THE DRAINAGE OF IDENTITY STARTS BY LOSING THE SURNAME By Tobe Eze

THE DRAINAGE OF IDENTITY STARTS BY LOSING THE SURNAME
INTRODUCTION

Many persons believe so much that name contributes to what someone may likely be and that is why many are being so careful with the names they answer. From the ancient days of our people till date, many persons take into consideration names they give to their children and the names people also take, because in my dialect, eha ne eso mmadu (name follows the bearer). Going back to the days of our forbearers, they were answering names based on what they achieved in life, circumstances surrounding their birth, names of good deities in their land and so on. These formed some of the names of which we have today in our different tribes and villages today. Taking Nsukka as a case study: We have names like, Attama from the Atta Igala, we have Okonkwo, maybe one born on Nkwo day, we have Oyima, maybe one born on the day of masquerade feast, we have Ogbuagu, maybe one who has killed lion before, we have Oyiodo, maybe one born on the day Odo is having feast and so many names attributed to many things. Some of these names were names of famous people in different fields and that have brought prestige to them those days.
These days, so many are now leaving these names to embracing new names of their biological fathers, either the English or Igbo names of their fathers. Some do this for many reasons. Some even do it without any reason while some are forced to do it. In many newspapers, we see every now and then, change of name by so many, and it is on increase daily. If you look closely, you will notice that, they majorly change their surnames because of one reason or the other.

I will like to point out many things about this name issue. I will like to touch (1.) Reasons for rejecting previous surnames. (2.) The implications of rejecting them. (3.) Possible solutions to this problem. With this, I will conclude.

Saturday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Saturday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Ruth 2:1-3.8-11; 4:13-17

Gospel

Matthew 23:1-12

THEME: TRUE HONOUR

In the first reading, it was because Boaz feared God, it made him not to have lustful attraction towards Ruth and also commanded his servants not to molest her. He was a man of respect and true honour. He gave himself the true meaning of honourable position. If he was like some of us here, we will be happy that a sex object has come to us. In our time people even do fight over a widow. I went somewhere to see their Igwe (King), when I reached the palace, there was a case the King was trying to solve. What was the case? That a man caught another man going to have sex with a widow he has been taking care of. And shamelessly they took the case to the Igwe’s palace for him to settle the case for them. Two of them ended up disgracing themselves and two of them were punished. They disgraced and removed the honour they had before in the society.

In the gospel, though the scribes and the Pharisees teach the commandments of God, they use that position to also demand honour which they knew truly that they did not deserve. Evil men in the position of honour. All these are false honours. These people can be seen in our churches, communities, villages and so on. The true honour comes from God to humanity and that we shall work for and not allow ourselves to be carried away by this worldly things. A man was made the King of his Autonomous community and he used the opportunity to deal with people. He had the honour of answering Igweeeeeeee! But he lost the honour from God for his name went viral as an evil man and he also died a shameful death of being killed by his own son. Let us seek the true honour from God not self-given honour which does not last. Thanks.

Friday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Friday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Ruth 1:1.3-6. 14b-16.22

Gospel

Matthew 22:34-40

THEME: LET YOUR LOVE SAVE SITUATIONS.

Some of us do love people but that our love cannot save situations when the need arises. Some love people because of their different reasons and whenever anything should happen to that particular point of love, the love will go with that and the person will not make effort to see if that could be healed.

When we look at Orpah in the first reading, we can see the momentary love she had for her mother in-law. She was not ready to sacrifice anything for the love she hard on the family that married her. She saw the situation of Naomi and she left her to die in the agony of losing her two sons. She did not want to be a consolation to her. Her love could not save situation. In the other part, we can see that the love Ruth had saved the situation at hand. Had it been that Ruth also left, I do not think Naomi would have stayed alive more but she saw that and saved the situation.

In the gospel, Jesus stressed the importance of love. Love of God and love our fellow human being. Majorly, love of God is best expressed through the love of our neighbour and that is why Christ is telling us today that the second is just like the first, which means they are equal. Telling me that you love God and we do not see it in the life you live especially towards your neighbour, you are just lying for John himself recorded it. We cannot say that we love God that we do not see and hate people that we see (1 John 4:20). Any love that do not save situations should be watched and make necessary changes. Thanks.

Thursday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Thursday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Judges 11:29-39a

Gospel

Matthew 22:1-14

THEME: THE WILL OF GOD SHOULD BE DONE ALWAYS.

The responsorial Psalm summarized the two readings of today. If not for the responsorial Psalm, I would not have known how to interpret the two reading for they are controversial.

Taking the first reading as a case study, did Jephthah commit anything evil by promising God that he will sacrifice to him what will come out first to welcome him if he wins in the war? Why did God allow her only child to be the first to come out? Were there no animals in the house to come out?

In the gospel, what was the sin of the man who was not invited to the wedding feast and was called from the road to come? It may be presumed that he was not given chance to go and prepare for the wedding and he was punished for coming to rescue a situation.

All these are just literary interpretations of the two readings. Digging deep, we will notice that in the case of the first reading, it is to show us the length one should go in keeping the will of God. Do not allow anyone even your only child to stop you from doing the will of God. It is not a literary killing of your child but not allowing the love of your family members to take you away from the love of God. The gospel on the other side is to show us that we must be ready always for we do not know when the time will some. We should always do the will of God. We should always be with our wedding garment so that whenever the wedding feast is set, we will be ready and attend in good faith just like others who were with their wedding garments. Thanks.

Tuesday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Tuesday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Judges 6:11-24a

Gospel

Matthew 19:23-30

THEME: THE DANGER OF RICHES

After a visitation in a Block Rosary Centre, a child stood up and asked me, “Brother, does God hate rich people?” I told the child no and she continued. “Why is it that God did not for once talk good about the rich in the Bible?” She cited many passages in the Bible favouring the poor and condemning the rich. I explained to her that it not physical richness or poverty but other aspects of being rich. Taking things that should not be as our small gods. But looking at the two readings, we can see reasons in what that little child asked me.

In the first reading, God after looking for the person that will deliver his people went to the least and the weakest tribe and family to pick Gideon, I think it is a sign of the love God has for the poor.

In the gospel, Jesus again repeated that it will be hard for the rich to enter heaven as if richness is now a sin. If I were to be there, I would have said the same as the apostles that no one will be saved either.

These are just human understanding of the rich. Many of us are rich in sins and that is what we are presented today that they will not allow us to enter heaven. A woman died, on her burial, she was lying in state and people were paying last respect. A mad young lady came, after seeing her shouted. Agnes! Agnes!! Agnes!!! Please when you go there, try to stop gossiping, committing adultery, and other things you were doing. Biko kwusi ha biko. She was very rich in those areas and the mad lady noticed that. We can tell ourselves the truth that there are places we are very rich and they are not healthy for our spiritual life, we should shun them and we shall be saved. Thanks.

Monday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Monday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Judges 2:11-19

Gospel

Matthew 19:16-22

THEME: ACT ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF GOD AND YOU WILL BE SAVED

After observing what is happening in our world today, I sometimes think that our problems come from us. The type of evil we do is becoming alarming as if we do not know the law again. Sometime in 2007/2008, in my Parish, the parish vicar was doing first Friday adoration for us. It was all night program. People started using that avenue to act so stupid. After the adoration, Saturday morning when our mothers will keeping the church clean against Sunday, they will be discovering used condoms around the church compound. People started robbing those going for the adoration. I was once a victim of that. The parish vicar in one of the adorations said, anyone who is doing one of those things should stop or whatever the person sees, he/she should take. People continued doing that and he warned again and said, to avoid increase in mad people around here. The rate young men and women run man in our place is making me to think that it has connection with that thing. I may be very wrong but just citing example.

The story is just to bring home what happened in the first reading. After all that the Lord did for them, they still insisted on disobeying God and following other goods. Before now Joshua warned them that God is a jealous God and they are now today in the reading following Baal. The same may be found among us today. We still know the rule or laws, why are we not acting according to them.

In the gospel, the rich young man claimed he has been keeping those laws since his childhood. Fine and good. How can we show love without expressing it to those in need. Love is not only limited to your husband, wife, children, parents, boyfriend or girlfriend, it is extended to helping those who are in need of our help. So since we have known all we need to know about law or commandments of God we should act according to them and we shall be saved. Thanks.

Wednesday 20th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Wednesday 20^th week Year A

First Reading

Judges 9:6-15

Gospel

Matthew 20:1-16a

THEME: SHUN ENVY.

The story in the first reading is very interesting for it touches what we experience these days in our world. Your own friend and relation will be pushing, praising, suggesting, persuading you to climb to a position knowing that that place will not favour you but he/she will flatter you and when you reach there, you will be disgraced and he/she will be happy. If you are making me your King in good fate, come and take shelter under me. If you are sure that this will favour me, why not two of us try it? Why not accompany me? Why not try it yourself? Sometimes these things are born out of envy. When the person sees that you are exceling, he/she will look for a way to pull you down. That is what we experience in this our world. Do you begrudge my generosity? That was the question the master asked his labourers at the end of the gospel. You have taken your due and nothing was taken away from your own, why are you not happy that your friend, neighbour, relation got the same good thing you have gotten. Shun envy and you shall live long and happy and at last make heaven. Thanks.

Saturday 19th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Saturday 19^th week Year A

First Reading

Joshua 24:14-29

Gospel

Matthew 19:13-15

THEME: A CHILDLIKE HEART.

We make many promises during our baptism that we have rejected devil and everything that has anything to do with him, but we will not stay long and we will throw away what we have learnt. If we trust God and church as children trust their parents, we will know that they believe that all their parents say are truths and they hold that very well.

In the first reading, the people of Israel made promise and covenant that they will forever serve God but as we all know their story, we can testify if that is the truth or not. They made promises and we also do on our baptism and after we will do otherwise.

Gospel is now an eye opener for us that we must trust God as children trust their parents and we will not leave the teaching we have received. It is because we do not trust our base and that is why we are running around from place to place looking for a god that will save us when we have the true saviour always with us and same happened to the people of Israel. If we develop childlike heart towards God, we will be rest assured of the kingdom for it is meant for those who have that. Thanks.

Friday 19th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Friday 19^th week Year A

First Reading

Joshua 24:1-13

Gospel

Matthew 19:3-12

THEME: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AND NAME THEM ONE BY ONE.

If good things continue to come our ways, we forget sometimes that they come from God, we only enjoy it with ease. Sometimes some think it is because of their personal effort. If you continue to count God’s blessings on us, we will not do any other thing in life for it is numerous in our lives. The only problem is that we often forget to recognise them entirely. In the first reading, the Israelites seem they have forgotten how everything happened and God is recounting to them what he had done for them. They divorced him with their behaviour and God is today reminding them what he has done for them so far, he is trying to tell them not to divorce him.

Gospel presented us with the issue of divorce and as we know, God and church do not have divorce in their diaries. To show how serious it is, Jesus said, “What God has joined together, no one should put asunder”. For this reason, I will not stress marriage divorce but the divorce of God. If husbands and wives always count their good times and forget their bad times, they will never divorce each other but if they continue to count their wrong doings, they will crash.

Let us count God’s blessings in our lives and we will not divorce him again with our behaviour. It is because we are now insensitive to his blessings on us is the reason for leaving him for other things. Let us count our blessings and it will surprise us what the Lord has done for us. Thanks.

Thursday 19th week Year A By Tobe Eze

Thursday 19^th week Year A

First Reading

Joshua 3:7-10a.11.13-17

Gospel

Matthew 18:21-19:1

THEME: THE MERCY OF GOD IS BEYOND ALL THINGS.

Naturally if God were to be a man, he would not have led Israel so far as he did. They caused his servant Moses not to enter the Promised Land but he did not count that against them, he continued to lead them. He promised to be with Joshua again so that he would lead them into the Promised Land. He has never left his own people, it is always our problem that we leave him sometimes. Despite all we do to him, he has continued to forgive us and that is what he expects from us also.

Is it seven times? No, seven times seventy which should be 490 in a day. If we continue to record people’s sins against us in a day so that we will know when it has reached 490, we will not be of use again in life and for us to be useful, God made it that way. In his mercy, he wants us to extend it to others. In the parable, the wicked servant for me should be killed (condemned to hell) immediately, but that is why I am a human being. God in his mercy gave him opportunity to come out from the prison when he must have finished paying and we can see the mercy that brought about purgatory. His mercy is beyond all our sins, let us do what he expects us to do. Be merciful as our Father is. Thanks.