REFLECTION FOR TODAY September 3, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking…
Category: Fr Ibegbulem
PETER’S RESPONSE OF SELF-AWARENESS
REFLECTION FOR TODAY September 2, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Lk. 5:8 The encounter of Peter with Jesus and his expression of sinfulness before Him as expressed in our gospel…
JESUS AND SIMON’S MOTHER IN-LAW
REFLECTION FOR TODAY September 1, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on…
THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF JESUS
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 31, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. Lk. 4:36-37 There is a…
JESUS NEEDS YOUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 30, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong….
WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART?
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 29, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Mk. 7:14-15 Jesus was never tired in…
YOUR TALENTS ARE GOD’S INVESTMENT ON YOU
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 28, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA “The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in…
THE NEEDED OIL FOR OUR LAMPS
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 27, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.” Matt. 25:1-2 Like the ten virgins in our gospel…
STAY AWAKE
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 26, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his…
BEING OPEN: “COME AND SEE”
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 24, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come…
JESUS CONDEMNS HYPOCRISY
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 23, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Matt. 23:13 Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of blind guides who make sophisticated legalistic…
HUMILITY: THE LIFE OF TRUE GREATNESS
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 21, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matt. 23:11-12 Through humility, we are absorbed in God who exalts us in his loving power. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day made many…
LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 20, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matt. 22:37-39 Jesus affirms…
THE INVITATION
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 19, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.” Matt. 22:2-3 The parable of the royal wedding from…
THE DANGER OF ENVY
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 18, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They answered, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You too go into my vineyard.” Matt. 20:6-7 Our gospel…
THE “EYE OF THE NEEDLE”
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 17, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then…
THE HIGHER CALLING TO PERFECTION
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 16, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Matt….
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 15, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy…
THE INVITATION OF JESUS
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 14, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them…” Matt. 19:13-14. The invitation of Jesus in our gospel reference today…
ARE YOU OPEN TO GOD’S TRANSFORMING GRACE?
REFLECTION FOR TODAY August 13, 2021 By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted.” Matt. 19:11. Jesus forbids divorce and remarriage and so restores God’s original ideal. Among the various heroic expressions for the sake of the kingdom are to be included…