I Will Not Forsake You | Marian Amarachi Akanegbu

 I WILL NOT FORSAKE YOU (ISAIAH 49: 8-15). 

Marian Amarachi Akanegbu 

The word of the LORD was addressed to the prophet Isaiah at a time when the Israelites on exile in Babylon had lost hope in any source of comfort or freedom from the LORD their God. Because of their captivity in Babylon, Zion wonders “does God really care about us? To fully understand the depth of this question, it is important to review the situation of the Israelites at the time when this prophecy was made.

The people of Israel had sinned grievously against God and disobeyed his commandments, so He allowed them to be taken into exile by the Babylonians. Hence, this prophecy was a prophecy of the restoration of Jerusalem back to its lost glory.

God never goes back on His word: God has said in his word that His word would never return to him without fulfilling the purpose for which it has been sent. This means that his word shall not return to him void. He further promised His people that would leave Babylon with joy. Cf. Isaiah 55:11. Dear friends in Christ, we can personalize this message at a time like this in our world where everything seems to be in chaos and disarray, that God will surely restore Peace and serenity to our world as His thoughts are not like ours and his ways are different from ours. Cf. Isaiah 55:8

God is still God: And Yes, God is still God… no matter what happens. It may look like forever or eternity but God’s time is still the best. The LORD says to his people, “When the time comes to save you, I will show you favour and answer your cries for help.” Cf. Isaiah 49:8a. He remains the same yesterday, today and forever. Listen to his promise, “Jerusalem, I can never forget you! I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Cf. Isaiah 49:16. God’s word also admonishes us in psalm 46 vs. 10 to be still and know that He is Truly God. No matter the situation we are going through. His words of comfort come to us in a special way saying… I am still your God. 

God is a merciful God: Our God is a God of justice but also a merciful God. His Love for us is eternal and has no end. “For one brief moment I left you; with deep love I will take you back. I turned away angry for only a moment, but I will show you my love forever.” So says the LORD who saves you” cf. Isaiah 54: 7-8. God gets angry with us when we sin against him but His anger lasts just for a moment and His favours all through life. Like the psalmist in psalm 51, let us approach the throne of God’s mercy at the confessional whenever we offend Him.

God will never forsake us: Despite the obscene and terrible things going on in our world today. The Psalmist in psalm 115 tells us of how God operates; He is in Heaven doing whatever He wishes. Cf. psalm 115: 1-13. He will remember his people and bless everyone who honours Him.

Trust in God always: Dear friends, we are encouraged today to place all our Hope and trust in God almighty. Humans may disappoint and fail God but God will always remain faithful. Remember, he was silent when he was informed about Lazarus his dear friend but he still showed up and worked miracles. Also, Jairus daughter was ill and despite being told that the girl had died. No matter what we are passing through let us still trust God.

May Our Merciful God never forsake us! Amen.

Sacrament and the Sacramental by Sr. Elizabeth Adeyemi, DHS.

 Sacrament and the Sacramental

Sr. Elizabeth Adeyemi, DHS.

INTRODUCTION

In instituting the sacraments Christ did not determine the matter and form down to the slightest detail, leaving this task to the church, which should determine what rites were suitable in the administration of the sacraments. These rites are indicated by the word Sacramentalia, the object of which is to manifest the respect due to the sacrament and to secure the sanctification of the faithful.

SACRAMENTS 

Sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace ordained by Jesus Christ by which grace is given to our soul. The catechism of the Catholic Church defines sacrament “as an efficacious signs of Grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the church by which divine life is dispensed to us.” The sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition. St. Thomas Aquinas defined sacraments as a “sign signifying three things: the passion of Christ which he underwent in the past, the grace which is the effect of his passion in the present, and eternal glory to which Christ’s passion and grace bring to us in the future.” This implies that sacrament is something sensible aptly used to signify spiritual things.

In every sacrament three things are necessary: the outward sign, the inward grace; Divine institution. A sign stands for and represents something else, either naturally, as smoke represents fire, or by the choice of an intelligent being, as the red-cross indicates an ambulance. Sacraments do not naturally signify grace; they do so because they have been chosen by God to signify mysterious effects. The sacrament provides an opportunity for Church members to ponder and remember with gratitude the life, ministry, and atonement of the Son of God. The broken bread is a reminder of His body and His physical suffering especially His suffering on the cross. It is also a reminder that through His mercy and grace, all people will be resurrected and given the opportunity for eternal life with God.

Partaking of the sacrament is a witness to God that the remembrance of His Son will extend beyond the short time of that sacred ordinance. Part of this ordinance is a promise to remember Him always and a witness of individual willingness to take upon oneself the name of Jesus Christ and to keep His commandments. 

SACRAMENTALS

The Catechism of the Catholic Church no1667 defines Sacramentals as “sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them, men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.” This implies that they are sensible signs often with matter and form and they are public means of sanctification. They are intended to produce “mainly spiritual” effects in the faithful and their administration belongs to the public worship of the Church.

sacrosanctum concilium 60 define sacramental as “sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly spiritual natures which are obtained through the intercession of the Church.” The Church instituted sacramentals in other to sanctify certain offices and situations in our life. Canon 1166 states that “Sacramentals are sacred signs by which, somewhat after the fashion of the sacraments, effects, especially spiritual ones, are signified and are obtained through the intercession of the Church.” They are intended to produce mainly spiritual effects in the faithful and their administration belongs to the public worship of the Church. 

Sacramentals always include a prayer, usually a sign or action such as laying on of hands or counting beads or making the sign of the cross or sprinkling with another sacramental, holy water or preparing the body. They are small, often pocket sized, blessed objects that remind us what a mighty God we serve and prompt us to actually serve God almighty. Sacramentals give us words and deeds to actually do something in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Sacramentals prepare us as we hope to next receive God’s grace. Sacramentals help us to call on God’s blessing. They help us to be a blessing in the service of the Lord. The Book of Numbers 21:4-9 also portrays the example of Sacrament and Sacramental. ".......and God replied, 'Make a fiery serpent and raise it as a standard. Anyone who is bitten and looks at it will survive.' Moses then made a serpent out of the bronze and raised it as a standard, and anyone who was bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent survived." The bronze serpent is the object of Sacramental through which the Israelites received grace and the Sacrament of Healing. 

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SACRAMENT AND SACRAMENTAL 

 Sacramentals is linked to the sacraments (there are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church which are baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, matrimony and holy orders), sacramentals like sacraments, are sacred signs, and they produce supernatural effects, even though their efficacy is not ex opera operato but ex opera operantis Ecclesiae. This means that sacramentals are both sanctifying and worshipping actions and there is a relation between sacramentals and sacraments, especially with the Eucharist. As far as sacraments are concerned when they are established and administered validly, they produce their effects, principally the sacramental grace, ex opera operato, that is, without the influence of the moral dispositions of a minister or even of the receiving subject.

In respect of the sacramentals we can differentiate between ex opera operantis Ecclesiae and ex opere operantis. The ex opera operantis effects by the minister or subject refer to the fact that God grants His gifts in such quantity or quality as is determined by virtue of the merit and dispositions concurring in the person who administers. Critically examining the sacraments and sacramentals we can make some difference between the two. Sacraments are of divine institution, while sacramentals are of ecclesiastical institution. In the sacraments, Christ himself brings efficacy into operation, the intervention is immediate. In sacramentals, this intervention takes place through the Church, specifically through the hierarchy though in some cases lay administration is permitted. The effects obtained by ex opera operantis Ecclesiae include the very intercessory prayers of the Church in all sacramental matters and the acceptance by God of the objects and persons that receive constitutive consecration or blessing, as being reserved to its exclusive use.

SACRAMENT AND SACRAMENTAL

Sacramentals, like the Sacraments, are signs of the Church’s faith, and both Sacraments and Sacramentals produce spiritual effects, albeit in different ways. Unlike the Sacraments, the Sacramentals were instituted by the Church, not by Christ. The different ceremonies used by the Church explain why the use of one blessed item (Blessed Salt) is said to produce different effects when compared to the use of another item (say a Rosary). Additionally, this means that when there are different ceremonies and prayers used in the blessing of similar items, say two Rosaries blessed using different ceremonies and prayers, the possible divine favours associated with the use of one will be different from the divine favors associated with the use of the other. Not all blessings are the same, nor do all blessings request God to provide the same divine gifts.  

It is advantageous to the faithful, then, not only to have their items blessed, but also to ensure that the blessings used fully express the specific effects the Church wishes to attach to each different type of item in order to ensure that the greatest possible spiritual benefit, from the reverent and devout use of their Sacramentals, may be received.

Among the sacramental, blessings occupy an important place, because they prepare us to receive the grace of the sacraments and help us to grow to be more like. Blessings consist of prayer, Scripture, and sometimes a special ritual sign of Christ. People are accustomed to seeing bishops, priests, and deacons blessing objects or persons in the name of the Church. Indeed, “the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry” (CCC no.1669), often with the participation of the local parish community gathered in prayer. Whenever an ordained minister is present, he should be called upon to give the blessing.

CONCLUSION

The sacraments and sacramentals are intrinsically connected because they both work for the growth and sanctification of the believers. They confer grace on us and lift up our heart to God. While sacraments give us Divine grace, sacramentals prepare us to receive that grace. In this Season of Lent which is also a season of Sanctification depicts another experience of us in the wilderness of our sins where we find ourselves after being lost in sin. Like the Israelites who received grace and comfort through looking at the bronze serpent is a way of encouraging us also to go back to Christ through the reception of the Sacramens especially the Sacrament of Penance for the Cross of Jesus which is far greater than the bronze serpent made in the Old Testament stands as our only means of Salvation. As we continue our journey of Sanctification towards the Cross which will be lifted up like the bronze serpent, let us take the pain to also look up to the Cross during this Season of grace that we might be saved.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Cathechism of Catholic Church, Nigeria: Society St. Paul 2013.

Vatican Council II, vol 1, The Conciliar Document, Austine Flanery (ed), 1975.

Richard Mcbrien, Catholicism, Great Britain: Geoffrey Chapman, 1996.

Edward. j. Gratsch, Aquinas’ Summa: An Introduction and Interpretation, Bangalore: Theological Publication in India, 1990.

The Code of Canon Law.

Let Us Repent, Who knows...| Fadachi, SSP.

 

LET US REPENT, WHO KNOWS...

Rev. Fr. Martins Chibuike Obasi, 

(FADACHI, SSPCIWA-CESACC).

Night time is the time when things starts to quiet and soften no matter how difficult orchallenging things have been in the day. At night, the stars pierce the sky and you see themoon-light shinning. Night is the time when the soul stretches out to God and sometimes we ask deeper questions about our vocation, career, family, friends and finance at this time. Night is that time when you can be more vulnerable in a conversation with your best friend or distant friend.

Similarly, the words spoken at night are piercing, powerful and painful at times but enough to cause repentance, resolution, restitution, reparation or relationship. Sometimes, it is only at night that you recall persons, events, moments, etc. Such memories could either cause a teary eyes or thankful heart. Suffice to define night as time of clarity or change.

Years ago, when I was a teenager, I used to consider night as the time for pregnant mothers to put to bed. Secondly, as the time when people can only die. Furthermore, as the time when dangerous things could happen. A time for witches and wizards to fly and attend meetings ontrees and roof tops. Therefore, I prayed intensely at night before night rest. Those prayer moments that require moving of the head and tightening of the eyes with sufficient mention of holy ghost fire.

Nicodemus simple went to Jesus. For Nicodemus night is a time of encounter. It is the time torecognisethesupremacy of Jesus as the Master, the way, the truth and the life. He simply visits Jesus. Remember Nicodemus is not a small man in terms of position and possession. Yet, he gets up, searches his mind, prepared himself, and departs to meet Jesus. Perhaps he departs to meet the only person who could truly search his heart without condemnation. Perhaps he departs because now, there is need for fresh impartation. Perhaps, he departs because unless a journey begins, there is no arrival. Perhaps, he departs because without a pilgrim is one who is on a journey for a spiritual purpose. Perhaps, he departs because repentance is an intentional movement from the self to the Father. Perhaps, he departs because except we recognise our prodigality, we cannot refresh our minds to remember the promised of Jesus Christ - " I will be with you until the end of time".

What a man of curiosity! Are you curious enough to know more about yourself like Nicodemus? Every patient also departs to meet a doctor who examines the body and not the soul. The sole reason why Nicodemus departs at night is for his 'soul purpose'. He asks, " How can I be born again?" Here is a man, not a baby. John's Gospel frequently distinguishes between the " below" and the " above". The " above" is the realm of God working through Jesus to bring light and to invite belief and the coming of eternal life. The "below" is the realm of this world, with darkness, drowsiness and resistance to belief inJesus Christ, the Way, the truth and the life.

Friends, it happened by night. The man above seeks to meet Jesus to be born again " from above". It is dangerous to remain below. It is discouraging to live without results whether you are a student, labourer, religious, Catholic priests, nun, doctor, etc. All the more, it is heartbreaking to claim to walk with Jesus without results. Nicodemus realises this and goes toJesus by night for the vetting of his results, and the outcome reads: "unless you are born of water and the holy spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God." When I meet Jesus, I catch a glimpse of how the" morning"or"afternoon"of my life has been in terms of my relationship with him and my friends. I realise how difficult life has been because I ignored him and failed to fix a time for our meeting. Sometimes I woke up to pray and struggle for concentration because there are a lot waiting for me on my desk. When you meet Jesus you literally become vulnerable and your ego bows to Him. That moment becomes the night of encounter.

Remember, I am not using night here to mean dusk. I am not referring to 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm or what you call " midnight prayer". No. I refer to the moment of encounter with Jesus. It is the time when everything else is quiet - people's judgement of your life, your past mistakes, yourpresent sin, your pride, your anger, your arrogance, etc., When they all recognise the need foreseeing the logos himself, the word made flesh!

Let us repent who knows the time Jesus will come again. Let us repent who knows if that is the last action Jesus is waiting for us to take. Let us repent who knows if that is the reason why we are stagnant in many areas of life. Let us repent who knows when we shall leave this life and meet Jesus. Let us repent, I know he will grant us eternal life no matter how bad we think we have been in the past.

Ash Wednesday | Anosike Patrickmary

 

THE THEME OF TODAY'S REFLECTION IS ASH WEDNESDAY. 

SUBTITLE ~ A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART

 Ashes have a long tradition in the Catholic Church, finding its roots in the Old Testament. 

Ash Wednesday in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church is focused, not surprisingly, on the imposition of ashes on all the faithful who attend Mass or a prayer service. This ceremony is relatively brief, but has rich symbolism that is sometimes forgotten.

First of all, the ashes used are typically created at the parish church through the burning of palm branches. These palm branches were blessed on Palm Sunday the year before, which connects the beginning of Lent to the end of Lent, when we remember the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 Secondly, the prayer used by the priest to impose ashes on the forehead of an individual is meant to remind us of our mortality and the consequences of Adam and Eve’s original sin. 

The prayer, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return,” is a direct quotation from the book of Genesis when God is delivering his judgment to Adam and Eve after they eat from the Tree of Good and Evil.

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground,from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Genesis 3:19

Adam and Eve are then exiled from the Garden of Eden and are not allowed to return, sentenced to a mortal life.

Furthermore, ashes were used by many throughout the Old Testament as a sign of their repentance, asking God to have mercy on them. In the book of Judith, “all the Israelite men, women, and children who lived in Jerusalem fell prostrate in front of the temple and sprinkled ashes on their heads, spreading out their sackcloth before the Lord” (Judith 4:11). Afterwards, “The Lord heard their cry and saw their distress” (Judith 4:13).

Each time when the people sprinkled themselves with ashes, repent of their sins and cried out to God for mercy, the Lord heard their cries and spared them from destruction.This symbolism of repentance is why, in the current version of the Roman Rite, the words spoken at the imposition of ashes may be Jesus’ injunction to “Repent, and believe in the Gospel instead of "remember thou art dust and to dust you shall return."

”St. John Paul II also summarized the depth of meaning behind the ashes.

He said “Create in me a clean heart, O God, … take not your holy Spirit from me.” We hear this cry echoing in our hearts, while in a few moments we will approach the Lord’s altar to receive ashes on our forehead in accordance with a very ancient tradition. This act is filled with spiritual allusions and is an important sign of conversion and inner renewal. Considered in itself, it is a simple liturgical rite, but very profound because of its penitential meaning: with it the Church reminds man, believer and sinner, of his weakness in the face of evil and especially of his total dependence on God’s infinite majesty.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS 

THE ASHES ON OUR FOREHEADS SHOULD BE IN TRUTH A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF THE STATE OF OUR BROKEN HEARTS. NOT ONLY ON ASH WEDNESDAYS OR DURING THE LENTEN PERIODS BUT ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

The ashes on our foreheads shows the broken state of our hearts. A heart that recognizes his/her weaknesses in the face of evil and his/her nothingness. A heart that is devoid of pride, a heart that has no excuse for sin. A heart that accepted that he/she is a sinner.

A heart that is broken and contrite.

Brokenness is deeper than repentance.

That we are Christians is not enough.

Brokenness is a state of total surrender.

It is a state that God can not deny.

Brokenness is a recognition of our imperfections, our inadequacies outside of God's mercy and help

It is a spiritual strategy designed by God to kill pride in the lives of His children.

It is a pathway invented by the wisdom of God for His children to return to Him.

2chronicle 7v14 

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 It means that we can pray and still not be heard. 

That we can pray and still not be forgiven and can pray and still be sick because we are not humble because of lack of brokenness.

psalm 51v7

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

This means that the only acceptable sacrifice is a broken and a contrite heart.

 It means that our praise will not be acceptable to God if we are not broken and contrite in our hearts.

It means that before God will accept our prayers or sacrifices that He will first of all check the state of our hearts to know whether we are broken and contrite in our hearts.

psalm 34v18 

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.It means that the Lord is far from those that are proud and allow the hard-hearted ones to enjoy there trouble in peace...

Jonah3v6-10

The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

This verses in summary means that the absence of a broken and contrite spirit is for many of us the mystery behind not only the tragedies of our lives but also the continuous patterns and reign of darkness and sin over our lives, over our families and territories. 

Lack of brokenness and contrite heart can actually be the reason why so many people, families and Nations are still under curses and bondages as a result of sin and unexamined lifestyles.

Luke 15v20-22

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

In conclusion it means that God forgives and forgets our sins immediately He sees our broken and contrite heart. He sounded as if He did not hear the apology coming from His prodigal son and was busy instructing the servants what they must do for the prodigal son.

It is only God that never shames us if we are truly broken and contrite in our hearts.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WE RECEIVED ASHES ON ASH WEDNESDAY, THE BIG QUESTION IS, "IS OUR HEARTS BROKEN AND TRULY CONTRITE OR ARE WE STILL LIVING WITH THE HEART OF STONE INSTEAD OF THE HEART OF FLESH?

THIS IS THE END OF OUR TODAY'S REFLECTION GOD BLESS YOU.