Prophecies For Our Time According to Ukranian Mystic Josyp Terelya

The Holy Eucharist ~ Our Sure Route to Heaven

When you watch the Beatification recording of the Italian  teenager, Carlo Acutis, who said that the Holy Eucharistic is his "Highway To Heaven", you come to believe, without doubt, that he was perfectly right.

You and I have must have read several times, heard it preached on and probably studied commentaries on the entire 6th chapter of St John's Gospel: the whole discourse about the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus is True God and True Man. Being Our God made visible, He knows we should not stop at having a relationship with Him, but an INTIMACY with Him. In our human parlance, every relationship should end in an intimacy that involves the body - the whole body.  This is what Catechists and Pastors should teach while preparing couples for the Sacrament of Matrimony; we don't leave them in the dark, guessing about their mutual rights and responsibilities to live and mature together as members of the Mystical Body of Christ.  Husband and wife give themselves totally and completely to each other in their relationship in such an intimate way that one is really willing to die for the other. This is the Holy Will of God from all eternity - not for the "pleasure" but for the will of the Creator, an act that is open to NEW LIFE and in fulfillment of the Divine plan of procreation and populating of the City of God.

So, Christ following His eternal design of the Human Person He created from the beginning, before He suffered as He ever knew all that would happen in its time, gave us HIS BODY AND BLOOD to fulfil His Holy Will to remain with us till the end of Time. As it is known, St John's Gospel got the Mind and Will of Jesus Christ in the Institution of the Holy Eucharist and its narrative.  If you and I truly love Jesus Christ, we should likewise love His Will and Intent that we feed on His Body and Blood so to have life in us and be candidates for Heaven.  Let us revisit the entire chapter 6 of St John's Gospel. 

You Are On Your Own

It is evident that today you hear this loud and clear: people make comments that portend to say: "YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN".  You and I have to take care of our body and most importantly our soul,  more than anything else. The choice remains yours and mine - to care or neglect our body and soul or not. And since we have only ONE LIFE TO LIVE, AND ONE DEATH TO DIE, it becomes imperative that we make the best of the few seconds/hours at our disposal to take care of things that really matter. The next moment may be too late; we have no one to blame but ourselves. Blaming others will not help, rather may increase our pain of loss.

Take care not to expect anyone to take care of you - not the government,  not your family or community and unfortunately not even the Church. The responsibility is all yours; except maybe for the very young and infants. In this case, the responsibility is ours, the adults (parents/guardians) to give early guidance and direction to these young minds. Engage them in family devotions, the Holy Rosary, night prayers, family reading of the Holy Bible and quiet time, etc.  We see this exemplified by construction companies re-doing a highway, tethering young plants to avoid omnidirectional winds from deforming the young plants, yet to dip its roots into the soil. The tethers are professionally removed when the roots are sunk deep into the soil.  And now, they can stand the winds, from wherever side they come.  This is what happens with grooming a young man/lady in the faith, for instance; you do not allow the child to  grow up and make up its mind on what to believe in; such a soul may end up being mal-formed, rudderless.  Eventually, this 'boat', 'canoe' or 'ship' will end in utter disaster. 

But after you and I have done our duty/homework, laying a solid foundation of faith and practice for this young fellow; if in later life, this young man/lady  allows the external world and peer pressure to obliterate all that he/she had from the family, then he/she has the full blame. ONLY  WE DO NOT STOP LOVING AND PRAYING FOR THEM, giving good examples of care, love and patience towards them. Such good friends as Saints Monica and Augustine come immediately to mind - have recourse to their intercession. Finally, entrust everything to God and Our Blessed Mother Mary.

Just A Meal

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

This post was originally posted in one of my 'non-functional' 'less effective' blogs after my Silver Jubilee celebration in Omaha, NE.

By God's grace, I came back from Omaha, NE today. On Sunday, August 21, I celebrated the Mass of the Silver Jubilee of my Priesthood Ordination at St Cecilia's Cathedral. I was blessed with a warm acceptance/invitation of Archbishop George Lucas for this Silver Jubilee. The Host Rector, Very Rev. Michael F. Gutgsell was very hospitable to me as usual - accommodated me at the Rectory, provided, FOC, the Cathedral Meeting place we used for the reception after Mass. The story and pictures of this event will be ongoing. The "Label" for this post "Just A Meal" has two objectives: first to tell of the Eucharistic Sacrificial Meal of/with the Lord Jesus as I mark my 25 years in Roman Catholic Priesthood, the Meal we shared with guests after the Mass and finally to tell African Visitors of this blogpage about an African Eatery I found this time. It is called Sholiz Food, Inc. located on 86th/Maple streets in North West Omaha (8602 Maple Street) One can visit their website at www.sholiz.net Good luck and may all who visit this blog remain blessed. All your comments are welcome.

Labels: Just A Meal

I have often seen my dad in my dreams; my waking up dreams, I mean; and such dreams have great significance. This past Monday morning I saw Papa, had some dialogue with him. When I told him of my recent "vocation within a vocation" thoughts, he did not respond either way - support or disapproval.  I woke up.  I could fill the blanks.  I recall that by the time I finished from High School he had secured  a job for me, within the Department of Posts and Telecommunications where he worked then at the Yaba, Lagos office.  I "disappointed" him for not towing his line and deciding to go for the Catholic Priesthood.  In January 1972 I began pivotal teaching/prefecting at the Holy Ghost Juniorate, Ihiala. Soon after I felt a calling to a Contemplative Order and by June of same year I was admitted into the newly founded "Our Lady of Mount Calvary Monastery, Awhum, Enugu, under Very Rev. Fr Abraham Ojefua (of blessed memory). Ill health discontinued this cherished Contemplative vocation: then Postulant Director, Very Rev. Fr Mark Ulogu, O.C.S.O, told me to go home, get treated and come back if I wished to. However, I could not get back after due medical attention because my Parish Priest at the time, Very Rev. Fr Simon Okeke advised me to get into an active religious life first, and later go to a Monastery if I still feel called. He said: "I see your illness more as a psychological illness than physical, you did not go through the discipline of a minor seminary where you have times set out for spiritual reading, meditation etc.; jumping from a Catholic High School into a Contemplative Monastery is a big leap...."  This I obeyed and continued my formation when I joined the young Congregation of Sons of Mary, Mother of Mercy (S.M.M.M) in 1975.  After my 1st Religious Profession in October 1976, I began Philosophy in September 1977.  I was ordained on August 23, 1986 as a Diocesan Priest of Okigwe.  Today, by God's grace, the wish and desire to get back into the Monastic Life is burning in me. I continue to pray for more light from the Holy Spirit. 

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.

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.

Create?

It is either we are not serious or we decided to muddle the waters. Way back when the English Dictionary had the definition of the word "To Create" as: "to make something out of nothing; to bring into being or existence something that never existed, without the use of any outside help or instrument or adjunct" What do we hear/read/see today?; man has assumed the power "to create", seen by the random use of that sacred word that should be reserved to God, the Supreme Being/Creator of all that exists. You often read "created by Mr/Mrs .....". Doubtless, we have a range of word choices. What has happened to such words as: invent, discover, found, explored, initiated etc. Seems we have left those words to aliens so men could switch over to be "creators" of whatever. Wow, what an advancement in the world of created beings!! What a misnomer!!! Could this be the act and instrumentality of atheists, evolutionists or their like? Please could some person of real intelligence correct this, before we turn ourselves into something else.

Happy Guardian Angel Day

Beloved Guardian Angel Ukachukwu,

My name is Ukachukwu, the one person His Divine Majesty entrusted to you on the 14th day of November, in the Holy Year 1950. It is so amazing that you have no other "job" except me. Since I came to the age of reason I have always thought of your duties towards me. In God's eternal and omniscient plan, you were born in eternity the day I was born in time. The Almighty Who inspired my parents to name me Ukachukwu, had same name for you. You were given the sole responsibility of taking care of, guiding, guarding, directing and protecting me, to God's glory. You have always done an outstanding job in this regard; unfortunately I have very many times failed you by not co-operating with your promptings to accomplish only God's Holy will. For those moments I failed you in God, I am awfully sorry. Tomorrow is a special day Holy Mother Church set apart for us humans to recall your presence in my life and thank God for your mission in my life. I will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving and Reparation to God. I will write you again soon; but please continue your Divine assignment towards me, your Namesake, Ukachukwu. Before I put my pen back into the ink pot, do permit me to thank and remind you of your most recent deed of protecting me. Remember I was on call this night and was paged to the Hospital. I guess you delayed my leaving my room by some minutes, only to come out at our gate to see an accident caused by and/or involving "racing" youths or adults, right outside of the gate. I could have been a victim of this terrifying scenario. I had goose bumps reflecting on your great acts of keeping me in safe places at the proper time. I cannot thank you enough nor can I thank God enough for giving me into your hands for safe-keeping. Thank You God for giving me to Your Angel Ukachukwu to take care of Your adopted son, Ukachukwu Onyeabor. I am awfully sorry for not always following his lead in doing Your Holy Will, in which is our peace, here and hereafter.

Ukachukwu Sebastian Azubuike Onyeabor (Rev. FR)

Made In China

A day in the life of a Hospital Chaplain could be stressful as well as hilarious; it depends on how one handles the incidents that impinge on the individual. I enjoy what I do. I am a Roman Catholic Priest and Hospital Chaplain. Every day is a new day of thanks and surprises. Each day opens with entrusting everything I do to God, the Almighty, to guide and direct. This short story calls for deep thoughts as to how our psyche functions and how we are wired/influenced by external forces:- On this eventful day, I walked into the hospital room of 58 year old Mrs M.G. Just about 3 minutes into our visit she showed me the "Get-well" cards she got since admission, two days prior. "This is from my grand-son" proudly showing me a card prepared by 6 year old, Bruce. What caught my attention, which, when I remarked about it, apparently did not mean much to Mr M.G, was: "Made In China" which little Bruce nicely put below his drawing of flowers and good-wish words to grandma. My concern is, Is this young man giving us a message or what? Is he throwing a challenge as to the direction of our economy? What message is he inspired to deliver through the medium of this card? The questions could be more. Please I need your input, answers and comments. I need help to appreciate and/or understand this young man.

I dearly, deeply and truly love gay/lesbian persons

One is often fascinated at what arguments go on among people of different cultural/religious leanings concerning those who claim to be gay or lesbian. I truly love them: they deserve to be loved. In the first place, God loves them, like He loves you and me, unconditionally. Once upon a time a friend of mine told me he had lunch with a gay couple. What surprised me was hearing the story of one of these men. He told this friend that from his childhood he found he was more attracted to little male kids like himself than to girls his age. He said his parents knew this was the case with him. Oh! this young man growing up felt he was meant to be gay all his life? Wow!!! The question will be: "what did the adult parents do in the awareness of this reality? On the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, this year, we read from Matthew's gospel account of Jesus' parable about the wheat and the cockle. (cf. Matt. 13:24-43) The operative words in this parable are: "while everybody was asleep, the enemy came and sowed the cockle" While everybody was asleep? Indeed when we are "asleep", when we are not awake to our sole responsibilities, we are overtaken by events that shame our wakeful state. In the case under perusal, I imagine the parents of this man did something, maybe they did not do enough or did not know Whom to run to. These lovely and lovable men and women, if at the early stages of growth they discover, as many of them claim, that growing up, they were more prone to and/or attracted to same sex persons, their parents should have been awake to take some steps to rectify things in their regard. Obviously it is the enemy. Call him whatever you will; whoever or whatever is responsible for this anomaly in the lives of men and women, that person or thing is not a friend, but an enemy of God and humanity. In the Holy Writ, shortly after creation, God said to man and woman: "Go, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it" God's holy will is that we populate the earth and not decrease; the plan of this "enemy of God and humanity is the direct opposite of God's injunction. The enemy puts "rationalization" into the minds of people to justify their actions, even when they go against the objective and original plan of the Creator. People would expect to hear the parents scream for help from God, the Church and a circle of good friends and neighbours. St Monica, mother of St Augustine is an example of such genuine cry for help. My Igbo people in Africa have this proverb: "ka e wepu aka enwe n'ofe, mgbe o ghobeghi aka nmadu". This literally translates to: "remove the monkey's hand from the soup before it turns to be a human hand" - a stitch in time saves nine. Not too long ago I was ministering to a Behavioural Health patient in a facility who told me similar story of being just formed that way from childhood. The bottom line is that someone/persons were asleep and the enemy sowed the bad seed that could bring mankind to extinction. Let us love the gay/lesbian persons very dearly, deeply and truly, but begin to pray seriously for the end of this misnomer. May God save His Church and children from this scourge. God help us. Amen.

The Cow and The Fly

Our course at this time in the University in Omaha, NE, had to do with violence and non-violence. I told my lecturer and colleagues this Igbo folklore about the Cow and the Fly. At the end of the story, our Prof. who is of Irish origin said: "No Father, that was an Irish folklore, not Igbo" Here goes the story, though: Once upon a long time ago, the animal kingdom tried to instill sanity in the kingdom. Careful and diligent observation showed that the cow flouted all the rules and bylaws. This upset the entire population of the animal kingdom. After a general meeting to which the cow decided to be absent, a resolution was made to send a one-animal emissary with a special message to the Cow. When most bigger animals declined, for fear the cow could kick the hell out of them, in anger, the fly volunteered to be the harbinger. On the eventful day, while the animals met at the village square, the cow stayed some distance away eavesdropping. At the end of the meeting the mother fly decided to immediately go on her agreed errand. She was yet to finish her message from the animal kingdom when the big cow stepped forward and crushed her into the mud that "glued" her wings which prevented her from flying out of danger and proximity of the cow, if threatened. On seeing that the fly has been crushed to death by the cow, the rest of the animals fled for dear life. Those living close to mother fly's home told her family and baby flies that it was the cow that killed their mother. The flies, as one, went to express their disapproval and grievance over the death of their mother at the hands of the cow. The cow did not show any remorse and so the flies swore not to give the cow or her children any rest all their life; hence they perch on the cow's nose, eyes, ears, tail etc. They perch on all vexing parts of the cow. They vowed to keep the cow miserable forever. Hence the fate of the cow till date. The morale of the story is that it is not by might but by mutual respect and understanding that we could co-exist, make progress and root out terrorism completely. Let's all work for peace, justice and love. God bless all who see need to eliminate violence in a world God wants us to "enjoy" before an everlasting abode.