Posts by Sr. Olisaemeka Rosemary
Love the Lord Your God and Your Neighbour as Yourself
The love of God and neighbour is understood as a formal commandment in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In Christianity and Judaism, the commandment to love God entails both action and affection. Deuteronomy 6 contains the first paragraph of the Shema (Deut 6:4–9): a text that underlines the reality of one God, deserving of loyalty and…
Read MoreLoving God Above All Things
Today’s gospel (Jn 14:21-26) contains some important advice from Jesus for his disciples. Throughout the passage, he emphasizes the importance of personal commitment and self-giving when it comes to matters of faith. Jesus uses the subject pronoun “whoever” four times, underscoring the significance of each individual’s role in living a life of faith. Central to…
Read MoreGoing Beyond Oneself for Others
Doing the Right Thing Does Not Guarantee Any Reward In the first reading (Jeremiah, 18, 18-20), the prophet Jeremiah is presented to us as an exemplary image of one who proclaims the word of God. Nevertheless, there are plots against him. People find his teaching uncomfortable, and they want to get rid of him. He…
Read MoreCreaturely Life of Human Beings with the Rest of Creation
The first reading of today from the Book of Genesis 2. 4b-9; 15-17 narrates the second account of the creation of humans, the first account being that of Genesis 1, 26-30. I would like to emphasize the significant features of the creation of humans in the first reading of today. By so doing, I will…
Read MoreThe Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
The Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the revelation of Jesus, the Son of God, to the world. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphainen, which means “to manifest,” “appear,” or “make known.” The Epiphany of the Lord is commemorated with the visit of the wise men (magi) who travelled from the East to Bethlehem…
Read MoreThe Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
God’s Work of Salvation Today the Church celebrates Mary’s Immaculate Conception. The readings of today present us with the themes of sin and salvation. In this scenario, Mary stands as a bridge between the old and new dispensation. The old being the fall, what could be described as the triumph of sin and human weakness…
Read MoreWhy Adhere to Stipulated Rules and Roles
Introduction We are gradually approaching the end of the year. For some, the reality of the end of another year has set in, giving rise to some frantic stock-taking for the year. Some are doubling the effort to catch up with the remaining plans for the year. Hence, we need more zeal and energy to…
Read MoreFaith as Trusting Belief in God
The readings of today illustrate the qualities of faith in comparison to law or tradition. The first reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians (Gal 3:22-29) centers on justification by faith. On its part, the Gospel (Lk 11:27-28) reminds us of the imperative obedience to God’s word. Whether in Christian history, theology, or everyday life,…
Read MoreFeast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today, September 8th , the Church marks the feast of the nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. This feast day was introduced in Rome from the Eastern Church in the seventh century. Only a few people enjoy the privilege of a birthday celebration in the Church’s liturgical calendar — the Birthday…
Read MoreThe Life of Discipleship
Today the Church commemorates St Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order popularly known as Order of Preachers. Dominic was a great preacher and pious religious priest who led many souls to piety and to religious life. My reflection comes from the readings suggested for today’s Memorial (1 Cor 2:1-10; Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10;…
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