A LOOK AT THE IGBO ADAGE; CHINEKE JI JI JIDE MMA, ONYE OWANYERE ORIE. By Tobe Eze

A LOOK AT THE IGBO ADAGE; CHINEKE JI JI JIDE MMA, ONYE OWANYERE ORIE.

INTRODUCTION: The concept of this oji ji jide mma is an old adage that has lasted in Igbo land from time immemorial. It is an adage that tries to show whom God is and what he is to Igbo people. This shows that all that exist in this world is from God Chineke or Chukwu. In affirmation of this through the bible one can use Psalm 127:1 If the Lord does not build the house, in vain does the labourer works and if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. This is a positive name given to God the creator by Igbo people which may have no flaw in it. It is because of this goodness of this adage that I want to approach it in this way. To ask some thought provoking questions like; Is it raw yam or prepared yam that God is holding? If it is prepared, what type of preparation? Because every preparation has a way of eating it. Is it roasted, Porridge, Pounded, Boiled, and Fried and so on? It is when we have answered these questions that we will know our role in the ji and mma God is holding. This oji ji jide mma has made many to become irresponsible and lazy. As God hates laziness so also some industrious people like Julius Nyerere in his Ujamaa, said that when you have a visitor, you should treat him as a visitor for two days and on the third day, give him/her a hoe. This was a fight for laziness and idleness. Continue Reading..........

5th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       Underline the bad, work towards eradicating it. If you leave it open, you may eradicate both good with it. Tobe Eze.

5th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 9:26—31

SECOND READING
1 John 3:18—24

GOSPEL
John 15:1—8

THEME: YOUR FRUIT CAN PROVE THEM WRONG.

Sometimes I like borrowing the words of my spiritual director Rev. Fr. Jude Nwodo, “Your conscience is clear is not enough, live it out. We may claim sometimes that our consciences are clean but to see the cleanness in our behaviours will be a difficult task and that puts a question mark to that clean conscience(s). In 2015, I went to a certain parish to deliver a talk to the youth during their youth week. When I reached there and the person who invited me introduced me to the President who can be my father in his age. He looked at me and said. Odogwu can you do this, what have you to offer? I felt ashamed but I told myself that, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). After the talk, he came back and asked me. How old are you? I told him, it is not necessary, that what is necessary is what you are made of. Since then he has been inviting to many places for talk. Continue Reading...........

4th Sunday of Easter (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) Year B By Tobe Eze

1.       Underline the bad, work towards eradicating it. If you leave it open, you may eradicate both good with it. Tobe Eze.

4th Sunday of Easter (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) Year B

FIRST READING
Acts 4:8—12

SECOND READING
1 John 3:1—2

GOSPEL
John 10:11—18

THEME: WHO’S FAULT; THE SHEEP OR THE SHEPHERD?

After looking at what is happening in the world today, one will be confused. There are proliferation of churches everywhere in the world and crimes, taboos and all sort of evils are increasing day in day out. In this situation, one will ask, is the fault from Christianity or from the Christians? Is it the fault of the shepherd or the sheep?

Christians increase everyday and morality decrease everyday as well. Rape, fornication, adultery, murder, robbery, human rituals, kidnapping and many others were not existing before now, but they are now everywhere likewise churches are everywhere now. Sometimes one in this part of the world will be tempted to say, let us go back to our African Traditional Religion for there was less crimes then. The issue is not about going back, it is the issue of going back to our duties. Shepherds going back to shepherds' duties and sheep going back to their duties. Continue Reading.........................................

3rd Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       All men are the same always follows a bad experience with a man. Tobe Eze.

3rd Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 3:13—15, 17—19

SECOND READING
1 John 2:1—5a

GOSPEL
Luke 24:35—48

THEME: YOU CAN STILL RIGHT THE WRONG.

I was going somewhere one day with my motorcycle, when I reach a roundabout. I was taking straight so I waited for the person taking the roundabout, as I was waiting, a man from behind hit me and started shouting. Bia kedu ihe bu nsogbu gi? What is your problem? Why blocking the road? As he was shouting, the person I was waiting for passed and I continued. The funniest thing happened that the man followed me. He passed me and stopped. I stopped also for he blocked my way. He came to me and asked me again. Are you stupid? People around there who saw what happened came around. They started defending me even before my talking but the man was even trying to beat me. As all these were going on, a young man recognized me and immediately descended on the man and they started to beat him. They were telling him that if you are ignorance of road signs, when you fail any of them, say sorry. I had to come and be separating them and also begging them to stop. After all he left with pains. Continue Reading.................................

2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy) Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       If you follow all that you see, you will be eaten by all that you see. Tobe Eze.

2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy) Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 4:32—35

SECOND READING
1 John 5:1—6

GOSPEL
John 20:19—31

THEME: HIS MERCY IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR SINNING.

Pope Francis said that “if we do not get tired of asking for God's forgiveness, he will not also get tired of forgiving us our sins”. Again, Psalm 118:1, Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. God's love towards his creatures especially human being is unmeasurable and indescribable.

A certain wealthy man was on the point of death. His wife went and called a priest for sick call, when the priest came and the man was told. When the priest went in to meet him, he told Fada. “It is of no use being here for me for I know where I belong”. Fada asked him what he meant by that and he told him that he belongs to hell. That God cannot forgive him his sins, that his sins are many. “Fada, obaro uru, bia lawa”. After all said and done, he refused to accept the sacrament and the priest left. He latter died in that state. We have many other stories like this one. A woman also on the point of death rejected sick call because of the particular priest that came. “Oburu n' obughi assistant ya lawa”. If the priest that came is not the assistant, he should go. Again on the positive side, we can talk about Constantine who accepted baptism at his dying bed. And so many who have repented on the point of death. These are stories of those who thought that God is tired of giving his mercy to us and those who still believe in his mercy. Continue Reading..........................

Easter Day - The Resurrection of the Lord Year B. By Tobe Eze.

1.       Growing old is not growing up, try to join the two. Grow old and equally grow up. Tobe Eze.

I SINCERELY WISH ALL MY FRIENDS A BLESSING FILLED EASTER. I SAY A BIG HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL.

Easter Day - The Resurrection of the Lord Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 10:34a, 37—43

SECOND READING
Colossians 3:1—4

GOSPEL
John 20:1—9

THEME: BE A WITNESS OF HIS RESURRECTION.

A certain family was living in an abject poverty but they were faithful to God. The first son dropped out of secondary school in order to make money and help the family. He went to the city to learn business (boi). There are five children in the family. After serving his Master (Oga), he was settled very well and he started his own business. The whole family had faith in him to move them to the next level of life. He was actually doing very great in the business. The last son who happens to be the fourth child went to live with him. Unfortunately, after his secondary school, the senior brother on his way coming back from a business trip had accident and broke his spinal cord. He was taken from this hospital to another, after all said and done, they sold everything and went back to the village. In the village one day, a group of NGO' S came. They organized a scholarship exam there and the younger son passed the exam. He was sent abroad (USA) to study any course of his choice. After everything, he became the breadwinner of the family.

He made the family to have name, fame and all they have till today. Why this story? Continue Reading.............................

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       Move in this world as the eagle moves in the air when the wind blow against it. Enjoy it for it must rest and it is just matter of time. Tobe Eze.

2.       Even if there is no reason for you to be happy, be happy for it is necessary. Tobe Eze.

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion Year B.

 At the Procession with Palms

GOSPEL
Mark 11:1—10

At the Mass

FIRST READING
Isaiah 50:4—7

SECOND READING
Philippians 2:6—11

GOSPEL
Longer Form Mark 14:1—15:47

THEME: PEOPLE CAN BE DISTRACTIONS TO YOU IN LIFE.

One of the problems we always have in life is when those who suppose to tell us the truth deceive us in giving us vain glories. When those who supposed to tell our politicians and our rulers both secular and religious the truth about their government turn to praise them in their evils. When we criticize them at the back and praise them in their faces, things will turn to be worse than before. Some praise us in order to get something from us, some praise us in order to land us into troubles, some praise us to make mockery of us, some praise us in our evil deeds, some praise us in order to encourage us, some praise us because we have done well and many other reasons people praise us. Jesus putting into consideration all these things in the Gospel did not dance to the turn of those who were praising him rather he wept for them and went on to go into Jerusalem to save them because he knew them, their problems and what they will turn to be. Continue Reading.............................

MY QUOTES FOR THE WEEK. By Tobe Eze

MY QUOTES FOR THE WEEK.

       No matter how you force one to learn, disposition is the base of every knowledge. Tobe Eze.

2.       That you think that you are strong does not make you strong. Know yourself. Tobe Eze.

3.       Repent first before you expect others to repent from your preaching. Tobe Eze.

4.       Some listen to wait for time while some listen to utilize time. Tobe Eze.

5.       Withdraw your trust from one who contradicts him/herself, for you will be misled in life. Tobe Eze.

6.       Emotivism can only work perfectly where there is no other option. Tobe Eze.

7.       Bringing two different tribes together to become one is like forcing north and north poles of magnet to attract. Tobe Eze.

8.       If you like correcting others, please accept corrections yourself. Tobe Eze.

9.       Knowledge is not only yours, others have theirs. Respect their own. Tobe Eze. One who plays with serious things, will not know when the unserious things will turn to play him/her. Tobe Eze.

5th Sunday of Lent Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       Appearance can be deceiving, go for the reality. Tobe Eze.

2.       In everyday, try to drop one bad thing in your life and pick one good thing. It helps in building oneself. Tobe Eze.

5th Sunday of Lent Year B.

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 31:31—34

SECOND READING

Hebrews 5:7—9

GOSPEL
John 12:20—33

THEME: COVENANT BUILT ON LOVE.

When I am lifted up, I will draw all me to myself. Are you among those he will draw to himself?

We want to see Jesus. Are you among who want to see Jesus?

We are meant to understand that love is always accompanied by suffering. God's love for his people from the old made him to make different covenants with his people Israel in the old. He the Lord has offered love showed through sacrifice to humanity but human has not sacrificed any, so he decided to make another bold step of involving man in his covenant with man. Igbos believe that onye choro igbu anu ga eme ka anu. He who wants to kill animal should behave like one. For his love for us, he sent his only beloved Son to come and take our nature so that we participate in the sacrifice. Continue Reading.............

4th Sunday of Lent Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       When things want to turn around for you, the place, state and people you are with matter a lot. Mind the place, state and people you go, are and stay with. Tobe Eze.

4th Sunday of Lent Year B.

FIRST READING
2 Chronicles 36:14—16, 19—23

SECOND READING
Ephesians 2:4—10

GOSPEL
John 3:14—21

THEME: OUR CONDEMNATION COMES FROM US WHILE OUR SALVATION COMES FROM GOD.

As people have changed RIP from Rest in Peace to RETURN IF POSSIBLE, so if wish to borrow it to say, be saved outside God if possible. Our salvation can only come from God through our sincere effort.

Let me start with this short story to show what we do to God with our behaviors. A blind man married one beautiful woman, though he does not know how his wife looks like because he was blind. The woman was doing everything possible to make sure her husband do not feel the pain of being blind so much. They gave birth to three child. As time went on, he developed one ugly behaviour of complaining in everything, everyday, everyone and everywhere. When they give him food without fish, he will say. This one I am eating without fish, I know you people are now eating one person, one full fish. In other to please him, the next meal, they gave him fish and he said. This one I am given fish, it means, you are eating chicken. Still in other to please him, they gave him chicken and he said again. This one I am given chicken, it means, you people have killed a goat for yourselves. They gave him goat and he said again, this one I am given goat today, it means you people are eating cow. At that point, his eyes opened and he saw that his family was staving just to make him happy, instantly he changed and cried for all he has done to his family.

Continue Reading..