Thursday Week 16 Year A By Tobe Eze

Thursday Week 16 Year A

First Reading:

Exodus 19:1-2.9-11.16-20

Gospel:

Matthew 13:10-17

THEME: WE ARE PRIVILEGED.

First reading is a continuation of what Israelites did at Massah where they tested their God. After that, they said Moses was deceiving them, that they also wanted to hear from God directly not from Moses again. Hearing from God is only meant for those who are privileged to hear from God. We are privileged to hear from him through his ministers in different ways. In the gospel, Jesus talked about that same privilege. The problem here is that, some of us who are given the opportunity are now depriving ourselves the privilege and also trying to deny others the privilege. We reject this privilege through the kind of life we live. Let us watch the way we live as Christians and it shall be well with us. If you are given privilege (s), try and utilize it for it may not be forever and know that many may also be longing for that and they have not gotten it. In my local dialect, we normally say, onye era voyi gu alu, koma ne oge maka ne onwere ike inu ya onye ozo (when a mad man gives land to cultivate, do it fast for he may give it to another person). Do not abuse the privilege of being children of God. Thanks 

Wednesday Week 16 Year A By Tobe Eze

Wednesday Week 16 Year A

First Reading:

Exodus 16:1-5.9-15

Gospel:

Matthew 13:1-9

IT IS IN OUR HANDS TO ACCEPT IT.

The Israelites were not ready to accept the fact that God was working for them both in season and out of season. They thought he was only working in season. After saving them from this problem they will say, we have never seen a God like this, but a step forward, they will complain again. They should have accepted the works God was doing for them. This also happen to us always, as it is explained in the gospel. Some fell on the way, stony or rocky, thorny and some on a good soil. Where are we? Some only get converted inside the church during homily and after that they go back to their normal way of life like the Israelites. When we are not faithful to God, he is still faithful to us and the earlier we accept him, the better for us.

A man who was a traditionalist got converted to Christianity. He left ATR during the time Omabe masquerade was on holiday. He was very active in the church just like he was in the ATR. When the local masquerade returned after two years, the man was already a serious Christian. One day, he went for 05:30am mass to enable him tap his wine on time for he was a palm wine tapper. When he climbed one of his palm trees, he started hearing the local music of the masquerade which was so sweet, he started dancing to it on the palm tree. At a point he could not endure it again. He called his wife from the palm tree and told her, “ada mu uka” which means, “I have loosen faith”. Put in another form, I am no longer a Christian. He came down and went back to his ATR. This is what happens to us when we do not understand God just like the Israelites and if the word of God did not fall on a fertile soil in our lives. Let us make effort to make ourselves fertile for the word of God to grow in us and bear fruits. Thanks.

Tuesday Week 16 Year A By Tobe Eze

Tuesday Week 16 Year A

First Reading:

Exodus 14:21-15:1

Gospel:

Matthew 12:46-50

THEME: THOSE THAT ARE IN GOD’S LOVE

Who are those that we can classify as those who are in the love of God? The rich, the poor, the healthy, the sick, the strong, the weak or who? Those who are in the love of God are those who receive blessings from God, but from time to time though they may be passing through some challenges.

In the first reading, the Israelites are presented to us as those in the love of God for they received God’s saving help from the clutches of the Egyptians. In the Gospel, Jesus presented those who are in the love of God as those who do the will of his Father. He was told that his mother and siblings were looking for him and he gave an answer that looks like an insult but it is not. Of course Mary was the first to do the will of God in the New Testament, so even if he was talking about her biological mother, Mary is still qualified.

Coming from another angle which is not Biblical, maybe it is this type of claiming that we do when we see that someone has made it. Our people are fund of relating themselves to people who have made it in life. Jesus was famous and maybe some people wanted to make name out of it and he used that way to explain to them the task of being his mother or relation.

Whichever way, we should always make effort to be in the love of God and his favours will never leave us in life. Thanks.

Monday of Week 16 Year A By Tobe Eze

Monday of Week 16 Year A

First Reading:

Exodus 14:5-18

Gospel:

Matthew 12:38-42

THEME: SEE THE LORD BEFORE US.

In the first reading, the Israelites were faced with the Red sea and the great warriors of Egypt and these clouded them with fear and they could not see God working for them. They asked Moses if there were no graves in Egypt where they would be buried. Moses saw God in their situation and he proclaimed before them that the Egyptians you see today, you shall see them no more. In the gospel, some Pharisees who did not see Jesus as God in their midst were asking for sign from him for them to believe in him. But Jesus told them, there will be no sign for this generation.

Moses saw God before him and he saved them. The people of Nineveh saw God in Jonah and repented and Queen of Sheba saw wisdom in Solomon and traveled from a far place to witness it and what is higher than Solomon is here with us. Let us as they did today see the Lord who is standing to save us. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is greater than all we can think of. He is our God and he is ever ready to save us if only we can recognize him as Moses, the people of Nineveh and Queen of Sheba. Thanks.

Saturday of Week 15 Year A By Tobe Eze

Saturday of Week 15 Year A

First Reading

Exodus 12:37-42

Gospel

Matthew 12:14-21

THEME: THE APPOINTED TIME

When the appointed time comes, nothing will stop it. When the time God has planned or willed that sometime will take place comes, nothing will stop it. That sometimes we get confused about some issues is because we are not God and we cannot be God to know the time for everything. Despite whatever may happen, when the appointed time comes, we will see the manifestation of God.

Despite all that Pharaoh did to stop the children of Israel from leaving Egypt, at the appointed time, God used his hands to bring them out from Egypt.

That Jesus withdrew in the gospel was not because he was afraid of what may have befell him but because the appointed time had not reached. When the time reached, he could not withdraw again and he allowed himself to be killed.

Any situation we find ourselves that we are not comfortable with, just pray to God and wait for the appointed time and he will surprise us. We cannot know the mind of God, since we cannot know the mind of God, then let us wait for him for the bible recorded it that his thoughts for us are for good and not of evil (Jeremiah 29:11). Let us wait for the appointed time and our money, wives, husbands, houses, children, healing and every other thing that are worrying us will be ours. Thanks.

Friday of Week 15 Year A By Tobe Eze

Friday of Week 15 Year A

First Reading

Exodus 11:10-­­----12:14

Gospel

Matthew 12:1-8

THEME: MERCIFUL SAVIOUR

Sometimes God gives us many opportunities for us to change out of his mercy but we will always take it as if he is a weak God. Many times people do things and beat their chests and say, ‘God will understand’. I am not God for me to tell you that he will understand or not but from my little knowledge, he will only understand us when we make serious effort. Some of us Catholics worsen issue, “highest mmechaa mgaa confession”. It may not end in ije confession since you do not have regard for God and that sacrament.

In the first reading, despite the signs made by Moses and Aeron before Pharaoh and his people, they still refused to grant freedom to the Israelites. They we joking with his mercy.

In the gospel still, despite all that Jesus has done before the Pharisees, they still did not understand that he is a God of mercy. Ihe n’ asom bu ebere, obughi aja. They were more interested in what the law says, to the detriment of human beings that those laws are meant to serve.

Any law that is against the safety of human life or preservation of human life is against the natural law. If there is food and people are allowed to die of hunger because the law said, that law should be abolished for it is not a law meant for human being. Anytime we are trying to stick to the law, we should also remember mercy. What our God wants is mercy and not sacrifice. Though he is a justice God, he is also rich in mercy, he is a merciful saviour and we can see that most in the sacrament of reconciliation. Thanks.

Thursday of Week 15 Year A By Tobe Eze

Thursday of Week 15 Year A

First Reading

Exodus 3:13-20

Gospel

Matthew 11:28-30

THEME: THE LORD HEARS OUR AFFLICTIONS.

It is true that in our everyday life, we are faced with many afflictions but that does not expel the fact that God hears us whenever we are in trouble. He always hears us but the problem is if we even believe that he hears us.

In the first reading, God through Moses is showing us that he is not deaf with regard to our cry and not blind to see our afflictions. He will always answer us in due time.

In the gospel, he asks us to come to him in our trouble moments that he will help us. Whenever we are in trouble, our Lord God is the only and best person that we should run to and we will be saved.

What Moses told God in the first reading is still our problem today. How can I tell these people that you sent me? They will not believe me. In our world today, how can we convince you and me that it is the Lord who sent me to you? Many persons are now claiming that they are sent by God. How do we differentiate? The gospel has the answer. All those who claim that the Lord has sent them when they know they sent themselves will always preach suffering free Christianity while Jesus is inviting us to take his yoke for his yoke is easy and his burden not heavy. No matter the load we carry as Christians, they are not heavy since they are in the Lord. He hears us in all our situations, let us not lose hope for he will never forsake us. Thanks.

Wednesday of Week 15 Year A By Tobe Eze

Wednesday of Week 15 Year A

First Reading

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12

Gospel

Matthew 11:25-27

THEME: TURN AROUND AND YOU WILL HEAR THE LORD.

The problem some of us have is that we are too rigid in life. Some of us have accepted that we are Christians but in character there is no change. I was telling a man who was a pagan the time I met him to get converted and become a Christian that that is where life is and every other thing. He openly told me. If these persons (he called names) are still Christians, I am not following you. If we have accepted Christ, why have we not done like Moses and turn around to understand what the Lord wants us to do?

Even in the gospel, Jesus himself is stressing the turning around by thanking the Father for revealing the hidden knowledge of the Kingdom to children. If we really want to encounter God and hear what he is telling us, we must become like children. We must leave our evil ways and embrace the innocent way of Christ that is manifested in children. Turn around and become a child and the knowledge will be revealed to you. Thanks.

Tuesday of Week 15 Year A By Tobe Eze

Tuesday of Week 15 Year A

First Reading

Exodus 2:1-15a

Gospel

Matthew 11:20-24

THEME: THE EVIL WORLD.

Some persons answer names like, Onyedioramma, Uwaenweogwu and so on. These names are the pure explanation of the two readings of today. People will be making serious effort to please the world and others will be complaining about the person. Obu gini ka aga eme?

In the first reading, we saw how Moses tried to save his own people from the trouble of an Egyptian and it turned to be a trouble for him. He was trying to imbibe in them the spirit of Umunne but the arrogant brother of his used it against him and that became a threat to  his life. No matter what you do to the people of the world, they must complain.

The gospel exposed how furious Jesus was to the people he had already done many miracles for but they could not repent and accept the message of life. He was causing them and comparing them with other nations that had not seen any miracle or even did not see miracle before there destruction.

In our world today, do we still have those who are unappreciative? Do we still have those who do not accept the good done to them rather, they use evil to pay for good? The answer for me is YES and some of them are here. Let us know that our God is not happy with us not paying good with good. Let us learn how to appreciate good things done to us and leave our evil deeds. The evil world can change through you and myself. Thanks.

Monday of Week 15 Year A By 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 having 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 us 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 will 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.