Light for the Living

  LIGHT FOR THE LIVING THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A (Isaiah 9:1–4; 1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17; Matthew 4:12–23) My beloved in Christ, In a quiet rural community in Imo State , there lived a fisherman called Nna Anyanwụ . He was well known in the village, not because he caught the biggest fish, but because he always fished at night—even when there was bright moonlight. When people asked him why, he would reply, “Fish like darkness. Light disturbs them.” One night, the village generator suddenly came on—unexpectedly. The riverbank was flooded with light. Nna Anyanwụ shouted, “Chim oo! Who invited NEPA to the river?” But something strange happened. Instead of scattering, the fish became visible. For the first time, everyone could see where the fish were hiding. The children laughed and shouted, “So this is where they have been all along!” That night, Nna Anyanwụ caught more fish than ever before. Scratching his head, he murmured, “So light is not the enemy a...

  LIGHT FOR THE LIVING SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A (Isaiah 49:3, 5–6; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3; John 1:29–34) My beloved in Christ, In a small rural community in Abia State , there once lived a man called Pa Okorie , famous not for farming alone but for his sharp tongue and comic wisdom. Pa Okorie owned many goats, but there was one particular goat that caused him endless trouble. Whenever visitors came, all the goats would scatter—except this one. The goat would stand still, chewing calmly, as if saying, “I am the one you are looking for.” One market day, a visitor asked Pa Okorie, “Which of these goats is yours?” Without hesitation, Pa Okorie pointed and said loudly, “ That one! The stubborn one that refuses to hide.” Everyone laughed. But Pa Okorie added, “When something is truly yours, you don’t guess. You point.”   John Points — Not Guesses That simple village wisdom captures the heart of today’s Gospel. John the Baptist does not guess who J...

  LIGHT FOR THE LIVING THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD – YEAR A (Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7; Acts 10:34–38; Matthew 3:13–17) My beloved in Christ, Today, with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord , the Church draws the curtain on the Christmas season and gently ushers us into Ordinary Time . This movement is deeply symbolic. Christmas reveals who Christ is ; the Baptism reveals why He came ; Ordinary Time challenges us to ask who we are now because of Him . At the heart of today’s celebration is one powerful truth: we are a consecrated people .   A Story from Mbaise: The Child Marked Before Birth In a quiet rural community in Mbaise , there once lived an elderly man called Nze Dike , respected not for wealth but for wisdom. One evening, news reached the village that his daughter’s pregnancy was troubled. Fear spread. Some whispered that the child might not survive. Others advised, in hushed tones, that the pregnancy should be “ended quietly.” Nze Dike stood up in the village...

LIGHT FOR THE LIVING THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – SOLEMNITY (YEAR A) (Isaiah 60:1–6; Ephesians 3:2–3, 5–6; Matthew 2:1–12) My beloved in Christ, Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord—the manifestation of Christ to the whole world. It is a feast that tells us clearly: God does not choose by tribe, colour, or background; He reveals Himself to all who sincerely seek Him. To understand this better, let us listen to a story from a riverside community in Rivers State.  The Story of the Three Canoe Men of Ogbakiri In a small riverine village called Ogbakiri, there lived three well-known fishermen: Chief Tamuno, Boma, and Small Doctor (nobody remembered his real name). They were famous not because they caught the biggest fish, but because they argued about everything—from fishing nets to who cooked the best pepper soup. One harmattan night, as they prepared their nets, they noticed a strange light reflecting on the river—brighter than moonlight, steadier than lantern light. Boma scratc...