FRIDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

FRIDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 38:1-6. 21-22. 7-8.

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 12:1-8

THEME: RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOTHING MORE.

When a humble son approaches his father to beg for a favour, the father does not hesitate to grant him that for he is a righteous son, but if a wayward child comes, his father will not freely grant him his wishes.

In the first reading, we saw how God answered the prayer of Hezekiah not only his own but for the whole nation because he was upright. Can God answer your own prayers or my own today talk more of another through you or me because of your or my righteousness?

The gospel expands this through the last part of it where Jesus said, Ihe n’ asom bu ebere, obughi aja. We spend time attending all church’s activities and donating money and other things every now and then to things concerning church but our hearts are as dark as charcoal. It is not enough. We claim to be following the law and behind it, we punish people because of our own selfish interest.

A woman who was very devoted to the CWO. It happened that she had problem with the president in the market. The next CWO meeting she came late and the president saw it as the best avenue to punish her. After giving her reasons and proofs, the president persisted under the umbrella of the law. She was nursing a child that time, after preparing the child for the meeting, the child poured oil on himself which made her to start afresh. After that, when they were coming, the chain of their motorcycle broke into two, she had to roll the motorcycle to a mechanic who repaired it and she continued the journey and that made her to come late. Her hands were still filled with oil and grease from the chain. After telling all these, the president persisted on the law not because they could not adjust but because she had something against her.

Righteousness is the only thing that can exalt a nation not the amount of sacrifices we make with evil hearts (Proverbs 14:34). It was because God saw Hezekiah as a righteous man that he answered his prayers. The Jews were not righteous and they did not recognize that something greater than the temple was in their midst. Let us today uphold righteousness for that is the only thing God wants from us not evil sacrifices. Thanks.

THURSDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

THURSDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 26:7-9.12. 16-19

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:28-30

THEME: GOD IS THE SOLUTION.

After complaining in the first reading, Isaiah recognized that God was the only answer to their problems and he beckoned on him to come to their rescue. There would be no solution to their problems outside God.

In the gospel, Jesus God made man is calling us to come to him with our troubles that he is the only one who can help us with it. We should not think of anyone else to give us solution to our problems except him the Lord. These days we seem to have forgotten God and are now going after men and women of (so called) God. We have chapels almost in every parish where Jesus is waiting for us to come and meet him anytime anyday, we have priests almost everywhere looking for souls to be taken to Christ, we have morning masses and morning adorations almost in every parish but we leave all these and be looking for self-ordained ministers who will minister to and for us.

Jesus is the only way if we accept him. Sometimes he comes to us himself to help us but we like to stick to our normal old ways of life.

A man went to farm in a very far place. When he was returning, he was carrying a heavy basket of cassava on his head. A man with pickup car met him and decided to help him. He entered at the back. When the man wanted to cross an expressway, when they has traveled far, as he was looking left and right, from the glass he saw that the man was still carrying the basket of cassava even in the car. Even when God wants to help us, we continue to carry our problems as if we can solve them.

Let us accept Christ’s invitation and come or go to him who is the only solution to our problems. Thanks.

WEDNESDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

WEDNESDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 10:5-7. 13-16

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:25-27

THEME: BE HUMBLE.

One Igbo adage will always ask, Okwuru o n’ akari onye kuru ya?  Can an okro over grow or out grow the person that planted it? Assyrians were thinking they had gotten all they needed, they could do all without the help of God and God asked them the question above. He is asking us also today the same question. As they lacked humility so also we are lacking it in our lives today.

Jesus in the gospel is thanking his father for hiding the riches of heaven from proud men/women, those who are lacking humility and revealing it to those who are humble and still uphold humility like children. If we humble ourselves, certainly we shall be exulted and if we exult ourselves, we shall be humbled as recorded in the Bible (Matthew 23:12). We are just dust of the earth (Ecclesiastes 3:20), no need for bragging.

A story was told by a priest from my place. In his first posting after ordination, he was very young then. A woman came to the parish house looking for a priest. That was in the afternoon. The priest after taking his lunch decided to go for a little walk. He met that woman at the gate but she could not even talk to the person for Fada was not putting on soutane, talk more of greeting. She passed him and entered the parish house and was asking to see a priest. She was told that she left a priest at the gate. She came to Fada and asked him, Bia nnwa, kedu ebe ifuru Fada? Fada told her that Fada was not far from there. She started barking at him telling him that children of these days are no more respectful. As she was shouting, a lady passed and greeted, Fada good afternoon! And Fada responded, it was that time that she noticed that she was talking to Fada and started to beg. Fada cautioned her to learn how to apply humility in everything she does in life so that she can go far in life.

It is a serious virtue to be humble and we cannot get heaven if we are not humble. Let us humble ourselves today like little and humble children and God will be on our sides and reveal the riches of heaven to us now and forever. Thanks.

TUESDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

TUESDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 7:1-9

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 11:20-24

THEME: DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DESTROYED.

A famous story about tortoise and its three children on how many times will something happen to you that you will learn has a little connection with today’s readings.

In the first reading, the people of Emphraim was promised to be blot out from the face of the earth because of their evil plans against the people of God despite all that they have seen God had done for his people, they went ahead to plan evil against them.

In the gospel, the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida faced it with Jesus because of their obstinacy in their evil ways of life. They refused to change after all that Jesus had done for them.

It is likely that we are in the same category with these places about to be destroyed. We have remained obstinate in our sins and have left the faith we embraced earlier. Jesus has shown us many signs and wonders but still we plot evils in our hearts and with others. Christianity increases everyday but evils increase also. What is happening? We should run for our dear lives and run back to God so that we will not be destroyed in the presence of God as in the first reading and those whom we think are evil will not be better than us on the judgment day. Let us learn from the Holy Bible which is the word of God and not waiting like the first and second sons of the tortoise to have experience before learning. Thanks.

MONDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

MONDAY 15^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

1^ST READING: ISAIAH 1:10-17

GOSPEL: MATTHEW 10:34-11:1

THEME: CHOOSE GOD AND LEAVE EVIL.

The first reading is seriously warning us that no matter the type of prayer, fasting and every other religious thing we do without clean heart and clean hands, he the Lord will not listen to us.

Gospel tells us what Jesus told his disciples who were thinking that Jesus will give the world peace despite their sins.

If we must see God, if our prayers must be answered, we must choose to follow God. Condition for our prayer to be answered is to follow God and by following God we must be at war with worldly things. When Jesus talked about division he has brought. He talked about division from choosing God and leaving evil. Leaving our evil ways of life and following the righteous way of God no matter what it may cost us. It may cost us our pleasure, or our comfort zones, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters but it is the best way to follow. Let us today choose the way of life and leave the way of death by choosing God and leaving the devil. Thanks.

Monday of Week 15 Year A Tobe Eze

Monday of Week 15 Year A

FIRST READING
Exodus 1:8–14, 22

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:34C11:1

THE TROUBLE WITH FAITHFULNESS.

The Israelites were faithful to their God and he was blessing them with fruitful marriages. Pharaoh and his people instead of seeking for their own way of increasing in number they were busy have evil thoughts for the Israelites. The Israelites were faithful to their God even when they were undergoing the hard labour given to them by Pharaoh and his men. Seeing that Onye Chukwu goziri na ogozigo ya they brought another way to subdue them.

Jesus in the gospel, is also disposing us for the troubles attached to following him or being faithful to him. The war Jesus is telling is that he brought to us is not ogu egbe na mma but ogu okwukwe. It is not that type we think or we see in films or the world. The war he is talking about is war of faith as St. Peter said that we should be ready to defend our faith always. The war of truth, we should say the truth always, we should stand on the truth always and fight for truth. When we tell people the truth about their wrong doings, certainly they will not be happy with us. They look for any means to fight us, to engage us in a war. It is this type of war that Jesus is talking about. The trouble with faithfulness is that people will hate us because of our faithfulness but we should remember that it is only those who are steadfast till the end will be given the unfading crown of Glory.

Saturday of Week 14 Year A. St. Bonaventure. By Tobe Eze

Saturday of Week 14 Year A. St. Bonaventure.

FIRST READING
Genesis 49:29–32; 50:15–26a

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:24–33

THEME: GRACE TO FACE OUR FATES.

Jacob on dying asked his sons bury him in his fathers' grave yard. His sons accepted the fate with question or rejection. Joseph’s brothers were afraid to face any punishment that will come from Joseph. They were committing without thinking about the consequence or consequences. When they have committed the sin they were not ready to accept the fate that followed it rather they went to Joseph to beg him with their father’s name. Joseph as a just man made them to know that they will not suffer as he lives. Their fate as he lives will be good. But when Joseph was dying, he made them to know that their liberation can only come from God. He disposed them for the fate ahead. He did that by telling them. “When God remembers you, promise to take my bones with you.”

Jesus in the gospel also disposed his apostles on what will befall them on the course of preaching the gospel or good news. When Joseph was disposing his brothers, it was for them to have faith in God no matter what they will pass through. Jesus also is doing the same thing today. He urges us not to fear our brothers or sisters in the villages who will not be on our sides when we say the truth. When problems come up in the village, we sell off our faith because of fear of ordinary men and women. Somewhere like Nsukka, when cases of Akatakpa, Oriokpa, Omabe, Odo, Kakpo and so on come up, we Christians will twist tthem and say. “All these are just for recreation. “ Recreation that is harmful to human life. Recreation that threatens life, what shall we call it? Let us tell ourselves the truth.

Let us ask for the grace to face our fate as Christians no matter what people will say or do. A pastor was before his wicked King to preach against wickedness. He knew that his king will not leave him after the preaching and he drafted a means. He shouted, Pastor be careful on what you preach for the king is here. After sometimes, he shouted again, Pastor be careful on what you will not say for the King of Kings is here. The choice is your, either to fear God and face the fate or to fear men and still face the fate.

Friday of Week 14 Year A By Tobe Eze

Friday of Week 14 Year A

FIRST READING
Genesis 46:1–7, 28–30

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:16–23

THEME: THE REWARD OF STEADFASTNESS.

After passing through all the troubles and trails in Egypt by Joseph and the ones his father passed through in the land of Canaan, emotional trauma he passed through when he lost Joseph, they came together again in love. What a joyful moment? When Joseph was suffering in Egypt, he trusted in God and remained steadfast. He did not shake for he knew the God that he was serving.

Jesus towards the end of the gospel said that, only those who remained steadfast till the end will be crowned with the unfading crown of glory.

Steadfastness is a virtue we should embrace in life. Let us learn to continue in our trials and life challenges. Do not stop when you are tried but stop when you are done. Let us not quit without trying. Let us learn to endure till the end for there must be the best for us. The meeting of Joseph and his father was the happiest thing that happened in their lives and this was a result of steadfastness. The end that Jesus is promising us today will be the best thing for us and it will only come through steadfastness. Let us today learn to continue. Ejighi ututu ama njo ahia.

Thursday of Week 14 Year A By Tobe Eze

Thursday of Week 14 Year A

FIRST READING
Genesis 44:18–21, 23b–29; 45:1–5

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:7–15

THEME: GIVE WITHOUT CHARGE.

Joseph was sold with charge but he was giving his brothers and family food without charge. Joseph was maltreated by his own blood brothers. What was done to him was an offence that no reasonable man should forgive that one that did it. Child trafficking. But he did not even go that side at all.

It is not all evil that have been done to us that we should pay back with evil if any at all. There are that we should give punishment for deterrent not for revenge. Joseph punished his brothers by sending them to go and fetch his younger brother so that they may not try that act they did in the first place again. We have to over look some certain things because we are one family in Christ as Joseph did to his brothers.

In the gospel, Jesus mandated his apostles to give without charge for they received without charge. The problem we face today is that some who call themselves men and women of God are no more giving without charge. What can we call them? They are now using so called gift of God as avenue for making money.

If we really received without charge, we will give without charge and God’s blessing will never leave us. A labourer deserves his wages not a labourer his wages.

Wednesday of Week 14 Year A By Tobe Eze

Wednesday of Week 14 Year A

FIRST READING
Genesis 41:55–57; 42:5–7a, 17–24a

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:1–7

THEME: GOD MANIFESTS THROUGH IMPERFECTIONS

Joseph’s brothers were regretting the bad thing they did to their brother Joseph without knowing that God was just using them to fulfill the plan of saving them from the famine that befell them. God work through the imperfect thing done to Joseph.

In the gospel Jesus himself called again imperfect men to carry out perfect work. He called tax collector whom the Pharisees regard as the worst set of people. Jesus called trouble makers and peace makers. He called the imperfect to perfect them.

God wants us to make a change whenever he wants to use us. Joseph’s brothers had a change of heart when they realized what they have done. They regretted the act and abandoned it. The apostles Jesus called in the gospel also abandoned their different ways of lives and embraced the new life of Christ.

Let us today learn to abandon our old way of living that does not please God like Joseph’s brothers and the twelve apostles that Jesus called. Let us remember that akwuro otu ebe ekiri mmanwu. Let us like the eagle that was living among chicken since its lifetime left there when it realized that, that place does not fit its kind. Sin does not fit us. Let us leave the way of sin and embrace the way of life.

Tuesday of Week 14 Year A St. Benedict. By Tobe Eze

Tuesday of Week 14 Year A St. Benedict.

FIRST READING
Genesis 32:23–33

GOSPEL
Matthew 9:32–38

THEME: WHO ARE WE?

Jacob in the first reading fought with the Lord and after the fight he said one important thing we Christians should always repeat each time we come to God's presence. I will never let you go unless you bless me. We have changed it in our own time to I will never come to you unless you bless me. After the fight the Lord asked him. What is your name? The Lord is asking us today, what are our names. What are our situations? Present them to the Lord so that he will make necessary changes as he did in the case of Jacob in the first reading.

In the gospel reading, Jesus saw the crowd who were like sheep without shepherd and he had pity on them. The question now is. Who are we? Are we the harvest or the labourers? Are sheep or shepherds? All of us are sheep and shepherds. As shepherds people are under us. For instance, parents their children are under them. We are also sheep for we are under people. For instance our political or religious leaders. As shepherds let us not mislead those that are under us rather let us lead them to our master Jesus. As sheep, let us listen to those who are shepherding us for the master and learn from them things that are good.

Again in the gospel Jesus asked us to pray for labourers who are to work in his vineyard. This prayer is manifested today in the life of St. Benedict of Nursia whom the Lord used in establishing monasteries and leading people to the way of eternal life, love and peace.

Let us today ask St. Benedict to intercede for us as the harvests and also labourers of the Lord.

Monday of Week 14 Year A By Tobe Eze

Monday of Week 14 Year A

FIRST READING
Genesis 28:10–22a

GOSPEL
Matthew 9:18–26

THEME: ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD.

Encounter with the Lord changes life and things. In the first reading, Jacob encountered the Lord and his life automatically changed, he made promises for he became a fulfilled man immediately. In the gospel, Jarius an officer in the synagogue encountered God in the life of his daughter that Christ gave back life and happiness came back to his life and life of his family. The woman who had suffered hemorrhage for twelve years got healed just that she encountered Jesus. Some of us today come to and and go without encountering him. Some of us are like the story of a goat that was always going for morning prayers. The goat always sits at the front. It will continue to stay till during communion it will go. Some of us just come and go like that goat. We come to morning masses and prayers but no impact in us. Let us today follow those who encountered Christ today and encounter him so that our lives will change from bad to good. THANKS.