THE NARROW DOOR OF DISCIPLINE

Meditation for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
(Is 66:18-21; Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30)

Freedom without responsibility is destructive; growth and progress without going through a process is deceptive. Still, these are some of our greatest temptations, and a trap for young minds.

 

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah announced that God would gather all the nations and tongues to see His glory. His message was exalting and ceremonial, for he said that all nations will gather as an offering to the Lord, like cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. From the gospel, we understand that those that will be gathered to see the glory of God are the redeemed, they shall come from every corner of the earth. So, the real question is: what must I do to be counted among those that will behold the glory of God? Jesus said, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” And once this great opportunity is lost, it cannot be reversed.

 

The second reading makes us to understand that the narrow door that leads to the joy of the Kingdom of God is ‘discipline.’ It says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by Him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” Thus, discipline is an act of love, and a training for success. An easy and undisciplined life ends in pain and agony. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” That is why the branches of the True Vine are pruned by the Father so that they can bear more fruit (Jn 15:2).

 

Meditate on the narrow door of discipline that puts restrictions to our movements, and does not allow everything to pass through! We easily gather many baggage of emotions, thoughts and behavior. Discipline is the ‘door’ we must fix on our hearts and minds so as not to allow everything to enter in, and to restrict the wanderings of our hearts and minds. This is how we can know true freedom, and achieve sustainable growth in progress in every aspect of our lives.

 

Above all, discipline makes us strong and to persevere in our endeavors, commitment, and our journey towards the Kingdom of God. It brings healing, “So that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” It is by discipline that we can correct our errors and retrace our steps. Yes, when we walk through the narrow door of discipline, we learn to carry our cross, and draw strength and victory from the Cross of Jesus. The door of blessedness will not be shut behind us, rather, the gate of Heaven shall be opened for us; we shall enter in and dine at the table in the Kingdom of God. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi, Lagos.

Sunday August 21^st, 2022.

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THE CONSUMING FIRE OF LOVE

Meditation for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

(Jer 38:4-6, 8-10; Heb 12:1-4; Lk 12:49-53)

Think about the persecutions Jeremiah had to face as he delivered God’s message to the people. He was reminding them the consequences of their evil behaviour, thereby calling to repentance. Words of discipline always sound discouraging and threatening to those who do not want to change their evil ways. The princes conspired against Jeremiah, and convinced the King that the prophet was against them. King Zedekiah handed him over to those evil men, and they cast Jeremiah inside a well.

 

Another man went to the King and condemned the action of the princes. Zedekiah listened to him, and ordered that Jeremiah should be pulled out of the cistern. Think about the extra ordinary courage this Ethiopian servant had that made him to approach the King! There must be an irresistible fire within, urging him to confront the lies of the princes, and daring him to face the consequences of challenging the decision of the king.

 

Such is the fire that Jesus talked about in the gospel, saying, “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled.” Yes, God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29). He ignites in us that irresistible urge to break barriers, confront unjust structures and stand for the truth of the gospel. The word of God is like fire (Jer 23:29). This inner energy moves us to resist even our most intimate human attachments like father, mother, brother or sister, whenever they tend to be obstacles to the fulfilment of the will of God.

 

Jesus says, “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!” While introducing Jesus, John the Baptism said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Mt 3:13). As the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in forms of tongues of fire, they were filled with this irresistible energy that moved them to proclaim the gospel without fear of opposition (Acts 2:1-4). This is the fire Jesus promised to cast upon the earth. It is the perfection of the burning bush Moses encountered, where the fire was blazing but the bush not burnt up (Ex 3:2). This divine fire does not destroy our individuality and freedom, but it energizes us with a love stronger than our earthly attachments.

 

Therefore, the second reading urges us to lay aside every sin and distraction, “Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross.” From the Cross, Jesus won for us the strength to overcome every hostility. Love for Jesus must overshadow our hearts, for it is from His victory that we can overcome. That means this irresistible fire of the Holy Spirit must first overcome our individual internal self-imposed obstacles and attachments before we can move ahead to confront external oppositions. And this requires a total self-surrender to Jesus in love.

 

And this love is so strong and overpowering that we can face every opposition and resist every attachment that is not in line with the truth of the gospel. Meditate on the joy of the Lord in seeing men and women consumed with the fire of His love. Think about His eagerness to supply and refill that inner strength to resist every hostility beginning with our own human desires. He is already consumed with love for us and for His Father’s house (Jn 2:18). So, we humble ourselves and allow the love of Jesus to urge us on (2 Cor 5:14). Hence, we continue to stand for the truth of the gospel, resisting and overcoming every obstacle. “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday August 14^th, 2022

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TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN

 Meditation for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
(Wisdom 18:6-9; Heb 11: 1-2, 8-9; Lk 12:32-48)

We all like free gifts, but how much value do people attach to things that did not cost them anything? It is obvious that the value we attach to things is closely related to the extent of the commitment and sacrifice associated with it. What if God’s gracious gifts and salvation do not require any form of commitment from us? They will become of less value to us.

 

God goes ahead of His children in showing commitment and faithfulness. He alone gives us gifts of eternal value, and gifts of the highest value. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom talks about God’s fulfilment of His promise to Israel of old. The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies were achieved at the same time. The same act that proved God’s love for them, was the same that put their enemies to shame. In response, the people offered sacrifices, and with one accord agreed to the divine law.

 

Now, God’s one act of deliverance for His people is offered in a perfect way in Christ Jesus. By the one perfect offering of Jesus, the righteous are saved from the grasp of their enemy, Satan, and the Kingdom of God is given to them. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” The response we give is faith in the one who has given us this perfect gift. The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Such assured hope in Jesus Christ becomes our way of life. By this one expression of faith, we thank God for delivering us from the hands of our enemies, and at the same time, we embrace the great gift of His Kingdom.

 

Such a life that is guided by faith in Jesus will definitely place the Kingdom of God as its highest value. And to demonstrate that God, His righteousness and His Kingdom is highest value, we must detach ourselves from earthly possessions. Thus, Jesus says in the Gospel of today, “Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, and with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Obviously, by the same act with which we discipline ourselves and control our attachment to material things, by the same also do we demonstrate our love and value for the treasures of the Kingdom of God.

 

There must be some physical commitment in the order of our lives of the faith we have in Jesus, and the hope we have in His promises. What we sacrifice to show our love and commitment cannot be equal to the great gifts that await us as Children of the Kingdom (Rm 8:18). Our ultimate and greatest self-sacrifice should be directed to that which is of the highest value. Jesus says, “Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.” Now we see why God will now allow His children to be taken over by evil, since He has offered Himself in Christ Jesus for our salvation. To those who receive this good news and respond in faith, the second reading says, “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday August 7^th, 2022.

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'Christ among us'

‘CHRIST AMONG US’
Meditation for Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
(Gen 18:1-10; Col 1:24-28; Lk 10:38-42)

Let us meditate on the spirituality of hospitality. Receiving visitors can be fun for some people, while others find it burdensome. Breaking through the routines of the home to accommodate visitors and make them feel comfortable can be exhausting as well as enriching. Hospitality as a virtue is required of every Christian. It has become an important way we relate to God.

 

The first reading talks about Abraham’s hospitality to three strangers. He offered them refreshment and rest. His commitment to the comfort and satisfaction of the visitors was awesome. He hastened his wife Sarah to make the loaves, and charged the servants to prepare a fine and tender calf for the guests. Abraham was not counting the costs, but he was ready to make every necessary sacrifice for their comfort. On leaving, the visitors blessed him with the promise of a son. Abraham’s hospitality became a means through which God blessed him and answered his prayer.

 

The second reading highlights the mystery of God’s permanent presence among us. In Jesus Christ, God has visited his people (Lk 7:16); He has taken His abode among us (Jn 14:23). He comes to us as a guest, and we are expected to open up the doors of our hearts to welcome Him and allow Him to share in our life (Jn 1:11-12). If we cannot make God ‘hospitable’ in the home of our hearts, we may end up not opening the doors of our house to visitors.

 

Since the mystery of Christ among us is made possible through His cross, we too shall make sacrifices like Abraham in order to welcome Him in our midst. Thus, as St Paul says in the Second reading, we constantly carry in our body the imprint of the cross of Christ so as to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of His body, the Church. Inspired by the Cross of Christ, we assume the position of ‘guests’ in order to bring comfort and peace to others, and to give glory to God.

 

This spirituality of hospitality shines out the more as we meditate on the visit of Jesus to the house of Martha and Mary. We see Martha cooking and serving, and getting concerned about the comfort and satisfaction of her guests. But at the feet of Jesus, we see her sister Mary listening to Jesus and absorbing the wisdom from His words. Her contemplative positive immediately reminds us of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s position at the foot of the Cross (Jn 19:25-27).

 

Jesus appreciated Martha’s efforts and sacrifices to make the guests comfortable, but He exalted Mary’s position. “It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” Mary’s surrender at the feet of Jesus positions Him as the ‘Master of the house’, and makes her a ‘guest’ to food and earthly comfort. By welcoming His words in her heart, Mary had given Jesus the greatest hospitality. And by finding a ‘home’ in her heart, the mystery of ‘Christ among us’ is realized in her. However, the serving and sacrifices of Martha, in a way, aided and gave Mary the space and time that enable her to realize the mystery of ‘Christ among us’ in within her.

 

This is how Martha in her hard work, creativity, sacrifices and services train us in the virtue of hospitality and open up the opportunity to draw closer for a deeper encounter. And Mary’s contemplative position trains us in detachment to earthly comfort, and opens our horizon to see the real value of things. In this way, the sacrifices of Martha draw value and vision from the contemplation of Mary; and the contemplation of Mary bring transformation to our lives through works of Martha. The sisters, Mary and Martha, are the two dispositions we must have in order to live out the mystery of ‘Christ among us’; our Master and our guest. And this is how we live a Christ-centered life, and grow in the spirituality of hospitality. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday July 17^th, 2022.

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THE ONE LOVE

THE ONE LOVE

Meditation for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

(Deut 30:10-14; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37)

Love is in the heart; the heart is where love resides! The promptings of our heart will always follow the direction of our love. And it is what we love that we allow to influence us. Love is that unique difference that defines and sets Christians apart. Picking interest and acting on something can evoke our love towards it.

 

In the first reading, Moses explains that keeping God’s commandments will turn one’s heart and soul to Him. To turn one’s heart and soul to God is to love Him. And he who loves God will derive joy in obeying His commands and ordinances (1 Jn 5:3; Ps 19:7-8). Moses says, God’s commandments are not far off. They are near and within. “But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” That means the commandments of the Lord are INCARNATED among us! In other words, the divine law is not foreign to our lives; it is lived out in the one expression of our lives.

 

Since the divine rule is within us and is part of our life, it becomes self-contradictory for one not to live according to the commandments of God. And such disobedience will definitely bring confusion and disorder to the individual and to those affected by his actions. But we see in Jesus one who was like us in all things but sin (Heb 4:15). The Second reading described Him as “The image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” In Jesus, the divine law found its perfect and complete fulfilment (Mt 5:17). That means the human actions of Jesus were at the same time expressions of the divine will. Thus, Jesus is exalted as the One in whom all things hold together, “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

 

Therefore, in Jesus the divine law is now alive among us. Our heart and soul can now be energized by the divine will as we relate with Jesus and commune with Him. That love that unites Jesus and the faithful satisfies all the requirements of the law. In this love, the human heart and soul are lifted up to Jesus, and the divine will find expression in human action. Then, love becomes the law that fulfills all the ordinances of the Lord (Jn 13:34).  That is why the question, ‘how one can inherit eternal life?’ or ‘how one can earn heavenly blessings?’ is answered by love! Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan to show that ‘my neighbor’ is anyone who is in need of my love and care. The act of compassion and charity is what defines neighbors! As the Samaritan diverted his journey to attend to the injured Jew, bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine, set him on his horse and trekked along to the inn, paid for the cost, and promised not to abandon him, that is the sense of urgency and commitment we should show to one another in their need. Meditating on this parable, we see that the Samaritan treated the injured Jew as if he himself was the one that was wounded!

 

And the love he showed to the man was similar to the love God showed to us in Christ Jesus (1 Pet 3:18). Thus, by showing God’s love to your neighbor, you have loved God by that very act. This one love, by which we love God and our neighbor, satisfies the requirements of the law and the prophets, and qualifies us to inherit eternal life. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday July 10^th, 2022.

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EVERGREEN

Meditation for Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hos 14:1-9; Mt 10:16-23)

At the end of the illustrations and messages, the prophet Hosea says that what the Lord wants is for the people to return to Him. “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.” First, the people must acknowledge that they have sinned, and repent. Then, they should ask God to take away their iniquities, and accept that which is good from them. Secondly, they should not build their lives on false hope, faulty foundations that cannot sustain them. When people are ruled by wrong ideas and false sense of security, they may begin to presume more than necessary, and neglect the right directions they are supposed to take. Finally, those who want to return to the Lord must trust in His faithfulness and mercy. “They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.”

Hosea explains that the Lord is like an evergreen cypress that produces fruits in all seasons. His ways are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. So, in sending forth the apostles, Jesus ensured that they remain focused on Him. He explained to them the dangers ahead, and the difficulties they would face. Their patience will be tested, but he who endures to the end will be saved. The man who endures to the end is one who is focused on Jesus and the mission entrusted to him. Such a one will not give up in the face of challenges, but will continue to make progress and flourish like an evergreen cypress.

 

At the end of our meditation on the Book of Hosea, we are reminded to retrace our steps back to our relationship with God. And this is the reason Jesus sent forth the apostles. So, the mission of the Church is fulfilled in us when we repent of our sins. Now, having heard the prophetic message, and received the apostolic mission, we are sent forth to become ‘missionaries’ to ourselves, to constantly adjust our lives according to the commandments of the Lord. This unstoppable internal missionary movement will eventually keep us evergreen despite the challenges of life. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Friday July 8th, 2022.

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POSITIVE ACTION

 Meditation for Thursday of the 14^th Week in Ordinary Time
(Hos 11:1-4, 8-9; Mt 10:7-15)

Prophet Hosea now shifted the narrative to God’s line of action. God, in His faithfulness, took positive steps to keep Israel close to Him. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” But the more God called them out of slavery, the more they kept enslaving themselves to idols. Yet, God kept teaching them gently, and healed them secretly. “I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who raises an infant to his cheeks, and I bent down to them and fed them.” Hosea announced that the Lord’s compassion grows warm and tender. The Lord says, “For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come to destroy.”

 

Love generates positive action! As the compassion of God made Him to take positive steps to safe guard Israel, so also did Jesus direct His apostles on the positive directions to take in their mission. He said to them, “Preach as you go, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.” Jesus instructed them to avoid distractions and attachment to things. But the best way to avoid distractions is to focus on the right actions!

 

Thus, Jesus instructed the apostles on how to coordinate themselves and what they should say when they enter any house. “As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.” Jesus notified them that things might not go as they desired; their offer of peace might be rejected! He warned them not to channel their energy to those who might reject them; “shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.”

 

In other words, do not allow the ‘dust’ of negativity to cling to you. The Lord spoke through prophet Hosea that He will not come to destroy; in His love He creates and re-creates! Though Israel rejected His faithfulness and love, God continued to care for them. He sent Hosea and other prophets to minister to them. In the same way, the mission of the apostles cannot be quenched by rejection or persecution, for they must focus on the positive action of announcing the good news of peace. It then means that relationships, marriages, businesses, etc, can succeed if we focus on the right actions, and shake off the dust of negativity. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Thursday July 7^th, 2022.

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