Adeleke pledges God-driven governance , vows increased democratic dividends - ITREALMS

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The Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has reiterated his commitment to serve the people with all his strength just as he vowed never to stop worshipping God, reports ITREALMS.

The Governor disclosed this while participating at the 70th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of the Gideon House of Prayer Church of the Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, Joseph Lambo Area, Ebute-Meta, Lagos State.

Tinubu: We thank God for Ramadan - ITREALMS

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The presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has enjoined Nigerians to be thankful to God, (Allah) for another celebration of Ramadan.

In a letter personally signed by Tinubu, he said.

"We thank Munificent Allah for the grace to witness this year's Eid-el-fitri celebration after the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Another prescription, yet God heals our disloyalty says Fr Ebido - ITREALMS

Lenten Sermon@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Friday, Third Week of Lent B (March 12 /2021) 

Your Daily Blessing: May God's Mercy find you any day you are in trouble. Amen.

Read Hosea 14:2-10; Mark 12:28-34; pray Psalm 80[81].

NARRATION: As a priest, I have had the privilege of being close to different categories of people. But what never ceases to amaze me is that everyone has a good side.

Someone in whom others see only evil and wickedness, may be seen as an angel by someone else. Yes, the same ‘wicked’ person has a very beautiful side. Why is that?

God working with us, says Fr. Dzungwe - ITREALMS

SundaySermon@ITREALMS:

One of the greatest scandals of our time is that while some people do not have enough to eat, some others are dying from obesity and diseases associated with over eating. There is so much wealth in our world. But it is concentrated in the hands of some, while others scramble for the leftovers.

Many of us well-meaning people are concerned about the poverty in our world. Many of us contribute regularly to various international charities that help the poor, such as Concern and Trocaire. But have you ever stopped to wonder why, despite the billions that have been spent on international Aid, poverty is still on the increase. As the saying goes, the rich get richer, and the poor become poorer.

To answer the question on why poverty is increasing in our world, let’s cast our minds back to the time of the famine in Ireland. We all know that the failure of potatoes was not the only reason why hundreds of thousands died from the famine. Yes, potatoes failed. But if there should be 100% failure of potatoes in Ireland today, you can bet that there will be no famine at all. People will still survive. People will still have enough to eat. Hundreds of thousands died from the Irish famine because of the nature of the externally influenced socio-economic structure of the then Irish society.

Something similar is happening in our world today. It is not because they are lazy that people are poor. It is the present structure of international trade, the present structure of international economics, and the present structure of international relations that make people poor, and keep them in poverty. So much so that the little the poor have, and the little you contribute to make their lives better, evaporate from their hands, and go back to make the rich richer, because of the way international economics is structured.

You might then ask, what shall we do? Do we stop giving to charities for international development? No. we should not stop. We should continue to give to international charities to help the poor. Their work provides temporary relief to people in need. But let us know that if we really want to end poverty in our world, we need to change the way we do business. We need to pull down all unjust economic structures that keep the poor in their poverty and enable the rich to become richer.

As individuals we might feel intimidated that there is nothing we can do. But that’s not true. There is a lot we can do to change our world and end poverty. We can begin by putting pressure on our political leaders to help bring the change. We can begin by changing the way we do business.

Our efforts may look small in our eyes. But as today’s gospel passage teaches us, they may be the only five loaves that Jesus is waiting to take and multiply and feed the whole world. Jesus wants to change our world and end poverty. But he can’t do it without our help. He cannot force us, for he respects our freewill. He wants to work with us to make our world a better place. Let us offer to Jesus the five loaves with which he will end poverty. If there is any doubt in your mind about what God can do with the little efforts we make, remember people like Martin Luther King Jnr, Oscar Romero, Mahatma Gandhi, and see how God increased and multiplied what they did, and created a beautiful change.

*Contributed by Rev.Father Simon Peter Dzungwe

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God is love says Fr Dzungwe

SundaySermon@ITREALMS: 

Love is not a strange word in our society today. It is in fact a force that controls the world. It is the most used word and the most abused as well. To love therefore means different things to different people. In almost all its usage, it does convey a shallow meaning. Thus when  a young guy tells a lady “I love you” it immediately trigger a different thing in the mind of the lady and vice versa. Love is easily misconstrued in our time. The readings of today as we celebrate this sixth Sunday of Easter draws our mind to Love and sets before us the ideal lover of all ages-Jesus.

What then becomes love and what does it take to love? The readings of the day offers us some tips. Beginning with the gospel of the day, Jesus says “ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you, abide in my love”(Jn 15:9). What then is this love of Jesus that we must abide in it? It is selfless love and undeserving. Though Jesus was worthy of the love of the Father in all ramifications because he abided in the Father, we on our part cannot say we deserve that same love from the Son; for we continue to sin against him. Even at that he keeps loving us.

Therefore, we must learn here that love is not given to those who deserve it but those who do not in our judgments deserve to be loved. God loves us not because we are holy, but even in our sinfulness he still loves us, expecting our conversion that we may be saved. Hence, to convert a sinner is not to stand aloof and condemn him or her but is to go close to the person show some love and through that conversion will be easily achieved. Let us learn to love unconditionally.

Secondly, love demands sacrifice. Jesus says “...Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend” (John 15:13). This is the highest form of love humanity has ever experienced. St. Paul will say “It is difficult to die for a good man not to talk of a bad man” (Romans 5:7), yet Jesus sacrificed his life for unworthy sinners like us. Thus, sacrifice becomes very important when we talk of love.

If we love we must learn to sacrifice selfishness for generosity, greed for contempt, hatred for love, gossip for admonishment, lies for truth, immaturity for maturity, materialism for fulfillment, individualism for communal life, bad governance for purposeful driven leadership, insecurity for security, laziness for hard work, indecency to decency, poor parenting for diligent parenting and lots more. Individually we must identify that which we must sacrifice for the sake of Christ. So I ask, what is my love for Christ costing me?

As such, our love must exceed lips service and find expression in action. To love then will be to offer prayers for a brother and sister in need of it, to give comforting words to those in need of it, to visit the sick, clothe the naked, make the homeless sheltered, heal those broken by poverty and their likes.

My brothers and sisters, this love also demands total obedience. It is the proof that we love God. Hence Jesus’ words “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (15:14). The question could be, are we really doing the things he has commanded us to do? Are we faithfully obeying him in the various capacities that he has called us to serve him? What has become of the world were sin reigns more than righteousness yet our streets are quiet because all have gone to church? We have to learn to love God in obedience. Obeying the laws of the land, obeying our elders, respecting human life, holding high the dignity of the human person and obeying values that makes life worth living makes us a loving people.

When we do this it shows we know God. Hence a good knowledge of God helps us to be called his friends. For it is only friends that knows the secrets of each other. As such, Jesus has revealed himself to those who loved him; who will love him, those that are loving him now and are ever ready to do his will; to these he will continue to reveal himself. Hence, anybody that “Loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love “(1 Jn 4:7-8). I therefore need to question my knowledge of God if I cannot love a brother or sister.

For this knowledge of God distinguishes us from the world and that explains why the world will hate lovers of Christ. Thus, if the world is so comfortable with us, if people are more comfortable clubbing than coming to church, if people are interested more in social activities than seminars or retreat that are organised to enhance our relationship with God, then, we should know that we are loving the world more than the creator of the world. Thus our love of Christ should clearly distinguish us in the world.

We pray for the grace to love the same way God loves us so that we shall do what is expected of us as his children through Christ our Lord Amen. May the souls of our brothers Frs Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha with their companions who loved Christ to the end, rest in peace amen. HAPPY SUNDAY.

*Courtesy: Rev. Fr Simon Peter Dzungwe, who contributed from Ibadan, being a homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B. (Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17).

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'Nigeria is leprous, needs God's healing'

Sunday Sermon@ITREALMS:

In the first reading, we are made to understand that lepers were to go through a situation that was very harsh. The fate lepers were to face was at the instance of the Lord. The book of Leviticus 13 and 14 helps us to understand that it was the Lord who directed Moses and Aaron to ostracise anyone who was leprous. This leprosy was not just much of a disease but considered to be uncleanness as well. So as the priest excommunicates a leper, only him can reintegrate a leper.

Leprosy is destructive and killing; ostracised and smells, thus incapacitates one.

And so, if God was the one rendering his justice upon those who were struck with leprosy, it was just right that his servants (the Priests) who knows the mind of God should declare one leprous. Meaning that, leprosy was not just a physical disease but a spiritual one as well. It defiled the body and soul. Not just that, but, its cure was a problem. The priest could only convict a leper but only Christ would cure such a person.

Thus, upon conviction, the leprous person was to accept that he/she is leprous by wearing torn cloth and shouting unclean. He will have to humble him/herself under the mighty hand of God and accept the punishment due to his/her iniquity. At the same time the leprous person was to exclude himself from communal life. Meaning the shame that came with being leprouse, the person must face. 

Brethren, this is what sin does to us, it renders us unclean, makes us put on torn clothes of disobedience, unfaithfulness, violence, murder, insults and abuse; shouting unrest, chaos, disturbance and unworthiness. With these, shame embodies us, weakening our relationship with God.

Jesus in the gospel text of Mark is faced with the same issue. And unlike the prescription given of a leper in the first reading, here is one who runs to Jesus in humility kneeling and begging for mercy. He first of all request for mercy. Brothers and sisters, mercy is given to those who approach Christ with reverence and humility. We are lepers as well, sin has made us so; as such, when we refuse to show honour, humility and respect to Jesus who is the only person that can show us kindness we reject his divine touch.

With the approach of the leper, Jesus Christ will now show this poor soul compassion and healing. He stretched out his hand and touched him and he became well. Friends in Christ, if leprosy depicts uncleanness then we are all leprosy in need of that sublime touch of God.

We need God to heal us of the leprosy of immorality, drunkenness, drugs, sexual perversion, jealousy, envy, hatred etc. For at different points in time our sins have separated us from the Communion we are to enjoy with God. 

Nigeria is leprous; incapacitated. What is more leprous than a nation whose young ones remain jobless? Mass killing and burial regularly? Schools abondoned? Etc

We pray God to come to our aid, heal us of our leprosy, reconcile us with his Son and grant in us the grace to run to Him always for healing each time we sin through Christ our Lord Amen.

*Contributed by Rev. Fr. Simon Peter Dzungwe from the Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan.

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God’s words are authority embedded

SundaySermon@ITREALMS: 

The word of God today revolves around the prophet and the authority embedded in every authentic prophetic word. When there is a coincidence between a messenger and his message, one cannot but accept the credibility and the authority in his word and message. In the case of Jesus, his name corresponds with his message. For the name Jesus in Hebrew is Joshua which means “God saves”. Therefore, imbedded in his name are his identity and mission. His words are power-packed for his authority comes from above. He is the Prophet per excellence!

The first Reading from the book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 18:15-20), talks about a prophet to be sent after Moses. First of all, who is a prophet? (One who speaks on behalf of the other, somebody’s spokesman) So, a prophet of God is one who speaks on behalf of God or in the name of God. In doing this, he might refer to past or future events. But he is not merely a futurologist (someone who merely predicts the future). Furthermore, it is not enough to speak in the name of God, such an individual must be called by God and backed by His authority too. 

This brings us to the theme of AUTHORITY.  A prophet does not preach or speak out of his own accord, rather he is under the coverage of God’s authority. In this passage, Moses assured the people of God’s provision of a prophet like him who will speak the word of which he would be given. He therefore instructed the people to listen to him as the words he would be speaking belongs to God. Besides, a prophet is expected to speak only in the name of God and not in his or in the name of other gods.

We may well presume that the prophet referred to in the First Reading is Joshua, since he took over from Moses and God also assured him that as He was with Moses his servant, He shall also be with him (Joshua 1:5). This may not be a very wrong guess even though it may not be exact. We may deem it plausible to say that the prophet referred to in the First reading goes beyond Joshua. In fact, prefiguratively, it accurately points to our Lord Jesus Christ who came as the greatest of all the prophets and spoke in the name of God with authority, as revealed in the Gospel reading. And there we go!

The Gospel passage (Mark 1:21b-28) presents the episode of the authoritative teaching of Jesus. Jesus as particular to Mark enters the synagogue to teach, and Mark underscores the power of Jesus’ teaching “like someone with authority”. Just as each one of us goes to church or a place of worship to pray and to have an encounter, similarly, Jesus went to the Synagogue and there he taught them. He taught them with authority, and with the same authority he commanded the evil spirit to be mute. The authority manifested in his teaching gained him the admiration, fame and the amazement of those around. Indeed, he did capture the attention of his listeners.

This passage follows the gospel reading of last Sunday, therein after the call of the first disciples, Mark narrates that Jesus embarked on his public ministry in Galilee. In his narrative, the first episode Mark presents is an exorcism (Mk. 1:23-26). Mark emphasized on Jesus teaching, but without indicating the content of that teaching. He says that he taught as one having authority. The Greek word for authority is ‘exousia’, which also has the connotation of power, especially in the context of miracle. Indeed, Mark didn’t deny that Jesus displayed both authority and power in his miracles. The exorcism must have followed as a demonstration of the power of Jesus’ teaching with authority. His Word is deed!

 Another important point we must acknowledge today is drawn from the healing of the man with unclean spirit as we read from the Gospel passage. We are told that the unclean spirits recognized our Lord Jesus Christ and not only called him Jesus of Nazareth but also the Holy One of God. On our part, as those who hear the prophetic utterances do we recognize the Lord in his word and messages? Jesus teaches and preaches without fear of anything or anybody, not even of evil spirits who know and recognize Him. The evil spirits are afraid of Him, little wonder, the man with unclean spirit cried out: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Hole one of God!” And immediately Jesus rebuked and commanded him, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The amazing question of the man with unclean spirit: Have you come to destroy us? Yes! Jesus has come to destroy all that tends to destroy man! We remember the episode where the disciples were sailing in the stormy lake of Galilee, Jesus gave the same command: “Be silent” and immediately the sea was calm (cf. Mk. 4:35-41).

St. Mark communicates to us that the God revealed by Jesus is a God who brings life, liberation and healing and not death. The episode between Jesus and the man with unclean spirit expresses this fact eloquently. It is interesting the reaction of the man with unclean spirit towards Jesus: “I know who you are”. The crowd described him as one teaching with authority, which is seen in his authority over evil. Yet, the crowd was not able to identify the source of this authority, if not the possessed man who shouted “I know who you are-the holy one of God”. However, his listeners noticed that there was something different from the way, the tone and the style of Jesus’ teaching, compared to that of the Scribes. Jesus speaks and talks from the heart, and as such his words reach the heart of his listeners. His is a heart-to-heart communication. For this, his listeners were able to notice that there is something extraordinary in his teaching.

In the Gospel of Mark there are twofold questions that permeate the whole corpus and continue to linger, and they are: “who is this man? (Mk. 4:41); what is this? (Mk. 1:27)”The first question arises because of his person and his deeds, while the second as we saw in this Gospel passage is just about his deeds and prodigies. However, these two amazing questions point to the Marcan Messianic secret. These questions continue until the moment of his death, when the roman soldier who witnessed the passion and saw how Jesus died declared: “truly this man was a son of God”(Mk. 15:39). Likewise, we need to recognize who Jesus is. He is not an ordinary person, but the Holy one of God, the Son of God.

In the gospel of Mark we are told that “whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God”” (Mk. 3:11). Funny enough, the messianic secret of Mark was revealed on a number of times by the evil spirits. Even the evil spirits know and recognize Jesus as the Son of God. Then, what should be the difference between our knowledge of Him and that of the evil spirits? In Greek there are two major words that indicate knowledge: ‘gnosis’ and‘epignosis’, while gnosis alludes to ordinary, head and idealistic knowledge, epignosis has to do with real, practical and existential knowledge. 

Thus, unless our knowledge of him is existential and transformational, we risk remaining at the same knowledge level with the unclean spirits. Indeed, it is the real and self-involved knowledge of Him that will gain us eternal life. For this St. John evinces “And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3). This knowledge has to change our life, else we risk being like the unclean spirits that know Jesus by words of mouth, and not by deeds.

In the second reading (1 Cor.7:32-35) when some of the Corinthians were worried and anxious about life, St. Paul encouraged them saying: “We must be free from anxiety”. And it is only when we are immersed in the God-experience that we can be relieved from anxieties and worries, whether married or not. St. Paul exhorts us to be conscious of the call from God, so that we can have undivided devotion for the Lord. He praises purity for the sake of God’s kingdom. He emphasizes that married people are taken up by their worries of this world. By that, Paul does not intend to condemn marriage. However, he stresses that celibacy places someone in a better position to serve God.

Above all else, however, the fascinating and soul southing good news of this day, is that when the word of God inhabits in our heart, when God takes the driver-seat in our life, we too can teach and speak with authority, as an offshoot from an authentic experience with and in Jesus Christ. Beloved there are some areas of our life that we need to dispose for the Lord to destroy them, just as the man with unclean spirit cried out “have you come to destroy us?” It is only when he destroys those aspects of us inhibited by evil and vices that we can be free and saved. We cannot but conclude with the words of the Psalmist thus: “O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts” (Ps. 95:7-8).

*Contributed by Rev. Fr Simon Peter Dzungwe from Ibadan Archdiocese.

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