David Michael Okechukwu's Blog

The Holy Trinity  “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” Luke 10:16 Jesus makes a threefold connection in this passage. He connects you to Him and Himself to the Father. Thus, when you are acting as a true instrument of the Lord, and another either listens to or rejects what you bring to them, then they are either listening to or rejecting not only you but also our Lord and the Father in Heaven. One thing this reveals is the awesome responsibility we all have to bring the love and mercy of the Father in Heaven to those whom we encounter every day. We are able to be true instruments of God. In making such a strong connection between us, Himself and the Father in Heaven, Jesus is elevating our human dignity to an incredible level. This passage also reveals the fact that others will act as instruments of God to us. This is important to understand because Jesus is very clear. If someone c...

Supplicating Appropriately Text: DANIEL 9:20-27 KeyVerse: "At the beginning of thy supplications the com- mandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore under- stand the matter, and consider the vision" (Daniel 9:23). In many contemporary Christian assemblies, there is an over- emphasis on the place of prayer in true worship experience. Good as that trend may appear, the worrisome aspect of this modern practice of praying is the focus and content of such prayers. The Church today seems to have lost the power of purposeful supplication that will bring national revival, restoration and righteousness. Much time is spent praying against enemies, seeking personal wealth or deliverance. In our passage, Daniel is shown as an inspiring example that believers should emulate. He lived in affluence and comfort in the palace in Babylon, but he did not allow the luxury of his circumstance or his busy administrative responsibilities to h...

  "If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve."

Saint Jerome, Priest, Doctor   (Friday of week 26 in Ordinary Time) About Today Year: C(II). Psalm week: 2. Liturgical Colour: White. St Jerome (340 - 420) He was born in Strido, in Dalmatia. He studied in Rome and was baptized there. He was attracted by the ascetic life and travelled to the East, where he was (unwillingly) ordained a priest. He was recalled to Rome to act as secretary to Pope Damasus, but on the Pope’s death he returned to the East, to Bethlehem, where (with the aid of St Paula and others) he founded a monastery, a hospice, and a school, and settled down to the most important work of his life, the translation of the Bible into Latin, a translation which, with some revisions, is still in use today. He wrote many works of his own, including letters and commentaries on Holy Scripture. When a time of troubles came upon the world, through barbarian invasions, and to the Church, through internal dissension, he helped the refugees and those in need. H...

Friday of week 26 in Ordinary Time  (Saint Jerome, Priest, Doctor ) Liturgical Colour: White . Readings at Mass ________ Entrance Antiphon Cf. Ps 1: 2-3 Blessed indeed is he who ponders the law of the Lord day and night: he will yield his fruit in due season. ________ Collect O God, who gave the Priest Saint Jerome a living and tender love for Sacred Scripture, grant that your people may be ever more fruitfully nourished by your Word and find in it the fount of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. ________ First reading Job 38:1,12-21,40:3-5 From the heart of the tempest the Lord gave Job his answer. He said: Have you ever in your life given orders to the morning     or sent the dawn to its post, telling it to grasp the earth by its edges     and shake the wicked out of it, when it changes the earth to sealing clay ...

Thursday 29 September 2016 Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels - Feast  About Today Liturgical Colour: White. St Michael He is mentioned in the Apocalypse as the leader of the heavenly host. He is a patron of soldiers.     ________ St Gabriel He appears in the book of Daniel to explain some of the prophet’s visions, and was also the bearer of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.     ________ St Raphael In the Book of Tobit, he is the angel who heals Tobit of his blindness.  His name means God heals.     ________ Liturgical colour: white White is the colour of heaven. Liturgically, it is used to celebrate feasts of the Lord; Christmas and Easter, the great seasons of the Lord; and the saints. Not that you will always see white in church, because if something more splendid, such as gold, is available, that can and should be used instead. We are, after all, celebrating.     In the ...

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels - Feast  Liturgical Colour: White. Readings at Mass ________ Entrance Antiphon Cf. Ps 102: 20 Bless the Lord, all you his angels, mighty in power, fulfilling his word, and heeding his voice. ________ Collect O God, who dispose in marvellous order ministries both angelic and human, graciously grant that our life on earth may be defended by those who watch over us as they minister perpetually to you in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. EITHER: -------- First reading Daniel 7:9-10,13-14 As I watched: Thrones were set in place and one of great age took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A stream of fire poured out, issuing from his presence. A thousand thousand waited on him, t...

Polluted Gains Text: JAMES 5:1-11 KeyVerse: "Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are en- tered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth" (James 5:4). The writer of today's text, having dealt with various issues of interest in previous chapters, now turned his attention to the wealthy class. He had stiff warning for the rich, not because of their riches but for their oppression and wicked exploitation of the poor. The truly rich leaves no debt behind him and he definitely owes no one their just wages or due. The wicked rich is not so. His wealth is largely the result of ruthless and godless business principles and oppression of the poor like delaying, decreasing or keeping back the wages of labourers and workmen. This attitude offends God. Those who become affluent through dishonesty and exploitative domination of others sin greatly against men and God...

"For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders" - Mark 7: 3 While ritualistic hand washing of the Pharisees was condemned by Christ, the habit of handwashing or hand hygiene is commendable. According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), "It is well- documented that the most important measure for preventing the spread of pathogens is effective handwashing." With the recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease, handwashing ritual became entrenched in public places, including schools. October 15th of every year has been designated Global Handwashing Day to increase awareness of the importance of handwashing. Handwashing should be performed before preparing food and after meals, after using the toilet or changing baby diaper, after blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing, after touching animals or animal wastes and after taking care of the sick. It should be performed with...

Wednesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time   or Saint Wenceslaus (Wacław), Martyr   or Saints Laurence Ruiz and his Companions, Martyrs  About Today Year: C(II). Psalm week: 2. Liturgical Colour: Green. St Wenceslaus (907 - 935) He was born into the Bohemian royal family, and brought up as a Christian by his aunt. When he became king, he worked hard to promote order in his kingdom and the free exercise of Christianity. This raised considerable opposition, and he was eventually murdered by his brother’s henchmen. He was immediately acclaimed as a martyr and is the patron saint of the Czech republic.     Saints Lawrence Ruiz and his Companions, Martyrs The followers of Christ, arriving unexpectedly in Japan, without any permission, have spread and propagated their wicked law, destroying the good and legitimate one and plotting to overthrow authority in the country. This is the beginning of great calamity, which we should avoid by all me...

Wednesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time  or Saint Wenceslaus (Wacław), Martyr  or Saints Laurence Ruiz and his Companions, Martyrs Liturgical Colour: Green. Readings at Mass ________ Entrance Antiphon Dn 3: 31, 29, 30, 43, 42 All that you have done to us, O Lord, you have done with true judgement, for we have sinned against you and not obeyed your commandments. But give glory to your name and deal with us according to the bounty of your mercy. ________ Collect O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. ________ First reading Job 9:1-13,14-16 Job spoke to his friends: Indeed, I know it is as you say:     how can man be in the...

St Vincent de Paul (1581 - 1660) He was born in Aquitaine and became a priest. He devoted his whole life to the service of the poor. He founded a congregation of priests for missionary work, groups of laymen to help paupers and galley-slaves, and, with St Louise de Marillac, the Sisters of Charity.    

SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" - 1Peter 2: 2 The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk, only breast milk and nothing but breast milk) for the first six months of a baby's life. This is in recognition of the many benefits of human breast milk. Breast milk provides optimum nutrition for a young infant and also protects against many infections. Breast-fed infants have less chance of suffering from sudden infant death. And they are known to have higher intelligence and develop to be emotionally balanced youngsters. Breast feeding also fosters mother-child bonding. God has provided spiritual milk for spiritual growth- “ the Word of God. It has all the nutrients and ingredients required for optimum growth. It protects against spiritual infections and diseases. Youths can keep their ways pure by taking heed to the word of God. Wisdom and ...

Tuesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time  (Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest ) Liturgical Colour: White. Readings at Mass ________ Entrance Antiphon Cf. Lk 4: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me and sent me to preach the good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted. ________ Collect O God, who for the relief of the poor and the formation of the clergy endowed the Priest Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtues, grant, we pray, that, afire with that same spirit, we may love what he loved and put into practice what he taught. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. ________ First reading Job 3:1-3,11-17,20-23 Job broke the silence and cursed the day of his birth. This is what he said: May the day perish when I was born,     and the night that told of a boy conceived. Why did I not die new-born,     n...

Text: 1 KINGS 11:14-25 KeyVerse: "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mis- chief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria" (1 Kings 11:14,25). Aprominent businessman attended several meetings organized by a minister and at the end gave the following account: "I have enjoyed all the meetings this week, but I am sorry I attended them!" "Why?" asked the astonished minister. "Here's why", he explained, "These meetings have reminded me afresh that I have missed God's best for my life. God called me to Africa. I intended to answer the call, so I began to earn money for my passage and outfit. I earned more and more money. Today, I am the owner of a large business concern. I have everything money can buy, a beautiful home, lovely wife, and children. However, down in my...

Readings at Mass Liturgical Colour: Red. First reading Proverbs 21:1-6,10-13 © Like flowing water is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord, who turns it where he pleases. A man’s conduct may strike him as upright, the Lord, however, weighs the heart. To act virtuously and with justice is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice. Haughty eye, proud heart, lamp of the wicked, nothing but sin. The hardworking man is thoughtful, and all is gain; too much haste, and all that comes of it is want. To make a fortune with the help of a lying tongue, such the idle fantasy of those who look for death. The wicked man’s soul is intent on evil, he looks on his neighbour with dislike. When a mocker is punished, the ignorant man grows wiser, when a wise man is instructed he acquires more knowledge. The Just One watches the house of the wicked: he hurls the wicked to destruction. He who shuts his ear to the poor man’s cry shall himself plead and not be heard. Responsori...