UGO EBERELA! ...I HAVE COME TO THIS
HOUR
(John 12:20-33)
The tone of the Lenten
celebration is changing. We are getting into the heart of the great mystery of
the Passion of Christ. Already the Church gives us every picture to get
prepared for the Most Holy Week.
The images in the Church says it
all. We shall observe them all covered beginning with the crucifixes.
Everything beautiful is hidden. This is an ancient practice which is of great
importance to religious psychology. Seeing these decorations veiled steer up in
us the desire for Easter celebration and of experiencing the joy that follows
the sufferings of Christ.
The moment is here. When we
desire for divine glory. When we prepare to celebrate the Sacred mysteries the
proper state. When we seek the face of God from the crowd and separate darkness
from light. This is the time the longing souls search more seriously for God to
find Him and reconcile with Him. It is also a time when careless souls miss opportunities, fighting against God and
all He stands for. Ugo eberela! For the enemies of Christ, this eagle
should be targeted and shot down. Thus, they will say: Ugo eberela na
mgbagbu. But can they destroy God? oh no! Therefore, Kristi Ugo anyi,
eberela na mfeli (Christ our eagle is about to take the flight of victory
and glory). Let us go with Him. Let us not be left behind. Let us not be among
those watering down the salvific efforts of Christ.
THE HOUR HAS COME
Ajuwa nkwu kapiwa onu, oge
mgbufu ya eruola (Everything that has beginning must have an end, the end
is here).
The Gospel of today happened within
the context of the Passover of the Jews. Many have come from many places to
celebrate this great feast. They are seeing the usual feast. But Jesus is
seeing a Passover where He will take over. A Passover that will no longer be
celebrating Moses but himself, a Passover that will no longer need a lamb but
the Son of God. He sees a Passover that will not be celebrating the blood of
the lamb but His own blood, a Passover that will no longer remind the people of
crossing the red sea, but of crossing over from death to life, from sin to
holiness, from fighting against God to fighting for God. The Lord Jesus sees a
Passover that celebrates, not just the sparing of the Israelites from drowning
in the waters of the sea but the salvation of the whole world from being
drowned in the ocean of sin.
Jesus prayed for this hour. But
alas, it is the most painful hour of His life. But it is going to be the Most
fruitful Hour when the purpose for His coming into the world is realized. Thus,
addressing the Greeks representing the beneficiaries of the sacred hour Jesus
said in the gospel: the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified... For
this purpose, I have come to this hour. Father glorify your name.
THE TEMPTATION OF THE SACRED
HOUR
When the hour came for Jesus to
manifest his glory, a lot of temptations came. The temptation of the last hour
is bound to come. How prepared are you? The season of lent began with the theme
of temptation. We are taken back to that as we look at our salvation from a
closer range. Are you getting tired of the promises you made at the beginning?
Do you feel like giving up on some of the religious practices you have begun?
Have you started considering the cost instead of the the merits of the cross?
Jesus experienced all these. Hear
him: "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father save me from
this hour? No..."
Are you troubled at heart because
of the weight of anything you're doing for God? Are you troubled because of
anything you're suffering on account of your faith? Are you grieved because of
the weight of forgiving that person, the reality of living with that sickness
that has refused to go, the difficulty of trying to endure a bitter
relationship, of being faced with death of loved ones? In the face of all these, it is easier to
say: these shall not be my portion! Jesus was tempted to flee from the
realities of the hour but he remained resolute. He overcame, he saw the bitter
pains. He saw the inviting joys and celebrations of the Jewish feast. But He
prayed God to take the glory. At such decisive moments, if we fail, the enemy
steals the glory. Do not allow laziness, the desires of the flesh, the noise of
the world, the suggestive lures of deceptive attractions to take away your
heart from your goal. Heaven is our goal. Let us keep easter in view and strive
on. Let us not backslide. Let us not end badly. If we are doing badly already,
let us know that it is getting late.
HEAR THE VOICE OF
ENCOURAGEMENT
The struggle to heaven, to
success, to survive, to overcome can be very frustrating and lonely especially
when one lacks encouragement. After the prayer of Jesus today, a voice from
heaven thundered: "I have glorified it, I will glorify it again."
Here, God encouraged His son to continue, to enter the Passion without fear,
that at the end glory will be His.
Jesus extended that divine
encouragement to us all who hear His voice today. He says: "This voice has
come for your sake, not for mine". He assures us that this is the time
when the world shall be judged. The ruler of this world shall be cast out. By
the death of Christ on the cross we will become partakers in the everlasting
happiness of heaven, when we shall be drawn to God.
Therefore, Child of God, do not
allow anything to take you away from God as Christ is about to be lifted up
above all the troubles troubling your spiritual wellbeing, above your family
problems, moral problems etc
The hour has come, let us all
fight the good fight of faith without giving up.
LET US PRAY
Thank You Lord Jesus for leading
us thus far in our journey with You this Holy Season. The hour has drawn near.
We pray against any force that will make us not to share in the joys of Easter.
Help us by Your grace to keep soaring on the wings of prayers, righteousness
and faith. May we give You glory in all things and share in Your glory again
and again here on earth and in heaven forever and ever. Amen.
Happy Sunday (5th Sunday of Lent,
Yr B)
Rev. Fr Julian O Ekeh
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