"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

The Contrasting Identities We have been ushered into the 24th Sunday with readings from Isaiah (50:5-9), James (2:14-18) and Mark (8: 27-35) while the Psalmist affirms his position such that amidst the uncertainties of life he will "walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. 116: 9) The first reading opens with a beautiful declaration: "The Lord has opened my ear" (v. 5a). This declaration with the mention of the ear seem to carry the theme of last Sunday's reading with the whole issue about the 'ephphata' wherein we concluded that listening to God's Word is important. Today's first reading informs us about the challenges in resolving to listen only to God's Word and give it precedence.  This Sunday we have the second part of Isaiah which runs from chapters 40 to 55. Singularly, we have an excerpt from the 3rd Servant song in perspective. This servant suffers humiliation at his resolve to listen to God's voice as he ...

"Ephphatha" ('Eφφαθα) This Sunday we have yet another set of beautiful readings properly chosen to help our meditation. I believe that the readings are turning our attention toward the issue of the EAR and the TONGUE . This will be our focus as they are fundamental to Isaiah in the first reading (35: 4-7a), and Mark in the Gospel (7:31-37).  Now, we have to be aware that we are reading from the first part of Isaiah, properly towards the end of the first part of Isaiah. Here, the author tells us about the promise of salvation of Israel. The message of the promise of salvation includes four (4) groups of people — the blind, the DEAF, the lame and the MUTE/DUMB . In Isaiah, we are told that the salvation will also include the opening of rhe the ears of the deaf (v. 5b) and that the tongue of the mute will sing for joy (v. 6b).  This passage from Isaiah, I propose, has to be read with the whole issue of the Emmanuel, the issue of the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem after...

A PERSONAL PROFESSION OF FAITH BEGETS RENEWED ENCOUNTER 1st Reading               Acts 4:32-35 Psalm                          Psalm 118:2-4,15-18,22-24 2nd Reading              1 John 5:1-6 Gospel                        John 20:19-31 Beloved, Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! Today is the Second Sunday of Easter and it is dubbed “Divine Mercy Sunday”, a day on which we recount the merciful love of God and proclaim, further with the Psalmist, that “the Lord's mercy endures forever” (cf. Ps. 118: 1, Responsorial Psalm).  The readings of this Sunday have been carefully  chosen with special regard for the season of Easter in which we are, and seconded by the acknowledgement of the Divine Mercy which gives ‘peace amidst fear’. Jesus' Heart is our home, our rest, the centre of reversal and rep...

HOLY THURSDAY  1st Reading    Exodus 12:1-8,11-14 Psalm               Psalm 116:12-13,15-18 2nd Reading   1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Gospel              John 13:1-15 Beloved, we have been ushered into the crucial moments of the Holy Week, the Triduum. Holy Thursday commemorates two sacraments: ‘Holy Orders, thus, the institution of the ministerial priesthood’ and the ‘institution of the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist’. These two sacraments go hand in hand. Jesus instituted ‘the worker and the work’. The readings of this evening are eucharistic. The first reading speaks of the ‘Passover’ event in Egypt. Paul, in the Second reading, recounts Jesus' words at the Last Supper as handed over to him by the Lord. John's Gospel informs us about the washing of the feet of the apostles and Jesus ‘being at table’ (cf. Jn. 13:12).  Just like how John's Gospel emphasizes signs having deeper theological m...

  “God of Mercy and Compassion, look with pity upon me” By: Edmund Elorm Ackuaku Every great event is marked by a period of preparation. This preparation involves an anticipation and a disposition towards what we hope to celebrate. We are privileged to enter the season of Lent, a period of intense preparation in anticipation of the Mother of Sundays, Easter. Advent is to Christmas as Lent is to Easter, the greatest feast of the liturgical year. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday.  This year's Lenten observance is not different from other Lenten observances, yet we can differentiate it and make it unique if we dispose ourselves properly to it. Lent denotes a 40 days preparation. Scripturally, forty recounts the 40 years of wilderness wandering of the Israelites, and the many forty days and years stories in scriptures.  Lent as pointed out by St. John Cassian in the 5th Century is “the tithes of the year”. Here, we give to God those delightful but dangerous portions of life. Si...

In a few days, we shall be welcomed into a new season. Days ago, we celebrated the last Sunday in the Catholic Church's liturgical year; The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time, but usually not said this way). We are set to begin a new year based on the Church's liturgical year, from which we draw many lessons and indications, vital for spiritual, political, and socio-economic well-being. With Advent in 2020, we shall be ushered into YEAR B. Advent is the season in focus. From Adventus (ad-venio, to come to), Advent is a season of the Church's greatest expectation, for having laboured in “Babylon”, subjected to sin, torture and brutalities of God's opponent, the Church anticipates the birth of a Redeemer. Within this time, we unite with Israelites, who up to date, await the birth of the Messiah, the expected sign of freedom from oppression and foreign governance, based on Ancient Israel political atmosphere. Advent helps us...

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