"THE SHEEP THAT BELONGS TO ME"

“The Sheep that Belongs to Me”

Reflection for Tuesday of the 4^th Week of Easter

(Acts 11:19-26; Jn 10:22-30)

We continue to hear about the good shepherd narrative. On Sunday Jesus introduced himself as the door through which the sheep go in and out to find pasture and eternal life. Yesterday He declared Himself as the good shepherd who lay down His life to keep His sheep secure. Today he directs our focus to the sheep, and gives us the qualities of His sheep.

“The Sheep that belongs to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”  To listen, the sheep must pay attention; and for them to be attentive, they must be silent. Interior silence, that inner stillness that waits on the Lord, a contemplative attitude, is a habit we must acquire to have Jesus as our shepherd. “Morning by morning he makes my ear alert to listen like a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear and I have not resisted, I have not turned away” (Is 50:4-5). In walking side by side with Jesus our shepherd, we are supposed to be passive towards Him.  Then we can follow in obedience despite the pull to act otherwise. In silence of heart we learn the act of total surrender to Jesus that we might not succumb to wolves and life problems. Lectio Divina and other forms of mediation train us to be the sheep that belongs to Jesus.

“My sheep...shall never perish, and no one shall steal them out of my hand.” Do you feel secure right now in Jesus Christ? When difficulties come, dangers arise; the sense of security your faith in Jesus gives you, is a sign to show if you have been following Jesus as your shepherd. His words are not promises relegated to an unknown future. His words are alive and active now. Take example from the first reading of today, how the early Church felt secure and continued to flourish despite the persecutions and internal organisational deficiencies among them. They knew then that the hand of the Lord was with them. Still, where they met persecution, they relocated, and where they achieved success, they rejoiced! This was how the Apostles sent Barnabas to Antioch. On seeing the work on ground, he decided to bring Paul from Tarsus to help him. “And it was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians.”

The Lord Jesus has declared Himself for us as our Shepherd. He opened the Door to pasture and eternal life. The whispers of His words are loud enough. We must take responsibility to position ourselves as the sheep that belongs to Him by being attentive to His words. He has a message for you today, and in every situation. We must learn the act of silence; remove our attention from things that do not matter and sinful acts that block our inner ear. It is a blessed day because Jesus is watching over you. Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Tuesday May 5^th, 2020.

The Good Shepherd

Reflection for Monday of the 4^th Week of Easter

 (Acts 11:1-18; Jn 10:11-18)

Our religious and cultural formations provide the basis from which we view life. Thus the Jewish converts, born of circumcision, criticized Peter for interacting with the uncircumcised. Even Peter struggled with his Jewish identity before embracing the universal salvation in Christ Jesus. This is how our family upbringing and education sometimes dwarf our vision of life instead of launching us into God’s vision of life. Peter explained how he had a vision in Joppa in which the voice said to him, “What God has cleansed you must not call unclean.” That was how he went to the house of Cornelius in the gentile city of Caesarea. After he narrated how the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were baptized, the Church glorified God saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.”

We do not often have all the visions of life. Even our most pious acts, in the long run, can be misguided! We cannot go far unless guided by grace. If not for divine intervention, Peter would have remained in the prison of his Jewish ideas. We need to be guided. In Gospel of today Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd.” This imagery is so powerful and consoling. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, i.e. the life of his sheep is so dear to Him. He protects them from wolves. The sense of security the good shepherd gives cannot be compared.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.” There is a horizon of life we cannot enter unless Jesus Christ leads the way. Most of childhood upbringing, cultural biases, ideas of life, relationship, etc are in constant need of redemption. They will not change for the better simply because we go to Church. We must consciously allow Jesus to lead us. How? By making act of total self-surrender to His will. We read and meditate on His words in the Bible, internalize them, such that they become bundles of energy within—energy of love—from which we are moved to act. This is one way, like Peter, we can act irrespective of ourselves. Regular Communion and visit to the Blessed Sacrament have proved to be effective in smoothening our wandering emotions and mind, directing them to a realm of serenity and love that nature cannot take them to. May God give us the courage to allow Jesus to Shepherd us.

Fr Jude Chinwe Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Monday May 4^th, 2020.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that you are really here in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you more than anything in the world, and I hunger to feed on your flesh. But since I cannot receive Communion at this moment, feed my soul at least spiritually. I unite myself to you now as I do when I actually receive you. Never let me drift away from you. Amen.

----St Alphonsus Liguori

THE DOOR TO ABUNDANT LIFE

Reflection for the 4^th Sunday of Easter

(Acts 2:14, 36-41; 1 Pet 2:20-25; Jn 10:1-10)

1.0.                     The Options

We make choices based on available options. There is practically no product we purchase today that has no alternative. Thus, alternative options compete and appeal to our freedom of choice. These competing alternatives have to re-brand and upgrade in order to become our option of choice! To win this battle, companies and marketers attract us with lofty promises. Each alternative claims to be for our advantage, reduce cost or ease suffering. This competing appeal to our freedom of choice is in religion, politics and social life. These days we see some self-acclaimed men of God in completion of prophecies and easy solutions to life problems. Every politician climbs to power by promising to bring solution to economic and social problems of the society. Betting and gambling have become huge business today because they promise so much gain with very little commitment. Defrauders succeed by selling greed; promising easy wealth. Often times, the alternative that survives is the one that most promises to take away the cross; the one that most cancels suffering!

Our human will and freedom of choice are hungry for life. Thus we are easily attracted to the gateway that promises to open the door to life.

2.0.                    The Gateway

In the Gospel of today Jesus talks about the gateway to life. And there is no alternative to it. This gateway through which we enter to find pasture and life does not admit of competition. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” We pass through the door, the gatekeeper lets us in, and we become members of the sheepfold, where we find pasture and life. There is only one doorway.

Further Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep...I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” He assures us to ask anything in His name and it will be granted (Jn 14:14). Now we have to pass our life through Jesus as through a door. Our freedom of choice cannot unlock the life it yearns for unless we choose in the name of Jesus. So the choices we make for relationship, marriage, wealth, social life, career, etc must pass through Jesus. His promises of life in the resurrection must guide us. He is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6).

3.0.The Gatekeeper

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?” The Body of Christ, the Church acts as the gatekeeper. Through the teaching and sanctifying authority of the Church, we are welcomed into the sheepfold of Jesus Christ. “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ...”’ The Gatekeeper helps us to enter through Jesus the Door by granting us Baptism and forgiveness of sins.

4.0. The Door to Abundant life

“Beloved: if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God’s approval.” St Peter explains in the second reading that the steps with which we pass through the door of blessedness is patient-endurance. Narrow is the way that leads to life (Mt 7:13-14). “...Because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps.” Jesus has declared Himself as the Door; the Gatekeeper has opened the Door. We must take some responsibility by stepping forward. And the steps we take are the crosses we bear each day and our true repentance from our sins. “By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying life sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

No more shall we fall in the hands of thieves; they promise us love without sacrifice, friendship without commitment, wealth without investment, pleasure without labour, education without discipline, miracles without holiness, life without dying, etc. The crowd on the broad road to death compete among themselves. Though we may face diverse options and alternatives in our choices in life, there is only one door through which we must step in to unlock the blessings we really need. Jesus is the Door; if we pass through Him we shall escape the destroyers, receive pastures and earn eternal life. As we celebrate Jesus the Good Shepherd today, we must also follow the directives of the Gatekeeper, the Church, as she opens the way for us.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday May 3^rd, 2020.

Good Shepherd Sunday.

THE GRACE TO MOVE FORWARD

Reflection for Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 8:1-8; Jn 6:35-40)

Up until now, the Church was doing well in Jerusalem. With the death of Stephen, the virus of persecution that had been incubating began to spread. Lifeless body of Stephen seemed to them like the death of Christianity. Since death is their finality, the death of any member would be their victory. Saul who supervised the martyrdom of Stephen now took the central stage. He went house to house to fish out members. What a commitment to destroy Christianity! So the members fled Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria.

“Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.” This is a sign that they did not bear grudge against their persecutors. They accepted it with joy as part of their sharing in the sufferings of Christ (Acts 5:41). Grudge, enmity, hatred and unforgiveness draw us backwards in every aspect of our lives. When parents teach their children to hate, they sow a seed that would draw them backwards unless uprooted. The Church spread more. Philip performed more miracles, and great multitudes believed through him.

The capacity of the Church to strive even in the midst of harsh persecutions is another evidence of the resurrection. “I am with you always, even to the end of time” (Mt 28:20). It is only with the grace of the resurrection that the Church can climb on that which ought to bring it down to rise to new heights. This is the grace we share individually as members of the Church. Every obstacle we face will become a stepping stone to climb to new heights if only we remove our eyes from revenge, grudge, etc.

That is why we must always contemplate the risen Jesus to be strengthened. “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” He assures of eternal nourishment, which no persecution or life-problem can take away. It is by faith that we enter into Christ to share in the grace to move forward in every circumstances. “For this is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” The assurance of life Jesus gives over whelms us more than the threat of death and opposition we face each day. Today we see through situations in our lives that tend to limit us or project death, to deepen our hope in eternal life. Then our capacity to be unlimited, nourished through the Eucharist, will shine out.

Fr Jude C. Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Wednesday April 29^th, 2020.

Memorial of St Catherine of Siena.

NOURISHED FOR FORGIVENESS

Reflection for Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

(Act 7:51-8:1; Jn 6:30-35)

 From silence, Stephen addressed the council. His words were like arrows that pierced their hearts. He confronted them for their stubbornness and resistance to the Holy Spirit. As their fathers killed the prophets, so also they betrayed and murdered Jesus. Stephen was courageous. He did not speak to save his life, but proclaimed the truth. The council and his accusers found themselves sentenced by his words. “They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him” (Acts 7:54). Now there own evil ways have caught up with their conscience! Their actions have become burden to their minds. They ground their teeth because they had lost their freedom and authenticity. Instead of repenting, they became bloodthirsty. This self-inflicted injury is always there when a dishonest person is confronted with the truth.

 While they were battling with themselves, “Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.” Stephen was caught up in an attraction stronger than death! He had a foretaste of the glory of God, so their fury and malice could not affect him. They rushed at him, thrust him out of the city and stoned him. “As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’” He entrusted his life to Jesus as we do at every Eucharistic celebration. Surprisingly, and with a twist of tone, he said aloud, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Forgiveness is here shown as a sign that we have been caught up in the glory of God, and so can let go, and wish good for the offenders.

That is why we need to be nourished by Jesus often. “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Only God can give us such strength that can withstand the oppositions we face in the world as Christians. Imagine the extent of the force against Stephen, and his gentle victory over their malice and death itself! Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus guarantees us such victory today. Hearing the good news about the bread from heaven, they people said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Like Stephen, we are often faced with accusers; situations that test our faith, and people that trespass against us. Our spiritual energy can easily run dry, and our gaze upon the glory of God might be shifted away! But Jesus stands at the right hand of God and before us that silence and glory may cover us, while the grinding of teeth belongs to our accusers. Therefore, there is no hurt we cannot let go. Forgiveness is the testimony we bear that we have been fed and nourished in Jesus; our lives are caught up in His glory. Alleluia!

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Tuesday April 28^th, 2020.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that you are really here in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you more than anything in the world, and I hunger to feed on your flesh. But since I cannot receive Communion at this moment, feed my soul at least spiritually. I unite myself to you now as I do when I actually receive you. Never let me drift away from you. Amen.

----St Alphonsus Liguori

Standing Apart with Jesus

Reflection for Monday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 6:8-15; Jn 6:22-29)  

  

Stephen was silent, but the voice of his accusers roared. They had many accusations to sell their jealousy. Stephen was full of grace, wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit. Obviously, he was operating at a level his accusers could not access. So their jealousy increased. The same kind of malicious intent with which they crucified Jesus was applied to Stephen. Thus, they influenced public opinion against Stephen, and accused him of blasphemy. Often times, those who are eloquent, who have power or access to public media can easily influence public opinion. And every now and then, our faith is place on the judgment seat of what is trending...If we are not inspired by faith but by popular opinion, we may end up fronting the grace, wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit.

Stephen remained silent before the council as accusations against him continued to fly. “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place...” But the silence of Stephen spoke to the council. They were drawn to a contemplative gaze at him. “All in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” Without words, his innocence shined out.

But the crowd will often want to have their way! Public opinion can set you up or blackmail you into succumbing their idea.  So after eating to their fill, the crowds made great efforts to find Jesus. They travelled from Tiberias to Capernaum looking for Him to befriend Him to their side. The popular opinion about the Messiah was the one that would perform such miracles as feeding them with bread and fish. But Jesus will not fall for popular opinion, which germinates from selfishness. He insists we must be motivated by whatever will lead to eternal life. “Do not labour for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you.”  And the work we must do to earn this eternal nourishment is faith in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Taking responsibility in faith sets one apart from the crowd and positions him for a personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus. This is the testimony of Stephen. The grace, wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit, gifts and promises of the risen Saviour, awaits all who will step out of the crowd and embrace Him in faith. What is the prevailing opinion in the media today? What is the trending social life style you see around? What is the popular idea about religion and worship? Etc. Most of these are laced with hidden agenda which are not in line with our faith in Christ Jesus. If we stand like Stephen on the foundation of the Holy Spirit, even the sound of our silence will overcome the noise of every problem we face.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Monday April 27^th, 2020. 

WALKING WITH JESUS

 (The Emmaus Experience)

EASTER MEDITATION III

 “Now that very same day, two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem” (Lk 24:13).

Welcome to our third Easter meditation. Today we draw inspiration from the encounter of the two disciples with the Resurrected Jesus as they walked towards Emmaus. The appearance of Jesus was quite dramatic. The two disciples were walking down in near confusion, discussing among themselves the things that happened concerning Jesus and the report the women brought about His resurrection. The evidence of the empty tomb and the testimony of the women were wrapped in a cloud of doubt since they had no personal encounter with Jesus. The appearance of Jesus in their midst was to save them from doubt, to open their eyes, and give them the sight of faith in the Resurrection.

 This encounter has given us a deeper insight into the personality of the Risen Saviour. He is omnipresent. He is the unseen listener to our conversation. And He is ready to step into the confusion of our lives. He is our light in darkness, accompanying us along the way. Yes, Jesus will go the mile with you. But we have to give Him the chance to walk with us along the way. In this evening walk of Jesus and the two disciples, we see how we can walk with Him even in the busyness of our minds and the confusion of our lives. It begins with interest.

Imagine that the disciples were walking down and discussing among themselves other matters of interest apart from these things concerning Jesus of Nazareth! But that they were concerned, worried, reflecting and discussing all about Jesus, was enough invitation for Jesus to come in. This is the beginning of meditation and contemplation in the life of a Christian. Some usually ask me how they can meditate, which method to use or the environment they can adopt to enter into deep meditation. It all begins with interest! When our interest dwells on Christ Jesus, in any aspect of His life, we have opened up our inner self for Jesus to step in to enlighten and enliven our hearts (CCC 2705-2719). “Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, He explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about Himself” (Lk 24:27).

Think about the silence of the two disciples as Jesus opened their eyes to the Scriptures. Their hearts were on fire, but they were wrapped in the cloud of unknowing, such as Peter’s experience during the transfiguration. Cleopas and the other disciple were passive but active in attentiveness. This is always a contemplative disposition. Jesus steps in along the way and takes the lead. He led them to a new horizon of understanding. That is why Lectio Divina and other forms of meditation and contemplation approved by the Church give divine illumination to the heart. “Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?” (Lk 24:32). This warmth of heart is the sweetness and energy of silent prayer. The saints call it ‘divine consolation.’ 

 

Walking with Jesus often leads us to a decision junction. This is where we decide to invite the Lord in, to shelter Him and apply the illumination we received in our daily lives, or we part ways with Him. “When they reached the village to which they were going, He made as if to go on; but they pressed Him to stay with them” (Lk 24:28-29). Actually, His desire to stay with them was more, but by their invitation, their desire is now aligned with His. Their words of invitation had been used by monks as contemplative mantra over the centuries: “Mane nobiscum Domine, quoniam advesperascit” (Stay with us Lord, for evening falls). “Behold, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person’s side” (Rev 3:20). Prayer of silence disposes our hearts to hear that knock, and inspires us with the courage to open the doors of our hearts to Jesus.

Contemplative prayer has a Eucharistic dimension (CCC 2711). “Now while He was with them at table, He took the bread and said the blessing; then He broke it and handed it to them” (Lk 24:30). Again He who was invited takes the position of a host at the meal. They watch in silence as He handed back to them what they served Him in appreciation. They offered Him bread—fruit of their labour—He gave back to them Himself. He continued to draw them to greater heights of encounter. Like the Eucharistic Liturgy, they moved from breaking the word to the breaking of bread. In each case, their hearts burned; their eyes were opened. And they recognized Him! But no more with physical sight for He vanished immediately. It is not by sight but by faith.

Jesus is risen; He is alive! He wants to go the mile with us. No more shall we be faint-hearted as we journey along the way at this moment in our lives. There are so many other interests and considerations that tend to blind us, but we open the door for Jesus to come in by considering these things about Jesus of Nazareth.

 Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday April 25^th, 2020.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that you are really here in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you more than anything in the world, and I hunger to feed on your flesh. But since I cannot receive Communion at this moment, feed my soul at least spiritually. I unite myself to you now as I do when I actually receive you. Never let me drift away from you. Amen.

----St Alphonsus Liguori