*Short reflection for first sunday of lent 21/02/21*

Gen 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15.

*Theme: Persevere in the journey towards salvation*

With the Ash Wednesday we began the lenten journey-40 days of our participation in the mystery of Christ, a period we are called to return back to God in intense prayer, fasting and act of charity.

In the first reading, we see God's alliance with Noah. If everything were wiped away by the flood; when hatred, violence, pride  and arrogance filled the world which God made and saw to be very good, today God who doesn't want humanity to perish intervenes and made an allliance  with Noah.

As the days of the flood were period of rebirth for Isreal, and there was an emergency of new life after the flood, so also our 40days of fast is for us a new beginning of virtues, awaken faith, renewed friendship with God and friends.

Peter takes up the theme of the flood and applied it to Baptism-As 8 persons were saved, baptiam which corresponds to this saves you. That's why Baptism is a sacramment that regenerate life.

In the Gospel,  immediately after his baptism Jesus, was led by the spirit to the desert for 40days. 40 in the scripiture means- enough or ample time, it's a preriod of preparation, of an encounter and renewal. The Israelites wandered 40yrs to be liberated, Elijah ran untonthe desert and was fed my the ravens, and Jesus fasted for 40days and was ministered to by the angels to be santified before the start of his ministry.  What is your 40 days lenten season for? We need perseverance in the journey  of our salvation. As you journey on your own desert, a place of loneliness, dry and thirty land, your place of encounter, know also in the desert the temper comes to try us.  If Jesus was tempted by the devil, we too should be prepared for temptation. It's one thing to be tempted and another thing to fall in to temptation. 

Jesus overcome temptation at the desert, then his followers can't be in such state and fall, because there Jesus will give us strength, the angels that ministered to Jesus at the desert will also stand by us not to fall.

Prayer: May the angels minsiter to us in times of temptation.  May God support us in the moments of our struggle against sin and temptation. May the victory of Jesus over sin and death be our hope in moment of temptation and trials. Amen. 

Have a spirit filled lenten season. 

Pax- peace 🙏🏾Fr Raph Jnr osj.

 *Reflection for Saturday after Ash Wednesday*

*Isaiah 58:9b-14; Lk 5:27-32*

*Theme: Jesus welcomes the needy.*

"Thus says the Lord:  If you destroy your instruments of oppression,and leave authoritarian habits and evil language;  if you welcome the needy with an open heart and give every help to the needy, your light will be born in darkness..."

All the “ifs” that the prophet Isaiah presents to us are inherent in actions that lead us to a true conversion and, consequently, to a fruitful life collaborating in the construction of a better world. All good things can happen depending also on whether our actions are good. The Lord blesses us in kind when we bless others.

In the scriptures there will always be an "if" as a condition for good and not evil. are your "ifs" a condition for good or evil? Jesus gives us an opportunity for conversion and new life, he welcomes the needy. Even though we are the greatest sinners, Jesus looks at us and calls us. Levi responded in the gospel promptly to Jesus' call and followed Him. Suddenly, because of his attitude of welcoming salvation, he received Jesus for a great banquet in his home and invited precisely those who needed help, those who were sick like him and needed healing.

The more we recognize our illness the more we will have Jesus as the doctor of our soul and the healing of our heart. 

 Do you also consider yourself sick, in need of salvation and healing?  Have you tried taking Jesus to your home and introducing him to your family and friends? 

Prayer: Lord heal us from all our sins and iniquities. Intervene for us in this pandemic and bring healing and blessing to our world. Amen.

Have a fruitful lenten season and happy weekend. 

Pax-Peace 🙏🏾Fr Ralph Jnr osj .

 *Short reflection for Friday 19/2/21 after Ash Wednesday. Isaiah 58:1-9; Mt 9:14-15*.

*Theme: A fast pleasing to God*

The prophet Isaiah warns of the pratice of fasting mixed with social injustices and condemned it. Our worship must be linked with solidarity to the poor  otherwise it's sterile and doesn't please God. Instead of imposing ourselves, instead of   just talking, is a way of renouncing ourselves, a way of fasting.

Fast  in order to refuse to be selfish, fast to avoid speaking ill of others, fast to stop lies,  fast to stop wanting to be the most important than the others. Fasting is giving the other a turn, who also wants to express his/her ideas, or the way of thinking. Let's hear them! Let's be charitable, let's fast, let's give up wanting earthly pleasure always. 

In the gospel, the  Pharisees and John the Baptist's disciples, when asking Jesus that question, why his disciples didn't fast while they did, were really criticizing the fact that they did not fast. As if fasting were the last word in practice of holiness. Fasting is important, yes, and Jesus praised it. However, as Master he said, there is no point in fasting at a party, or at a banquet when the bridegroom is present. So his disciples were celebrating because he the master was with them. However, after He was gone, then fasting would be appropriate. Now is our appropriate time, now is our favourable time, now is our acceptable time, let's fast, according to our possibilities, according to our health. But let us not forget that spiritual or behavioral fasting is possible at any age.

Question: Since Ash Wednesday were you able to fast? what can you say you fasted from apart from eating? 

Prayer: Lord Jesus infuse your spirit in us to guide us during this lent, that as we fast, we maybe united with you. May our fast also open us up to the love of one another. Amen.

Have a fruitful lenten season.

Pax-Peace 🙏🏾 Fr Ralph Jnr .

 *Reflection for Thursday afterAsh Wednesday.Deut. 30:15-20; Lk 9:22-25*

*Theme: God proposes

Life and happiness*

life and happiness is the destiny of man who accepts to walk in the   commandments of God, while death and disgrace is the destiny of those who refuses his commandments.  The choice we make will lead us to live the blessing or the curse.

The Lord's proposal for us is that we love and prove it by following His ways and keeping His laws and decrees.

How is your life,  Do you have peace or distress in your heart?  Have you lived in the blessing or the curse?  are you sure you already made the right choice?  In the Gospel, following Jesus conditions us to a total renunciation of our human will that makes us want to achieve everything easily and without much effort. Jesus proposes the Cross to us( take up your cross..) as an exercise to get rid of ourselves, our weak will, our accommodation and thus allow ourselves to be surrendered to the Father's will, which for us is the supreme happiness.

if Jesus tells us to take the Cross and follow Him to salvation we cannot continue trying to win the whole world attached to what we have and who we are and to walk to perdition. What do you understand about Jesus' proposal to follow Him? -   What do you need to give up to follow Jesus?  

Prayer: Help us O Lord to take up our dialy cross and follow you. Offering our suffering to you and to continue steadily on the path, in truth and in spirit. Amen.

Have a spirit filled lenten season. 

Pax- peace 🙏🏾Fr Raph Jnr.

 *Reflection for Ash Wednesday 17/02/202*

Joel 2:12-18; 2Cor 5:20-6.2. Mt.6:1-6, 16-18

*Theme- “time to return to God”*

Today, the cycle of Lent begins, the liturgical time of conversion, when the Church prepares us for the great feast of Easter. The readings suggest a real turnaround in our actions. The prophet Joel calls us to sincere repentance, with a contrite heart. Crying, let our heart be thorned, is a  gesture that express sincere regret and the purpose of no longer offending God.  It is a favorable time for us to repent of our sins, a time to reflect and rethink our life in what we need to change in order to be better and to live closer to Christ. 

There is a way to go back to God, however, we need to make an effort so that we can purify our body so that our spirit dominates and guides our journey towards heaven.  We need to go back to acknowledge our sin and ask the Lord for forgiveness in any situation we find ourselves in. The Lord is always ready to give us another chance by pouring out His mercy on us. 

In this Gospel Jesus teaches us to be restrained in our manifestations of piety, not using our actions of justice as a pretext for us to be appreciated by men.   The fasting, prayer and almsgiving are practices that makes us grow spiritually, and through them we can dominate our human will.

When we fast we have the purpose of purifying our body, controlling our will, as well as solidarity with those in need, feeling their pain in our own flesh.  When we pray, we lift up our hearts to God and take hold of His mercy that motivates us to get involved in the pain of our brothers and to do good deeds. When we give alms, we are putting into practice the love that has been exercised by fasting and prayer. So almsgiving is a result of the two other actions. It is our solidary involvement with the need and shortage of those who live on the margins. 

Three times in this Gospel, Jesus refers to hypocrites as those who give alms, pray and fast, only to be praised, seen and admired by "men". For this reason, Jesus warns us: “ Pay attention not to practice your justice in front of men, only to be seen ”. - 

Questions: What do you prefer: pleasing God or men? Do you usually propagate the good deeds you practice?  What is your attitude when you are fasting? Does your prayer life connect you  with God?        

prayer: Lord help us to do what we can in prayer, in mortification, in fraternal charity; help us to do it in humility and sincerity before You. Infuse us with your Holy Spirit to guide and protects us through the desert of penance, during this Lent. Amen.

Have a spirit filled lenten season.

Pax- peace 🙏🏾Fr Raph Jnr OSJ.

 *Ephphatha*- 

Be opened. This was the word used by Jesus to heal that man who had ears to hear, but did not hear anymore, as he was deaf.Mk 7:31-37. He was deaf until Jesus, in all his mercy, touched him, and freed him from that deficiency.

Today we also see many deaf people out there. They are people who, having ears, do not hear the truth, continue to believe the lies that are now called fake News, and thus follow wrong advice and paths.

Let us pray to the Father for all those “deaf” of our times. So that God touches them and frees them from deafness, and that they finally hear the truth that is being drowned out, confused by lies on a large scale.

Pax- peace 🙏🏾Have a blessed day. Fr Raph Jnr.

 A Short reflection for 5th Sunday Year B. Job 7:1-4, 6-7; 1Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk 1:29-39.

Theme: The closer we get to Jesus, the easier our hopelessness is addressed. 

The worst thing that can happen to us is suffering without hope. It means one is stocked in unpleasant situation without hope of getting out. Job today make a reflection of his suffering. He made a picture of his sad existence but returned to God by asking him to take to account his ordeal. Dearest, who do you turn to in various form of suffeing that befalls you?  Jesus healed simon Peter's mother in-law in their house.  When Jesus sees us in the dark, he come to give us light, healing and strength.  Wether we go to Jesus, or he comes to us, what matters is finally our hopelessness would be addressed. The people started bringing others who were sick, oh it means hope at last.

Prayer: May God direct us so that we will turn to him in our moment of hopelessness. Amen.

Happy Sunday to you!

Pax- peace 🙏🏾 Fr Ralph Jnr osj .

 Reflection of Friday 5th of febuary. Memorial of St Agatha. Mark 6.14-29

Theme: They may kill the body but not the soul.

 Herod Antipas, fearing possible political disorders triggered by the movement of John Baptist arrested the prophet and ordered him to be executed. St Agatha also refusing the immoral advancement to her body had her breast cut off.

Today, Mark account, more subjective, led to seeing John the Baptist only as a victim of the vengeance of an angry woman Herodias.

 Herod was tormented by remorse, thinks he recognizes in Jesus the prophet he had ordered to be killed (v. 16). And so begins the narrative of John's martyrdom, plotted by Herodias using Salome, weakness by Herod, death sentence and execution (vv. 26-28). But remorse chases the king. 

The story ends with a touch of piety: the body of the prophet is given to the disciples who took him to the grave (v. 29).

This popular narrative highlights what ridiculous attitude could do to us,  a slave to our passions. 

We commit crimes of which we carry the burden on conscience, and, therefore, we fall into fear. Herod feared that Jesus had risen from the dead to condemn him, for he had had John the Baptist sacrificed.

Herod said to the dancer: mention what you want. And when she asked for the head of John the Baptist, he was embarrassed, but wouldn't  tell her to ask for something else, because he was powerful, and rich ...

This is the evil of all the powerful on Earth. They think they can do anything. Even about people's lives. The powerful think that power is political or economic (of money), gives them the right to do whatever  their vanity tells them to do. Especially about the weak and the helpless, the seemingly defenseless. For behind a great weakness, the power of God may be hidden! That is why persecutions of the Church's apostles had the opposite effect. The more persecutions, the more the Church grew!

 The gift of life does not belong to the powerful, but to God. This means that someone, however powerful, has no right to take another person's life. Life belongs to God.

Jesus told us not to be afraid of those who could take our life. They may even kill us, but they will not harm our soul. They will not be able to do you any harm that may prevent us from enjoying eternal glory.  

Have a blessed day!

Pax- peace🙏🏾 Fr Ralph Jnr osj.

 Reflection of Friday 5th of febuary. Memorial of St Agatha. Mark 6.14-29

Theme: They may kill the body but not the soul.

 Herod Antipas, fearing possible political disorders triggered by the movement of John Baptist arrested the prophet and ordered him to be executed. St Agatha also refusing the immoral advancement to her body had her breast cut off.

Today, Mark account, more subjective, led to seeing John the Baptist only as a victim of the vengeance of an angry woman Herodias.

 Herod was tormented by remorse, thinks he recognizes in Jesus the prophet he had ordered to be killed (v. 16). And so begins the narrative of John's martyrdom, plotted by Herodias using Salome, weakness by Herod, death sentence and execution (vv. 26-28). But remorse chases the king. 

The story ends with a touch of piety: the body of the prophet is given to the disciples who took him to the grave (v. 29).

This popular narrative highlights what ridiculous attitude could do to us,  a slave to our passions. 

We commit crimes of which we carry the burden on conscience, and, therefore, we fall into fear. Herod feared that Jesus had risen from the dead to condemn him, for he had had John the Baptist sacrificed.

Herod said to the dancer: mention what you want. And when she asked for the head of John the Baptist, he was embarrassed, but wouldn't  tell her to ask for something else, because he was powerful, and rich ...

This is the evil of all the powerful on Earth. They think they can do anything. Even about people's lives. The powerful think that power is political or economic (of money), gives them the right to do whatever  their vanity tells them to do. Especially about the weak and the helpless, the seemingly defenseless. For behind a great weakness, the power of God may be hidden! That is why persecutions of the Church's apostles had the opposite effect. The more persecutions, the more the Church grew!

 The gift of life does not belong to the powerful, but to God. This means that someone, however powerful, has no right to take another person's life. Life belongs to God.

Jesus told us not to be afraid of those who could take our life. They may even kill us, but they will not harm our soul. They will not be able to do you any harm that may prevent us from enjoying eternal glory.  

Have a blessed day!

Pax- peace🙏🏾 Fr Ralph Jnr osj.

 A short Reflection for the first day of February 2021. Hebrew 11:32-40; Mk 5:1-20

To cheer up Christians who falter in the faith, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews parades before them a long series of national heroes, such as Gideon, Barac, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel and David and others that he does not name explicitly.

The grace we receive in Christ must suffice us to also become giants in the faith.

In the Gospel, The howls of demons are heard, who recognize Jesus, proclaim his divinity and plead with him not to cast them out. Jesus remains unperturbed: ask their names, and allow them to take refuge in pigs. The precipitation of the pigs to the lake, suggests its return to Satan, king of the abyss. Those present remain overwhelmed with fear and ask Jesus to go away from thier city. This man, possessed by a legion of evil spirits, is for us an example of how Jesus has the power to take us out of captivity and deliver us from eternal death. We also often see people accommodated in the situation of sin, misery, violence and even seem to be familiar with that circumstance. May we never be familiar to any ugly circumstances, but get a solution from Jesus.

Prayer: Oh Lord in this new month, heal everyone so that we may have a life worthy of sons and daughters of God. Amen.

Pax-Peace🙏🏾Happy New Month.

Fr Ralph Jnr James osj.

Freedom by the power of Jesus

*A Reflection of the 4th Sunday In Ordinary time year B. 30th of January 2021*

Ist Reading: Deut. 18:15-20; Ps. 95; Second Reading: 1Cor 7:32-35; Gospel Mark 1:21b-28

*Theme: Freedom by the power of Jesus*

Today's reading invite us to be silent and listen to the authority that comes from Jesus. He is our teacher who speaks with authority.

In the first reading,  Moses told the people God will raise for them a new prophet. Just like the Israelites, we come to know what God want from us through the prophets.In Deuteronomy 18:19-14, coming to know God through sorcery, magic, divination were forbidden by death penalty. Hence, the prophet is first a person chosen by God to carry His plans by communicating them to the people. Moses therefore was an example of a true prophet who stand as an intermediary between God and the people, because the people couldn't stand the awesome presence of God. (Exodus 33:20).

Moses usually go to the mountain, commune with God and bring message back to the people. He only interpreted the mind of God. (Numbers 11:29). Consequently,  it means the prophets is not relating his words but God's word. In Act 2:17-18 it say; “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy". 

By the virtue of our Baptism, we too have been called to share in the prophetic mission. Nevertheless, let's us becareful about false prophets. Matthew 7:15-20 says, by thier fruit you shall know them.

St Paul in the second reading talks about those who are likely to be distracted from the things of God. The married would be concern with the family life, while  the unmarried with things of God. Well, unfortunately the reverse is the case in our world toda with so many umarried men and women being distracted in clubs, social medias etc.

In the Gospel, we are told those who listened to Jesus were astonished. What manner of man is Jesus? for it was on a Sabbath and the community gathered on their usual liturgy. Behold Jesus arrived just like any good and devoted jews. The community normally begins with a great Shama(listen) reminder and a profession of faith.  

The Shema expresses the essence of Judaism, that God must be loved and obeyed at all times. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might".(Deut6:4-9.). 

It's likely Jesus was invited to make a commentary after the reading of the Torah (law), and He did it in such a way that the people were amazed, for there was something about this man that  is different  from the scribe and doctors of the law. They were  perplexed that he taught them with authority. Right there His authority came simultaneously with his actions. He commanded the demon in the synagogue to be silent and come out of the man. Yes, because Jesus' authority is revealed in real and concrete actions. 

Dearest in Christ, If we can't do anything about the evil power that surrounds us because of our fragility, Jesus' power will free us. Just like the demon in the synagogue that violently challenged Jesus, any demon who opposes the spirit of God in us, to hinder the work of God, or are responsible for the oppression and chains of human,  they shall become uneasy and shout Jesus of Nazareth have you come to destroy us?. May the power of evil around you, business,  family, marriege, children, spouse's.. be silent at the presence of Jesus in your life.

The Gospel to assures us, Jesus has come to free us from everything that makes us prisoner and steal away our life.

Again, the influence of the devil is everywhere, even in the church, market, school, social media: Faces of fake people who are afraid of meeting real people. But i tell you, the devil is afraid when Jesus steps in. John 3:8  Jesus came to destroy the works of satan. John 10:10 The devil come to destroy,  but Jesus came that we might have life in abundance.  

*Prayer*🙏🏾: I take the authority today in the Name of Jesus to destroy the power of satan, Matthew 28:18 for all powers has been given to me...and John 4:4 says he that is in you is greater...." Amen.

Happy Last Sunday of the Month Of January. God bless you! 

Pax-Peace🙏🏾 Fr Ralph Jnr OSJ.