In our gospel passage of today, Jesus began to unfold the reality of the cross to his disciples, he said he was going to Jerusalem to suffer and to die. At this time in Jesus’s ministry, the disciples have come to believe that Jesus is the...
no commentIn our first reading today Daniel witnessed a majestic and divine scene that reflects the glory of God, he saw the one he called “Ancient of Days.” And Daniel said, “As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a son of man...
no commentThe age-old question of the existence of evil in a world created by a benevolent and omnipotent God has not stopped puzzling many Christians. For many Christians, the reality of evil is a dilemma; how can our good and all-powerful God allow suffering, cruelty, and...
no commentGod spoke through the prophet Isaiah saying that his word is like the rain and the snow that do not return without first watering the earth, without first doing or accomplishing what it was sent to do; to nourish the earth, causing it to bear...
no commentJesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;…” A good understanding of this simple statement, this one verse from our gospel passage, is the...
no commentWe celebrate today one of the mysteries of our faith, the triune nature of our God, that is three persons in one God. It is our Christian Catholic faith that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one God. Still,...
no commentIn the past few weeks and days, our liturgy of the word focused on when the hour had come for Jesus to pass from this world to the Father. Jesus had prepared his disciples to face the events of Good Friday; he prepared them for...
no commentA week ago, we reflected on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where he taught the eight beatitudes. Today’s gospel passage from Matthew’s account is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes, Jesus summarized his whole teaching, and today he clarifies that the...
no commentIn today’s readings, there seems to be just a line from the first reading through the second reading to the gospel passage. In these three passages from the scripture, we find a common theme; humility. The word ‘humility’ may be a little bit difficult to define,...
no commentAccording to the solar calendar which measures the time it takes the earth to orbit the sun, we begin a new year every first of January. However, the Church begins her liturgical year on every first Sunday of Advent. So, we can greet ourselves with...
no commentJesus preaching from one town to another and making his way to Jerusalem, and someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved? Preaching from one town to another and making his way to Jerusalem, Jesus was asked, “Lord, will only a few be saved? The...
no commentThe first two sentences or the first paragraph of our first reading this morning is powerful and makes a lot of sense. It is written that "The night of the deliverance from Egypt was made known beforehand to our ancestors, so that they might rejoice...
no commentToday is the second Sunday of Lent, a Lenten journey we started about twelve days ago. At this time of the liturgical year, we slow down as Catholics to take time to reflect on our lives. Who are we? Who am I? Are we “created...
no commentSome time ago, I had the privilege of directing a retreat in one of the female religious institutes in Nigeria, and in one of the sections, we reflected on the topic, “Do not close the door.” The retreatants were all encouraged never to close the...
no commentJesus asked, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? Yes, both will fall into a hole. So, anyone who wants to teach or lead must first find the way; if not, that person would mislead others.When Jesus'...
no commentIn our liturgy of the word today, the Church calls her children to renew their trust and confidence in God. Our readings sound interesting but could easily be misunderstood or misinterpreted.In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah reminds us that “Cursed is the man who...
no commentPreacher Teaching from Bible God called Jeremiah and commissioned him to proclaim the gospel to a society that has turned its back on the truth. And Jeremiah knew what that meant; to speak the truth to kings and queens, princes and princesses, to nations and kingdoms....
no commentOur first reading this morning from the book of prophet Nehemiah is fascinating and apt for our world today. I would want to take us back to the background of this reading for a better understanding.At a point in the history of Israel, they went...
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The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called “Gaudete Sunday.” “Gaudete” means “Rejoice!” So, on every third Sunday of Advent, the Church calls on her children to rejoice. ...
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Today, I want to focus on the first reading from the book of Numbers 11:25-29. It’s about how Moses was tired and frustrated, leading ancient Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses was tired of the people’s complaints and murmurings, but God directed...
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In Exodus 30:17-21, God commanded Moses to make a bronze basin and put it between the tent of meeting and the altar. Moses was to put water in the basin for Aaron, the priest, and his children to wash their hands and feet before going...
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Today, the Mother Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and together with the universal Church, we gather here this morning to honor her whom God himself has honored....
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Cornelius was a Centurion, a position in the ancient Roman army, a none Jew whom the traditional Jews would see as an unbeliever. If you were not a Jew, you were outside those redeemed. ...
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The word of God is alive and still very active; it spoke to our fathers and speaks to us today. God talked about a kind of disease that turns into leprosy, and as we heard in our first reading, God explains to Moses how to...
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We give God the praise on this last night of the year 2020, a year considered by many as strange and horrible, a year the unimaginable hands of evil arm-twisted nations and the entire world. Yet, 2020 was a year many people received blessings beyond...
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Homily for the second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy The resurrection power came with restoration power; Jesus arose to raise us to unimaginable height, a height no other power except ourselves can pull down. We certainly do not deserve this favor, but the unfathomable mercy of God...
6 commentsHomily for Easter Sunday He is risen! In most parts of the world, the Lenten journey this year was uniquely private and personal due to the pandemic that shook the world and still ravaging parts of the world today. Devastating as the pandemic is, it reminded the...
7 commentsHomily for the fifth Sunday of Lent, year A Lets pray and trust God for protections and healing. We are in a very trying moment, the world is in turmoil, and Church doors are closed all over the word in fear of the tsunamic spread of coronavirus...
4 commentsToday's celebration reminds us once again of the Lenten call to be renewed and transformed like Christ who let three of his apostles see an amazing transformation of himself at the mountaintop. He took with him Peter, James, and John and led them up the...
9 commentsSome time ago, I had the privilege of directing a retreat in one of the female religious institutes in Nigeria, and in one of the sections, we reflected on the topic, “Do not close the door.” The retreatants were all encouraged never to close the...
4 commentsHOMILY FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD...
5 commentsHomily for third Sunday in ordinary time, year A It is mostly attributed to St. Augustine to have said, “the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” In other words, the Old Testament lies hidden in the...
5 commentsWith a grateful heart, I stand before you all to thank God for the amazing blessing of this New Year; God is indeed merciful to let us be counted among the living. To him be glory forever. God did not create us to flounder...
1 commentIn the ancient Roman religion was a god believed to be called Janus; it was the people's conviction that Janus was two-faced and that he sees the beginning and end of all things. In what looks like an attempt to imitate the sovereignty of our...
1 commentWe celebrate today with great joy the feast of the Holy family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; the Church presents this family as a model for the families of the world rocked by crises of all kinds. The Church presents this holy family, not as...
no commentTo many in our world today, where secularism is praised and celebrated as a virtue, our first reading this morning from the book of the prophet Malachi will mean nothing. The secular nature of so many nations around the world blinds people to the fact...
1 commentThe prophet Jeremiah was a great prophet of God, even though some people saw him as a prophet of doom because he spoke the truth. He was ignored and maltreated; some refer to him as the weeping prophet. He warned the people about the coming doom,...
no comment"Vanity of vanity, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanity. All is vanity!" This reminds me of what I once told a close friend. We were together listening to national news on national TV. They showed and talked about the glamorous wedding ceremony of one of...
no commentThe story about the two sisters in our gospel passage this morning and how they reacted to the visit of Jesus reminds me of the journey I made some years ago to Israel. We left Nigeria in high spirit, and many people requested we pray...
no commentOur gospel reading today opens with a lawyer who to disconcert Jesus, stood up and asked; Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus’ interaction with this lawyer led to the parable of the good Samaritan. Most people pay so much attention....
2 commentsJesus appointed seventy others and sent them out in pairs to towns and villages to proclaim the word of God. According to Luke, in chapter 9 of the same gospel, he had sent the twelve on the same mission and with the same instructions. By...
no commentThe Solemnity we celebrate today, Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, dates back to the 13th century, though it celebrates something much older. The word of God did not take flesh in the 13th century just as the Holy Spirit did...
no commentWe celebrate today the first Sunday of Lent, a season we are invited to journey into ourselves to ask some fundamental questions about our relationship with God. A Journey into ourselves helps in our true identity's rediscovery, who we truly are in Christ. To confuse our...
no commentGod will not rest until you are called the delight of God....
3 commentsToday we celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ; God been baptized by man, a mystery like the incarnation. At the incarnation, a creature, a woman gave birth to her creator. Really amazing! That is the reason the angel Gabriel said she is highly favored. Today we...
1 commentWe celebrate today the feast of the holy family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Church presents this family as an example of a perfect family and a source of encouragement to so many families facing challenging situations at the moment. The holy family of...
no commentToday we celebrate the fourth Sunday of advent and the last Sunday before Christmas. The Church calls us this week to renew our commitment to waiting together with Mary in hope for her Son's birth, the savior of the world. The birthplace is Bethlehem Ephrathah,...
no commentIn our first reading this morning, God calls on Jerusalem to take off her dress of sorrow and distress and put on the beauty of the glory of God. It is a call to preparation for a triumphant return, a reminder to Jerusalem that even...
no commentToday we begin the season of Advent, the season of special preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas. The word advent is from the Latin word adventus, meaning coming. The season of advent is of expectation, anticipation, and waiting in hope. Our liturgy of...
no commentToday we celebrate the feast of Christ, the universal king, and this feast marks the end of the Church's liturgical calendar. It is a celebration we can consider ancient and new. It is ancient because God did not become king in time, and it is...
no commentWe are gradually coming to the close of the year, and also we are reminded that we are gradually coming close to the end of time. End time message is no longer sellable in our generation; that is not the kind of message people want...
no commentThe widows and the orphans are no doubt special to God. He said he is the father to the fatherless and the defender of widows (Psalm 68:5). Also, in Isaiah 1:17, he calls us to defend the fatherless and plead for widows. They are special...
no commentA Scribe asked Jesus, which commandment is the first of all? There must be a kind of build-up to this question; something must have made the scribe ask the question. The scribe heard the religious authorities disputing with one another about the resurrection, and so...
no commentIn our first reading today, the prophet Jeremiah prophesied about the coming freedom and restoration of the people of Israel. They were led into captivity due to their disobedience to God; they turned their back against the God that brought them out of the land...
1 commentOur gospel passage this morning reminds me of the story about an older man and his two sons. The younger son lived far away from home while the senior son was always with their father. But the younger son who lived far away from home...
no commentIn our first reading this morning from the book of wisdom, the writer, probably Solomon, prayed, and he was given understanding or wisdom. He treasured this understanding above everything; he believes strongly that if the understanding he was given is compared to gold, gold will...
no commentGod created man and said it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate. So, God created all kinds of animals, but the man found no helpmate in any. So, the Lord God made the man fall into a deep...
no commentChristianity in our generation has been turned into something else; it is not an exaggeration to say that anti-Christian/Catholic tendencies have eaten deep into the Church, particularly the Nigerian Church. Our readings this morning addresses some of these anomalies; all scripture is inspired by God...
no commentWe see Jesus in our gospel passage this morning making his way gradually towards Jerusalem and the cross by implication. He came down from the mountain with his apostles and made their way through Galilee to Capernaum. He did not want anyone else to know...
2 commentsOur gospel passage this morning is a familiar one and we may have listened to many homilies on it. But one thing that may not be too familiar is the nature of that region of Caesarea Philippi. Mark tells us that Jesus and his disciples left...
no commentToday’s first reading sounds like its advent season already; the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the messiah's coming. He is coming; vengeance is coming, he says. He is also coming with healing power to open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, heal...
no commentThe world's redeemer was born and initiated into the Jewish culture; he grew up among Jews and must have known the importance of the ritual wash to his people. For the Jews do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, following the elders' tradition....
no commentFor the past four Sundays, our readings have been on Jesus, the bread of life. We have been talking about the Eucharist and its place in our lives, and today we conclude the Eucharist discourse. As we celebrate this Sunday, we are challenged to make...
no commentThe Israelites have a fascinating history. They were slaves in Egypt but liberated by God using Moses and Aaron. He made way for them through the sea and led them out of the land of slavery, but they complained against Moses and Aaron. They complained...
no commentOur readings today draw attention to God's ability to provide for his people; he knows our needs and can provide. In the first reading, a man brought twenty barley loaves and fresh grain to the prophet Elisha to offer his first-fruits. Elisha said to his...
no commentYears ago, I remember as seminarians how we were sent out to different parishes for some pastoral experience. Whenever we returned, we met with our master individually to share our experiences. It was more exciting when we come together as a group to share those...
1 commentIn my homily a week ago, I reflected on how we can go beyond the limit the world sets for us with the help of God. His own people rejected Jesus because they said he was supposed to be a carpenter and not the messiah....
no commentRecently I was reading some stuff posted on the internet by a lady named Lara Parker; she was talking about growing up. She presented 25 things she claims no one would tell you about growing up, and one of the points she raised was that...
no commentToday's gospel reading is a continuation of the gospel passage of the twelfth Sunday of year B, where Jesus and his apostles crossed over to the other side. I remember in my homily that Sunday, I talked about things that happen when we cross over...
2 commentsJohn the Baptist was a great man; even Jesus praised his greatness. The Church especially celebrates his birthday, unlike the other saints. The Church mostly celebrates the feast days of saints on their birthday into heaven, the day they died, and not their birthday into...
no commentIn our first reading this morning, we see how God promised that he was going to plant a cedar that will grow to become the biggest of all, a cedar that would grow to provide shade and resting place for other creatures, a cedar that...
no commentThe Solemnity we celebrate today, Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, dates back to the 13th century, though it celebrates something much older. The word of God did not take flesh in the 13th century just as the Holy Spirit did...
4 commentsToday we celebrate the Holy Trinity's solemnity, the mystery of the three persons in one Godhead. This is a mystery; we cannot fully understand it just as written in Isaiah 55:8-9, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says...
1 commentBefore our Lord Jesus Christ's passion, he prayed for his apostles; he consecrated them, ordained them, and handed his ministry over to them. In this prayer of consecration, Jesus reveals that the Father specially chose the apostles. He said, Holy Father, keep those you have...
2 commentsToday we celebrate the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Though this feast seems to emphasize the departure of Jesus Christ, it is actually a feast that celebrates his mysterious and unending presence with us. Jesus had intimated his apostle about his leaving, that he would...
no commentIn our first reading today, Peter went to Cornelius's house, and he talked about how God has no favorite. We are all God's children; God sent his Son to die for all and not for a few. Anyone who fears God and does the right...
no commentA week ago, we celebrated the good shepherd Sunday; and Jesus called himself the good shepherd, a title that suggests the reality of the opposite. That is, there are bad shepherds. The same message is reflected in our gospel passage today; he calls himself the...
no commentToday is the fourth Sunday of Easter, good shepherd Sunday and a day set aside by the Church to pray for vocation to the priesthood and the religious life; hence the name vocation Sunday. Jesus said he is the good shepherd, a shepherd who knows his...
no commentOur readings today reflect the talk about the resurrected Christ. In the first reading, Peter addressed ancient Israel, reminding them how they accused and handed Jesus over to be crucified and how the father glorified him through his resurrection. This reminder was not a way...
no commentAfter the resurrection of Jesus Christ and before the apostles were convinced of his resurrection, they locked themselves up in a room. They were afraid of the Jews; they were afraid that they might be the next target. But Devin Mercy refused to let them...
no commentToday marks the beginning of the holy week, the height of Lenten season. This week is the week of betrayal and tragedy, yet it remains a holy week. The week the Passover lamb will be sacrificed just as it was slaughtered in Egypt to liberate...
2 commentsOur first talks about the Old and the New Covenant; Jeremiah foretells the new and everlasting covenant sealed with the blood of Jesus. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the...
2 commentsJesus said, the Son of man must be lifted as Moses lifted the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. The serpent was lifted for a purpose; it was lifted that the people might be healed. Yes,...
no comment. Today, the third Sunday of Lent, we find ourselves in the Temple. We were with Jesus in the desert the first Sunday of Lent, the second Sunday of Lent we were with him on the mountain of transfiguration, and today the third Sunday of...
4 commentsWe are reminded once again today to be renewed, to be transformed. Jesus took three of his apostles, Peter, James, and John, and led them up the mountain where he was transformed or transfigured in their presence. They saw his glory, the glory of God,...
no commentOur first reading reminds us of God’s covenant with Noah; it is a covenant we cannot talk about without the story of creation, the fall, and the destruction of man. God created man in his image and likeness and blessed him with everything, but man...
no commentToday, we celebrate the last Sunday before the Season of Lent, and our readings today are very appropriate and timely. We are reminded in our readings this Sunday to step into the season of Lent, knowing who we are and what we can be by...
no commentWe all know that Jesus chose twelve men to be his apostles, but three of them seemed to be very close to him and special; Peter, James, and John. Whenever Jesus was going to special places, he went with these three. They were with him...
1 commentMoses spoke to the people, saying, the Lord your God will raise a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren as you desired (Deut. 18:15). Probably the people observed that Moses was growing old and might soon join their ancestors. So, they desired...
no commentThe City of Nineveh was once great and a City of sin, a city that needed cleansing. That is to tell us that greatness is not measured by what you possess but by what you do with what you possess. Nineveh was a great city...
no commentAs a seminarian, I was told not to claim God's call to be an Augustinian but rather to say; I am here to see if God is calling me to be an Augustinian. I did not fully comprehend what they told me because I was...
no commentWe join the universal Church today to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord; it is one of the ancient holy days observed by the Church; it is a feast celebrated within the Christmas season. Christmas itself is an Epiphany, and the baptism of the Lord...
no commentToday we celebrate the feast of the holy family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Today the Church presents this family as an example of a perfect family and encouragement to so many families that may be facing some challenging situations at the moment. The holy family...
1 commentWe celebrate today, the last Sunday before Christmas, and in fact, tomorrow is Christmas, the feast we have been preparing for. The Church offers us four Sundays to prepare for this feast; in the first two weeks, the Church calls us to prepare, for the...
3 commentsToday, the third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called ‘Gaudete.’ The word ‘Gaudate’ is a Latin word for our entrance antiphon this morning; "rejoice." On this Sunday, the Church calls her children to rejoice, to rejoice not because Christ is coming but because he has...
no commentThis morning we hear the beginning of Mark's gospel, it introduces the two great figures of the New Testament; John the Baptist and Jesus Christ the Lord. The angel Gabriel announced the coming of Jesus as a baby, the incarnation of God. But John introduced the...
1 commentToday we begin the Advent season, the season of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas. The word “advent” is from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “coming.” Advent is a season of expectation, anticipation, and a season of waiting in hope. In our first...
no commentToday we celebrate the feast of Christ, the universal king, and this feast marks the end of the Church’s liturgical calendar. It is a celebration we can consider ancient and new. It is ancient because God did not become king in time, and it is...
no commentJesus tells another parable, a very familiar one with beautiful messages. It is a parable popularly referred to as the parable of the talents. Even though this parable was originally directed at the Scribes and especially the Pharisees, it remains the word of God that...
no commentAs we approach the last month of the year, we are reminded that each passing day brings us closer to our last day on earth. We all know that Christmas is approaching, and we all know that it is on December 25th. But unlike Christmas and...
no commentIn our first reading this morning, the Lord says that he is a great king and the Lord of hosts, and his name is to be feared throughout the nations. In other words, there is no other king apart from him. The priest is not...
no commentIn our gospel passage a week ago, the Pharisees and the Herodians tried to set Jesus up with a question about paying tax to Caesar, but Jesus knowing their minds escaped their trap. But that same day, the Sadducees came with their own trouble. They,...
1 commentIn some of Jesus' parables, he directly attacked the chief priests, the elders of the people, the scribes, and the Pharisees. He condemned their attitude towards religion, their legalistic approach to the worship of God. They were the rejected guests in the parable of the...
no commentI remembered a few years ago, I con-celebrated at the funeral of a dear one, and our scripture passage this morning was the exact text of that day. On this mountain, the Lord of host will prepare for all people a banquet of rich food,...
no commentJesus said, listen to another parable, which means he has been speaking in parables. In our part of the world, we are very familiar with parables; we, as Africans and Nigerians, are blessed with that. In many cases, essential messages are passed through parables or...
no commentToday, the twenty-sixth Sunday of the year (A), we celebrate Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria's solemnity, and it is not a coincidence that we also celebrate the anniversary of our national independence today. The Church in Nigeria consciously joins every Nigerian on this...
no commentOur first reading this morning reminds us of the gospel passage we read a week ago about how some hired servants saw injustice in the landowner's generosity and complained. In our first reading this morning, the people of Israel saw injustice in some of the...
no commentOne can confidently call Pope Francis an apostle of mercy, for he has been on the side of mercy and simplicity of life. He declared an extraordinary jubilee year of mercy (8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016), allowing so many people to reconcile to...
no commentOur Lord Jesus Christ came into the world as man, not to condemn the Old Testament but to fulfill it. He came to explain the law and the prophets, to lead us beyond mere words, beyond the letters of the Law into the spirit of...
no commentChristianity in our generation is gradually losing its focus; it is gradually becoming mere entertainment, politics, physical manifestation of power, signs, and wonders. The object of focus is gradually shifting from eternal life in Christ to a beautiful life here on earth. It is not...
2 commentsWhenever the scripture passage about Jesus and his apostles in the region of Caesarea Philippi is read, the first thing that comes to mind is the authority of St. Peter. When he and his apostles came to this region, he asked the apostles, Who do...
no commentReflecting on our readings today reminds me of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus said t the woman at the well, “You [Samaritans] do not know what you worship; we [Jews] do know what we worship, for salvation comes from the...
no commentA week ago, in our gospel passage, we read about the mountaintop experience, how the apostles saw the glory of God on the mountaintop. And today, in our first reading, we see another kind of mountaintop experience. The prophet Elijah had defeated the prophets of Baal...
no commentSolomon's Wisdom was and is still unrivaled; God promises that none before or after Solomon will be as wise as he. The queen of Sheba came all the way to test the Wisdom of Solomon with hard questions (1 Kg: 10), and she marveled at...
no commentToday, when I listen to the news or go through social media, I wonder what this world would have been like if men were God. We hear all kinds of stories and see all kinds of disturbing videos on the internet, videos of jungle justice....
no commentA priest friend told me how he visited a particular Country and was given the privilege to preach the gospel in one of the Masses he concelebrated. He preached for about twenty minutes, and at the end, he was told he preached for too long....
no commentJesus exclaimed, "I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.” This is not a condemnation of intellectual power but intellectual pride. God did not hide the truth from...
no commentTraveling in our generation is made much easier and exciting even though many of the roads are not wonderful. I believe it is far better than the days of Elisha; they never thought of or even imagined traveling by air as we do today. They...
no commentIn our first reading, we see the attempt to terrorize the prophet Jeremiah, but he refuses to be terrorized or intimidated by terrorism. He hears so many disparaging him, terror from every side. Those who used to be his friends turned against him; they set...
1 commentThe Solemnity we celebrate today, Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, dates back to the 13th century, though it celebrates something much older. The word of God did not take flesh in the 13th century just as the Holy Spirit did...
no commentWe celebrate the solemnity of the Holy Trinity, the mystery of the three persons in one Godhead. This is a mystery; we cannot fully understand it just as written in Isaiah 55:8-9, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,...
no commentA few days ago, we celebrated the ascension of Jesus Christ; he promised to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. After Jesus was taken up to heaven, we see in our first reading this morning that the apostles, together with the other women, returned to...
1 commentIn our Creed, we express our faith in God, maker of all things, visible and invisible. The visual is the material world, while the invisible is the spirit world. In our first reading, we see two spirits at work; the unclean spirits and the Holy...
no commentIn our first reading this morning, we see a drama we cannot overlook, a drama with negative and positive interpretations. It happened when the number of early Christians was increasing. There was a report of discrimination among the people; the Hellenists complained that their widows...
no commentToday is the fourth Sunday of Easter, good shepherd Sunday, and a day set aside by the Church to especially pray for vocation to the priesthood and the religious life; hence the name vocation Sunday. Jesus said he is the sheep gate; he is the way....
no commentWe are still celebrating the power and glory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His victory over sin and death. We see the boldness that comes with the resurrection power with the help of the Holy Spirit; it was on Pentecost day as we read...
2 commentsToday we celebrate the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday; we continue to glory in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, the Church is blessed with power and authority even at the infantry stage, as...
no commentLast night, the whole Church kept vigil to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to celebrate that beautiful early morning on which Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. It was the custom in Palestine to visit the tomb of a loved one for three days...
no commentThe Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. The tomb is the ‘home’ of the dead; the living does not live there....
no commentI once met a friend reading a book titled “how to be successful.” Though I have not read that book, I firmly believe that it is all about planning, strategizing, knowing what to do and what not to do to succeed in life. It is...
no commentOur reflections this morning are centered around been thirsty. It begins with ancient Israel; they were tormented by thirst as they traveled from Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land. It is natural and expected that they become thirsty after a long journey under...
no commentThis morning, our first reading says that Zion complained that the Lord had abandoned her; he has forgotten her. Zion here refers to the city of God and his people; they complained in the land of their exile that God had abandoned them, God has...
5 commentsWhen atrocity is committed, especially in the Church or against the Church, and the offender seems to be let loose, people often react by saying that God has changed; if it were the God of the Old Testament, he would have struck down the offender...
no commentOne of the greatest gifts God has given to man is the gift of freedom, the gift of free will. We are open to serve God or to serve idols and be held responsible for every one of our deliberate actions. It is evident in...
no commentJohn the Baptist is a trendy figure in the New Testament. Even from birth, people were already asking; what will this child grow up to be. There was confusion about his identity that even led the Jews to send their priests and Levites to question...
no comment“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have observed his star in the East, and have come to worship him” (Mt 2:2). With these words, the Magi, come from afar, tell us the reason for their long journey: they...
no commentToday, the whole Catholic world celebrates the solemnity of the epiphany of the Lord. It is a celebration of the revelation of the Lord; God revealing himself in his Son Jesus Christ. It is not by chance we celebrate epiphany within the Christmas season. Christmas,...
2 comments“Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart! (Lk 2:19). In these words, Luke describes the attitude with which Mary took in all that they had experienced in those days. Far from trying to understand or master the situation, Mary is the...
no commentMy heart is filled with joy and thanksgiving as we begin a new year; it is not by might that we are counted among the living but by the grace of God. Beginning the year with the solemnity of Mary the Mother of God is...
2 commentsDear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Christmas! Today the Church once again experiences the wonder of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the shepherds of Bethlehem, as they contemplate the newborn Child laid in a manger: Jesus, the Saviour. On this day full of light, the prophetic...
no commentIn my homily a week ago, I emphasized Isaiah's prophecies, how he prophesized that a maiden is with a child and will soon give birth. The pregnant maiden was a sign of hope to King Ahaz and Judah's entire kingdom, a call to be fearless...
no commentToday is the last Sunday of Advent; Christmas is here already, as the prophet Isaiah prophesized in our first reading this morning; the maiden is with a child and will soon give birth to a son. This prophecy came when king Ahaz and the whole...
no commentIn our first reading this morning, we hear the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah's coming; he calls on the wilderness and the drylands to exult; he calls on the wasteland to rejoice and bloom because our God is coming. That is the reason for...
1 commentWe are already in the second week of advent, and St. Paul reminds us in the second reading this morning that Everything written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope. The prophecies of the old were all about "advent...
no commentToday we begin the Advent season, the season of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas. The word “advent” is from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “coming.” Advent is a season of expectation, anticipation, and a season of waiting in hope. In our first...
no commentToday we celebrate the feast of Christ, the universal king, and this feast marks the end of the Church’s liturgical calendar. It is a celebration we can consider ancient and new. It is ancient because God did not become king in time, and it is...
1 commentThe worst thing that can happen to any person is to doubt the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No matter how divided Christians have become today, even if there are millions of Christian denominations worldwide, none has come out to deny the reality of the resurrection...
no commentOur first reading this morning from the book of wisdom says something exciting; it reminds me of the creation story as recorded in Genesis 1:31. God saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was perfect. The writer of the book of wisdom tells us this...
no commentA week ago, in our gospel passage, Jesus told a parable about the need to pray always. He talked about a particular judge who neither feared God nor has respect for man; Jesus called him an unjust judge. This morning in our first reading, the...
no commentIn many parts of the Church in Africa, the word "attack" has become very common. Many see themselves as been under attack too often, but that is not a big deal. The big deal is, what do we do when we feel attacked? Or better...
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