JESUS: THE LIGHT FOR OUR MIGHT

HOMILY FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam: gaudete cum Laetitia, qui in tristitia fuistis:ut exsultetis, et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae. Psalm: Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus. (Rejoice, OJerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult and be filled from the breasts of your consolation. Psalm: I rejoiced when they said to me: we shall go into God’s house.

Today we celebrate Laetare Sunday. It is so called from the incipit of the introit at Mass. Laetare means ‘rejoice.’ It is got from Isaiah 66:10; rejoice, O Jerusalem. It is used to denote the 4^th Sunday of the season of Lent. We must rejoice because God has made us children of light. He has given us the grace of partaking in the light that he is.

Light is the first created reality. It is the foundation of creation; and so carries all other created realities upon itself. In Gen.1:3, the very first word God uttered was let there be light. The light came and dispelled the darkness. Light is the foundational installation for development. When God wanted to develop the material world, he started with the provision of light. Going through the annals of human history, development and scientific advancement is at its peak wherever and whenever there is a steady supply of light. Some countries of the world experience development and more advancement because of the effort they have made to make electricity constant, while some others continue to mark time or even retrogress because of the less emphasis they place on electricity. If you want development, provide light. If you want vision, provide light. If you want resourcefulness in an economy, provide light. Light opens the way for many good things. Just as this natural/material light is indispensable for natural development, so too, the spiritual light is indispensable for spiritual development. Just as we need the physical light for vision and mobility, the spiritual light is needed for spiritual journey and mobility.

We are called to walk as children of light. And so, the light that we are makes the might in us.  Christ offers us the light and expects us to walk in the light. This is the central message of the Second Reading (Eph. 5:8-14). Walking in the light implies taking no part in the unfruitful works of darkness. As the light gives us the might, we are meant to dismantle the handiwork of the devil and erect a more suitable place for God on earth.

Jesus is the light for our blind eyes. In the Gospel (John 9:1-41), we see how Jesus as the light of the world restored the eyes of the man born blind. One first issue which needs to be clarified is the peculiarity of the story in the whole of the four Gospels. This is the only miracle in the Gospel in which the sufferer was said to have been afflicted from his birth. The storyline presents him as a known blind figure. This man had suffered blindness from birth. The people had the assumption that wherever suffering exists, somewhere there was sin. Thus, they had to ask Jesus whether the blindness of the man was as a result of his sin or the parents. Jesus however departed from their thinking and told them that the man’s affliction came to him to give an opportunity of showing what God can do.

The miracles are the sign of the glory and the power of God, for the Evangelist John. Moments of suffering, sorrow, misery and pains are there as great opportunities for the demonstration of God’s grace. It is when life hits us so terribly that we can show the world how a Christian can live and die. When we are blinded by the vicissitudes of this life, there is someone who is the light that continually assures us that as long as he is in the world, he is the light of the world. Now, when Jesus made this statement, he does not talk about his momentary stay as a human being on earth. Remember, he said: for I am with you till the end of time (cf. John). There is no time when Jesus is not with us and is not in the world.

When the Pharisees heard of what has happened, they tried in prejudice to verify from the parents and the man himself. Their verification was meant to disprove the fact that the man was born not in sin. When Jesus met him the second time, he reiterated that he came so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. What does this statement mean? Anyone who comes to Jesus must be aware of his blindness so that he/she can get healing. When we are conscious of our blindness and long to see better and to know more, then can our eyes be opened to see clearer the truth about God. But when we think we know it all and do not realize that we cannot see, we become truly blind and beyond hope and help. Realizing our weakness makes us strong as realizing our blindness makes us to see. When we realize our sins, we are forgiven. Another point is that the more a man has knowledge the more he must recognize the good when he sees it. Some intimidate others because of the knowledge they have acquired. That intimidation is a sign of blindness –the blindness of faith. We must learn to use our knowledge in the most appropriate way.

The light dispels the darkness of fear and timidity. I am encouraged by the courage with which the man answered and interacted with the Pharisees. He showed great knowledge in his belief about God and about the handiwork of God. He was so sure that only the one who listens to and does the will can have the grace to perform so high a miracle. Hence, the divine light became for his might. We must be very courageous to defend our faith whenever God clears our eyes. Many times, the Lord clears our blindness in many ways. This blindness can be spiritual. We trivialize many times the grace of God in our lives, and tend to appreciate the devil’s show in the world. We must dispel this darkness which the devil tries to impose on the world. Having dispelled the darkness of evil, our presence must be the light for the world and others. Our faith must be defended by us with living as the light of the world.

We notice too in the First Reading that when one does the will of God, he is prone to see things not in human eyes. At the Lord’s command, Samuel went to anoint a king in the house of Jesse. On reaching, Jesse presented his sons whom he thought had kingly qualities, but they were not accepted. It was only the little boy who had gone into the field to shepherd the flock that the Lord chose. By human standard and comparison, David was not to be the king. But by divine choice and decision, he was elected to be king over all Israel. The one who has learnt how to shepherd animals is better fit to shepherd human beings. David was anointed king.

As Christians, we all are anointed. Just like David, we are anointed to become kings against the pumps of the Devil. This anointing is the unction we need for our sojourn in life. With this unction, we glim the more and grow even much shiner. I need this Davidic anointing. You need it too. With Davidic anointing, we defeat. We become victors. We become conquerors. May the Lord continually make us light to dispel the darkness of the world and to become lights for others. If for any reason we have been dimmed by sin, may God during this season of Lent use His hyssop of Grace to cleanse us and make us shine more. Happy Laetare Sunday. Happy Mother's day. God bless you.

DEDICATED TO ALL THE MOTHERS OUT-THERE...

                                                     

THE ULTIMATE WATER THERAPY

HOMILY FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

It is an established fact that the average adult can live for seven weeks without food, but cannot live more than five days without water. It was on the 22^nd August, 2013 that Kosiso Udemba published in the Vanguard online Media a powerful writ on the therapeutic effects of water. He began with creating awareness that drinking water in the morning after waking up have amazing therapeutic effects for a multitude of health conditions. What then is water therapy? This is a phrase used in describing the healing effects of the intake of water to the human biological and psychological make-up. Experts say one litre of water will have an astonishing effect on one’s health. Drinking safe water prevents a lot of diseases. The health benefits of drinking water are enormous. It makes one energetic. Early morning drinking of water purifies the internal system of the body and makes the body much more able to absorb nutrients from food. It is a powerful cure for arthritis, epilepsy, bronchitis, Tuberculosis, throat disease, constipation, diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer. Our body contains 70 percent of water. Our muscles contain 75 percent water. Our brain cells contain 85 percent water. Our blood contains not less than 80 percent water. Our bones too contain 25 percent water. Thus, we need water for the production of new blood cells and muscle cells. Water therapy helps with weight loss, increases the efficiency of immune system, and revs up metabolism.

Surely, I am very far from being a medical scientist. My exposition of water therapy has a purpose. If you have become aware that natural water does all this, you must now allow me to introduce you to another type of water which actually is the ultimate. It offers all that the natural offers and even more. This is the supernatural water. It supplies what the natural is unable to supply. The natural is limited, but the ultimate is limitless. The natural quenches earthly thirst, but the ultimate quenches heavenly thirst. The natural is beneficial to health and cures many diseases, but the supernatural is beneficial to our souls and cures many spiritual problems. Let’s go.

In the First Reading (Exod. 17:3-7) of today, the people of Israel murmured against Moses because they were exceedingly thirsty. They became aggressive, almost ready to stone Moses and even proposed that the land of Egypt where they suffered was better than being in the presence of God. They were thirsting for the natural water. I had thought to myself; if only the people can thirst for God and aggressively search for him in this manner, God would have removed all miseries from this earthly life. The Lord provided them with the water they asked. Of course, He always provides. But that was natural water that one drinks and thirsts again. It was one that does not in any way assure continuous thirst for God. It was not one that would totally make them not to thirst again. The Gospel completes this story of a great provident God. He does not only give the natural water which is needed for our bodies; he is ready to give, and indeed gives us the supernatural water which calms the cravings of our souls and spirits for God.

The setting and the scene of the Gospel (John 4:5-42) is quite interesting. The Jewish human Jesus is tired and had to sit down beside Jacob’s well. A Samaritan woman comes to draw water from the well, and a discussion was begun even though they both knew it was unexpected to speak to each other friendly. Jesus requests for a drink, even though he has been sitting beside the well before the woman’s arrival. The woman reminds him of his origin and the long rift (cf. 2Kings 17ff) that has existed between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus, who was unable to draw water from the well, even though he was sitting beside it, promises a LIVING WATER. The woman reminds him of the historical importance and sacredness of the well. Jesus insisted as someone who knows what he is talking about. The woman now asked for that water; so that she may not thirst again and may not suffer herself by coming always to draw water. Jesus makes her to understand what he actually means by LIVING WATER by leading her through spiritual discussions that uplifted her soul. She discovered Jesus was a prophet, asked further questions and ran to call others, and the answers and life of Jesus was so ground-breaking that it led to the appreciation of a Jew by the Samaritans who asked him to stay more with them. The Samaritans believed that he is the Saviour of the world.

What is then that LIVING WATER that supersedes the natural water the woman came to fetch? The LIVING WATER is not running water as the Jews had thought. For them, the living water was the water of the running stream as against the water of stagnant pool. Surely, the well was not a springing well, but one into which water percolated. To discover what this LIVING WATER of Jesus is, five things come to my mind.

The LIVING WATER is barrier-breaking. It tears down all form of aggression between people and groups. The Israelites drank the water at Massah and Meribah and never did they stop the revolt. The LIVING WATER of Jesus tore and destroyed the impression and aggression of the Samaritans against the Jews. It is from God and not from man; hence there is no boundary. It is from the throne of God himself that the river of life will flow (Rev. 22:1).

The LIVING WATER is universal. It is given to every human being; no segregation. Historically, the water at Massah and Meribah was only given to the Jews in exodus. The LIVING WATER is now given to all in transit towards heaven. The contact point of this offer is clear: a Samaritan who is seen as an infidel by a Jew. It is for all. To anybody that is thirsty, I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life (Rev. 21:6).

The LIVING WATER quenches the thirst for sin. Having made the woman to understand that she has actually no husband due to her waywardness, the woman lost the appetite for more men, and was keen to listen more. The LIVING WATER calls us towards repentance. The season of Lent constantly rings this message to our hearing to repent and become better. O that today, you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Psalm 95: 7-8). Having removed the thirst for sin, we begin to thirst for truth. 

The LIVING WATER is spiritual. True worshippers must worship the Father in spirit and truth. They no longer need the city Jerusalem for their worship. In the spirit, we discover our God who is spirit. Our souls are thirsting for the Lord (Psalm 42:1). Only the living water calms this spiritual longing.

The LIVING WATER lightens us. When the matter is sub-pedalled, the spirit accelerates. That is why the Church supports us to fast during this Lenten season. When we are more interested in spiritual gatherings and messages, we lose all the more the interest in the material distractions of this world. The disciples of Jesus brought him food and then discovered that he who was tired before they left for their purchase was no longer hungry. The discussion which was the Ling water has crushed material hunger in Him. He has eaten his food: the will of God. Drinking LIVING WATER is the doing of the will of God.

Doing the will of God is the constant intake of this LIVING WATER which is the ultimate water therapy. No type of water therapy can reach the standard set by the LIVING WATER. It is the only type that can calm our soul’s quest for God. It is the WATER that helps us to maintain our status of justification and peace with God as the Second Reading (Romans 5:1-2.5-8) maintains.  Natural water heals, strengthens and is inevitable for our earthly existence. So too, the LIVING WATER heals ultimately, strengthens ultimately, and is ultimately inevitable for our eternal life. Today, I wish you this LIVING WATER which is the fountain of life. As I cry out with the Psalmist: with thee is the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9), I declare with the Prophet Isaiah (49:10) that you shall not hunger or thirst of this LIVING WATER. This I wish you this week. Happy Sunday. God bless you.

MARCHING TOWARDS OUR MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION

HOMILY FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The Christian life is so divinely structured that our experience is not only that of misery and struggling to overcome temptations that try to pull us down. There are also moments of glory; moments that call to mind the wordings of Psalm 126:5 that those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. God does not just expect us to struggle and overcome the vicissitudes of life; He also expects us to realize that he desires our transformation; a transformation that He himself effects. That transformation initiates moments of assuming a splendid beauty, a clear shining, an extraordinary figure, and a glorious appearance that dazzles the eyes of the onlookers. Transfiguration is a glorious experience that has the undertone of divine assurance. If transfiguration speaks, then it utters the wordings: I am with you always till the end of time. This Sunday is such a day when the lives of many Christians are transfigured that their lives practically become known and seen as the life in God. No one who encounters the divine presence remains the same. And transfiguration is a commemoration of an encounter of divine presence. And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18).

The Gospel according to Matthew 17:1-8 has been read to our hearing. It tells the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. We must spell it out from the onset that the mount of transfiguration was for Jesus a mountain of reflection; a spiritual mountain peak where he must discover whether it was actually right to continue his journey towards Jerusalem and be crucified on the cross. That was why the apparition experienced was the greatest of all the law givers (Moses) and the greatest of the prophets (Elijah) who told him to go on. We must not also forget the voice that authenticated the approval of God. It was this experience in Matthean account that gave to Jesus the rigidity to walk the way of the cross. However, we must present the very many significance that we can draw from this episode.

It is a moment of divine encounter and revelation

It was after six days that Jesus took his three disciples up to the mount of transfiguration. After six days of what? It was after six days of the most important question at Ceaserea Philippi (cf. Matt. 16:13-28) when the divinity of Christ was made known to all the apostles. This means that it was on the seventh day after that great discovery that the transfiguration took place, just like it was on the seventh day after the six days that Moses spent on top of the mount of covenant, Sinai in Exodus 24:16 that the Lord spoke to him and transfigured him. This six-day duration is very significant for a good understanding of divine encounter. Having discovered the true identity of Christ, and having been with him for six days, the apostles were now qualified to witness a true experience of the identity they had mentally known. Six here signifies a period of preparation and waiting on the Lord; a period with which the Lord used to confirm the seriousness of the person who is patiently waiting for revelation. Therefore, the mount of transfiguration is the place where God manifests Himself to the person who has been seriously waiting for Him. If you desire to encounter the Lord, the Lord comes to you. He comes to those who desire Him.

It is a place where figures are transfigured

And Jesus was transfigured before them. Jesus was transfigured because he had a figure. If a Christian has no figure, he/she cannot be transfigured. Transfiguration presupposes a figure. The figure Christ had was that which has the disposition to always do the will of God. Hence, the one whose will is done is ready to transform the one who does His will. Transfiguration simply means a change of figure, but it is not actually the metamorphosis (the word derived from the Greek word used) that is essential to the event. Its essentiality flows from the further content of this metamorphoses –face shone like the sun (cf. Rev 1:16b; 10:1b), clothes became white as light becomes a being of light; his nature becomes luminous; transparent to the disciples’ gaze. This is the central point of the story, and this links us back to the shining face of Moses after his encounter with the God of the Decalogue (cf. Exod. 34:29.35). Strive to have a spiritual figure for the moment of transfiguration. Hence, the mount of transfiguration is the place where God changes the figure of the one who already had a disposition to be with Him. On this mountain, God changes the naked to become clothed; he changes the prisoners to become freed; he changes the neglected to become most-wanted; he changes the ridiculed to become the applauded; he changes the sorrowful to become the glorious; he changes the poor to become the rich; he makes the sinners to become saints; he changes that stumbling block of yours to become a stepping stone. Abram’s story in the First Reading (Gen 12:1-4a) changed. He marched forward to a place the Lord had to show Him; a place that will manifest his blessedness. The Lord blessed him and made Him so great. Today, child of God, the Lord will bless you as He blessed Abraham. Amen.

It is a place where prayers are made

The mount of transfiguration offers us great opportunity to speak directly to God. In the new transfigured state, we become more poised to talk to the master that transfigured us. And Peter made his request that it is good to remain here. This is a wish expressed by Peter having seen the glory of transfiguration. Peter’s address to Jesus as Lord showed a fresh and deep respect to God. This address is synonymous with ‘the great one.’ The mount of transfiguration puts in our mouths a better way of praying to our Father in heaven; addressing Him in the manner that is most fit.

It is a place where our selfish worries are forgotten

Peter was no longer interested in himself, but in God and beholding the presence of God. He forgot his worries, his wives, his children, his occupational challenges to the extent that he made a request to remain on the mountain. He said: let us build three tents, one for you, one for Elijah and one for Moses. He gave to himself no tent. He was simply complacent with the divine presence. That was exactly the reaction of the people when Nehemiah exalted them to be happy and to have the joy of the Lord as their strength (cf. Neh. 8:10-16). The people started building tents for they were now sure of divine assurance. On top of that mountain of transfiguration, our worries are gone, and our assurance restored.

It is the place where more knowledge is got about the person of God

 A discovery of the person of God makes us to love Him more and to keep His commandments. On the mountain of transfiguration, God spoke to the apostles. They recognized and experienced more the divine sonship of Christ from a voice that declared Jesus His beloved, and that exhorts them to listen to Him. On that mountain, our knowledge of God is deepened. Our love of God is deepened. Our obedience to God is deepened. This is a result of the direct experience of encountering God speak to us. Here, we feel the mercy of God. God palpably calls us to a holy life. The Second Reading (2Tim. 1:8b-10) reminds us of this that God who has saved us constantly calls us to a holy life. It is on the mount of transfiguration that we are given this antidote against sin, and are called to a blessed life.

It is a place of divine encouragement

After the apparition, when the disciples were engrossed in fear, Jesus touched them and said to them: rise, and have no fear. This reminds me of the vision of Daniel after he had a vision in Daniel 8:18. The one he saw touched him and raised him to his feet. This is a gesture of encouragement, and of telling one not to lose strength and hope. Divine revelation always comes with some pressure. No one sees the Lord and remains normal. But even if our vision of the Lord has affected in a manner that we are momentarily afraid, he always touches us and raises us to our feet. His touching them is a sign of calming their fears. The mount of transfiguration is a place where Jesus calms our fears and worries, and speaks into our souls: take heart, it is I, do not be afraid (cf. Mtt. 14:27). This mountain is given to us to provide help and strength for the daily ministry and to enable us walk the way of the cross.

Today, my dear friends, I wish you this transfiguration. May you be transfigured. May your families be transfigured. May your businesses be transfigured. Our society also needs this transfiguration. And so, may she be transfigured. Have a blessed week and a happy Sunday. God bless you.

THE ANTIDOTE FOR WORRY

HOMILY FOR THE 8^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR, A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Worry is a killer of happiness. It disturbs the peace of mind of someone. In worry, there is distress and mental agitation. The one that worries too much is even incapable of taking decisions concerning him/her. When the mind is inflicted by worry, the body is rendered so weak and incapable of rational human action. Worry causes illness, prolongs it and can even cause death. Worry hampers our right relationship with God in such manner that the one who worries thinks less of God and more of Him/herself. The one disregards the glory that is due to God and focus more on the problems of life which do not last. The one who worries too much is selfish. Does that sound harsh? Of course, yes, it does. When you worry, you grow selfish as if to say you are the only person carry overweight. Only if every one of us can open his/her mouth and narrate our troubles and travails, you will grow humble and worry less about your problems. Those problems cannot last. They come and go. When you worry, you give those problems more longevity and strength to attack you the more. When you worry so much, you give those challenging times opportunities to overpower you. I tell you; what the problems of life do is to make us stronger and not weaker. When you allow worry to accompany your problems and prospects, you grow even much weaker that you become incapacitated of solving or achieving them. With these words, I welcome you to our weekly soul food, where we encounter the Lord in his words.

What is it that you worry about? Jesus is asking you this question today. The Gospel (Matt 6:24-34) today re-echoes the message of the First Reading (Isaiah 49:14-15) which is an invitation to quit worrying. The First Reading gives compared the personality of God to a mother. This passage in the oracle of Isaiah talks about the restoration of Zion. Here, Zion is consoled. What type of animal is Zion? Zion is Jerusalem which signifies the place where Yahweh chose for his dwelling place. Zion is His Holy mountain upon which He has set His king (cf. Ps. 2:6). The restoration of Zion or of Jerusalem is a vital messianic conception and a work of the fidelity of Yahweh. It is the source of revelation to the world, the centre of worship to which all nations must resort. 

Thus, the consolation of Zion which is the work of Yahweh is a restoration of the initial joy that followed the inauguration of the worship of God in Zion. Zion gets a reassurance. Yahweh asks her: can a mother forget her infant and be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Surely, this is rare, but even if it happens, the Lord cannot forget his children. Zion gets the reassurance that the Lord cannot forsake her in her troubles. That is the same assurance that I give you today. The Lord cannot forsake you in your troubles. When you are being maimed, slandered, and punished by others who desire your downfall, the word of the Lord reminds us that if those people do not change of their ways, the Lord God will make them to eat their own flesh (Isaiah 49:26). If so, why worry? The Lord is there to fight for you.

The Lord will not only fight for you; he will also provide for you. In the Gospel, Jesus crowns it all with this idea of provision. Here, the personality of God is compared to a Father who works and tries very hard to provide the needs of his children. We are bothered so much about what to eat, drink, and wear to the extent that we tend to forget the kingdom of heaven. Inferior creatures that do not have much to eat or drink or wear still survive and are sustained by God. What more of humans who are the image of God? Jesus makes us to understand that worries and anxieties can lead us to materialism and a neglect of God. Too much worry leads to a service of two masters. You want to serve God but you are so worried about that your business or academics that even when you come to the church, you keep thinking about them and distracting yourself with them.

Why anxious about your life? Remember, if God has given you life and thereupon gives you the body to help sustain life, you must trust him that He will provide everything necessary to support life. God owns our lives and provides for us. Worrying is baseless anyway since we cannot even add anything to our span here on earth.

Is there any problem greater than Jesus? Worry is essentially a distrust of God. Such distrust should not be tolerated in the life of a Christian who does not believe in a capricious and unpredictable god. A Christian has learnt to call God by the name Father; and this means we are his children and he is filled with love for us. Jesus advances two ways that serve as antidotes to worry. The first is to seek first the kingdom of God.  To concentrate on the doing of God’s will is the way to defeat worry. Imagine how you feel when you find love in your neighbour, and this love drives out all other bad experiences. You are joyful. So, Jesus teaches that worry can be banished when God becomes the dominating power of our lives. Thus, the sole cure for worry is joy in the Lord. St. Paul in his Letter to the Philippians insisted that we must rejoice. Never be anxious over anything, but let your request be made to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:4.6).

The second is to learn to live one day at a time. If each day is lived as it comes, if each task is done as it appears, then the sum of all the days is bound to be good. Jesus advices us to handle the demands of each as it comes, without worrying about the unknown future, and things which may never happen. We should not worry even when people ridicule us for righteousness sake. The life of Paul in the Second Reading (2 Cor. 4:1-5) gives us a clue. Paul was not worried about what people say or think of him. He placed his whole trust in God. Actually, when you do not allow your circumstance to make you worry, you become better. When you pray to God to reduce or annihilate any harsh circumstance, the circumstance may not after all be better, but you are sure to be better.

One way of solving worry is sharing. Sharing our worries with one another makes us realize that we are not alone. It makes us think of what the other person suffers and carries which may weigh heavier that yours. But worrying about the future is blind since no one sees the future. Another is to believe that they have not come to be permanent. A circumstance can make one absolutely serene and another worried to death. This implies that both worry and serenity come not from the circumstance but from the heart. Another is to smile at your challenges. Where others see a stumbling block, you see a stepping stone. Where others see a wall, you see a war to combat. Where others see obstacle, you tackle. Where others see themselves as victims of circumstances, you see yourself as a future victor. Where people see sorrow, you see glory. Where people lament over discouraging situation, you are thankful over the opportunity to become a hero. I wish you a worry-free week ahead. Happy Sunday and God bless you.

A dash of Ash to avoid a Crash

 Short reflection for Ash Wednesday Year A.
Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi.

As a little boy, we longed so innocently for ash Wednesday. It was a feast, we believed that singled us out as   Catholics because of the dash of ash imprinted on our fore head. We would cry and even fight if someone mistakenly or playfully rubbed off the ash imprinted in a cross form upon our foreheads. That ash meant a lot for us and still means a lot for me.

Concerning this ash Wednesday we must try to go beyound the imprint to embrace it's significance: Fasting and Abstinence (especially from sin), Prayer  and Armsgiving . The Readings remind us of our identity in Christ. The First calls on us to be quick to approach the divine throne of mercy with the conviction that our Lord is ready to have us back. The Second calls us ambassadors of Christ; that means, we are official  representatives and ministers of Christ. The Gospel reminds us how to practice this Christian life of service in such a way that we are neither self-righteous nor ostentatious.

Concerning this Lenten season, please Take lots of BEER (a friend sent this to me and I have decided to incorporate it in my reflection).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The parish priest of St.Patrick's Church in Bangalore in india gave very simple advise on what to do during 40 days of lent. He said we should consume lots of BEER.

This means:
B-Bible - Read your Bible.This is God's given time to be spiritually enriched with the word of God
E-Empathy-Feel empathy for the poor and neglected and do something about it
E-Eucharist-Go for mass frequently besides Sunday's.If possible everyday
R-Reconciliation-This is the best time to reconcile with those we have hurt,not talking,seek forgiveness, and restore our relationship with God and one another.

Take BEER please. With this we are sure not to crash with our dash of ash. I wish us a blessed Lenten season. God bless you.