THE SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE

READINGS AT MASS

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Psalm 23

1 Cor. 15:20-26, 28

Mt. 25:31-46

Theme: CHOOSING A KING

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

Today's Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ the King of the universe, ends the Liturgical Year. 

The obvious message is that at the end of everything, Jesus Christ reigns as King over all.

Kings (rulers) are powerful people. They have so much power and authority vested in them that they determine the fate of nations and the destiny of their people. With this in mind, it is imperative for individuals and nations to choose and pay allegiance to the right kings. For, bad kings with no intention to fight evil and corruption are a disaster to nations and the poor 'powerless' but good people under their reign.

In our First reading, God proposed Himself as an alternative to the human shepherds (rulers). He will be a replacement to the selfish unqualified human rulers. The main problem of the people and the entire nation at the time was leadership. They had kings who were not interested in their destiny and development. Instead of caring for and feeding the people with the resources of the land, they rather feed on the people. They had become disastrous to the very destiny of the Land. 

God promised a new and alternative Kingship as a loving Shepherd. Under His kingship, the King will search for and rescue lost sheep (His people), gather the dispersed, lead them to green pasture and bring them to rest;l seek and bandage the wounded. He will be a good and caring King whose reign will bring life and hope to the nation and its people. 

Beloved, watch the kings you choose to reign over you. Your destiny depends on it. Our main problem in today's world today is its kings. Most are hyenas leading lambs like shepherds. Those who pay allegiance to them are doomed. Jesus Christ, the King of the universe, is the best and the only alternative to the inferior kings of our world. He is a King with a shepherd's heart. His reign bring life, goodness and hope to His people. 

The Twenty Third Psalm, our Responsorial Psalm for today, speaks of the state of those who have Him (The Lord) as their Shepherd. If only we (humanity) will allow Him to reign, our story would be different. 

PRAYER

Father in heaven, your will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe. Grant that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render You service and ceaselessly proclaim Your praise. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, November 26, 2023.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Prov. 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

Psalm 128

1 Thess 5:1-6

Matt. 25:14-30

Theme: THE SMALL STUFF

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

We all want to be great and do great things, touch so many lives and change the world. We just want to jump ahead to the “much”. We do not want to waste our time investing in one talent and dealing with wicked bosses in the menial 'unproductive' jobs. We want to make It big and be “somewhere" and not “here” (our present stage). This mentality makes it very difficult for us to appreciate where we are now and be faithful in the little things. The ambitious eye turns to overstep and overlook the little landposts that leads to true greatness. In an era where many are on a career path, but few seem to be on a character path, our Scripture readings for today stress the simple fact that our apparent trivial faithfulness in the little things of life is preparing us for greater things in God and in the future.

The first reading presents a very simple woman as a model of a good partner in marriage. Per her profession, She is neither rich nor powerful but her reputation proceeds her as far as the city gates because she carries herself well in her simple task (duties) of being a wife, a mother and a hard working woman. Sometimes, just being “a wife” is all that God requires of us. 

Unlike the the third servant who failed woefully,  the first two servants in the Gospel were praise with an ultimate well done by their Master not mainly because of the outcome of their investment but because they were faithful in little things. The little things, my dear friends, are mostly the ultimate tests of our characters. Our ability to handle greater things will be determined by how we handle the one apparently irrelevant talent that we have now. The third servant failed because he could not handle his one talent, his present situation as a servant, and his so called wicked Boss. He was not faithful in little things. 

How are you handling your one talent (of a position, job, a family prayer routine, education, children or a partner)? It does not matter how 1st much or little you were given, but what your character (behavior) towards what you were given is. 

Beloved, God wants you to be faithful right where you are. He wants you right where you are now. Of course, it might not be where you want to be, but it is where you have to be to get to where you want to be. That is God's doing and do not forget, He is watching how you handle yourself in these small, seemingly unpleasant, stuff. That one talent is not a mistake neither the menial job and the wicked Master a purnishment. Always remember this!

PRAYER

Lord, please grant me the grace to recognize and be faithful in the “one talents” you put in my path as a step stone to greatness. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, November 19, 2020

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Wis. 6:12-16

Psalm 63

1 Thess 4:13-18

Matt. 25:1-13

Theme: AN EXTRA JUG OF OIL

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

Today, our Gospel reading recounts the parable of the ten virgins; five of whom were wise and the others, foolish. The difference between the wise and the foolish was the extra flasks of oil that the wise carried for their lamps. These flasks of oil became treasured assets when the bridegroom delayed in arriving and the waiting period became prolonged. 

Beloved in Christ, it is wise to have an extra flask of oil at hand in the journey of faith. Life can be complicated and unpredictable. The bridegroom may delay, and the waiting period may become unexpectedly long. 

Life may present us with long waiting periods filled with hopelessness and terrifying emptiness that seeks to drain and dry the fuel out of our faith's lamp. To keep the flame of faith alive, we must have an extra flask of oil at hand; a source of refreshing and strength to keep us going when life expects us to power down and wallow in darkness. 

Beloved in Christ, our constant dwelling in the presence of God is our extra oil. Only the continual presence of God can keep us through the dark nights. To have the Lord is to have wisdom, for Jesus is the wisdom of God, and with the Lord's presence, nothing can shake us. (Psalm 16:8). Dwelling in the Lord's presence requires a personal relationship with Him; a daily commitment to know, love, and serve Him. It is in His presence that we are continually re-fueled for  life's journey.

PRAYER

Lord, may I continually dwell in your presence to keep refuelling my faith's lamp to keep it burning in the face of long dark nights. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, November 12, 2023.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10

Psalm 131

1 Thess 2:7-9,13

Matt. 23:1-12

Theme: TRUE GREATNESS

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

Jesus, in addressing the issue of true greatness, ridiculed the authority of the Pharisees who sought recognition and power by lording it over the people. Contrary to popular belief, Jesus revealed that true greatness lies in service. With this revelation, Jesus revolutionized the whole concept of power. Great power no longer laid in the number of subjects and subordinates one had but in the number of beneficiaries. The measure of greatness then is the number and the kind of people benefiting from our service.

In the First Reading, the Prophet Malachi chastised the Temple  priests whose ministry no longer served the interest of God. Through this, we learn that any exercise of power and authority devoid of service to God and humanity, and which attempts to displace God from His rightful place in the affairs of men, is not a true exercise of power but selfishness and intimidation.

Beloved in Christ, greatness does not come from fame or popularity. No pile of college degrees or amount of television, radio or social media appearances can make a person great because true greatness does not lie in the number of people who 'worship' and admire a perceived great person on earth.

Like St. Paul, true power, the kind that makes us great in the sight of God, should make us gentle like a nursing mother, whose tender care for her child causes her to become like a servant to her child (cf. Second Reading).

May we also be determined to share, in addition to all other things, our very selves in the service of God and one another.

PRAYER

Lord, you have taught me that it is in service that we realize our true greatness. Give me the grace to be of true and acceptable service to all who I may encounter in the journey of life. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, November 5, 2023.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.