ST LAWRENCE, DEAC, M. (Feast) Red Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the Church in Rome and was martyred under the Emperor Valerian. While he was in prison awaiting execution, he saw that as an opportunity to disperse the Church’s wealth to the poor before the Roman authorities could lay hands on them. … [Read more…]
First Reading: Nm 13:1-2.25-14:1.26-29.34-35; Psalm: 106 R. v. 4a; Gospel: Mt 15:21-28 THE VIRTUES OF THE CANAANITE WOMAN BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP Do we complain of the silence of God to our prayers? Perhaps we should stop complaining because the silence of God did not begin today. When the Canaanite woman in today’s … [Read more…]
ST DOMINIC, P (Memorial) White Dominic founded the Order of Friars Preachers (Dominicans) in 1215, a group who lived a simple, austere life, and an order of nuns dedicated to the care of young girls. When Dominic’s mother was pregnant with him, she had a dream that her unborn son was a dog carrying a … [Read more…]
First Reading: Nm 11:4b-15; Psalm: 81 R. v. 2a; Gospel: Mt 14:13-21 LITTLE ACTS OF LOVE BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP According to the “Little Ways” of St Therese, we can use the small ordinary things of each day as a constant way to love. Put differently, we can do ordinary things with extraordinary … [Read more…]
First Reading: Dn 7:9-10. 13-14; Psalm: 97. R. v. 1a. 9a; Second Reading: 2Pt 1:16-19; Gospel: Mt 17:1b-9 RELISHING ON THE MOUNTAINTOP ENCOUNTER BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP The transfiguration story is a very familiar passage in the scriptures. It is one of those passages that we can easily pre-empt because we are all … [Read more…]
First Reading: Lev 25:1. 8-17; Psalm: 67 R. v. 4; Gospel: Mt 14:1-12 THE VOICE OF REASON BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP In Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things fall Apart”, the protagonist Okonkwo was afraid to be called a weakling like his father Unoka. When the village oracle decreed that Ikemefuna the slave boy kept … [Read more…]
ST JOHN MARY VIANNEY P. (Memorial) White John Mary Vianney also known as Cure of Ars was a priest. It took him several years of seminary study before he was ordained as he was not a very good student, and his Latin was terrible. He was a good preacher and had good reputation with penitents. … [Read more…]
First Reading: Ex 40:16-21. 34-38; Psalm: 84 R. v. 1; Gospel: Mt 13:47-53 REDEFINING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP. “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Mat 13:52) … [Read more…]
First Reading: Ex 34:29-35; Psalm: 99 R. v. 9c; Gospel: Mt 13:44-46 GODLY USE OF OUR GIFTS BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP Every one of has some beautiful natural gifts to relish on. However, there are many other potential gifts that we may have to discover on our own. These latent gifts are not … [Read more…]
ST ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, B.D. (Memorial) White He was ordained at age 29 and was noted for his simple, clear style of preaching, and his understanding manner in the confessional. He founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Liguorians or Redemptorists). Alphonsus was appointed bishop in 1762, and worked to reform the clergy and revitalise … [Read more…]
