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

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
2 Kings 4:42—44

SECOND READING
Ephesians 4:1—6

GOSPEL
John 6:1—15

THEME: THE LORD PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE.

From of old, the Lord has continued to provide for his people till this day and he will also continue to do so till eternity.  Think of man in his creation God gave him every necessary to live.  He provided him with all that he needed.  Think of Abraham, God took care of him even when the world thought that there was no hope, he gave him a child (Genesis 21:1-22).  When Abraham himself thought there was no hope, that his son was gone, God provided the sacrificial victim. Israelites in their sojourn of life, God never left them to perish, he was every time protecting and providing for them.  When humanity was on the verge of doom, Jesus Christ came and redeemed us.  What a wonderful God! 

In the first reading, the servant of Elisha forgot the nature of the God of his master but Elisha knowing the God he was serving and being faithful to him waited for the Lord to do what he is known for and he did it and there was leftover. Whatever our God is doing, he does that with excess in order to favour us, though it may take time but when it comes, it covers all those time that it took before coming. Continue Reading .....................................

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

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 23:1—6

SECOND READING
Ephesians 2:13—18

GOSPEL
Mark 6:30—34

THEME: SHEPHERD’S WORKS.

There are things expected from a good shepherd, if any is lacking, that may make the shepherd a bad one.  A shepherd is known to be taking care of his sheep both physically, spiritually, psychologically, morally and so on. 

Some of these vital duties of a good shepherd were lacking in the people that God entrusted his people to and that made the Prophet Jeremiah to talk about those shepherds who have left their duties to doing another thing.  This same thing can be found in our own world and situation these days. It did not end with the people of old and God is talking about us today because of that. Continue Reading................................

A LOOK AT : GOD WILL MAKE A WAY WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY. By Tobe Eze

A LOOK AT : GOD WILL MAKE A WAY WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY.

Introduction
Our God is a God that always cares, guards, guides, protects, defends, and provides for his people. If we go through the scriptures,  we would discover that there are many instances of God showing love to his people.  He created human beings in his own image and likeness and through that means gave man multiples of potentialities. With the help of his grace and our earnest efforts,  those potentialities given to us would lead us to happiness here and here after.

God will make a way for us
Often times we face a lot of challenges in our lives which put us into crises.  We find ourselves in situations that make us even question the existence of God. But in all of these, when it seems that there is no hope,  hope will emerge from places we least expected.  Sometimes we see road where we may not have dreamt that there will be a road.  God comes to our rescue when the problem is above us,  when it tries to break us down. There are so many examples with which we can bring to practical life what we are saying here but I will only give one example. Continue Reading............

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Amos 7:12-13
SECOND READING
Ephesians 1:3-14

GOSPEL
Mark 6:7-13
THEME: THE SIMPLICITY OF THE CALL..
Our calling to Christianity is a call that needs simplicity of heart and soul. The humble is always exulted and the proud is always humbled. God calls those that are very difficult to be recognized in the society and after the calling, he wants the called to be humble and live a simple life.
In the first reading, Amaziah the fake prophet wanted Amos to leave Bethel for him for Amos was just a simple man that God called and he was very faithful to him. Amos narrated his genealogy to him, showing him how simple he was before the call and how he will also live after the calling. It takes a lot for a true prophet to stand. The fake ones will always like to paint the image of the true prophet black.
In the second reading, we can see the plan of our salvation being planned even before the foundation of the world and it was achieved by Christ through his simple way of life by accepting death on the cross.
The gospel shows us how the called should live. We should carry nothing for the journey for he will provide us with what we need.C Continue Reading........

SATURDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. Tobe Eze

SATURDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: ISAIAH 6:1-8
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 10:24-33
THEME: HE HAS PREPARED US FOR THE WORK.
In the first reading, Isaiah who was not ready for the work tried to give reason for that and he made him clean. His response changed immediately and he asked God to send him. This is the type of response he is expecting from us.
In the gospel, Jesus prepared his disciples on what they will see in the ministry of his words and sacraments. They maltreated him Jesus, God and man, what about ordinary men. He gave them charge to go and proclaim the word in an open place without fear and be ready to face what will come out of it.
He has prepared us also today in his church through his teachings and sacraments, it is now our duty to go out to open places and proclaim them. He who denies him before men will be denied by him before his father and he who proclaims him before men, he will proclaim before his father.
A man very charismatic in a certain parish was preaching about those who snatch people’s lands from them. As he was preaching, his uncle who is well known of doing that came, because he was afraid of him, he changed the topic so that the man will not think that he was talking to him or about him. Fear only the one who can kill both body and soul.
The word of God is expected to be preached to all no matter whom it may affect for it is a double edged sword that pierces many hearts. He has prepared us for the work, let us not waste his effort rather utilize it. The work and glory are his and salvation is ours. Thanks.

FRIDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

FRIDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: HOSEA 14:1-9
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 10:16-23
THEME: JUST RETURN AND LEAVE THE REST FOR GOD.
God who is reach in mercy knows what is best for us and that, he likes giving us always. He loves us so much that his mission is just to save us and not to leave us to die in sin.
In the first reading, he is asking us to renounce all our evil ways especially those we have taken as our personal gods. We have to leave them and come back to him that he has all we need on earth and after.
In the gospel, he is telling us that we will suffer many things for following him but, he is always with us. We will be hated by father, mother, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, neighbours, friends and enemies for following him but he will always give us what we will answer in the face of trials.
I met a man who told me that he cannot become a Christian at his age for God has nothing to do with him again. I told him that God has many things to achieve with and through him but he insisted. After some years, he became a Christian. Change from your (Our) evil ways and leave how God will clean them, it is his field not ours. Just return to him and leave the rest. Just allow him to send you, as he promised in the gospel, he will do. He told them not to be afraid of what they will say for he will supply. He is ever ready to help us when we return to him. Thanks.

THURSDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

THURSDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: HOSEA 11:1-4.8C-9
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 10:7-15
THEME: HE IS A GOD THAT HEALS.
After all we have done to him (our God), he still said he will not destroy us. He is still in serious love with us. He is still giving us opportunities to change our ways of life and that he did in the gospel. He sent out his disciples to go and preach, heal, raise the dead and do many other miracles in his name without charge. 
The only thing we have to offer him is for us to accept his messengers. He wants us to be healed in every form we are suffering. Spiritual, physical, emotional, psychological and so on. That was why he said to his disciples to heal all their infirmities not one form but all. Those he sent will do his works without charges but those who send themselves will do with charges, this is a way to know fake prophets. They have prices for every spiritual activity.
As we have heard that any town, people or nation that rejects his disciples will suffer it at the last day. The ball is now in our own court to play. We are now to choose between the two. Anyone we choose has its own responsibilities. If we choose to welcome and hear them, we should be ready to put their teachings  into practice and if we choose to reject them, eternal damnation awaits us. He is a God that heals and we should help him in this his healing plans by obeying his words that he speaks to us through his messengers. Thanks.

WEDNESDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

WEDNESDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: HOSEA 10:1-3.7-8.12
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 10:1-7
THEME: NO MATTER OUR SINS, HE STILL CARES FOR HIS PEOPLE.
In the first reading, God was still complaining about the sins of Israelites that grew with them. It is the same with us today. As we grow in development, we grow also in sin. Technology came to help us but we are using them as avenue for sins. All sorts of atrocities are now done through the product of science and technology. As we are doing these, God is still planning on how to save us. How?
In the gospel, he called men who will learn from him all that he learnt from his father to help the gospel to reach to the ends of the world. He called men from all works of life especially those whom the society regarded as nothing or sinners.
He called the weak that they may understand those who are weak also. He cares for us even when we sin. Jesus died for us even when we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). He does not look on our sins before planning for our salvation. He calls men today to his vineyard to save his people. We should recognised that and follow him and it shall be well with us. Thanks.

TUESDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

TUESDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: HOSEA 8:4-7.11-13
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 9:32-38
THEME: THE WORK STARTS FROM US.
The labourers are really few but the little we have are making serious effort but the problem is that we the farm are not ready and disposed for them. 
Following the first reading, where many of us have made for ourselves places of sin and have forgotten God. Some have already disposed themselves for hellfire. The Israelites made themselves gods that they were worshiping and God was not happy with them and said he will take them back to Egypt to go and suffer again. God is not happy with us, the way we live our Christian life and he is ready to take us back to damnation which he has redeemed us from if we do not change.
The labourers in the gospel are very few till this day. We should help the few working and help also ourselves by putting to practice what they are teaching us. Labourers are called by God and not men. Not that they are few, then we will call ourselves into the harvest as some are doing these days. He asked his apostles to pray for the Lord of harvest to send labourers and not for people to send themselves. As we pray for labourers, let us know that their works can only be fruitful if we start from ourselves and put their teachings into practice. Thanks.

MONDAY 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze

MONDAY  14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: HOSEA 2:14BC. 15CD-16.19-20
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 9:18-26
THEME: WE ARE MARRIED TO GOD’S MERCY.
That we are alive today is only by God’s mercy. That we have whatever we have is by his mercy and so on. It is not in any of our makings. If he should count our sins, we are no longer worthy of living. God's saving mercy and justice are what we have inherited from him through Jesus Christ his son through our baptism.
In the first reading, God said through the prophet Hosea that he will marry us in justice, mercy, steadfast love and righteousness. All we have and are, are only on this ground. 
To prove that love, mercy, justice and so on, he heeded to the plea of the two persons in the gospel. The woman with hemorrhage got healed because of his love and mercy. The daughter of a ruler was raised to life because of his love and mercy. We can still be healed in our various illnesses and be raised to life again from our different deaths. If we are married to his mercy, let us work towards that through our actions. A faithful wife gets good things from the husband likewise we will get from God if we remain faithful to him. Thanks.