THEY, heroes of the Sick.

I have recently been in Lourdes and many sick people come here to experience God’s healing power. The sanctuary is filled with people suffering from different kinds of ailments, and an almost equal number of volunteers who care for the sick and take them to various places in the sanctuary to partake of different activities. 

I went to Lourdes with my dad who is recovering from a long illness and has reduced mobility; I confess it was very difficult for me taking him around trying to ensure that he participated actively in the activities in and around the the sanctuary.

Anyone who has been or is familiar with the area would know Lourdes is located in the mountain area of the Pyrenees, so there are lots of uphills and downhills to get around, not an easy feat when you’ve got to push a wheelchair or sick bed.

So I would like to dedicate this article to all those who care for and look after the sick, the disabled and generally those who are incapable of looking after themselves. That their labour of love will not be in vain. Amen.

Below are some pictures (one mine, others pulled from the internet all copyrights acknowledged) depicting some of the awesome work the volunteers carry out.

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Living Alone.

Living alone comes with its own challenges. As someone who has done it for extended periods of time in different cities around the world, I would like to share a few of the lessons I have learnt along the way.

1. First and foremost, try as much as possible not to let it become public knowledge, especially online, that you live alone. It makes you an easy target

2. If you need to have tradesmen coming to do work in and around your house, invite a friend or family member to be at the house about the same time. It gives the impression that the house has multiple occupants and they would not know any better. Of course don’t then use your words to contradict the impression you have created

3. If you have multiple bedrooms in the house, create a ‘lived-in look’ for all of them for the same reasons as in the point stated above. You don’t want people who come into your house for whatever reason to know the difference.

4. Some live alone by choice, some live alone by chance. Whatever the reason, it is safer to have some kind of flow of traffic of trusted people (close family and friends) in and out of your house. Mainly so you don’t stand out as that person who not only lives alone but has no visitors. Again it makes you an easy target

5. Acquaint yourself with at least one neighbour and give them just enough information so that they can pick up when something irregular is going on at your place. The trick here is identifying the right neighbor and knowing how much information is ‘just enough’

6. In the same vein, let a trusted member of your family or a close friend have the contact details of one or two of your neighbors so that if they cannot reach you for any reason, they can call and have someone check on you

7. Give a spare key of your property to a trusted family or friend so that they can easily gain access in the case of an emergency or help you check on things if you’re going to be away

On top of all these I would add the tips relevant whether you live alone or not. Be aware of your environment, have the emergency service numbers for your area on speed dial and change your movement routes and timings so you don’t create a pattern that is easy to decipher and follow.

Stay safe.

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Who did you go to see?

When I was a child I enjoyed going to church not necessarily because I learnt anything (it’s too long ago for me to remember if I did) but because it was the one sure day in the week we dressed up. My mum will lay out our clothes with matching underwear and smart shoes (my love of fashion and matching clothes did not start today, na my mama born me). 

As a teenager, it was the thought of meeting up with friends and wondering if the guys had started to notice that I was budding in all the right places 😀😉. As a young adult it was time to catch up on gossip and of course to check people out and be checked out. No one was spared being checked out, not even the priests and ministers🤭

Talking about the mass itself, I enjoy music and have been in the choir off and on through the years. When the music was good I enjoyed it, when it was not I tuned off. Same thing with the homily. When it was good I enjoyed it, and even took notes. When it was not, I tuned off while wondering in my mind why the priest or minister did not prepare adequately or how he could be so boring 😴

I think some or all of the above statements may be familiar to some. The point here is that a good number of us go to church for every other reason except that which should be the main reason - to encounter Christ in the fellowship of the brethren, in the word and in the Eucharist. 

So who do you go to see?

Now I go for several reasons. I still enjoy dressing up to go to church, because I understand that God deserves that I approach his temple in my best, the same way we put on our best when dignitaries are visiting. Have you noticed how beautifully dressed are the guests at a wedding? Well the mass is the celebration of the wedding between Christ and her bride, the church. It deserves my Sunday best. 

I enjoy the music; singing along and dancing when it’s one I am particularly fond of or just listening if it’s not one i’m familiar with or perhaps don’t particularly like the tune of.

I have a little notepad I carry along with me for mass to take notes. Some days I write so much and fill up all the space I have, some other days I can’t seem to get anything from the homily and struggle to write one word. On such days I spend some more time going through the readings to get the key message. Like my parish deacon says, the homilist dishes the starter. To get the main course we need to do some self study.

The height of the celebration is during the liturgy of the Eucharist, same way the height of a wedding celebration is during the exchange of vows. If we did not listen to anything up to this time, this is the time to be entirely focused on our spouse, on Jesus, to prepare to receive him and to be one with him. It is the culmination of everything.

And when all of this is done, we leave church but take the experience into our day to day lives.

So who do you go to see in church?

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Behave. Believe. Belong.

The title above more or less sums up the attitude of Christians or should I say churchgoers towards one another. 

It is not uncommon to experience one of the below in an African church:

1. You are not allowed to enter the church because you don't have the right clothes on. Your offense could be any one of the following - A lady wearing trousers in a non-trouser wearing church, not covering your hair in a
2.  hair covering church, or wearing sleeveless clothes in a sleeve-requiring church
3. You are allowed to enter the church, but segregated somewhere and not allowed to go close to the altar; which implies that your offering will be collected, but you cannot partake of the Eucharist should you wish to do so

There are many arguments for and against why churches have certain rules, but this article does not seek to address that. However what needs to be pointed out is that these things take away something fundamental from churches, that they are 'supposed' to be places where all are welcome and can feel a sense of belonging.

Most churches require first that you behave, in other words follow the rules of engagement before you can get a leg in, literally. Once you have demonstrated that you can follow the rules, then you are allowed to practice your belief. Success at the first two means you belong. If you don't get either of the first two right, then there's no place for you here (scripture passage sound familiar?).

The correct thing is that we welcome all as they are, trusting in God's power to transform their lives so that a sense of belonging leads to belief in the one whom they have sought, and the transformation that follows thereof leads them to behave.

Belong. Believe. Behave.

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The Word.

Acts 17:2-3 ‘According to his usual habit Paul went into the synagogue. There during three sabbaths he held discussions with the people, quoting and explaining the scriptures and proving from them that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from death’.

Notice how the disciples when teaching or defending themselves before the elders always quoted the scripture. They used the word to teach about the word. Always they taught by quoting scripture. 

Pentecostal Christians accuse Catholics of not being familiar with the word. Little wonder as there is a widespread lack of personal study of the word amongst Catholics. 

It’s also not uncommon to be at mass and not hear a scripture passage quoted during the homily. One might argue that the homily is already based on one or more scripture passages; but scripture is filled with so many passages that link to each other that perhaps an injustice is done if proper reference is not given. But again there is the constraint of time, I guess.

Anyway to conclude this, we cannot give what we don’t have. We must fall in love with the word, read it everyday and proclaim it with our words and actions. We cannot know God if we do not know his word because he and his word are one. ‘Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ’ St Jerome says.

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About the wheat and the darnels.

Yesterday's gospel reading at mass was taken from Matthew 13: 24-43. It is a combination of several parables beginning with the parable of the wheat and the darnel.

I think the priest who gave the homily at the mass I attended must have had an agricultural background because he explained to us that in seed form, both the wheat and darnel look alike. However when they are fully grown, the wheats look gold and firm while darnels look dark and burnt.

Is that not the story of how evil has been birthed and entrenched in the world, because it was introduced under the appearance of good? 

Think about it, starting from the first sin. One can argue that all Adam and Eve did was eat an apple, surely that cannot be wrong. However it was not the eating of the apple that was the crux of the matter, it was because by doing so they had disobeyed God and had decided to rely on their own wits rather than trust in the benevolence of their maker. Their act was a sin against trust and obedience.

Every evil in our world today is the same way; 

Why can't I think of myself first and so control what I allow to grow in my body and when? Because by doing so we also fail to obey and trust in the benevolence of the creator who knows exactly what we need and will supply all our riches according to his riches in glory, and ultimately we end up committing murder.

Why do I have to think of my neighbour when I am not done thinking of myself and my immediate family? Because we are all created in the image and likeness of God so we are all brothers and sisters. Also we forget that we are all made of dust. We are all life-sized images of dust walking around so why do we consider one person different from another just because some dust have browned more than others? 

Why should I care about the impact of my actions and activities on others? Because we have the nature of God in us and if he cared so much about the impact of the sin of Adam and Eve on the whole of humanity that he sent his only begotten son to redeem us from the effects of that sin, then we should care about how our actions are also impacting others now, and in generations to come.

I believe the devil still goes around saying to us 'Did God really say you should not do that?' True he may not be in the form of a snake, but he's gotten even more clever and now comes in the form of family, close friends, sometimes strangers and even more worrying religious and state authorities.

I think this passage cautions that we must look beyond the appearance of the seed and subject it to testing. No wonder St Paul cautions in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 that we must 'Put all things to the test'.

Just because it looks like panadol doesn't mean it is panadol.

God bless us all.

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Carrying our cross in the 21st century - A Fresh Perspective

After mass today, I spoke with a friend. In usual fashion he asked me how mass was and my first response was how we only took two readings instead of three and we didn't even take the psalm at all. 

After I hung up I realized I had not even mentioned how I enjoyed the homily and how the songs we sang were wonderful. I was also enthralled by the way the pianist played, I thoroughly enjoyed it. My fixation on the missing form made me miss the substance of everything else. 

So since I missed that opportunity, I would like to share what I took out of mass today, or perhaps I should say my God experiences today. But before I do that, let me just mention that everyday I remind myself that I encounter God in three dimensions - in people, in the word and in the Eucharist; and I remind myself never to miss any opportunity to encounter him in all or at least most of these ways.

So what were my God experiences today

1. People: As I walked to church today, I went through a park and saw a young girl playing ball with her dad. It struck me how much patience, understanding and dedication it takes for an adult to play ball with a little child and this image brought to my mind how God is with us. It doesn't matter the time; if we want to he is up to it and he will give it infinite percent (100% cannot be used for God because he neither exists in time or space). 
2. The word: One recurrent phrase the priest repeated in his homily today based on Matthew 10:38-42 was total commitment. You see when Jesus says neither father, mother, brother, sister or spouse should be placed above him, it's all about our commitment. Our commitment to God should drive and influence our relationship with others and not the other way round. God FIRST.
3. The Eucharist: When we celebrate the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, we remember the sacrifice of the cross, that selfless giving of our Lord Jesus Christ to win salvation for all. In turn he invites us to take up our crosses and follow him. Some of us are clear on our individual crosses -sick family members we need to take care of, challenging financial situations, seeming lack of progress despite how hard we work and pray. These are all crosses. But for some of us, our crosses may not be so obvious. Today we were reminded that 'Acts of Service' are also crosses we need to carry. Service to the poor, needy, hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick and imprisoned; these acts of service for the most part require a level of selflessness and are also crosses that we must carry. The church calls them corporal acts of mercy and these can be found in Matthew 25:31-46. 

As of 2015, it is estimated that 1 in 7 people do not have food to eat. That number easily doubles when we consider how many people have access to clean drinking water. And on and on it goes. The most visible crosses are on the streets and we pass them by as we go about our daily activities. They may not have been thrust upon us but let's not ignore to carry them whenever we encounter them.

God bless us all.

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Basilique Notre Dame de la Paix - Our Lady of the Peace Minor Basilica

Our Lady Queen of Peace Basilica is the largest Basilica in the world (by size) according to the Guinness book of records, even surpassing St Peter's Basilica. It is situated in Yamoussoukro in Côte D'Ivoire, two hours drive from the Ivorian capital Abidjan, and was built by the late president Félix Houphouët-Boigny between 1985 and 1989. 

Upon it's completion, it was gifted to the Vatican and is even now managed remotely. It truly is a masterpiece, a very beautiful place of worship. It was made by the best and dedicated to the one who deserves nothing the best. Though the biggest in size, it is a minor Basilica.

I visited this beautiful edifice a few weeks ago, having heard so much about it, and was truly impressed with what I saw. The Basilica is beautiful, as you can see from pictures, and much thought was given to its design, architecture and actual construction. However due to its location, it is rarely used to its optimum capacity, its largest crowd ranging to about 700 people on a typical day of worship. It has only been filled to its maximum capacity of 17,000 twice since it was built; the first at her dedication and the second during the burial of the late president who built it.

In addition to being so under-utilized, it is also under-maintained. This is no wonder since the cost of maintaining such an edifice will be very high, estimated at $1.5m annually. Most catholic churches are maintained from donations from parishioners, visitors and tourists. This Basilica though does not pull crowd from any of these three categories and hence lacks sufficient funds for its maintenance. Though the church building itself was not looking too poorly maintained, the exterior and the grounds need quite a bit of maintenance and clean up. There were cracks in the floor marble and dust and grit on the floors.

I think that since the church already has this edifice even though it was unwarranted due to its cost and location, all must be done to try to preserve it. The Vatican needs work with the foundation set up by the late president to oversee the running of the church to 'drive traffic' to the church to augment the funds currently been made available for its maintenance. Though it is not the seat of the local ordinary, it can be chosen as the host venue for various deanery, diocesan and multi-diocesan programs in order to increase attendance. It could also be cited as the venue for faith programs in the West Africa sub-region.

Indeed serious consideration needs to be given to how to ensure that this edifice does not degenerate and eventually lie fallow like so many in the western world which have become so with the reduction in the number of the faithful. In this part of the world, there is still a significant number of faithful who will support the maintenance of places of worship provided a platform is provided to enable them do so.

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The Forty Days Experience

I recently saw a joke on social media where someone was wondering why a journey of 600kms (estimated distance between Egypt and Israel) took the Israelites 40years to complete rather than 40days. I remember even arguing with a friend about this where I tried to explain that it took 40years because the Israelites decided to take their time. They had set up camp as they wandered through the wilderness and would only move when the felt compelled or directed to move so.

Now I know that was not entirely the case.

While the Israelites lived in Egypt, they mixed up with the Egyptians and in the process adopted some of their ways. They inter-married with the Egyptians and took up some of their practices including the worship of the Egyptian gods.

When God delivered them from Egypt, they needed to be purified and prepared to enter into promised land. He needed them to abandon all the foreign practices they had picked up while in Egypt and to remember the ways of their forefathers. The planned purification period was 40days.

But the Israelites were stubborn and remained obstinate in their ways. Above all they did not believe that God will give them the land of Canaan which was, at the time, inhabited by another nation that they perceived as more powerful. Their obstinacy in sin and their refusal to believe that God had the power to give them the promised land elongated their time in the wilderness from 40days to 40years.

If we think about it, the Israelites probably didn't even need the 40days to start with; based on the distance to be covered, the group could have made an effort to cover at least 5kms in a day which is a very conservative number. Even with this, they could have completed the journey in 30days. However, we see the number 40 in scripture  as a significant number. In fact when talking about wilderness experiences, the number 40 carries even greater significance. I will cite some examples of prophets who went through the 40days wilderness experience.

- Moses went through the wilderness experience while receiving the Ten Commandments. He was with the Lord on Mount Sinai, fasting for forty days and forty nights, eating no bread and drinking no water. And after this experience, he came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments written on the tablets of stone (Read Leviticus 34:10-28). His wilderness experience prepared him to receive the commandments.

- When Elijah the prophet killed all the prophets of Baal, Jezebel plotted to kill him in retaliation and when Elijah got word of this, he ran away. While on his way, the angel of the Lord appeared to him giving him food to eat and water to drink in preparation for his forty days and nights sojourn to Horeb (also called Mount Sinai). It was on this mountain that Elijah encountered God in the still wind and received further instructions on who will succeed him as prophet (1 Kings 19:1-18). His wildernessexperience led him to receive God's message on the kings and prophet to anoint as his successor.

- Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and spent forty days and nights after which he was tempted by the devil. It was after this that Jesus started his public ministry (Matthew 4:1-17). Jesus as man went through the wilderness experience to prepare him for his public ministry.

Every year, the church creates an opportunity for the faithful to go through this wilderness experience during the season of Lent. It is a period of forty days and nights of praying, fasting/abstinence and alms-giving which culminates in the celebration of the resurrection of Christ and his triumph over sin and death. At Easter, we receive anew grace and strength for the pilgrim journey.

Like the patriarchs of old, it is important that we make the most of this wilderness experience. Let us use the time to purify and prepare ourselves to encounter the risen Christ. We must endeavor to ensure that obstinacy in sin or an adequate lack of preparation does not prolong our time in the wilderness.

More so in a special way this year, as we are guided by the Holy Spirit, let us come through this experience with a firm resolve to live out the commandments of God, to be docile to his prompting as he teaches and instructs us on what to do, and to be committed to the mission of evangelization.

May God bless us all and grant us a fruitful wilderness experience.

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Keep Focus

                                   
On the 10th December 2016, the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy hosted an unusual praise concert. I do not have the statistics but I believe well over 5000 people attended. It was an all night open air concert. Mid way into the concert, rain started to fall. This is rain in December when harmattan was supposed to be out in full force. It wasn't expected, and so no provision had been made for it.

When the rain started, some people left the concert; some to their homes, others to their cars and others to look for shelter away from the rain. People also started to make comments. Those who had opposed the concert were happy that the rains had come to disrupt the program. They felt that that was a sign that the concert didn't have 'God's stamp of approval'. Some people felt if God really approved, then the rains should not have come.

To these people I present the gospel passage of today (Friday 13th January), Mark 2:1-12, the passage on the healing of the paralytic. In this passage a paralytic on a stretcher was brought to Jesus for healing. However there was such a great crowd around Jesus, that they were unable to reach him. Undeterred, they went up to the roof of the house, removed the roof over where Jesus lay and lowered the paralytic before Jesus.

Commenting on this at mass today, the priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church Henleaze Bristol asked us to imagine if this was happening in our time. How many people in church, listening to the word of God will remain if it appeared as if the roof was coming off? We can't even bear to withstand heat, cold, sun or rain let alone caving roofs. Imagine if the friends of the paralytic did not go up on the roof, or if the crowds around Jesus took off once they saw that the roof was being tampered with, the paralytic would not have been healed, and the crowds would have missed the chance to witness this miracle. But they were focused on Jesus and the words he spoke, so nothing else mattered.

Jesus never promised us that serving him will be free of obstacles; rather he expects us to remain steadfast even in the midst of the obstacles. Today we are reminded to keep focus on Jesus. Let nothing distract us, be it rain or sun, cold or heat, blizzard or hail storm. When we keep focus on Jesus, we are nourished by his word, we are recipients of his miracles and we become witnesses of his word and work.

May God bless us all and give us the grace to remain focused.

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Welcome to the New Year

It's a new year again, that time of the year when almost everyone makes resolutions. The resolutions usually fall into one of three broad categories - Start, Stop and Continue. There are things we intend to start doing, other things we want to stop and some more we think is going well and we intend to continue.

I also have put down my resolutions, though I don't usually call them resolutions. I call it my year plan, things I want to work on or achieve in a particular year. I think a few people have one of these as well. Usually I present my plan at the start of the year before the Blessed Sacrament and commit it to God. I ask for help because I know on my own I won't get very far.

This year I have requested the help of two unusual special people to help me with my plan, please permit me to introduce you to them.

The first is Joseph, the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. The Bible introduces him as a man 'who always did what was right' Matthew 1:19. Joseph was a man who heard from God (Ref Mathew 1:20, 2:13,19,22). He was also a man who always acted promptly after hearing from God (Ref Matthew 1:24, 2:21). There were never any questions or delay or clarification, once he received an instruction he obeyed and acted. As a result, he always did what was right. He never made a wrong decision, or took a wrong turn, or made a wrong move because he listened and he obeyed. Wouldn't it be nice to always do what is right for a change? Well if you're interested like me, you have St Joseph to help.

The second person I would like to introduce you to is Enoch. Amongst the descendants of Abraham, Enoch stands out. Unlike the others mentioned in that genealogy, of Enoch it was written that 'he lived in fellowship with God, and after his life on earth, he disappeared because God took him away (Genesis 5:24)'. This is interesting to me because one key item on my plan is to develop a more intimate relationship with God and I think it doesn't get more intimate than walking in fellowship with him. Enoch had it figured out so I'll be looking to him for help on that as well.

So these are my two somewhat unusual helping hands for 2017. What do you think and who are yours?

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Woe to you Shepherds

At mass today, one of the readings taken was from the prophecy of Ezekiel. At the time, the word of the Lord was addressed unto the prophet and he sent him to the shepherds of the people of Israel and this was what he was to say to them: 'Woe to you shepherds of Israel. You take care of yourself but do not tend the sheep' Ezekiel 34:1-11.

Reflecting on this passage I thought to myself, is this prophecy still relevant in our time? If God were to send a message to our own shepherds - the Pope, Bishops, Priests, our Presidents, Governors, Council chairmen - will the message be any different? Or will they be condemned in similar fashion?

I think that every shepherd should reflect on this passage and perhaps use it as an act of daily examination of conscience. And if they should think that they are not accountable to God as shepherds, let them be reminded with the words of St Paul in Romans 13:1 'No authority exists without God's permission and the existing authorities have been put there by God'.

And for the rest of us who may consider ourselves excluded from the role of shepherds, by virtue of our baptism we share in Jesus' priestly, kingly and prophetic nature. We are also accountable for the wellbeing of the sheep that has been placed in our care - our children, siblings, friends, acquaintances - we will be answerable for them to the extent of the role we have played either in their salvation, or in their condemnation. 

In that passage of Ezekiel, the shepherds were not condemned for anything they said. It was their actions not their words that condemned them. Little wonder Jesus warned his followers to 'Obey and follow everything the Pharisees taught but not to imitate their actions because they do not practise what they preach' Matthew 23:3.

There is a saying that 'Actions speak louder than words'; and for Christians we are admonished to 'Pay heed to our actions, as they may be the only bible that someone has the opportunity to read'. Let us heed these words and make necessary adjustments, each and everyone of us. Remember to whom much is given, much more is expected and this is probably the reason why the apostle Peter reminded the believers that 'judgement will begin from the sanctuary' 1 Peter 4:17.

May God help us.

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Rome. Sweet Home.

Rome. Sweet Home.

This is the title of a book written by Scott Hahn on the story of the return of himself and his family to the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

Just a minute, before you get ideas, you're not about to read a similar story from me. I was born a Catholic and I grew up a Catholic. At the time of writing this article I am still a Catholic, and I intend to die a Catholic. 

What this piece is about, however, is the story of my first visit to the city of Rome, the seat of the Universal Catholic Church.

This visit was not really planned, I just took advantage of being in the area (Europe) with a Schengen visa that allows free movement amongst member states. As I was scheduled to be on a program, I could only get away the weekend before the program commenced and so planned a short 2 day visit.

I can't say Rome was everything I thought it would be as I really had no expectations of what I hoped the city would be, would bring or would offer. I went with a 'plain as canvas' mind, ready to partake of whatever the city had to offer. A couple of weeks before then however, I had written an article on the Basilica of Mary Major which is one of the four major basilicas in Rome. If there was anything on my bucket list for my visit, it was only to make sure I visited this basilica during my short stay.

On arriving in Rome, I proceeded immediately to my hotel, a place called Casa La Salle (http://www.casalasalle.com/index.php?lang=en). I liked this place very much because of its cool ambience both inside and outside with comfortable rooms. It also has a chapel on site where masses hold daily (albeit in Italian) and I appreciated that I had somewhere quiet to go and pray. It is a few minutes walk away from both the bus stop and the metro station so moving around town was easy. Downside for me was poor service from the team. Almost every request was met with 'Not Possible'. Can I get tea to drink in the night? Not possible. Can I have a later checkout - say 12 noon instead of 10am? Not possible else you will be charged an extra day. Ah, poor service was definitely the spoiler. 

Most of my time was spent touring the major basilicas assisted by Friar James, a Franciscan friar who was introduced to me and graciously accepted to show me around town. We visited three of the four major basilicas - St Peter's, Mary Major and St John Latheran. We also visited several other Basilicas including the church where the original image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is kept, the church where the pillar to which Jesus was tied during his scourging is kept, the basement of St Peter's Basilica where previous popes are buried (saw St Peter's tomb there amongst others), Castel D'Angelo which used to be the Papal Apartment and so many other places. 

In all the major basilicas visited, I passed through the Holy Door, which was truly a privilege and made my trip very fulfilling. I was also glad to see that even though people were allowed to wear anything up until the entrance of the churches, you were not allowed to enter into the church if you were not properly covered including your arms and thighs. If you turned up in sleeveless or anything about an inch or two above your knee, you were not allowed to enter the church. Yours truly was turned back at the door of St Peter's basilica for wearing a sleeveless dress and became depressed at the thought of having to go out to buy a scarf and then make my way back with the long queue with minimal chance of getting back in that day (the story of the 10 wise and 10 foolish virgins came to my mind so strongly then), but luckily I was able to borrow a shirt after which I bought a scarf for my subsequent visits. 

The churches are magnificent. They are all old but very stately, grand and magnificent. The paintings, the artwork, the edifice, everything was awe inspiring. Though I didn't get the opportunity to see it, Friar James told me that when all the lights are lit in the basilica during the celebration of the Holy Mass, you literally fell like you are in heaven. Anyway, I have saved that experience for another day. 

There are literally Catholic Churches on every street in Rome, several in most cases. To put it in context, Catholic Churches in Rome are like Reedemed churches in Lagos, at least one on every street. There is even a chapel at the airport complete with a Holy Door. Unfortunately, the churches are largely empty of worshippers even on a Sunday morning. Most people entering the churches are tourists. Rome is indeed filled with beautiful but empty churches. No wonder Pope Francis has asked the priests to leave the church and go into the world to seek the flock and bring them back.

Unfortunately I was unable to see so many of the usual tourist places - Sistine chapel and Colosseum (the queues to get in were just too long and I didn't have enough time), Spanish steps, the Pantheon, and so on. There is just so much to see and the expression 'Rome was not built on a day' really comes to life when one visits the city. In the same vein I would advise that if you are planning a visit and intend to do justice to the sights, plan to spend at least 5 days. Unless you're like me and intend to explore the town little by little over several visits. 

Will bring you an update in 2017 after my next visit.  

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The Ideology of Gender

This afternoon I received an invitation to a conference which I needed to register for to attend. As part of the registration process, I was asked to indicate my gender with two options provided, male or female. This came to me as a surprise because increasingly, everything around seems to suggest that gender options are not quite distinct anymore. In fact while setting up my new Microsoft phone, there were three gender options for me to choose from - male, female and neutral. Also I read that Facebook has 71 gender options available to its many users, you can view the many options here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10930654/Facebooks-71-gender-options-come-to-UK-users.html; and if somehow a user is unable to identify with any of these options, there is a 'custom' option which allows you to 'create a gender' that you can identify with. Even dictionaries have not been left out and state that outside the male/female binary classification, gender can be applied to a category of human beings based on the individual's personal awareness or identity.

Interesting stuff isn't it, the realization that 'Gender' as we know it does not exist anymore. We have departed from the creator's plan which we read about in Genesis 5:2 'Male and female he created them',also Matthew 19:4 'In the beginning the creator made people male and female'; we have departed from this to 71 different gender types and still counting. 

Gender has become an ideology. An idea that is not based on facts, but on myths and sensation in an attempt to theorize a vision and impose these myths as truth. The sad thing about this is that not only have we discarded a fundamental truth, the advocates of this ideology are imposing this falsehood as truth and weaving it into the very fabric of our society.

In God or Nothing, a book written by Cardinal Robert Sarah, he explains that "according to the gender ideology theorists, there is no ontological difference between man and woman. Masculine and feminine identities are not inscribed in nature but are the result of a social construct, a role played by individuals through social tasks and functions. Gender is formative and the differences between man and woman are nothing but oppressive norms, cultural stereotypes and social constructs that have to be undone so as to arrive at parity between man and woman." [1]

Unfortunately this ideology is a deformed child of the Marxist school of thought and as with all ideologies, is by nature disconnected from reality and will necessarily be a source of division since it cannot win the lasting allegiance of people who are still anchored in reality. It has also built momentum from the Feminine ideology whose advocates maintain that 'One is not born a woman, one chooses to become woman', a statement attributed to Simone de Beauvoir. [2]

Our gadgets and social media have been adapted to suit this ideology. In the schools in US, students are taught to repeatedly question what they are. With respect to the ideology of gender, your gender cannot be decided by how you were created and the genitals you were created with, but is a function of whatever you feel, how you feel, when you feel it and to what degree you feel it; and of course your gender changes as your feelings change. 

Unfortunately ideologies come with a price. They bring about a revolution and we already see this playing out in the constant attacks on the church, marriage and family life. We see this playing out even in cases where funds for developing nations are dispensed on the condition of acceptance and legalization of this ideology and promulgation of the LGBT movement. We see this playing out in the change of the curriculum of the educational system to ensure children are taught this ideology and how everything boils down to 'freedom of choice'. 

Let us make no mistake about this, the very essence of our being, is under attack. These gender theorists seek to replace the image and likeness of God in human beings with an utopia. We must resist this falsehood and defend the truth.

If we do not remember anything else, let us remember that 'In the beginning, he made them male and female'; there were no shades of grey. With 71 gender types and still counting, I wonder what the end of this is. Gender has become another victim of the theory of Relativism and the culture of death.

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The forgotten stranger named Hospitality

On this 16th Sunday in ordinary time, the central theme of the church's reading is Hospitality. The first reading taken from Genesis Chapter 18 recounts the story of Abraham's hospitality to three strangers after which he was promised that Sarah will bring forth a child. In the Gospel, we read the story of Mary and Martha's hospitality to Jesus in Luke 10.

While trying to convey this message of hospitality to the kids in Sunday school, I asked what their attitude should be towards strangers and I received a chorus answer 'Mummy/Daddy said we should never talk to strangers'. 

Thinking about this, this is the dilemma of our world today. Our mantra should be 'Do unto others what we would like them do unto us'. Unfortunately, fear and suspicion of our neighbour would not let us dare.

And we see it everywhere around us; this is driving the current migrant crisis and our unwelcoming behavior towards migrants. This is why we are hesitant to give food, or clothing or shelter to passers by on the road because we are not sure if they will wish us evil in return. This is why we cannot give stranded passengers a lift for fear that they will turn out to be thieves or armed robbers. This is why we are wary and unwelcoming of our 'distant relatives' because we are not sure by how far they have plotted our downfall or who has sent them from the village.

The result of all this is that we have convinced ourselves that our eyes, ears, hearts, hands, doors and borders will remain closed towards strangers. 

Hard as it may seem, this is not the way things are meant to be. On the contrary, we need to open up to those in need whether known to us or not. Pope Francis reminds us that we must see in refugees, and indeed in all strangers, the flesh of Christ and this in turn must influence our behavior towards them.

Therefore we must not lose hope that one day, someday, we will be less suspicious and more tolerant and hospitable towards each other; and then we can teach our children to be the same.

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We must journey in Pairs

He sent them out in Pairs (Luke 10:1)

Last month I attended a weekend retreat in a conference center located in the countryside of Ogun state. The retreat program included talks, group meditations and other spiritual exercises. In between the various activities, there was quiet time set aside for individual meditation. During one of these quiet time periods, I had gone to sit in the garden under the shade of the flowers to wait for the next activity. While there I dozed off and ended up missing the next activity. None of the other retreat attendants had thought to look for me, which was understandable, since I did not know anyone else there. I knew that if I had gone with a friend, for sure she would have been looking out for me, same as I would have been for her. This is the beauty of journeying in pairs.

In the gospels, we read that Jesus sent out his disciples two by two. The Legion of Mary, which is the Catholic church's primary evangelical society, also emphasizes that its members must go out for evangelization in pairs. 

I believe that this injunction is not only applicable to evangelization, but indeed to life's journey. Genesis 2:18 says 'Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion for him". 

Our journey through life is intended to be done with a companion, and this injunction is applicable to everyone irrespective of the path one has chosen. It is applicable to married people who in their case have their spouses as their companion. It is also applicable to the singles, whose companion is that one friend, chosen from amongst many, who understands what their purpose is in life and can support towards the fulfillment of that purpose. 

Having become aware of this, let us note that we have a duty, an obligation, to be that companion. We must not forget that we have been sent, not alone but as one of a pair. In an earlier article, I discussed how Heaven is not a journey made alone. In this journey, our first obligation is to our companion, and then we need to carry others along.

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Get Connected. Stay Connected

Imagine being a member of the most powerful political dynasty in the world like the Bush family; or a member of the most successful real estate dynasty in the world like the Trump family; or a member of the most popular reality entertainment dynasty like the Kardashians; or a member of the most powerful banking and finance dynasty in the world like the Rothschild family; or to bring it home, imagine if you just found out that you are related to Aliko Dangote or Folorunsho Alakija?

I have a cousin who shares the same last name as General Chukwuemeka Ojukwu and she would often times regale us with tales of how she had used that name to open doors for herself while in school and when she started work by claiming a relationship with the General. In truth, many of us would do the same if we were so connected whether falsely or in reality.

But then again, are we not? Could it be that perhaps we do not realize the connections that we have? Because in truth you cannot use what you don't know you posses, just like you cannot give what you don't have. 

If that's the case, please permit to tell you this; YOU are insanely connected. Ephesians  2:19-20 tells us 'You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.' You belong to an everlasting dynasty with family members whose interests cut across industries. 

If politics is your thing you have St Thomas Moore who is the patron saint of politicians, statesmen and civil servants to show you a thing or two. Is your interest in real estate? Then connect immediately to St Joseph the spouse of our Blessed Mother Mary who, in addition to being the patron saint of workers, is also the patron saint of real estate matters and home sales.

Anyone interested in entertainment be it acting, dancing, music or comedy can connect immediately to St Genesius who was a former entertainer himself; and for all Finance and Accounting related matters, you will do well to hook up to St Matthew the Apostle who as a former tax collector knows plenty about money.

Sometimes we need connections not just for professional purposes, they're also very necessary in taking care of personal matters. 

Not to worry because in this too we're covered. Feel free to hook up with St Joseph or St Francis of Assisi or St Maximilian Kolbe for your family matters. There are also many saints for particular family situations or challenges, you can get more information on http://catholicsaints.info/patron-saints-of-family-matters/.

For those battling one ailment or the other, there are so many members of this dynasty we can call upon. To mention a few are St Padre Pio for pain and suffering, St Theresa of Avila for headaches, St Peregrine for cancer. You can view a more comprehensive list here. https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/30-healing-saints-for-common-ailments.

And if you're generally just going through a tough time and you're desperate and feel like all is lost, I will encourage you to connect to St Jude Thaddeus, St Rita of Cascia or St Philomena. You can read up some more about these saints here https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/four-patron-saints-of-impossible-causes.

In truth our Heavenly Father, the founding father of this dynasty, has got us all covered. So what are we waiting for, it's time to Get Connected and Stay Connected.

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