“And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.”

Excerpt, First Reading, Tuesday 14th May 2024 – ACTS 1:15-17, 20-26.

So, some of us that indulge in gambling, when we pick our betting numbers, we would go back home, put the ticket inside the Holy Bible and pray on it for about three days. Then, we would return the ticket and play our bet.

On such days that we are lucky enough to be part of the one millionth person to so win, we would quickly attribute such winnings to the supposed prayer ritual that we undertook. It could or couldn’t be true.

Then, we would also supposedly attribute it to the aspect of casting lots in today’s teaching☝️above from the Scriptures.

Nevertheless, some of us would agree that the act of putting our betting ticket in the Bible and praying over it is just an exercise in futility.

God cannot be bottled up and used whenever and however at our whims and caprices just as if we like some magician. God is bigger than such rituals.

Nevertheless, casting lots was a way of life during the time of Christ’s earthly life.

The Roman soldiers that crucified Christ Jesus also cast lots to decide who shall take his inner seamless garment – “so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” – JOHN 19:24.

So, my dear friend, casting lots is not a completely prohibited issue, neither is it somewhat of an exclusive practice of pagans.

Christians too, still cast lots. Just as it was🔺️above with the apostles of Jesus Christ in today’s teaching.

When we are faced with the situation of making a choice out of the remaining best, like the early Church did. We too, must pray fervently about it.

When the Holy Spirit ministers to us on the best choice, then, good. However, if not, and, when we run against time, after our prayer, we can, and we should cast lots.

By the way, haven’ we been doing that already?

When we are going to fill vacant office(s), having prayed and possibly fasted about it, don’t we go ahead to conduct election to elect people into the office(s)?

That is it! It is equally akin to casting lots.

Casting lots, notwithstanding, the cardinal point to note is PRAYER. First, we must pray about it. This is very, very important. As matter of fact, it is more ‘importanter’ that election or casting lots.

The Apostle Matthias, the second twelfth apostle, the subject matter of today’s teaching therefore, wasn’t a product of casting of lots, rather, he was a product of prayer.

My dear friend, that thing we want to do, or are doing right now, or that which distresses us, we should pray about it. prayer changes things. Prayer is the key.

#SAINT_MATTHIAS! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

-Akase F. Agabo.

“Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 13th May 2024 – JOHN 16:29-33.

So, what really is TRIBULATION?

Various dictionaries have almost the same or very similar definition of the word TRIBULATION, viz:

Distress or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution. Also, a trying experience. – MERRIAM-WEBSTER – online.

Grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering. – DICTIONARY.COM – online.

Problem or difficulty. Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences. – CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY – online.

Meanwhile, the synonyms or another word for TRIBULATION are: affliction, agony, anguish, distress, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, woe, adversity, hardships, suffering, etc.

TRIBULATION is therefore, something terribly unpleasant and uncomfortable.

We’ve got to find peace in the Lord Jesus if we must ‘untribulate’.

In today’s teaching, Christ Jesus tells us that, in him, we will have peace, but in the world we will have the unpleasantness we are labouring to define☝️above. TRIBULATION!

However, one may ask, where then should one be or go if not in the world?

It is supposed that in heaven, one would have peace but mustn’t one die first before going to heaven?

Of course, it is true, nevertheless, Christ told us already that he has overcome the world. Therefore,” My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” – JOHN 17:15-16.

My dear friend, though we are still in the world, since we have been ransomed by Christ, all we need to do to save ourselves from tribulation is to believe in Christ Jesus. That’s all.

Dear friend, once we believe and we are convinced that we really do, the Holy Spirit immediately takes over from there. Things will never be the same again.

All we hence, need to do, is to become very purposeful in our everyday life. Remember, God is more persuaded by our deliberate positive efforts to become better.

Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead folks.

#OUR_LADY_OF_FATIMA! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

– Akase F. Agabo.

“But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, I should have reason to bear with you, O Jews; but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal.

And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to this.”

Excerpts, First Reading, Friday 10th May 2024 – ACTS 18:9-18.

So, do we believe that an honest man cannot be cheated?

Okay, let say one boards a vehicle going from point A to B. Then suddenly one of the passengers inside the vehicle starts with this age old scam, “I serve my oga for good 12 years him no gree settle me, so I thief him money.”

Or, with another popular line, “Abeg make we just help am, but all of us go follow share the money.”

Or, this one of their ‘usuals’, my oyinbo oga send me to buy one chemical wey dem sell 1 kilo for N359,000. But somebodi come tell Me say, I go get am for Berger yard as low N50,000.

For an honest person, none of all such talks would interest them.

Nevertheless, for those of us who have ‘longa throat’ once we hear something that has to do with money, our ears will just open wide like radio antenna.

Then, the ‘jigbiti’ guys will capitalise on our greed to scam us.

Or, for men who have cause to stay outside way into the night and have to pass through or transact at busy hubs during these hours of the night.

It always takes an absolutely disciplined fellow to keep a straight face from those ‘daughters-of-jezebel’ (still not meaning to take a swipe on women) crawling the night that time.

As a matter of fact, even when one maintains composure even to the high heavens, some of them would still dare to yell at you, “Uncle, you wan fvck?”

Similarly, a new antics by kidnappers was recently uncovered.

People driving in a rickety car would deliberately brush a posh car. This happens mostly at usually isolated places. When the owner stops and comes out fuming, a gum will be pointed at him. Then, he and his posh car would be whisked away.

In another, instance, it could be a nagging and quarrelsome wife (not taking a swipe on women, though). She would nag, and quarrel and even stand in the way of her husband when he wants to depart the scene for a breathe of some fresh air outside.

If he dares raise his hand to brush her aside, she change gears into another realm, “If know that you’re a real man and your mother born you well, just dare touch me or even lay a single finger on me.”

Dear men, do not ever betray the ‘brotherhood’ and fall for such antics.

Rather, find a away to go out without touching her. However, if that isn’t possible, just sit back and soak in all the vituperations. She go taya. She must to taya, den she go stop. Den una love go continue.

In today’s teaching, we noticed that when Gallio the Proconsul dispersed the Jews on account of the frivolity of their accusations against Paul, in anger, they seized Sosthenes (the keeper of the synagogue) and beat him up inoder to anger Gallio.

Nevertheless, what did Gallio do? Dude kept a straight face.

Just like the honest man in the vehicle from point A to B who never heeded to those scammers and the correct brother man who didn’t lay a finger on his dear wife as challenged, Gallio also didn’t give a damn about their shenanigans.

Dear friend, when by the grace of God, when we have reached that Gallio-s level of ‘straightness’, nothing fit shake person again o!

Folks, have a fantastic day and a pleasant weekend.

#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

– Akase F. Agabo.

“So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is he served by human hands, . . . . . . . . . . . .”

Excerpt, First Reading, Wednesday 8th May 2024 – ACTS 17: 15.22-18: 1.

So, while the Apostle Paul was walking along the streets of Athens and was gazing at different shrines and sacrifice offerings made at those shrines to idols, he possibly did not mince his face in disgust at such idolatrous people.

Rather, he was captivated with their impressive acts of religiosity.

It was with such positive outlook that he possibly saw clear enough to discover among those many shrines a few other ones that were dedicated to an ‘unknown god’.

This supposed ‘unknown god’ became the subject upon which he could have easy access to preach to the Athenians.

Dear friend, when we mince our face in disgust at a person, people or at something, we tend to have already taken our decision about it or them.

This is by no means stating that one mustn’t be disgusted by what disgusts. Nevertheless, we must yet keep an open mind even when we mince our face in disgust.

Keeping an open mind helps us to keep our emotions in check, so as to think straight and clear.

This is an indication that, no matter what the situation may be, one is still capable of making some good out of it. All depends on how one reacts to it.

For example, most of us are currently groaning under the economic crunch, especially the hyper inflation in the cost of food items.

Nevertheless, such times are when those of us who are frivolous with our resources would be compelled to learn to manage the now meagre resources to meeting our teaming needs.

That most of us have since not crumbled is an indication that we too have learnt ways and means to overcome the times.

My dear friend, we must always endeavour to keep an open mind both in pleasant and otherwise situations.

Have a fantastic day folks.

#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

– Akase F. Agabo

“The crowd of Philippians joined in attacking Paul and Silas; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. . . . . . . . . . . .“Men, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him . . . . . . . . . . . . and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.’

Excerpt, First Reading, Tuesday7th May 2024 – ACTS 16:22-34.

So, sometimes, one person’s travesty becomes another one’s gain.

When a big animal dies and starts to rotten, birds come and perch on the carcass to feed on the worms and maggots there.

Only recently in Ondo State of Nigeria, when the former Governor got ill, despite all the hurdles, the then Deputy Governor ensured that he to duly became the Acting Governor and indeed, he did become it.

Subsequently, when the ailing state chief executive eventually passed on, he was immediately sworn in as the substantive Governor.

Similar scenerio has happened before in Yobe State Nigeria as well to a man whose name has followed him favourably as has never known before in history. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Once as a Deputy Governor then, to Governor. Also, from been the Vice President to becoming the President.

Both in the cases of Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as well as the former Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, it was never planned. It was neither their doing or even their intentions, posterity just happened. They were just lucky to be the ones rightly available.

Such, to some extent was also the case of former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Nigeria, how he emerged as the Governor in His first term.

These are clear examples of one person’s travesty becoming another person’s gain.

So it is also in today’s teaching. The travesty of Paul and Silas who were beaten with rods and thrown into jail became the gain of the jailer and his family who through them gained salvation.

However, such gain as experienced by the jailer and his household was only possible because Paul and Silas did not allow their harrowing situation and condition to get them embittered and recalcitrant to their cause.

Therefore, they were still sober enough to think clearly with straight heads and preach the word of God to the jailer and his household and get them to be saved.

Dear friend, we too, must watch it. The travesty we are presently experiencing now may be a set up for someone else’s gain.

Therefore, we mustn’t allow the anguish, pain and bitterness to blind us from the overall good that God is trying to use our situation to engender.

Though, we may be going through our own pains, when we choose to also pray for another brother who is equally going through some challenge, then, we have taken the hero course and the cause of good.

This comes about only when we have a positive attitude toward all that happen to us.

As ransomed children of God, it mustn’t be lost on us that adversities will not assail us. Nevertheless, God has made us a promise that, when they do, He will see us through all of them.

Therefore, my dear friend, just so that it may not be two zero for us, we must look on the positive side of our current situation and adequately so utilise them.

Have a fantastic day folks.

#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

– Akase F. Agabo

“ I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them.”

Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 6th May 2024 – JOHN 15:26-16:4.

So, how can man, a creation of the Creator arrogate on to himself the onerous rights, task and privileges to think for and act on behalf of the Almighty God.

But, isn’t it already happening?

When ‘Boko Haram’ insurgents besieged a girls secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State and kidnapped over a hundred girls, the brave Leah Sharibu was one of them. This is what one of the girls who later regained her freedom said of her:

“One of the freed girls, Khadija Grema, confirmed that the terrorists decided to continue to hold Leah because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.”

In our various neighbourhoods, what happens when some of us accost minors in unusual behaviour? We quickly attribute such attitude to witchcraft and pass a summary judgement on such little children.

So, also it is with some church leaders, especially (but not only them) of the women folk. When their daughter gets pregnant out of wedlock, they insist and ensure and abortion, just so as not to bring the name of the church and of their supposed ‘god’ in disrepute.

When someone eminently qualified for a position is denied such job, in favour of another who is supposed that is of the same religion with us, then, we have ‘killed’ that person to supposedly impress our supposed ‘god’.

Whenever we jettison the competence of people vying for elective positions but rather dwell on their religion, then we have taken a position to supposedly impress our ‘god’.

Some of us have unfortunately fallen victims of such attitude. Some unfortunately fatally and otherwise are lucky to tell their tales of woe.

I must assure us that, so long as we still draw breathe, we are bound to still have such bitter experiences at some point in our life, in one way or another.

This may not necessarily be life sentence or life threatening. Even when one is discriminated upon or treated unjustly on account of religion, then, we too, have become victims of such ill practices.

Nevertheless we have solace in the Scriptures – “Do not be afraid of what will happen to you. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you and there will be ten days of trials. Remain faithful even to death and I will give you the crown of life.” – REVELATION 2:10.

Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead folks.

Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

• Akase F. Agabo

“God made no distinction between them and us since He purified their hearts by faith.
Why do you put God to the test now by imposing on the disciples the very burden that neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to support?
But we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.”
Excerpt, First Reading, Thursday 2nd May 2024 – ACTS 15:7-21.
So, to be a good person, live honourably according to the law and religious tenets and a good Christian who has attained perfect love and is prepared anytime and any day for the judgement is very easy and simple.

See, if any of us has watched the movie, “The Passion of Christ” by Mel Gibson, we must have all seen that the opening scene is Jesus Christ dancing at a wedding party.

It is very likely that wedding feast in Cana that his mother approached him with a complaint that, the party, has run out of booze.

But the take home practical interest here is that, Christ was dancing at a wedding reception.

Until Jesus Christ began his public ministry, he was just an everyday dude, like John, Terfa, Emeka, Peter, Adekunle, Rukevwe, Ahmadu, Paul. Etc.

Jesus Christ was an artisan assisting his foster father Joseph (ie spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary) in his carpentry workshop.

Once, when Oga Joe finished making the bench ordered by Otunba Qadiri, he called his apprentice (Jesus Christ).

“Boy J. And Christ answered, Sir!
“Come take dis bench go dat big ‘dogon yaro’ tree close to ‘mami’, wia Mazi Okafor and him pipo dey play draught and give am to Otunba Qadiri.”

True to it, when Christ delivers the bench, Otunba who is quite impressed gives him 20kobo and says –

“Go tell Oga Joe say I go come see am later as we discuss. But dis coins, put am for your pocket make you use buy akara for yourself. You be beta pikin.”

By evening of the same day, while going to buy his akara, he saw Clara and Bobi her boyfriend whom she is co-habiting with, as usual arguing about money issue by the corner of their street.

Bobi who was trying to mould his ‘eegbo’ violently pushed her away just so that she won’t spill it away and she fell on her butt, quickly using her hand to support herself so that the child she is carrying on her back won’t be hurt. He laughed sarcastically and walked away, heading towards ‘mami’. Even when market has closed.

Boy J quickly rushed to her aid and helped her to stand up. He would also give her the 20kobo Otunba gave him together with all the money in his pocket so that she can go get something for she and her baby to eat that evening.

Bobi and his cohorts would be in the dark corners of the deserted market smoking weed until late into the night.

Suddenly, they saw ‘yan banga’ from afar and took to their heels.

The next morning, Iya Sikiratu sent her daughter to Oga Joe to ask him to quickly come and fix her table in ‘mami’ market which was very good when closed the previous evening.

Apparently, Bobi and his gang were sitting on Iya Sikira’s table when they saw the vigilante and in their haste to move the broke the table.

Oga Joe woukd ask Boy J to fetch some tools and follow Sikiratu to Mami and do the work.

Christ would be walking on the street that early with Sikira, talking casually as it is with every other youth.

The two would stop and exchange greetings with Leman who was coming from the opposite direction. He said he was returning from his night shift duty and going home. Even when he wasn’t asked.

Leman would instead head straight to Orafa’s House and inform him about how he saw his crush with Boy J, casually walking hand-in-hand, gisting and laughing as they go. “Dis early ‘mor-mor’ fah!”

Dear friend, that is a typical day in the life of the same Jesus Christ that you and I know, before he commenced his public ministry.

He was an everyday guy. No, he wasn’t like some kind of a superhuman who fell down from heaven and immediately started multiplying seven loaves of bread to feed over five thousand men, raising Lazarus from the dead and all those well known outstanding signs and wonders.

All that we may be going through right now, Christ equally experienced same when he was in this world as a human.
Recall that, at a tender age, for his safety, his parents had to run away from home with him to Africa to live as a refugees.

Although, in all fairness, he is Divine, as he is God who came down from heaven into the world and took up the form of we humans.

Nevertheless, until he turned thirty (30) years, he lived his life just like we all do, except for sinning.

Even when he eventually began his public ministry, what sort of people did he choose as his apostles?

The Holy Bible says of him, that having prayed all night, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” – LUKE 6:13.

These said apostles were also just everyday people, like Simon (Peter) a brash and little tempered fisher man.

Others were hated people like Matthew the tax collector.

Then, there was also Simon the Zealot. – The Zealots were a political movement in 1st-century Second Temple Judaism which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms, most notably during the First Jewish–Roman War. (Source: Wikipedia).

Therefore we mustn’t enforce on ourselves a regimented and highly restricted lifestyle. Having so many dos & don’t, with a myriad of rules and regulations that get us unsure whether one must walk leftwards or rightwards on the road. Such a life that gets us questioning and criticizing our every move.

My fear friend, by all means, one can wear jeans and T-shirt on weekends, dance at parties did like Christ did (in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ), share a beer with friends and when available, leisurely walk and talk with a Sikiratu on the street (despite all what the likes of Leman may think or make of it) without any strings attached.

Yet, after living like this, we could still live right and avoid loose and wayward living and therefore still make heaven.

It is that easy, my dear friend, very easy. It is just the way it is.

Have a fantastic day folks.

#SAINT_ATHANASIUS! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!

Akase F. Agabo.

Pendulum is an exposé of our everyday life in society and the society at large through the Scriptural teachings of the Catholic Church daily readings. It is purposefully for encouraging values.

The messages are proposed to be coming to us every week.

We are free to critique, advise, encourage, comment, and state our opinions as well. It is indeed open for interactions.

We must however note that, this is my opinion and I do not speak for the Catholic Church. My messages are only inspired by the Church’s daily readings.

Events, names scenes and instances mentioned in messages here are all imaginations of the writer. Though, one may reckon them to have resemblance to actual people, places, and events, it is however not intentional. All real people and events are duly given credit.

• Akase F. Agabo
  

Pendulum is an exposé of our everyday life in society and the society at large through the Scriptural teachings of the Catholic Church daily readings. It is purposefully for encouraging values.

The messages are proposed to be coming to us every week.

We are free to critique, advise, encourage, comment, and state our opinions as well. It is indeed open for interactions.

We must however note that, this is my opinion and I do not speak for the Catholic Church. My messages are only inspired by the Church’s daily readings.

Events, names scenes and instances mentioned in messages here are all imaginations of the writer. Though, one may reckon them to have resemblance to actual people, places, and events, it is however not intentional. All real people and events are duly given credit.

Akase F, Agabo