Posts by Sr. Olisaemeka Rosemary Okwara
Open-mindedness to God’s Deeds
The prophet Joel, in the first reading (Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2), invites the people to deeper commitment to the life of faith. The prophet is concerned with strengthening formal observances of prayer, such as the temple liturgy, and an inward conversion. Furthermore, a fast and a solemn assembly of the people is to be proclaimed by…
Read MoreMary the Mediatrix of all Graces: The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Celebrating the Virgin Mary’s Birthday in Today’s Liturgy Today we celebrate Mary’s birth because of her role in God’s plan of salvation as the mother of Jesus. It is something worth noting that the readings of the celebration of Mary’s birth do not center on Mary. Rather, they present us with the prophecy of the…
Read MoreRenewing the Inner Strength
The term refugee has become common in today’s world given the recent exponential rate of migration and refugee crisis in many parts of the world, especially in Europe and America. Significant with refugees or asylum seekers is that they are fleeing from a life-threatening or an unfriendly situation in their geographical location. Sometimes the reasons…
Read MoreThe Missionary Dimension of the Christian Faith
Three words are striking in my reflection on today’s Gospel; mission, discipleship, and proclamation. Mission Mission could be a complex term. The content of mission as bearing witness to God’s kingdom and the call to repentance is ever-enduring. However, the mode of its interpretation and communication requires more attention. I adopt the view of mission…
Read MoreA Perseverant and Coherent Life
In the course of my academic formation, I took a Diploma course in Academic Teacher Education in Religion. Part of the requirements for the program was a structured and directed teaching practice in an academic institution. In my own case, I had lesson observation and teaching in a British international Catholic Medium school under a…
Read MoreChristianity Today
My conversation with a number of friends on the state of Christianity in the world of today has always ended with a consciousness that Christianity and Christian values are hated and discriminated in today’s world. Wait a minute. I do not wish to take glory in such an assertion, after all, Christians could be hated…
Read MoreConfronting our Prejudice
In today’s readings, we are invited to take a look at new facets and gifts in ordinary life situations and in our fellow human beings. In the first reading, we experience the human tendency to underrate the ordinary through the story of Naaman, an army general of the king of Syria. He was a valiant…
Read MoreGrace and Faith
Moreover, what was needed for the divine connection was a mere touching of the hem of Jesus’s garment. Something from us moves God to act on our behalf. That is why the saying that God governs the world but Prayer governs God” attributed to St John Chrysostom makes a lot of sense to me.
Read More“Lord if you wish, you can make me clean” (Lk 5:12)
I once had to apply for a position for which I needed a recommendation letter. I thought of how elevating it would be to be recommended by the Dean of Studies of my Faculty. But then I was aware of his usual tight schedule and how, irrespective of his goodwill and kind heart, he sometimes…
Read MoreGod’s Wondrous Works: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed the dogma with the 1854 Bull, Ineffabilis Deus. In it, the Holy Father affirms that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the…
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