15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Isaiah 55:10—11

SECOND READING
Romans 8:18—23

GOSPEL
Matthew 13:1—23

THEME: MANY HEARERS BUT FEW DOERS.

Have we ever asked ourselves the question why our lives have not changed since we have been hearing the word of God? Since our childhood till now we have been hearing the word of God in Churches, homes, cars, buses, roads, morning, afternoon, evening, night and every nook and crony but we are still behaving the way we behave. If we look at our various villages, we will see that there are few pagans but we have many evils here and there. Who are those doing them? A man bought a new motorcycle, the day he bought the motorcycle, he went to a beer parlor. After drinking, he left the motorcycle there because he drank to stupor. In the morning, he started to shout that thieves have taken the motorcycle. His wife called him and told him that he did not come home with it. When he went back to the beer parlor, he saw the motorcycle safe and sound. On reaching home, he told the wife that they will go for Thanksgiving on Sunday. After mass he told the Rev. Fr. To come and bless the motorcycle. On reaching where it was parked, there was no motorcycle like that one. It was stolen in the Church. My question is, those who stole that motorcycle, are they Christians or pagans? Are they those listening to the word of God? Continue Reading

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.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Zechariah 9:9—10

SECOND READING
Romans 8:9, 11—13

GOSPEL
Matthew 11:25—30

THEME: GENTLENESS IS A VIRTUE.

Last week we were talking about the identity of a true Christian, and in today’s gospel Jesus is telling us about gentleness and meekness of heart which are also identities of a true Christian.

A story was told about a King who was sick. His native doctor came and told him that before you can be cured, that all your relations must die. The King immediately ordered his guards to seize him for his is a wicked doctor. Another doctor came and told the King that before your sickness can be cured, all those who have hands in it must die. The King asked him, so this was caused by human being? He answered him yes. Then, he asked again, who are they? The doctor told him. I am afraid for those who caused this are not far from you. He continued to ask. Then the doctor said again to him. If I may suggest, you better suffer this sickness than to lose your relations but if you want to be healed, their lives may be required. The King did not lock him up because of the way he approached the problem. He did it in a gentle way.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
2 Kings 4:8—11, 14—16a

SECOND READING
Romans 6:3—4, 8—11

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:37—42

THEME: SHOW THE CHRISTIAN IDENTITY.

Elisha is a prophet who came after Elijah. Elijah was fighting war against the worship of Baal in Israel, then Elisha was his servant. After the fight and the conquer, Elijah left the work of bringing back the people of Israel back to God for Elisha to do. This was what he was doing when he came to Shunem. The certain woman in Shunem is today showing us the first example of identity of a true Christian.

In the second reading, St. Paul is also reminding us of our identity as Christians. Christ died once to sin and he will not die again we too died for sin through our baptism in Christ Jesus. We should sin no more for we are in Christ Jesus. Those who are in Christ Jesus should be holy for he himself is holy and any unclean thing will not enter the kingdom.

In the Gospel, Jesus is telling us that we should love him above every other thing in this world. During Stations of the Cross, we say this always without even meditating on what we say often. I love thee Jesus above all things! I repent with my whole hearts of having offended thee, never permit me to separate myself from thee again, grant that I may love thee always and then, do with me all thy Wilt. The emphasis is on the first part of it, where we say, we love thee above all things. We always claim that we love God but we hate his creatures especially our fellow human beings. What a contradiction?

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 20:10—13

SECOND READING
Romans 5:12—15

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:26—33

THEME: THE VALUES OF OUR BRETHREN ARE IN OUR HANDS.

There is nothing that pains like betrayal. What happened between Caesar and Brutus is a typical example of what betrayal can do. Caesar on seeing the danger ran to his one and only friend for refuge and he was the one who first stabbed him and he shouted et tu Brute even you Brutus! We can again see act of betrayal in the famous novel of Chinua Achebe Things fall apart. Okonkwo betrayed Ikemefuna who took him as his father.

In the first reading, Jeremiah thought his friends were for him, but they were busy planning another thing for him.   Some whom we trust most are those who betrayal us. Someone will with all heart, mind, soul and body trust us and we will only tell the person. Please trust nobody. Jesus in Matthew 5:37 said. Let your yes be yes and your no be no, anything apart from this comes from the evil one. If no one can trust us, it means our yes is no more yes and no is no more no. Some of Christians when they say, RUN! then know that they mean stop. It was not, it is not and will never be our identity. We are playing with our values much, especially our brethren’s own. Too Bad. Sometimes I begin to wonder if it is better to use opposite instead of using this sentence. This thing I am telling you, do not tell any other person. Because, information that travels fast is the one meant to be kept secret. When one is asked not to say something, that is the one the person will like to talk about. Why? Because people do not know or do not understand again that his brothers, sisters and neighbour's values are in our hands. Someone who trusted you with everything is the one you are using to gossip. Using to win favour. Too Bad. See more