Posts by Fr. John Opara
The Grace of Perseverance
Persecution as Distraction: Our faith ought to be lived actively. Actively pursuing God’s will for us is not always easy. Persecution and trials are the cost of discipleship or a test of our faith. Persecution can come also as a distraction, aiming to dissuade us from fulfilling God’s will for our lives and the world.…
Read MoreThe Decisive Question
When someone begins an academic career or assumes new job responsibilities or enters a new environment, it is important to ask oneself this crucial question namely. “What do I want and why is what I want so essential to me?” This is evident during child-baptisms. Parents are asked what they request from the church for…
Read MoreWhat Will Be Your Answer?
The essence of examination is not only to test the students’ understanding of learned material, but to help them grow in their knowledge. And a teacher will always identify a good student from the way he/she approaches the question and from his/her answer. As a way of strengthening the students’ knowledge and impacting their lives,…
Read MoreHolding On to The Faith
Holding on to the faith and teachings of the Church is becoming increasingly more difficult in today’s world, due to contemporary societal pressure with its emphasis on individualism, moral relativism, and materialism, which is the brainchild of secularism. The secularized, neo-liberalized and pluralistic society promotes values that sometimes conflict with the Christian teachings, thereby evoking…
Read MoreMoving Towards a Supportive Humanity
A reflection on the importance of being supportive and nurturing growth in relationships and communities—supportive humanity. An adage states: “If you cannot help, do not hinder.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares the Parable of the Weeds, where a man sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat,…
Read MoreThe Benefits of a Good Foundation
A reflection on the importance of a strong foundation through the parable of the wise and foolish builders. Just as every house needs a solid foundation to stand firm, especially in times of hurricanes and floods, so do we need strong foundation. The biographies of many people are marked by violent quakes and catastrophes. As…
Read MoreEntrusting Ourselves to God’s Love
In a world often dominated by the pursuit of material wealth and personal security, the teachings of Jesus in today’s Gospel (Mark 10:17-27) offer a profound counter-narrative. This passage, which recounts the interaction between Jesus and the rich young ruler, provides a crucial lesson on where true security lies. The rich man’s quest for eternal…
Read MoreThe God That Desires to Be Known
The Greek word γινώσκω (ginosko), meaning to know, is used 141 times in John’s Gospel. It is used in different ways, because there are different levels of knowing and different reasons for knowing something. The first stage is knowing a fact. The next level is understanding the truth. And the essence of this knowledge and…
Read MoreTrusting the Mercy of God
We are closely approaching the Easter Season, a period marked with new life. Hence, many symbols (like the easter eggs or Bunny) with which we describe the Easter event, point to this newness of life. The Lenten season helps to prepare us for this new life. Regarding how this new life is possible, Pope Francis…
Read MoreRenewal
Renewing Love: The Lenten period is a favorable time of renewal. Renewal is not merely with regard to the small sacrifices we make; it encompasses our entire life and being. We are called during lent to reconsider our relationship with God and neighbor. Needed Renewal This renewal of life goes through the renewal of our…
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