HAPPY NEW MONTH:

Thanks to the Oldest and Overly New Being {Odibalu Gbogbogbooo!!!; Ps.102:27}, the King of Kings [Eze ndi Eze] and Lord of Lords (Dinwenu ndi bu Nnaukwu; Rev.17:14) for the gift of a new day and month, we pray for mercies on the mistakes of the previous months and years which we used to betray your love for us (Dan.9:9) as we pray you to honor your word in Exodus 13:21 ("The Lord preceded them, by day in a pillar of cloud to show them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could march by day and by night") on our lives and that of all humanity since we are your people, the photo-negative of your Being (Gen.1:27) and you are our God {Jer.31:1}, our Breath, Our Strength, Our Joy {"The joy of the Lord is our Strength" Nehemiah 8:10} and the achiever of our plans ['Commend your ways into the Hand of God and your plans will be achieved' Prov.16:3].
HAPPY NEW MONTH AND ALL SAINTS DAY

WHY THIS SUFFERING?

“I am the Lord and there is no other, there is no God except me…I form the light and I create the darkness, I make well-being and I create disaster, I, the Lord, do all these things…woe to anyone who argues with his Maker, one earthenware pot among many! Does the clay say to its potter, what are you doing? Your work has no hands! Woe to anyone who asks a father, why are you begetting? And a woman, why are you giving birth? Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker: I am asked for signs regarding my sons, I am given orders about the work I do. It was I who made the earth and I created human beings on it, mine were the hands that spread out the heavens and I have the orders to all their array” {Isaiah 45:7-12} 

SUFFERING AS PART OF LIFE VOCATION:

SUFFERING AS PART OF LIFE VOCATION:

“It was God’s good pleasure to crush him with pain; if he gives his life as a sin offering he will see his offspring and prolong his life and through him God’s good pleasure will be done” {Isaiah 53:10}

‘…if anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me’ [Lk.9:23]

Since these are derived from the word of God which is eternal (1 Pet.1:25) and will never go unfulfilled in the life of every living soul {Mk.13:31} then why do most preachers/peer groups/societies increase the suicide rate in the world through their preaching of a cross less life to Christians which makes most men/women unable to build a strong shock-absorber for any possible encounter both from the good or bad aspect of life thus would often submit suicide as a way of fleeing a problem or predicaments that resulted from their actions.

Most parents also acquire wealth either by hook or crook for their children hence excusing them from domestic chores and the realities of decision making which will face them somewhere in future with statements like “I suffered too much, my child will not suffer”. This has also increased the rate of suicide and transferred aggression in the world today between families/friends/organizations e.t.c

Anyway, mark the words “Pleasing” and ‘Crush’ in the Isaiah passage {Isaiah 53:10} hence there are sufferings that come from God to test our faith in him just like our fathers were tested (Judith 8:25), our disposition towards this type of suffering as a blessing in disguise {by his suffering shall my servant justify many; Is.53:11} even when there are no physical evidence to trust in God [“though there seemed no hope, he hoped and believed that he was to become father of many nations in fulfillment of the promise: just so will your descendants be” Rom.4:18].

The other type of suffering is the after-effects of our sins; willingly or unwillingly (‘for me everything is permissible; maybe but not everything does good. True, for me everything is permissible but I am determined not to be dominated by anything’ 1 Cor.6:12, “Give in to God, then resist the devil and he will run away from you. The nearer you go to God, the nearer God will come to you…” James 4:7-8) and the effects of the sins already forgiven {“…you were a God of forgiveness to them but punished them for their sins” Ps.99:8, ‘be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished…’ Prov.11:21} as well as the effects of silence over other people’s sins [“uprightness makes a nation great, by sin whole races are disgraced” Prov.14:34]. For this type of suffering, God has given us the grace and tools to reduce as well as stop them by developing a hatred for sin in us and others and an ardent desire for righteousness {“you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with oil of gladness, as none of your rivals” Ps.45:7, Heb.1:9}, ‘proclaim the message and welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, give encouragement – but do all with patience and with care to instruct’ [2 Tim.4:2], (“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, be fearless; speak out and do not keep silence” Acts. 18:9), “By his divine power, he has lavished on us all the things we need for life and for true devotion, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his own glory and goodness” {2 Pet.1:3}

It is in the service of God and neighbor that we actually enjoy the vocation of existing as well as living (‘for the son of man himself came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many’ Mk.10:45) , hence questions like these begins to flow:

What words should I utter to draw a man’s soul closer to God?

What clothes should I wear to promote righteousness in other’s hearts?

What attitude should I put up to win a soul for Jesus?

What Bible passage should I meditate upon for the day while holding unto that day’s prayer intention?

What ritual prayers should I offer to lock the doors of hell and unlock the doors {Isaiah 22:22} of Heaven with the righteousness, grace and mercy therein on earthly souls and purgatorians?

What type of fasting and prayers [Dan.10:12] should I observe for each day other in order draw God’s attention on hardened sinners (Assassins, prostitutes, criminals, heretics, apostates, lesbians, homosexuals, porn-addicts, drug-addicts, rapists, abortion specialist, fashion-maniacs e.t.c)?

In all, do not fear to approach the throne of grace requesting for mercy and to find grace when we are need of help (Heb.4:16) even when we assume our state to be the most pitiable remember “…my grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…” {2 Cor.12:9}.

MEMENTO:

"...You were a God of forgiveness to them but punished them for their sins" (Ps.99:8) hence do not presume the mercy of God while committing one sin on top of another because for each sin you commit and ask for forgiveness from God; He forgives but for that singular act of disobedience, there is still a punishment for it{"be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished..." Prov.11:21} which can be now or later [Habakkuk 2:3]
As a youth, you may think that you have outsmarted God without remembering He may give it to you as a life partner...
woe to you as you continue to wallow in promiscuity (bestiality, masturbation, pornography, fornication, abortion, rape, adultery, lesbianism, homosexuality, indecent dressing), you have decided to destroy the temple of God and He will Destroy you {1 Cor.3:16-17} because God does not make empty statements ('sky and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away' Mk.13:31).
this punishment can be via the gift of a bad loose wife/husband/children/friend e.t.c or barrenness that will make your marriage a nightmare/regret/grief since by your actions you have made God regret creating you because of your wickedness ["God saw that human wickedness was great on earth and that human hearts contrived nothing but wicked schemes all day long. the Lord regretted having made human beings on earth and was grieved at heart" Gen.6:5-6] and ("...and be sure your sin will find you out" Numb.32:23).
Repent now, because the more sin you commit, the more punishment/retribution you are piling up for yourself on the day of judgment whether on earth or hereafter {"your stubborn refusal to repent is only storing up retribution for yourself on that day of retribution when God's just verdict will be made known" Rom.2:5}
there no favoritism with God {Rom.2:11}, Jesus will only testify for those who bear witness for him with all their spiritual gifts and spiritual talents here on earth before His Father in Heaven ('so if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. but the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven' Mtt.10:32-33). this testimony/witness needs to be consistent and continuous till date lest those moments of seriousness will be tagged futile on the day of judgment {"but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved" Mtt.24:13}

THE TRUTH:

"who among you delights in life, longs for time to enjoy prosperity? Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from any breath of deceit" (Ps.34:12-13)
let us be mindful of the words we utter, the comments we make, the write-ups we post and the silence we keep over injustice and evil around us because we shall be judged by them now or later {Habb.2:3} as Christ affirmed thus "since it is by your words you will be justified and by your words condemned" [Mtt.12:37]. Paul affirmed Peter, James and John as pillars of faith (Gal.2:9) yet He condemned the funny attitude of Peter with regards to denying eating with the gentiles {Gal.2:11} hence the truth though should be delivered with prudence but without fear to anybody regardless of class/sex/color/creed/religion/belief e.t.c lest we incur wrath for being silent over others sin {Ex.3:18}.

THE MOST IMPORTANT:

“…You worry and fret about so many things and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part and it is not to be taken from her” (Lk.10:41-42)

Closeness to God via ritual and mental prayer is paramount for a sustainable Christian lifestyle.

In the family, it is important that every member of the family becomes part of the morning prayers before any engagement for the day as well as join together to thank God in the evening as a family for the day before going to bed. This practice has a way of hooking people to God and chasing away the cloud of evil from families even when outside the fore-walls of the family {‘…those who honor me I honor in my turn and those who despise me will be an object of contempt’ 1Sam.2:30}

Close continuous contact with the house of God (“better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices” Ps.84:10) is also another avenue for one to sustain as well as fan into flames {2Tim.1:6} the spirit of Grace we received at the waters of baptism either for fellowship with the various sodalities (‘do not absent yourself from your own assemblies, as some do, but encourage each other; the more so as you see the Day drawing near’ Heb.10:25), visit to the Eucharistic Jesus in the chapel of Adorations [“come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give your rest…” Mtt.11:28], daily attendance of Holy Mass ‘…if anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me’ Lk.9:23[Evening/Morning], Sacrament of reconciliation (“…go and show yourselves to the priests. Now as they were going away they were cleansed” Lk.17:14), Cathecatical instructions and benedictions ‘this is the doctrine that you can rely on. I want you to be quite uncompromising in teaching all this, so that those who now believe in God may keep their minds constantly occupied in doing good works. All this is good and useful for everybody’ {Titus 3:8}.

If you have been practicing these and many other profound union with God; hold unto it (“my brothers, never slacken in doing what is right” 2 Thess.3:13), fan it into flame {‘that is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift of God that you possess…’ 2Tim.1:6}, be on the alert that this virtue is not dampened [‘Everyone, no matter how firmly he thinks he is standing, must be careful he does not fall’ 1Cor.10:12] and also teach others (“…teach each other and advise each other, in all wisdom…” Col.3:16) to benefit from this Gracious benefits from Heaven while on earth as a way of fulfilling Christ purpose of redemption on mankind (‘…he has let us know the mystery of his purpose, according to his good pleasure which he determined beforehand in Christ...’ Eph.1:3-14)

EAGERNESS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS:

“Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm” (Mtt.11:12)

‘So Christ too, having offered himself only once to bear the sin of many will manifest himself a second time, sin being no more, to those who are waiting for him, to bring them salvation’ {Heb.9:28}

Where did the fire for righteousness go-off?

Where did the hunger for chastity/purity go-off?

When did the desire for evangelism dry-up?

When last did you offer that fasting and prayer that makes you feel the inner yearning as well as contact with the Most High?

When last did you wake-up in the middle of the night to pray for the righteous judgment of God?

When last did you sing that song that was makes you feel the warmth of His Able hands around you?

When last did you make honest and sincere prayers involving your emotions in the morning before the day’s activities and evening after your engagements?

When last did you make a good confession from a contrite heart?

When last did you receive the Body and Blood of Christ worthily?

When last did you attend Holy Mass early {before entrance hymn}, with devotion, attention and dignity?

When last did you visit the Eucharistic Jesus with a belief that you are standing before the Consuming Fire and Terrific God of the days of Moses and Elijah who does not alter with change in time?

Do you have a Bible?

When last did you open your Bible to read a verse from it and illumine the eyes of your mind?

When last did you share a thought with another person about a passage you read from the Sacred Scripture as a sort of encouragement or a way of refuting error?

When last did you say the Holy Rosary meditatively while inserting yourself within the walls of Our Lady’s womb where Christ dwelt for nine months?

When last did you dress with the intention of promoting the glory of God within you and within the hearts of admirers and on-lookers?

When last did you pay attention to the pictures in your children’s/neighbors room/phones/laptops?

When last did you pay attention to the dressing pattern of your friends/ward?

When last did you pay attention to the movies/T.V channels watched by your friends/ward?

Do you know that to whom much is given much is expected (Lk.12:48) and he who has, the little he thinks he has will be taking away from him {Lk.19:26}?

Are you still giving excuse why you should be a slave to a particular sin while the ransom paid for your sin is the Blood of Christ which cannot be soiled/spoilt or compared to human currency?

Are you still waiting to take the decision to return to your God?

Delay can be dangerous!!!

Arise, come to your God. Sing him your songs of rejoicing…

Let him enter the king of glory…

Make honest and sincere effort to keep the light glowing (‘yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss…’ Phil.3:8) since “…anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” {Mtt.24:13}

MARRIAGE AND SELF_CONTROL

‘Marriage must be honoured by all and marriages must be kept undefiled, because the sexually immoral and adulterers will come under God’s judgment’ (Heb.13:4)

“But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female. This is why a man leaves his father and mother and the two become one flesh. They are no longer two, therefore but one flesh. So then, what God has united, human beings must not divide…whoever divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too” {Mk.10:6-12}. Marriage is between one man and one woman i.e a man and a woman not the same sex, nobody was born a homosexual, lesbian, masturbator, pornography-addict, fornicator, adulterer, exhibitionist, voyeuristic e.t.c rather a habit learnt during human development due to childhood encounters, peer-groups, internet-material-affiliations e.t.c hence they can be unlearnt gradually with firm determination [“there is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me” Phil.4:13], mortification {‘…that first day when…you resolved to mortify yourself before God, your words have been heard and your words are the reason why I come’ Dan.10:12}, prayers and fasting above all the grace and mercy of God (‘My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…’ 2Cor.12:9)

‘For I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel and people concealing their cruelty under a cloak…’ [Mal.2:16]

If you are about to thread the path of sexual promiscuity retrace your steps, if you are already into it; sorry because you will be made to pay for betraying as well as defiling the temple of God (‘Do you not realise that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy and you are that temple’ 1 Cor.3:16-17) immediately or sometime in the future by being humiliated with your current juvenile nude/half-nude pictures on the internet, recorded video of your current sexual perversion with different men or one man, loss of self-control under the disguise “everybody does it” as a youth  hence even as a married man/woman any lustful clothe, picture, position, gesticulation, speech by the opposite sex can easily get you crawling at lust no matter the class/age/health-status/environment e.t.c which brings curse from God into the family and diseases (HIV/AIDS/HBV) as a result series of couple have been buried within the interval of six{6} months [“…and be sure your sin will find you out” Numb.32:23]

Those who are still holding unto Self-control keep it up (‘I am coming soon: hold firmly to what you already have and let no one take your victor’s crown away from you’ Rev.3:11) for that is the Spirit we received at the waters of baptism for which Christ is called our Righteousness, Redeemer and Saviour {“it is by him that you exist in Christ Jesus, who for us was made wisdom from God and saving justice and holiness and redemption” 1 Cor.1:30} do not be cajoled into giving it up by anybody no matter his/her religious position/status [“since you have been forewarned about this, my dear friends, be careful that you do not come to the point of losing the firm ground that you are standing on, carried away by the errors of unprincipled people” 2 Pet.3:17] as well as juvenile relationships (‘so do not let anyone lead you astray, Bad company corrupts good ways’ 1 Cor.15:33) or statements like ‘virginity is not dignity it’s lack of opportunity’ filtering on the internet and peer-group discussions. For now, you may not have any physical evidence to show for taking this stand but later in life you will pity those who have broken their flower-port {Virginity} “for the vision is for its appointed time, it hastens towards its end and it will not lie; although it may take some time, wait for it, for come it certainly will before too long” (Habb.2:3)

MY PRAYER FOR YOU:

“I pray that the God of peace, who brought our Lord Jesus back from the dead to become the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant, may make you ready to do his will in any kind of good action; and turn us all into whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb.13:20-21)

FALLING IN LOVE IS NOT JUST THE CRITERIA FOR HEALHY MARRIAGE:

An engaged couple from Madagascar who are studying at a university in Italy spoke of the anxiety they felt when faced with the "forever" of Marriage. The Pope explained that falling in love, being an emotion, is not eternal. "The emotion of love must be purified", he said, "it must undertake a journey of discernment in which the mind and the will also come into play. ... In the rite of Marriage the Church does not ask whether you are in love but whether you want, whether you are resolved. In other words, falling in love must become true love; it must involve the will and the mind in a journey (which is the period of engagement) of purification, of greater profundity so that it is truly all of man, with all his capacities, with the discernment of reason and the force of will, who says: 'Yes, this is my life'". The Holy Father also mentioned other important factors such as communion of life with others, with friends, the Church, the faith and God Himself.

A Brazilian family raised the issue of divorced couples who have remarried and cannot avail themselves of the Sacraments. Benedict XVI affirmed that "this is one of the the great causes of suffering for the Church today, and we do not have simple solutions. ... Naturally, one very important factor is prevention. This means ensuring that, from the beginning, the act of falling love is transformed in a more profound and mature decision. Another factor is that of accompanying people during marriage, to ensure that families are never alone but find authentic company on their journey. We must tell people in this situation that the Church loves them, but they must see and feel this love". Parishes and other Catholic communities "must do everything possible so that such people feel loved and accepted, that they are not 'outsiders' even if they cannot receive absolution and the Eucharist. They must see that they too live fully within the Church. ... The Eucharist is real and shared if people truly enter into communion with the Body of Christ. Even without the 'corporeal' assumption of the Sacrament, we can be spiritually united to Christ". It is important for divorced couples "to have the chance to live a life of faith, ... to see that their suffering is a gift for the Church, because they also help others to defend the stability of love, of Marriage; ... theirs is a suffering in the community of the Church for the great values of our faith".