Fr.Charles Ezejide

Joshua 5:9, 10-12; Psalm 34:2-3.4-5.6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. “THE MERCIFUL FATHER: THE GOD WHO FORGIVES!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide ·        Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent, traditionally known as “LAETARE Sunday”. It is also known as Rejoice Sunday. It is a day to celebrate the joy of God’s mercy and unconditional forgiveness to us sinners (Rom.3:23). We have reached halfway on our Lenten journey. We have barely a few days until Easter Sunday. So, we have every reason to celebrate this midpoint and be happy because God’s mercy is boundless. ·         God continues to take the initiative to extend his hands of mercy and repentance to us if only we will yield to his invitation. The readings of today highlights the joy that is expected of us when we dwell in the mercy of God. ·        The first reading today (Joshua 5:9-12) shows the joy the Israel...

  Exodus 3:1-8,13-15; Psalm 102:1-4,6-8,11, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12; Luke 13:1-9 “LENT: FROM ATTRACTION TO ACTION (MISSION)!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide * Today the church celebrates the 3rd Sunday of Lent. We continue to implore the mercy of God for ourselves and our world. While we pray for God's mercy, we are called to be merciful as our heavenly father is merciful. * The readings of today have some important lessons for us in our journey towards salvation. When we meditatively listen to the word of God, it always calls us to action and invites us to do good and avoid evil. * In our various vocations in life, if we are asked what our motivation for the choice of that vocation was, many of us will have different answers to give. For those who became pilots, they may say, that they loved flying kites as children. For those who are teachers, they love to gather fellow children and teach them. Whatever our reason, there is usually this initial attraction. ...

  Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28-36. “LENT: A TIME TO DISFIGURE TO TRANSFIGURE AND TO CONFIGURE!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide ·        Like a joke, dear friends in Christ, our Lenten experience is more than a week spent. I hope we are using this opportunity of grace and renewal to tame our excesses, discipline our bodies, and train them to be transfigured into the glorified body of Christ. ·        Apart from being a time for fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, the Lenten season is a special reminder that we are citizens of a special place, and all we do and say should be geared toward granting us admission into that special place. These 40 days of grace become a special opportunity to prepare adequately. ·        When we disfigure our mortal bodies through bodily discipline and mortification, then our eyes will open enough to s...

Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2,10-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13. FROM EGYPT TO THE DESERT By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide * Today is Lent's first Sunday. For some, Lent is a boring liturgical time in the church. For some, it is a time when mass finishes in good time, when there is no dancing and clapping in the church, even if we must, it must be in a controlled manner, for others, it is a time when we don't say "alleluia" in the church, for some it is one of those liturgical times in the church when the church is adorned in purple. For some, it is that season in which we take a long leave of absence from sin only to return after 40 days. These are the many perceptions people have about the season of Lent, but for me, it is a special time of grace in the church, a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, a time for renewal and reintegration. * The theme for our reflection, "From Egypt to the desert," represents the whole Lenten experience, which is...

Ecclesiasticus 27:5-8; Psalm 91:2-3,13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45. “ BE LIKE YOUR TEACHER! ” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today’s readings throw a personal challenge of introspection to every Christian who desires to grow in faith and holiness. The model for that introspection is no man but God, through his son, who is a good teacher. ·        The theme for our reflection this Sunday is “Be like your teacher.” The temptation is to think that the priest or your classroom teacher is the “teacher” here. No! The teacher here is the teacher par excellence – Jesus Christ, the son of God.  ·        The reason your priest or your classroom teacher cannot be your excellent guide is due to human weakness. They may desire to lead you to perfection, but they will often fail due to human limitations and weaknesses. This is not to say that we should never aspire to perfection....