Posts by Fr. Maurice Emelu
Give to God His Due
A conversation on making the right choice using the famous Jesus quote, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” In a close-knit West African village, a woman finds herself contemplating a divorce from her husband for various reasons. Divorce is a rarity in this village, and marriage is…
Read MoreWalking with Saint Justin: A Journey of Faith and Discovery
Step into the footsteps of Saint Justin the Martyr on June 1st. This day, we (Catholics), along with some mainstream Protestant churches, remember his life and teachings. Born around AD 100, Justin was a deacon and philosopher from a town now named Nablus. His life ended as a martyr during the reign of the Roman…
Read MoreDesiring Holiness of Life
Holiness. How does this word sound to you? Is it a term you understand? Or does it seem like a cliché, an unrealistic ideal, or something reserved only for those in monasteries or the religious and priests? Growing up, I used to identify holiness with monks and nuns wearing solemn-looking cassocks or habits. This imagery…
Read MoreThe Gospel’s Pruning: Christian Identity in Culture
The Council of Jerusalem marked a historic moment in the early Church’s attempt to grapple with the tension between divine truth and cultural traditions. The Council addressed a crucial question: can salvation be found outside Jewish law and customs? As narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 15, the conflict was not a mere…
Read MoreWomen, Galilee, and Resurrection’s Call
When the Risen Lord showed himself, according to Matthew’s Gospel, two women saw him first. Next, Jesus invites the women to extend the invitation to his disciples to come to Galilee, where his close friends would see him. Back then, people didn’t think much of women or Galilee. But in these unexpected choices, we find…
Read MoreWhy Envy is Terrible and Counterproductive
Envy, that insidious serpent of spite, sneaks through humanity’s footsteps from time immemorial, leaving venomous trails of destruction and deceit. Biblical stories—pillars of moral teachings—exemplify the perils of envy. We see the perils in the accounts of Joseph’s ordeal and the parable of the tenants who murdered the vineyard owner’s son. These tales aren’t just…
Read MoreThe Messenger and Tradition
Reflecting on the relationship between a messenger and tradition is pertinent to the current state of missionary work. Mark 6:7-13 describes the Lord sending his apostles to bear witness. The essence of being “One Sent”, a messenger, embodies deep-rooted faith, tradition, and a clear sense of purpose and direction. The true might of the messengers’…
Read MoreGod Bless You: A Conversation on Blessing
As we begin the new year 2024, I pray and wish you God’s blessing. We experience blessings in different forms. They range from the daily small things to the grandeur of God’s presence in our midst. However, have you ever thought about what the concept of blessing means? How can we truly experience God’s blessings…
Read MoreGod is My Judge
I reflect on the biblical prophecy of the beast and its relevance in today’s society, highlighting the various forms it takes. A concerned person shared with me some terrible news about a new ideology that has crept into his organization. It was anything but decent. He explained: They use the holy name in a lurid…
Read MoreWhat, then, does it mean to be a Saint Today?
In the first and second part of this three-part reflection on being a saint, I introduced the concept of “saints” and the holy. This third part applies the two teachings to the invitation for us to be saints in today’s world. In what ways can we then describe being a saint in today’s world? In…
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