ABRAHAM’S JOURNEY

    Meditation for Monday of 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
(Gen 12:1-9; Mt 7:1-5)

We begin reading from the Book of Genesis with the call of Abraham. The beautiful story of Abraham’s vocation, with its quick and immediate response, marks a great step in the history of salvation after the disobedience of Adam and Eve. The depth of the call and the immediate and total response of Abraham had no precedence; it was totally unique and new, and looked forward into the future of human salvation. I think it is the next greatest call of man after creation.

The journey was for him to move from his homeland to the new land, which he only knew through the promise of God. The promise of the land came with the promise of overflowing blessings. Abraham moved with his family and possessions. It was a difficult journey but he obeyed. Did Abraham obey because of the things God promised him? He had practically every reason to turn down the offer and remained at home to enjoy the wealth he had already acquired, and to continue to operate within his familiar environment. But his faith in God moved him on, and in obedience he accepted the vulnerability of faith, which rewards with strength and overflowing divine providence. “And I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

May the Lord open our ears to hear and our eyes to see where His grace is leading us to, and the vocation has called us to. That is why we should not be distracted with judgment of others, just as Jesus warned in the Gospel of today. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye…You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Like Abraham, God calls us to move forward into the new life of salvation. We may have reasons to remain in familiar ways of life or spirituality. But we need to remove the logs that block our vision of God so that we can see the direction He is leading us to, and respond promptly and totally. Amen.

Our help is in the name of the Lord; who made heaven and earth! Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Monday June 21^th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

SUFFICIENT GRACE

Meditation for Saturday of 11th Week in Ordinary Time
(2 Cor 12:1-10; Mt 6:24-34)

‘Packaging’ has become a common norm, especially among the younger generation. ‘Impressionism’ is commonly accepted as ‘gate pass’ in one’s quest for success. We easily accept honour that does not reflect our commitment or sacrifice. While we readily project a good image, deep within we battle with our weaknesses and struggles. Though St Paul appeared to have conquered his weakness, he reframed from boasting about it to avoid being elevated more than he should, especially as the battle with his weaknesses was still raging. However, through his experiences of struggles and victory, St Paul gives us hope in our battles with ourselves.

“And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.” St Paul said three times he asked the Lord to remove this thorn from him, but he got the same answer: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” The struggles and weakness that was designed to bring the children of God down has now become the entrance point of grace! So we humbly acknowledge our weaknesses, while cooperating with the power of Christ that is on us. “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Since the grace of God is at work in us even in our weaknesses, we need not be anxious about our lives, what to eat, drink, clothes wear not about the body. Jesu says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” The grace of God is sufficient today as we battle with each days troubles and struggles. Being anxious about tomorrow is an expression of lack of faith and trust in the efficacy of God’s grace. Such anxiety transports the person to the realm where there is no grace to sustain him. So, “Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day”, since the grace of God is sufficient to triumph at every moment.

Our help is in the name of the Lord; who made heaven and earth! Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Saturday June 19^th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com 

IDENTIFYING FALSE PREACHERS

                                                    IDENTIFYING FALSE PREACHERS

Meditation for Thursday of 11th Week in Ordinary Time
(2 Cor 11:1-11; Mt 6:7-15)

Often times, fake products appear more appealing and affordable than the original. We easily fall for lies than truth because they taste sweeter and easier to accept. Fake prophets and those who teach and practice wrong doctrines gather more crowd than good shepherds of Christ. “For I have come in my Father’s name and you do not accept me. If another comes in his own name, you will accept him” (Jn 5:43). This was the issue St Paul faced in the first reading of today. He marveled how the people he evangelized allowed themselves to be deceived by false preachers, who took advantage of them and made gains from their pockets. St Paul preached and worked among them without demanding anything from them, instead his needs were supplied by the brethren from Macedonia. But they people abandoned the gospel truth and the example he taught them and followed the false and easy ways of those who deprived them, burdened them and deceived them with false doctrines.

Following the example of Jesus Christ, a good shepherd always lays down his life for the sheep; a bad shepherd or wolf feeds on the sheep! These false preachers are louder, instilling fear in people so as to manipulate them, and they make the kingdom of man on earth the end point of their message. All these the sell out in the name of Jesus Christ! And they walk away with huge gains to their advantage.

From the Gospel of today, we learn also that a false preacher can be identified by his way of praying, “For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Jesus the Good Shepherd then taught us to pray the ‘Our Father’, which shows us how a true believer places God, His Kingdom and will over and above everything, and looks upon Him to receive his daily bread, forgiveness of sins and deliverance from evil. Let us be true in our worship and practice of our faith so that we would not fall prey to false preachers who distract us from the Kingdom of God.

Our help is in the name of the Lord; who made heaven and earth! Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Thursday June 16^th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

SOWING IN CHARITY

                                         Meditation for Wednesday of 11th Week in Ordinary Time
                                                            (2 Cor 9:6-11; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18)

After describing the charitable acts of the Churches in Macedonia as the workings of grace, St Paul, in today’s reading, compares charity to sowing of seed in view of harvest. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully.” Charity begins from the mind and heart. The charitable person must make up his mind, and decide freely, not reluctantly or under compulsion. The prompting to charity is almost instantaneous and requires prompt and free response, “For God loves a cheerful giver.”

God Himself is the source and the motivational force behind every authentic act of charity. “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” That means the pattern of God’s charity towards us informs and empowers our acts of charity. And our acts of charity connect us to God’s providence. “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. Also, the extent of our charity or our capacity for charity determines our capacity to receive divine providence. This is how our acts of charity become our sowing to reap harvests of God’s providence.

Therefore, we perform works of charity simply to please God and earn his favor. Jesus said in the Gospel of today, “But when you give alms, do not let your let hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” In this silent and ‘secret place’ of charity, the act performed translates into ‘self-offering’ to God. This, in turn, is viewed and received by the Father with graciousness of Jesus’ Self-Offering on the Cross. And the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ shall become our reward. Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Wednesday June 16^th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

THE WORKIGS OF GRACE LEADS TO PERFECTION

 Meditation for Tuesday of 11^th Week in Ordinary Time
(2 Cor 8:1-9; Mt 5:43-48)

On our meditation this Tuesday, we continue to journey with St Paul as unveils to us the hidden dynamics of the workings of grace. He drew a practical example from the manifestation of the grace of God in the Churches of Macedonia. “For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberty on their part.” This was because, from their disadvantaged situation, they rendered charity to the apostles out of their own free will. “And this, not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” St Paul noted that this was the work of grace, which we ought to emulate. If the grace of God is at work in us, we too shall render ourselves to God and to one another in charity, even in our moments of Cross or lack.

At this point St Paul talks about growth in grace. As we grow in every other aspect of our lives, we must ensure we grow in cooperating with the grace of God and excel in the gracious work also. This growth comes as we receive and learn from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, “That though He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich.”

It is by the workings of grace that we strive for perfection. From the abundance of God’s grace, available and accessible to us, do we understand and relate to Jesus’ injunction in the Gospel of today: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” God’s graciousness reaches both the evil and good, the just and unjust. The beauty of the dynamics of the workings of grace is that it is revealed at such moment of tension, moment of trial and cross. What then differentiates the child of grace from the children of the world if he cannot love his enemies or he salutes only his brethren? “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Amen

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Tuesday June 15, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

THE MOMENT OFGRACE

Meditation for Monday of 11^th Week in Ordinary Time
(2 Cor 6:1-10; Mt 5:38-42)

What is it that can make someone to accept the grace of God in vain? St Paul makes a resounding appeal: “We entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.” The grace of God comes at the right time; the divine help comes at that same time it is needed! And the moment of grace is the moment of salvation, for it is under the influence of grace that salvation is possible. Therefore, St Paul says, “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” The grace of God for the moment is sufficient. We must allow the free flow of grace, and never put obstacles for its realization in us or in others.

St Paul enumerates how the hidden work of grace sets the servants of God in opposition to the world, such that the man of grace eludes the grasp and understanding of the world. Because of this opposition, the servants of God must pass through great endurance, affliction, hardship, labors, hunger, etc, but walking along with weapons of righteousness and the power of God. As the child of God is readily open to grace, the moment of the great enduring becomes a gracious moment since righteousness germinates from it. You do not know your capacity for grace until you face trials and temptations! “For the love of God urges us on” (2 Cor 5:14).

Also, Christ’s faithful who cooperate with grace even at the crossroads of their lives are often miss judged and misunderstood in the world. That is why St Paul says, “We are treated as imposters, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known, as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” Realizing such abundance of grace available for us at our odd moments, Jesus says, “Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” We must allow the grace of God to move us forward; it surfaces simultaneously with trials and temptations. Since we are on the side of grace, Jesus says, “Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Monday June 14, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

THE SILENT HAND THAT GROWS US

Meditation for 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

(Ezekiel 17:22-24; 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mk 4:26-34)

Every genuine and fruitful growth occurs in SILENCE! We eat and take care of ourselves, but we not hear the bones stretching nor the flesh adding up; we look back and realize an enormous growth had occurred in silence but before our eyes. This silence does not necessary make growth ‘mysterious’ but makes it ‘beautiful’, ‘powerful’ and ‘necessary.’ Simply put: growth occurs, and we accept it!

In the first reading of today, Ezekiel announced that God was going to bring about a growth that is almost impossible for man to achieve. God would break off the topmost of the young twigs of the cedar and plant it upon a high and lofty mountain of Israel, “That it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit.” And under this cedar will dwell all kinds of beasts, birds of every sort will nest in its branches. “I the Lord bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish.” The silent hand of God brings about growth beyond human imagination.

 

This silent hand of God touches us through faith. St Paul in the second reading said that we walk by faith, not by sight. Faith brings growth and fruitfulness. The spiritual nourishment that faith supplies gives us courage even in our bodily life, so that we live to please the Lord and not to indulge the body. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.” Since God is the source of nourishment and growth, the fruit thus produced must be worthy of Him and presented before Him.

 

The reward is good or evil; heaven or hell. And the parable of Jesus today describes how the kingdom of God grows in us silently and in little things. It is like a little grain a man dropped on the ground, “And should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.” But once harvest is ready, he puts in the sickle…The kingdom of God is majorly the work of grace, which we are asked to cooperate with.

 

Again, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed, which grows from the smallest seed to become the greatest of all shrubs, with large branches so that birds of the air can make their nests on it. So the words of the prophet Ezekiel is fulfilled in the words of Jesus. For we see in Jesus the rejected stone that became the cornerstone; the little seed cut from the little tribe of Bethlehem that became the biggest shrub of salvation on which all sorts of people will gather to grow their little ‘nests’ of salvation. It is on Christ Jesus that our lives are built and grow silently. His unseen and powerful hand silently holds us and grows us to bear fruit for eternal life. The Silent hand of God sustains us.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Sunday June 13^th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com