Reflection/Homily: Eleventh (11th) Sunday of the Year C (June 16 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Eleventh (11^th) Sunday of the Year C (June 16 2013)

Theme: “I AM SORRY”

In human relationships we discover that one of the most difficult things to do is to say “I am Sorry”. Relationships break, opportunities are lost, enemies are made just because one party couldn’t say “I am Sorry”. The difficulty here does not lie in pronouncing the words but in accepting responsibility for the guilt done. “I am Sorry” is more than an expression, it is a disposition. Simply put, it is an attitude of recognizing one’s guilt before another and the readiness to make amend. In the first reading (2 Sam. 12:7-10.13), we see this attitude in the action of David who was confronted by the Prophet Nathan for his sins. David not only slept with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, he took her for a wife and conspired to have him killed with the sword of the Ammonites.

When the prophet Nathan approached David for this abominable act, David did not make any effort to defend himself. Instead, he realized and acknowledged his guilt, asked for forgiveness and spent days in fasting and prayer. As a result of this, God forgave his guilt and today he is known as the man after God’s heart. In his action, we see David’s humility, sincerity and contrite heart despite his lofty position as king. 

Reflection/Homily: Tenth (10th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C (June 9 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Tenth (10^th) Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C (June 9 2013)

Theme: Divine Intervention

Divine intervention is what so many Christians may have experienced in their lives. Simply described, it is God’s intervention in the unfortunate circumstances of one’s life. Most often people consider it to be an unexpected miracle. For this to happen, God makes use of human and non-human agents. These human agents could be priests, spiritual directors, one’s friends or relatives. The non-human agents could be the Church, a pilgrimage center, an adoration ground, a prayer session, etc.

In the first reading (1 Kings 17:17-24) we see this divine intervention in the life of the widow of Zarephath through a human agent. The prophet Elijah was staying in the house of this widow and through him God intervened in her life by providing her with food during that period of famine. In the gospel reading (Luke 7:11-17), we see another case of divine intervention in the life of the widow of Naim. Jesus though God, was the human agent people could recognize. He was moved with pity at the death of the widow’s only son and he restored him to life.

In both cases, we see God intervening in the hopeless situations of the recipients. They lost the taste of life and God revitalized their hope proving that nothing is impossible for Him. The events are not just signs of God’s omnipotence but also signs of God’s gratuitous love and compassion for us especially for the suffering among us. God feels and understands our difficult situations and He is always there to intervene especially when we think all hope is lost.

Reflection/Homily: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – Corpus Christi (June 2 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – Corpus Christi (June 2 2013)

Theme: “The Second Transubstantiation”

Today’s celebration of the solemnity of the Most Holy Eucharist is a celebration that is at the center of the Church’s liturgical life and worship. It is the source and summit of our Christian life and faith. The Council of Trent and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1376) make it clear that by the consecration of the bread and wine, there takes place a change of the whole substance of bread into the Body of Christ and the whole substance of wine into the Blood of Christ. This change, the Council of Trent calls Transubstantiation.  

For us to understand this dogma of transubstantiation better, it is important to look into what it is not first. There are two heretical theories opposed to the theory of transubstantiation. The first, the heretical theory of Annihilation claims that at consecration, the bread and wine cease to exist and the body and blood of Christ is created ex nihilo (out of nothing) to take the place of the former bread and wine. The error here is the assumption that the ordinary elements of life are annihilated and supplanted by grace. Thus, grace does not build on nature and in fact destroys nature. This makes divine transformation a magic without the aid of the agent.

Reflection/Homily: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year C (May 26 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year C (May 26 2013)

Theme: The Blessed Trinity: Our Faith and Model

In the fourth century AD, the Church convoked a council at Nicea precisely in 325 to condemn the Arian heresy taught by Arius. This man taught that Christ was not fully God and is unequal with the Father in all respects. This Council proclaimed Christ equal with the Father by proclaiming the dogma of the Blessed Trinity. The Council Fathers also composed hymns and prayers to be used specifically on the Sunday after Pentecost. At the request of St. Thomas a Becket, the Church in England was granted the permission to celebrate it as Trinity Sunday and in 1334 AD, Pope John XXII made it a universal solemnity.

The mystery of the Blessed Trinity is very important in the life of the Church because it is the source of her faith. The Church is in fact Trinitarian in her origin, form and destiny. In other words, the Church originated from the Trinity, is formed according to the image of the Trinity and is destined to return to the Trinity. Despite the importance of this mystery in the life of the Church which is God’s visible instrument of salvation, she is not in any way interested in unravelling this mystery but in explaining the relationship between the three Divine persons and the role they play in the history of our salvation.

Like other mysteries, the mystery of the Blessed Trinity is a truth that can never be understood with the human intellect. This truth is arrived at not with the eyes of reason but with the eyes of faith. But at the beatific vision, this faith will give way to vision and we shall understand the deepest mysteries of God. Then it will no longer be a mystery because we shall see God as He really is. For this reason, the Church encourages us today to look forward to the beatific vision when we shall behold the Blessed Trinity and to imitate their love and cooperation now.

BISHOP PETER OKPALEKE'S SPEECH AFTER HIS EPISCOPAL ORDINATION

BISHOP PETER OKPALEKE'S SPEECH AFTER HIS EPISCOPAL ORDINATION

 

Your Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, 'the Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja,Your Grace, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos and President, CBCN ', Your Grace, Archbishop Anthony J.V Obinna, the Archbishop of Owerri and Metropolitan of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province,Your Grace, Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.

Your Excellencies, the Archbishops and Bishops, Superiors Generals and Provincial Superiors The Secretary General and Staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria .Rt Rev, and Very Rev. Msgri, Rev. Frs.,Consecrate d men and women of the various orders, Seminarians. His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha Other governors, Commissioners and Government Officials Nde ulo anyi, nde Ahiara Diocese 'Knights of the Church and their ladies, C.M.O; C.W.O; CYON; HCA.

HOMILY OF BISHOP LUCIUS UGORJI AT THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF BISHOP PETER OKPALAEKE

HOMILY OF BISHOP LUCIUS UGORJI AT THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF BISHOP PETER OKPALAEKE 

A Sermon Preached by His Lordship, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Bishop of Umuahia, at the Episcopal Ordination of Rt. Rev. Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, Bishop-elect of Ahiara at the Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri on 21st May, 2013 

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ. With deep emotion I greet you all and welcome Your Eminence, my brothers in the Episcopate and Priesthood, Consecrated men and women, civil authorities and our lay faithful. In a special way, I wish to thank our dear Bishops for being present at this episcopal ordination. We appreciate the great sacrifice you have made, travelling long distances on very bad roads to the Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri, shortly after  a weeklong retreat in Abuja, which only ended last Friday. Your presence at this episcopal ordination is sacramental. It is a demonstration of solidarity and support, as well a show of care and concern for the Church of God in Ahiara Diocese. It is also a strong expression of the unity and communion in the Episcopate and a manifestation of the universality and diversity of the Church.

UPDATE FROM THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF BISHOP PETER OKPALEKE

UPDATE FROM THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF BISHOP PETER OKPALEKE

By Uwakwe Chibuike MFC

History was made Tuesday 21^st May 2013 as all roads led to Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary Owerri for the Episcopal ordination/consecration of Msgr. Peter Okpaleke. It was perhaps a red-letter day for His Excellency, Most Rev Dr. Peter Okpaleke whose episcopal appointment was rocked by a crises of leadership by the people he is to shepherd.  He was appointed Friday 7^th December 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI to shepherd the Church in Ahiara diocese and ever since then, his candidacy for the Episcopal Seat of the Diocese has not been welcomed by the good people of Mbaise.

Reports gathered before now revealed that every attempt made to resolve the crises was met with an unprecedented resistance by the people of Mbaise who are agitating for an indigenous bishop. It was reported that they sealed off their Cathedral premises to forestall the Episcopal ordination/installation of the Bishop-elect. It was alleged that after a peaceful demonstration on black attire around their metropolis, a coffin was dropped near the Cathedral premises signaling danger for whoever tries to force himself on them.

Following this resistance and threat to life, the Episcopal ordination of the Bishop-elect was relocated to the Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary Chapel at Owerri to forestall any form of violence. The ceremony attracted people from all walks of life. The presence of the Church’s hierarchy, the clergy, religious, knights and ladies of the Church, the intelligentsia, Captains of industry and representatives of the government were notably recognized.

Reflection/Homily: Pentecost Sunday Year C (May 19 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Pentecost Sunday Year C (May 19 2013)

Theme: “The Gift of the Holy Spirit”

The Word “Pentecost” is derived from the Greek word “pentekoste (hemera)” meaning “fiftieth (day). Pentecost Sunday is a Christian feast with a Jewish origin in the Old Testament known as the “festival of weeks” (Shavuot) (cf. Ex. 34:22). Since Shavuot is celebrated 50 days after the “pesach” (Passover or Christian Easter) in thanksgiving to Yahweh for the reception of the Torah, Hellenistic Jews gave it a Greek name pentekoste and that was the major reason why the Jews gathered in the first reading. (Acts 2:1-11). In Christianity, we celebrate Pentecost as the fiftieth day after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. It is also the tenth day after the Ascension.

Christians could find some relationship between the Jewish and the Christian Pentecost. Moses had to go up to Mount Sinai to receive the Law, as the apostles had to go up to the Upper Room to receive the Holy Spirit. While the Law guided the Jews, the Holy Spirit guides the Christians for they are no longer governed by the Law but by the Spirit.

The descent of the Holy Spirit as we saw in the first reading did not just occur in history. It was prophesied both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In Joel 3:1, God promised to pour out his Spirit on all humanity in the latter days and in John 14:26 we see the promise of the Holy Spirit who will teach us everything and remind us of all Christ said. This Holy Spirit is the third person of the Blessed Trinity. He is also known as the Paraclete (Comforter) and the promise of the Father. He performs the function of sanctification and empowerment. At the Pentecost, He sanctified the Apostles and empowered them to lead the Church. 

Reflection/Homily: Seventh (7th) Sunday of Easter Year C (May 12 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Seventh (7^th) Sunday of Easter Year C (May 12 2013)

Theme: “That they may all be One”

There is this story of an African Sage who at his moment of death convoked a gathering of all his children. He asked each one of them to come with a stick of broom and in turn told them to break the stick of broom. When they all broke theirs, he asked them to get a bunch of broom each and break them. They tried their best but could not break any of them. The man replied: “United you can never be defeated but on your own, you can offer no resistance to defeat”.

The moral of this story is probably what motivated Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his apostles in the Gospel reading (John 17:20-26). Jesus knew that after his ascension, that there would be several oppositions against his disciples. He never wanted any of them to work on his own to avoid defeat. He wanted them to remain united in the exercise of their ministry just as he is united with the father. According to Jesus, this oneness of his apostles is a proof of their oneness with God.

Jesus’ prayer strengthens us at this moment he is no longer physically present with us though he is still with us spiritually – in the Church, the Word, the Sacraments, in our neighbours, etc. It assures us of the abiding grace of God around us and motivates us to work towards the actualization of Christ’s prayer that we may all be one. Through the presentation of this reading, the Church reminds us that we are not orphans because our Lord and master is no longer with us physically. Instead, he is with us spiritually each time we gather as members of one family in his name.

Reflection/Homily: Sixth (6th) Sunday of Easter Year C (May 5 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Sixth (6^th) Sunday of Easter Year C (May 5 2013)

Theme: Peace: An Indispensable Gift

Peace is an indispensable gift that every individual seeking to make a reasonable progress in his/her life requires. It is indispensable for every society seeking growth and development. In fact, peace is a sine qua non for an authentic existence and that is why in the gospel reading (John 14:23-29) it became Jesus’ precious gift to his disciples before he left them. Over the centuries, Church leaders have fought strenuously, to maintain this gift of peace not just in the Church but in the society where the Church exists.

Pope John XXIII in his encyclical letter Pacem in Terris observes that one of the greatest threats to world peace is the invention of nuclear weapons and he thus called for the abolition of such nuclear weapons that man may live happily without fear in the world the maker has place him in charge of. But today, we observe that in almost every corner of our society peace is disturbed. So many nations are still fighting each other. There is violence and social unrest almost everywhere. Most Families are under serious moral and socio-cultural attack and most individuals have lost the sense of peace. The language the modern man understands is nothing but violence and conflict.

Today, Jesus not only promises us peace but he equally gives us the precious and indispensable gift of his peace. Jesus’ peace is not the peace achieved after several years in court, it is rather the peace that is inspired by the tranquility of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who is the Advocate will teach them the need for peace and will remind them all that Jesus taught and practiced about peace. To give this advocate the chance to do this in our lives, we have to genuinely love God and obey his commandments.

Msgr. Peter Okpaleke to be Installed Bishop of Ahiara Diocese on 21st May 2013

Msgr. Peter Ebele Okpaleke to be Installed on 21st May 2013:
Find an updated post on the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Peter Opkaleke of Ahiara Diocese here

.... including a Short Biography/Profile of Msgr. Peter Okpaleke

Though the episcopal appointment of Msgr. Peter Ebele Okpaleke as the bishop-elect of Ahiara diocese has generated a lot of mixed sentiments, the date for his episcopal installation has been slated for the 21^st of May 2013 at the Mater Ecclesia Cathedral, Ahiara, Ahiara Diocese. The event is expected to attract people from various walks of life in and outside the Mbaise environs to welcome the new bishop.

A Short Biography/Profile of Msgr. Peter Okpaleke:

Msgr. Peter Okpaleke was born on March 21 1963 into the family of Mr. Reuben Ezeuko Okpaleke and Mrs. Bridget Ekejimma Okpaleke, all of blessed memory in Amesi town of Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. He had his elementary education at Oganiru Primary School Uga from 1971 to 1979. His secondary education was at the nearby Uga Boys’ Secondary School between 1976 and 1981. On September 3 1972 he received his First Holy Communion and was confirmed on December 14 1975.

During his secondary school, he developed interest for the Catholic priesthood, an interest which led him to St. John Bosco Minor Seminary Isuaniocha in 1982 to begin his priestly journey. There he studied and sat for the Latin Diploma examination and came out in flying colours. In 1983, he was sent to the then Bigard Memorial Seminary Ikot Ekpene (now St. Joseph Major Seminary Ikot Ekpene) for his philosophical studies which he completed in 1987. In 1988, he was sent to Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu to study theology where he graduated in 1992 with first class honour (summa Cum Laude).

Reflection/Homily: Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C (April 28 2013)

Reflection/Homily: Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C (April 28 2013)

Theme: Putting on an Behaviour of love

There was this story we were told at the minor seminary a few years ago. Three priests went to visit a sick male member of their parish in the hospital. After their visit, the little daughter was describing the priests to the mum. She told the mum that a priest, a gentleman and a “guy man” visited. She described the priest in Soutane as a priest, the one in clerical suit as a gentleman and the one in a good pair of jeans with a nice T-shirt with canvas to match as a “guy man”.

This little girl only gave a description of images she was popular with. Thus, she implemented an old rule which says: “You are addressed the way you dress”. This old rule is what Jesus is emphasizing in the gospel reading (John 13:31-33.34-35) but in a different dimension. Though we may be described and judged by our code of dressing, our code of conduct speaks more about us. In other words, it is our behaviour that defines us the more.

That is why in other to let the world identify and define his disciples, Jesus gave them a new commandment, a new code of conduct or we may say, he prescribed a new behaviour for them. This new behaviour would be for them, an identity card which they will not need to put on on request but which will be evident everywhere they go and in everything they do. This new commandment is nothing but love for one another just as God loved us.

What could be the basis of this love? In what sense could this love be new? When we consider the old commandment of loving only those who love us, we come to understand the basis of this love and how new it is to the Jews and even to us. Naturally, we are more inclined to receive and reciprocate love than to offer love. More still, there is always the tendency to love only those who have acquired the credentials to be qualified for our love. Such could be our family members and friends.