*WHAT HAPPENED AT ANTIOCH?*

*“The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.” (John 10:25-26)*

On Easter Sunday, Mark tells us that Jesus “appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.’” (Mark 16:14-15). When Jesus spoke these words, his disciples thought that by “the whole creation”, Jesus meant the Jews living in different parts of the world. They thought that Jesus’ goal was to reform Judaism or, at most, establish a branch of Judaism. The disciples still saw themselves as Jews; they visited Jewish synagogues and prayed with them even though the Jews did not believe in Christ. At this time, Christians were called as “the believers.”

Yesterday, we read that the circumcision party criticised Peter for associating with the Gentiles. They became silent when Peter explained how he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon them. Today’s First Reading tells us after the dispersal (following the death of Stephen, who was killed for arguing with Jews about Christ), some believers went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the Gospel only to the Jews. At this point, they still didn’t understand that Jesus came to save humanity and not just the Jews. However, something happened at Antioch that would change history forever. This brings us to our lessons today.

*1. God Can Use A Negative Situation to Bring Great Good:* Tertullian says, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Whenever the church is persecuted, what usually follows is exponential growth and increase. This is a life principle. We make more progress during adversity than comfort. But for Saul’s persecution, the Christians (believers) would have probably remained in Israel. Stephen’s martyrdom was painful yet bore fruit; Philip discovered his gifts as he carried the Gospel to distant lands, Saul became a convert, and as we see in today’s reading, the message reached the Greeks at Antioch. Does this mean we should be praying for negative situations? No. Rather, we should not despair when bad things happen because God is always with us.

*2. What Happened At Antioch?*: Firstly, “the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.” (Acts 11:21). This teaches us that the success of evangelisation depends on God. The believers who took the Gospel to Antioch were not exceptional (their names are not even mentioned). When the news of the huge number of converts reached the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to ascertain if this news was true and encourage the believers. God’s hand was upon the believers at Antioch because God wanted the Gospel to reach the whole creation. Those who argue that Christianity is a white man’s religion (foreign to Africans) do not understand that Christ died not just for the Jewish nation but for all humanity. More still, Christianity is not even a white man’s religion. The white-skinned missionaries who brought the faith to Africa were themselves converts.

*3. What Happened At Antioch?* Secondly, it was at Antioch that the disciples were called Christians for the first time. The Church in Antioch was vibrant because it was a church of converts. Barnabas knew Antioch was the best place for Saul’s faith formation after converting to the faith. Converts do better than traditional Christians. They are on fire for God; having willingly left their past lives behind, they do not mind going to extreme lengths to live out their faith. Converts are like persons falling in love for the first time; there is no pretence. The believers were called Christians because they lived like Christ. Sadly, today, many neither believe nor behave like Christ, yet they assume they are Christians just because they attend Church services. Hence, Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

*4. The Sheep of Christ Do Not Doubt:* To understand what happened at Antioch, let us examine today’s Gospel passage. The Jews saw all the signs Jesus did but were not convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. They told Jesus, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus answered: “I told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name bear witness to me, but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:25-27). The Christians in Antioch never met Jesus in person; they probably didn’t see the signs, but when they heard Christ's voice through the missionaries' lips, they recognised Christ and followed Him. As the saying goes, “Never explain yourself to anyone because your true friends do not need it, and your enemies would never believe it.” Jesus did not explain himself to those asking. He said: “You are not my sheep.” Child of God, are you the sheep of Christ? Why do you still doubt? Why are you still scared of the future? Why are you worried about your enemies? Jesus says: “They shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

*Let us pray:* Almighty, ever-living God, may my actions not betray my faith in you. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen

*Remember, amid all challenges, choose to be happy. Live with a positive mindset and believe in God’s plan for you. God bless you abundantly. (Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide. Bible Study: Acts 11:19-26, Ps. 87, John 10:22-30).*

Fr. Abu

𝟱 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗚𝗢𝗗 𝗜𝗡 NIGERIA

These are the  five ‘Servants of God’ on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church in Nigeria. 

Servant of God is the first of four stages before one is declared a Saint. The ‘Servants of God’ are:

1. Fr. Abraham Anselm Ojefua: founder of the Order of Knights of St Mulumba, died in 1988, aged 78. 

2. Bishop Michael Eneja: third Bishop of Enugu Diocese from 1978 to 1996, died in 2008, aged 89.

3. Archbishop Gabriel Gonsum Ganaka: second Bishop and first Archbishop of Jos from 1974 until his death in 1999, aged 62.

4. Vivian Uchechi Ogu: 14-year old Catholic girl who resisted being sexually defiled by armed robbers and was killed (in Benin City archdiocese) in 2009. She is a native of Enyiogugu in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State (Ahiara Diocese)

5. Fr. Aaron Ejikemeuwa Ekwu: priest of Awka Diocese, ordained in 1965 in Vienna Austria, served in Austria and Nigeria and died in a fatal car accident in 1989, aged 53.

THE STEPS TO CANONIZATION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The process of canonization in the Catholic Church involves several steps, each carefully designed to ensure that a candidate for sainthood has lived a life of heroic virtue and is worthy of veneration by the faithful.

1. First Stage- Servant of God: The process begins at the diocesan level, usually in the diocese where the candidate lived or died. After the candidate's death, the local bishop may initiate an investigation into their life and virtues. If there is sufficient evidence to proceed, the candidate is declared a "Servant of God."

2. Second Stage-Venerable: After thorough investigation, if the candidate is found to have lived a life of heroic virtue, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican may grant them the title of "Venerable." This indicates that the candidate's virtues are recognized as exemplary, but does not affirm their intercessory power or confirm that they are in heaven.

3. Third Stage-Beatification: For beatification, one miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable candidate is typically required (except in the case of martyrdom). The miracle must be verified through a rigorous process of investigation by medical experts and theologians. If the miracle is accepted, the Pope may declare the candidate "Blessed," allowing limited veneration in specific regions or religious communities.

4. Fourth Stage-Canonization: Canonization requires the verification of a second miracle (or one in the case of martyrdom) after beatification. Like the first miracle, the second must also undergo thorough investigation and scrutiny. Upon approval by the Vatican, the Pope may canonize the candidate as a saint, affirming their place in heaven and their ability to intercede on behalf of the faithful.

NB: It is important to note that the process of canonization is not bound by a strict timeline and can vary depending on the circumstances and complexity of each case.

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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCISFOR THE 61st WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

[21 April 2024]

Called to sow seeds of hope and to build peace

Dear brothers and sisters!

Each year, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations invites us to reflect on the precious gift of the Lord’s call to each of us, as members of his faithful pilgrim people, to participate in his loving plan and to embody the beauty of the Gospel in different states of life. Hearing that divine call, which is far from being an imposed duty – even in the name of a religious ideal – is the surest way for us to fulfil our deepest desire for happiness. Our life finds fulfilment when we discover who we are, what our gifts are, where we can make them bear fruit, and what path we can follow in order to become signs and instruments of love, generous acceptance, beauty and peace, wherever we find ourselves.

This Day, then, is always a good occasion to recall with gratitude to the Lord the faithful, persevering and frequently hidden efforts of all those who have responded to a call that embraces their entire existence. I think of mothers and fathers who do not think first of themselves or follow fleeting fads of the moment, but shape their lives through relationships marked by love and graciousness, openness to the gift of life and commitment to their children and their growth in maturity. I think of all those who carry out their work in a spirit of cooperation with others, and those who strive in various ways to build a more just world, a more solidary economy, a more equitable social policy and a more humane society. In a word, of all those men and women of good will who devote their lives to working for the common good. I think too of all those consecrated men and women who offer their lives to the Lord in the silence of prayer and in apostolic activity, sometimes on the fringes of society, tirelessly and creatively exercising their charism by serving those around them. And I think of all those who have accepted God’s call to the ordained priesthood, devoting themselves to the preaching of the Gospel, breaking open their own lives, together with the bread of the Eucharist, for their brothers and sisters, sowing seeds of hope and revealing to all the beauty of God’s kingdom.

To young people, and especially those who feel distant or uncertain about the Church, I want to say this: Let Jesus draw you to himself; bring him your important questions by reading the Gospels; let him challenge you by his presence, which always provokes in us a healthy crisis. More than anyone else, Jesus respects our freedom. He does not impose, but proposes. Make room for him and you will find the way to happiness by following him. And, should he ask it of you, by giving yourself completely to him.

A people on the move

The polyphony of diverse charisms and vocations that the Christian community recognizes and accompanies helps us to appreciate more fully what it means to be Christians. As God’s people in this world, guided by his Holy Spirit, and as living stones in the Body of Christ, we come to realize that we are members of a great family, children of the Father and brothers and sisters of one another. We are not self-enclosed islands but parts of a greater whole.  In this sense, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations has a synodal character: amid the variety of our charisms, we are called to listen to one another and to journey together in order to acknowledge them and to discern where the Spirit is leading us for the benefit of all.

At this point in time, then, our common journey is bringing us to the Jubilee Year of 2025. Let us travel as pilgrims of hope towards the Holy Year, for by discovering our own vocation and its place amid the different gifts bestowed by the Spirit, we can become for our world messengers and witnesses of Jesus’ dream of a single human family, united in God’s love and in the bond of charity, cooperation and fraternity.

This Day is dedicated in a particular way to imploring from the Father the gift of holy vocations for the building up of his Kingdom: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” (Lk 10:2). Prayer – as we all know – is more about listening to God than about talking to him. The Lord speaks to our heart, and he wants to find it open, sincere and generous.  His Word became flesh in Jesus Christ, who reveals to us the entire will of the Father. In this present year, devoted to prayer and preparation for the Jubilee, all of us are called to rediscover the inestimable blessing of our ability to enter into heartfelt dialogue with the Lord and thus become pilgrims of hope. For “prayer is the first strength of hope. You pray and hope grows, it moves forward. I would say that prayer opens the door to hope. Hope is there, but by my prayer I open the door” (Catechesis, 20 May 2020).

Pilgrims of hope and builders of peace

Yet what does it mean to be pilgrims? Those who go on pilgrimage seek above all to keep their eyes fixed on the goal, to keep it always in their mind and heart. To achieve that goal, however, they need to concentrate on every step, which means travelling light, getting rid of what weighs them down, carrying only the essentials and striving daily to set aside all weariness, fear, uncertainty and hesitation. Being a pilgrim means setting out each day, beginning ever anew, rediscovering the enthusiasm and strength needed to pursue the various stages of a journey that, however tiring and difficult, always opens before our eyes new horizons and previously unknown vistas.

This is the ultimate meaning of our Christian pilgrimage: we set out on a journey to discover the love of God and at the same time to discover ourselves, thanks to an interior journey nourished by our relationships with others. We are pilgrims because we have been called: called to love God and to love one another. Our pilgrimage on this earth is far from a pointless journey or aimless wandering; on the contrary, each day, by responding to God’s call, we try to take every step needed to advance towards a new world where people can live in peace, justice and love. We are pilgrims of hope because we are pressing forward towards a better future, committed at every step to bringing it about.

This is, in the end, the goal of every vocation: to become men and women of hope. As individuals and as communities, amid the variety of charisms and ministries, all of us are called to embody and communicate the Gospel message of hope in a world marked by epochal challenges. These include the baneful spectre of a third world war fought piecemeal; the flood of migrants fleeing their homelands in search of a better future; the burgeoning numbers of the poor; the threat of irreversibly compromising the health of our planet. To say nothing of all the difficulties we encounter each day, which at times risk plunging us into resignation or defeatism.

In our day, then, it is decisive that we Christians cultivate a gaze full of hope and work fruitfully in response to the vocation we have received, in service to God’s kingdom of love, justice and peace. This hope – Saint Paul tells us – “does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5), since it is born of the Lord’s promise that he will remain always with us and include us in the work of redemption that he wants to accomplish in the heart of each individual and in the “heart” of all creation. This hope finds its propulsive force in Christ’s resurrection, which “contains a vital power which has permeated this world.  Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force. Often it seems that God does not exist: all around us, we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit” (Evangelii Gaudium, 276). Again, the Apostle Paul tells us that, “in hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24). The redemption accomplished in the paschal mystery is a source of hope, a sure and trustworthy hope, thanks to which we can face the challenges of the present.

To be pilgrims of hope and builders of peace, then, means to base our lives on the rock of Christ’s resurrection, knowing that every effort made in the vocation that we have embraced and seek to live out, will never be in vain.  Failures and obstacles may arise along the way, but the seeds of goodness we sow are quietly growing and nothing can separate us from the final goal: our encounter with Christ and the joy of living for eternity in fraternal love. This ultimate calling is one that we must anticipate daily: even now our loving relationship with God and our brothers and sisters is beginning to bring about God’s dream of unity, peace and fraternity. May no one feel excluded from this calling! Each of us in our own small way, in our particular state of life, can, with the help of the Spirit, be a sower of seeds of hope and peace.

The courage to commit

In this light, I would say once more, as I did at World Youth Day in Lisbon: “Rise up!” Let us awaken from sleep, let us leave indifference behind, let us open the doors of the prison in which we so often enclose ourselves, so that each of us can discover his or her proper vocation in the Church and in the world, and become a pilgrim of hope and a builder of peace! Let us be passionate about life, and commit ourselves to caring lovingly for those around us, in every place where we live. Let me say it again: “Have the courage to commit!” Father Oreste Benzi, a tireless apostle of charity, ever on the side of the poor and the defenseless, used to say that no one is so poor as to have nothing to give, and no one is so rich as not to need something to receive.

Let us rise up, then, and set out as pilgrims of hope, so that, as Mary was for Elizabeth, we too can be messengers of joy, sources of new life and artisans of fraternity and peace.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 21 April 2024, Fourth Sunday of Easter.

FRANCIS

 

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/20240421-messaggio-61-gm-vocazioni.html#:~:text=Let%20us%20awaken%20from%20sleep,and%20a%20builder%20of%20peace!

Don't let this message die of cold

The little boy put on his clothes for the cold and then told his father:

"Ok dad I'm ready"

His Dad, the pastor, said: "Ready for what?"

"Dad, it's time to go outside and distribute our flyers."

Dad replied: "Son, it's very cold outside and it's drizzling."

The child looked surprised at his father and said: "But dad, people need to know about God even on rainy days."

Dad replied, "Son, I'm not going outside in this weather."

With despair, the child said: "Dad, can I go alone? Please!"

His father waited for a moment and then said: "Son, you can go. Here's the flyers, be careful."

"Thank you dad!"

And with this, the son went out into the rain. The 11-Year-old walked all the streets of the village, handing out the flyers to the people he saw.

After 2 hours walking in the rain and cold and with his last flyer in his hand, he stopped at a corner to see if he saw someone to give the flyer to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned to the first house he saw, walked to the front door, rang the bell several times and waited, but no one came out.

Finally the boy turned to leave... but something stopped him. The child turned back to the door and began to ring the bell and pound the door strongly with his knuckles. He kept waiting. Finally the door was opened gently.

A lady came out with a very sad look and gently asked:

"What can I do for you, son?

With radiant eyes and a bright smile the child said:

"Lady, I'm sorry if I upset you, but I just want to tell you that God really loves you and that I came to give you my last flyer, which talks about God and His great love.

The boy then gave her the flyer.

She just said, "Thank you, son, God bless you!"

Well, next Sunday morning, the pastor was in the pulpit and when the service began he asked:

"Does someone have a testimony or something they want to share?"

Gently, in the back row of the church, an older lady stood up. When she started talking, a radiant and glorious look sprouted from her eyes:

"Nobody in this church knows me. I have never been here, even last Sunday I was not Christian.

My husband died a while ago leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday was a particularly cold and rainy day, and it was also in my heart; that on that day I came to the end of the road, since I had no hope and didn't want to live anymore.

Then I took a chair and a rope and went up to the attic of my house. I tied a noose and the other end of the rope to the rafters of the roof; then I climbed onto the chair and put the rope around my neck.

I then stood on the chair, so alone and heartbroken, I was about to throw myself off the chair, when suddenly I heard the loud sound of the door being knocked.

So I thought: "I'll wait for a minute and whoever it is will go"

I waited and waited, but the door knocking was getting louder and louder every time. It got so loud that I couldn't ignore it anymore. 

So I wondered, who could it be?

No one ever comes close to my door or comes to visit me!

I released the rope from my neck and went to the door, while the bell was still ringing and the door was still being knocked on.

When I opened the door, I couldn't believe what my eyes saw, in front of my door was the most radiant and angelic child I've ever seen.

His smile, ohhh, I can never describe it! The words that came out of his mouth made my heart, dead so long ago, come back to life, when he said with the VOICE OF CHERUB: "Lady, I just want to tell you that God really loves you"

"When the little angel disappeared between the cold and the rain, I closed my door and read every word of the flyer.

Then I went to the attic to remove the chair and rope.

I didn't need them anymore. As you see. Now I am a happy daughter of the King.

Since the direction of the boy, when he left, was to this church, I came personally say thank you to that little angel of God who came just in time and, in fact, to rescue my life from an eternity in hell. And replaced it with an eternity in God's presence. "

Everyone cried in the church.

The Pastor came down from the pulpit to the first bench of the front, where the little angel was sitting; he took his son in his arms and cried uncontrollably.

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Don't let this message die of cold; after reading it, pass it on to others.

Remember, God's message can make a big difference in someone's life, never be afraid to spread it.

Can I get a AMEN?

TAKE YOUR KIDS TO CHURCH!!!

TAKE YOUR KIDS TO CHURCH!!!

Even if they are on the floor, it's probably because they need to play and/or a pacifier to keep them calm.

Even if you spend all your time in the back of the church swinging from side to side and holding them.

Even if your child is a turbine or a little hurricane.

Take them to church: let them watch you worship, let them pray and most of all let them watch you sing God’s praises.

Let them watch you receive the Eucharist, they will surely follow and imitate you... If they don't see you doing these things and they don't learn from you, who will they learn from?

Children actually to a certain extent listen to their parents with their ears but always listen with their eyes...

But be certain, the world will not teach them who Jesus is, that he is alive in the Word and the Bread of life.

"Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mc 10, 14b)

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