Tag: #Felix Ekpe

Today’s Gospel presents the story of Jesus’ victory over sin and temptation in Gospel according to Matthew. The first reading presents the fall of our first parents in the Book of Genesis.

The victory of Jesus is our victory. In Him, we find strength to overcome. The fall of Adam and Eve teaches us how temptation works, the victory of Jesus teaches us how to conquer it.

Likewise, Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and enjoyed His presence, yet they were targeted. Spiritual elevation often attracts spiritual opposition.

Loneliness and Idleness: Temptation often comes in moments of isolation or spiritual carelessness. Adam drifted from God’s instruction. In the Second Book of Samuel, David fell into sin during a time of idleness. When we distance ourselves from God’s presence, we create room for temptation.

Negative Company. Eve entered into conversation with the serpent, a company God never assigned to her. Wrong company can distort our thinking, normalize sin, lead us away from God.

Negative Discussion. Temptation often begins with dialogue. The serpent engaged Eve in subtle conversation. The devil does not force sin immediately, he discusses it first.

Deception Through Half-Truth “You shall not surely die.” The devil rarely presents total lies. He mixes truth with deception. He hides consequences and exaggerates pleasure. Today, sin is often rebranded: Prostitution becomes “hookup”, Immorality becomes “modern lifestyle” Pride becomes “self-expression” and Half-truths make sin look harmless.

Seduction: Sin appeals to the eyes, the flesh and pride. Eve saw that the fruit was pleasing. Temptation often looks attractive before it becomes destructive. As warned in First Epistle of John, Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, remains the devil’s tools.

Consent to Sin: Temptation is not sin until we agree to it. The decisive moment is consent.
Degeneration: Sin spreads. Eve ate and gave to Adam. Sin is contagious.

Guilt and Shame: After sin comes shame. Instead of running to God, Adam and Eve hid. But this season calls us not to hide, but to seek mercy.

Jesus’ Approach: Counter, Attack, Victory. Unlike Adam, Jesus resisted. When tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus responded with Scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” When tempted with pride, He refused to test God. When tempted with power and glory, He rejected worship of the devil.

Jesus teaches us: Do not dialogue with temptation. Confront it with the Word. Stand firm. Even when the devil quoted Scripture, Jesus answered correctly. The devil knows the Bible, but he misuses it.

The lessons from the temptation teaches us that: No One Is Above Temptation. If Jesus was tempted, no one is exempt.
Temptation Often Comes at Great Heights
Both Adam (in paradise) and Jesus (after fasting and divine affirmation) were tempted. The Book of Sirach teaches that, when you decide to serve the Lord, prepare for trials. No Place Is Free From Temptation, Garden, Wilderness, High mountain. Location does not remove temptation.

Temptation Is Gradual: It does not happen suddenly. It follows a sequence: suggestion, delight, consent, sin, shame. Be watchful.

The Devil Is Persistent. He left Jesus “for a time.” Temptation may return in different forms. The weapons against the Devil – Prayer, Fasting, The Word of God, Confession, Perseverance.

Victory is possible. If Jesus overcame after forty days of fasting, we too can overcome by grace.

The fall of Adam brought shame. The victory of Jesus brings restoration.
Today, Jesus wants us not hide like Adam, but to run to God. I pray for you: When the devil comes looking for you, may he not find weakness, but find you soaked in prayer, strengthened by fasting, armed with the Word, and covered by grace.

In Jesus, the victory is already won.

Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Felix Ekpe, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

By Elijah Ugani 

Vocation is what God has entrusted to you. The Christian vocation God has entrusted to us is to be salt and light, to add value wherever we find ourselves. Salt gives taste. Light gives direction. Wherever a Christian is found, life should become sweeter and brighter.

The Call to Add Value
From the prophecy of Isaiah, we hear God’s call clearly: “Share your bread with the hungry… then your light shall break forth like the dawn. Your righteousness shall go before you; when you call, the Lord will answer.”

Our vocation is to add value, to make life better for others. This is what it means to be sweet.

Imagine a newly married couple. The wife cooks a meal, but there is no salt in the food. The food may look good, but it will not be sweet. In the same way, when our lives lack value, our presence becomes tasteless. Being sweet in Marriage.

Wherever you are, let your life be sweet. If you are a husband, be a sweet and intentional husband. A tasteless husband runs away from responsibility. He is always absent, physically or emotionally. Be a sweet wife. A tasteless wife is one who nags endlessly. When a wife is constantly quarrelling, the husband will avoid home and only return when she has gone to bed. A sweet wife knows when to keep quiet and when to speak, waiting until emotions have settled so peace can return.

Men, sometimes, are like babies. When you pamper a man, he opens his heart. When you respect him, he becomes generous with love and care. Not every woman a man raises his hand against, the value you bring influences how you are treated. Be a sweet wife so your husband will be happy to come home and relax. When there are issues, discuss them together in love. A tasteless husband allows outsiders to define his family.

Be a sweet husband. When you are sweet, your light will shine. Let Your Light Shine Everywhere Jesus said, “Let your light shine.” That includes the house of God. When you come to church and you want to dance, dance well. Some people come to the house of God without adding value. To be sweet in God’s house, you must contribute, through worship, service, and attitude.

Remember your position, you are a child of God. When you enter the house of God, leave pride and worldly titles outside. Until you appreciate yourself and what God has placed inside you, others will not appreciate you.

Take your place in your Father’s house. Add value to yourself, and people will value you. The vocation God has given you must be seen in your conduct. If no one sees what you are doing, how will they know your light is shining?

You were created to shine, so shine, and shine again. Do not neglect yourself. Let your life shine. Some husbands are ashamed to hold their wives’ hands in public. When last did you joke with your wife? When you tell her, “I am lucky to have married you,” she will laugh like a child.

Valentine is coming, love is not only about buying boxers for men. Buy something meaningful. Be intentional. There was a couple who were quarreling. Their daughter joined in and supported her mother against the father. The mother slapped the child. Why? Because marriage issues must be handled wisely, with maturity and respect.

Make your marriage sweet. Be intentional about your vocation. Add value wherever God has placed you, and you will be happy, fulfilled, and shining as salt and light.

Being a Homily delivered during the 9:00am (Second Mass) at Holy Trinity Parish, Ogboja Ogoja, by the Parish Priest, Very Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe

First Sunday of Advent.

Advent begins with a horizon of hope. Adventus in Latin means “arrival” or “coming”. The coming of the One whose arrival changes everything.

Advent reminds us that God draws near to humanity. It is a season that invites us to move forward spiritually, to awaken, and to prepare.
The season of Advent comes with many signs. The priest wearing purple symbolizes penance and purification a sign of metanoia, a true change of heart. This is why we are called in this season to prepare our hearts.

St. Paul gives us three key attitudes for Advent:
Cast away the pains and burdens of our hearts.
Reject the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Live with discipline, avoiding drunkenness and every excess.

There are some people who work from January to November, many squander everything in December. Advent calls us to a different path, a path of discipline, reflection, and spiritual renewal.

The best preparation for the coming of Christ is the preparation of the soul. Advent is a new beginning. A time to start over. A time to put off anything that makes us spiritually old, jealousy, hatred, resentment, and bitterness.

It is a time to put God first in all we do, so that even those who do not know God may see Him reflected in our lives.
Advent is a call to watch and pray, to recognize the challenges of our time. Psalm 141:1–4 reminds us to guard our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions.

We are called to discipline ourselves, to resist the enemy, and to nurture a prayerful life. How else can Christians return to God if not through prayer?

As we begin a new liturgical year, let everything about us be made new. Let us begin again, a life that reflects Christ, a life that speaks of Christ. Carry others in your heart with love, even when they go about their lives unaware.
Let go, reconcile, and seek peace. When we pursue God above all things, the outcome is peace, peace that only the Lord can give. But when we pursue the things of this world, we remain restless until we possess them, and even then, they do not satisfy us, we year more for the latest version.

At Christmas, we celebrate the God who came for His people. As we seek forgiveness for our sins, we are called to become agents of forgiveness ourselves.
We pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” and we must live that prayer.

Let us not deceive ourselves by merely putting up lights or outward decorations, let us instead embrace the virtues of Christ, mercy, forgiveness, humility, and love.

I wish you peace, and may that peace, which comes only from the Lord, fill your hearts this Advent season