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. She was a Chorister for over fifty (50) years. She loved singing so much. Today some of her children are choir masters and choir mistresses in their different domiciles, thanks to her mentorship.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika was a woman of strong faith. She believed that all things are possible with God on our side. She was never a monk, yet she prayed like them.
       She prayed ceaselessly and tirelessly. On several occasions, we had to wake up in the middle of the night and beg her to go to bed. That she will never agree to until she must have finished her decades of the Rosary. She combined married life with active contemplative life. She was to us all a spiritual director and a role model.

PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika strongly believed in truth and its power. She believes that it is better to be divided by truth than united in sin. That it is better to tell the truth that hurts than lies that comfort. That it is better to be hated for telling the truth than liked for telling a lie. That it is better to stand alone with truth, than follow the crowd in the wrong direction. That honest living is the avoidance of death (eternal death). She reminded us these even on her sick bed.

EPILOGUE
Dear friends, family and sympathizers, do not weep because mama is no more. Rather, rejoice because she has been born into eternity, smiling in the beatific vision she had always longed for. Today we celebrate her birth not mourn for her death. Her death is not the triumph of evil (contrary to what some may think). Rather, it is a vindication of the just.
Another reason why we should not weep again is because mama accomplished her mission on earth.

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TESTIMONY OF A GOOD LIFE IN HONOR OF LATE MRS DOROTHY FANNY OBIKA.

PROLOGUE
Death is an enigma which has frustrated all efforts of philosophical, spiritual, cognitive and scientific enquires into its meaning and to proffer solution to it. We can at best accept the fact that death is an inevitable end; a debt every mortal must pay, and a call every soul must answer. To support this claim and to buttress the point, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “Of this at last I am certain that no one has ever died who was not destined to die sometime”. To this end, we have gathered here today, not sing a post-humous eulogy, but to testify to the good life of our dear mother, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika who joined the saints on the day of the lord, Sunday May 11, 2014. She has traveled across the bridge where there is no more sorrow. She is no more within the confines of space and time.
 
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE
There are two remarkable and most important days of our journey on earth: the day of our birth, which marks the beginning of sorrow, and the day of death, which marks the beginning of eternal joy for those who lived good life. Little wonder, when we are born we cry and people rejoice. But when we die, we rejoice, people cry.
Our dear mother was a cause for joy in 1945, when she was born into the family of late Mr. Chinaka Osuala and late Mrs. Nwannedie Chinaka Osuala of Duruomeniho Ebikoro in Umuduruaku Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. as the third (3rd) child of her parents. In 1957, she received baptism in the Catholic Church. In 1957, she received her first Holy Communion. And in 1960, she was confirmed by Rt. Rev. Dr. J.B Whelan.
She attended Holy Rosary School Eziachi where she studied up to standard four (4). Due to the vicissitudes of life, she could not continue with her dream of becoming a school teacher. However, that dream did not die completely as she taught her children in the family both secular and Christian education.

MARITAL LIFE AND SOJOURN
Mama was married to Ezinna Stephen Obika of Umukee in Umuoba Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. They wedded in the church in the year 1973. The marriage was blessed with eleven children (8 now Surviving). Her life was punctuated with different challenges in life like the painful exit of her four children. But these made her even stronger, resigning to the will of God.
She lived with her husband at Owo in Ondo State, the then western Region she engaged in different traders. At the out break of the civil war, they where forced back home where they were faced with the harsh realities of war, saddled with the responsibilities of fending for the family. Till sickness struck her in 2012, she was a strong business woman and hard working farmer. She was blessed with good health and extraordinary physical strength.

RELIGIOUS CONVICTION.
From ab initio, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika had a strong believe in God and she clearly defined her purpose on earth: to serve God whole heartedly and make heaven at last. She sees the Catholic Church as the avenue to achieve this goal.
Therefore, she engaged in various pious societies and devotions. Till death, she was a bona fide member of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Catholic Bible Society of Nigeria (CBSN), St. Jude Society, Legion of Mary. She was an ardent devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. She was a Chorister for over fifty (50) years. She loved singing so much. Today some of her children are choir masters and choir mistresses in their different domiciles, thanks to her mentorship.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika was a woman of strong faith. She believed that all things are possible with God on our side. She was never a monk, yet she prayed like them.
She prayed ceaselessly and tirelessly. On several occasions, we had to wake up in the middle of the night and beg her to go to bed. That she will never agree to until she must have finished her decades of the Rosary. She combined married life with active contemplative life. She was to us all a spiritual director and a role model.
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika strongly believed in truth and its power. She believed

TESTIMONY OF A GOOD LIFE
In honor of late Mrs Dorothy Fanny Obika
PROLOGUE
Death is an enigma which has frustrated all efforts of philosophical, spiritual, cognitive and scientific enquires into its meaning and to proffer solution to it. We can at best accept the fact that death is an inevitable end; a debt every mortal must pay, and a call every soul must answer. To support this claim and to buttress the point, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “Of this at last I am certain that no one has ever died who was not destined to die sometime”. To this end, we have gathered here today, not sing a post-humous eulogy, but to testify to the good life of our dear mother, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika who joined the saints on the day of the lord, Sunday May 11, 2014. She has traveled across the bridge where there is no more sorrow. She is no more within the confines of space and time.
 
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE
There are two remarkable and most important days of our journey on earth: the day of our birth, which marks the beginning of sorrow, and the day of death, which marks the beginning of eternal joy for those who lived good life. Little wonder, when we are born we cry and people rejoice. But when we die, we rejoice, people cry.
Our dear mother was a cause for joy in 1945, when she was born into the family of late Mr. Chinaka Osuala and late Mrs. Nwannedie Chinaka Osuala of Duruomeniho Ebikoro in Umuduruaku Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. as the third (3) child of her parents. In 1957, she received baptism in the Catholic Church. In 1957, she received her first Holy Communion. And in 1960, she was confirmed by Rt. Rev. Dr. J.B Whelan.
She attended Holy Rosary School Eziachi where she studied up to standard four (4). Due to the vicissitudes of life, she could not continue with her dream of becoming a school teacher. However, that dream did not die completely as she taught her children in the family both secular and Christian education.

MARITAL LIFE AND SOJOURN
Mama was married to Ezinna Stephen Obika of Umukee in Umuoba Eziachi, Orlu L. G. A. They wedded in the church in the year 1973. The marriage was blessed with eleven children (8 now Surviving). Her life was punctuated with different challenges in life like the painful exit of her three children. But these made her even stronger, resigning to the will of God.
She lived with her husband at Owo in Ondo State, the then western Region she engaged in different traders. At the out break of the civil war, they where forced back home where they were faced with the harsh realities of war, saddled with the responsibilities of fending for the family. Till sickness struck her in 2012, she was a strong business woman and hard working farmer. She was blessed with good health and extraordinary physical strength.
RELIGIOUS CONVICTION.
From ab initio, Mrs. Dorothy Fanny Obika had a strong believe in God and she clearly defined her purpose on earth: to serve God whole heartedly and make heaven at last. She sees the Catholic Church as the avenue to achieve this goal.
Therefore, she engaged in various pious societies and devotions. Till death, she was a bona fide member of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Catholic Bible Society of Nigeria (CBSN), St. Jude Society, Legion of Mary. She was an ardent devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. She was a Chorister for over fifty (50) years. She loved singing so much. Today some of her children are choir masters and choir mistresses in their different domiciles, thanks to her mentorship.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika was a woman of strong faith. She believed that all things are possible with God on our side. She was never a monk, yet she prayed like them.
She prayed ceaselessly and tirelessly. On several occasions, we had to wake up in the middle of the night and beg her to go to bed. That she will never agree to until she must have finished her decades of the Rosary. She combined married life with active contemplative life. She was to us all a spiritual director and a role model.

PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.
Mrs. Dorothy Obika strongly believed in truth and its power. She believes that it is better to be divided by truth than united in sin. That it is better to tell the truth that hurts than lies that comfort. That it is better to be hated for telling the truth than liked for telling a lie. That it is better to stand alone with truth, than follow the crowd in the wrong direction. That honest living is the avoidance of death (eternal death). She reminded us these even on her sick bed.

EPILOGUE
Dear friends, family and sympathizers, do not weep because mama is no more. Rather, rejoice because she has been born into eternity, smiling in the beatific vision she had always longed for. Today we celebrate her birth not mourn for her death. Her death is not the triumph of evil (contrary to what some may think). Rather, it is a vindication of the just.
Another reason why we should not weep again is because mama accomplished her mission on earth. Which are
To serve God without comprising to the way of the world.
To see the ordination of her son.
So we can happily say “Mission accomplished. To God be the glory.
Rest in peace Mama, till we meet to part no more.that it is better to be divided by truth than united in sin. That it is better to tell the truth that hurts than lies that comfort. That it is better to be hated for telling the truth than liked for telling a lie. That it is better to stand alone with truth, than follow the crowd in the wrong direction. That honest living is the avoidance of death (eternal death). She reminded us these even on her sick bed.

EPILOGUE
Dear friends, family and sympathizers, do not weep because mama is no more. Rather, rejoice because she has been born into eternity, smiling in the beatific vision she had always longed for. Today we celebrate her birth not mourn for her death. Her death is not the triumph of evil (contrary to what some may think). Rather, it is a vindication of the just.
Another reason why we should not weep again is because mama accomplished her mission on earth.

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REFLECTION FOR THE THRID SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR A): JESUS THE LIVING WATER

Ex. 17:3-7 John 4:5-42

Water is a basic necessity of life. 70% of human body is made up of water. When people are thirsty or dehydrated they lose energy, get weak/tired, they get sick, they die. In fact, no water, no life. Thirst is a terrible thing. Everybody is thirsty in today’s readings. The Jews in the desert, the Samaritan woman. Even Jesus is thirsty (John 19:30) that is why he moved to the well. But his is a different kind of thirst-thirsty for our souls. What about you? Are thirsty? If so, what are you thirsty for?

        The Israelites were tormented by thirst in the desert. They wanted water by all means. They complained against God and Moses his servant. At a point they wanted to stone Moses. They lost sight of God’s marvelous deeds in Egypt; they forgot the promises of God for the future and even wanted to give up the dream of the promise land. Nothing was important to them any more than water. In their immense thirst for water at Massah and Meribah, they failed the test of trust and obedience in God. They were faced with a major challenge: are we to continue trust this God of ours or are we to do it in our own way? This is familiar with all of us. We find ourselves ask sometimes how long can we continue to wait on God? It is the root of rebellion and sin because we often do it in our own.

        In times of temptation, sickness, and acute deprivation many abandon their faith in God to satisfy a momentary thirst, hunger and (or) carnal desire.  In Genesis 25:29-34, Easu sold his birth right forever to satisfy a momentary hunger. In Judges 15:4-22, Samson lost his powers while trying to satisfy the flesh with a good looking woman Philistine-Delilah. Many of us like Easu and Samson has lost favor with in a bid to satisfy a momentary pleasure or pressure, to make money by any means (ochara acha, ochaghi acha, ghota ya), to grab job or contract by any means, to have political appointment by any means,  to get that husband at all cost, to keep that boyfriend or girl friend, to do abortion and be free from pregnancy.

        We need to encounter Jesus! True encounter with God leads to transformation. The Samaritan woman at the well had a true encounter with Christ-the word made flesh and she became not only a disciple but also missionary and living water which flows out to others. Before now, she was looking for life in dead waters. And now she found life in Christ, the living water. Perhaps many of us are looking for life in dead waters. In what way are you looking for life in dead waters?  Surely, our Lord is the living water. No material thing can quench the thirst within. No wealth, no pleasure, no position can still fill the deepest desire in the heart of man. St. Augustine, having known the futility of seeking life in dead-stagnant waters, rightly said: “The Lord created us for himself and our hearts are restless until they rest in him”. Only in God can our thirst for love, for life and for meaning be satisfied. Often we make the mistake of thinking that by having the latest gadgets or having pleasurable activities that hunger will be satisfied. Ironically, the hunger for having increases by having. St. Augustine also declared: “men seek happiness even when they live in such a way as to render happiness impossible”.

         There is a fundamental thirst for God in every man. In psalm 42:1-2, David wrote: “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?” More so, in chapter 63:1, the same psalmist wrote: “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water”.  

         There is a yearning in every man which only God can fill, a wild storm only he can still. He is ever ready to do it for us as long as we long for it. In Isaiah 55:1 he says: “everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” In John 7:37-38 Jesus declares: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

        What do you thirst for and where do you get satisfied? Every soul that thirsts for God shall be satisfied, as the scripture says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matt. 5:6). “They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Rev. 7:17-19).

HAPPY SUNDAY

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A Daily Lenten Reflection) DAY 8: AMAZING POWER OF THE PRAYER

 Readings Esther 14:1, 3-5. 12-14; Ps 137 Matt 7:7-12

The distance between our problem and heaven is the distance between the knees and the ground. Prayer is a very powerful link between us and God. When this link is established, God our Father hears us and grants our petitions according to His will. The first reading of today reveals the confidence in a woman of faith, Queen Esther, who knew the power of prayer and used it to save her people from extermination in Babylon. We observe three steps she followed in her intercession. First, she recognized that God has the answer to her problem and the power for solution. Secondly, she interceded for her people, not being selfish. Finally, she placed her personal needs last. She prayed with confidence and trust as Jesus in the gospel exhorts us to. When we ask, we shall receive; when we seek, we shall find; when we knock, the door shall be opened unto us.

Prayer is all about presence:  We must recognize His presence

and availability for us and make ourselves present in his presence. The awareness that we have a Father who cares for His children inspires childlike trust and confidence in us. When this is understood, we can pray anywhere: in the church, in the public, in our solitary space, in the school, in a bus, etc

One may wonder why some prayers are not answered— why we lack success in prayer.  God knows the best for us. God may delay our request for the mean time for our good. Once upon a time, Jesus prayed to the Father during His agony at Gethsemane to deliver Him from the anguish He was to undergo. Instead of delivering Him, God gave Him the passion. Christ’s resurrection, glorification and our salvation are the fruits of the unanswered prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane.

Prayer is the best form of vigilance against temptation during this time of Lent. Prayer is your spiritual power pack and amour. Start your day with prayer and end your day with prayer, you will feel the impact of Divine presence in your life. He who kneels before God in prayer can stand before any forces, problems and impossibilities. Remember the formula is P.U.S.H: Pray Until Something Happens, and A.S.K: Ask, Seek and Knock. So, plug into the power of prayer.

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A Daily Lenten Reflection) DAY 8: AMAZING POWER OF THE PRAYER

 Readings Esther 14:1, 3-5. 12-14; Ps 137 Matt 7:7-12

The distance between our problem and heaven is the distance between the knees and the ground. Prayer is a very powerful link between us and God. When this link is established, God our Father hears us and grants our petitions according to His will. The first reading of today reveals the confidence in a woman of faith, Queen Esther, who knew the power of prayer and used it to save her people from extermination in Babylon. We observe three steps she followed in her intercession. First, she recognized that God has the answer to her problem and the power for solution. Secondly, she interceded for her people, not being selfish. Finally, she placed her personal needs last. She prayed with confidence and trust as Jesus in the gospel exhorts us to. When we ask, we shall receive; when we seek, we shall find; when we knock, the door shall be opened unto us.

Prayer is all about presence:  We must recognize His presence

and availability for us and make ourselves present in his presence. The awareness that we have a Father who cares for His children inspires childlike trust and confidence in us. When this is understood, we can pray anywhere: in the church, in the public, in our solitary space, in the school, in a bus, etc.

One may wonder why some prayers are not answered— why we lack success in prayer.  God knows the best for us. God may delay our request for the mean time for our good. Once upon a time, Jesus prayed to the Father during His agony at Gethsemane to deliver Him from the anguish He was to undergo. Instead of delivering Him, God gave Him the passion. Christ’s resurrection, glorification and our salvation are the fruits of the unanswered prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane.

Prayer is the best form of vigilance against temptation during this time of Lent. Prayer is your spiritual power pack and amour. Start your day with prayer and end your day with prayer, you will feel the impact of Divine presence in your life. He who kneels before God in prayer can stand before any forces, problems and impossibilities. Remember the formula is P.U.S.H: Pray Until Something Happens, and A.S.K: Ask, Seek and Knock. So, plug into the power of prayer.

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A Daily Lenten Reflection) DAY 7: NINEVEH IN RETROSPECT

Today, Jesus wants to show us the merciful and compassionate heart of God in his dealings with the Ninevites. Nineveh was a corrupt country whose conduct displeased God. God sent Jonah to warn them of an impending doom in 40 days which was to be a nemesis for their iniquities. The people of Nineveh were quickly able to read the signs of the time when Jonah preached. They declared a national mourning and fasting for their sins. They put up a genuine conversion and God saw the content of their hearts and spared the land. This reminds us of God’s promise that “if the people who bear my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my presence and turn from their wicked ways, then I will listen from heaven and forgive their sins and restore their country” (2Chr 7:14 NJB).

The Ninevites were exact contrast of the Jews of Jesus’ time. This generation (the Jews), according to Jesus, will stand condemned on the judgment day because greater was their privilege and greater will their condemnation be. They kept looking for signs and wonders without repenting from their sins. They could be likened to many people of our own generation who roam about in search of signs and wonders centers without repenting of their sins. The bible rightly says in Proverbs 14:34 that “righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people”. A broken contrite heart God does not reject, but a gullible faithless heart he despises.

What could have blinded the Jews who were contemporaries of Jesus from heeding to the voice of the Messiah in their midst and repent from their sins? It is nothing far from pride and abuse of God’s privilege. Could these attitudes be the root causes of the errors of our modern world? There is no gainsaying the fact that human pride and abuse of God’s privilege are the bane of our society staggering in what I call “memory loss of God”, crippled by what Pope Benedict XVI calls “dictatorship of relativism”, and ruined by the storm which Blessed Pope John Paul II described as “culture of death”. Today, ours is the privilege of Lent. Let us humble ourselves like the people of Nineveh and put up a genuine conversion of heart. This and only this can guarantee our salvation and vindication of our own generation.

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A Daily Lenten Reflection). DAY 6: ABC OF PRAYER

Today, Jesus gives us an ideal pattern of Christian prayer popularly known as “The Lord’s Prayer”. It is Jesus’ own prayer which comes from the heart. It is important to note the significance of the arrangement of this prayer. The first three petitions have to do with God’s glory and will; the last three petitions have to do with our needs and necessities. This means that God should be placed first above our human needs. All we need to do is keep praising Him and allow His will to sway. “It is only when God is given his proper place that all things fall into their proper place.”

When we say this prayer (Our Father…), we bring our present, past and future before the presence of God. We ask for bread in the present, ask for forgiveness of sins of the past and pray for protection against future temptations and misfortunes. Finally, God’s response to our prayer can come in three ways: He says yes and gives us what we want; He says no and gives us something better; He says wait and gives us the best. Prayer, therefore, should not be an attempt to bend the will of God to our wishes. It should be a total surrender to Divine will.

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FORTY DAYS WITH THE LORD (A Daily Lenten Reflection). DAY 5: THE CHRIST WE DO NOT KNOW

Readings Lev 19:1-2, 11-18 Mt 25:31-46

 God demands holiness which can be attained by treating our neighbors with love. Christ tells us in the gospel that our relationship with our neighbors goes a long way to define our destiny on the judgment day when “the sheep will be separated from the goats”. According to Matthew 25:31-46, on the last day, judgment shall be based on our earthly attitude to those things we are familiar with now. They are: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting prisoners and the sick.

Christian neighborhood has no geographical, racial or religious boundaries. Our neighbors, therefore, represent the Christ we often do not welcome. Christ is in the beggar, the hungry, naked, the homeless, the sick and the prisoner. It is rather a scandal to witness a Christian community with the richest in the society and the poorest; those living in extreme material comfort and those living in abject poverty.

Mother Theresa was a woman who devoted her life in caring for the poorest of the poor. She fed and served needy orphans, AIDS patients, lepers, tuberculosis victims, homeless families and indigent people. She saw each and every one of them as Jesus in disguise. On one occasion, a journalist once beheld a sight of her attending to the wounds of a leper and said "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars." Mother Teresa replied, "Neither would I. But I would gladly do it for Christ." Let us, therefore, receive Christ who is in our neighbors and the poor that He might receive us on the last day into His eternal bliss.

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REFLECTION FOR FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT—March 8, 2014: FIGHTING TEMPTATION

Today is the first Sunday in our Lenten journey. Our reflection centers on the gospel reading which narrates the threefold temptations of Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:1-11). Temptation is not sin, but falling for temptation is sin. After fasting and praying for forty days and forty nights, the devil, in a subtle way, presents Christ with three most attractive and irresistible human wants: bread, power and security. First, the devil, knowing that Jesus was hungry and that man can do anything to eat when challenged with hunger, dares Him to turn stones into bread to prove the claim that he is the son of God (as the voice from heaven said during his baptism). Secondly, taking the advantage of man’s quest for power and authority, the devil asks Jesus to bow down and worship him in exchange for kingdoms of the world. Thirdly, the tempter asks Jesus to jump down from the pinnacle of the temple, assuring him of angels’ protection. Jesus did not fall for the devil in spite of every pressure.

 

We have some lessons to draw from this temptation narrative from the bible. Christ was tempted after an intensive preparation for his earthly ministry, at the peak of his spiritual journey, even though he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk. 4:1). Lent is a period of great spiritual advancement. Every Christian should beware, knowing that toughest temptations in life come at the peak of our spiritual progress. The bible says “stand up to him, strong in faith”.

 Christ’s temptations are not different from the ones we have today. The three temptations of Christ revolve around materialism. The devil asked Jesus to turn stone into bread to satisfy his hunger. Today, in a world charged with hunger and anxiety about our daily bread, the devil is still asking us to commercialize our body, to rob others, to kill, to embezzle public funds, to operate abortion clinics, to venture into human trafficking and slavery, to sell substandard and fake goods in order to survive. However, we should not yield to the devil because “man does not live by bread alone” (Lk 4:4). Remember that Jesus who was tempted for a piece of bread multiplied abundant loaves for 5,000 people later. If we persevere today, Christ he as well multiple the little we have tomorrow.

Power and influence are baits by which the devil lures people into sin. The devil can lure people to take over all the kingdoms of the world, control business empires, command crowds, move from glory to glory in as much as they bow down to worship him. Unfortunately, many have fallen prey to this by tying their lives and destiny to various kingdoms of darkness in the world just for a miniature earthly success. To such people, Christ reminds today, “you must do homage to the Lord your God and him alone you must serve”. This biblical injunction also forbids “hero worship” and obsession with celebrities. Today, many worship movie, music and football stars. More still,  many self acclaimed men of God are into this net of the devil. By using religious-ideological blandishment and sophistry they play on people’s irrational quest for miracles and healing.  Some have gone as far as acquiring magical powers from God knows where to pull crowds. Consequently, people have shifted their attention from God to ‘men of God’ (who should be better described as pop stars than as shepherds). To such people Christ reminds today, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”. We should be careful because   the devil does not take people to the pinnacle of success for any other reason other than to land crash them (his assurance of safety notwithstanding). There is no safe landing for a flight that has the devil as the pilot.

Finally, the reading concludes “…and the devil left him”. The account of Luke reads, “Having exhausted every way of putting him to the test, the devil left him,  until the opportune moment”.  This means that victory over one temptation calls for readiness for the next because the devil is never tired of tempting us. He keeps looking for better strategies to employ. So we ought to be vigilant with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Below are some tricks the devil employ in seducing the children of God. I name them E-G-O because they emanate from the self.

1)     “Everybody is doing it”: when the devil wants to lure people to sin he tries to convince them that everybody is doing it; everybody is stealing, fornicating, is cheating, lying, etc. he reminds them that is what is en vogue and on point, the latest civilization. On the contrary, everybody is not doing it! There are many who making effort. Be on your guard.

 

2)     “God will understand”: “Yes after all I am a human being, weak and frail. God knows that”. That is what many say. It is the devils trick to make people believe that man is so weak and incapable of attaining holiness of life and thereby remaining in sin. On the contrary, Christ has died and carried our weakness and made it strength. “By his wounds we are healed”. So we can conquer our human limitations by conscious effort and by the grace of God.

 

3)     “One last time”: that is always the language, excuse and logic of one who is under the grip of the tempter. The truth is that there is no ‘one last time’ for anybody who has not determined to stop.

As we journey through lent, may God gives the grace to say no to the devil and conquer every temptation that we may emerge victorious and glorious like Christ. HAPPY SUNDAY.

 

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A daily Lenten Reflection). DAY 4: NO ONE IS HEALTHY

Health is one of the cherished treasures on earth. We hear people say “health is wealth”. People do can anything to stay healthy. Science has really advanced in recent times in the discovery of drugs and vaccines to combat sickness. However, in spite of all scientific advancements in combating diseases, man still fall short of complete health of mind and body. In the gospel reading of today, Jesus says that He came for the sick and not the healthy.

Unfortunately none of us is healthy: physically, psychologically and spiritually. Jesus came for all of us. Christ is an integral healer: He heals physically, psychologically and spiritually. In this period of Lent, let us give ourselves to Christ through mercy, compassion, forgiveness and love that He may heal us. We need all round healing especially spiritual healing through forgiveness of our sins because sin is at the base of human sickness.

Sin causes several wounds in us. It wounds the self image—the ability to forget the past and accept that we are worthwhile and lovable before God and our neighbours. It wounds relationships—the ability to love and forgive others. For this multiple wounds of sin, Christ provides healing at the confessional through the sacrament of reconciliation. It is the clinic of the great heart surgeon—Jesus. There he fulfills the promise of heart transplant, “I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. I will put my spirit in you” (Ez. 36:26-27). As we journey through this Lenten season, let us present ourselves before him to be healed of our arrogance and selfishness, pride and prejudice, lust and debauchery, name them. He came for the sick and not for the healthy.

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FORTY DAYS WITH JESUS (A daily Lenten Reflection). DAY 3: THE POWER AND PURPOSE OF FASTING

Welcome back! On this Lenten journey, you need to fast to be spiritually strong and active. Fasting is a tool of spiritual empowerment. Little wonder Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights before he started his public ministry. Through mortification of the flesh, the urge to sin is subdued. In this age of gullibility and perversity, humanity really needs to fast to regain her moral fiber and spiritual foundation. “The world diets, the church fasts. The difference is the intention”, says Fulton Sheen. Fasting is neither an end in itself nor a means to a material end like saving for the future and dieting. Fasting, like other religious practices, is prone to abuse. In Isaiah 58:1-9, the prophet raises this concern and warns against such attitudes that undermine the purpose of fasting. Such attitudes are keeping others uncomfortable, being too mean, flaring up at a slightest provocation and even starving others. On the extreme, one can become paranoid. Fasting can be a blessed or a terrible experience for you.

One can fast from food and from sin. Fasting from food helps us to fight selfishness, gluttony and avarice. It also helps us to be charitable by gathering what we saved by and giving to the poor. Fasting from sin is one of the best ways to fast. . It disciplines the  senses  of sight, hearing and speech to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Are you so free in talking dirty and enjoying salacious jokes? Do you realize the pernicious influence it has on your soul? Did you know that such acts like watching pornography, masturbation, fornication, and other sexual aberrations destroy the beauty of your soul? This is a time of restoring the beauty of the soul by fasting from sin. Perhaps you are not finding it easy to stop; you have become so addicted to them. All hope is not lost! One of the advantages of fasting from sin is that it breaks the chain of addiction. With fasting and prayer, a new you is guaranteed. Don’t be afraid to ask for God’s help for he does not spurn a humble contrite heart (Ps. 51:17).

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