Posts by Fr. John Bosco Obiako
Liberation From Evil Forces
Do you ever find yourself disturbed by the dark side of reality? I do, often. It is one of the truths of the interior life that we overlook sometimes: life is a spiritual battle. Sometimes, there exists a destructive force within each of us that tends to lead us to annihilation: depression, discouragement, exaltation, despondency,…
Read MoreBlessings and Woes
The evangelist Luke revisits the beautiful passage of the Beatitudes found in Matthew (5:2-12), simplifying it and adding four “woes” to the four blessings. Luke contrasts two lifestyles, turning our perspectives upside down. According to worldly logic, those who lead a comfortable life are considered blessed and fortunate, while Luke sees this as potentially disastrous…
Read MoreCrossing The Desert of Life
From time to time, life presents us with different forms of “deserts”, which can represent difficultand empty times we find ourselves in. There are deserts we face because life forces us to, andothers we enter by ourselves. These metaphorical deserts symbolize moments when we feeloverwhelmed and wish to disappear, often due to the burdens of…
Read MoreTerms of Reference on True Discipleship
When we buy some products, they usually come with a manual containing the “Instructions for Use” or “Terms of Reference”. It is always recommended to read the instructions carefully before use. If one wants to get the best out of the product purchased, one must be faithful to the instructions given by the manufacturers. Neglecting…
Read MoreEncouragement and Support
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Barnabas or San Barnaba. He is originally named Joseph; born in Cyprus to a Levitical Jewish family. The apostles nickname him Barnabas, which in Aramaic means “Son of Encouragement” or “Son of Consolation” (Acts 4:36) because of his skill in motivating others. He is a great encourager.…
Read MoreThe Most Powerful Name
Why the Holy Name of Jesus is the Most Powerful Name When I was preparing to travel outside my country for the first time, I needed to get my Passport ready before beginning the visa application process. I booked an appointment online with the immigration department. That day, I just got up and drove to…
Read MoreConquering Human Fears
“We must obey God rather than men.” This declaration, which we find in today’s first reading taken from the book of the Acts of the Apostles (5: 27 – 33), has never been more relevant than it is today. Peter and the other Apostles conquered human fear. To the high priest, president of the tribunal…
Read MoreCome Down Lord
When I was still in the minor seminary, there was a song I loved so much, and we used to sing it often at Mass during the Communion. The title of the song is “Come Down Lord.” It was written by the Medical Mission Sister, Miriam Therese Winter, and was said to have been released…
Read MoreBarrier Breaker
We are on the last Sunday before the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent. The readings of today, for me, set us in the mood for one of the purposes that the season of Lent serves for us Christians: purifying our hearts from the leprosy of sin and lukewarmness. Divine Compassion In the Gospel…
Read MoreDivine Touch
Two Healings of Lepers: In the entire four Gospels, there are two healings of lepers recorded: this one narrated by Mark (which we also find in Matthew [8:1-4] and Luke [5:12-16]), and that of the ten lepers narrated by Luke alone (Lk 17:11-19). The specificity of these healings comes out when we consider the condition…
Read More