Posts by Fr. Luke Ijezie
Anxiety for the End of Time
We all agree that life is a journey, but while some see it as a journey towards death, some others see death as a transition to another life. In both currents of thought, death is inevitable, whether as a definitive end or as a transition. This is the lot of every mortal. In the face…
Read MoreSeeking God with Clean Hands and Pure Heart
I was once in a Church on Sunday when the Catechist during his announcement cautioned members of the assembly against leaving their precious belongings on the pews while going to Altar for Offertory or Holy Communion. He said the warning was based on recent cases of theft during Church service. There was a murmur among…
Read MoreGod’s Delight in His People
Our whole religious life is anchored on the belief and conviction that God takes deep interested in us, and in our affairs. Without such belief, human life would become a matter of survival of the fittest. The conviction that God cares for us gives us courage and hope to continue striving even when things go…
Read MoreCall for Authenticity in Religious Living
Authenticity basically expresses the idea of being real, genuine, or true. It means being one’s true self, devoid of affectations and pretenses. The contrary is hypocrisy, which has become a big problem in our contemporary society. Many people we meet daily present false appearances, fake narratives, deceptive promises, and hypocritical mindset. The consequence is that…
Read MoreExperience of Reversals in Our Christian Journey
The call to follow Jesus is a call to a life that is full of reversals. What makes such reversals joyful is that they all lead to new and durable life in and with God. From this perspective, one can look at the life of St. James, the apostle, whose feast the Church celebrates today.…
Read MoreJudged by the Fruits We Bear
We usually take joy in the works of our hands; in the things we produce. They give us special pride and increase our sense of self-esteem. This joy is most experienced in the possession of offspring. The special joy of old age is the feeling of security in the midst of descendants. The Bible regards…
Read MoreLoving as Mark of the Christian Community
One of the greatest parting words of Jesus to his disciples in John’s Gospel is the new commandment of love. They are to love one another as Jesus loved them. Jesus loved through selfless service, and by giving his life for others. It is a sacrificial love. The love that Jesus commands is not just…
Read MoreWorking by the Power of the Risen Jesus
The death of Jesus on the Cross seemed like an untrammeled disaster to his followers who had left everything to join his company. But everything changed with the resurrection, which came to them as a great surprise. Even though Jesus spoke of it before his death as a coming fulfilment of the Scriptures, his followers…
Read MoreGod’s Plan and Human Cooperation
God always has great plans for us His creatures. In the accomplishment of these plans, He usually invites us to cooperate with Him. The interesting thing is that He never comes with force but invites us with great arguments and persuasive words. We find all these played out in the readings of today’s solemn feast…
Read MoreServing God with Trustful Openness
The best approach to God is that of complete openness and docility to learn and to accept all from Him. The psalmist of Psalm 139 says it aptly: “O Lord, you search me, and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.…
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