Posts by Fr. Maurice Emelu
Saint Alphonsus Liguori: A Saint for All Times
Saints are trailblazers, and so is the one we celebrate today—Saint Alphonsus Liguori. It isn’t because they walk paths unknown. Instead, their lives are silent yet audacious witnesses of the life of Christ in everyday life. Their embrace of grace and its silent nudges is so rooted (incarnate) that it becomes the rose of anointed…
Read MoreMercy and Generosity Against Greed
Greed or mercy and generosity? Some people believe that being greedy leads to more success. However, when we look at the bigger picture, mercy and generosity are essential for a healthy society. They create a balance between giving and taking, preventing people from becoming too greedy or too selfish. True happiness does not come from…
Read MoreKnowledge is Power
The famous saying “Knowledge is Power” is attributed to Francis Bacon, a 16th-century English philosopher, and father of empiricism and the scientific method. The correct quote is “for knowledge itself is a power whereby he [God] knoweth” (Meditationes Sacrae,1597.71). It hints at the relationship between divine knowledge and the power to act. Besides objections to Bacon…
Read MoreGod’s Tabernacle
What if we allowed God to make us a home, a tabernacle where we will stay with him forever? Aren’t we all just looking for a place to call home? Somewhere we can feel safe and comfortable, where we can be ourselves? For me, that physical space is a church—its ultimate is the beatific vision.…
Read MoreHoliness of Life
Holiness of life; how does this phrase sound to you? A cliché? A never-realistic goal? A special reserve for the monks and nuns? On this day, after my dad’s passing yesterday, I draw from today’s Gospel to share some points about holiness. During my early days in spiritual life, I used to identify holiness with only…
Read MoreThe Healing Power of Faith
Mark’s Gospel (5: 21-43) presents two characters who leave us rich testimonies of the healing power of faith. They are Jarius and the woman suffering from hemorrhage. Therefore, I reflect on their witness as an inspiration to us. Let’s begin with the woman. Faith Comes by Hearing The woman suffers from a hemorrhage for over…
Read MoreNew Year Blessings
The new year is a time to reflect on the blessings of one’s life and how we can grow in blessing others. Moreover, it is ultimately a celebration of a new year to render our hearts and lives as a sacrifice of praise to the Lord, a blessing through grace. Blessing from Above to those…
Read MoreAbundant Life from the Mountain
It’s Advent Day-4. I reflect on the symbolism of the mountain as a place of divine revelation, and the Church as its true meaning. The Great Invitation The prophecy of Isaiah 25:6 sets the ecstatic tone of God’s invitation to us: “On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples.” Nothing could be…
Read MoreAll Saints: The Communion of Saints
All Saints Day—November 1—is a unique opportunity to reflect on divine blessings for us in the communion of saints. The saints in heaven lived holy lives and died in the Lord. They motivate us to do the same. Some celebrations cater to our bodily and emotional needs. Some inspire confidence and fulfillment. Others promote a…
Read MoreA Girl that Changed My Life: Way of Love
As a boy of fourteen years old, the life of one girl moved mine more than any other—showing me the way of love. The girl is Thérèse, from the little city of Lisieux in Calvados, France. She is popularly known as the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. To her, I owe an early exposure to…
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