THE SEED TO OVERCOME SIN

Reflection for Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A

(2Sam 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17; Mk 4:26-34)

THE FALL

Our beloved King David has fallen into a grievous sin. Like the little dialogue that grew into the great fall of Adam and Eve, David's evil act germinated almost unnoticed. The King who was chosen to lead his people at war made one easy wrong turn, and decided to stay at home! Idleness germinated loneliness. The emptiness of loneliness sought for fulfilment, but found nakedness! The eye is the gateway of lust. David fell in the trap of Eve: ‘it was beautiful to behold.’ Now the emptiness within is no more dormant; it has become an active desire. “And David sent and inquired of the woman…So David sent messages, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her.”

He thought it was ended. But he was summoned to take responsibility for his choices. Then the King realized he ignored his duty and indulged in irresponsibility. What he did to find rest kept him restless! He spent more energy to covered up, got more people involved, and the series of sin increased: lies, deceit, drunkenness and murder!

The BURDEN

Yes, Uriah the Hittite died! It is in him we behold the ugliness of David’s sin. The man who was fighting to defend the kingdom was killed by the one who suppose to protect him! He died because he was honest and committed. Like a little child he delivered his own death sentence; with zeal he carried his death like good news to Joab! Uriah died because he was obedient. Therefore, David killed all the virtues Uriah portrayed. Consumed by lust and guilt, he wished Uriah was the opposite. Sin is a parasite. It feeds on the good. And death is its ultimate consequence.  

FROM THE GROUND

From the very domain of death, Jesus raises us to life. So grace to overcome sin is enough; the life of heaven is scattered like seed among us that we might escape the trap of sin. So Jesus tells us the parable of  the scattered seed and the mustard seed. As sin rises gradually, so this grace of the Kingdom of heaven sprouts, rising from the ground, towering up above, producing full grain for an immediate harvest, and giving shelter in charity. 

Thus, if we are carried on the shelters of the Kingdom of heaven, we will rise above sin. It neutralizes the terror of idleness and loneliness, and engages us in dutiful and responsible living. 

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Friday 31st January, 2020.

PRAYING FROM THE SOURCE

Reflection for Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A

(2Sam 7:18-19, 24-29; Mk 4:21-25)

After prophet Nathan spoke to David, the King went in and prayed to God. “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?” He humbled himself before the Lord and made a unique request: He asked God to give him what God promised!  “And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.” This is when the man of prayer seeks but only God’s will. And this can only be so when the desire of the heart is prompted by God’s word. Thus, the desire of what God had promised is itself prayer—a prayer in which the answer goes ahead of the petition. The essence of such prayer is to prepare the man of prayer to readily embrace God’s response that is before him!

It becomes necessary, therefore, that the desires of our hearts should arise and rest in God’s word. When we begin to create prayer-points, multiply intentions, and accumulate divergent longings in our prayers, then our words begin to multiply, serenity and silence gradually evaporate. Now what ought to restore peace and security is stuffed with tension and fear.  How can such light of prayer shine? The humble prayer of David today is so powerful. It is like the Eucharistic sacrifice in which we return back to God what He had given us.

Thus, what God had given, we return in sacrifice; what God had promised, we ask in prayer. “For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Our lives will shine like the light of our prayers. The light of Christ is already burning in us. But unruly desires are like the bushel that tries to cover the light. “When you do prayer and do not receive, it is because you prayed wrongly, wanting to indulge your passions” (James 4:3).

This is why we need silence and meditation in order to examine and purify the inclinations of our hearts, aligning our desires with God’s will. Then, God’s promises will inspire and prompt our petitions, and there too we surrender the intentions.  

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Thursday 30^th January, 2020.

THE BUILDER AND THE SOWER

Reflection for Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A

(2Sam 7:4-17; Mk 4:1-20)

1.0.   THE BUILDER

 “Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.” The Prophet Nathan discouraged David from embarking on the temple project. He explained to the King that God was much aware of the need for a befitting temple. “I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt to this day, and I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.” However, David was not assigned to this, but to keep Israel secure from their enemies. Then Nathan told the King that God would not take the kingship from him as He did to Saul, but his own son would succeed him. “He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Though David’s son was to embark on the temple project, God talks of Himself as the real Builder, who would establish an everlasting dynasty for David.

2.0.  THE SOWER

The Builder of lasting kingdom now comes to us as the Sower of the seed of life in the Gospel we read this morning. The seed sown is the Word of God. As the Builder would become the Temple (cf. Jn 2:19); so the Sower would become the Seed. The Builder of everlasting Kingdom is equally generous in giving out the Seed of the Word of God. Would the sons of David cooperate with God’s plan to build a lasting kingdom for them? Or can the soil in which the seed is sown bear fruit? The Sower is extravagant in spreading the seed of the Word; he continues to spread the seed despite the failure of some recipients to bear fruit. Since He dropped each seed with hope of reaping the fruit, we can feel His silent agony as some seeds failed to germinate, others refused to grow, etc.

3.0.  THE HARVEST

“But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty-fold and sixty-fold and a hundredfold.” It is amazing that the enemy that devours, the rocky ground that dries up, and the thorns that choke up cannot stop the harvest! In the same way, the weakness of David and the sins of Children could not pull down the kingdom God built in the name of David.  So the hope of the Sower cannot be in vain; He got even hundredfold. Now the joy and beauty of the harvest is stronger than the agony of sowing… “He went off, went off weeping, carrying the seed. He comes back, comes back singing, bringing in his sheaves” (Ps 126:6).

Therefore, if today we cultivate a loving and contrite heart like David, we will bear fruit for the harvest, and God will establish us secure in His everlasting Kingdom. The joy of the Master builder, and the triumphant steps from a fruitful harvest is our inspiration today. Let us set our lives today as a rich soil, which receives the word of God, puts it work, and bears fruit. May your day be fruitful.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Wednesday January 29^th, 2020.

THE ROYAL DANCE

Reflection for Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A

(2Sam 6:12-15, 17-19; Mk 3:31-35)

The Ark of God was being carried in procession from the House of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem, the City of David. The Ark represented God’s presence in their midst; a concrete mark and reminder of God’s covenant with Israel. David sacrificed ox and fatling along the way. And “David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was belted with a linen ephod.” The king put his royal pride aside and humbled himself before the Lord. The joy of being in God’s presence was so overwhelming that it flowed out freely within each dancing step of David. So the King expressed ‘total abandonment’ and appreciation to God who blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and established him as king in Jerusalem. “The humble shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek God will praise Him; may your heart live forever” (Ps 22:26).

As they arrived at the tent, the joyous king offered burnt offerings, and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. Then he distributed to the multitude that gathered bread, meat and cake of raisins. This was one of such moments David acted like a priest, and brought blessings to the people.

As we engage in contemplative beauty of David who brought the Ark to the Tent in Jerusalem, the Gospel of this Tuesday directs our gaze to Mary who went in search of Jesus to bring Him home to His family. Mary is rightfully called “The Ark of the Covenant” since Jesus who dwelt in her fulfilled the ‘contents’ of the Ark of old. “In this were kept the gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s branch that grew the buds, and the tablets of the covenant” (Heb 9:4). The sacrifices of David and the bread he shared are fulfilled in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Cross that has become the ‘Manna’ for the people of the new covenant. The beautiful and spirit filled dance of David before the Ark became a leap of joy in the womb of Elizabeth as Mary visited (Lk 1:44). And her flow of joy could not be restrained as she sang the magnificat...

 The universal Motherhood of Mary, the Ark of the Covenant, and the joy it brings is readily available to all gathered in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. How is this possible? And Jesus answered the man who brought the news to Him, “Here are my mother and my brethren! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Therefore, let us put aside our human inclinations and do that which pleases God in our every activity this day. Then we have been qualified like the Blessed Virgin Mary to bring Jesus ‘home.’ We have become one family with Him. Our dance of joy shall be royal, and our melodious voice shall echo His victory.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Tuesday 28^th Janauary, 2020.

Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas (The Angelic Doctor of the Church).

He Reigns

                 Reflection for Monday  of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                               (2Sam 5:1-5, 10; Mk 3:22-30)

The stage is set for David to be King. Saul fought a lost battle because what God has sanctioned must be fulfilled. So all the tribes of Israel approached David at Hebron and made him king. “David was 30 years of age when he began to reign, and he reigned for 40 years.” He ruled from Hebron for  seven years and six months, then he went up to Jerusalem where he ruled for thirty-three years. From there he conquered the enemies of Israel, the Jebusites, and made Jerusalem secure. The Lord made David greater and greater...

As David went up to Jerusalem to establish a dynasty,  so Jesus would go up to Jerusalem to save us. But in the Gospel of today, some Scribes came down from Jerusalem to castigate Jesus. “He is possesses by Beelzebul, and by the Prince of demons he casts out Satan.” Their plan was to disrupt the mission of Jesus Christ by trying to convince the people not to submit to Him. “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut up the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to” (Mt 23:13). 

As the elders of Israel recognised the anointing of God on David and made him their king, these hypocritical Scribes, who recognised the power of God Jesus demonstrated, gave a false and conflicting testimony, deliberately orchestrated to deceive others. This sort of evil behaviour can lead to eternal damnation. It will turn out to be another lost battle, such as the one Saul fought against David in order to prevent his kingship. 

Jesus is the real ‘Strongman’ who subdues and plunders every opposing authority, and binds every evil force. So we gather around Him at this Eucharistic celebration that He may reign over us, and keep us secure. From His heavenly Jerusalem He sends forth this grace, that we too will reign with Him.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 

Tedi-Muwo,  Ojo, Lagos.

Monday 27th January, 2020.

The Glory we Share

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A

David received a greater acclamation after slaying Goliath. In his jealousy, Saul feared that the ‘glory’ given to David detracted from his own. He feared he might lose the throne to David. And rightfully so, but it would not be David who would snatch it from him, his own jealousy would hand it over. Though Saul loved David, he hated the glory ascribed to him; He needed all the glory to himself or at least he should be exalted above all. Jealousy is blood thirsty! For Saul, killing David would given him a sense of security, and restore him as the most acclaimed. But David's friendship with the son of the King, Jonathan kept him secure...

Such acclamation as was given to David is seen in the Gospel as great multitude followed Jesus,  the Son of David. David was praised for killing Goliath, who threatened the lives of the people; they converged around Jesus for defeating their diseases, and evil spirits, who tried to oppose him by exposing His identity as the Son of God when the hour had not come. But the glory of Jesus increased as He silenced the unclean spirits. 

Now we who are baptized into Christ Jesus are given opportunity to share in His glory. We do not seek our own acclamation like Saul, but we seek the praise of Jesus, who defeats our enemies and heals our ailments. In Him we are secure, and nothing can detract from the glory we share in Christ Jesus. So like little David, we make friends with the Son of the King, Jesus Christ. This friendship with the Son of God is all we need to be secure.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo,  Lagos.

Thursday 23rd January, 2020

Written For Audrey Yu (Malaysia).

"FOLLOW ME"

Reflection for Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

(1Sam 9:1-4, 17-19; Mk 2:13-17)

For the first time, a king is anointed for Israel. This was in attempt to separate religion from secular society. The king would take charge of the ordinary life of the people. Because Israel is God's chosen people, they could not completely separate government from religion. Unlike other nations, their king must be approved by God through the High Priest. And Saul son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 

His qualities were excellent. Physically he was tall and handsome. So he could be empowered to overlook the people and protect them. He was humble , obedient and committed to duty as he travelled round the towns and villages looking for his father's donkey. These virtues already inclined him for the task ahead. Unknown to Saul, he had been destined to be the first king of Israel. Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head and anointed him king. 

From the experience of Saul, it appears God calls busy people. He has a way of ‘exhuming’ us from our ordinary life commitment to a glorious task. So while Levi the son of Alphaeus was busy tabulating taxes, Jesus called him, “Follow me.” He responded immediately and took the bold step. His gain at the tax office became his loss for the Kingdom of God. He exchanged the status of affluence with that of a penitent! He walked out of the security of a financial house into the vulnerability of a disciple. Still he was happier, and the celebration began...

We are all endowed with physical and morale capabilities. These can be channelled to the pursuit of good worldly gain, just as Saul was moving around looking for donkey. It can be committed to sinful use, like the corrupt tax collector. In any case, a touch of divine grace transforms our ‘busy-ness’ into a righteousness of God’s kingdom. Thus our energy is purified, and exhumed from worldly attachment, and set free to bear fruit for the Kingdom. Sin adds burden to our labour, making us slaves to the things we ought to enjoy. Thanks be to Jesus who calls us out of sin. Now in Christ Jesus our joy out shines our labour! Jesus calls us to repentance. As we follow Him, the old ways and its pursuit must give way to a new life in Christ Jesus, bearing fruits of righteousness. 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu,  C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Saturday 18th January, 2020. 

WE NEED A KING!

                    Reflection for Friday  of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                       (1Sam 8:4-7, 10-22; Mk 2:1-12)

Now our beloved Samuel is old. Unfortunately, his children did like the sons of Eli, unfit to succeed him. Inspired by fear of the unknown future, the elders of Israel asked Samuel for a king, “Now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations.” Israel was surrounded by pagan kings, who made themselves gods over their people. Secular life has always been alluring with its show of glamour and promise of self-emancipation. And the elders of Israel fell to the trap. Samuel was heartbroken. Fear has always been the silent hand that draws a religious man to secular living. The people persisted on their request...

Samuel knew the danger of Israel not being directly under God's kingship. The Lord said to him, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” Samuel warned them about the consequences of their choice. The king would emancipate himself at their expense. In place of freedom, he would enslave their sons and daughters, and place tax burdens on them. The earthly king would be a cause of tears for them...

In contrast to the description of secular authority given above, Jesus comes to emancipate the people, to liberate the captives and heal the sick. He said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” The beauty of Jesus' Kingship is that it takes care of our spiritual needs. He defends our case just as He argued in favour of the paralysed man against the hypocritical Scribes. No King like Jesus! He released the man and set him free. “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” He rules both in our body and soul. “The son of man came not to be served but to serve,  and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28).

They asked Samuel for a king as we are in need of direction today! We may want to choose who influences us or who wins our allegiance. Secularism promises a lot without God, but abandons her subjects half way, and turns them into objects for the secular king! But Jesus is our Mediator;  He gathers us as one and defends our course. Therefore, Jesus is the ultimate response of God to our desire for a King. If we remain under the authority of Jesus Christ, fear cannot push us into empty promises. 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R 

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church

Tedi-Muwo, Ooh, Lagos.

Friday 17th January, 2020.

Memorial of St Anthony the Great.  

SURRENDER TO VICTORY

                               Reflection for Thursday   of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                                             (1Sam 4: 1-11; Mk 1:40-45)

Surprisingly, Samuel’s name was not mentioned in the first reading of today. That quickly reminds us that he had no part in what happened afterwards. Israel had lost favour with God, and as a result, could no more win their battles. Instead of retracing their steps, they blamed God for their calamity, “Why has the Lord put us to rout today before the Philistines?” They tried to force the hand of God to their victory. “Righteousness exalted a nation, but sin is a disgrace to it” (Proverbs 14:34). The two corrupt sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, brought the Ark of the Covenant to the Battleground. This was their last hope. At this time even their hope in God could not stand, for they tried to put God at their service instead returning to the true service of God. “And the Ark of God was captured; and two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.”

How can we win the battles of life in the name of God without total surrender to His will? So the leper expressed total surrender to the will of Jesus by ‘begging', ‘kneeling', and saying, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.” In the will of God is abundance of grace! If we submit to God's ordinances, we shall fight battles of life but always win God's friendship. Hence Jesus was moved with compassion towards the man. It was as if He mingled Himself with the man's battle with leprosy! “And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”

We have victory within our reach. The calamity the befell Israel at Ebenezer in the hands of the Philistines resurfaces when a Christian seeks God’s intervention without making effort to give his life to Christ. Total surrender to Jesus is where we ‘encamped' for the battles ahead. “You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble” (Ps 32:7). We must wear the will of God like an amour over the forces that wage war against us. Within it, our battles become Jesus’ own; then, we have surrendered to victory.  

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu,C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 

Tedi-Muwo,  Lagos. Thursday 16th January, 2020. 

SPEAK LORD, YOUR SERVANT HEARS

                         Reflection for Wednesday  of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                                       (1Sam 3: 1-10.19-20; Mk 1:29-39)

Today in our daily reflection,  the boy Samuel is introduced. He served Eli the priest. Samuel was young and inexperienced, while Eli was old with lots of insight. The boy servant was lying down within the temple, where the Ark of God was, but Eli slept in his room. Samuel was stepping into the shoes of Eli. Then came the vision!

“Samuel, Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli. This shows that the boy was prompt and diligent at duty; He was humble, open minded and respectful to the priest. Above all, he had fear of God, and enjoyed God's presence. With all these virtues, Samuel lived out his purpose in life—a life dedicated to God. Still, he had no experience of discerning God's call. The old priest intervened and directed him aright. So when the Lord called again Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

This answer became, not just a momentary response, but a way of life for him. From now onwards, the ministry of Samuel would be marked by this habit of attentiveness to the word of God. His prompt response to divine illumination was excellent. It takes a man of interior silence to cultivate such attentiveness to God. People from all parts of Israel consulted Samuel, and he listened to them.

Yes, that was how the crowds sought for Jesus. He was attentive to the needs of the sick and the possessed. We see His promptness in responding to Simon's mother-in-law and all who came to Him.  Later, Jesus went out to a lonely place, and there He prayed. Therefore, ‘the place of silence’ is readily a place of prayer and divine encounter. This is where we listen to divine illumination. For Samuel, it was before the Ark of the Covenant. But Jesus is divine presence Himself, so He sanctifies every place of silence where He is welcome into a serene place of hearing God’s voice. 

Therefore, if we create silence within, and welcome Jesus thus, then we can hear God from the depths of our hearts. This gives us bodily rest, and disposes our hearts for prompt response to divine call. Then, ‘Speak Lord, your servant hears’ becomes the living experience of one who, Like Samuel, lives out His purpose on earth by disposing his heart to silence and to divine illumination.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R 

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 

Tedi-Muwo, Ooh, Lagos. 

Wednesday 15th January, 2020.

From the Depths of the Heart

                             Reflection for Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                                            (1Sam 9-20; Mk 1:21-28)

From the depth of her sorrows, Hannah prayed to the Lord. Though in agony, she was positively minded. Hannah did not blame anyone for her situation, neither was she seeking revenge for the one that taunted her. She was specific in her request: ‘give to your maidservant a son.’ Surprisingly, she vowed to give back to God what He would give her. Here she made total commitment to God, and self-detachment from her request, such that at the end, only the glory of God would remain. 

This kind of prayer of self-surrender is uncommon. “Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard.” She was lost in deep contemplation. The sound of her silence caught the attention Eli, the priest, who thought she was drunk. “From the depths I call to you, O God: Lord hear my cry” (Ps 130:1-2). We must extol the silence of the heart in our prayers. Eli blessed her, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you made to Him.” She believed and left the temple happy. “Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’”

What a liberation, and the transforming of her sorrows to joy! It was marvellous. Such awe was felt around Jesus among those who listened to Him at Capernaum. Such fire of glory and power is often felt by those who, in silence listen and speak to the Lord from the depth of their hearts. It creates inner freedom and peace, and neutralizes negative energies and influences. This is seen in the Gospel of today as Jesus silences the demonic, and casts out the unclean spirit.

Jesus is the new High Priest, our Mediator, who hears even the silent petitions of our hearts (cf. Heb 4:14-16). He is the new Temple (In 2:21), where we enter to have divine encounter. Sorrows and failures of life can accumulate into negative energies within, breeding hate, revenge and depression. These, like the Demoniac that interrupted Jesus, can destroy our inner serenity and contemplation,  leaving behind chaos. But we match like Hannah, bearing our sorrows and brokenness, to pour out our hearts to Jesus. He blesses us through the action of the priests. With Him every pain and sorry becomes an opportunity for new grace and favour to the glory God. 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R 

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 

Tedi-Muwo,  Lagos. 

Tuesday 14th January, 2020.

TRANSFORMING HURT TO POSITIVE ACTION

                 Reflection for Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A

                                                      (1Sam 1-8; Mk 1:14-20)

We begin this first Week with the First Book of Samuel. It began by introducing the family of Elkanah, which is rooted in the tribe of Ephraim. “Ephraim” means “Fruitfulness.” This was the name Joseph gave his second son in Egypt to indicate that God had prospered him in the land of his sojourn (Gen 41:52). But this man from the ‘tribe of fruitfulness’ had a wife, Hannah, who was barren! Then he got a second wife, Peninnah, who had children. Again, Elkanah was faithful to God in offering annual sacrifices at Shilo yet Hannah remained childless. 

There was a problem. Peninnah stood upon her gracious position as the fruitful wife and taunted Hannah. She had enough and more, but saw herself in competition with the woman who had little and less. Probably she was jealous of the one thing that Hannah had: the love of her husband. Since Peninnah was not satisfied with the extra allocation given to her, she sought to tap secret joy from the sorrows of Hannah!  Unfortunately,  her name would not go beyond the sorrows she had caused, and so are all who lock themselves in jealousy and hate. Elkanah continue to love and support Hannah as her streams of tears flowed. 

In Gospel, the arrest of John the Baptist broke the heart of Jesus so he decided to move into Galilee. He felt the pain of John who was hit by the wickedness and jealousy of Herod and Herodias. As He mournfully stepped into Galilee, He began to preach repentance and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand. And while at the shores of the sea of Galilee, He called His first apostles. Jesus utilized the unfavourable circumstance created by human wickedness to do the will of God.

In Christ Jesus we have a gracious capacity to transform our tears of sorrow to tears to joy! Like Hannah, we may have many things to complain about to God and to man. But if at the end nothing positive comes out of our stream of tears, it implies we are merely celebrating and exalting the hurt instead of accepting the situation as our sharing in the Cross of Christ. Something good can come from every odd situation. “By His wounds we are healed” (1Pet 2:24).

Fr. Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R h

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church 

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Monday, January 13th, 2020.

THE HEAVENS ARE OPEN

REFLECTION FOR THE FEAST OF BAPTISM OF THE LORD YEAR A

(Is 42:1-4.6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17)

Last week we celebrated the manifestation of Jesus to the whole world with the visit of the Magi. It was through a natural sign—the sign of a star—that they were able to locate Jesus. Today, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, which marks the beginning of His public ministry. Once again, Jesus is introduced to us but this time through the voice of the Father and the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. The greatest testimony for Christ Jesus is unveiled as He stepped out of the water; “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In the beginning of creation, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Gen 1:2). Jesus steps into the waters of Baptism to inaugurate the new creation—the new order of grace. “So there are three witnesses: the Spirit, water and blood; and the three of them coincide” (1Jn 5:7-8). Jesus is the source; from His wounded side flows the grace of sanctification and incorporation into the new order of grace. He needed no baptism since He is the son of God and has no sin in him. He enters the waters ‘to fulfill all righteousness’, i.e. to submit himself entirely to the Father’s will (CCC 536), to show us the way, and sanctify the waters of baptism. Already He was anticipating the “Baptism” of the Cross (Lk 12:50).

“At his baptism ‘the heavens were opened’—the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed…” (CCC 536). Thus Jesus’ public ministry, which the Church continues today, announces that the Kingdom of God is near (Mt 4:17). Participation in the life of the Kingdom of God and its righteousness will require incorporation into Jesus Christ. It is by Baptism that we are born again in Jesus as children of God. We become God’s adopted children in Jesus Christ. This makes us co-heirs with Him of the Kingdom of God (Rm 8:17). “So by our baptism into His death we were buried with Him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life” (Rm 6:4).

Since we are assimilated to Jesus through our Baptism, we must see ourselves as being dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus (Rm 6:11). The heavens are open; we are living under grace. Sin must not rule our lives so that we would not shut ourselves off the new order of grace. The Voice of the Father and the descent of the Holy Spirit indicate that in Jesus dwells the fullness of divinity, and we who are assimilated to Him receive divine favor and fulfillment through Him (cf. Col 2:9).

How beautiful are the waters of the Jordan that stood for all waters of Baptism! The flowing waters, gentle and steady, received from Jesus the grace to wash away the original sin and keep us clean as new creatures for the Kingdom of God. The heavens are open! So the divine unction of the Holy Spirit descends anew in the oil of chrism. Like Jesus, we step out of waters of Baptism, full of grace and newness, with the Holy Spirit and power, preaching the good news of peace of Jesus Christ, doing good and freeing the captives (Acts 10:34-38). This is the responsibility to which baptismal grace summons us to. We cannot receive the grace of God in vein (2Cor 6:1). If we want to live with Him, we must also die with Him (2Tim 2:11; Rm 6:8). By our Baptism, the Mission of Christ Jesus becomes ours too. The heavens are open; God is with us.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos

Sunday, 12^th January, 2020.

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

"WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR"

Reflection on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

(Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12)

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Today we celebrate the manifestation of Jesus to whole world. It was quite dramatic as the wise men spotted the star, and courageously traced its movement to meet the Baby Jesus. All humanity is summoned to the Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the light (Jn 8:12). Man would have remained in darkness, imprisoned in his own natural inclinations, if not that Jesus dwelt among us. The remarkable light of the star scattered the darkness of the sky as it announced with serene silence that the Living Light is born.

 

The greatest mystery of all time left its concrete witness in nature as the star descended. “Ever since the creation of the world, the invisible existence of God and his everlasting power have been clearly seen by the mind’s understanding of created things” (Rm 1:20). The birth of Jesus sanctified the order of nature, such that God’s presence can be perceived therein. Now all the ends of the earth, every culture and society, can now discover God who is within (cf. Ps 98:3). The human mind, which is part of nature, can rise to contemplation of the truth of God. Scientific knowledge and common sense can perceive God’s presence if they are open to the truth. So the Wise Men, the Magi, who committed themselves to the study of nature and the search for truth, discovered the sign that points to Jesus Christ. These Men were open-minded, asking questions and ready to surrender to the revealed truth. Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord, who seek the God of Jacob (Ps 24:3-6).

The star continued to move but the Wise Men branched off to Herod’s palace. Experts were consulted; even those who hated the Messiah-King helped them! However, the most sublime of human thinking, cannot fully comprehend the fullness of Divine Revelation. The star halted over where the Baby Jesus was; its light must give way to the true Light of the World. God has taken His position among us; Nature has encountered its creator. The Wise Men now pay homage to the Incarnate Wisdom. The thinking mind searching for truth now meets the revealed truth. Reason serves faith; faith enlightens reason. In paying homage to Jesus, the Wise Men surrendered all their intelligence to divine illumination. Now they could properly interpret, not just the signs in nature, but even dreams. “And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.” Those who live only according to human inclinations, who rationalize everything instead being open to revealed truth, cannot redirect their lives to the path of life (cf. Rm 8:5-8).

Therefore, St Paul in the second reading exalts the ‘stewardship God’s grace’ that was given to him by revelation. In carrying out this apostolic mandate, those who live by their natural selves, the Gentiles, are to be brought into the divine promise in Christ Jesus. “The natural person has no room for the gifts of God’s Spirit; to him they are folly; he cannot recognise them, because their value can be assessed only in the Spirit” (1 Cor 2:14). There is joy when we sincerely search for the truth with openness to God’s revelation.

The star of salvation continues to rise, summoning people of sincere heart to divine encounter. If we are Wise, we will perceive God’s presence within and in the events that occur around us. From the order of nature His star breaks forth and shines! Thus, we have seen His star anew in the Eucharist as it rises above us who are bent in adoration, paying homage. The ‘natural signs’ lead us to deeper divine encounter. Like the star that halted over Jesus, the Eucharistic signs lead us to communion with Jesus. Yes, we have seen the signs; we have seen His star. Let us arise and match forward. He awaits us.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday, January, 2020.

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Throwback: Click below to previous Epiphany reflections in 2012 and 2013 respectively

https://nwachinwe.blogspot.com/2012/01/arise-and-pay-homage.html

https://nwachinwe.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-gifts-to-pay-homage_23.html

The Hour of Jesus is our Time

                                                             (Reflection for NEW YEAR 2020)

Time is on the move. The disappearance and emergence of years—the numbering of time—is more than mere mathematical calculation. The dawn of new calendar year is loaded with great opportunities as well as uncertainties. The unfolding of time gradually and steadily reveals what we make of life in time. The reference and relevance of each year to our lives draws from the value we acquire therein. Fear, joy or hope can be the inclination of our hearts as we look into the New Year. Still, time moves on! Thus, awareness of this constant flow of time, challenges us to work hard to achieve great value within the time available, at each moment. This is how we escape the depressing sense of nothingness that can come with the passing of years. 

I wish you a happy New Year because we now have an opportunity to achieve great value in time. The value we aspire today comes from beyond time. The eternal God, who created time, has become Master of our time in Jesus Christ. Jesus is now the “Beginning”, the “First Born of all creation.” All that live draw life and value from Him. He becomes the ‘reason’ for our lives and the destination of our life journey in time. So Jesus is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end. All times and seasons belong to Him. The hour of Jesus has become our time. “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (Jn 12:23). Therefore, this day, this year, is the real time of favour, now the day of salvation (cf. 2Cor 6:2). We are happy for the New Year because it is now a new opportunity in grace through Jesus Christ.

Let us match in to the Year 2020 with great plans, resolutions and actions. Jesus is at the centre of our counting of years. Let the inspiration and motives of our New Year commitments flow from the grace and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Any step we take this year that cannot be referenced to Jesus Christ will expose us to the nothingness side of time; it will definitely diminish our value in time. We might not be faithful or consistent in our resolution, but Jesus is ever faithful (cf. 2Tim 2:13). So we must constantly renew our commitment as the year unfolds. The hour of Jesus is our time, i.e. the time of salvation.

Be grace-filled and be grateful for the year 2020. Happy New Year!!!

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

January 1, 2020.