Merry Christmas from the stables of Mary the Queen, Families of Prof.Ikpotokin F.O, Mr. Osas Ikpotokin (mSc.), Bar. J.O Oladele, Dr and Dr (Mrs.) Aluya, Engnr. Lukeman Afolayo, Chief Oseremen, and a whole lots of them wish you a fantastic and meaty *winks* Christmas and a prosperous New Year ahead.
May God bless you all. Amen!
Signed:
Dr. Samuel Lawrence, Elijah Ehiakhamen, Okhumaile Sheriff, Onuda Daniel, Ikpotokin Samuel ,
Youth wing MTQ, Ekpoma, Edo state, Nigeria.
Hoped we were all attentive at mass for those of us who have attended mass?.
Today's first reading taken from the Book of Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29 themes "humble yourself so you will find favour in the sight of the Lord."
Here we are told that humility is the only way to acquire the merits God has set in place for each and everyone of us. It is only to the humble God chooses to reveal his mysteries and he is glorified by they who are humble. They who are proud hearted and proud to the very core, have no reward for in them evil brews and they in their all proud nature will not even be able to detect this factory of destruction been nurtured in them, for they've close their mind to the very truth in the truth..
The second reading of today from the letter to the Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a themed "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God."
Here in this reading lies the rewards to those who are humble, the reward of eternal dwelling in the city of the living, inotherwords, they who are proud hearted will not inherit this reward not in any slight bit.
The gospel reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 14:1, 7-14 themes, "Every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Here Jesus points out to us a very important parable, a story, a real life fantasy, a day to day encounter. Here we have a story told as regards that told by Jesus.
A man by name Uzor is invited to a ceremony in which other delegates were invited. He was well known and popular in town and over the state. He walks so proud past everybody and steps on another's shoe, a man who was well, least dressed amongst the whole delegates present, Mr. Ugo, and again without a word of apology climbs a buxom woman by Oge, she was so calm and immediately apologized. Instead of Uzor to apologize, he started making a fuss about what happened and insisted that the woman was wrong. After all said and done, he went over to the high table rummaging the woman with his eyes up and down. "i have marked your face woman, and I'll deal with you when this ceremony is over", he boasts.
He took his seat at the high table with diligent, well reputable men in the country, he felt he was in his real world and felt all comfortable. The seats were complete except one which was vacant and it seems this delegate had not yet arrived. This seat was made to suit a king and it was closest to that Uzor was sitting on.
The host comes out and had his speech and was a little twitchy at the sight of Uzor and the vacant chair. He smiled and continued his talk. He was well known all over the world as the wealthiest and healthiest man alive, he was Okafor. His titles were uncountable and his attire showed that he was the king of the land, especially with the crown and swag.
While a king talks, no one interferes and the king always says his speech with continuity and decorum. While talking and praising everyone present and those who were seated at the high table, his eyes screened the whole place and the people in it and behold he stops and drops the Mic. He falls down at his feet and started cursing himself. "why has this great abomination befall us today, why why why?!!!" He cried out and the people wondered why this had happened and they all stood up and panic was spread through the air...
Soon the message became clearer when he dropped his crown on the bare floor.
This is only done when the Igie of kings was in their present. He suddenly ran to the Igie who was seating at the far end of the hall. Guess who,
It was no other person than Ugo. Everyone was surprised that the Igie of kings sat at the back while they had their ceremony. They all fell at their feet, even the Proud Uzor.
The Igie was begged to go up to the high table and take the vacant seat which was more designed to fit a king. The Igie (Ugo) walked gently and smoothly to take his rightful seat on the thrones of the Igie, just close to Uzor's left hand.
He stopped and looked at Uzor who was so frightened to even look at his face and he called the host and commanded him to make the seat at his right hand vacant.
"But why?" The host asked
"Because I want to place someone of importance at my right hand side."
"But who is this man wealthy enough to throw Uzor off his seat?"
"Not a man"
"then, who is this young male?"
"Not a male either but a female."
"A female?!" Everyone was alarmed at this and pondered as to whom this person amongst them could be.
He calls the king and points at Oge who was sitting amidst the poor and amidst beggars, and commanded the king to go fetch her himself. This showed the powers he possessed and this was a life threatening situation for Uzor.
The king walks Oge down to meet the Igie and Uzor was immediately moved and taken to the seats kept for the poor and outcast who were at the extreme end of the hall.
Uzor could not mutter a word, this was the Igie's command and no one even dares having second thoughts about his instructions as they only come once in a while.
"Dearly beloved citizens..." The Igie started, "today you all witnessed what pride could do to a being and a mere mortal. It is the teachings of our land that humility should prevail and we've seen both play itself today in our midst. Dear Uzor stepped on me and did not bother to say anything, maybe because I am a man. He ran into this woman here and started making a fuss and even threatened her... This is a lesson to all of you who are seated. The humble are always lifted high and the proud are brought down on their behalf."
This was all good and the people were happy and smiled, but the question still passed by and Hung in the air, "who exactly is she?" She was completely strange and different.
As if the Igie knew their thoughts he gave response to them.
"i know that a minority of you want to know who this woman is and what made her deed so attractive to me, well let me answer you by asking, have you heard of the Ogeavan?"
They all showed signs that they knew this personality and they wondered if it had anything to do with the woman.
Ogeavan is a modern goddess, kind of, a queen closest to the Igie, responsible for giving death commands.
"Her name is Ogeavan."
Only the name alone made everyone present clamor and they all begged for their lives. She had the powers to order Uzor's death and it would have been so. But she didn't.
Known to everyone present, Ogeava was the Igie's wife Oge, inotherwords, she had a double title far greater than the king and Uzor put together.
Uzor fainted and almost died with this shock.
Hope you enjoyed the story?
This is what Jesus is telling us. Even though we are rich, strong, healthy, we should be humble so we really become surprisingly recognized when we eventually will be recognized.
Don't be like Uzor...
Be like the king who prepared a feast for both those that would repay him and those who will not be able to repay him in one sense and be like the Igie, Ugo and like the woman, Oge.
May the blessings of the almighty be yours both now and forever. May he help you to be humble in all that you do and even when you are living in this humility, whenever you offend anyone, may he help you reconcile, and whenever you hurt someone, may he help you reconcile with them. May God keep you safe and continuously show you the path to his eternal reward. And may he keep you safe throughout this month of September and the rest of the year, always be there to protect and shield you, guide and direct you, love and to bless you, through Christ our Lord.
Santa Maria....
Ora pro nobis.
Dominus vobiscum...
Today's readings clearly passes a message or two to us, including the gospel readings and precisely the homily of today.
Our first reading themes "They shall bring all your brethren from all the nations" taken solely from the books of the prophet Isaiah 66:18-21
Here God is talking to each and everyone of us, telling us of a new home for all his children under the rule Nd domains of nations (in otherwords, this pilgrim life to a new and triumphant life)
The second reading themes "the lord disciplines him whom he loves." Taken from the letter to the Hebrews 12:5-7. 11-13. Now again, a reflection that you mostly need in your preparations for this promise as seen in the first reading. Discipline! Why discipline? What is this discipline?
Now of you read further you see highlights of instances indicated here. "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him who he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives..."
This is a clear expression given from this passage of the scripture that we must hold yet again fast unto that we may be disciplined as to our preparations for the promise God gives us today or perhaps reminds us of.
Logical instance of a son sent abroad to study, to learn, as time went on, there was peace and he was always excelling. But a day came and all orbs sudden, there was an outbreak of war or some crisis situation and he was found this situation. What will he do? What can he do? He is a Christian, a strong one at that, but God allowed war to come to this place, to meet this young man, he soon does what, panic, and this is normal for every individual. But later he stands up to face this crisis and still continue his studies, and in the course of his studies, he is given a way to escape this crisis or better still solve this crisis. This is discipline. If the young man was not disciplined as a Christian, he would probably panic all through the crisis. Good, you panic, but don't let it get the better of you, fret, but don't let it consume you. This my dear brethren is discipline. And it only comes by the grace from God who intends to discipline you for this same promise he had made earlier on.
This letter to the Hebrews was sent to discipline the brethrens at that time and also sent to us who're descendants of these Hebrew men and women.
"...For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths with your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint high rather be healed". This is the reward for discipline.
The gospel reading themes "Men will come from east and west, and sit at table in the kingdom of God" taken from the Gospel according to Luke 13:22-30
This is very clear even to a lay man. Here again brings out the rewards and punishment that will be served to those who duely deserve them. The rewards goes to those who are disciplined and the punishment to the undisciplined as it clearly states "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When one householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us.' He will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!' There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when hounded Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom and you yourselves thrust out. And men and women will come from the east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some first who will be last."
Highlights
* Discipline - discipline been described here is your ability to take control of any situation be it big or small, fair or unfair, bad or worse, good or better.
* Zeal - your ability to set your mind on a goal and pursue it, inotherwords, setting your mind and gaze towards eternal beauty which is in heaven.
* Endurance - your ability to endure through situations that are out of your hands and still pursue that bog goal.
* perseverance - your single ability to bear just as the same as endure. And your combined ability as one belonging to the Christian family to survive through with the utmost goal in mind.
* combat-ability- a new word, but this requires your courage(co), your mandate(m), your benign(b) self intact, your associative(a) skills, and your God given and activated talents(t). You need these to aim and pierce through any situation be it on a short term scale or a long term scale
* Trust- this is the peak on them all
Trust, faith, hope. We need them all to work towards perfection. We need them as we need the Trinity to gain this promise God has for us put in place.
May the good Lord help us achieve that utmost goals of ours and still help us focus on the eternal employment. May He help us build ourselves in Him and help us love him always. May the Good Lord bless and keep us. Amen.
Dominus vobiscum!
Simple and precise only if you are dedicated to the word and the word which was made flesh.