Grace to you!
 
Are you ostracized because of the way you look, your faith, where you come from or for some other reasons? I have good news for you.
 
You have a friend in Jesus, who would hastily reach out to you, compassionately touch you when no one else could. I will illustrate how he does so by using one of the many examples in the bible. It is his meeting with a leper recorded in the Gospel of Mark 1:40-45).
 
A leper knelt down in front of Jesus and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean” (Mk 1:40). Sounds like a prayer of a person desperately in need.
 
I would want you to imagine this scene; and as a way to enrich your prayerful experience, consider how lepers were ostracized during the time of Jesus. In addition to the infectious nature of the disease, leprosy was the most awful sickness in biblical times, for which the Old Testament Book of Leviticus chapter 13 prescribes stringent regulations on dealing with a leper. 
 
During the time of Jesus, leprosy was seen as a type of sin; a leper was considered unclean, and therefore must not appear within six feet of any person, including members of his or her immediate family. The leprous had to wear a black garment symbolizing he or she is treated as good as a dead person, one coming from the dead. To be in the public space, the leper must have a bell, ringing as her or she walks past people, to alert them.
 
The leper was thoroughly ostracized, banished from the community, and must live outside the walls of the city. The leper was a public stigma, someone considered impure and whose wounds were seen as incurable, save by divine miracle. The leper was the epitome of a person abandoned by family, rejected by friends, banished by the society and considered also abandoned by God.
 
I wouldn’t suppose your situation has reached this extent of rejection, but if it has or you have witnessed some form of it, the good news is that Jesus intervenes.
 
See what Jesus did. He stretched out his hand, and touched the leper, saying, “I will [make you clean]; be clean” (Mk 1:41). Immediately the man was clean.
 
I want you to meditate on the actions of Jesus; to the one who was considered untouchable because he was unclean, Jesus stretched out his tender, heavenly hands, touched and healed him. It shows us that no one is to be treated as an outcast. Dashing or unkempt, every person that we meet deserves an utmost respect as equal to us. All life, whether healthy or impaired, is sacred. 
 
 
There is another lesson for you and me in this action of the Lord. The Lord teaches us by his words and actions. As the Lord is most compassionate and caring to the vulnerable and the most in need in society; so we, as his disciples, are called to do the same.
 
Besides, what society thinks undoable, what you consider irredeemable, that is exactly where Jesus shows he is Lord. You do not need to second-guess Jesus’ willingness to heal your wounds of sin and shame. He will heal. He will save you.
 
All that Jesus asks of us is a deep desire, a deep hope, and faith in him who could heal and save us. This doesn’t sound like asking too much, does it?
           
God love you.  God bless you.
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu
 
[6th Sunday B: Lv 13: 1-2, 44-46; 1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45]
 

​Grace to you!
 
In his second encyclical, Dives in Misericordia, (Rich in Mercy), published 30 November 1980, Pope John Paul II writes of the incredible mercy and compassion of God. He reminds us that God is rich in mercy.
 
God’s compassion reaches out to people as a group and as individuals. It is the mercy of God which draws us to repentance because we know the Lord is already inviting us to His mercy.
 
As Jesus went about preaching, healing and doing good, he wasn’t caught in the euphoria of popularity and large followership. He does all things well. His heart of mercy and compassion flows like a river towards those in need, just like God the Father seeks out those who are in need.
 
Jesus noticed that the multitude was hungry. Having fed them with the Word, he wanted to be certain they weren’t starving. He didn’t simply wish that they get food. He did all he could to feed them.
 
Big lessons for us today: as we preach God’s Word, do we also notice the social needs of the people? A hungry person, they say, is an angry person. The Gospel should also inspire us to seek out and help those in need. It is a crucial aspect of the Gospel we preach.
 
Notice the Lord did the miracle from what the people have. We won’t wait until we become billionaires before we help the less privileged among us. What is that dime, that bread, that fish, that extra we have, that little thing you have? In fact, going the extra mile to help the poor is the way of the Lord. Graciously offer what you have for someone who needs it the most. Sharing what we have no matter how small is a blessing.
 
There is a deeper spiritual meaning to the miracle of feeding the four thousand. At the Eucharistic celebration, during the “Presentation of the Gifts”, the presiding priest prays: “Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.” He says a similar prayer regarding the wine; and the congregation responds, “Blessed be God forever.”
 
We bring gifts to the altar. Those gifts are fruits of our hands. They grew from our farms or are bought by us. They are symbolic of what we bring alongside ourselves to the Lord for the offering. The gifts are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
 
The Lord feeds us with himself. The miracles of the feeding of the four thousand, as well as the feeding of the five thousand, are symbolic as they point to many who will be refreshed and nourished by the Eucharist. We come to Jesus in the Eucharist and receive life to the fullest.
 
The Lord says: “Unless you eat of the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life within you” (Jn 6:53).
 
Praying for a deeper love for the Eucharist and the commitment to service and help for the poor in our midst. Amen.
 
God love you. God bless you.
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu
 
[Saturday Week 5 A: 1 Kgs12:26-32; 13:33-34; Mk 8:1-10]

Grace to you!
 
Prophetic ministry is the ministry of the Word. The prophet is the one who proclaims God’s word. For the prophet to proclaim the Word, the person has to hear the Word also. As Peter and John declared before the rulers and teachers of the law in Jerusalem, “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
 
When someone bares bold witness to the Risen Lord, it is probably because the person has heard and seen and is able to speak or live the Word.
 
During the ordination of deacons in our Catholic tradition, the bishop places the Book of the Gospel in the hands of the newly ordained, saying, “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
 
Believing (faith) comes from hearing (Rm 10:17). This is why it is vital to hear. It’s vital to read God’s Word in Scripture too, for as St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
 
Consider a situation where one cannot hear? It must be a challenge to speak also.
 
In the Gospel of Mark 7:31-37, Jesus goes to the region of the ten cities (Decapolis). The people brought him a deaf man who had speech impediments. The gesture of the people was an example of a good support system from the community. They saw a need and were able to accompany the needy to find help in the Lord.
 
Scripture gives a clear picture of the Lord’s action to heal: He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.”
 
The Lord’s action reminds me of God’s creative action in the second account of creation in Genesis 2:7, where God breathed on the man made from dust and he became a living being.
 
Through this miracle of the healing of the deaf and dumb, the connection between Jesus and the Father is revealed. The Lord Jesus does all things well, including doing miracles of healing and numerous nature miracles. The Lord also heals the deafness of unbelief. He grants us the favor of his holy touch and breath; that is, grace­­ (his life), so we can see, hear and then speak.
 
I pray we be healed from all sorts of unbelief and doubt that make it impossible to see, hear and speak of the Lord’s goodness. Amen.
 
God love you. God bless you.
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu
 
 
[Friday Week 5 A: 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19; Mk 7:31-37]

Grace to you!
 
Today’s reflection focuses on one of the most misunderstood interactions of Jesus. It is the story of the woman whom the Gospel of Mark­, written for a Greek audience, called the Syrophoenician woman (Mk 7:24-30). The Gospel of Matthew, targeted for the Jewish audience, calls the woman “the Canaanite Woman” (Mtt 15:21-28).
 
The woman’s daughter was sick and dying. She pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter. First, Jesus seems to ignore her. The disciples of Jesus don’t want anything to do with her either. Worse, it seems, Jesus used an idiom which appears to compare her with dogs. Read the full story in Mark 7:24-30 or Matthew 15:21-28.


The woman calls Jesus, “Son of David” acknowledging him as the Messiah – a rare profession of faith from a so-called gentile.
 
The English translation of Jesus’ response is shocking at face value: “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to dogs.” The woman’s reply ignores the seemingly shocking statement, indicating it may not read as it reads in English: “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps” (Matthew 15:26-27).
 
Many criticize Jesus’ response. Some accuse Jesus of being a bigot, a misogynist or simply a hater. 
 
For me, they miss the point. Not only are such reactions rash and misleading, they also miss the whole point of the use of idioms and metaphors in language.
 
Checking some biblical Greek lexicons, I observed that the word used by Jesus was a common noun for little dogs or pets – κυνάρια (kunaria) as distinguished from κύνες (Kunes) as usually used for dogs or street dogs.
 
Similarly, it was an idiom and wasn’t used in a derogatory way. The woman, coming from a similar cultural milieu, understood the meaning; and hence, responded in kind. Biblical language should be understood/interpreted in its own right and context.
 
Nevertheless, of more interest to me today is the persistence, humility, and perseverance, as well as unequaled faith of this woman. As the Gospel of Matthew documents it, “not even in Israel”, Jesus said, “could it be found.” Certainly, many believers today do not have the level of faith of the Syrophoenician woman.
 
For those who have it and want it, faith matures…. Hers matured in perseverance. Faith thrives when we know God’s “inside scoop” story – the story of Revelation. It grows when we pay attention to God’s signals whispered to us as in idioms, parables, metaphors and unfamiliar events, which only those familiar with God’s ways and “inside scoop” language, can understand.
 
Observe the Church’s liturgy, for instance, and see how the mysteries of faith unveil before your very eyes. Powerful. Gripping. It is an excellent example of the inside scoop of heavenly language, nurturing the uncommon faith.
 
The Syrophoenician woman is, for us, a true heroine of undaunted faith. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to pray for such faith – the faith that connects with God’s logic; the faith that knows the story behind the story.
 
I pray our faith matures like that. Amen.
 
God love you. God bless you.
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu


[Thursday Week 5 B: 1 Kgs 11:4-13; Mk 7:24-30]

Grace to you! 
 
Many of us are familiar with the biblical story of Job. Perhaps, we learned it in school right from when we were in grade two or three.
 
Job’s name was synonymous with suffering. We read the story of how he lost his entire family and suffered from leprosy. We learned how his wife cursed him out and bid him to curse God and die. We also learned how no one seemed to show him sympathy, including his closest friends who accused him of having committed something evil and hence evil has come upon him. We read about how Job was a victim of a bait between God and Satan, where Satan was to try him by all means, but not touch his life.
 
There are many plots in the entire story. It could make for a good movie. For the most part, Job’s story stirs many emotions—sadness, gloominess, disappointment and anger. We question the justice of God. We feel frustrated why a just man like Job should suffer so much.
 
We read that story and may believe it was about an event thousands of years ago. Little do we pause and ask: ‘By the way, who is Job today?’ 
 
Job is you or anyone you know who has suffered so much even though there is no blame on his or her part for the suffering. Job is anyone who is passing the dark night experiences where it seems there is no more hope. Job is anyone whose night is so long, sleep can’t come because the mind is burdened with worries, anxieties and pain. “The night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn” (Job 7:4). 
 
Job is you when suffering seems to break you and you wonder what this life is all about. Why would God allow me to suffer this much? Why is God far away from me? At least so it seems. Despite all I have done to do things right, why is so much disappointment and terrible things coming my way?
 
Job is, indeed, anyone who needs a savior. Job is the right candidate for the Redeemer to appear. Job reveals the mystery and paradox of suffering.
 
Notice what happens when the Savior comes. He goes about doing good (Acts 10:38) and preaching the Good News, healing those sick and suffering and driving out demons. He says, “For this purpose have I come” (Mk 1:38).
 
The Lord comes for Job. He comes for you and me. He comes so that Job may find the revealing power of God amidst suffering. The Savior comes that Job may hear the good news of God’s saving grace and see in suffering the redemptive work of God. What the story of Job tells is what the Savior rectifies—suffering has a new outlook; it finds a saving grace in Christ. 
 
We realize we suffer not because God is unjust; or that we are rich and enjoy the blessings of the earth because we are just—a dose of lesson for prosperity gospel preachers. It simply reveals to us that all things are towards the revelation of God. Suffering has meaning beyond the pain we face right now. Again, we are not necessarily wealthy and healthy because we are righteous; just like we do not necessarily suffer because we are unjust.
 
We preach the gospel. The gospel is the victory won on the cross. St. Paul says, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor 9:16). In another place he says, the gospel we preach is Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23). There are lots of meanings to unpack from all these.
 
Here is another way Scripture says it: “By his wounds we are healed” (Is 55:5; 1 Pet 2:24).
 
In another place it says, “They shall look upon the one whom they have pierced” (Zech 12:10; Jn 19:37).
 
It is from the Job experience; that is, taking the cross and following Jesus, that the healing grace and fervor of evangelization flows. From the pain of the cross we reach the gain of the resurrection.
 
Do you want to be a healing, passionate witness of the gospel of Christ? Have you witnessed Job in your life? Have you borne the mark of the cross? 
 
Praying that God will give us grace in the crosses that come our way. Amen.
 
May healing flowing from the wounded side of Jesus flow through your life and your situation. Amen. Afterall, your Job experience is not a desperate case. The dawn of glory has come.  
 
God love you. God bless you. 
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu 
 
[Sunday Week 5: JB 7:1-4, 6-7; 1Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk 1:29-39]
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

Grace to you!
 
Suppose you were to have one chance to make a petition to the Lord, what would that be? What is that one prayer point, the answer of which will positively change everything else in your life and history?
 
Answers will definitely vary depending on one’s age and status in life. Knowing that one thing, that one thread uniting others in the chain of blessedness, is the step to self-fulfillment. Following through with that one thing is reaching fulfillment. 
 
Solomon is called the wise for good reason. His story in the bible, especially in 1 Kings 3:1-13, fits any discussion on visionary leadership. He was able to see the one thing that determined the success, or otherwise, of his service as king. He asked the Lord for the understanding to distinguish good from evil. This will enable him to know the right thing to do and do it, as well as know the wrong thing and avoid it. “Knowledge,” a philosopher says, “is power.”
 
The desire to be wise, to understand evil from good, is a holy and praiseworthy desire. Anyone who is concerned about what is right, who wants to do what is right, is indeed a blessed child of God. The person is truly wise.
 
Wisdom is a priceless gift from God. Possess it and you have all you need to live happily and live in joy. Wisdom and understanding help us, too, to know when to say no and when to say yes. In wisdom, we find a sense of balance too. Too many things surround us. We need wisdom and understanding to make right choices also.
 
When the apostles related to Jesus the good news of their successes after the mission he sent them to preach and heal the sick, the Lord Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.” (Mk 6:31). 
 
Wisdom helps us to know when to go and when to stop. It is discernment to know when we need to be refreshed. Without wisdom, we would lack the basic sense of right and wrong and what leads to peace. 
 
I pray with the Book of Wisdom for the wisdom to know what is right and the courage to do it. I pray also for you to find a sense of balance amidst the fast pace of life today. Amen.
 
God love you. God bless you. 
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu 
 
[Saturday Week 4 B: 1 Kgs 3:4-13; Mk 6:30-34]

Grace to you! 
 
I love Church liturgical feast days. Through them I appreciate more and more the blessings of divine providence.
 
Feast days are special to me. In them I find a little of the heavenly blessings in store for us. I also find a little of what I could become by the grace of God. 
 
Today, in our Catholic tradition, we celebrate the feast of the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Jerusalem temple. A normal Jewish ritual of presenting a son to the Lord following specific guidelines prescribed in the Law of Moses (Exodus 13:12-15 and Leviticus 12:1-8), took on a prophetic tone when the prophesy of Malachi 3:1-4 was fulfilled: “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple...” (Mal 3:1). 
 
The Gospel of Luke gives us some details about the joy and excitement of those who witnessed the parents of Jesus presenting him to the temple. The devout and righteous Simeon exclaimed in joy, singing the nunc dimitis— “now Lord let your servant depart” (Lk 2:29-32). Anna, the prophetess and widow, who spent most of her days praying in the temple, also praised God who has come to His temple (Lk 2:36-38).
 
God’s true and living temple is you. How about a situation where God is welcomed into His temple, which is you—a situation where every part of this body of yours and mine, from the arteries to the veins, the blood to the tissues, the heart and soul; indeed, our DNA is so nurtured in the spiritual sense, making our entire being a welcome home for the Lord through the enduring consent of our will? How about God taking full possession of us?
 
How about a situation where our emotions, passions and sentiments are a resounding yes to the Lord, our Maker, the light of the world? Such a situation could be what the presentation of the Lord in the Jerusalem temple over 2000 years ago represents for the individual. Then we will be beaming with that light which lights up the darkness in the world and in the hearts of many. 
 
There is one more spiritual way to look at it. How about we present ourselves to the Lord, who is abiding in his temple (us) in such a way that God and us are so united we think what God thinks, walk in His footsteps and become His voice for others to hear and be saved? The Lord who is light illumines us so we shine the light for everyone to see. 
 
May I ask: Is God the owner of your heart; or rather, are you offering your life back to the Lord who is the owner of this temple? How much control of your life and affairs have you surrendered to God? Or, are you afraid or hesitant to do so? There is freedom and joy in letting God be in charge.
 
Praying for the grace of devotion and surrender to the will of God. Amen 
 
God love you. God bless you. 
 
Fr. Maurice Emelu 
 
[Friday Presentation of the Lord: Mal 3: 1-4; Lk 2:22-40 or 22-32]