Light for the Living

  LIGHT FOR THE LIVING FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR A (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) (Acts 2:14, 36–41; 1 Peter 2:20–25; John 10:1–10) My beloved in Christ, In a quiet fishing community in Opobo, Rivers State , there once lived an old fisherman called Tamuno . Everybody in the village knew him. Not because he was the richest man in Opobo, but because he was the only fisherman who could spend the whole day in the river, return with baskets of fish, and still give the biggest fish to widows before entering his own house. His wife used to complain affectionately, “Tamuno, one day you will give away even the canoe!” Tamuno would laugh and reply, “If the river feeds me, why should I starve those the river also knows by name?” Now, not far from Tamuno’s hut lived another fisherman called Boma . Boma was clever—too clever. He sold bad fish at the price of fresh fish, borrowed nets and never returned them, and could count everybody’s fish except his own lies. Whenever people saw ...

LIGHT FOR THE LIVING THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR A (Acts 2:14, 22–33; 1 Peter 1:17–21; Luke 24:13–35) My beloved in Christ, In a lively community in Ikwuano, Abia State , there once lived two close friends— Okoro and Kelechi . These two were known for one thing: whenever there was trouble, they would abandon the village square discussion halfway and continue arguing on the road. One market day, after a heated village meeting, they left angrily, grumbling as they walked home. “This village is finished!” Okoro said. “Nothing good can come out of that meeting,” Kelechi added. As they walked, an elderly stranger joined them quietly and asked, “My sons, what is making your faces look like people who swallowed bitter leaf without soup?” They began to narrate everything—how their expectations were shattered, how nothing made sense anymore. The old man listened patiently. Then he began to explain things to them in a way they had never heard before. He connected events, reminded them of f...

LIGHT FOR THE LIVING SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR A (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY) (Acts 2:42–47; 1 Peter 1:3–9; John 20:19–31) My beloved in Christ, In a peaceful community in Ngor Okpala, Imo State , there once lived a young man called Ifeanyi , well known for his stubbornness and occasional trouble-making. One day, he offended the entire kindred by taking what did not belong to him. When the elders confronted him, fear gripped him, and he ran away from the village. Days turned into weeks. Ifeanyi hid in a nearby farm settlement, restless and afraid. He wanted to return home, but shame held him captive. Each time he thought of facing the elders, his heart would beat like egwu drum in a festival. One evening, an elderly man from the village, Pa Nnanna , went in search of him. When he found Ifeanyi, he did not shout. He did not condemn. He simply said, “My son, why are you punishing yourself when the elders are waiting to forgive you?” Ifeanyi was shocked. “Forgive me? After what I did?” Pa...