“At that time: Jesus lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. . . . . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 11th September 2024 – LUKE 6:20-26.
So, the poor referred to in this part of the Holy Bible doesn’t necessarily refer only to those who may be indigent and lacking in material acquisition. Although, this assertion by no means exempt them.
Nevertheless, the emphasis is very much on those of us who have consigned material things behind us and focused our whole being on God.
Recall what played out when Satan in tempting Christ alluded him with the gift of material things? What was Christ’s response? We already know.
Now that the world has become so materialistic. We see how elderly people accept some perks and speak so much half truths and blatant lies for authority people in government who suppress those they should cater for.
My dear friend, to such upright people among us, Christ says, “To us is the Kingdom of God.”
Have a fantastic day folks.
Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
- Akase F. Agabo
11th Sept. 2024
“Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Tuesday 10th September 2024 – LUKE 6:12-19.
So, Christ Jesus Who in the Holy Trinity is God the Son also prayed.
Noticed how at several instances, the Holy Bible have it where Christ prayed?
In today’ teaching, he prayed all through the night to be guided rightly to choose twelve people from his throng of followers, those whom will become the Apostles.
One will dare say, after such spiritual exercise expressed in deep and long prayers, yet there was Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him.
We can see how Christ prayed all through the night, though he got the appropriate guidance he needed to make the right choice of Apostles, yet, there was Judas Iscariot.
If Christ in one of his prayer session would say, “Lord, if it were my wwll, let this cup pass me by,” then, we must understand that the inclusion of Judas Iscariot and his eventual action was part of the grand design of God.
Judas Iscariot actually fronted the purpose of Christ’s coming to the world. God eventually crowned it.
The coming of Christ was to die for our salvation (which Judas Iscariot seemingly fronted) and his resurrection (which was by the power of God) eventually gave the world salvation.
Dear friend, if despite our prayers and good works, things never turned out as we envisaged, we must understand that what ever becomes of things with us, is part of God’s grand design for our life, just like Judas Iscariot occurred for the fulfilment of the scripture.
Have a fantastic day folks.
Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
- Akase F. Agabo
10th Sept. 2024.
“And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And he looked around on them all, and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 9th September 2024 – LUKE 6:6-11.
So, when it is God’s appointed time for something to happen, nothing whatsoever is enough to stand in the way.
Today was the appointed day for the man in the Bible account above to receive his healing. Not even death threat by the Scribes and Pharisees could prevent Christ Jesus from ministering healing on the man.
Anything that has a beginning, equally has an end. Today thus, marks the end of the man’s infirmities.
This man never cried out to Christ for his healing like did blind Bartimaeus, neither did he dared to touch his cloak as did the woman with the blood issue.
All what He did was to be present and that’s all.
Christ saw beyond his physical infirmity and asked him to step forward.
My dear friend, prayer is one of the ways to make ourselves present.
Therefore, like it happened to the man in today’s teaching, our own time is also coming. Our own issue(s) will also certainly have an end.
Our helper(s) shall defile protocols as well as stand against every opposition just to favour us, as did Christ Jesus in today’s teaching.
Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead folks.
Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
- Akase F. Agabo
9th Sept. 2024.
“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,. . . . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Thursday 5th September2024 – LUKE 5:1-11.
So, it is not impossible, it’s rather rare for fishermen to go fishing all through the night and not catch even one fish.
Usually, during the day, fishes go down up to the water bed to find food among the plants growing there. As well as to stay far away from human activities.
However, at night, when everywhere is quiet and peaceful, these fish will come up close to the surface of the water.
This is the science and the logic behind going to fish at night.
Now, one can see why it is rare to go fishing all through the night with spread and drag nets nets and still not come out with even a single fish.
Now, the situation with Simon Jonah and his colleagues on that particular night can be likened to what has been happening to some of us.
Some of us have two basic degrees. Then we have masters and PhD,. Not talking of the additional professional qualifications that we have gathered. Yet we can not secure adequate employment to afford us even an average life.
Some of us, who are into business, be it trading or service rendering, we have learned and mastered the rubrics of the trade and done every single thing needed to be done and have gone a step further to add incentives to prospective patrons. Yet, we are still struggling.
A couple who kept themselves chaste and lived a morally upright life from their youth until marriage without getting to defile themselves, are now finding it difficult to conceive and bear children of their own. Even when they have been confirmed to be medically okay.
Yet, when we turn around and look, those who are less than half as equipped as we are, those who have less than a tenth of our preparation are doing much better than we.
It is possible that such catchless night may have ever happened before to Simon Jonah and his colleagues before. Nevertheless, they did give up fishing.
It could be implied that, God purposely designed it that Simon Jonah and his colleagues will not catch anything that night.
God’s desire that night was planned to manifest at dawn when Christ Jesus will announce to him that, “Simon, as from today henceforth, you will no longer catch fish but men.”
Therefore, the lives of Simon and Jonah and his colleagues changed permanently.
My dear friend, permit me to encourage you to keep on holding on and remaining at your best at all times. While at it, pray ceaselessly.
Though, Simon Jonah and his colleagues caught a great shoal that hasn’t been caught at such time, yet, Christ asked them to leave everything behind and follow him, and indeed they did.
Therefore, when we pray, we must as well as listen
The reason behind such stagnation and ‘catchlessness’ isn’t far from the grand plan of God for Simon Jonah and his colleagues. See how it turned out for them?
Dear friend, don’t give up.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
5th Sept. 2024
“Herod sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. . . . . . . . . . . . And she went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Thursday 29th Aug. 2024 – MARK 6:17-29.
So, if one is known and actually is a truthful person who doesn’t shy away from saying the truth the way it is, especially speaking the truth to power, such a fellow will most definitely be a marked person.
In climes like ours, the society and the masses will constantly sing their praise and eulogise their bravery and honesty.
Nevertheless, s/he who’s that bold in honesty and brave enough to risk their life for the truth will be disliked by those who would rather hide behind a finger than face the truth.
The people who are uncomfortable with such truths can go to any extent to extinguish the truth or silence it permanently.
Such people are capable of engineering the crash of a helicopter carrying that honest person, even if it may claim other casualties.
When Hon. Kazaure blew the whistle on the ex-CBN ‘emperor’, Meffie, he said, some wealthy Nigerians offered him bullet proof cars to be using during the time of the investigations of the claims he made.
That’s your example of how a truthful person is a marked person.
Only recently, Sen. Ndume was made to render a half-hearted apology when he was hounded away from reckoning because he chose the path of truth.
This was barely after Sen. Ningi was re-admitted into the Senate after serving a suspension due to spilling the truth.
It is therefore, not just now that such hounding has begun. Right from the time of John-de-Baptist, truthful people have been hounded and killed like dogs.
Nonetheless, those brave enough to still stick their heads out and dare to be truthful must be commended.
My dear friend, if we say the truth we will die. If we do not say the truth, we will yet die.
Therefore, like John-de-Baptist, why then can’t we just satisfy our conscience by been truthful, so, if or when death comes, we will know we are dying honourably and our soul will be welcome in heaven?
People can choose between the sweet lie and the bitter truth, nevertheless, sometimes, people don’t want the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed. However, the truth results in an eventual common good.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#SAINT_JOHN_THE_BAPTIST! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
- Akase F. Agabo
29th Aug. 2024.
“Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! . . . . . . . . . . . . So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 28th Aug. 2024 – MATTHEW 23:27-33.
So, we must all be conversant with this saying and what it implies, “Looks are deceptive.”
That is why one mustn’t be so quick to use prejudice to assess the character and genuineness of another. Neither should one judge another by mere appearance.
Mark Zuckerberg as well Bill Gates very often adorn simple and average looking clothing while going about their every day lives.
More often than not, when one encounters Aliko Dangote both in person and on television, one hardly see him adorning any embroidered clothing items. He’s very often dressed in simple unembroidered kaftan. Very often, even without cap.
Now, for one who makes speedy conclusions or presumptions based on appearance rather than character, having not known any of these people before, may quickly make presumptions on them as just some average every day blokes.
Well, I will personally prefer such a disposition☝️should I have to interact with any of them in every day life.
However, the departing point is when one begins to put up the superiority complex ego, if it seems to us that we appear more well adorned that other people. There, we lose the mark.
When our aim of dressing good is not to feel good with ourselves but rather to sneer and snicker at others with an ego of superiority complex, then, we are not different from the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s teaching.
My dear friend, life will be seemingly more balanced if we avail ourselves of the disposition that everyone we meet is both our teacher and our student.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#SAINT_AUGUSTINE! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
28th Aug. 2024.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Tuesday 27th Aug. 2024 – MATTHEW 23:23-26.
So, today is about what we call in local parlance, ‘eye service’. One of my primary school teachers calls it, ‘Asobi-Aso’. One wonder what language that is.
Take the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele (Meffie, for short), for example.
Dude was supposed to be a diligent monitor supervising heads of Commercial Banks against involving themselves in what he’s presently defending himself in the courts of law and has since been convicted of several profligacy.
While he heard sway as CBN Governor, he would have indicted several bank heads found wanting. Whereas, he was the offender in chief, dwarfing the offenses of all the erring bank heads put together.
However, Meffie isn’t just the one caught in such kind of a predicament.
We, too, in our small ways in every day life postulating ‘holier than thou’ attitude could be equally culpable.
In most markets in our country, almost every morning before commencement of trading, there’s usually a session of Christian praise worship and prayers. Not leaving out the Muslims who never miss any of their five times day prayers.
However, after such fervent display of piety, we go back to our trade and continue as life usual.
The people who measure grains as well as garri to sell, usually have two measures. That is what we typically refer to as ‘mudu’.
The first is the usual one known. This is supposed to be used for standard measurement.
This is what they take to the market when they want to buy and ensure that farmers or middlemen use in measuring for them.
The order is just like it, however, it is smaller. Five ‘mudu’ of the standard size will give six ‘mudu’ of this smaller one.
Now, that is the one they use to measure and sell to people after praying and singing praises to God.
Then, some will sprinkle water on garri and make it swell. One who doesn’t know and buys such garri, once it is kept in an enclosed place, it will not last beyond 24 hours and will go bad.
Those that sell ‘amala’ flour. Just so as to maximise more profit, they mix the usual ‘amala’ flour with cassava flour and present it to buyers as ‘amala’ flour.
Then, there are these shop-less middlemen in the market. Hmm! Dem, dia matter full bucket. It will be talk for another day.
The market example suffice because, often times, people are chosen randomly from among us to give exhortation. We are always quick to point fingers at the ills of authority people in government while we preach. Forgetting too quickly or choosing to ignore our own little failings that add up to the failure of the society at large.
While not saying that one who has erred shouldn’t be called out, we, too, doing the calling out must first seek to be in good standing. Then do it purposefully for love instead of just pointing finger.
When Jesus Christ said, He Who is without sin should cast the first stone.” Each of the malicious accusers left.
Dear friend, love hurts, but love heals when love reigns.
#SAINT_MONICA! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
27th Aug. 2024.
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. . . . . . . . . . . . Therefore we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the affliction which you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgement of God, that you may be made worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.. . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpts, First Reading, Monday 26th August 2024 – 2 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5.11-12.
So, people actually got to suffer for their faith as Christians?
This same Paul also championed the cause of persecuting Christians in his former life until Jesus Christ arrested him and made him his Apostle.
Although, while Christians still face persecutions in some parts of the present world, a greater majority of us got this Christianity on a platter. Therefore, some of us tend to disregard the privilege.
If the people who witnessed the life of Jesus Christ and those who got converted to Christianity through the Apostles soon after the ascension of Christ could face such persecution, why then should preacher men keep going on and on about prosperity Gospel?
Those of us so pampered are usually quick to make reference to portions of the Holy Bible like, “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” – PROVERBS 10:22.
When Jesus Christ healed the woman with the issue of blood, she did not also miraculously got plenty money transferred into her bank account.
However, after getting healed from her ailment, she would now be free and strong enough to concentrate her energies on her economic life.
So, the preacher men that see visions for those seeking visa and wanting to travel abroad should be scrutinised.
That abroad that such people want to escape to came about as a result of the toiling, sweat even the ultimate sacrifice of others.
It is quite appalling that in the Church, even Catholic Church, now, one will hear a Priest saying, I am seeing vision for somebody seeking visa to travel abroad. Somebody buying a new car. Someone getting a contract of billions of Naira.
If the same preacher man should go to a rural area Church where people there are predominantly farmers and peasants, his supposed visions may likely be, someone having a bumper harvest and things like that.
Dear friend, these are all conjectures.
The Christianity that the people in today’s teaching toiled for and some ended up paying the ultimate price for, is what these preacher men are now turning it into some caricature.
Fortunately, God is a patient Father.
My dear friend, this must be made very clear, one is not any less a Christian and a candidate of heaven by their economic prowess.
Neither is one experiencing persecutions right now not necessarily a better Christian and a heaven candidate.
What will really be a terrible end is after all one’s prosperity or toiling and suffering still doesn’t end up making heaven.
Dear friend, the key is this simple as Christ enjoins us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’. . . . . .And you shall love your neighbour as yourself.” – MATTHEW 22:37-38.
Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
26th Aug. 2024
“Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off. ’ . . . . . . . . . . . . Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, . . . . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpt, First Reading, Friday 23rd August 2024 – EZEKIEL 37:1-14.
So, my dear friend, what is that issue that has weighed us down very mush so that we tend to have given up on life and resigned ourselves to fate? God promises today that He will open up such graves and bring us out.
Those of us that have hit the rock bottom and are presently languishing in the abyss, we have our assurance today. God assures us of bringing us home.
To those of us that have exhausted all available options and are contemplating the unimaginable, we have our assurance from today’s teaching. God says He shall put His spirit within us and we shall live.
The Almighty God says what ever may be the graves that are holding us down, He is going to tear them apart and destroy all such graves and bring us to new life.
However, all what He requires of us is just for each one of us to love our neighbour just the way we love ourselves.
Folks, have a fantastic day and a pleasant weekend.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
23rd Aug. 2024
“These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. ’“But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 21st August 2024 – MATTHEW 20:1-16.
So, today is yet another clear testament of keeping hope alive.
The guys in today’ teaching are akin to the ‘man waka’ (daily labourers) of present day world.
The 6th hour mentioned in the Gospels would therefore be roughly our 12 o’clock. Their 9th hour would thus be our 3 pm. Their eleventh hour would therefore be our 5pm. – MATTHEW 20:5, 27:45 & LUKE 23:44.
These guys usually come out to their pick up usually about 6:00am, some even earlier.
For those who waited until 12:00 noon, it is understood that they still have hope.
The guys that stayed till 3:00pm, they must be desperately hopeful.
However, I give it up for those that remained there until 5:00pm. Such a genius act. Dudes were simply legends. Their kind of hope is courageously infectious.
These are people that supposedly live from hand to mouth.
Therefore, while they were just sitting there and idling away, some of them, mostly those among them that left family at home would be agonising in their mind how they were going to feed their family that night.
Their hope came through for them. God of the eleventh hour heard and acted on their hearts’ yearnings.
While we wait, when we keep our hope alive in God, even the eleventh hour is still not late for Him to act in our favour.
Dear friend, if this doesn’t teach us a valid lesson, nothing would.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
21st Aug. 2024.