CHRISTMAS: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: It will be Christmas if…

Readings: Is 52:7–10; Heb 1:1–6; Jn 1:1–18

Dear friends in Christ, I would like today’s homily to centre on a theme different from those we heard in the readings of the Mass. During the Christmas music concert (Cantata) we held in Prantantico, Arezzo, Italy, on December 15, 2023, one of the fourteen songs we performed struck a special chord in my heart. I want today’s reflection to focus on that particular song. Its theme is “Sarà Natale se…” (“It will be Christmas if…”). I do not know whether everyone who sang or heard this song was touched by it in the same way I was, but it spoke deeply to me.

The song begins by telling us that “we have a special task this Christmas.” What is this task? It says, “it is to remind the world that it is Christmas.” This means we have a pastoral duty to remind those we encounter—our family members, colleagues, friends, and even our online communities—that today is Christmas and that we are in the Christmas season. We cannot be indifferent to those around us. We must tell them the reason for this season, remind them that our Saviour has visited us anew, wish them a happy Christmas, and speak to someone about the joy of Christ’s birth. We are called to become announcers of Christ’s presence.

The song continues, “if we put wings on our hearts, we will be angels that bring love.” Dear friends, this means our Christmas greetings must not be dry or empty. They must carry love. They must impart love to those who receive them. We are to be heralds of the good news of love, announcing with joy and tenderness that our Saviour is here—just as the angels announced His birth to the shepherds on that holy night.

The song goes on: “It will be Christmas if you love; it will be Christmas if you donate, and if you call someone to come and stay with you. It will be Christmas if you live, if you laugh, and if you extend your hand to someone who suffers more. It will be Christmas if you seek, if you believe, and if you sing every day with friends.”

What do these beautiful lines teach us? They remind us that Christmas becomes true Christmas only when we love others, when we give generously, when we laugh with others, when we extend a helping hand to those who suffer, when we bring cheer to those around us, and when we put smiles on people’s faces. Without these actions, we are not truly celebrating Christmas. This challenges us deeply. It is possible to enjoy all the merriment of the season and still fail to celebrate Christmas. If our celebration lacks these acts of love, then we have not truly celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Finally, the song says that “our Christmas will be real Christmas if it does not last only an hour or a day, but becomes Christmas for an entire year.” This invites us to make every day of our lives a Christmas. We are called to smile, to laugh with others, to give, to help, to believe, and to welcome others—not only on Christmas Day, but every day. The song invites us to do good always. Let us therefore make every day a Christmas.

Peace be with you as you make today a true Christmas. Happy Christmas.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 CHRISTMAS: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: His name is Emmanuel – God is with us

Readings: 1st Is 52:7–10; 2nd Heb 1:1–6; Gosp. Jn 1:1–18

My dearest brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas. On that holy night when Christ was born, the heavens were filled with joy; the earth shone with the glory of God; the angels sang with gladness; the shepherds could not hide their amazement at the marvellous presence of God; the sheep kneeled in quiet welcome; and the stars danced and shone like never before. It was truly a night of grace.

We therefore have every reason to rejoice, for the Saviour has come to visit us again. His name is Emmanuel: God is with us. God has revealed to us what many prophets, kings, and wise men longed to see but did not.

From the moment Adam and Eve sinned and fell short of God’s glory and love, God began seeking a way to draw close to humanity again—to restore us to the dignity we had lost. In many ways He revealed Himself to the people of old and spoke to them, as the second reading reminds us today. Through various means, He prepared them for the coming of His Son.

Finally, in our own time—the appointed time—He has revealed Himself to us and spoken to us through His Son. The birth of Christ is the fullness of God’s revelation to humanity, the complete manifestation of His love and glory, and the shining of the light that dispels the darkness of sin and death.

With the birth of Christ, God has broken the reign of sin, dispelled the power of darkness, and restored us to His friendship. We have once again become His beloved children.

My dearest people, Christ now lives in our midst. In the birth of His Son, God took flesh and dwelt among us. This is the mystery of the Incarnation. He is no longer distant or unreachable. He has come down from heaven to be close to each one of us. He is living with you; He is living with me. His name is Emmanuel—God is with us.

If God is now close to us, it means He feels what we feel and knows our struggles as well. Therefore, let us not be afraid to call Him our brother and to invite Him into our lives.

However, in today’s Gospel, John tells us that He came to His own, and His own did not welcome Him. Let us reflect on this. Could it be that some among us still find it difficult to welcome Christ into their personal lives? Are there those who prefer to live according to their own designs rather than according to the teachings of Christ? Who are those in our midst who might be counted among “His own who did not receive Him”? We may not know for certain—it could be any one of us, but we do know the signs of rejecting Christ.

What is clear is this: we refuse to welcome Christ when we hate others, for Christ is the author of love. We reject Christ when we refuse to forgive, for Christ is the God of mercy. We reject Christ when we open ourselves to sin, for Christ is the master of holiness. We reject Christ when we fail to show kindness, for Christ is the prince of kindness. This Christmas offers all who have been rejecting Christ a beautiful opportunity to change their lives and welcome Him. He is the light and joy of the world.

The Gospel also tells us that to all who accepted Him, He gave power to become sons and daughters of God. Dearest brothers and sisters, Christ is knocking at the door of your hearts. His name is Emmanuel—God is with us. He desires to be with you. He desires to be with me. He desires to make us heirs of the Kingdom of God. Let us therefore open our hearts and our homes and welcome Him.

Happy Christmas to you and your family.  

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 CHRISTMAS: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH

(John 1:1-18)

In today's solemnity, we celebrate the taking flesh of that word delivered to Mary. Today, Mary is delivered of a Son. The Son of God that has become the son of Man. The child of God mixes up with the children of men to make them the children of God.

The message of angel of God has come to manifestation. The plan of God for man has come to fulfillment.  Heaven and earth rejoice to welcome the one who reconciles them. The angels that were placed at the garden of Eden to ensure that man never gets access to it now rejoice that man has been restored to peace with God by Christ the prince of peace.  Man has given flesh to God and opens his arms to embrace the spirit from God. Man has handed over damnation to accept salvation.  Man receives life and God destroys death forever.  Out of darkness, Christ the light of the world appears to lead man into life everlasting.

Alléluia! Christ is born in Bethlehem.

 

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

 

ACCEPT CHRIST:

The gospel highlights that those who accepted Christ receives and believed in him received the power of being called children of God. Christ coming into the world reminds us of our origin, of whom we are called to be: children of God.  In Christ God wants us take back our true image.  Let us welcome Christ the newborn king with joy. Let us open our arms to look into the eyes of this God that visits us as a baby. Let us go back into the garden where we played with God with childlikeness. Let us admire the love of God that comes to dwell among us. Remove from your heart and from your home anything that will stand as a hindrance for the new born King to enter and reign with tenderness and compassion.

 

Express Love

As we welcome Christ with love, let us express love to one another. Let us share the little we have. Let us care and offer a helping hand. Let us be filled with joy and spread true happiness. Let us bring Christ to the masses. That is Christmas.

 

Christ's Mass

Let us celebrate Mass in honour of Christ. Let us stop deceiving ourselves with the worldly celebrations in the name of Christmas that is outside the intention of God and the Church for this season. Christ is the reason for this season. Let's offer the Holy Eucharist with pure hearts in Thanksgiving to God for what He has done for us in Christ. Let's make Christ shine.

 

Drive Darkness away

Christ comes in as light in a dark world to driver away the darkness of the devil and of sin. Let us this period, be agents of light to drive away darkness in our world, in politics, in religion, in our cultures, in business, in the family and all our endeavours.

 

Time to glorify God

The gospel maintained: we saw his glory. Let the glory of God be seen in all we during this festive season. God wants to see us glorify him. Travel to glorify God, give to glorify God, play to glorify God, pray to glorify God, sing to glorify God, meet family and friends glorifying God. Shun any actions and inactions that will not give glory to God this season.

 

Be filled with grace and truth

And the word became flesh and lived among us we saw his glory full of grace and truth.

My dearest friends in the Lord. We have prepared ourselves by sacramental confession for this holy season.  Let us remain in the state of grace. Let us stand up for Christ.  Let us be true to our calling as children of God. Let us speak the truth that will bring justice and reconciliation in our families, in the Church and in our world. May we all be filled with the grace of God and enjoy the blessings of the nativity of Christ.

Blessings

May Christ the newborn king, reign in our lives. May he the light of the world deliver us from the danger of this dark world. May this celebration bring us joy, happiness, healing and divine favours in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Merry Christmas to you.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 4th Sunday of Advent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Emmanuel: God is always with us in times of threat and uncertainty

Readings: Is 7:10–14; Rm 1:1–7; Mt 1:18–24

Dear friends in Christ, we are gradually approaching the end of the season of Advent. The readings of this fourth week will shift our attention from the intense call to repentance and penance to the scene of the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem; they focus on the events surrounding the historic birth of our Messiah.

As we prepare ourselves for the joyful celebration of that historic birth which changed the course of our world, the Church does not lose sight of the challenges we face every day. Thus, on this fourth Sunday, the Church reminds us that the Messiah whose birth we are about to celebrate is always with us in all difficulties and confusions; that His name is Emmanuel—God with us—and that His mission is to save those who trust in Him from all that threatens their existence. This awareness of who our Emmanuel is becomes necessary because many people tend to forget the power of this Saviour whenever they are surrounded by problems. Many look elsewhere for solutions when they feel threatened, forgetting that our Saviour, Emmanuel, is capable of rescuing us from every trouble and directing us on the right path. The first reading and today’s Gospel offer clear lessons on relying on God in times of threat and confusion.

In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and of Syria were planning an attack against the King of Assyria, who had taken control of their territories. They asked Ahaz, the king of Judah—the Southern Kingdom of Israel—to join them, but he refused. In response, they threatened to invade Judah and overthrow Ahaz. While Ahaz was anxiously considering how to save his kingdom from the imminent attack, the prophet Isaiah approached him and urged him to trust in the power of God, whose Holy Temple was in Judah, assuring him that God would protect Judah from all enemies.

But King Ahaz could not trust God’s promise of protection. Instead, he preferred to form an alliance with the king of Assyria to defend himself against Israel and Syria. Confident in God’s protection, Isaiah told Ahaz to have faith and not ally himself with Assyria. In the midst of Ahaz’s doubt, Isaiah invited him to ask God for a sign—a sign that would convince him of God’s protection over Judah. But out of fear and stubbornness, Ahaz refused. He was determined to follow his own plans, seeking an alliance with Assyria and its pagan gods. Then Isaiah announced a sign from God: a virgin would conceive and bear a son, whose name would be Emmanuel—God with us—a sign meant to assure Judah that God was truly with them and would not abandon them to their enemies. Despite this, Ahaz went ahead with his alliance with Assyria, worshipped its pagan god, and even sacrificed his son.

Through this biblical story, the Church reminds us of the character and power of the One whose birth we are about to celebrate. His name is Emmanuel, the God who does not abandon His people in times of difficulty and threat. In our problems, sicknesses, disappointments, and pains, He is always with us to strengthen and rescue us, because His name is Emmanuel—God with us.

In today’s Gospel, we encounter Joseph, whose plan to settle into marriage with Mary was shaken by great confusion when he discovered that she was already pregnant. As Joseph pondered how to handle this difficult situation, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream and instructed him on what to do. Joseph trusted God and obeyed His directives.

When we place Ahaz and Joseph side by side, the contrast is striking. While Ahaz doubted God’s power and refused to obey Him in his difficult situation, Joseph trusted God amid his confusion and obeyed His instructions. While Ahaz sacrificed his son to a pagan god to secure an alliance, Joseph protected his wife and the Child—Emmanuel—from all human threats.

We are therefore called to have confidence in God, especially in the most difficult moments of our lives. The name of our God is Emmanuel—He will always be with us. Though we may face financial problems, job insecurity, family struggles, or health concerns, let us trust God like Joseph. Instead of relying on our own schemes, which often lead to greater problems—as happened to Ahaz—let us open ourselves to God’s will, trusting Him and following His directives. Let us be strengthened by speaking to God in fervent prayer and by listening to Him through the Scriptures.

Today, Matthew tells us that the ancient prophecy of Isaiah—of a God who would always be with us—was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Therefore, dear friends, we are about to celebrate the birth of a God who is both transcendent and immanent, a God who is high above us yet always with us, a God who will not abandon us in our needs, confusions, threats, or discomforts, because His name is Emmanuel—the God who is always with us.

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 4^TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: DREAMING OF CHRISTMAS

(Matthew 1:18-24)

The celebration of the Nativity of the Lord draws nearer and nearer. Today is the last Sunday before the great solemnity. We are called to reflect on the way the holy birth came about. Our special interest will centre on two personalities: Mary and Joseph the dreamer of the New Testament.

Our dreams of Christmas can never be thought of without these two persons. We think of Mary as the maiden through whom the Saviour will come to the world. We talk of Joseph on the other hand as the guardian and protector of Mary and Jesus.

As we prepare for our Christmas, as we paint the image of what we want our Christmas this year to look like can we through the aid of the Gospel today keep before us the dream of the first Christmas dreamer, what triggered it and the angelic instruction that the dream generated?

 

MARY FOUND TO BE WITH CHILD

The Gospel of today without telling how Mary got pregnant simply said that she was found to be with child outside the knowledge of the Man she was betrothed to. It throws every reader in suspense. As for Joseph who was the Man that initially experienced all these, he was plunged into a deep thought. He must have wondered who was responsible, he must have felt disappointed with Mary, he must have blamed himself for trusting so much.

In our day-to-day life we are faced with such moments of misunderstanding. When we do not understand anything around us, when we do not seem to comprehend why things happen the way they do to us and the people we care about.

At such moments, what do we do? Flame up or keep calm?

 

MARY WAS CALM

Let us place the silence of Mary before us for a while. Let's visualize the young innocent girl who asked some questions in the account of Luke now keeping quiet before Joseph. She never spoke. Maybe she simply said what she experienced and just shut her mouth up. Why did she do this? She did not want quarrels. She must have put herself in the shoes of Joseph to understand that he was feeling what every other man in such a situation would feel. She kept silent to avoid raising of voices, attracting a third party, spreading their linen outside and disrespecting her husband. What a rare decision! This is not what many women are known with.

Can we dream of a Christmas free from family quarrels, filled with conflict resolutions, decorated with overlooking ills done in the past?  Can we start seeking the face of God before taking any serious decision?

 

JOSEPH'S DECISIONS

"Being a just man" is the phrase used to describe the person of Joseph generally and with particular respect to his attitude to Mary. Joseph was yet to receive the message of the angel when on his own he took a noble decision. What was the decision of Joseph? He decided never to follow the bad injunction that encourages putting a victim of such to shame publicly. Let our dream for this Christmas include removing shame from people's faces instead of dragging them to shame. You can forgive that person without embarrassing him or her. You can hold that person's secrete and help him or her out of ugly situations instead of destroying the person's good name. Who knows, this may attract angelic visitation to you.

 

BEHOLD AN ANGEL APPEARED TO JOSEPH IN THE DREAM

With the whole trouble in his heart Joseph was uncomfortable. He must have found it difficult to sleep that night. Imagine him walking up and down without any other solution rather than simply divorcing Mary privately. He goes on to ask himself if there's no better solution to the problem. And suddenly sleep struck and subsequently dream. The dream here became a medium of communication, encounter, meditation and listening to the voice of God. I want to imagine that Joseph must have prayed fervently before his sleep not to make any mistake. And the angel appeared with an interesting message:  "Joseph son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife..." That became a response to the prayer of seeking God's face. May God send you angels both human and spiritual to deliver you when you are tempted to make bad decisions. Endeavour to follow directives from above when they come.

 

FOLLOW THE MESSAGES OF YOUR DREAM

The success people record in life depend to a large extent on the instructions they were able to obey or not. Wake from your sleep and go about what God has planned for you. Dream to make this year's Christmas a Christmas to be remembered by preparing to follow the commands of God. Let the law of love and of God guide each and everyone of us as we endeavour to use this last week of advent to fine-tune our Christmas preparations.

May God bless His word in our hearts

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You Lord God for leading us thus far in our preparation for Your Son's birth. We commit ourselves, our confusions, our discomforts and our plans into Your holy hands.

May our good dreams of Christmas come to pass and may we be spared from every misfortune this period and always through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Happy Sunday (Advent Week 4)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 3^rd Sunday of Advent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Christ’s Mission and Our Expectations

Readings: Is 35:1–6; James 5:7–10; Mt 11:2–11

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday. Its name comes from today’s entrance antiphon from the Letter of St Paul to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”

The word Gaudete is the Latin imperative of gaudere, meaning “to rejoice”. On this Sunday, the Church invites us, with the words of St Paul, to rejoice in the Lord always (Gaudete in Domino semper).

The Church calls us to joy because our Redeemer is near; the celebration of Christ’s birth is close at hand. This Sunday marks the halfway point of Advent, reminding us that our preparation for Christmas is well underway. Today, the Church encourages us to lighten the solemn and penitential mood with joy, to refresh ourselves, regain strength, and continue our journey toward Christmas. Symbolically, the liturgical colour shifts from violet to rose, a colour that elicits joy. Today, priests wear rose vestments, and the rose-coloured candle of the Advent wreath is lit.

This joy is echoed in the first reading from Isaiah. To a people in exile, Isaiah announced liberation and restoration; their Saviour and liberator was coming to visit them. He told them that the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame would leap like deer, the mute would sing for joy, the weak would be strengthened, and the wilderness would blossom. He proclaimed that their Saviour would bring them back to Zion to praise God.

Dear friends, the Church proclaims the same message to us today. The coming of Jesus into our lives makes big differences. He liberates us from sin and shame, restores our dignity as children of God, and fills our hearts with peace, love, and inner joy. His presence heals and makes us whole. That is why the Psalmist cries out in today’s psalm, saying, “Come, Lord, and save us.” Let this prayer be always on our lips, for our world deeply needs God’s intervention.

However, as we rejoice and wait for God’s intervention, today’s Gospel warns us against false expectations. We hear of John the Baptist’s doubt while in prison. Though John had once proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, he now questioned whether Jesus was truly the Messiah. Why? Because John, like many Israelites, expected a Messiah who would be a warrior, one who would overthrow the Romans and restore David’s kingdom. But Jesus’ mission was one of peace, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. This left many disappointed, and John himself uncertain. John’s uncertainty was even more intense because he was in prison and may have thought that the Saviour would liberate him from Herold.

Jesus’ response to John’s disciples was very clear and direct. He said, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” In other words, His mission perfectly fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah.

Dear friends, disappointment with Jesus’ mission is not confined to John’s time. Even today, many reject Christ because He does not act according to their expectations. Some want a God of vengeance who destroys enemies. Others abandon the Church because they see Jesus as “too weak.” Some turn to pagan practices or superstition, hoping for quick solutions. Many Christians chase miracles and material blessings, forgetting that salvation is the true gift.

But Jesus does not come to fight our enemies in the way we imagine. He comes to undo the damage of sin, to restore what is broken, and to heal our hearts. He is not a Messiah of material excess, but of eternal life. He is compassionate, patient, and merciful, giving sinners time to repent and offering us what truly leads to salvation.

In the second reading, James was speaking to an audience that was facing persecutions, with some of them losing faith in God because He did not eliminate the emperors that were persecuting them. St James urged patience: “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.” He reminded them and us that God’s timing is not ours, and that perseverance is essential. The Church echoes this same call today: we must be patient with God. He is still at work in our lives, shaping us, healing us, and preparing us for His coming.

As we rejoice this Gaudete Sunday, let us purify our expectations of Christ. He is not the Saviour of our whims, but the Saviour of our souls. May we welcome Him with joy, patience, and faith, trusting that His mission is always for our good and for our salvation.

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 

3^RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: STILL ON THE WATCH OUT, NEVER GIVE UP!

(Matthew 11: 2-11)

This is the third Sunday of Advent. We are still in the expectation. But today the Church bids us rejoice. It is called the 'Gaudete Sunday'. Thus, the entrance antiphon of today tells us: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near" (Phil 4:4-5).

The invitation today is for us not to allow anything, any confusion, any prison, any sorrow, any sadness whatsoever to make us give up on the holy watch we have begun.

Today, the very herald of the message of Advent is being presented to be almost giving up. But Jesus addresses him as He will address each and everyone of us looking up to Him. Yes, we are surrounded with temptations to give up.

 

TEMPTATIONS TO GIVE UP

Waiting can be boring. Waiting can be uncertain, it can be fearful sometimes, waiting can as well be frustrating, it can also be disappointing. Waiting can be annoying when the one you are waiting for fails to come through as expected, it can be humiliating when the one you imagined to be coming turns out to be someone that doesn't worth the waiting.

John the Baptist had said a lot of things about Jesus. He has painted an awe-inspiring picture of the one coming after him. I must be correct to say that he was not at all afraid when he was thrown into prison. He must be saying in his mind, "the Messiah will surely pepper these guys" but to his greatest dismay, he started languishing in the prison and nothing was done. He queries himself: what have I done? Could it be that I didn't do my work well? Did I not carry the mission of preparing the people well? What have I done to deserve being here? Did I not prepare my own self well in the desert all these years? Could it be that my best is not enough?  After all these and many other introspective inquiries by John, he must have beaten his chest to say: I think I did my tasks well to the best of my knowledge. But there is another point to consider.  Maybe there were some mistakes.

 

AM I NOT MISTAKING?

John the Baptist came to think that he may be making a mistake by taking Jesus to be whom He is not. This may be an impostor, (ndi mekanik ekweghizinu anyi mara ndi ara). This is because even before the coming of Jesus many had come claiming to be this or that. He sent a word by His disciples to Jesus.

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like blaming yourself for your goodness? For the true love you showed? For your uprightness? Etc. Send a word to Jesus, pray to him to help you understand better. Write Him a prayerful letter from your own prison.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRISON

Prisoners are sometimes permitted to send messages or letters to their loved ones and also receive items from them. The apostle Paul also wrote letters to the Churches and individuals from the prison.

Through his disciples, John sent these words: "Are you the one to come or shall we look for another?"

John here represents all those who have no joy, those who have known so much toil on account of their faith and hope in God. Jesus will never change. He is the one. He is the same yesterday, today and for ever. Watch out from your prison bars and behold Jesus, wipe away the tears of your pain and see Jesus  the Christ, He comes with something good for you. He will certainly come. You will hear the good news. Draw near that you may see and believe.

 

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Jesus needed not to bear testimony about Himself. He sent back the disciples of John with the injunction: "Go and tell what you hear and see". John must have rejoiced even though still in prison at the good news he heard. Remember he was not just talking about himself. John was not selfish. He asked: "Are you the one we are..." Not the 'One I am waiting for'.

Let us not expect the coming of Jesus to bring liberation, open door and prosperity only to our own families. No. Jesus brings a selfless joy. See the goodness in others and glorify God. God has His plan for you. No one will take away from you the special blessing designed by God for you.

 

TAKE NO OFFENCE AT GOD

John must have been sorry for nearly losing faith after hearing the great things God was doing through Christ. But Jesus sent back words to him never to be disappointed with God. The Lord is never man. He can never fail. He is always there. What He said He will do He will do. Do not compare yourself with any other.

Do you feel you're behind the bars? Behind success? Behind riches? Not gotten your dream husband, your dream wife, your dream job? Do you think you did not achieve your plan for this year? Do not kill yourself, do not give up, do not speak ill of God, do not grumble against the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord. Alleluia.  He knows what is best for you.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

BLESSINGS

May the Lord reward you. May He confess you to heaven and earth. Your name will be heard for good. The enemy will never take glory due to God on account of you. Jesus poured out loving words about John. May He speak blessings into your life. May His blessings and favours rest upon you. May you see reason that will make you to always rejoice in the Lord. May the joy of the Lord be your strength against all odds. May you never give up but be taken up, may you never be humiliated but exalted by God. May you feel the nearness of the Lord in everything you do and may the joy of the Lord see you through in all your undertakings through Christ our Lord Amen

Happy Sunday (3rd Sunday of Advent, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh