THE MARK OF FORGIVENESS

Reflection for Wednesday of the 19^th Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

(Ezek 9:1-7; 10:18-22; Mt 18: 15-20)

Prophet Ezekiel’s vision of today talks about the preservation of the righteous and the destruction of idolaters and supporters of evil. The cleansing of the city was done in the same way as during the Passover in Egypt (Ex 12:23). The good people were identified with a mark. “Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” All the others were to be killed, “But touch no one upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.”

This prophetic vision of the 'saving mark' upon those who rejected abominations becomes a visible reality in the Cross of Christ. This sign becomes an indelible mark given to believers during baptism. So, we carry in our mortal flesh the death of Christ that we might live with Him (Rm 6:4-7; 2Cor 4:10-11). That means the way we live and relate with others will definitely bring to light this saving sign, hidden in our souls. Hence, Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel of today about forgiveness and the gathering of the brethren exemplifies the uncommon way of life of those marked with the saving sign of the Cross.

Forgiveness is a bold step; it is a responsibility for every believer. In fact, it is a command from Jesus. Forgiveness is not to ‘wish away’ the hurt, but it is to ‘confront’ the issue and resolve it. It is ‘instantaneous’ but to resolve the matter takes some steps, which might take short or long time. The purpose of forgiveness is not to shame anyone or to find someone guilty, but it is simply for reunion. If you do not want ‘reunion’, your ‘forgiveness’ is not complete.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” This is the most difficult; it is only when the one that was offended had forgiven and wants reunion can he ‘go out in search’ of his brother. Each must open up his hurt and the matter resolved among them, respecting and protecting the integrity of each other. However, if this most important step fails, the other secondary steps become even more difficult. If these other steps fail too, then, he becomes a ‘missionary ground’, where the believer is sent to convert him to the fold like a Gentile or a tax collector.

Union with Christ Jesus is the ultimate motivating factor. It is ‘Christ among us’ that gives life to our human relationships. Yes, ‘two or three may gather’ but if Christ Jesus is not in their midst, that gathering will not survive the day of cleansing; it has no saving sign on it! Again, if the togetherness of our families, friends, colleagues, Churches, etc is not in the name of Jesus Christ, they will not survive like those who were destroyed in the vision of Ezekiel. Thus, the first step towards unforgiveness is a worldly life. That is why we should not center our lives together on pleasure or material things, because when hurt comes, only the saving grace of Jesus will redeem us. The saving sign of Jesus brings unity. And He assures us that it is prayer answered: “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven.” Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Wednesday August 12^th, 2020
St Jane Frances de Chantel
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

HUMILITY IN HIS WORD

  Reflection for Tuesday of the 19^th Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

(Ezek 2:8-3:4; Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14)

Our prophetic blessings this Week shall come from the scroll-eating prophet, Ezekiel. His prophetic oracle came at a difficult time, i.e. during the Babylonian deportation. He was among the Exiles, and the word of the Lord came to him along the way, on the banks of a river in Babylon (Ezek 1:1). It was not easy for Ezekiel to minister to people who were already displaced from their homeland. His Book contains prophecies about Jerusalem, against the foreign nations, hope of restoration after the fall of Jerusalem, and vision of the new temple and new Israel.

Today’s reading focuses on the vision in which Ezekiel received the word of God. The Spirit  gave him the scroll of the word and asked him to eat it. “Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” This unique way of delivering the message of God to Ezekiel indicates the tough job ahead of him, and to give him courage to carry it out. “Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.” The scroll of the word of God would ‘dwell’ in him as part of his body, such that he could not deny or fail to deliver any of it. We shall see how the mission of Ezekiel unfolds in days to come.

In Jesus, the Word of God took flesh of its own and dwelt among us. Now, we are ‘taken up’ into His abiding presence. So the life of the Word is ‘mingled’ with ours. Imagine the great humility with which we stand before God through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The deeper we ‘soak’ ourselves in Christ Jesus, the more we ‘die to ourselves’, put off our pride and with the courage of Ezekiel, witness with our lives to Jesus. When the disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus answered, “Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The humble are God’s little ones. They may appear vulnerable but God cherishes them. He is their strength; He protects them and brings them back if they go astray. “So it is not the will of my Father who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” It takes great humility for one to abide in the word of God, swallow it, digest it and assimilate it. What came to Ezekiel as a vision has become a way of life for us in Jesus Christ. The prophet’s mission might be tough, but our way to righteousness and eternal life is narrow. In humility, we must make the word of God our home in our hearts (Eph 3:17). This is where our greatness in life lies; this is our foretaste of heaven on earth. And may the abiding presence of Jesus Christ be with you + in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Tuesday August 11^th, 2020.
Memorial of St Clare.
 www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

REACHING OUT TO HIS OUTSTRETCHED HAND

 Reflection for the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(1 Kg 19:9, 11-13; Rm 9: 1-5; Mt 14:22-33)

The Prophet Elijah lodged in a cave at mount Horeb, where he waited for the Lord to appear to him. A great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then came the earthquake and the fire, but the Lord was not there. Finally, a still small voice came. It was there that the Lord visited Elijah!

Meditating on this popular story of how Elijah encountered the Lord at Horeb, we could see the calmness, the serenity and the attentiveness necessary for a Divine Encounter.  Within that still small voice, unlike the other scenes, Elijah had to listen attentively. This would require ‘projecting himself’ towards the voice in order to hear it. In this way, the ‘still small voice’ draws him from himself towards itself. This is the internal silent movement of the heart towards God; this is how we become ‘docile’ to the word, which is alive and active. Remember, it is first the gentle coming down of the ‘still small voice’ that wakes up the heart, and attracts it through active attentiveness. Hence, no one hearkens to the word of God without denying himself, i.e. coming out of his selfish self. Thus, when Elijah heard the voice, “He wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”

In the Gospel, we see Jesus going up the hills to ‘meet’ the Father in prayer. As Elijah would move from this encounter to his mission, Jesus came down from the silent hills of prayer and walk on the water towards the disciples as they battled with the storm. They thought it was a ghost. But the ‘still small voice’ of Jesus came to them: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” Hearing His voice, and while the storm was still raging, they shifted their attention from the destroying storm to the saving Jesus. Like Elijah that came out to ‘meet the voice’, “Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” The storm was still blowing strong and great. Peter shifted his gaze from Jesus to the storm. He forgot that it was his gaze of faith upon Jesus that kept him ‘walking on top of his problems.’ Immediately, his heart broke to pieces, his legs shook like the earthquake and the fire of fear consumed him. And Peter began to sink. But he cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me.” Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt”

They all got into the boat and the storm ceased. Just as at Horeb, ‘the great and strong wind, the earthquake and the fire’ gave way to Jesus, the Still Small Voice. With Jesus in the boat, all became calm. The boat became serene like the cave of Elijah when he encountered the gentle voice. This, too, is our story when we welcome Jesus into our lives, our family, work, business, Church, society, etc. He comes gently, walking towards us as we battle with the storms of life. Our hearts must go out to meet Him in attentiveness to His word. And our ‘feet’ must step forward with courage where he calls, like stepping into the storm of hurt with the feet of forgiveness.

Like Peter, Let us call out on the Lord with ardent prayer life. Jesus’ saving hand is outstretched towards us. Imagine that ‘boat’ to be something very important to you today but going through turbulence!  You can never sink in the ocean of life if your eyes of faith remain focused on Jesus. And we will join our voices to say to Him, “Truly you are the Son of God.” As you have shared in this meditation, May Almighty God bless + you, The Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday August 9^th, 2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE TOWER OF FAITH

Reflection for Saturday the 18^th Week in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Habakkuk 1:12-2:4; Mt 17:14-20)

Today, we make a one day stop over at the prophetic school of Habakkuk. He is one minor prophet that many people do not know what the Book is all about. His name is rarely heard, and his book is seldom quoted. With just three chapters, you have to scroll through the contents to locate his hiding place in the Bible. The name ‘Habakkuk’ means “To embrace.” He was the one who delivered food to Daniel (Dan 14:33-39). His oracle was quoted three times in the New Testament (Rm 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38). Habakkuk’s prophecy came around the time the Babylonians were heavily against Judah, sometime during the reign of Jehoiakim.

He complained to God, cross-questioning Him about the violent injustice among the people in Judah. “You who are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wrong, why do you look on faithless men, and be silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” Habakkuk describes himself as a watchman on the tower, looking for God’s response, which would mark the deliverance of the righteous ones from the hands of wicked men. God answers that His response to all the complaints shall come. It might delay, but it will come at its time. “If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Behold, he whose soul is not upright shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

So, we climb the tower of faith to look out for God’s deliverance from all our adversity. Faith looks into the vision of God; faith envisions God. The righteous man, surrounded by all sorts of difficulties, just as the Babylonians besieged Judah, stands on the tower of faith to look forward God’s salvation, and he begins to attend to those difficulties with the joy of salvation. Faith does not look at problems, but it contemplates the power of God, which surpasses those problems. Faith is not a ‘battle’ with the enemy, but it uploads us into the glory of God, where the enemy cannot dwell. This is the life of the righteous.

Why could the disciples not cast out the demon? Jesus said, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” Yes, because nothing is impossible with God. Faith connects the believer with God, such that the prayer of faith already rejoices in the answers given, even when, like Habakkuk, we still stand on the tower of faith, envisioning God’s response. The faith itself is answer to prayer. Therefore, in faith, every demon is cast out, and every problem receives its answer. With the prophetic blessings of Habakkuk, may God strengthen your faith, and may your faith answer you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.  St Dominic, Prayer for you.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Saturday August 8^th, 2020.
Memorial of St Dominic.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

THE CROSSROAD OF THE CROSS

 Reflection for Friday of the 18^th Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

 (Nahum 1:15; 2;2; 3:1-3, 6-7; Mt 16:24-28)

Today, we make a ‘stop over’ at one of the Minor Prophets that are difficult to locate and rarely quoted in the Bible: Nahum. He seems to be neglected such that people rarely name their children after him. With three short chapters, covering only two and half pages, and squeezed between Micah and Habakkuk, you have to flip the pages several times before you can locate Nahum. The name ‘Nahum’ means “The consoled one.” His oracle was basically addressed against the great Assyria, which colonized many kingdoms. The capital of Assyria was Nineveh. It was a selfish City, which fed by plundering other Kingdoms. Prophet Nahum brought a message of restoration and consolation to Israel by proclaiming the destruction of Nineveh, and thus, the end of Assyrian domination.  

In the Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Listening to Jesus, we come to understand that being His disciple is the most responsible act ever, and turning down the invitation is the most irresponsible act too. Refusing to follow Jesus does not ‘save’ one from his cross. To ‘deny himself’ implies that, in approaching his responsibilities or difficult situations, a disciple does not exult his human principles or capabilities over the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, even when his human powers are at work, it is to the glory of Christ. Often times, it is not that the cross we bear is ‘too heavy’ but our ‘selfish’ self is always an obstacle in allowing the grace of our Lord Jesus to lighten our burden. Then stress and frustration surface.  Thus, by ‘losing oneself’ for the sake of Christ, the disciple finds himself in Christ Jesus. That is why Jesus added immediately, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Today, we live so selfishly like the people of Nineveh; consuming ourselves and not sparing others. A life without cross becomes the heaviest cross! How can we be Christians but not disciples? We are always at the ‘crossroad’ of the Cross; the choice to put aside selfishness and take up the enduring side of life has already been made for us by Jesus when He mounted the wood of the Cross. So, when we begin to create ‘new principles’ for running ourselves, relationship, marriage, business, etc, then we have chosen to save ourselves and be lost. But, “What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” This was how Nineveh ended in ruins during the time of prophet Nahum.

Therefore, whenever we find ourselves at the crossroads of life, faced with difficult decisions and challenging tasks, the Cross of Christ is our source of inspiration and strength. Do not expect your life to be without cross, but ask for the grace to carry it and follow Jesus. At the feet of Jesus, we surrender all. 

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Friday August 7^th, 2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

TRANSFORMED TO WITNESS

 MEDITATION ON THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
(Dan 7:9-10, 13-14; 2Pet 1:16-19; Mt 17:1-9)

Have you ever wondered why the Church celebrates the Transfiguration of Jesus but does not celebrate His other miracles, such as walking on the water, the Raising of the dead, Feeding of the Multitude, etc? This is because the Transfiguration, like the Baptism of the Lord, is more than a miracle; it was a landmark event that ‘characterizes’ or ‘defines’ the mission of Jesus. It is a foretaste of where our faith-journey ends, the glory of Jesus (2Thes 2:14).

In the first reading, Prophet Daniel saw a vision that depicts the Transfiguration.  St Peter in the second reading recalls his experience that day as a first hand witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus. “For when He received honour and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain.” For Peter, this was a landmark event that formed their conviction in the power and glory of Jesus as the Messiah. The Transfiguration event—the experience of the glory of Jesus—became a ‘transforming’ moment in their lives. Like a consuming fire, all their mind and heart are ‘taken up’ into that experience. So, they now witness to Jesus with their lives.

It is interesting to note that Peter did not mention any of the great miracles of Jesus as the ‘reason’ they are His witnesses, except the Transfiguration, which has a direct relationship to His Resurrection. Sometimes, people give the impression that Christianity ‘glories’ in human suffering. In other words, it is as if we must ‘have problems’ before we can believe and be saved! The landmark of the Christian faith is the Glory of Jesus. It is our hunger; it is our destination.

That is why when Peter saw the sparkling Jesus as He was taking with Moses and Elijah, he ‘lost himself’ in that glorious cloud, and said, “Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” As he was saying this, “a bright cloud overshadowed them.” God Himself covered them with His ‘tent of glory.’ It was like David who wanted to build a house for God, but God objected, saying that it was He who would establish a dynasty for David (2 Sam 7:1-17). The glorified Jesus was introduced to them by a voice from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”

Therefore, listening to Jesus, modelling our lives after Him and imitating His righteousness are the ways we respond to the invitation to enter into His glory. And each time we ‘taste’ His glory, we too shall be witnesses like Peter. Great miraculous moments may fade away; in fact, we may not even accrue to God the miracles of our lives. But a little taste, a small glimpse into His radiant face leads us on, such that even when we try to put it aside, it resurfaces every now and then. It is a testimony that we have an eternal destination in the glory of Jesus. That is why our faith is glorious; our Liturgy is glamorous, adorned with beauty, and believers are joyful and courageous, though they have many things to endure.

Have you ever had a glimpse of the glory of Christ Jesus; Maybe in reading the Bible, in the Eucharist, Confession, in acts of Charity, in your prayers, etc? The Transfiguration is the mark of our Christian life; in it resides the glory that moves us forward. May the Glory of Christ Jesus overshadow you today that you be lifted above every difficulty and shielded from every evil, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Thursday August 6^th, 2020.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

CONFIDENCE IN FAITH

 Reflection for Wednesday of the 18^th Week in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Jer 31:1-7; Mt 15:21-28)

Jeremiah continues to deliver the message of hope. God declares and pledged Himself as the God of all the families of Israel. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” He promised to rebuild Israel, adorn her with beauty and fill her with merrymaking. They shall plant and reap the fruits. In those days, Zion shall be the holy City where they go up to meet the Lord. At the end, Jeremiah said, “Proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘The Lord has saved His people, the remnant of Israel.”

In the Gospel, Jesus was moving down to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Suddenly, a Canaanite woman appeared and tried to disrupt His journey with her urgent request: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” Surprisingly, Jesus kept silent and continued moving as if He did not hear her. But the woman so consumed by the urgency of her request, and her confidence in Jesus as the answer. So, she refused to ‘listen to the silence’ of Jesus towards her need; she followed Him along the way with more cries...This was unusual! The disciples could not understand the silence of Jesus, neither saying yes to her nor saying no. For their convenience, they begged Jesus to send her away since it was obvious He was not ‘interested’ in her case.

However, the ‘Silence’ of Jesus became like a ladder with which the woman climbed in her prayer and faith. The more Jesus kept silent, the more she followed and increased her request. The silence of God is attractive. It drew the woman along...Her longing moved on and on until she landed at the feet of Jesus, and humbled herself completely. Jesus explained, “I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” That means by jurisdiction, she was not qualified. But the woman came to Him on the authority of faith, not jurisdiction. So, as Jesus was speaking, she quickly knelt down before Him and said, “Lord, help me.” Then, Jesus objected on the authority of status: “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Again, she acknowledged that she has no ‘status right’ to lay claim to the miracle. “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.” Faith triumphs! What we do not deserve by ‘moral jurisdiction’ or what we cannot receive by ‘righteousness status’ can be poured into our laps by faith and humility. The authority of faith breaks barriers. This lowly Canaanite woman is accounted among the great women of the Gospels. For she was able to ‘wrestle’ favour from Jesus with faith like the Virgin Mary at the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle though His hour had not yet come (Jn 2:1-11).

Do you have such a faith that is overflowing with trust and confidence in Jesus as your only Saviour? Do not be distracted; do not be discouraged. Your faith is your working authority. March forward to your daily responsibilities with faith-filled confidence. The blessings God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah shall be yours today, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Wednesday August 5^th, 2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com