“Peace be to this House”

Meditation for Thursday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Neh 8:1-4, 5-6, 7-12; Lk 10:1-12)

To be aware that any endeavor we engage in may not succeed as we wanted, is one of the greatest armors against failure. Sometimes we over exaggerate success in life, business, friendship, marriage, academics, etc, to exclude every possibility of error or failure. The energy to overcome failure will succeed when we are aware that failure is possible! These thoughts came to me as I was meditating on the gospel of today, where Jesus sent out His disciples on a mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. It was as if the mission was designed to fail, for He sent them out with the awareness that they may not succeed.

 

Think about the possible obstacles Jesus presented to them as they departed for the mission. How can a lamb be successful in the midst of a wolf, which is out to hunt down the lamb? Still, He denied them financial security so that they cannot ‘buy’ their way out! While the disciples come in peace, Jesus made them to be aware that there may not be a ‘son of peace’ to receive them. So, their good offer might be rejected. As He was sending them out to towns and villages, Jesus reminded them that some towns might not even open their gates to welcome them. It is obvious that Jesus made rejection, vulnerability and insecurity part of the mission, which means their occurrence can no more be counted as failure, instead, they have become part of the success of the mission!

 

Meditate on your own mission, and see how, in the name of Jesus, what ought to be counted as failure, can become part of your success story! The mission of the disciples succeeded, and it is still succeeding, even as the dangers are increasing. Thus, in the first reading, Ezra the priest asked the people to wipe their tears, saying, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Yes, the success of the mission is not dependent on the wolves or hostile towns, but on the fact that, “The kingdom of God has come near you”, and on the fact that the peace and joy of God’s kingdom is available, and can be accessed even through the disciples. Therefore, the proclamation, PEACE BE TO THIS HOUSE, is itself a success even when there is no ‘son of peace’ to receive it.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Thursday October 4, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP

Meditation for Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Neh 2:1-8; Lk 9:57-62)

Let us meditate on the mystery of divine vocation as given in the gospel of today. As Jesus and His disciples were going along the road, they encountered three different people who showed interest in being a disciple of Jesus. The first person presented himself to serve as a disciple. His words were so convincing as he said, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Surprisingly, Jesus turned down the offered. His response to the man shows he could read the man’s mind and saw his attachment to comfort and pleasure. Jesus said to the man, “Foxes have holes, and birds of air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” The clamor of the crowd around Jesus and His disciples would soon evaporate, and the cheering and excitement would give way to silence and loneliness. Divine vocation is basically a call to be ‘alone with God.” That is why no one takes this honor upon himself.

 

Jesus invited the second person, saying, “Follow me.” This man seemed to be gifted with high sense of duty, which would have been very profitable for the spreading of the gospel, for the said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” The man did not understand that the call to follow Jesus is the one and only responsibility that encompasses every other duty. Thus, our sense of duty must be directed to Jesus, then expressed in our other daily engagements. That is why Jesus replied, saying, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”

 

The third person seemed to have an attachment to his family and friends. He had made this earth ‘a home’, so, it became difficult for him to open up promptly to a new relationship that would take him away from ‘home.’ This man seemed to be a passionate person, which would have been a good quality to help him bond with Jesus as a disciple and contribute to the building up of the family of God. But he could not release his hands from the grip he had on his human bonds, so he said to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” He did not understand that God’s call demands immediate and complete response. Suspension of our response is at the same time a rejection of the call. Therefore, Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 

Since it is God who initiates the call to serve Him at any level, the dignity of any vocation lies in God. That means our response to the call must respect that dignity. Hence, we cannot put hands on the plough of the kingdom of God but have our eyes fixed on the kingdom of earth.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Wednesday October 3, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

 Meditation for Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Zech 8:20-23; Lk 9:51-56)

Aggression and violence are common ways people exert force and exercise their authority. When these are applied, the common response is usually resistance and revenge, which in turn multiplies the aggression and violence and leads to more chaos and destruction. But Jesus teaches us, and demonstrates with His life, that humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness are the right ways to exercise authority and power. However, in the midst of rising tensions, the human person tends to put aside the ‘ways of the Lord’ and quickly resorts to his natural inclination to violence and aggression. At the end, man finds himself empty and powerless unless he follows the true way that Jesus taught us.

In the gospel of today, when the Samaritans prevented Jesus from passing through their village because he was heading to Jerusalem, the two brothers, James and John, said to Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” Jesus rebuked them. He turned and followed another way. If God gives us such power to call down fire from heaven, it is to defeat evil, and not to destroy our fellow human being or those that oppose us. Even if we do not have such great power, the little power we have in finance, knowledge, health, strength, etc, are readily applied to hold down the weak and ignorant, fight those who oppose us, and to establish our ego and self-importance. Like the two apostles, revenge is easily on our lips and at the tip of our fingers!

 
Jesus rebuked the use of violence and aggression, and He followed the alternative root. And this is the route we are expected to follow. It is in this alternative route of peace that our power and authority shine out. This is because it gently and silently neutralizes every aggression and violence, and renders those who project them powerless. Think about the distraction, waste of time and energy it would have been for Jesus had it been He stopped to take revenge on the Samaritans! The alternative route of peace helps us to be focused on our journey, and it ensures that we get to our destination. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Tuesday October 3, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

“CONSIDER HOW YOU HAVE FARED”

Meditation for Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(Haggai 1:1-8; Lk 9:7-9)

“Haggai” is a beautiful Hebrew name meaning, “Festive.” Haggai’s prophecy came at the end of the Babylonian exile, during the rebuilding of the temple as ordered by Cyrus, king of Persia. He was among the twelve minor prophets, who delivered messages to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, who supervised the reconstruction of the temple. The Israelites encountered a lot of opposition and challenges in the rebuilding (Cf Ezra 4:1-5), which made them discouraged and they stopped the work. Then, the prophet Haggai stepped in to encourage the people to resume the work.

 

Haggai asked, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill…” The prophet urged them to go back to work on the temple that the Lord God may be pleased with them and blessed them and grant them satisfaction.

 

Pause and meditate on what it means for a Christian of today to live comfortably in his or her ‘paneled house’ and neglect the ‘Temple of God.’ Such can be compared to the situation of Herod the tetrarch, who broke God’s law, beheaded John the Baptist from the comfort of his palace, to protect his pride, and satisfy his wife and daughter. At the end, he lived in perplexity, uncertainty and sadness. Hearing the name of Jesus became a ‘riot’ in the heart of Herod! In the words of prophet Haggai, consider how Herod fared! But if we build up the temple of God by living spiritual lives, and aligning our bodies to the divine law, then, the Lord God will be pleased with us, the Holy Spirit will make His home in us, and the sweet name of Jesus will uplift our hearts. Think about the freedom of heart and the power we shall possess, and the Lord will bless us and satisfy us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Thursday September 28, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

The Enduring Light of Truth

Meditation for Monday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezra 1:1-6; Lk 8:16-18)

Welcome to the Book of Ezra. The name ‘Ezra’ is derived from the Hebrew word, “Azaryahu”, which means ‘God helps.’ Ezra was a priest and scribe during the return from Babylonian exile, while Zerubbabel led the people in the rebuilding of the temple. This was done with the support of the Persian King Darius. The Book of Ezra is divided into ten chapters, and gives an account of events spanning about 25 years, beginning with the edict of Cyrus in 538 B.C. to the dedication of the temple in 515 B.C. As a priest and scribe, Ezra helped the people in their spiritual and religious reforms by educating them on the laws of Moses, encouraged them to follow God’s commandments and to abandon the foreign lifestyles. 

In the passage we read today, the Lord inspired Cyrus, king of Persia, to make a proclamation urging the people to make contributions for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. He encouraged anyone who is willing to go down to Jerusalem and participate in the reconstruction. It is a marvel that a pagan king, who was once against Jerusalem, would suddenly support its rebuilding. God’s purpose can be achieved in any means possible, even that which was targeted to pull obstruct the will of God can turn out to promote it. The divine illumination cannot be covered!

 

The plan of God shines like light that cannot be hidden. The darkness of the world, the lies and deceit that roars around will be silenced when the light of truth appears. Jesus says in the gospel, “For nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light.” Thus, we must ensure we are on the side of truth, and allow the light of truth to shine out through us. If we allow unrighteousness to cover the lamp of divine truth God has lit in us, He can still use any means possible to reveal His light and dispel the darkness, just has He use Cyrus to rebuild the Temple.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Monday September 25, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

               

“DO YOU BEGRUDGE MY GENEROSITY?”

Meditation for Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Is 55:6-9; Phil 1:20-24,27; Mt 20:1-16)

The first reading opens with a striking advice: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his ways.” In our meditation today, we see how God’s mercy and generosity are the only opportunities we have to encounter the Lord. That is why the prophet Isaiah says, “Let him return to the Lord, that He may have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” So, the mercy of God sustains the righteous man, and gives room for the unrighteous man to seek the Lord and to find Him.

 

The parable of the hired laborers for the vineyard demonstrates the depth of God’s generosity in showing mercy. The story shows how God, the Householder, takes the initiative to give us the opportunity to participate and contribute to His Kingdom. What would have happened to those talented and willing laborers if the Master did not find them out? It would be like laborers who came out to put their skills to use and earn a living, but they stayed idle all by themselves and went back without making any impact and gained nothing in the end! Think about what would have happened to their hunger for life and wellbeing. But the Lord has visited His people; His mercy has given us opportunity, even at the ‘eleventh hour’, to contribute and participate in the heavenly rewards.

 

The prophecy of Isiah is here fulfilled, for God can now be found since we are at the hour of His mercy. Though the ways of God are far removed from the ways of man, just as the heavens are higher than the earth, His love and mercy have bridged the gap, and justified us to receive His generosity. We do not ‘begrudge his generosity’ as the first laborers did when they complained about being paid the same amount as those who came at the eleventh hour. Instead, we rely on His generosity, and abide by it as a rule, and follow it as an example. This is how we become laborers of His Kingdom, using our gifts and talents to contribute to the Kingdom of God, and earn a living by participating in the heavenly riches and at the end, eternal life.

 

As we meditate on the parable, we marvel at such generosity that is beyond human comprehension. Those redeemed by the Master’s love and generosity ought to live in thanksgiving to Him. This is the new life we have in Christ Jesus. That is why St Paul says in the second reading, “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” We begrudge His generosity by not looking up to His example and following unrighteous ways.  On the other hand, we acknowledge Jesus’ saving generosity by ensuring that our manner of life is worthy of the gospel. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday September 24, 2023

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com 

“DO NOT WEEP”

 “DO NOT WEEP”
Meditation for Tuesday of the 24^th Week in Ordinary Time
(1 Tim 3:1-13; Lk 7:11-17)

On entering the city of Nain, Jesus and His companions met a crowd of mourners moving off the city to bury a young man, the only son of a widow. Being a widow, the woman was in a painful hopeless situation. All the mourners around her could not wipe away her tears. Obviously, she had no reason to live, for that which she lived for had been taken away from her. “And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “DO NOT WEEP.”

The consoling words of Jesus flowed from the depths of His heart, the compassionate heart of Jesus that bleeds at the pain and agony which sin had brought upon humanity. When Jesus said to her, ‘do not weep’, it was as if He was telling her to allow Him weep on her behalf, for that was what He did on the Cross. Thus, the compassion of Jesus is a participation of His life in the situation of the believer. He does not comfort us from a safe disinterested distance; He is GOD WITH US, who dwells among us and shares life with us. As we meditate on the encounter of Jesus and the widow of Nain, we come to understand deeper what He meant when He said, “Blessed are those who mourn; they shall be comforted” (Mt 5:5).

 

Then, Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” The dead man got up and began to speak. Their mourning turned to joy and jubilation. They began to testify, saying, “God has visited his people!” That is why we shall bring all our tears to Jesus, the Comforter, that He may say to us this day, “Do not weep.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Tuesday September 19, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com