ASSURANCE OF HOPE

 Meditation for Tuesday of the 2^nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
(Heb 6:10-20; Mk 2:23-28)

 “Brethren: God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for His sake in serving the saints, as you still do.” We reminded today that God has pledged to reward our good works. With this FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE before us, we should be more eager to show love and perform good deeds. The author draws example from the promise God made to Abraham. To give him assurance, God backed it up with an oath. “Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.” But since God has no greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” Thus, Abraham believed with full assurance.

Now, God’s pledge that gives us full assurance of hope is in Christ Jesus, who has gone to highest heavens, “behind the curtain”, as our mediator, “Having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Therefore, He is the ‘sure and steadfast’ anchor of our soul; the living and assurance hope we have in doing good and showing love. Even if our good works and love are unrecognized or unappreciated, we shall never give up because in Jesus is the hope that drives us forward. In fact, Jesus becomes the reason we act, and in Him lies our justification, for “The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachuwku, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Tuesday January 19^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

THE HIGH PRIEST

 Meditation for Monday of the 2^nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
(Heb 5:1-10; Mk 2:18-22)

Welcome to the second week of our journey with the Letter to the Hebrews. Today the author extols the priesthood of Jesus Christ by examining it in relation to the nature of priests in general. “Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.” Being one of them, he is familiar with their weaknesses. A normal priest offers sacrifices for the sins of others as well as his own sins. And every priest is called by God, no one takes this honour upon himself.

“So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by Him who said to Him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’...You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” As one among us, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears to God on our behalf. When the priest of old made their sacrifices, the loud cries of bulls, sheep, etc was heard. But Christ our High Priest offered Himself for us. And God heard His cries and received His perfect sacrifice. “He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

In the Gospel we see Jesus speaking up for the disciples against the Pharisees who accused them of not fasting. This is how He defends us and mediates for us as our High Priest. And being the source of every grace, He brings answers to our prayers and shows us the right way to live and to worship God. Therefore, let us not put new wine into old wine skins; let us not approach the priesthood of Christ with the old pharisaic mind of self-exaltation. But let our fasting and sacrifices be signs of our participation in the one sacrifice of Jesus, our High Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Monday January 18^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

A CALL FROM THE TEMPLE

 Meditation for 2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
(1 Sam 3:3-10, 19; 1 Cor 6:13-15, 17-20; Jn 1:35-42)

The readings of today talk about God’s call and our response. In the first reading, “Samuel was lying down within the temple of the Lord, where the Ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’” Through the directive of Eli, Samuel answered the Lord. Imagine beautiful place they boy Samuel was lying down: before the Ark of the Covenant, which was the closest point of contact with God at that time.

The second reading talks about the call to personal holiness, which can only be achieved when we shun immorality. Moral living is hinged on the personal responsibility and discipline we take for our bodies. According to St Paul, this is because our bodies are destined for the resurrection in Christ Jesus, since our bodies are also members of Christ. Sexual immorality of any kind is the greatest dishonour anyone can give to his/her body. Further, St Paul explains that since our bodies are redeemed by Christ, they are now TEMPLES of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us.

As Samuel goes up to the Ark of God to lie down, so the Holy Spirit comes down to our bodies to dwell and calls us from within the silence and depths of the heart. If we abuse our bodies and dishonour it through sexual immorality, how can we hear and discern what the Spirit is prompting us to do. Sexual immorality is like shutting the Holy Spirit off His temple. Through the bodily resurrection of Jesus, we have been redeemed even in our bodies, therefore, we are no longer our own; we live no longer for ourselves. “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Then, we can constantly respond to the Holy Spirit in the words of Samuel, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

In Gospel, we see John the Baptist directing his two disciples to Jesus just as Eli guided Samuel to hear the Lord, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” This title already introduces Jesus as the Messiah, who offers His Body as the Temple of sacrifice on the Cross. As Samuel took his abode before the Ark, so the two disciples stayed with Jesus. Afterwards, Andrew in turn called his brother to meet Jesus.

The Holy Spirit instils the life of Christ in us that we might hear and put into action the righteousness of Jesus. That is why we must keep our bodies pure so that the Holy Spirit will find His abode in us. Then we can go forward and bring others to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who redeems us, even in our weak mortal flesh. Hearing God's call is no more just avoiding immorality, it is now stepping forward like the disciples to encounter Jesus and to stay with Him. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday January 17^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

WORD AND PRIESTHOOD

 Meditation for Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time, Year B
(Heb 4:12-16; Mk 2:13-17)

At the end of the first week of our meditations on the Letter to the Hebrews, the author talks about the strength of the word of God and the quality of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. He says, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit...discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” This description points to the fact that we are called to have a strong RELATIONSHIP with the word of God. And when we do so, we shall feel its strength like a double-edged sword, piercing through and discerning the secrets of the heart.

As earlier stated, Jesus is the Word of God among us, the one through whom God now speaks to us. He addresses us in words and silence as people who are attentive and in relationship with the word of God. Also, he speaks FOR us as our ‘brother’ before God. That is why the author calls Him ‘our High Priest.’ “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning.” Therefore, we should relate to Him with confidence, “That we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The strength of His word and the quality of His priestly mediation are immediately evident in the Gospel as He calls the sinful Levi from the tax office, “Follow me.” The word pierced his heart, discerning his secret corrupt work, and pulled Levi to make a choice for Jesus over and above the wealth he was accumulating there. He invited Jesus to his house and called a feast to celebrate the new RELATIONSHIP he discovered. As our high priest, Jesus assures the Scribes and Pharisees, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Think about how the word of God, in its power, meets us at our weaknesses. Alive and active, sharp and piercing through, the word of God draws us to that strong relationship with God where Jesus sympathizes and mediates for us as our High Priest. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Saturday January 16^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

ENTER HIS REST

Meditation for Friday of the first Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

(Heb 4:1-5, 11; Mk 2:1-12)

Today, the Letter to the Hebrews continues to emphasize on the REST, which God prepared for us. The Israelites of old missed it because they hardened their hearts against the word of God. The author began to highlight the importance of this ‘rest’ by saying, “Brethren: While the promise of entering His rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it.” Then the author raised a deep theological thought: God’s rest was initially numbered on the 7^th day, and the command for us to rest on the Sabbath day was to the glory of God. Later through their disobedience He said, “They shall never enter my rest.” The REST here is more than abstaining from work on the Sabbath day; it comes through obedience to His Word.

Since Jesus is the Word of God, who is present among us, and through whom God speaks to us today, ‘obedience of faith’ to Jesus will bring us to God’s promise of  His rest. Imagine the moment of ‘rest’, when the paralytic, carried by four men through the roof, landed at the feet of Jesus! Their determination depicts the kind of persevering obedience we give to Christ Jesus in order to experience divine rest. “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Child, your sins are forgiven.’” Surely, hearing those words brought ‘rest’ to their souls but discomfort to the unbelieving Scribes.

Finally, Jesus said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” At the feet of Jesus is our journey’s end. In His presence, His words and silence bring healing and rest to our souls. Imagine how our endless desires and wounded hearts find peace, if through obedience of faith, our hearts can land at the ‘feet’ of Jesus. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Friday January 15^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

TODAY LISTEN TO HIS VOICE

Meditation for Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
(Heb 3:7-14; Mk 1:40-45)

Now that we have become brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus and one family with Him, the author of the letter to the Hebrews looks back at the problem that came up among the early children of God. The Israelites hardened their hearts and rebelled against God. They provoked God to anger and He swore that they would never enter His REST. This serves as an example for all generations; it is a mandate of the Holy Spirit that, “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion...where your fathers put me to test and saw my works for forty years.” Since this “Today” is still applicable to Christ’s faithful, then God’s “rest” is readily available and awaits them. Therefore, “Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Since God now speaks to us through Jesus, who shares our life and nature, we must open our hearts to His ‘voice’ in every situation of our lives. Thus, today’s first reading concludes by saying, “For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.” That is why we must not be persistent in sin or “be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Lack of repentance or persistence in sin implies not listening to Jesus, who is present among us, and speaks from within our hearts and daily experiences.

Sin is like leprosy, which separates us from God and from the righteousness that binds us together as children of God. As the leper surrendered to Jesus in the Gospel, so we come to Him with the wounds of sin and our brokenness that He might have compassion, touch us and make us clean. As the man immediately regained his health, he equally regained his voice to praise God and to relate among his people. This is the restoration we need TODAY as we listen to His Voice, Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Thursday January 14^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

ONE FAMILY WITH CHRIST

 Meditation for Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year 
   (Heb 2:14-18; Mk 1:29-39)

Today the Letter to the Hebrews reflects on the fact that Jesus shares our human nature, not in a superficial way, but in reality. We now have a BLOOD relationship with Him. The implication of this is that by shedding His blood on the cross, he destroyed the devil, who had the power of death, “And deliver those who through FEAR of death were subject to lifelong bondage.” Jesus being like us in every respect except sin, He has become a merciful and faithful high priest to make expiation for the sins of the people. “For because He himself has suffered and been tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted.”

In turn, this BLOOD RELATIONSHIP gives us confidence to approach Jesus and bring Him ‘home’ as Simon and Andrew did in the Gospel of today. Imagine the freedom with which Jesus entered the house of Simon’s mother-in-law, who lay sick with fever! “And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.” By her SERVING, she made a ‘home’ for Jesus in her house. In other words, they became ONE FAMILY with Jesus. From His ‘new home’, Jesus attended to many who were sick and cast out demons.

As our brother, the mercy and compassion of Jesus is assured. Therefore, let us make a home for Him in our hearts. Since He shares our human nature, He is in touch with our every situation, and He heals us from within...Amen!

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Wednesday January 13^th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com