By Fr Pat Amobi Chukwuma
Are you sleeping? Get up! Stay awake! Something is about to happen. If you wish to sleep at all, then you must employ the ‘sleeping-muruanya’ method. This involves sleeping with one eye closed and the other open. Few nights ago, I experienced ‘sleeping-muruanya’ after I saw something strange in my bedroom. Thank God there was light.
I was lying backwards on my bed watching a program on my television set. Suddenly, a fierce giant centipede appeared from nowhere and was crawling with speed as if it was my room-mate. I thought it was in a dream. I jumped up and cleared my eyes thoroughly. It was a reality. Immediately fear gripped me. It would have been disastrous had it been I was lying on the floor as I often did due to heat.
Instantly I grabbed a stick I kept beside my bed for self defence. I used all the strength in me to crush it stone dead while shouting, “No mercy! No mercy!! No mercy!!!” I stayed awake throughout that night. From that night till today, I have been sleeping with one eye closed and one eye open. Being watchful is not cowardice. Anyone surrounded by enemies must stay awake always.
Before going further, let me wish you happy New Year. Am I insane? No! The Church’s Liturgical Year ended on Saturday 30 November 2024, which was marked few days back with the Solemnity of Christ the King. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End.
Indeed, in the Name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10). Have you bowed? If not, why not? The knee is meant for kneeling. That’s why it is darker in completion. No matter how powerful any soap works, it cannot wash that spot off. As our bodies lie in the grave, termites start from the knee to consume because of its thickness and sour taste.
The New Liturgical Year begins with the Season of Advent. The word Advent is derived from the Latin word ‘Adventus’ which means ‘Coming.’ Who is coming and when? He is no other person than Jesus Christ the Redeemer of mankind. After his Resurrection from the grave, he ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Therefore, we are earnestly preparing for his coming in this Season of Advent. Since Jesus Christ has occupied the right hand of God the father, we should strive to occupy God’s left hand. The first coming of the Redeemer is re-enacted annually in the mystery of the Incarnation which we celebrate on 25 December.
The Word took flesh and dwelt in us. Is he still dwelling in you and me? Or have we expelled him from our lives by living in iniquities? All hope is not lost. We can still recall him into our lives by continuous repentance.
Christmas is the celebration of the Nativity of the Messiah Jesus Christ. It is the Birthday of all birthdays. The Church celebrates the birthdays of three important personalities in the history of Salvation. First is the birthday of Jesus Christ on December 25. The second is the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8 while the third is the birthday of John the Baptist on June 24.
He is the forerunner of the Messiah. He prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. Eventually the Messiah came and his forerunner was imprisoned by Herod. As John the Baptist was languishing in prison, he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to enquire if he is actually the expected Messiah. Jesus commanded the messengers to tell John what they saw. The lame walked.
The blind saw. The dead were raised. But why did he not miraculously rescue his forerunner John the Baptist from prison? God’s ways are not our own ways. Eventually, John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod for speaking the truth. He sealed his ministry with his blood. Are we ready to follow his footstep? The Bible equivocally says, “The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Unfortunately, falsehood and injustice are the trademarks of our present generation. Truth keeps us awake while falsehood leads us into disastrous slumber.
Time is not on our side. Here, I recall again, the incidence that keeps ringing in my ears from time to time. This happened some years ago while I was pasturing the flock of God at Nibo in Awka South Local Government of Anambra State. While I was delivering the homily during 6.00 p.m. Mass, a stubborn boy stood up and while displaying a red card towards me shouted, “Father, time up!” Emotionally, I paused to confront him for causing uproar in the church.
Two weeks later he died mysteriously. Despite the disruption, I learnt a lesson from the stubborn deceased boy. Our time is really up. Jesus is coming at a time we do not expect. As we prepare for Christmas, we should also prepare for death. Have you read the book titled “Preparation for Death”? If not, hurry now to grab a copy before it is too late.
Any day we sleep and get up the following day, it implies that God is giving us a second chance. This must not be taken for granted. Saint Augustin says that God created us without our cooperation, but he cannot save us without our cooperation.
Indeed we shall reap what we sowed while our days last on earth (confer Galatians 6:7). A stitch in time saves nine. The regrettable cry of the damned on the Last Day shall be: “Had I known!” A certain married woman with five children was languishing in penury due to the life of debauchery her husband was living.
She was striving daily to make ends meet for herself and the children. In fact she was a widow in potency. It happened that a philanthropist was sharing palliatives for widows in the town. The distressed woman heard of it. Without a second thought she rushed to the arena and joined the queue of widows. One of the widows recognized her and asked, “Mama Precious, why are you here among us widows? Your husband is still alive.”
Tearfully the distressed woman replied, “My husband is dead.” Without wasting time, the widow rushed to the market place to alert the presumed deceased drunkard husband. She shouted, “Papa Precious, come! Your wife said you are dead and she is queuing with us widows for hunger palliatives.
He abandoned his drinks and followed her to the venue. There, he pushed his wife out of the queue and shouted, “What are you doing here among widows while I am still alive?” The wife sighed and shouted, “Papa Precious, this type of life you are living is not different from being dead!” This is real food for thought.
Some of us are biologically living but spiritually dead. Are you or I among them? All hope is not yet lost. As prodigal sons and daughters, Jesus Christ is waiting with stretched arms to welcome us back. We must return to our senses before it is too late. There is no repentance in the grave.
It is only a stupid mad man that says, “I will not say anything to the man following me behind with a knife until I lose my head.” A stubborn fly perishes with the corpse. A deaf fowl rests in the soup pot. A dog that ignores the hunter’s whistle gets lost automatically.
