Category: Lent

⏰Saturday of the Second Week of Lent (27 February 2016) ?Mic 7:14-15, 18-20; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 (R.v.8a); Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 ✍Rev. Fr. JohnBosco Chimaobi Ezeonwumelu (Issele-Uku Diocese) ?GOD OF MERCY AND COMPASSION… The prayer of the prophet Micah in Mic 7:14-20 reminds us of the great and limitless mercy of God upon his children. He is ever ready to forgive the sins of his children, as he was in the beginning, so he is now, and ever will be. Amen.? Anytime I read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32, I keep pondering on how extravagant...

⏰Friday of the Second Week of Lent (26 February 2016) ?Gen 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28; Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 (R.v.5a); Matt 21:33-43, 45-46 ✍Rev. Fr. JohnBosco Chimaobi Ezeonwumelu (Issele-Uku Diocese) ?BEWARE OF DREAM KILLERS! Can you now see a proof of what the prophet Jeremiah has been telling us since two days ago about putting our trust in God instead of man? Read an account of what happened between Joseph and his brothers in Gen 37. Notice that their hatred for him was because of his dreams (cf. Gen 37:19-20). Beware of those you discuss your dreams and prospects with. Many...

⏰Thursday of the Second Week of Lent (25 February 2016) ?Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. Ps 40:5ab); Luke 16:19-31 ?WAIT UPON THE LORD! Do you remember the theme we reflected on yesterday? It says, “Many are the afflictions of the just but from them all, the Lord delivers him. The immediacy of that deliverance might be ascertained but it must surely come to pass because the mouth of the Lord has said so (cf. Isa 55:10-11). The prophet Isaiah noted that it shall come to pass, but in the latter days (Isa 2:2). The prophet Habakkuk...

MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK Readings: Lev 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15 (R. see John 6:63c); Matt 25:31-46 St John of the Cross is often quoted as saying that at the end of our lives, we shall be judged on love. And I think he was expressing just the obvious because love is the greatest commandment (Matt 22:36-40). If we are governed by love, then we do not necessarily need to begin to pick out the details of Lev 19:1-18. If we love others, we shall not steal from them as that would be depriving them of their...

SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Readings: Isa 58:9c-14; Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (R.v.11ab); Luke 5:27-32 Do you know that fasting does not only imply abstinence from food? It also involves keeping away from certain pleasures especially those of them that offend God. There is no such effort that we make on our spiritual journey that God does not reward hundred-fold. The more charity we do, the more grace and blessings he gives us (cf. Isa 58:10-12). Note that that does not mean that God rewards us only because we have done something for him or that whatever blessing we get is...

FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Readings: Isa 58:1-9a; Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 (R.v.19bc); Matt 9:14-15 As we continue our Lenten observances, Jesus encourages us to focus on him as the reason and guide of all we do. His response to the question on why his disciples are not joining the crowd to fast says that much; the presence of the bridegroom determines the nature of fasting (cf. Matt 9:14-15). In that case, since Jesus is God (John 1:1; Phil 2:6) and God is love (1 John 4:16), all that we do at this time must be borne out of love –...

THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Readings: Deut 30:15-20; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. Ps 40:5ab); Luke 9:22-25 God created us in freedom to make choices in life. However, the choice we make always determine what we get. But it is not the will of God that evil shall befall us because his plan for us is for our peace, to give us hope and a good future (cf. Jer 29:11). But if we want to get all that, we need to follow him faithfully. In his somewhat like farewell speech to the Israelites, Moses presented to them the two...