Talking About Love

Talking about love. St John quoted Jesus as "loving His Own even to the end". Yes!!! Jesus loved all His Apostles and disciples despite their apparent slowness etc, even to the end. Jesus loves you and I despite our sinfulness and weaknesses and "idiocy" Jesus has an unconditional love for His entire flock. Like Jesus, Mother Mary, also loves all God's children, even to the end. Most especially does she love those who evidently hate her, dishonour, disrespect her, disparage her; even those who have sworn to kill her if they were to set eyes on her. Who understands more than Mother Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, Mother of The True God and True Man, Jesus Our Saviour. Mother Mary's role as Mother, a loving and forgiving Mother makes her stand out. For instance, She understands and forgives those whose sole duty/business/pre-occupation is none else than to pull down 0ne whom God has exalted so high; one greeted by an Angel of God thus: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you..." Who else have gotten such a heavenly greeting, but Mary? Be it known, therefore, that Mary loves all God's children, all who claim God as thier Father, no matter their religious persuation, their cultural leaning etc, no matter how much we love or hate her, try to down play her role in our Salvation etc. MOTHER MARY LOVES YOU AS DOES JESUS: "PRAISE BE TO JESUS CHRIST, HONOUR TO MOTHER MARY" Let us all say: AMEN.

Once Upon A Day: THE PERFECT PASTOR

A Priest Chaplain friend and colleague of mine enclosed this piece in his Christmas card to me:
"The Perfect Pastor preaches exactly ten minutes, He condemns sin roundly, but never hurts anyone's feelings. He works from 6:00 a.m. until midnight, and is also the Church's janitor.

The Perfect Pastor makes $40.00 per week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books and donates $30.00 a week to the parish. He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience. He is, above all else, handsome....

The Perfect Pastor has a burning desire to work with teen-agers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens. He smiles all the time, with a straight face, because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his parish. he makes fifteen calls a day on his people and is always in his office to be handy when needed.

The Perfect Pastor always has time for the Parish Council and all its committees and sub-committees. He never misses a meeting of any parish organization, and he is always busy evangelizing the un-churched....

The Perfect Pastor is always in the next parish over !

(The Priest, December 1977, Represented from Parish Bulletin,
St Francis of Assisi Church, Allentown, Penna. Aug. 3rd, 1980)

My dear Priest friend, kindly read and reflect on the article: how "realistic"? Or is it altogether funny?

Once Upon A Day

I had goose bumps. Thinking loud could generate lots of emotion. I sat quietly one bright morning and began thinking loud. Shortly after, I wondered about one day when some of us who are so greedy, will find themselves alone on this planet. The one will have all the cars, million dollar mansions, trains, aircrafts (big and small) etc; including of course AIR FORCE 1 used on this planet by the most powerful nation's president. I wondered how this person would feel:over-joyed, satisfied, depressed, frustrated or .... Greed is not good, no matter how much we try to rebrand it. Good luck to all who are guided by the spirit of greed; I pray they come to their senses before too long.

Ndi Anya Ukwu

Once in a while I stop and begin to think of persons who tend to be greedy, envious, jealous, negatively, crafty and ingenious, cheating etc. Such persons, my Igbo people will call "Ndi Anya Ukwu" - literally (people with big eyes), basically people with avid, monstrous and growling insatiability. Once upon a Day, it may be thought that such a person will find himself/herself alone on this planet - owning all the mansions, cars - just everything there is (endless litany). When my thought fly thus, I get goose bumps and instantly cease this mind wondering. Then the question: why can't we live moderately and as my Igbo people will say: "egbe bere, ugo bere" - let the kite perch, let the eagle perch. Why the hot blood and desire to eliminate your brother/sister so you inherit whatever? Why the idea of exploitation of the weak because you feel you are smarter/stronger etc? Why the desire to dominate others, dictate for them? Why feel your culture is superior to others? Again the questions go endless as long the Godless human condition perdures. May God help us and deliver us all from greed, envy, avarice, jealousy and all negative inclinations: may He gift us with all the virtues that make us more Christlike and Godly. Amen and I seee ee e eh

A New Planet

Not long ago we got the news that a Team of Planet Hunters sighted a New Earth-Like Planet. I was thrilled they did not say "they created" another planet, but that "they discovered" a new planet that could be habitable like our earth. A sigh of relief that man this time around did not arrogate to himself that quality and/or capacity "to create" that is the sole reserve of God, The Creator. God gave us wisdom and free will to explore, decide and comment on issues. Steven Vogt, one of the Astronomers of the University of California, Santa Cruz, made leading and valuable remarks that could widen our animal curiosity. How far this brings us closer to our search for the Ultimate is any one's guess. Heaven is a "state" not a "place" or "locus", in re. In love God gave us this planet Earth to inhabit, a planet we can manage. If you prefer to venture to the new found planet that has a good balance between hot and cold, according to Steven Vogt's team of astronomers, good luck. May all things lead man to salvation and Glory To God. Amen.

Vocation To The Priesthood

Just thinking loud the other day: my thoughts flew back and forth. Suddenly they settled on something quite disturbing to me: call to the Catholic Priesthood in today's world. I had some shivers through my spine, some goose bumps, then some tears. Growing up in my Igbo Nation of Africa (Biafra), some 60 years ago, it was a different story from what one could observe today, back home as well as in the developed nations. The media - print, electronic and entertainment, appears to be hype the difficulties of nurturing a vocation, or even being open to the silent voice that invites the young man/lady to a special relationship with God in the priestly or religious life. People are so busy with what one could consider trifles that no room is left for hearing and answering an invitation from God to a life of dedicated service as the God Man Jesus Christ taught and did. May God spare His Church from the attacks of such enemies as the Media. Amen and so let it be.