Communicating the Gravity of Sin

Saturday 29th January 2022. Read 2 Sam. 12:1-7,10-17, Ps. 51:12-17, Mark 4:35-41 

“Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, ‘As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man.’” (2 Samuel 12:5-7)

You can imagine a scene of David consoling Bathsheba over the death of her husband not knowing that David was directly responsible for his death. As the prophet Jeremiah says: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” but in the next verse, he writes: “I the Lord search the mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). We may succeed in deceiving people for a while but we can never deceive God.

God was so displeased with what David did that He sent Nathan to him. Consider how David flared up with anger when Nathan narrated the story of a rich man who left his herds of animals but decided to entertain his guest with the only lamb that his poor neighbor had. David exclaimed: “The man who has done this deserves to die and he shall restore what he took fourfold because he had no pity.” It is easy to notice the faults of others but not so easy for us to examine our own conscience.

Jesus asks: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but you do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3-4). David was about to execute the wicked-heartless rich man in Nathan’s story until Nathan told him clearly: “David, you are the man.”

Each time you become enraged at the offenses of others or partake in jungle justice, ask yourself: “Am I also guilty? If I was in this person’s shoes, would I have acted differently? What does this experience teach me?” This was the very point Jesus made to the crowd who brought a woman caught in adultery, “let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” In other words, before your judge, examine your conscience.

David assumed that people will think it was a mere coincidence that Uriah died in battle and he just happened to marry his wife out of pity. In David, we learn that it is better to do what is right than to be content with what people will think. Secondly, we must avoid double standards in our judgment of moral acts. If it is not okay for Mr. A. to get away with murder, it is not okay for anyone at all to get away with murder.

In today’s Gospel passage, the disciples of Jesus are surprised that Jesus could afford to sleep in a boat while they were so shaken with fear for their lives. They still didn’t know who Jesus was. They assumed he was just a mere mortal like one of them. Like these disciples, we may be following Jesus but we don’t know Jesus. 

We may be attending Church services but so long as we continue living in sin, our actions betray our knowledge of Jesus. St. Paul would say: “Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16) 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, make me realize the gravity of my sinfulness and deepen my trust in you. Amen. 

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of week 3 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2 Sam. 12:1-7,10-17, Ps. 51:12-17, Mark 4:35-41).

Lessons from the fall of David

Friday 28th January 2022. Read 2 Sam. 11:1-4,5-10,13-17, Ps. 51:3-7,10-11, Mark 4:26-34

“And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, ‘I am with child’…In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter, he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him that he may be struck down, and die.’” (2 Samuel 11:5,14-15)

In our Gospel passage today, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a seed that a man scatters on the ground. While he goes to sleep, he does not how the seeds grow but he notices a gradual development, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain, and finally the harvest. The spiritual life is pretty much the same. The little seeds are actions that grow into habits; they can either destroy us or lift us up.

In our first reading, we encounter an idle king taking a walk along the roof of his palace. From idleness to lust, from lust to adultery, from adultery to murder. Sin progresses! Almost all the sins we commit can be traceable from one little temptation to another such as for instance, in the case of David, idleness (or boredom). As the saying goes; an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

Perhaps if David had gone to the battleground himself as he would normally do, there would have been no occasion for this evil act. Rest is good. It is very important to rest and relax after working but while we seek out ways to rest our tired bodies, we must be on guard against temptations of the flesh.

David was taking a walk on the roof of his palace when he caught sight of a woman bathing. Unlike the three corrupt judges who hid in a garden just to watch Susanna taking her bath, David did not deliberately seek out this sight but instead of taking his gaze away immediately, he allowed himself to be tempted all the more. Jesus warned us: “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:28-29)

We live in a world where you do not have to climb any roof to see naked women. We live in a world where pornographic sites and apps are available at the click of a button. Be warned; merely looking at the nakedness of others is in itself a sin. Pornography is not harmless entertainment. As far back as the book of Genesis, we saw how Ham was cursed for looking at the nakedness of his father Noah. (Genesis 9:22-25). In Leviticus 18, Moses wrote several instructions regarding looking at the nakedness of others. In fact, in Leviticus 20:17 and following, Moses made it clear that it is a sin to look at the nakedness of one’s own brother or sister not to mention one’s parents, uncles, aunties, or other family members.

For refusing to fight the first temptation, idleness, David found himself with another temptation, pornography, and another temptation, lust for a married woman. He soon sent for her and had carnal knowledge of her. Given the power-differential between David and Bathsheba, it will not be out of place to say David forced her. If we don’t fight the small temptations, we soon find ourselves falling into big sins.

All his attempts to lure Uriah to go into his wife failed. Not even drunkenness could make him relax knowing that his colleagues were at the battleground. David made another grievous mistake, he gave Uriah an indirect death sentence. Isn’t it better to do what is right than to try to cover your tracks later on? Jesus told us that we are lights; there is nothing hidden that would not be revealed later on. (Mark 4:21-22). In all of these, David thought he was smart; little did he know that by his very actions, he had lost every iota of moral credibility and his secret deeds were known. 

Keep your mind engaged and your thoughts clean always. Avoid pornography; do not seek out the nakedness of others and even if they are not properly dressed, do not look lustfully. Run. Run from sexual sin! Run from adultery. Run from fornication. “Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” (1 Corinthians 6:18-19). Above all, don’t be deceived, nothing is secret in this life. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I continue to reflect your light and not be carried away by evil. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor. Bible Study: 2 Sam. 11:1-4,5-10,13-17, Ps. 51:3-7,10-11, Mark 4:26-34).

You Cannot Hide: Just Let Your Light Shine

Thursday 27th January 2022. Read 2 Sam. 7:18-19,24-29, Ps. 132:1-5,11-14, Mark 4:21-25

“And he said to them: Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.” (Mark 4:21-22)

David wanted to build a befitting Temple for God. He had all the resources to do so. Nathan delivered to him a message from God saying: “You are not the one to build me a house.” David did not protest, he did not go out stubbornly to begin the construction work. He simply went down on his knees and prayed to God. It takes great humility, first to recognize God’s voice in His prophets and to obey such.

In 1st Samuel 13, Saul
waited seven days for Samuel to come to Gilgal to offer the sacrifice but Samuel was still on his way. Saul noticed that some of his soldiers were leaving gradually and in annoyance, Saul, feeling that he could take the place of Samuel went ahead to offer the burnt offerings. The moment he finished doing this, Samuel showed up. This was the beginning of Saul’s woes.

If you were in David’s shoes, would you obey the words of Nathan? How much value do we place on instructions we receive from God’s ministers? How do we react to the teachings of the church that are contrary to our personal opinions such as abortion, invitro-fertilization, euthanasia, and so on?

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says: “Is a lamp put under a bushel or under a bed? For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest, nothing secret except to come to light.” Just as light can never be hidden, Jesus wants us to know that we can never hide. There is nothing we do secretly that would not eventually come to the light, there is nothing hidden that would not be known. It is only a matter of time. It is better to do what is right than to try to cover your tracks later on.

Jesus says: “to whom much is given will much be expected.” God expects more from us than the rest of the world. God expects us to shine like bright stars in a world so full of darkness. God wants you to make a difference. He wants you to lead the way, to show good examples, to inspire even those who have sold their souls to the devil. 

In Romans 12:2, St. Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world. James warns us: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:4). St. John adds: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, create in me a pure heart; let my life reflect your light. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of week 3 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2 Sam. 7:18-19,24-29, Ps. 132:1-5,11-14, Mark 4:21-25).

Timidity is not A Virtue

Wednesday 26th January 2022. Read 2 Timothy 1:1-8, Ps. 96:1-3,7-8,10, Mark 4:1-20

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you. Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:5-7)

Every great leader is a mentor. As the saying goes, success without a successor is a failure. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus recognized the fact that he alone as a person cannot do all the preaching and he decided to appoint for himself seventy-two others whom he tutored and sent out ahead of him in pairs to preach.

From Paul’s letter to Timothy, one great lesson we learn is that timidity is not a virtue. Paul advises Timothy today that God did not and will never give anyone a spirit of timidity, rather a Spirit of Power and Love and Self-Control.

Hence there is no room for being ashamed of testifying for the Lord. Even though this faith entails suffering, we should not be afraid of identifying with it. We are lights and light cannot be put under a bed.

If we don’t believe in ourselves, how do we convince the world that we are lights? Why are we constantly trying to blend in to the world and its standards? We should only be timid when it comes to evil not when it comes to letting our light shine. A minimal Christian is as good as a non-Christian.

Being timid is trying to hide the gifts and talents that God has deposited in you. It is a form of spiritual coldness or slothfulness. It is keeping quiet when you should raise your voice for God out of fear of what people would do to you.

As St. Paul advises Timothy, the cure for spiritual timidity is REKINDLING THE GIFT OF GOD or as some translations put it, FANNING INTO FLAMES GIFT OF GOD that is within you. Yes, a person’s anointing can grow cold, it can literally expire! Like one’s muscles, the less they are exercised, the weaker a person becomes. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, renew my anointing every day. Amen

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops. Bible Study: 2 Timothy 1:1-8, Ps. 96:1-3,7-8,10, Mark 4:1-20).

The Second Chance.

Tuesday 25th January 2022. Read Acts 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18

“As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’” (Acts 22:6-8)

Today we celebrate the fact that God looked around all the men living in the world and decided to give a second chance to the very man who was all out to destroy Christianity. The same man who went about from house to house dragging Christians to jail, the same man who supervised the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, the same man whose zeal for the destruction of Christians would put him on a missionary journey with letter of permission.

When Saul fell to the ground, he heard the voice of Christ saying: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Let us always remember that when we face persecution for the sake of our faith, Jesus Christ himself shares in our pain. We do not even need to cry because Jesus himself feels our sorrow. Jesus said, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!” (Matthew 10:25).

On the other hand, just as Jesus feels our pain when we are persecuted, he also feels it when we disappoint him by sin. As we celebrate the conversion of St. Paul today, we are called to look inwards and repent of our sins for there is “more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7). We serve a God of second chances. Come back to Him and He will give you another chance today.

You would never know what you are capable of doing until you give Jesus a chance in your life. You may be thinking now that you are nothing; if only you repent and make Jesus your Lord and Master, you would be shocked at what Jesus would do through you. Jesus told us in today’s Gospel passage, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18).

When St. Paul converted and became a great evangelizer, God worked many signs and wonders through him. In Acts 13:11, Paul made Elymas, the magician blind for opposing the Gospel message. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed the Gospel and became a convert. In Acts 14:10, Paul prayed and a man who had been a cripple from birth received healing. In Acts 16:18, Paul cast out a demon from a girl who was possessed. In Acts 19:11-12, Paul worked so many miracles that people were taking handkerchiefs from him and carrying them to the sick. Diseases and evil spirits left those who touched the handkerchiefs.

In Acts 20:10-12, Paul laid over a boy Eutychus who had died and prayed for him until the boy was miraculously brought back to life again. Eutychus was sitting in the window and fell into a deep sleep while Paul was preaching and he fell from the window of a three-story building. In Acts 28:5, a poisonous viper clung to the hands of Paul while he was gathering sticks to make a fire on the island of Malta. The natives thought Paul would die but Paul shook the snake into the fire and nothing happened to him. In Acts 28:8, Paul laid his hands over the father of Publius and his fever and dysentery vanished.

Dear friend, come back to God today. He will not only give you another chance, He would make you His shining star. There is just no limit to what God can accomplish through you.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give me the grace of total repentance today. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle – Feast. Bible Study: Acts 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18).

Lessons from David’s Rise to the Throne.

Monday 24th January 2022. Read 2 Sam. 5:1-7,10, Ps. 89:20-22,25-26, Mark 3:22-30

“So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” (2 Samuel 5:3-4)

Finally, David becomes King of Israel. David’s rise to the throne is a story of determination, hard work, and righteousness. Yes, as a little boy, David was anointed by Samuel but it wasn’t until he was thirty that he became substantive King of Isreal. David did not go to sleep hoping that with the anointing he received, everything would just magically fall into place.

Anointing without sweat only amounts to failure. As the saying goes: “Pray as if everything depends on God but Work as if everything depends on you.” God blesses the labor of our hands, He does not provide food straight from the sky. Like a horse led to the river, God does not force us to drink. There is nothing wrong with spending long hours in prayer but something is wrong if we do nothing afterward.

Another
lesson we get from David’s ascension to the throne is PATIENCE. Honestly, this is one virtue that is lacking in today’s Christians. We live in a world of fast food, fast internet, fast transport, and fast everything. We want everything to happen immediately. We believe that if things are not happening according to our own set pace, then our enemies are responsible, that God is asleep, or that our prayers are not working.

God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes God grants our prayers immediately, sometimes, God takes us through a process to teach us some lessons while working out the answers to our prayers. Whatever be the case, we must continue to trust God and walk as children of the light. Keep doing what is right, who knows, your current situation might just be a test.

Before you begin to feel that your enemies are in control of your life, why not take out time to count your blessings and acknowledge what God is doing? Why do we fear demons more than we fear God? In today’s Gospel passage, the scribes falsely accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul. These scribes, despite being religious leaders believed more in the power of demons than in the power of God. What a shame!

It can be very painful when you are doing something good only to hear people speaking calumny against you for your good deed. Jesus experienced this pain. He asked them a question: “Can Satan cast out Satan?” If satan begins to fight himself, then he is finished. Satan may be strong but the truth is that God is stronger. Stop ascribing everything to the power of Satan, remember that God is still in charge of your life.

Finally, as one great Saint said: “if you have nothing good to say about someone, then please keep quiet.” Why do we derive pleasure in running others down while presenting ourselves as perfect, complete, holy, and wonderful? Bear in mind that people carry stories about others out of sheer jealousy. Do not be a rumor-monger. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I trust in you, I know that you are the Almighty Power, free me from the fear of the devil. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor. Bible Study: 2 Sam.  5:1-7,10, Ps. 89:20-22,25-26, Mark 3:22-30).

The Word of God and the Living Conditions of the People

Sunday 23rd January 2022. Read Nehemiah 8:2-6,8-10, Ps. 19:8-10,15, 1 Cor. 12:12-30, Luke 1:1-4,4:14-21

“Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3)

Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the first mystery of light (the Baptism of Jesus), last Sunday we celebrated the second mystery (the self-revelation at the Wedding Feast at Cana). Today, we are celebrating the third mystery of light – Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the call to conversion. In each of these mysteries, we are being enlightened; we are given more light into Jesus’ true identity as God in the midst of men.

Jesus has officially begun His public ministry; thousands were already benefitting from Him. Jesus’ fame was spreading; he was “glorified” by all. He went to the synagogue on a Sabbath day and stumbled upon the passage from the Prophet Isaiah which was about him. How do we get the most out of God’s word? Does the word of God address the problems affecting society such as poverty, captivity, oppression, blindness, and evil? These are some of the lessons we shall learn today. 

1. The need for Proper Attention to God’s Word.

According to St. Augustine: “We should hear the Gospel as if Our Lord were present and speaking to us.” This was the attitude of the Israelites as listened to the reading of the word of God by the priest Ezra. The people gave their full attention to God’s Word. From “early morning till midday” (a span of about 6 hours), no one seemed to have some important place to go. Even in our Gospel passage, Luke tells us that “the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Jesus.” This is the kind of attention that God’s word deserves if we must benefit from its rich treasure.

Paying attention to God’s word entails treating the word of God with utmost reverence. This is the symbolic meaning of the elevated platform on which Ezra stood to read. The elevation of Ezra teaches us that God’s word is higher than any of us, higher than any other word. Respect the Bible, it is the word of God. 

2. Moved to Tears; Our Response to God’s Word.

The Israelites had just returned from exile, the city and the Temple were undergoing reconstruction. As Ezra read, the people came to the realization that it was as a result of their sins that the exile happened and that God had earlier warned them but they refused to listen. This brought them to tears. The word of God when properly read should move us to tears not because it contains sorrowful news (God’s word is Good News) but because it tells us where we ought to be and how far we have deviated from the goodness, joy, and peace that God had planned for us.

The word of God has a way of disturbing us and unsettling our minds. The word of God is more than a mere motivational or feel-good package. No wonder the letter to the Hebrews tells us that: “it is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing the division of soul and spirit… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). This is why there are times we hear God’s word and it hits us hard; we begin to feel as if the priest knew exactly what we were passing through at that point in time. 

3. The word of God and the Socio-Economic/Political Situation of Man.

Reading through our second reading today, we see that St. Paul addresses a social problem that was affecting the society at that time; a problem that continues to tear humans apart – the problem of social inequality and failure to respect the rights of others – the problem of seeing certain persons as “useless” or “disposable” simply because of their material wealth, spiritual giftedness or physical descent. St. Paul teaches us that just as the hand cannot claim superiority to the eye, we cannot assume we are better or more important than anyone else.

St. Paul moves further to say: “if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” We can apply this to our country Nigeria. As long as there is one person suffering injustice, pain, oppression or deprived of his or her human rights, we are all suffering. Indifference to the plights of others is a terrible disease. He who fails to put out the fire in his neighbor’s house will soon watch that same fire consume his own house.

God’s word encourage virtues such as sacrifice, courage, leadership, truthfulness, justice, etc. which are totally lacking in our society today. In whatever field or capacity we find ourselves, we must allow God’s word to influence our decisions and everyday choices.

4. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

After reading from the book of Isaiah, Jesus gave a one-sentence homily: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” This means that the presence of Jesus in our midst is the solution to our troubles. As long we allow Jesus to reign in our hearts and minds, poverty, captivity, blindness, oppression will have no place in our lives. How do we allow Jesus to reign in our lives? By loving our fellow brothers and sisters as Jesus loved us.

Come to think of it, if all of mankind were to love one another as Jesus loved us, will anyone still be poor? If we all were to live by the Golden rule of doing to others only what we want to be done to us, will anyone be oppressed, held captive, or blind?

Conclusion: The challenge is up to you. Don’t just complain about the situation of things; you too can do something. Practice what you read from the Bible every day, allow Jesus to reign in your heart, only do what Jesus would have done if He were in your shoes right now.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, deepen my love for your word and grant that I may always practice what I read daily. Use me as your instrument to bring an end to poverty, pain, injustice, captivity, and oppression in our society. Amen 

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday of the Word of God), Bible Study: Nehemiah 8:2-6,8-10, Ps. 19:8-10,15, 1 Cor. 12:12-30, Luke 1:1-4,4:14-21).                                  

Trust in God And Wish No One Evil.

Saturday 22nd January 2022. Read 2 Sam. 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27, Ps. 80:2-3,5-7, Mark 3:20-21

“The crowd came together again so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, ‘He is beside himself.’” (Mark 3:20-21)

Somehow, our readings this week have shed light on the virtue of trust. At the Wedding Feast at Cana, Jesus worked his first miracle on the insistence of Mary who trusted deeply in His ability to save the couple from disgrace. Even the servants who filled those jars with water obeyed Jesus’ instruction on trust.

We saw the virtue of trust playing out in the story of Samuel, Saul, and David. Saul did not obey God’s instruction because of his lack of trust. Samuel trusted God for his protection and went ahead to anoint David a king even when Saul was still alive. David trusted God by refusing to kill Saul when he had the opportunity.

Today, the sad news of Saul’s death is brought to David and when everyone expected that David would rejoice over the death of an enemy, David went into mourning and lamentation. David’s attitude to Saul becomes for us a template on how best to treat our enemies.

No matter how bad people are to us, we should never wish them evil or rejoice over their downfall. In David, we see a passion for the redemption of Saul. This is the same type of passion we see in Jesus Christ. A passion for sinners and for their salvation to the extent that he had no time even to eat. 

What is your attitude to your enemies? Do you have a passion for their repentance and salvation? Or do you simply wish they would die and leave you in peace? Honestly, the reason why we wish evil for our enemies is that we do not trust God enough. When we sincerely trust God, we would have no reason to fear what man can do to us. When we trust God enough, we would have no reason to wish for the death of our enemies because we know that no matter how they may threaten us, they are not stronger than God.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to trust more and live entirely for you. From this day, I promise to pray and wish well for my enemies. I repent of all negativity, hatred, and bad feelings towards them as a result of my fear. Teach me to trust you completely. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of week 2 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2 Sam. 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27, Ps. 80:2-3,5-7, Mark 3:20-21).

Learn How to Treat Your Enemies

Friday 21st January 2022. Read 1 Sam. 24:3-21, Ps. 57:2-4,6,11, Mark 3:13-19

“Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. … For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” (1 Samuel 24:16-20)

With three thousand men, Saul went in search of David. Saul wanted David dead by all means. When Saul was faced with Goliath, he did not go with three thousand men. He hid in the palace shaking with fear. By the power of God, David faced Goliath and God gave him victory.

Saul, being a man who sought the praise of people could not bear it seeing that the women of Israel were singing the praises of David. Saul developed a hatred for David as a result of his inferiority complex. He just couldn’t stand it seeing that the boy David was now in the limelight. Allow others to shine or you might end up like Saul.

Saul failed to realize that by fighting David, he was trying to fight God who was the secret of David’s success. When Samuel told Saul that for his disobedience, he had been rejected by God, Saul thought that Samuel was joking. It is possible to be anointed and powerless. This is why we must be careful to avoid sin in our lives. The fact that you are anointed should never lead you to pride; anointing can fail.

Despite his three thousand armed men, God put Saul in David’s hand. Saul was pressed and wanted to relieve himself. He went into a cave, the same cave that David and his men were hiding. David saw the opportunity to strike Saul but restrained himself. David would not even allow his men to attack Saul: “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.”

This action of David provides for us a model and a template of how to treat your enemies. Perhaps by putting Saul into David’s hands, God was also putting David to the test to see his reaction. If you treat your enemies the same way they treat you, what makes you different from them? Jesus asked us: “If you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:47)

Be kind to your enemies not because they deserve it but because you are better than them. Be like David, if you ever get the opportunity to strike back, return with a good deed instead. As the book of Proverbs tell us: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22). The term “coals of fire” as used here refer to a burning conscience, the type that Saul felt when he realized that David had just spared his life. Saul found himself blessing David. With his own mouth, Saul declared that David would be King.

If you return hate for hate, you are still old wine in an old wineskin. Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39) What Jesus is saying here is that if you ever find yourself in a position of dealing with your enemies, show them love instead. Opportunities for revenge will surely come. Break the cycle of negativity with kindness. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, deepen my trust in you, and may my trust become visible by my life of holiness. As you called the disciples in today’s Gospel passage, call me every day to be with you and work your wonders through me. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Agnes, Virgin, Martyr. Bible Study: 1 Sam. 24:3-21, Ps. 57:2-4,6,11, Mark 3:13-19).

He who has God has Everything

Thursday 20th January 2022. Read Phil. 2:1-11, Isaiah 12, Matthew 13:44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)

When Tansi expressed his desire to become a priest, his uncle arranged for a very beautiful lady to visit him with the hope that she would make him think twice about becoming a priest. But despite several attempts, his uncle realized that Tansi only talks to two women; his own mother and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At a time when his family was looking up to Tansi to provide financial support for them, at a time when his own mother’s health was frail and needed someone to cater for her, Tansi decided in 1925 to enter St. Paul’s Seminary in Igbariam. He never looked back. Tansi was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Onitsha on the 19th of December, 1937. For a time Tansi worked tirelessly in the parishes of Nnewi, Dunukofia, Akpu/Ajali before discerning vocation to be a Cistercian monk at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, Leicester, England. He lived this vocation at the abbey for 14 years.

Father Tansi used to say, “If you are going to be a Christian at all, you might as well live entirely for God” in other words: “it is better not to be a Christian at all than to be an average Christian.” During his beatification on 22 March, 1998 by Saint Pope John Paul said of Father Tansi: He was, first of all, a man of God: his long hours before the Blessed Sacrament filled his heart with generous and courageous love…He was then a man of the people: he always put others before himself and was especially attentive to the pastoral needs of families. 

The words of Pope John Paul II regarding Blessed Tansi are resonated in our first reading today. “Do nothing from selfishness… count others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4). 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I surrender everything to you. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, Priest – Feast. Bible Study: Phil. 2:1-11, Isaiah 12 Matthew 13:44-46).

What to do in Moments of Danger

Wednesday 19th January 2022. Read 1 Sam. 17:32-33,37,40-51 Ps.144:1-2,9-10 Mark 3:1-6 

“And the Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.’ Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” (1 Samuel 17:42-45)

People were scared of Goliath, even the whole armies of Israel felt downcast, discouraged and weak. David walked into the scene and guess what he asked: “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel?” (1 Samuel 17:26).

David who had just been anointed by Samuel had a positive attitude to danger. While others imagined the worst, David saw an opportunity to thrive. Even our worst experiences come with certain gifts or at least life lessons. I am convinced that God allowed Goliath to threaten Israel just to give David a chance to rise to glory. God will never let you pass through fire unless He wants to use it for your good.

When your back is against the wall and you start asking: “God where are you?” the correct question you should be asking is: “God, what is the gift you have wrapped for me within this situation?” A positive attitude changes everything, a positive attitude is a sign of faith, an indicator of anointing.

David’s courage was fuelled by a memory of how God granted him victory over the lions and wild animals who tried to attack his father’s flock. And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37). David was not an ungrateful person. He remembered that experience because He gave thanks.

If we don’t give thanks to God adequately, we forget what He has done in the past, and in the face of danger, we find ourselves panicking unnecessarily. To panic is to assume God cannot help you. To panic is to have little faith as Jesus said disappointedly to the disciples when they were beaten by waves at sea. (Matthew 8:26). The moment of danger is not a time to panic, it is a time to remember what God has done for you in the past. The Moment of Danger is a time to sing praises to God not a time for tears.

David refused to wear Saul’s armor not just because he couldn’t move but because deep down within him, he knew that his protection does not depend on the helmet of bronze, the coat of mail, and the sword. Upon approaching Goliath, David said: “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head.” (1 Samuel 17:45-46). David had full confidence in God. He did not approach Goliath trusting in his stones or catapult, he approached Goliath in the name of God.

When next you are faced with adversity, take it as a challenge to deepen your spiritual life, awaken your faith, become more grateful, count your blessings, appreciate God for what He has done in the past, and to increase your faith in Him. Do not run from pillar to post or from church to church, do not go from one prayer house to another. 

Be careful of those who ascribe extraordinary powers to witches and wizards. This is a trick often employed by persons who seek to take advantage of you; first, they make you believe you are under the power of witches (trust me, you are not under their power), then they use your fear against you; they end up worsening your situation. Adversity can come to anyone. God alone can deliver you, not any so-called man or woman of God. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, make me like David today. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Sam. 17:32-33,37,40-51 Ps.144:1-2,9-10 Mark 3:1-6).

Man Looks at Appearance, God Looks at the Heart.

Tuesday 18th January 2022. Read 1 Sam. 16:1-13, Ps. 89:20-22,27-28 Mark 2:23-28

“Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The LORD has not chosen these.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he comes here.’” (1 Samuel 16:10-11)

Saul who was granted the Kingship on a platter of gold did not live up to God’s expectations. Samuel tried to guide Saul but his efforts were in vain. In truth “power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

It was time to choose another king for Israel. God sent Samuel to the home of Jesse. One by one Jesse lined up his sons before Samuel, all of them good-looking, tall, and handsome just like Saul but this time around, God was interested in the content of their hearts. David, being the youngest of his Father’s Son was not even at home. Like his brothers, David had beautiful eyes and was handsome but underneath his beautiful face was a beautiful heart. God choose David and Samuel anointed him.

What lesson do we learn from this story? I am most to be pitied if all I have is physical beauty. They say “looking good is good business.” Our world today is obsessed with beauty, it is a multi-billion-dollar industry. We make efforts to look good but we barely make efforts to make our hearts look good. We are so attractive but so destructive; we lack good character.

Am I attractive to God? Am I more concerned about what people will say about me than what God will say about me? Am I like Saul seeking the praise and admiration of others rather than the glory of God?

Jesus and his disciples were hungry and as they passed through the cornfields, they plucked and ate the grains. Most of us in a similar situation would have been more concerned about what people would say but Jesus was not bothered. He was not trying to impress anyone. Do what is right, stop trying to impress people, stop trying to look good before people. Begin to impress God. Be good whether in secret or in public.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may my worship of you come from my heart. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Sam. 16:1-13, Ps. 89:20-22,27-28 Mark 2:23-28).