Posts by Fr. Luke Ijezie
Celebrating the Heart of a Mother in a Troubled World
Today the Church celebrates the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which usually occurs on the Saturday of the second week after Pentecost. The celebration, which is marked as a memorial, centers on the maternal heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, and her compassionate love for the world which is portrayed in its suffering nature. Mary is…
Read MoreIdolatry Versus God’s Presence
The thirst for God’s presence in daily living inclines people to fashion idols which they can see, touch, and manipulate as they wish. The author of the Acts of the Apostles ridicules this attitude in the first reading of today. Acts 17:15,22-18:1 reaffirms God’s abiding presence in creation and His nearness to all creatures. This…
Read MoreGoing Into the World and Proclaiming the Good News
The Christian apostolate and mission are propelled by the missionary mandate, “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15; cf. Matt 28:19-20). In both Gospels of Mark and Matthew, the command, which appears…
Read MoreDivine Empowerment
Life presents many options and difficult moments. In our individual and collective experiences of living, we often encounter difficult situations and near impossible options and tasks. Mary of Nazareth finds herself in such a situation as the Angel Gabriel brings a difficult divine proposal to her. Today, the Church celebrates that singular event which is…
Read MoreBeing Patient With People
Social life today is like a fast-moving train. There is a mad rush for almost everything. This has made contemporary life too competitive and very difficult as people struggle to succeed at all costs. Yet the old adage remains valid: slow and steady wins the race. Because we are always in a hurry, we tend…
Read MoreThe Call to Look Beyond
Today, the Church celebrates the conversion of St. Paul, the great missionary to the nations. Paul’s conversion experience helps us to understand what conversion is all about. It is an experience of reversal in thinking and mentality. Ordinarily, Paul cannot be said to have been an unbeliever before his conversion. So, his experience is not…
Read MoreThe Experience of Joy
Christmas is universally accepted as a season of joy. Even when there is no visible reason to rejoice, people still look for ways to express joy. But few days ago, I wished a friend the joy of Christmas, but the response I got was, “Joy with what? No food, no new clothes, no wares! How…
Read MoreConfidence in Crisis Moments
In moments of crisis and near hopelessness, we are encouraged to keep hoping. Why? We have a God who cares. He has a way of intervening to rescue His people even when there seems to be no other way. So, if you are in the throes of hardship, frustration, inner crisis, conflict, pain, or sickness…
Read MoreExperiencing the Force of Liberation
Our life in this mortal frame is often subject to forces beyond our control. We are often victims of forces that keep us in bondage, but there are also forces that bring liberation. These two opposed brands of forces are well captured in the liturgical readings of this day. The Carnal Forces and the Liberating…
Read MoreGod’s Intervention to Rescue His People
What sustains life is hope. Without the hope of a better future, we can hardly survive the upheavals of the present. Here one recalls the opening words of the great Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, SPE SALVI facti sumus – “In hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us…
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