The Seed of Life

                                  (Reflection for Monday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time)
                                                         Jer 13:1-11, Mt 13:31-35.
Why did God tell the Prophet Jeremiah to hide his new linen loincloth among the rocks, where termites destroyed it! He used it to give example of what would happen to the wicked who do not abide in God's word. In the Gospel this morning Jesus described the Kingdom of God like a mustard seed and like the yeast that leavens the flour. 

The Seed and the Yeast
A seed sown can germinate if it has life within it. The Kingdom of God is alive! Once sown, it germinates and grows to greatness. Like little mustard seed, the Kingdom of God grows from little acts of righteousness. The man who sows this seed in his farm automatically enjoys this rise to greatness. Similarly, a yeast has an inherent capacity to increase the volume of the flour, to produce smooth and tasty bread. Hence, once it is mixed with the flour, the yeast acts according. The kingdom of God increases us...Thus, Jesus gives this parable that might plant the seed of God's kingdom in the farm of our endeavours, and mix the flour of our lives with the yeast of the Kingdom.

The Loincloth and the Kingdom
God spoke Jeremiah that as a waist cloth clings to loins of a man, so close did he bring his people to Himself.  But they refuse to hear His word, instead they their own hearts and other gods. Therefore,  they would end up like the loincloth that was eaten by termites,  having no beauty, no life and useless.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rm 14:17 KJV). God has given us opportunity to grow to greatness like a mighty tree by sowing the seeds of the righteousness of the Kingdom. And to mingle our lives with His righteousness such that it increases us automatically from within. “The Kingdom of God is within you”(Lk 17:21).

The Seed of Life
Then the ultimate seed of God's kingdom is sown, and has grown to greatness. Jesus is the Kingdom of God among us. He is that Seed of the Kingdom that was sown in littleness but in three days He burst the earth and germinated to the highest glory. The life within Him could not be conquered by death nor held down by the grave. Such supra-abundance of life is now available and accessible to us in Christ Jesus.  Like birds of the air, we take shelter on Jesus, the true Vine.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu,  C.Ss.R
Our Mother of Perpetual Shrine,
Enugu
30/07/2018

THE BREAD THAT SATISFIES

                                  (Homily for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
1.0. The Miracle
“How am I to set this before a hundred men?” the servant asked Elisha. At the word of God the Prophet responded, “They shall eat and have some left.” Thus Elisha fed so many with so little. In the Gospel, while Elisha fed 100 men with 20 loaves,  Jesus fed 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. God, who created from nothing, is able to give abundance from so little.

2.0. The Bread and Fish
Elisha fed them with bread and grains, while Jesus multiplied bread and fish. The hallmark of the miracles is that surplus came from so little.  What was brought was insignificant in the face of such magnitude of demand. In the readings, we encounter the God who can turn our little inputs into great outs.

We have so much temporal and spiritual hunger. And what we often have by ourselves in the face these are like few loaves and fish before the multitude.  We rarely can keep ourselves contented  by our efforts and achievements. In an effort to quench this hunger some have entered the world of pleasure, consumerism, power and ego, etc. These deepen the hunger and leave a residue of frustration. Our bread and fish cannot satisfy...

3.0. Bread and Fish offered
Elisha committed the  bread and grain to the word of God, while Jesus lifted up the bread and fish...Thus what was little before men was in turn received from God as abundance! What could not satisfy from human perspective,  is received back from God with utmost satisfaction. God's providence does not fail. Our little temporal and spiritual resources,  such as time, health, wealth, faith, virtue, etc, cannot guarantee our spiritual and physical security. But when we offer them to God, we receive in return abundance of satisfaction,  even while these resources appear little before us.

Thus, St Paul enjoins us to respond to our vocation with utmost humility. It is God who gives the increase.  In gentility we offer ourselves, being pour way like libation to God. Whatever is offered to God does not diminish.

4.0.The Bread that Satisfies
In lifting the bread to the Father for the people,  Jesus gave the ultimate sign that points to Himself as the Bread of the life. He is the living Bread, offered up for us that all generations may eat and be satisfied. In the Eucharistic,  therefore,  we offer up our humble selves with all our hunger. In the Eucharist lies immeasurable serenity and satisfaction that awaits all who participate faithfully. This is the real Bread that Satisfies.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu,  C.Ss.R
Mother of Perpetual Shrine
Enugu.
29/07/2018

Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces

1.0.Mary’s Election
The Blessed Virgin Mary is a woman of grace! She was chosen by God’s gratuitous grace from the foundation of the world (cf. Gen 3:15). God gave her the highest honour of our race by choosing her to be the Mother of Jesus, and bestowing on her the fullness of grace. Thus, whatever honour we give to Mary, It is the Almighty who has done these great things, and holy is His name (Lk1:49). However, Mary’s personal sanctity comes in her free acceptance and continuous response to the grace, together with the consequences therein.

2.0. The One Mediator
Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and man (cf. 1 Tim 2:5). To Him alone belongs the grace of mediation as our only Redeemer. The eternal grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is applied to each individual in every generation, according to ones proper disposition and need at that time. Unworthy though we are, the merciful God continues to make this grace available to us through different channels or sub-mediation. This is where Mary and the saints come in. Their mediation is subordinated to that of Jesus Christ. Their mediation is not in contra-distinction to that of Jesus Christ, but the one and only mediation of Jesus Christ elongated or made more readily available and accessible to us through the merits of Mary and the Saints. We have one Mediator, Jesus Christ, but Mary, by God’s election, shares in this grace as our Mediatrix! In other words, she wins for us the grace of Jesus’ mediation through her own merits.

3.0. Mediatrix of All Graces
The Blessed Virgin Mary qualifies as Mediatrix by her participation in the work of our redemption. She shared in the agony of her Son on the Cross. Her mediatrix role shines out in the wedding at Cana in Galilee (Jn 2:1-11). The Church honours her under this title as a doctrine not dogma (Vatican II: Lumen Gentium 61-62). This title extols Mary’s universal Motherhood as the new Eve, through whom we are restored to favour with God in Christ Jesus. Secondly, Mediatrix of all Graces implies that all benefits and helps of salvation can reach us through Mary. She can stand before God as our Mother to win for us all graces we may need. As Mediatrix, Mary is a distributor of grace! Mary’s role is not to short-change nor reduce the position of Jesus as our one and eternal Mediator. Her role is participatory, it extols Christ as our Mediator.

4.0.Conclusion
This brief reflection is not exhaustive. You can get more information from books and catholic websites. As you go through your First Saturday reflection, let this write up be just the beginning...I am constrained by time to elaborate more. Bear with me.
Therefore, my Friends, always run to Mary when you are in need of grace! Do not rely solely on your intellectual or emotive power to respond to situations in your life. You are equally God’s elect; a woman of grace! Congratulations! Continue to give your free response and cooperation to this grace.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
May 1, 2018-05-01
(St Joseph the Worker).
Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine,
UgwogoNike, Enugu.

MARY THE ATTENTIVE MOTHER

1.0.Prelude
The Modern Society seems to be suffering from attention deficiency. Silence and attentiveness have never been this scarce. We see it everywhere; from a government that is deef to the plight of its citizenry, to couples who don't listen to each other. Often times we see this disconnect between parents and their children, teachers and their students. Attention deficiency has ruined many relationships. In our plight, we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary for this grace—to develop our inherent capacity for silence and attentiveness.

We must recognize that attentiveness is an inside job! It is an art; an inner disposition. The art of attentiveness is acquired. Thus, it grows by practice to become a habit. The process of nurturing this habit is called “silence.”

2.0.Mary's open Ear
The Icon our Mother of Perpetual Help depicts Mary in a contemplative mood. In the Icon, Mary's left ear is attentively  open. The Icon speaks of Mary as the Attentive Mother. Her attentiveness is of two fold: to God and to man.

Mary listened and believed in God. “Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). She was attentive to the message of the Angel, and asked for clarification, “But how can this come about this I have no knowledge of man?” (Lk 1:34). Attentiveness is enfleshed in action. Mary's response to the message of the Angel proves her to truely and ideally an attentive Mother. She was consistent in her response up to the foot of the Cross...

Mary listened to the directives of Joseph, and walked harmoniously with him to accomplish God's will. At the wedding in Cana, she was attentive to the needs of the new couple. And she responded adequately to get the empty jars refilled. Thus, Mary's open ears are inclined to God and to us her other Children.

3.0.The Attentive Mother
Attentiveness draws us to adequate response like the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indifference and inaction are signs of attention deficiency! Attentiveness to God,  therefore,  summons us to adequate response to both God and our fellow human beings. Silence germinates attentiveness, and attentiveness gives birth to availability.

Mary is our model—our Attentive Mother. She gave God her undivided attention. And her response is extolled in all generations (cf. Lk 1:48). This month, let us invoke her to win for us this grace to be attentive to God and those around us.

Fr. Jude Nwachukwu,  C.Ss.R
Enugu
July 5, 2018.
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