Posts by Fr. Maurice Emelu
A 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…
Read MoreMiss Not the Opportunity for Healing
There are numerous opportunities for healing and divine encounter around us, yet few notice. It’s this reality in our spiritual life that I address in today’s reflection, drawing inspiration from the life of Christ. The Lord’s Humanness One of the things that fascinates me about the life of Christ as documented in the Bible is…
Read MoreThe Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Any feast of the Blessed Mother Mary fills my heart with joy; so is the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Holy tenderness of the mother of God spurs in my heart a prayerful contemplation of the function of grace in the life of any person who accepts Jesus as Lord and…
Read MoreFaith in the Bread of Life, the Eucharist
The seed of faith grows and deepens, and the Eucharist is the best food for such faith-deepening. This religious truth is the focus of today’s reflection. After the miracle of the feeding of five thousand (Jn 6:1-15, 24-35), the Lord Jesus Christ leaves the western shore of the sea of Galilea, also called the sea…
Read MoreRediscovering Intercession
I reflect on the need to rediscover the power of intercession in our spiritual and everyday lives. I am always fascinated by the sacrifices soldiers make for each other at the battlefront. They put their lives on the line to bring wounded comrades to safety, often carrying them on their shoulders amidst the whizzing sound…
Read MoreKnowledge is Power: Learning from St. Justin
Francis Bacon is a 16th century English philosopher, father of empiricism and the scientific method. In his argument against heresies, he defends divine intelligence, omniscience, and omnipotence by providing a famous line many people quote out of context. “For knowledge itself is a power whereby he [God] knoweth” (Meditationes Sacrae,1597. 71). Though some of his…
Read MoreUsing Stumbling Blocks as Stepping Stones
In today’s reflection, I inspire us to use stumbling blocks as stepping stones. Have you observed how trickles of water flow from rocks in a creek? The water follows different paths but merges into a spring, a lake, a river, or an ocean. For the most part, the water flows through rough and twisted tracks.…
Read MoreThree Mandates of Mercy
It must have been between the 20th and 25th of October 1936. Sister Maria Faustyna [Faustina] Kowalska was in and out of a hospital in Krakow, Poland, suffering the pains of a disease (probably tuberculosis). She received one of the series of messages about Divine Mercy. It was one of the decisive points in discerning…
Read MoreWitnessing to the Resurrection of Christ
Human response to events is complex. We observe, experience, make judgements and respond according to evaluations and convictions about these things. What one judges meaningful is what one could proudly and boldly transmit to others, be they families or friends. This process applies particularly to the transmission of the Good News of Christ since bearing…
Read MoreYou’re a Participant in the Mystery
We come to the holiest three days in the Church’s life. It is called the Triduum. Three main events are celebrated within these three days. They include the institution of the Most Holy Eucharist and, in our Catholic tradition, the Ministerial Priesthood (Holy Thursday); the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ (Good Friday); and the…
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