25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Wisdom 2:12, 17—20

SECOND READING
James 3:16—4:3

GOSPEL
Mark 9:30—37

THEME: GLORIES THAT FOLLOW SUFFERINGS.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay (Psalm 16:10). In Igbo there is an adage that says, achukata nwa ogbenye, achuga ya ebe ka mma. In order to affirm this, in the Bible there are many places it talks about the love of the poor by God. It was Leibniz a philosopher in his division of evil into three types metaphysical, physical and moral evils said that good things sometimes follow physical evil. Sometimes we suffer but they are just as gold being tested in fire (1 Peter 1:7).

A certain family that was just living average life faced challenges in life. It happened that the father of the house fell sick and he was the source of living for them. They travelled to far and near to see to the solution to their father’s health but all to no avail. This cost them almost all they had. After four years of serious sickness the man died living the family in abject poverty. The three children of the family dropped out of school. One day one of their indigenous priests came home for Christmas break from abroad and asked the Parish Priest to organize a scholarship exam for all fatherless children in the parish that he needs five persons that he will train. After the exam, two of the dead man’s children passed the exam. The scholarship was to train them abroad, and that was how they met their glory. The Lord does not forget his people no matter the situation. Continue Reading.............

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 50:4c—9a

SECOND READING
James 2:14—18

GOSPEL
Mark 8:27—35

THEME: FAITH IS BEYOND THE WORDS OF THE MOUTH.

After looking at some situations in this world I come to say that faith is the hardest thing one can achieve through an easiest way. What happened in a certain family made me to understand that faith is the best thing or treasure one can have.

A family of six, four children. It happened that the first child and daughter of the family in her final year in the University suffered just a little headache and died. The last child and daughter in the same way died. The family also endured it as they did in the first one. The first son in his second year in the University died also. It happened that he was my classmate. When we were going there for the burial, we were just praying to God to help us so that we would not bury two persons or even more than. When the body of the boy return from the mortuary, we divided ourselves into two groups. One should go and get the casket and the other should go closer to the parents to avoid stories that touch the heart. To our greatest surprise, it was obvious that they were consoling some of us. After the mass, as they were appreciating all that came. The mother said, I know you people are expecting us to kill ourselves today because of the death of our son, it will not solve the problem, you are expecting us to cry, it will not solve the problem, people are expecting us to do one thing or the other, and all of them cannot solve the problem. It is only faith in God that created us can solve the problem. When she said this, I asked myself, Tobe Eze, can you have this type of faith? Why this story? Continue Reading..........................

LUST IN THE NAME OF LOVE AMONG THE YOUTHS: THE WAY OUT. By Tobe Eze

CATHOLI DIOCESE OF NSUKKA.

A TALK BY HILLARY TOBECHUKWU EZE (DAN~HILL) TO CYON DURING YOUTH WEEK.

TOPIC: LUST IN THE NAME OF LOVE AMONG THE YOUTHS: THE WAY OUT.

Lust is one of the seven deadly sins according to the Christian Bible, but it also come to mean a term of strong sexual desire as a modern definition where few people are concerned with doctrine. ... Lust is An Intense Feeling Where You are Extremely Attracted to A Person.

LUST VS LOVE: DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

Lust is an altered state of consciousness programmed by the primal urge to procreate. Studies suggest that the brain in this phase is much like a brain on drugs. Researches illustrate that the same area lights up when an addict gets a fix of cocaine as when a person is experiencing the intense lust of physical attraction. Also in the early stage of a relationship, when the sex hormones are raging, lust is fueled by idealization and projection. You see what you hope someone will be or need them to be rather than seeing the real person, flaws and all.

WHAT IS LOVE?

Love is when someone gives you what you do not have freely and not ask for anything in return. Love is when someone follows you to cry when you are crying and follows to rejoice when you are rejoicing. Love is when someone understands you in your weakness or weaknesses. Love is when someone gives you hope when there is no hope. Love is when someone gives you reason to laugh when the world has made you to cry. Love is when someone gives you life, when there is no life. Love is when someone gives you hope or reasons to live when you see no reason to live.

Pure lust is based solely on physical attraction and fantasy, it often dissipates when the "real person" surfaces. It is the stage of wearing rose colored glasses when he or she "can do no wrong." Being in love does not exclude lust. In fact, lust can lead to love. However, real love, not based on idealization or projection, it requires time to get to know each other. Here are some signs to watch for to differentiate pure lust from love. Continue Reading.....................

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 35:4—7a

SECOND READING
James 2:1—5

GOSPEL
Mark 7:31—37

THEME: BE A SOURCE OF JOY NOT SORROW.

There was this lady around her 37-39 years old still unmarried. She was going to chapel and every other prayer gathering. She was in many spiritual organizations. All these she was going did not change her behaviour. Any place she enters, people will know that she has entered not for her good deeds but bad. She has been doing that from her early years till that time.

Another lady in the same range of years. Anywhere she enters, people will know that she is around because she must make everyone there to be happy. She offers selfless services everywhere. She was only in few spiritual organizations. The two got married latter and they extended their different behaviours to their homes. The first continued causing confusion and the latter continued spreading peace and happiness. You, what do you cause? Joy or sorrow? It is not about Christianity, but about what do you do as a Christian. Continue Reading....................

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Deuteronomy 4:1—2, 6—8

SECOND READING
James 1:17—18, 21b—22, 27

GOSPEL
Mark 7:1—8, 14—15, 21—23

THEME: THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW NOT THE LETTERS OF THE LAW.

In many communities of the world, people try to obey every letter of the law guiding the community without thinking about the spirit of the law. Many are more interested in what did the law say and forget what the law is trying to achieve. They also forget the mercy God is giving us example of it in our everyday lives. Some even like to multiply rules given them to guide the people to the extent that it will be very difficult for the people to obey them. Some villages make wicked rules that will favour some and not some. Continue Reading............................

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Joshua 24:1—2a, 15—17, 18b

SECOND READING

Ephesians 5:21—32

GOSPEL
John 6:60—69

THEME: THE CHURCH IS NOT A RESTING PLACE.

Some think that church is a refugee camp that you will run to when things get hard for you. It is not that the church cannot help in that aspect but it is not the primary duty of the church. Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese Most Rev. Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah in his 2014 Lenten pastoral message Volumus Jesum Videre (we want to see Jesus), said,  There is difference between a child that ran to an elder’s house because he is pursued by a masquerade and a child that prepared and went to visit an elder in his house. The first, when the masquerade is gone, he/she will leave. Even when the child is still in the house, he/she will learn nothing from the elder because he/she seeks only protection that time. But when it comes to a child that prepared and went to an elder, there will be discussions and he/she will learn a lot from the elder. Tomorrow he/she will come back again for more but the other will not return unless the masquerade is back. That is the same way some of us practice our Christian life. Our church is not a bed of roses, it is a church filled with many sufferings that have hope. If we are choosing Christianity to escape suffering, we are making a serious mistake. Continue Reading...............

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Proverbs 9:1—6

SECOND READING
Ephesians 5:15—20

GOSPEL
John 6:51—58

THEME: JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY.

Sometimes I ask myself, what is wisdom? You will see this person behaving in this way and you will say this person is wise. Tomorrow you will see him/her doing another thing altogether and you will become confused. Even Solomon that asked for wisdom latter misbehaved that people especially my own self became confused whether he received the wisdom at all. Going through the scriptures, one will find out that the only man that lived his life without fault from him rather people imposed fault on him is Jesus Christ. From this we can go down to the readings. Continue Reading.............................