“I will; be clean”

Meditation for Friday of the 12^th Week in Ordinary Time

(Gen 17:1, 9-10, 15-22; Mt 8:1-4)

Let us meditate briefly on the beautiful encounter between Jesus and the leper as given in today’s gospel. As Jesus stepped down from the mountain, a leper knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Surprisingly, Jesus went against the religious and cultural practice of the time by stretching out His hand and touched the leper. He said to the man, “I will; be clean.” Immediately the man was cured. Think about that divine touch that healed the man; see that holy and spotless hand that left its imprint on the sore spots of the leperos man! The touch of Jesus was soft and gentle, silent and calm, yet it was firm and powerful, and transforming. It was a victorious touch that transformed the man. Once more, think about that courageous touch that defied all barriers and prejudices to remove the man’s shame…

 

Looking back on the story of Abraham, we read how God reassured Him of the promises and made a covenant with Abraham. As a mark of the covenant, God said to him, “Every male among you shall be circumcised.” The mark will be an imprint that would differentiate the chosen people of God, who would benefit from the covenant. This covenantal mark of ownership becomes a prefiguration of the indelible baptismal seal that will differentiate people of the new covenant. Through this mark we are qualified to receive the divine touch of Jesus, which He readily makes available for us through the Sacraments of the Church. The divine touch of Jesus brings in us such effects as exemplified in the leper.

 

Therefore, let us humble ourselves in adoration before Jesus, and present our needs and situations to Him by lifting up our hearts and minds to Him in prayer, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” He responds to us prompts with His words and action—form and matter—giving us a total and complete healing, saying, “I will; be clean.” Amen.  

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Friday June 30, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

HOW TO IDENTIFY WOLVES IN SHEEP CLOTHING

HOW TO IDENTIFY WOLVES IN SHEEP CLOTHING

Meditation for Wednesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

(Gen 15:1-12,17-18; Mt 7:15-20)

At a time like this, the words of Jesus in the gospel of today are ever timely because there are so many self-acclaimed prophets, evangelist, pastors, etc in every city. Even in the ordinary practice of the faith, wrong approaches to faith and distorted spiritual exercises abound. How can we differentiate and identify wolves in sheep’s clothing? Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” What kind of fruit does true faith produce?

Let us meditate on the experience of Abraham as given in the first reading to understand the kind of fruit that differentiates and reveals a true prophet and a true believer. It appears the old man was wondering whether he had believed wrongly or not. So, Abraham began to question God, saying, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” The Lord brought him outside and asked him to number the stars, saying, “If you are able to number them, so shall your descendants be.” Abraham believed what the Lord said, and this faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. Thus, the FRUIT OF FAITH is evident. That means true faith re-produces itself in oneself when practice rightly, and in others through the works of the true prophets. 

Further, Abraham asked for a sign to show that he and his descendants shall possess the land that God promised him. The Lord asked him to offer a SACRIFICE acceptable to him. The accepted the sacrifice in the form of a smoking fire and a flaming torch. “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give the land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river of Euphrates.” Thus, the fruit of a true faith will always be a pleasing sacrifice offered and acceptable to the Lord. This can vary from simple acts of charity to endurance and forgiveness, up to a life of participation in the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. 

These are ways we can identify and differentiate the numerous wolves in sheep’s clothing. At the end Jesus says, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.” Amen. 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Wednesday June 28, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

UNLOCKING ABRAHAM’S BLESSINGS

Meditation for Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Gen 13;2, 5-18; Mt 7:6, 12-14)

Let us meditate on how the teachings of Jesus in the gospel of today can unlock Abraham’s blessings for us. He says, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” It is surprising how easily we wish to be treated differently from the way we threat others. It is only when we consider the good of others first, or when we put ourselves in their shoe before acting that we can treat them as we wish to be treated. This is justice and fairness. Much more than that, it brings about what the law and the prophets try to establish. Hence, it creates such an environmentthat unlocks heavenly blessings.

 

The dramatic story in the first reading talks about the conflict between the herdsmen of Abraham and those of Lot. Abraham resolved the conflict by asking Lot to choose first the grazing area he considered best. This is a typical example of threatening others as you would like to be threatened. This singular gesture did not diminish Abraham, instead God was pleased with and him. “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.”

 

Let us try to reduce selfishness today by thinking a little bit more about the welfare of others. Sometimes we place justice in front, demanding that people must be worthy and qualify to merit our kindness and love. But true justice and fairness shines out when we consider the good of others and the common good. It is like passing through a narrow gate, full of discomfort and discipline but leads life. Yes, this narrow gate of considering the good of others will definitely unlock Abraham’s blessings for us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Tuesday June 27, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE LOG AND THE SPECK IN OUR EYES

Meditation for Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
(Gen 12:1-9; Mt 7:1-5)

The human mind is the seat of judgement. Our basic mode of reasoning takes the form of judgement and making choices and arriving at a conclusion. It appears practically impossible for someone to apply reason on issues without making judgement about them. Thus, when Jesus says in the gospel of today, “Judge not, that you be not judged”, it appears he is asking us to ‘suspend’ reason about what we perceive. But listening further, He says, “For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” To pronounce judgement is to ‘conclude’ for others, and attempt to ‘determine’ the fate of someone. That means the one who raises the measure of his judgement as an objective standard for others has automatically accepted to subject himself to that same standard.

 

Obviously, our subjective views are not clear enough to see through another person’s whole intention and actions to conclude their life. We hardly see enough of ourselves; how can we claim to have perceived ourselves completely of others! It is hypocritical to abandon the log in one’s eyes while noticing the speck in his brother’s eye. That is why the example of Abraham in the first reading will forever remain fresh in our hearts. He demonstrated clearly in his obedience of faith to God’s instructions that God is all knowing, and he ‘reasoned’ out his journey in favor of God’s will.

 

Thus, Abraham embarked on the journey of faith without seeing the whole picture; without knowing what it would take or where it would end. He journeyed on with the same energy and confidence, “still going towards the Negeb.” This is how the ‘judgment of faith’ carries us forward beyond the limits of the ‘judgement from self’. This self-based rationalizing is usually blind to the self and completely biased against others. The judgment it produces cannot take us far. But when faith is the light of reason, our vision of life pierces through to the heavens and our horizon is endless. Then, we journey on; and like Abraham who became a source of blessing to others, we lead them to the right path. Instead of judging and condemning others, we inspire, uplift, encourage and bless them to continue their journey of life in the path of God’s will. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Monday June 26, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

“TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?”

 “TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?”
CMO RETREAT
ST ANN, PPL, LAGOS
Saturday June 24^th, 2023
(Jn 6:68)

The verse is taken from Jesus’ teaching about His Body and Blood, saying, “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53). It was a difficult teaching for the people, a deep mystery that was hard for them to understand. Many of them got confused, for they were holding on to the technical, rational and logical understanding of the message, in addition to their cultural and religious prohibition on eating blood (Lev 17:10). While many of the Jews outrightly did not believe Him, but many of disciples, who earlier believed in Him turned their back on Him (Jn 6:64-65). However, Jesus did not bend His teaching to suit them nor begged them to stay, instead He turned to the twelve apostles and said to them, “What about you, do not want to go away too?” Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn 6:67-69).

 

In our society today, there is so much confusion in every aspect of our lives. We are facing economic crisis, socio-political crisis, family life and marriage crisis are increasing. The new age moral issues are intoxicating our younger generation. Can men of this generation confidently claim that they are the head of their families or they have been reduced to mere ‘bread winners’? There is a new wave of spirituality spreading across, so loud, so exciting, so compelling but with little content and value; bringing little or no conversion and union with God. In the midst of these confusion and attack on the mysteries of faith, ‘To whom shall we go?’ It may be easy to take the shortcut and walk away and remain in our self-enclosed ideas and ways of life. This can lead to frustration and depression as we continue to circle around the confusions of life. Some others have settled for the most convenient and easy approaches to life and faith, rejecting every imprint of the Cross of Christ, they get drowned in the euphoria a life of pleasure and affluence that is not stable nor enduring. Thus, we have people of this generation, who easily walk away at the slightest difficulty or discomfort. Lacking patience, they wander like sheep without shepherd, dwelling only on the surface of the message and events around them, instead of exploring deeper to understand the mysteries of life.

 

The Christian fathers of today must rise to the challenge. We have the example of Simon Peter and the other apostles to go by. They equally did not have an in-depth knowledge of what Jesus was teaching about the Eucharist. But they stood on the existing relationship of faith they had with Him, and placed their trust in Him over and above their ego. Their vulnerability at placing their faith in Christ became their courage in the face of the confusion of their lack of understanding of the mysteries. Knowledge gives us power—power to control what we have mastered. But for the apostles who remained, confidence in Jesus became their knowledge, for they have come to know that He is the all-knowing! Thus, the act of choice-making is already decided in Christ Jesus. That means the Christian Fathers must have confidence in Jesus as Peter did. This is the assurance they have in the midst of the confusions and crisis of our time. If we are not resolute in Jesus, how can we be resolute in the face of the difference voices that is appealing to us! This is so important especially in the face of the huge family responsibilities father are expected to undertake.

 

“To whom shall we go?” echoes our yearning for understanding of the present situations each of us experiences, and it exposes our incapacity to resolve perfectly all the crisis before us and ahead of us. However, as Christ’s faithful, it becomes a rhetorical question since we have already acknowledged Jesus as the answer. Therefore, “To whom shall we go?” becomes an expression of our reaffirmation of faith and trust in Jesus as the only we must follow. It becomes important that Christian Fathers of today must re-align their steps to follow Jesus more closely, despite the many broad and easy ways the world suggests. The worldly alternatives do not give lasting solution, instead the end up creating more confusion and they lead to destruction. The Christian Father who imitates Jesus closely becomes a good guardian and bread winner of his family, leading like a good shepherd on the pathway of love, peace, forgiveness, unity and progress. Such a man must avoid the distraction of the essay ways that lead to ruin, such as anger, violence, life of pleasure, laziness, prayerlessness, etc. Hence, “To whom shall we go?” echoes our rejection of the easy ways that are not of Christ, no matter how popular or alluring they may be.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

June 24, 2023.

THE SAVING GRACE AGAINST EVIL

Meditation for the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Jer 20:10-13; Rm 5:12-15; Mt 10:26-33)

Let us meditate on the battle of the righteous against evil. The all-round attack on prophet Jeremiah typifies the incessant battle those who attempt to live righteously face. Evil always tries to silence the good, just as the secular world makes noise about the truth but at the same time abhors it. Prophet Jeremiah said, “I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! ‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!!! There is always an opposing force against every good, and it comes consistently. The prophet realizes that his human strength alone cannot win this battle. So, he declares, “But the Lord is with me as my dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me.”

In the second reading St. Paul tries to answer the question, ‘where did evil come from?’ It all began with the sin of Adam and Eve, and death came in through sin. Furthermore, sin spread and existed before the law was given, but the knowledge of the law increased awareness of sin. Thus, evil celebrated its victory through the reign of death, which became the real voice of terror that threatened all peoples. Jesus came to snatch away the ‘victory’ of evil, which is death, such that by overcoming death, man has won a new victory over evil. Yes, the sinner can now live through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This free gift of salvation in the one-man Jesus Christ abounds for many.

 

Therefore, there is no need to fear the terrors of the night (Ps 91:5). Though the denouncing voice of evil continues of roar, Jesus says in the gospel of today, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus assures us that the Lord watches over the righteous in ways we cannot imagine, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Since the abundance of His saving grace is available for us, it is our duty to ‘acknowledge’ Jesus in our daily lives by living out this grace. We must live a life worthy of the grace we have received in Christ Jesus (cf. Eph 4:1). Jesus our meditator, who snatched us from the domain of sin and death, will defend us before the throne of God. Here we see the fulfillment of prophet Jeremiah’s vision of the eternal dishonor that will come upon evil and all evil doers. To deny Jesus by not living out the grace we have received is to pull ourselves off from the divine protection against evil, and the mediation of Jesus Christ.

 

To those who acknowledged Jesus before men, who stand for Him in the face of terrors around and, as the prophet announced, committed their cause to Him, “Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday June 25, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE HARVEST AND THE LABOURERS

Meditation for the 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Ex 19:2-6; Rm 5:6-11; Mt 9:36-10:8)

Let us meditate on the dynamics and the relationship between the harvest of the Lord and the labourers He sent into His harvest. Jesus said in the gospel of today, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” In the first reading, we hear how the Lord Himself ‘laboured’ for the Israelites, and ‘harvested’ them to Himself. He made a covenant with them at mount Sinai so that they would be His own possession among all the peoples. He said, “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

 

Both the harvest and the labourers belong to God. The duty of the labourers is to do what the Lord did for the Israelites in the first reading, which is to return to the Lord the harvest that is His own possession. To achieve this, the labourers must first be the Lord’s possession before they can usher others in as the Lord’s possession. Thus, only a Labour who is at the same time a ‘harvest’ of the Lord can truly labour in the Lord’s vineyard. Such labourers are few and not easy to come by. The harvest is plentiful; many people need to hear the authentic gospel message, strengthened and encouraged, and helped to gain the graces they need to become the Lord’s possession. But the Labourers are few; there is always need for committed and persevering labourers, who have been ‘harvested’ for the Lord, who can interpret the signs of the times and apply the gospel message accordingly without bending it towards wordily standards.

 

Jesus Himself is the perfect Labourer for, “While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Just as Jesus became our reconciliation with God, the Labourers sent to the Lord’s harvest bring the love of God and reconciliation in Christ Jesus. Then, Jesus called the twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits and to heal every infirmity. He gave them the mandate preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.”

 

As each of the disciples was identified individually, so does each labourer have a unique dimension he must cover. There is a need for labourers who understand their charisma and apply it for the Lord’s harvest. Standing on the foundation of the apostles, every believer, reconciled with God, must labour at his or her own capacity to bring reconciliation and peace among men and with God. Every labourer must have a sense of urgency, avoid distraction and delay, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. We pray, therefore, that the Lord of the harvest should send out labourers into His harvest. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday June 18^th, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE EUCHARISTIC PERSPECTIVE

Solemnity of The Body and Blood of Christ

(Deut 8:2-3, 14-16; 1 Cor 10:16-17; Jn 6:51-58)

It is a very special day as we meditate on the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. The first reading tells us how God led the foundation of this mystery when He fed the Israelites with manna in the desert. The manna was given as ‘food for the journey.’ Moses viewed their hunger and distress in the desert through the lens of the manna. From the perspective of the manna, their hunger and distress became, no longer punishment or obstacle to cut short their joy of the journey, but a humbling gesture that prepared them to receive the manna and grow in their knowledge of God. He said that God did this, “That He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. And that you shall remember the Lord your God…”

 

The signification of the manna, which is fully revealed in the Eucharist, has become for us now a blessing and participation in the Body and Blood of Christ. That means the Eucharist brings transformation to our lives, ‘mingling’ our bodies with the Body of Christ. At a personal level, each believer is nourished and his body becomes a worthy dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. At a collective level, St Paul says, “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

 

In the gospel, Jesus declares categorically, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the live of the world is my flesh.” Here we see the fulfilment of what was signified in the first reading. Human life alone can easily be wounded and broken; there are insurmountable obstacles along the different aspects of our journey of life. Human hunger for love, peace, peace and life itself will remain in the desert of agony, for every effort to satisfy them by solely human strength creates more hunger. Jesus feeds us with Himself and nourishes us with His Blood that He might share life with us and become our satisfaction. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

 

Thus, in the Eucharist, Jesus is present in an extra ordinary way in the form of Bread and wine. He says, “For my flesh is food indeed, and blood is drink indeed.” Now we can view our lives from the perspective of the Eucharist since it has taken a central stage in our lives. Meditate on the difference it makes and the deep meaning it gives when we view our lives from this mountain of grace, just as Moses did. Then, our hunger meets satisfaction, our weakness is conquered by strength, our wounds are touched by healing, courage displaces fear, peace and unity grows stronger, love dispels the darkness of hate, and life overcomes death. We see why Jesus says, “He who eats me will live because of me.” Amen

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday June 11, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

 

SPEAK TRUTH WITH HUMILITY

Meditation for Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Tobit 2:9-14; Mk 12:13-17)

How easily words can slip off our mouths and result to consequences we never intended. Dishonesty in speech comes when what we say is different from what we have in mind or when we say what is not true. Words can communicate the best of our virtues. Also, they can easily sell out our pride and arrogance. Often times, words are handy tools of provocation and revenge. This is obvious in the first reading, where the wife of Tobit took revenge at him for provoking her by angrily making jest of his charitable works.

 

The Pharisees and the Herodians set trap for Jesus to entrap Him in His own talk. They knew those addressing the public can easily err in answering questions or in their own teachings. This is usually the case when one speaks to impress people and boast his ego. Also, one can easily be trapped in his own speech if he is speaking falsehood or when what he is saying does not edify or glorify God. Thus, Jesus escaped the trap, saying, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” At the end, the Pharisees and the Herodians fell in their own trap.

 

Let us learn from the example of Jesus and speak truth with humility and love, and to the glory of God. In this way, no one can entrap us in our own words. “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble” (Proverbs 21:23).  Amen.

 

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE CORNERSTONE

Meditation for Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Tobit 1:3; 2:1-8; Mk 12:1-12)

After narrating the parable of the wicked tenants, Jesus concluded by saying, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?” The ‘builders’ who are supposed to be professional in their work ought to know the cornerstone and build on it. Why did they act so unprofessional and reject the cornerstone, which was for their good? The answer is found in the bad choices made by the wicked tenant against their master, who loved them and had good plans for them. In their greed and selfishness, they rejected their master's goodwill and all the efforts he made to forgive them and make peace with them, which included sending down his son as the final saving grace for them. But they rejected the Son, the Cornerstone, and followed their selfish and greedy desires. This brought them to destruction.

 

In the first reading, as Tobit lived for the love of his people and attended to the victims of persecution, his neighbors laughed at him. Here is an example of a man, who followed not his selfish inclinations, but denied himself food to bury the man that was killed. Such a man is true ‘builder’, who establishes his house on the cornerstone. Think about how people want to build lasting and strong family ties, peace, unity and progress without the sacrificial love that Jesus laid down for us. But how can we imbibe this love that binds all things together (cf. Col 3:14) when we do not welcome Jesus in our lives as the wicked tenants did? Imagine the wasted effort, wasted opportunity and resources when we do not build on the Cornerstone, which Jesus Christ. God will do marvels for us if we act professionally and build on the Cornerstone. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Monday, June 5, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

THE MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
(Ex 34:4-6, 8-9; 2 Cor 13:11-13; Jn 3:16-18)

The mystery of God is greatly captured in the mystery of the Trinity. This is the highest and most subline of all mysteries. The mystery of the most Holy Trinity states that there are three Persons in the one God, that is, God the Father, the God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God is One, and the One God is unity, not unitary. If God were unitary, He would have fitted into the categories of the human reasoning pattern and man would have exhausted the knowledge of God. But God is Unity, perfect and complete in Himself. He is perfect love. He does not need nor depend on anything outside of Him, including our worship and praises. He reveals Himself, yet remains a mystery beyond our comprehension.

 

The first reading tells us how Moses encountered God on mount Sinai. The Lord God gave Moses His word in the form of the tablet of stone. And His glory descended in the form of the cloud. Then, God proclaimed to Moses, saying, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” The living word, the glory of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father make up this one divine encounter of Moses. In the second reading, St Paul described God as the God of love and peace. This is what He bestows on us, we are urged to live out these qualities. St Paul offers the trinitarian blessing, saying, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” In the gospel, we learn that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And Jesus came to save us and reveal the knowledge of God to us. Thus, through Jesus we understand that God is Trinity of Persons. Jesus is God among us; in Jesus, humanity and divinity have found a common abode. He is the Way, and leads us along as the Good Shepherd. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us; the Holy Spirit is God within, who inspires us, sanctifies us, and appropriates to us the saving grace of Jesus Christ to the glory of God.

 

Let us meditate on how the sublime mystery of the Trinity has become our living experience. As we appreciate and accept the Mystery of mysteries, the Most Holy Trinity, we come to understand how human life, made in the image and likeness of God goes forward with a spark of mystery around it. Our appreciation of this mystery helps us to acknowledge that ‘mystery’ itself has become part of our knowledge, since in faith we know God as that which cannot be fully known. Our connection with the Mystery of mysteries makes it possible that human mind cannot exhaust its knowledge about human life and anything that has reference to God. Thus, we cannot know everything about human relationship, marriage, life and death. Even in science, there will always be new discoveries and new understanding about reality. God, who is the highest and source of mystery, continues to reveal Himself to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

Therefore, faith in the Trinity strengthens us to continue to match forward in life despite the rising smoke of uncertainty that spreads discouragement. So, we plan for tomorrow though we do not know what tomorrow holds; we continue to love even when we are not trusted; we continue to live fully and happily even the news of death is everywhere. Our hope does not diminish for we embrace life with faith not by sight (cf. Rm 5:5; 2Cor 5:7). God, in His Trinity of Persons, who is perfection in Himself, in revealing Himself to us through Jesus Christ, has given us opportunity to participate in His own divine life. The love of the Father, given to us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is now spread around as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit. That is why believers are urged to love all peoples, live in in in peace and unity, and radiate the joy of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Sunday June 4^th 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com