FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS AT MASS

Ezekiel 37:12-14

Psalm 130

Rom. 8:8-11

Jn. 11:1-45

Theme: LAZARUS, COME OUT!

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

On this penultimate Sunday of Lent, the powerful voice of Jesus thunders beyond the bondage of the grave to Lazarus and to all men to “come out.”  It is a voice so powerful that it reaches deep even into the grave to pull dead souls back to life. It is a voice that shows the extent to which the power of God's grace can go. 

Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” Both our first and Gospel readings reiterate the fact that the grace of God knows no bounds. It can even penetrate the grave; the most hopeless situation of life. 

As we draw closer to the end of this grace-filled season, Jesus still stands at the entrance of our 'graves' and His voice still thunders beyond all human hopelessness. Nothing, absolutely no situation is far too gone for His reach. To us who are tied down and even buried in sin and hopelessness, the grace and mercy of God still cries: come out!

PRAYER

Lord, you came as the resurrection and the life of the world. May the thunderous voice of your grace pull me out of the 'grave(s)' I find myself in. Amen! 

May God bless you. 

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, March 26, 2023. 

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS AT MASS

1 Sam. 16:1, 6-7, 10-13

Psalm 23

Eph. 5:8-14

Jn. 9:1-41

Theme: BORN BLIND

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

Today's Gospel introduces the man at the centre of the contention as “the man born blind.” This is to tell us that his blindness was more of a natural inherent defect than a sickness. Thus, his blindness, the inability to see, came with his nature. 

Just like the iconic man of John chapter nine, humanity is plagued with an inherent blindness (a natural defect) that prevents us from seeing reality and truth as God sees them. There is a natural veil of darkness and deception (Is. 25:7-8, Habakkuk 2:14) that blinds us from birth. How many times are we not convinced about what we see and believe only to be proven totally wrong by the future and better knowledge? No matter how close and extensively we look at things, we are not able to perceive reality as God sees it. There is a reality and knowledge that lies beyond humanity's natural sense of sight because we were born blind. 

In our First Reading for today, we see how Samuel, though not physically blind, could not see exactly what God wanted. Until God stepped in, Samuel was going to make the wrong choice. It is difficult to figure out exactly what God wants for us and from us without us relying on Him for His guidance and help. 

This natural and inherent defect of men can only be cured by the regenerative touch of Jesus Christ. Jesus comes as the Light of the world to open our eyes and give light to our sight. Let us admit our blindness before Him during this Lenten season and ask for His help so we can see.

PRAYER

Lord, you came as the Light of the world to give sight to blind eyes. Heal our blindness. Amen! 

May God bless you. 

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, March 19, 2023. 

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS AT MASS

Exodus  17:3-7

Psalm 95

Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8

Jn. 4:5-42

Theme: LOOKING FOR WATER

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

The Samaritan woman in today's Gospel was empty and broken. Just like her very life, she had been coming to the same well over and over to quench a thirst that the physical waters of Jacob's well could not satisfy.

This woman had been married to five men, and the present one was also a failed cause. This is a typical example of a woman so broken and empty that she wanted to fill the void of love and self-worth with the approval of men. She had been trying to quench her thirst for true love and self-esteem with men. 

At this low point of psychological and emotional crisis, she met Jesus, who taught her to stop quenching her thirst with the wrong water. 

Beloved, you can not quench your deep-seated thirst with the wrong source of water. Many are those who are broken and empty and are trying to quench their thirst with the wrong things (waters). Jesus alone reveals our deep-seated thirst in life. He comes to meet us seated on the well as the only true well whose live-giving water quenches every thirst of man. He provokes us to reconsider the root cause of our thirst in life.

During this Lenten season, let us come to Jesus as broken as we are. Let us allow Him to meet us at our lowest so as to expose our deep-seated thirsts. He alone can show us true love and cause us to live again.

PRAYER

Lord, as we make the effort to encounter you during this Lenten season, expose our deep-seated thirst to us and lead us to the right source of water that satisfies eternally. Amen! 

May God bless you. 

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, March 12, 2023. 

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS AT MASS

Gen. 12:1-4

Psalm 33

2 Tim. 1:8-10

Mt. 17:1-9

Theme: BEAUTY BEYOND THE HORIZON

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

Sometimes, God requires an uphill trek from us. He calls us and all He wants is a trek; a journey to just accompany Him on a challenging and seeming unreasonable uphill route. These journeys, even though unreasonable to us from the beginning, take us to a beautiful height and glory that we did not imagine from start. 

There are other sides and heights to life that we might not be able to see until we break the normal routine of life and take up  the challenging invitations of God courageously. In our readings for this morning, Abram, the childless old man, took up God's challenge in faith and became Abraham, the father of nations. All these happened beyond the horizon of his native land. Similarly, Peter, James, and John took an uphill trek with Jesus and were satisfied with the glory and beauty beyond the horizon of everyday life. 

At Lent every year, God invites us to step out of the normal everyday life routines to take difficult steps of faith alongside Him to see what lies beyond the horizon. We cannot see what is hidden beyond our view if we do not leave and climb with Him.

Beloved, there is so much beauy beyond the horizon. Let us gather the courage to step out of the ordinary routine of life this Lent and see the glory on the other side where God wants to take us. It promises to be refreshing and encouraging.

PRAYER 

Lord, give us the courage to honor your invitation to step out of our comfort zones to journey with you this Lent. Amen.

May God bless you. 

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, March 5, 2023. 

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.