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.