Posts by Fr. Cyriacus Uzochukwu
Urgent Call to Repentance
Jesus’ Stand on Good and Evil My dear friends, the Gospel today begins with two incidences of disasters that can challenge one’s faith and belief in God. This is because we normally have the wrong notion – as some of the Jews did at the time of Jesus – that material prosperity is a sign…
Read MoreThe Power of Conscience
My dear friends, the gospel today is a very interesting one. It calls to mind the incident that happened between John the Baptist and Herod the Tetrarch. Herod put John in prison and later murdered him in favor of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for the condemnation of their adulterous acts. It seemed…
Read MoreCondemnation of Hypocrisy of Leaders
My dear friends, in the Gospel today, Matthew presents the first four of the seven ‘woes’ of Jesus against the Scribes and Pharisees. He criticizes them for their hypocrisy and deceptive life. Jesus repeatedly calls them ‘blind’, ‘hypocrites’, and ‘fools’ because of their lifestyle and their commitment in following not the spirit, but the letters…
Read MoreOur Friendship with Christ in the Image of the Vine
My dear friends, the gospel today which presents a powerful image of Christ as the vine is very familiar to us. St. John used the image that we are familiar with so as to teach us about the mutual life and intimacy Jesus shares with us, as it exists between the vine and the branches.…
Read MoreDivine Assurance
My dear friends, there is always divine assurance and reassurance in our relationship with God. He promised that he would not leave us orphans but would come to us in a little while (John 14:18). He speaks to us in various ways and means especially in our quiet moments. The first reading from the book…
Read MoreThey Were Filled with the Holy Spirit
‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but… to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1: 8) My dear friends, today, the Church celebrates the solemnity of Pentecost. It is a prestigious feast that commemorates the official birthday of the…
Read MoreWarning About Persecution
My dear friends, on this memorial of Saint George, who suffered and died for the gospel, I reflect on the Lord Jesus’ suffering. Jesus suffered, died and rose. He has become a source of inspiration to us in our moments of suffering. Jesus Suffered The Lord Jesus suffered and died for our sake. Jesus died…
Read MoreImpatience: A Setback in Our SpirituaL Journey
My dear friends, the first reading of today from the book of Numbers 21:4-9 is revealing. It mirrors our behaviour sometimes toward God when we are in a fix. We often forget the goodness of the Lord when life is easy and smooth, only to remember him when life is challenging as it is evident…
Read MoreThe Lord’s Prayer: A Guide to Our Prayer
My dear friends, as we have entered the Lenten season, we should have an increased emphasis on prayer and Penance. Today in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus sets the pace of prayer. He gives the guide, a pattern and a model of prayer to his disciples when he said to them: “so you should pray like…
Read MoreThe Blood of Jesus, Our Saving Power
“He has entered the sanctuary once and for all through his own blood ” (Heb 9:12). My dear friends, I wish to reflect on the saving power of the blood of Jesus through which He has paid the ultimate price of our redemption once and for all. The first reading from the book of Hebrew…
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