THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS

Jer. 31:7-9

Psalm 126

Heb 5:1-6

Mark 10:46-52

Theme: THE ONLOOKING CROWD

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

Our Responsorial Psalm for today (Psalm 126) is an ancient song about the return of the remnants (the few surviving exiles) of Judah. The psalmist gives us the very background of today's First Reading (Jer. 31:7-9). 

God hears the cry of the people and brings them back home to Zion. The whole event was just unbelievable. It was like a dream. But the most interesting thing about Psalm 126 is the fact that it was the onlookers (the onlooking Pagan nations) who declared (proclaimed and confirmed), “that the Lord has done great things for them”.

On the stage of this drama, the scene was the faith of the people of Israel and their God, and the onlookers were the pagan nations. The people of Israel accepted their sin, ignored their captors and detractors, and cried to God. And in the presence of their detractors and from their hands, God delivered them. 

Likewise, in the scene of today's Gospel, we have the character of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar who has nothing except his faith, and Jesus, the son of David together with the onlooking detractors (a large crowd) who tried to silence him. But Bartimaeus' faith will not be stifled. In the presence of the crowd, and above and over them, he cries aloud to Jesus. And in the presence of them (the crowd) Jesus stopped for him.

Beloved, in the drama of our faith relationship with God, the crowd are only onlooking detractors that must be ignored and overlooked, they are an obstacle to overcome. The drama, the main event is between you and God. When we ignore the onlooking crowd in our lives and in our act of worship and call upon the Lord in faith, we shall have the very crowd (detractors) stopping and parting to make way for us when the Lord stops for us. They will be the first to say, “Take courage, arise, He is calling you”, and they will be the first to declare, "The Lord has done great things for them".

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, As I sit by the road and wait, may I not be deterred or silenced by the crowd that seeks to silence my cry of faith. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, October 27, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

Sunday Gospel Reflections: I Want To See

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Mark 10:46–47

Imagine the humiliation you might experience if your only way to survive each day was to sit on the side of the road and beg. As a blind man at that time, Bartimaeus was not able to work and support himself. Many saw his blindness as a curse from God and the result of his sin or the sins of his parents. He would have been treated as an outcast of society and as a burden to his family and community. Thus, the mental and emotional trauma a blind person experienced at that time would have been just as difficult to deal with as the physical blindness itself.

The symbolism in this story is extraordinary and teaches us many things about our Christian journey. First, we must strive to identify with Bartimaeus’ humility and weakness. On a spiritual level, we are all blind and, in our fallen natural state, we are spiritual outcasts. This means that we cannot attain Heaven by ourselves. Bartimaeus is a symbol of our fallen natural state. We need to humble ourselves every day and see ourselves as people in dire need who are incapable of saving our own souls.

Bartimaeus is also a symbol of what we must do in order to be drawn out of the blindness and misery we experience in life. The moment he heard that Jesus was walking by, he cried out for mercy. But he didn’t just cry out to our Lord. He did so with perseverance. The people who heard him crying out rebuked him and told him to stop. But their rebukes only led him to be more fervent in his prayer. Also, it appears that Jesus ignored him at first. Why would Jesus do that? It certainly wasn’t because Jesus didn’t care. It was because our Lord knew that Bartimaeus would persevere and He wanted him to do so. Jesus wanted Bartimaeus’ prayer to become more resolute, and it did.

The prayer of Bartimaeus must become the way we pray. It is very easy to become discouraged in life and to lose hope. When that happens, our prayer becomes weak and ineffective. At times, we will experience many other temptations to give up on prayer. The rebukes by the crowd are a symbol of the many temptations we will experience to give up on prayer. When those temptations come, we must double our effort and strengthen our resolve. Jesus’ silence at first must also be seen as an invitation to pray with greater faith. If we pray and feel as though God is not listening, we must know that God does hear us and His initial silence is His way of inviting us closer and to a deeper level of faith and prayer.

When Jesus stopped and told the disciples to bring Bartimaeus to Him, Bartimaeus immediately got up, threw off his cloak and went to our Lord. His cloak is a symbol of everything we need to shed in life that keeps us from immediately and quickly responding to the promptings of grace. Though there is nothing wrong with having a cloak, in that moment it was a slight hindrance to his prompt response to Jesus. So also with us; we must be ready and willing to eliminate anything that keeps us from responding to God the moment He calls to us.

Finally, Bartimaeus’ prayer was perfect. “Master, I want to see.” Spiritually speaking, we must work to foster the deepest desire to see God, to see our Lord. If we desire the gift of faith, the ability to see spiritual truths and understand them, then our Lord will answer that prayer. Our Lord will also say to us, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Reflect, today, upon this poor blind beggar, Bartimaeus. See in his humble soul a model of how you must see yourself and of how you must pray. Observe the humility of your fallen state, the isolation you experience from your sin, and the perseverance you need to have in prayer. Follow the example of Bartimaeus, and our Lord will remove the blindness of your heart so that you can follow Him more fully every day.

My healing Lord, by myself I am weak, a beggar and a sinner. My only hope is to cry out to You in my need and to do so with much zeal. Please do restore my sight, dear Lord. Heal me and help me to see You so that I can follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflections: Jesus’ Gentle Truth

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Mark 10:35–37

What a bold statement from James and John. But notice the gentleness in Jesus’ response. The other apostles, however, were not as gentle. We read that when they heard about this request from James and John they “became indignant” about it. In response, Jesus explains to them all that “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

Our fallen human nature is regularly tempted to desire worldly greatness, prestige, honors and admiration. We want others to think well of us and even to envy us. But this is a sin. Recall that this was one of the temptations that Jesus overcame in the desert. The devil tempted our Lord by promising Him earthly rule over all the nations. Jesus rejected this temptation and, by doing so, provides all the grace we need to do the same. 

One thing this passage reveals is that our Lord is patient with us as we work through our sin. He was patient and gentle with James and John while they attempted to gain places of honor next to Him. He was patient with the indignation of the other apostles when they struggled with envy and jealousy. And Jesus will be patient with us as we work through the sins that most tempt us.

In addition to His patience, Jesus also provides us with the tools we need to overcome our own temptations. One tool Jesus provides us with is truth itself. Jesus’ truth, found in His many teachings and in the example He set, is often contrary to the wisdom of our age and the tendencies we experience within our fallen human nature. In fact, we can be certain that almost every tendency and desire we will experience in life will be disordered to a certain extent. This is because our human nature itself is disordered on account of original sin. The only way to reorder our desires and tendencies is to turn to the clear and profound truths our Lord has given us.

Regarding the desire for worldly honors and greatness, Jesus provides the truth spoken above: “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” Do you desire to be a servant? And to go even further, do you desire to be the slave of all? Hopefully you do, but most likely you do not.

The reordering of our desires and tendencies begins by gently confronting them with the truth Jesus spoke. It is helpful to see Jesus speak these words to us with all gentleness and love, just as He did to the apostles. Facing the truth within our fallen human nature does not have to be difficult. We only make it difficult when we refuse to admit our disorders. In reality, conversion of our hearts and the reordering of our desires can be a gentle, peaceful and even joyful process if we allow our Lord to speak to us in the way He spoke to the apostles. Of course, when we become obstinate, self-righteous, or remain in denial, our Lord will become more severe and we will experience the pain of our sin. But when we face the truth with openness and with a willingness to let grace change us, we will convert more quickly and will experience the joy and freedom that the embrace of the truth bestows.

Reflect, today, upon the disordered desires of these apostles. Reflect, also, upon Jesus’ gentle correction of them. As you do, look into your own soul and seek to discover the disordered desires and tendencies that Jesus wants to reorder within you. Do not be afraid to face the gentle and freeing truths that our Lord wants to speak to you. Listen to Him, be open, and wisely accept what He says to you so that you will be free and will experience the joys that await.

My freeing Lord, You speak all Truth clearly and gently. You desire to enter my life, reveal my sin, and help me to overcome it. Please give me the grace I need to always listen to You and to allow Your words to change my life. Please free me from every disordered desire and tendency in my life, dear Lord, so that I can experience the joy of true freedom. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflections: Exceedingly Astonished

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Mark 10:24–27

Have you ever been “exceedingly astonished” by the demands of the Christian life? Hopefully you have been. And if you have been, hopefully you are no longer. Being exceedingly astonished is one of many purifications we must go through in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

The “eye of a needle” is a reference to one of the gates in the wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem. After dark, the gate would be closed and the only way to enter was through a small door in the center of that gate. A person could pass through by ducking down, but a camel could not enter unless it got down on the ground and literally crawled through. This took much effort and direction from the master of that camel, but it was possible.

The point of this story is to emphasize that we will not be able to easily stroll into Heaven. In this case, Jesus was speaking about how easy it is for a person with money to become so attached to that money that they fail to obtain the riches of Heaven. The rich young man, to whom Jesus was just speaking, went away sad because Jesus lovingly invited him to detach from his earthly wealth so as to obtain the riches of Heaven. Jesus said to him, “​​Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” To that, the rich young man went away sad.

Greed and an all-consuming attachment to material wealth clearly have the potential to destroy your soul. That’s a fact. There is no way around it. But this teaching applies to every other form of attachment also. When we are attached to any sin to a serious degree and refuse to separate ourselves from that sin, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, if love of God does not motivate us to turn from sin, perhaps fear of hell will.

When the disciples witnessed this rich young man preferring his wealth over Heaven, and then Jesus standing His ground and making it clear that it is very hard to make it to Heaven, their astonishment would have challenged them personally. But that is good. It is good because it reveals that they were also convicted of their own unholy attachments and their astonishment arose from  a holy fear within. As they saw the rich young man walk away, they would have thought about those things that they also held onto that needed to be purged from their lives. “Astonishment” in this case is the holy realization that they needed to change. The good news, however, is that when a person does change and becomes freed from the attachments that keep them from God, then they will no longer have any attachment that will lead them to be astonished at God’s demands. The ultimate goal is to overcome the astonishment caused by the demands of discipleship so that conformity to these demands becomes a way of life.

Reflect, today, upon anything that our Lord has taught that is difficult for you to face. Is there any commandment that you tend to ignore? Any teaching that you attempt to rationalize? Any demand that appears to you to be too much? If you are to enter the eye of the needle, you must be wholeheartedly committed. Jesus will not shy away from demanding a total surrender of your life to Him. Reflect upon those attachments that you continue to hold onto and try to see Jesus speaking to you about those attachments as He spoke to this rich young man. Overcome all astonishment and make unwavering submission to the will of God your way of life. This is the only way to enter the gates of the Kingdom of God.

Most demanding Lord, Your invitation to discipleship is an invitation to surrender every sinful attachment over to You so as to be freed of those sins. You ask and demand of me everything, dear Lord. May I accept Your demands of holy love and respond generously, holding nothing back, so that I can share in the riches of the Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.

TWENTY-SEVETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Gen. 2:18-24

Psalm 128

Heb. 2:9-11

Mk. 10:2-12

Theme: BACK TO THE BEGINNING 

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

Man has shown himself a pervert. Whenever he gets hold of a thing, he destroys it. He destroys the main cause and purpose of all he comes in contact with. This destruction of God's intended form and purpose of things is also the cause of pain and suffering on earth. When we consider how far man has removed himself from the will and intention of God, we can not but be surprised and, at the same time, come to understand so many things. 

In today's Gospel, Jesus gets the opportunity to address an important anomaly of life. The question and problem of divorce have plagued the history of man for a long time. When this question came to Jesus today in our Gospel text. Though it was meant to be a test for Him, Jesus used the opportunity to give us a fundamental principle that not only will address the problem, but practically almost every problem and confusion that has ever troubled the mind of humanity.

Jesus points the Pharisees to the beginning of the institute of marriage, ignoring all the distortions that have occurred throughout history. Revisiting the very beginning of marriage (the first reading), we have come to know the divine purpose and the original nature of marriage and how divorce has no place in it. Thus, divorce, like any other problem of man, is a perversion, a deviation from God's intended purpose. 

Beloved, so many questions and confusion can be cleared if we go back to the beginning. If ever humanity would like to solve its problems and correct the many anomalies that plague our existence, we must return to the Beginner and beginning of all things. There alone lies meaning, renewal and true joy.

PRAYER

Lord God, renew us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, October 6, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

Sunday Gospel Reflections: Authentic Love

 

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. Mark 10:2

The Pharisees were not interested in the deepest truths of God. They were only interested in twisting God’s truths in an attempt to prove their own self-righteousness. The question they posed to Jesus was a trap, but Jesus doesn’t fall into it. He asks them what Moses taught about the love in marriage and then explains that their understanding of Moses’ teaching was based on the hardness of their hearts and not the original intent of God as was revealed in the beginning.

Our Church’s teaching regarding the indissolubility of marriage flows from the teachings found in the Book of Genesis, subsequently confirmed and clarified by Jesus in today’s Gospel. When a true marriage bond is established by the free and total consent of a man and woman, that bond can only be separated by death.

From a much broader perspective, the marriage bond of which Jesus speaks also reveals to us the depth of commitment that God has made to each one of us and the reciprocal commitment He invites us to make. God’s covenant offered to us is freely given, total, and irrevocable. This is important to understand. God will never change His mind when it comes to the commitment He has made to each one of us. For our part, we must continuously seek to reciprocate that commitment by giving ourselves to the will of God in the same way.

Though much more could be said about this exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees regarding earthly marriage, we must also see in this exchange a common trap that we will encounter in our marital covenant with God and our love of others. Just as the Pharisees used the law of marriage to try to trap Jesus in His speech, caring nothing about the deeper truths that this teaching revealed, we can also use the Law of God in a way that reveals our own hardness of heart. Love, be it that of marriage or the love that is the basis of our union with God, can easily be used as a weapon rather than a source of unity. Regarding others, we can easily fall into the trap of using the precepts of love as a source of manipulation and persuasion. “If you loved me, then you would…” Regarding our love of God, we can often reduce our love into a reluctant following of God’s most basic laws, such as “I have to go to church.”

If love is to be pure and holy, it must rise above erroneous interpretations of love and be lived in the way it was intended to be lived. Pure love is always self-giving. It is sacrificial. It always looks to the good of the other. Love is total and must be irrevocable. Love forges a bond that should never be broken. It must endure everything and is possible only when it is grounded in the love that God has for us.

Reflect, today, upon the way that you love. Does the hardness of your heart lead you to misrepresent the love God wants you to share with others? Do you minimize the requirements of love? Is your love total, irrevocable, and freely given? Is your love self-seeking or self-giving? Reflect upon the pure and holy nature of the love God has offered to you, and recommit yourself to offer this same depth of love to God and to others so that the covenants that result from your love will always endure.

Lord of the Covenant, Your love is perfect. It is pure, it is selfless, self-giving, total and irrevocable. Please help me to love You with this same love so that I can share in the divine marriage covenant to which I am called. May this holy love also overflow into every relationship so that You will be the foundation of those holy bonds. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: My Catholic Life

Sunday Gospel Reflection: Eliminating Occasions of Sin

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…” Mark 9:43–47

Sometimes we need to wake up to the horror of sin. Sin and sin alone is capable of sending you to hell. Hell is real, and going there for eternity is a real possibility. Therefore, we must do whatever it takes to avoid that frightful possibility. This teaching from Jesus might not, at first, be thought of as one of His most inspiring teachings, but it should be. It’s not inspiring in the sense that it is quite graphic. But it is very inspiring in the sense that it has the potential to motivate us to action.

Are you motivated to do all that you can to avoid sin? Would you even go so far as to cut off your hand or foot, and to pluck out your eye so as to avoid sin? First of all, this should not be seen as a literal command in which Jesus is telling us to mutilate ourselves. But He is the one Who chose such graphic language. Therefore, we should not shy away from pondering these images in a prayerful way so as to more clearly see those things that lead us into sin. When we see them, we must take the radical step of completely eliminating them from our lives.

Many of the Church Fathers say that the hand, foot and eye in this teaching refer to our friends. Just as a hand, foot and eye are good in and of themselves, so also are friends. We are made for friendship with God and with others. However, not every friendship helps us grow closer to God. Therefore, when an earthly friend becomes a source of sin, we must eliminate that friendship.

Friendship is different from charity. We owe charity to all people, even those who are the most sinful. But acting with charity toward others is different from being friends with them. To be a friend implies mutual giving and receiving. And though we must always give of ourselves to others, we ought not always receive from them when what they have to offer is an invitation to sin. This is how we “cut it off” and “pluck it out.” When another person tries to relate to us in such a way that they lead us into sin, we must take that temptation very seriously and reject it with much vigor.

The hand, foot and eye in this teaching also represent every situation in life that tempts us to sin. For example, consider material possessions. If buying a very expensive car, house, or electronic gadget tempts you to become more materialistic, then you must avoid buying it. People are drawn to nice things. But does possessing nice things help your soul to become holy? One could argue that they can have nice things, while at the same time remain spiritually detached from them. But this is difficult to live. The more luxurious our material possessions, the more tempted we will be to rely upon them for our happiness. Therefore, choosing to live simply is almost always better for your soul than choosing to live in luxury. This teaching also applies to anything else that could become a source of temptation.

Reflect, today, upon those things or persons in your life that have become an occasion of sin for you. Do not fool yourself into believing that you can handle the temptation. If you have some source of ongoing temptation in your life, you need to eliminate it. Ponder this very graphic teaching from Jesus and try to apply it to your life. Identify those things that lead you into sin and eliminate them with much determination.

My radical Lord, You call all of Your children to a life of holiness and perfection. Please help me to take Your teachings seriously so as to eliminate all occasions of sin from my life. May I have the eyes to see these temptations and the courage to reject them with all my might. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: My Catholic Life

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS

Num. 11:25-29

Psalm 19

James 5:1-6

Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Theme: DO NOT PREVENT HIM

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

In today's First Reading, the Spirit of God went far beyond comfort to meet Eldad and Medad, who were outside the camp, and they prophesied. Joshua asked that they be stopped but Moses' response indicated that they would rather not try to restrict the Spirit of God. It is for our benefit that the Spirit and power of God should encounter no boundaries or limitations whatsoever as He moves. 

In the Gospel, John, also tried to stop a man who drove out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, because the fellow did not belong to the immediate circle of Jesus' disciples. Jesus Christ, however, asked John to allow him; quoting a basic principle of life to make His point: "He who is not against us is for us." Jesus went on to caution those whose actions might prevent or scandalize "the little ones." The Christian community and the Christian message must not prevent but recognize and accept. We must recognize and accept the effect and the working of the Holy Spirit outside the immediate circle of the self, the family, and the Church community.

Beloved in Christ, the Spirit of God continues to move and touch people outside the "normal gathering" and this is the joy of the gospel for us sinners. It is a good thing to know that our God does not reject the outcast, the unworthy, and those considered 'outsiders'. He does not forget the forgotten. Whether or not you belong, in the eyes of men, His Spirit can reach you wherever you are. This fundamental truth about God is also the mission of the Christian Church. 

A Christian, as an agent of evangelization in the world, must be open-minded, friendly, and accommodating. A narrow-minded person cannot be a good Christian. An extremely conservative and narrow-minded Church, a closed and overprotective family, and a myopic Christian turn to protect its domain/comfort zone. This kills and destroys faith. It is demeaning to the 'outsider' and tries to 'monopolize' Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God.

Like Moses and Jesus Christ, we must rather desire that not some of us, but all the people of the world be "prophets." Christianity and its mission of evangelization demands we make new and 'crazy' friends having Jesus in mind. The world will be a better place if we redirect the energy we use in classifying, judging, and stopping others into making friends.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, it is your wish that the Spirit moves wherever He wills. May I not be an obstacle to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life and around me. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS

Wis. 2:12,17-20

Psalm 54

James 3:16-4:3

Mk 9:30-37

Theme: TRUE GREATNESS

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

In today's First Reading is recorded the thoughts of the godless that greatness, authority, and comfort lie in the destruction of the godly: those whose lives are contrary to theirs. To them, pulling down and destroying their opposition is the way to greatness. 

Beloved, no one achieves greatness by destroying and pulling others down. St. James in the Second Reading said: "Where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there is disorder and wickedness of every kind... " With this truth, he answered the billion-dollar question we have all been asking for long. Why all these killings? Why all this envy and hatred? Where do the wars and conflict come from? For St. James, from the selfish desires of man comes all destruction. Selfish desires, inordinate ambition, and passions can only lead to conflict and destruction. Greatness and goodness cannot come from these. An envious and covetous man is not a great man.

In today's Gospel, instead of trying to understand the Master's revelation and sympathizing with Him, the disciples, after hearing Jesus speak about His death, rather become preoccupied with His replacement. "Who is the greatest?" Their selfish desires immediately overshadowed their love for Jesus Christ. Selfish ambitions prevent us from thinking about the plight of others and blind the eyes of the mind from understanding the mysteries of Jesus Christ. Presenting a child (a symbol of weakness and irrelevance in Jewish culture), Jesus cautioned His disciples that true greatness lies in humility and service. A Christian must be a humble servant.

Beloved in Christ, true greatness lies in love, humility, and sacrifice. A truly great man offers his shoulder for others to stand on to achieve or reach their heights. Selfish ambitions and the inordinate desire for greatness only kill love and set men at each other's throats. It turns friends into obstacles to be eliminated and God only becomes a means to achieve an end.

Who is a great man? Be a true great man in the eyes of God.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the grace to think first of You, and others, and love in all I do. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, September 22, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

Sunday Gospel Reflection: The Greatness of Holiness

 

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Mark 9:33–34

One of the desires that we all have is for greatness. This is a good and natural desire. This desire is manifested in competitiveness in sports and games. It becomes a driving force in business and politics. It drives us to do better in life, such as in school, artistic endeavors, and hobbies, working hard to perfect various skills and talents so as to excel. The problem is that every good and natural desire we have is now disordered to a certain degree because of original sin. As a result, the desire we have for greatness can become an obsession, a cause of discouragement when we fail, a source of jealousy when others appear to do better, and can lead us to pursue empty and fleeting goals in life.

Even within the life of faith, we can be affected by both the natural desire for greatness and the fallenness of that desire. The natural desire for greatness, when mingled with faith, will lead us to the desire to be a saint and to do great things for the Kingdom of God. But as a fallen natural quality, we can also fall into the trap of seeing ourselves in competition with others within the Church, and we can become jealous of those who appear to be holy and who are recognized for their good work for Christ.

Just prior to the passage quoted above in which the disciples were discovered to have been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest, Jesus predicted to them, for the second time, that He would suffer and die. Recall that after the first prediction of His passion, Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain and was transfigured before them. Perhaps some of the other disciples became jealous of this apparent special treatment. Then, after Jesus predicted His passion to them for the second time, they might have wondered if some of them would likewise share in a similar experience as the Transfiguration.

Regardless of what motivated the disciples to argue among themselves about who was the greatest, the fact remains that they did so. This was not the result of a holy and purified desire. It was the result of a good desire for greatness that became distorted and turned into an unholy competition based on jealousy and selfishness.

In Heaven, we will all know who is the greatest. Interestingly, the Scriptures, the official Church teachings, and many of the saints reveal to us that there will be levels of glory in Heaven. This is why Jesus said elsewhere, “Store up treasure in Heaven” (Matthew 6:20). In Heaven, each of us will be perfectly happy. But each of us will also share in God’s glory in varying degrees, based upon the merit of our charity on earth. The classic example of this is that if every soul is like a glass of water in Heaven, then every glass will be full. But some glasses will be larger than others and will be able to contain more water (glory). For this reason, we must remember that the natural desire for greatness is good, but it must be properly ordered by grace. That desire must not become as it was among the disciples who saw each other as competitors. Instead, it must be directed to the deepest desire for holiness and charity. In Heaven, we will all be in awe of those holy souls who are filled with the greatest depths of glory forever. Most likely, they will be widely unknown on earth, but loved and admired in Heaven for the greatness of their holiness.

Reflect, today, upon the desire within your own soul for greatness. Pray that this desire will not fall into selfishness or lead you to see others as competitors. Instead, pray that your desire for greatness will lead you to holiness so that you will be able to store up for yourself the most abundant treasures in Heaven and radiate that glory forever.

Most glorious Lord, You are Greatness Itself. You are our eternal glory. I thank You for the natural desire for greatness that has been instilled within my soul. Please purify that desire, and help me to direct it toward holiness so that I will be able to store up in Heaven the many treasures You wish to bestow. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: My Catholic Life

Bishop of Wa Stunned By Brand-New Toyota Land Cruiser Gift From Ibrahim Mahama

Bishop of the Wa Diocese, Most Rev. Francis Bomansaan has expressed shock following a gift of a brand new  Toyota Land Cruiser presented to him by Chief Executive officer of Engineers & Planners Ltd. Mr. Ibrahim Mahama.

Expressing his deep gratitude, Bishop Bomansaan said, “I am short of words. I am actually very humbled and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama. I will ask that you convey my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama.”

The Bishop reflected on the impact of the donation, which he said would aid in his pastoral duties and serve the needs of the Diocese.

“Sincerely I don’t have words. I just want to say thank you. For me, it’s a feeling that there are many people that I don’t even know who are supporting me in this new ministry and I want to thank the Lord for that. It is going to be of great help to me and the Diocese in this ministry,” the Prelate said.

Source: Catholic Trend

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Isaiah 50:5-9

Psalm 116

James 2:14-18

Mk. 8:27-35

Theme: THE GATE OF HELL

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

Caesarea Philippi, a mixed (Greco-Roman) pagan city, located at the foot of Mount Hermon, about 25 miles from the religious community of Galilee, is the setting of the events of our Gospel text for today.

Interestingly, it is at this pagan center, near the temple of Caesar Augustus, a temple dedicated to the worship of Pan (pagan god of fertility and agriculture), a place popularly referred to by Jewish believers as the gate of hell, that Jesus chose to test the faith of His disciples. “And you, " He asked, “who do you say I am? This is a question of faith. Jesus wanted His disciples to profess their faith in the presence (vicinity) of evil. It is in this very setting and after Peter's great profession of Jesus as the son of the living God that Jesus promised to build a church that would overcome the worst (Matthean Edition).

Beloved, great faith is professed not in the Church, but in the face of evil. Faith must act (cf. the 2nd Reading from the Book of James). Our faith must be professed and put into action amidst the evils of this world.

In a city full of false idols, Jesus asked His followers to commit to the one true God and profess Him as the Messiah. So also in a world full of false idols, evil, and lies, we must profess Christ. We must be a force that will contend with the evils all around us, in our homes, workplaces, and even on the street.

Our faith must be a foundation for building goodness, goodness that will defeat evil in the world around us. Our faith must prevail even amid evil and even at the very gate of hell.

PRAYER

Lord, in a world dominated by false idols and immoral activities, may my faith not waver but more than ever, profess you as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

Sunday Gospel Reflection: A Spiritual U-Turn

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” Mark 8:34–35

Practically speaking, how do we follow Jesus and save our souls? Is it enough to profess that we believe in Jesus? If we were to arrive at the conclusion that Jesus is God and the Savior of the World, would we then be saved? Certainly not. Even the demons believe this truth. Jesus is quite clear that salvation requires action on our part. We must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. Furthermore, the road to salvation requires that we lose ourselves for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. What exactly does this mean, practically speaking?

To answer this question, let’s first consider the way that many people live. We tend to desire that which is the easiest in life, the most enjoyable, the greatest, and the most consoling. We often seek out those things that make us feel good and the path of least resistance. For example, if you could choose to fast on bread and water or feast on the most delicious foods, which would you choose? If you could choose between a vacation in the most exotic and luxurious location or a week of very difficult work, which would you choose? If you could choose to drive a brand new, high-end car or a very old beater, which one would you prefer? Most people would quickly pick the nice food, luxurious vacation and fancy new car.

In his spiritual classic, the Ascent to Mount Carmel, Saint John of the Cross outlines a very different path. He gives a series of spiritual maxims to use for prayer and meditation to help purify your soul of every unhealthy attachment so that you can become more fully attached to God and His holy will. St. John says, “Strive always to prefer, not that which is easiest, but that which is most difficult; Not that which is most attractive, but that which is most unpleasant; Not that which gives most pleasure, but rather that which gives least…” These spiritual maxims, when read in their entirety, challenge us to the core of our being. They quickly reveal to those who are honest that they often prefer the easiest, most pleasant and best that this world has to offer. But what is best for your eternal soul?

Jesus’ teaching, that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, is the road map to saving your eternal soul and to discovering a spiritual fulfillment that far surpasses anything this world or our flesh have to offer. But in order to understand this road map and then to follow it, we often need to make a “spiritual U-turn” so to speak. This U-turn begins with us choosing the Cross on every level of our being and concludes with God stripping away all selfish desires and replacing them with a desire for sacrificial love.

If you were to carefully examine your thoughts throughout the day, you might find that you think about yourself a lot. “I like this, don’t want to do that, am angry about this, and am trying to avoid that…” Very often, our thoughts begin with “I” and end with “me.” Denying yourself, taking up your cross, and losing your life means that you no longer think about yourself. It means that the eyes of your soul have turned away from yourself and focus exclusively upon the will of God and the love of others. But this will never be possible until we are freed of the numerous selfish desires that often direct most of our actions day in and day out.

Reflect, today, upon that which you desire throughout your day. What occupies your thoughts the most? What are you drawn to the most? Do you spend most of your day thinking about how you can better serve God and His holy will? Or do you spend most of your day thinking about yourself? Do the eyes of your soul most often turn to the selfless service of others? Or do they more often think about what you want in a selfish way? Reflect upon these difficult questions and seek to eradicate everything within you that is selfish. Doing so will enable you to make a spiritual U-turn so that you can carry the glorious and transforming Cross of Christ.

My sacrificial Lord, You lived a selfless life in which Your only concerns were the glory of the Father in Heaven and the salvation of the world. Please free me from all selfishness so that I will be more able to deny myself in every way, run toward every cross in life, and follow You into the beautiful life of selfless and sacrificial love. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: My Catholic Life

HOMILY - TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Isaiah 35:4-7

Psalm 146

James 2:1-5

Mark 7:31-37

Theme: HE HAS DONE ALL THINGS WELL

Dear friends in Christ, 

N'wokafu YESU KRISTO... 

In today's first reading, the Prophet Isaiah was talking about what was to happen on the return of the people (Israelites) from exile. There will be a reversal of circumstances: the blind will see, the mute will sing, deserts will become fertile! God Himself is committed to bringing it about. 

The verses of today's responsorial Psalms underscore the fact that salvation, all rescue, all healing, and all meaning in life come from God alone. 

In the second reading, St. James tells us that God, unlike human beings who are partial and for that matter imperfect, is drawn to the poor and the oppressed to restore them to wholeness and integrity because of their faith. 

In the Gospel, Jesus Christ, through the healing of the deaf man who also had a speech impediment,  demonstrates God's promise of His presence and the perfect restoration that comes with Him.

Jesus' restoration of an imperfect situation to its original perfection revealed that He is the Person and Presence of God.  Looking closely at everything that happened; Jesus' genuine care and eventual healing of the man, the people were drawn to remember God and recall His promises. With awe, they exclaimed: "He has done all things well...".

Indeed, our God makes all things well.

Beloved in Christ, the best solution comes from God. God created us; so when it comes to restoring our lives, our health, our dignity, and whatever is corrupt to its original goodness we have to turn to Him in faith. 

Sadly, most of us are gradually forgetting the fact that God, in Jesus Christ, has the best solution for all our problems. Whatever it is that you go through, human beings (friends, families, priests, pastors, counselors, doctors, and their medicines, etc.) can do their best, but only God can restore you to that original perfection.

Today, most Christians seem to have figured out solutions (human and imperfect) to their various personal problems but regrettably fail to approach Jesus. We look for solutions from everywhere except from God. Even those who turn to God for help tend to put Him last. God is either missing or becomes the last resort when it comes to looking for solutions. We have become faint-hearted people. 

Dearly beloved, what has been destroyed through human weakness and sin can only be restored by God!

Make Jesus Christ part of your solution and the first choice indeed. And may we have the cause to say; "HE HAS DONE ALL THINGS WELL..." 

PRAYER

Lord, declare open anything that is closed within me and make me accessible to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, September 8, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

ONE DEAD, SEVERAL INJURED IN CRASH INVOLVING HO DIOCESAN CATHOLIC WOMEN ASSOCIATION DELEGATES

A tragic road accident has claimed the life of one and injured several others.

The victims are said to be members of the Ho Diocesan Catholic Women Association (CWA), who were travelling to attend the 65th anniversary of the Catholic Women Association (CWA) at Saltpond in the Central Region.

The accident occurred on Thursday, August 29, 2024, when the vehicle carrying the 15-member delegate crashed around Kpong on the Akosombo-Accra Highway.

Reports say the vehicle burst its back tyres resulting in the accident. One of the victims, Mad. Faustina Amevor of Holy Spirit, Ho, is said to have died on Saturday, August 31, 2024.

Several others who sustained various degrees of injury are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Some have since been discharged, while others remain under medical care.

Source: Catholic Trend

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

 

READINGS AT MASS

Deut 4:1-2, 6-8

Psalm 15

James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27

Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Theme: CHRISTIAN ACTORS

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

In today's Gospel, Jesus called the Scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites and quoting Isaiah the prophet, said of them, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me..." (Is. 29:13). In fact, the word "hypocrite" has no negative connotation in its original Greek form. It simply means "an actor"; as in an actor in a play or a movie. But it is the characteristics of actors that make the word problematic in this case. One thing about an actor is that he is not the part he plays. He is nothing like the person in the movie. He only memorizes a script and goes in to act a part that does not affect his person afterward. So when Jesus refers to the Scribes and the Pharisees as hypocrites, he, in a way, was saying, "You actors! The Scripture is a line you quote, but not a script by which you live". Indeed this is a true description of Christians of today. We are only acting the part. 

Beloved in Christ, the Commandments of God have a transformative force. When internalized, it transforms and affects the external behavior of the Christian from within. This transformation makes the good Christian become a "nation of wise people" whose God is closer to them (First Reading). 

Unfortunately, we have become a nation full of "Christian actors". People who only appear as Christians until you see them in real life then you realize they are nothing like what they claim to profess.  (cf. Second Reading). 

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, may your law take root in our hearts and make us a nation of wise people whose God is not far away. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, September 1, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: REJECTION FALSE ACCUSATIONS

 

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. Mark 7:1–2

What a foolish thing for these Pharisees and scribes to be concerned about! They were in the presence of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, a man of perfect virtue and pure goodness, and all they could do was to observe that some of Jesus’ disciples failed to follow the scrupulous teaching on how they should wash their hands before a meal. The reason for this was their pride. These teachers of Israel had devised a large body of detailed, unwritten, human laws that they treated with the same binding force as the Law of Moses that they received from God. But the scribes’ and Pharisees’ human traditions were not from God; they were a body of regulations flowing from their own self-righteous need to act as interpreters of the Law. Therefore, whenever someone failed to follow the traditions the Pharisees and scribes taught as binding, they took it personally and reacted with judgment.

One lesson we can learn from these religious leaders is that we should never take things personally. Allowing ourselves to become personally offended at anything at all is, in fact, an act of our own pride. We do need to have sorrow for the sin we see, but that is different than allowing ourselves to become personally offended. For example, even if we were to teach the very Law of God and someone rejects that teaching, our response must be sorrow for them as we reject their error.

Jesus went on to respond to the Pharisees and scribes by quoting to them the Prophet Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts” (See Isaiah 29:13). What’s interesting is that Jesus didn’t really engage them in conversation about this, defending Himself or His disciples in their eyes. Instead, He rebuked the Pharisees and scribes in a general way so as to dismiss their criticism as false, and then turned away from them and addressed the crowds.

We will all experience unjust condemnation at times. If we are in the wrong, then we must receive the condemnation as if it were from God and repent. But if the condemnation flows from someone’s wounded pride or error, then Jesus set the example on how we ought to respond. The best response is to reject their error and then refuse to become engaged in the conversation further. Too often when we are criticized unjustly, we also take it personally. We tend to fight back and justify ourselves, trying to prove that the other person is wrong. But when we do that, we are most likely acting out of our own wounded pride. This will result in angry sulking feelings and the experience of oppression that the evil one inflicts upon us. Jesus’ model is to reject the lie and then refuse to engage it further. The reason for this is that the unjust condemnation is actually the seed of the evil one. The person delivering it is only the instrument. So we rebuke the lie of the evil one and refuse to get into a personal battle with the person delivering the lie. Doing so brings freedom from oppression and allows our hearts to remain at peace, no matter what we endure.

Reflect, today, upon any ways that you have taken some conversation personally, allowing it to oppress you with anger, becoming defensive or argumentative. Know that whenever that happens, this is an attack from the evil one as he seeks to oppress you. Do not accept that abuse. The guide for each of us is the peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Even the greatest martyrs remained at peace and felt joy in the midst of their persecution. Reflect upon any ways that you have allowed the evil one to agitate you and leave you upset with your wounded pride. Do not fall into his trap. Hold on to the truth and remain at peace, and that will be all the defense you need to make.

My persecuted Lord, You endured much criticism in life, but You never allowed it to steal Your peace. You remained perfectly strong, rejecting the lies and turning from them. Please give me the grace I need to always turn away from the lies of the evil one and to listen only to Your clear and gentle voice. Jesus, I trust in You..

Source: My Catholic Life

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Jos. 24:1-2,15-18

Psalm 34

Eph 5:21-32

Jn 6: 60-69

Theme: LOSING FOLLOWERS 

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

Today, Jesus lost almost all His following. To be precise, from more than 5,000 followers to 12 disciples and the question was: "What about you, do you want to go away too?" Losing followers is a great tragedy in the world of celebrities and social media. In their world, a huge following is a mark of success and one must do everything humanly possible to keep and please the crowd. 

Interestingly, Jesus was not bothered at all by this drastic loss of followers. He instead turned to the remaining twelve and asked if they also wanted to go. The loss of the crowd did not stop Jesus from telling them the hard truths about Himself and life (the true source of life). He was simply not a crowd-pleasing person. He will not force people to follow or stay with Him neither will He pretend to be what He is not to keep His following.

Likewise, Joshua in the first reading did not want to force anyone to follow and serve YHWH. He had made his choice: he and his household would serve God. It was up to the tribes of Israel to also take their stand. 

Beloved, following, and serving God is not a wholesale affair. The Church of God (Community of true believers) is not in any popularity contest. It, therefore, does not assess its worth based on the number of followers but by the proclamation of the Good News and witnessing to the truth.

Today, most people in our society assess their worth based on the number of followers on their social media handles and platforms. True Christians however must move from “crowd following”, “bread searching” and “bread eating” followers to discipleship. The only factor that contributes to this drastic and life-changing movement is the question Peter addressed to the Master, "to whom shall we go?”

At the point where we realize we have no other than Jesus in this life, we become Christians.

PRAYER

Lord, we have no other God but you. To whom shall we go? Please grant us the grace to focus on eternal matters. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.