Rev. Fr. David Okolie
Dearest friends, sometimes, when faced with the many afflictions and ridicules of the world, we are tempted to think that we are actually wasting our time as Christians. Perhaps, we should do away with the many restraints that our Christian faith imposes on us. But I am here to tell you that no matter how useless the world tries to paint us and our Christian commitment, we will NEVER end in FUTILITY.
The above assurance, among other ones, is what the RESURRECTION of our Lord Jesus Christ brings to our consciousness. Who, among the executioners, would have believed that it would finally turn out this way? They thought that after they had flogged him, spat on him, crowned him with thorns, nailed him to the cross, pierced his side, etc., that that would have been the END of Him; but unfortunately for them and fortunately for us, here we are JUBILATING; because โWeeping may last for the night, but a shout of JOY comes in the morning”ย (cf. Ps 30:5).
Dearest friends, the experience of our beloved Jesus Christ is not different from what we are passing through and what we would still pass through in this passing world. Jesus himself made it very clear to us thus: โThe servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also…” (cf. Jn 15:20). However, amidst whatever challenge that may come our way in our sincere efforts towards obeying the Commandments of God, we should not lose sight of the words of the Scriptures thus: โMany are the afflictions of the RIGHTEOUS, But the Lord DELIVERS him out of them all” (cf. Ps 34:19). And the crown of this deliverance from the afflictions of this world would be our sharing in the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ at the end. Thus, the Catechism affirms:
โWe firmly believe, and hence we hope that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives for ever, so after death the RIGHTEOUS will live FOR EVER with the risen Christ and he will raise them up on the last day” (cf. CCC, n. 989, Jn 6:39-40).
We pray the Blessed Virgin Mary to always support us with her powerful intercession. Amen๐๐ผ
(cf. CATECHESIS (NKUZI NKE OKWUKWE) FOR EASTER SUNDAY(B)
READINGS: R1 Acts 10:34a.37-43, R2 Col 3:1-4, Gosp. Jn 20:1-9)
Happy Easter and remain blessed!
Please, let the Easter Joy continue๐ป๐ท๐ฅฐ๐๐ฝ
