Homily Blog

“As they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). Each time I read this passage, my mind wonders what those expressions might be as the disciples watch Jesus ascend. Surprise, confusion, disappointment, curiosity, amazement? Imagine a child's feelings at the uncertainty of a parent's travel plans. Several conversations would be taking place around this strange phenomenon as the disciples turn to each other. Is he gone for a time, or is he coming...

Christ’s statement in the gospel stands out for several reasons: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” This affirms divine presence and trust. The context of this gospel is Christ’s farewell speech to his disciples. Jesus is about to return to the Father, but he understands the meaning of abandonment and how it can affect his disciples' mindsets. He has been a paternal presence. Therefore, he reminds the disciples to stay connected with the Father, to remain in God’s love. Just...

After the resurrection, and especially after Pentecost, Peter and the apostles step out boldly to proclaim the risen Christ. The same Peter who once hid in fear, now proclaims with conviction: “You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld… nor let your holy one see corruption.” Through suffering, they now bear witness. And they declare it with confidence: “We are all witnesses.” But before this boldness, there was confusion. Before witness, there was struggle. A huge lesson for us! In...

“I missed you” is something we say to someone we love, someone whose presence brings meaning, comfort, and joy, especially after the person has been gone for a while. In a sense, we can imagine the disciples seeing the risen Christ with excitement: “Master, we missed you.” After his death, their world had collapsed. The Gospel tells us that “the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear.” That image of locked doors says a great deal. It speaks of fear, grief, confusion, and...

Happy Easter, friend! Our April Vol. 1 newsletter is here. This time around, our media crew dug into a sad reality that confronts marriage within Nigerian society: Why do Nigerian Women Stay In Abusive Marriage? Obviously, it's not only in Nigeria since marital abuse is a global phenomenon. Studies show that depression is one of the most common mental health outcomes of intimate partner violence and that some victims feel trapped, isolated, or betrayed, especially because their spouse is...

Easter Vigil begins with the Service of Light. As the Paschal Candle is lit, the minister says: “May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.” And that is the heart of this holy night: God’s light shatters the darkness of sin and death. At the beginning of the Vigil, only the light of the Paschal Candle appears. And then the Church sings in the Exultet: “Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor, radiant in the brightness of your King! Christ has...

This week, the Church leads us into the heart of our salvation—the suffering and death of Christ, which opens the way to Easter joy. The Passion is not just something we remember; it is something we enter. In this narrative, we see the instability of the human heart. Jesus is abandoned by friends, rejected by His own people, falsely accused, and condemned to die. The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” will soon cry “Crucify Him.” And yet, even in the midst of betrayal, small lights shine....

A DELAY THAT REVEALS GOD’S GLORY In today’s Gospel, we witness one of the most powerful signs in the public ministry of Jesus: the raising of Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus hears that Lazarus is ill, he does not go immediately. Instead, he remains where he is and tells his disciples that this illness will not end in death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it (Jn. 11:4). As in the case of the man born blind, Jesus reveals that human suffering can...

Friends, Happy Saint Patrick's Day! May this great saint of Ireland pray for us. Amen. Have you been wondering whether love is enough in marriage? That's a legitimate concern, given the various challenges of today's society. A young father recently spoke to me, worried that his 16-year-old son has a negative view of getting married in the future. The boy's response shocked him, "Daddy, I'm not ever going to be married." Does it shock you? Many kids of this generation have a similar mindset....

The readings this Sunday invite us to reflect on how God sees differently from how human beings do. In the first reading, Samuel goes to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. Jesse presents his strongest and most impressive sons. But God rejects them all. Finally, the youngest son, humanly unqualified—David, the shepherd boy—is brought in from the fields. And God says something that becomes the key to understanding today’s message: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees...

In the book Abide , Heather Khym writes: “For many years, I was discovering a lot about God theologically, but also what it meant to be in relationship with Him. I was learning to see God in the daily moments of my life, but it wasn’t until I took a deeper look at the Scriptures, with the intention of discovering His personality, that I came to a deeper understanding of who Jesus really is.” (Abide, p.59) This experience resembles the Samaritan woman's journey in today’s Gospel. A simple...

Dear friends, Our March Newsletter (Vol. 1) is here with the theme: I’ll Never Forget You. Pope Leo said recently, “The elderly are a gift, a blessing to be welcomed, and a longer life is something positive,“ reinforcing that old age is one of the signs of hope in our time. The Pope further affirms, “The fragility that appears in the elderly reminds us of this common truth. It is therefore hidden or removed by those who cultivate worldly illusions, so as not to have before their eyes the...