4th Sunday of Advent Year B. By Tobe Eze

 4th Sunday of Advent Year B. By Tobe Eze

1st Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5. 8b-12. 14a. 16

2nd Reading: Romans 16:25-27

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Theme: The Intention to House God.

Every voluntary action of any human being is first of all intended before the actual execution of that act. Both our good and bad actions are intended insofar they are being done willingly. We think before doing any of them and that makes us different from other animals. If this is true, then, our intentions count in a great manner in whatever we do or say. As we have seen the place of intention in our actions, we need to ask ourselves certain questions about our intentions on certain issues and decisions we make especially this period of preparation. Continue Reading...........

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Wisdom 12:13, 16—19

SECOND READING
Romans 8:26—27

GOSPEL
Matthew 13:24—43

THEME: GIVE THEM CHANCE.

The last statement of the first reading is, “And you taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.” It is on this ground with the first parable in the Gospel that I wish to start with a story.

Two girls were living in the same room in the university. One was too promiscuous and the other was too pious. The one that was too pious was seeing her roommate as a candidate for hell fire. She does not for her, hardly does she talks to her. She sees fault in everything she does. The other, whenever she wants to do anything good, she does it for the two. One day the canal one called the pious one to narrate her story of life to her so that she will help her but she said no, that she has nothing to do with someone like you. One who sleeps with any man that passes around her. When they graduated, they went to their various homes. The pious one did not get job immediately. Her father and mother died through fire outbreak. She was left with nothing material to start life and she had three siblings to take care of. To cut the story short. After suffering for years, she succumbed to what almost every man that comes to her rescue tells her. Your body in exchange of help. She succumbed to that and was even worst than his roommate. After many years if experience and every other things, the two roommates met again. That was when she accepted to listen to her roommate. Her roommate told her that was born and brought up in the community of prostitutes. Her mother died as a prostitute. She told her that she was making effort to stop that type of life when they were in school but she did not give her chance to explain herself to her. Continue Reading......................................

Solemnity of Christ the King Year A. By Tobe Eze

Solemnity of Christ the King Year A.

FIRST READING
Ezekiel 34:11—12, 15—17

SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 15:20—26, 28

GOSPEL
Matthew 25:31—46

THEME: KING WITH DIFFERENCE.

I was one of those who has zero percent in music, singing, dancing, beating, playing and think of anything in music, I know nothing in it. In my first year in my school, I was nobody in music especially our Ikorodo cultural dance. In my second year I made serious effort to upgrade and I was a little bit recognized, finally in my third year I was a star in the area of singing in Ikorodo. In my first and second year, anytime we have anything to perform, I always go on time to get the costume that I will wear for I knew that if I don’t go on time I may miss the chance of performing in that occasion. In my year three when I noticed that without me, the singing department will have problem, pride came over me. I go late, they will start looking for me everywhere and they will keep my cloth for me even when others have none. Why am I telling this story? Just that I am being recognized, I started misbehaving. What of God who is all in all who is yet to misbehave? King that promised to come and serve his subjects and did so. Continue Reading............................................

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
1 Kings 3:5, 7—12

SECOND READING
Romans 8:28—30

GOSPEL

Matthew 13:44—52

THEME: IT TAKES SERIOUS SACRIFICE TO THAT OUR VISION.

I wish to start with this story; UNWISE START LEADS TO A SAD END: Once, there was a mouse that had his hole near a pool in a thick forest. A frog often came out for basking in the sun. Within no time, they became buddies. But the friendship of a frog and mouse is highly undesirable because the frog's home is in water and the mouse on land. One day the frog said to the mouse, "Let’s bind ourselves together with a string so that we may never get separated." The mouse agreed. So, both tied themselves together leg-to-leg. Though on land, it went quite well, but in the pool, it was tragic for the mouse. The frog swam about delightfully in the pool dragging the mouse with him. Soon, the mouse drowned and his body floated on the surface of the pool. A kite hovering in the sky saw the dead mouse it swooped down to carry it off. Up went the frog as well and became the kite's meal. Continue Reading..........................

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Proverbs 31:10—13, 19—20, 30—31

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 5:1—6

GOSPEL

Matthew 25:14—30

THEME: WHAT ARE YOU ATTACHED TO? (WHAT ARE YOU MARRING?).

A man (an academician) told his wife and children, for no reason should they disturb him anytime he is in his study except on issues of life. The day he died, he stayed two days before his family could notice that he was dead. Because of the marriage between him and his books, his wife and children could not summon courage to go to him in his study till when they noticed that it was becoming too much and the wife entered and saw him dead on the seat with one of his books in his hands. He was married to his books. Continue Reading.....................

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
1 Kings 19:9a, 11—13a

SECOND READING
Romans 9:1—5

GOSPEL
Matthew 14:22—33

OUR GOD IS A GENTLE GOD.

I was watching a show on the television, at a point, the minister or pastor or whatever he maybe called told the people that they should pray for God's earthquake to come. He said that if the earthquake does not come, no miracle will take place. Another said that before miracle will happen, the Lord’s hurricane must come and many other instances.

In the first reading, Elijah was waiting for the Lord on the mountain. Many noisy things came but God was not in any of them until the last little voice. God’s miracles and blessings are not necessarily to come through noisy environments. They come also in a very cool place and in a tiny voice. These days’ preachers should so that whether you like it or not you must here it. I went to Ogbete market in Enugu one day and I saw a group of people on awareness rally about a crusade they were organizing and they were sing around the market. You must be born again! You must be born again!

Continue Reading...........................................................................

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Wisdom 6:12—16

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 4:13—18

GOSPEL
Matthew 25:1—13

THEME: IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH.

A famous story about how tortoise tested the wisdom of its children is what I wish to you and introduce this reflection. Tortoise called its three children, it asked the first. How many times will something happen to you and you will learn? The first one answered two times and it told it that the first one is not wise. It asked the second one the same question and it answered once and it told it that the second one is not wise. It asked the last one and it answered, that it will learn from others experience. That it will not happen to him before he will learn. The tortoise congratulated it and told it that it is very wise.

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

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 22:19—23

SECOND READING
Romans 11:33—36

GOSPEL
Matthew 16:13—20

THEME: POWER TO THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.

In one autonomous community that I know very well. One year when election was fast approaching, one of their sons who was contesting for governorship asked the king of the community what they were lacking then so that he will do it for them. The king after thinking told him that his palace chairs are old. The people of that community overthrew him overnight and made another person king immediately for he was not representing them well. Why this story? Continue Reading..................

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

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 56:1, 6—7

SECOND READING
Romans 11:13—15, 29—32

GOSPEL
Matthew 15:21—28

THEME: TRUST AND OBEY. DO NOT REACT TO EVERYTHING.

A man went home one day with a serious wound on his face because he was responding to what the vigilant group told him. He went to a ceremony and was coming home late. When he reached the vigilant group, they asked him, where he was coming from at that time of the night. He told them and they asked him to go. When he was about to go, one of them said, odika onwere nwanyi ya na ya mekoro n' abalia (it seems like he had something with a woman this night). Instead of going, he came back to ask the man to repeat what he said. The vigilant man repeated it three times and the man went fighting. During the fight he was wounded on the face with a log of wood. Something he would have avoided. Had it been he obeyed and went home, he would have not sustained any scratch.

Continue Reading............................

The Transfiguration of the Lord – Feast By Tobe Eze

The Transfiguration of the Lord – Feast

FIRST READING
Daniel 7:9—10, 13—14

SECOND READING
2 Peter 1:16—19

GOSPEL
Matthew 17:1—9

THEME: ALL POWER, GLORY, MAJESTY AND HONOUR BELONG TO HIM.

Lord, it is better we make three tents here, one for you, one for Elijah and one for Moses. If you are in the presence of God, you will lack nothing. Peter noticed that he was in the presence of his master and forgot himself for he knew that all things are in him and anyone with him has a share in them. He has everything we need in this passing world and the everlasting world.

Why do we go about looking for things that have nothing in them? In the first reading, Daniel saw a vision where everything good was given to the son of man. In the second reading St. Peter repeated what happened on the mountain of transfiguration. Gospel tells us about the transfiguration.

We can be transfigured in this life. Jesus’ transfiguration was a way created for us to follow. We have to go up to the mountain of transfiguration so that we will be transformed. Continue Reading....................

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Malachi 1:14b—2:2b, 8—10

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 2:7b—9, 13

GOSPEL
Matthew 23:1—12

THEME: BECAUSE OF THE WORD.

In the beginning was the word, the word was with God (John 1:1-14). This word is what has been doing mighty things from the beginning of the world till now and will continue forever. Genesis recorded the account of creation as what was done through the power of the word. Let there be and there was. Everything good comes from this word. St. Augustine said that God created the world out of nothing. Nihi est nihilo Continue Reading............................

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Exodus 22:20—26

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 1:5c—10

GOSPEL
Matthew 22:34—40

THEME: LOVE IS THE WAY.

Let me start with what happened or what I experienced in August 2017. I went to a particular parish to give the block rosary children talk. I was told to prepare Qualities of a good block rosary child. When I was explaining eight of them one by one for them, when I reached love. I told them I Love You All, they started laughing. I did not understand what was happening. When I asked them the reason for that, one of them told me that I am corrupting them.

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

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING

Sirach 27:30—28:7

SECOND READING
Romans 14:7—9

GOSPEL
Matthew 18:21—35

THEME: SELF LIBRATION.

I remember when I was in the secondary school, I fought with one girl in my school she was a year below me. Whenever I see her in my school, I became uncomfortable. Till one of my classmates that opened up to called us and reconciled us, then I started getting myself back. Again when I was writing WAEC, one of my classmates that I was living with in the same compound, she was using my pots anytime she wanted to use them provided I was not using it (them). One weekend, she locked my pot inside her room and went home. I was forced to go home for weekend because my pot was not there for me to cook. On Sunday night, when we have returned from our various homes, I went to her room, I finished her up with mouth and when she wanted to react, I gave her a serious beating. After that incident, that compound was no longer comfortable for me. I hated getting her voice talk more of seeing her after that incident for it torments my conscience. Whenever she showed, mood changed. At a point I told myself that I could not continue. One night, I went inside her room, knelt down and begged her for forgiveness and we started enjoying ourselves again. Why all these stories?

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

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Ezekiel 33:7—9

SECOND READING
Romans 13:8—10

GOSPEL
Matthew 18:15—20

THEME: ONE STEP IS NOT ENOUGH, IT CONCERNS YOU.

A story was told by an old man to children gathered around him in the village square. The story goes like this; A tree squirrel was on a tree crying on the top of its voice. At a point, a snake nearby told the squirrel to keep quiet but it did not listen, the snake said, it does not concern it. The squirrel continued and cocoyam's leaf told it to keep quiet but it did not listen, then the cocoyam's leaf said the same thing. It does not concern it. Lastly, a pumpkin stem told the squirrel to keep quiet and it did the same as before, the stem of pumpkin also did as others have done. As the squirrel continued, a hunter heard the sound of the crying, he approached and shot the squirrel. The squirrel fell beside the snake, the snake was laughing and lamenting, “I warned this idiot”. As the snake was still laughing, it was also killed by the same hunter. The hunter looked around to see what he will use to carry the two animals, he saw the cocoyam’s leaf and cut it. Again looking for something to use to tie them, he cut the stem of pumpkin. It has concerned all of them. Continue Raeding......................

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 20:7—9

SECOND READING
Romans 12:1—2

GOSPEL
Matthew 16:21—27

THEME: DOCILITY: A PERFECT WAY OF LIFE.

The proverb of onye n' enyo, isi ya ana-aputa is not only on bad things that it is being used, it is also ad rem to today’s readings. Onye gakwuru Jesu nso, onweta otutu ihe di mma. When you go closer to Jesus with a docile heart, he will shower you with his blessings. Sometimes the blessings may look like it is being delayed. We may suffer many things in the cause of going to God with a docile heart, but at last we will enjoy. Sorrow may endure for the night but morning comes with joy. Continue Reading..........................................

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 45:1, 4—6

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 1:1—5b

GOSPEL
Matthew 22:15—21

THEME: HE HAS ALL, KNOWS ALL AND IS ALL.

With regards to the experience Zacchaeus had on the Sycamore tree, this can show us that he knows all. He was a man who had not met Jesus before, but Jesus called him by his name on reaching where he was. He was surprised that he noticed him on the tree and to worsen it all, he called him. (Luke 19:1-10). Still on that line, prophet Jeremiah made it clearer that even before we were born, he knows us. (Jeremiah 1:5). St. Paul in one of his letters made it clear to us that in him all things hold together, which means he has all (Colossians 1:17). Sometimes we try pretending to be saying the truth that the way we are taking to get to the that life is the best forgetting that he is also the way, the truth and the life, which means, he is all. (John 14:6). Continue Reading..........................

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Isaiah 55:6—9

SECOND READING
Philippians 1:20c—24, 27a

GOSPEL
Matthew 20:1—16a

WHY COMPLAINING?

People come to church seeking the face of God differently, when God comes to them, some will like to tell God how he will see to their different intentions. God who created you, created others and as you expect blessings from him, so also others expect blessings from him. When we try to show God that we are wiser than him, we should bear in mind that even before we were conceived, he knew us. (Jeremiah 1:5).

In the first reading, Isaiah is telling us to seek God when there is time. We all know that the dead cannot praise or seek God. The words of our Lord in Matthew 7:7 are for those who are alive. The face of God we should seek is not just to be coming to church but to follow the dictates of God and his church.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Ezekiel 18:25—28

SECOND READING
Philippians 2:1—11

GOSPEL
Matthew 21:28—32

THEME: IS IT NOT INJUSTICE?

Is it not injustice that I will make effort throughout my lifetime and at my dying better I relent and loose every effort I have been making since I was born and someone who has never made effort towards death had a change of heart and gain everything?

In Luke 18:1 the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ said “we ought to pray and never loose heart”. This is just the best answer to the question above. In Igbo we use to say onye gbakata kwuru nke ogbara agba ala ya n' iyi. That is, one who makes effort and stop, will lose even the one he has made. It is only when we run the race till the end that we will get the reward. Continue Reading....

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Isaiah 25:6—10a

SECOND READING
Philippians 4:12—14, 19—20

GOSPEL

Matthew 22:1—14

WHY ON THE MOUNTAIN? AND WHY PUNISHMENT?

Isaiah 55:1, the Lord said “All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money make hadte , buy and eat, come you, buy wine and milk without money and without any price.” Why should God leave every plain land around and go up to the mountain to prepare banquet for his people? The answer is too simple. In Igbo there is this adage that onye otu ukwu adighi aza akwaa okwuru, and another one says anu adighi ike agaghi ebi ebe osisi ahaba di. And another adage says that ihe di mma na afia aru inyeta. We all know that climbing the mountain is not an easy job. If you are to climb mountain, you must prepare for it for it is not meant for those who are not prepared. If you are to follow Christ, be prepared to climb mountain so that you get to the place the banquet is prepared, and if you try to go up unprepared, you will fall off to where there will be gnashing of teeth and that will be your punishment for not being prepared. There are many different ways we climb that mountain, it is not through one way. Continue Reading.....................

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Isaiah 5:1—7

SECOND READING
Philippians 4:6—9

GOSPEL
Matthew 21:33—43

IF IT WERE YOU, HOW WILL YOU FEEL.?

There is what our people say when one is inappreciative, Eri ago, (someone who eats and deny). A woman was beating her child one day and I went to intervene. The woman told me to leave her alone for her to kill the child for he does not deserve to live. When I asked her reason for that she said that the boy has never obeyed anyone talk more of listening to what she tells him to do. She said that he likes doing opposite of things he is asked to do, that he should die once and leave her alone. I tried talking sense into her. After sometimes, she told him that brother has saved you today.