Author: frbonnie
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LIFE WITHOUT ASCENSION IS A DISASTER!
Reflection for Ascension Thursday (Sunday) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Did you know that if Jesus did not physically ascend to heaven after the resurrection, he would still be alive and moving around the earth for these past two thousand years? Jesus died once and is never to die again (Romans 6:10). In the […]
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THE EXCELLENT TEACHER!
Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C) Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Some teachers are unforgettable because of the values and virtues they carry and communicate. If you take a little time to scan through your school days, you may recall some teachers who greatly impacted your life. Some could have been […]
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SOMETHING NEW IN OUR LIVES!
Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Easter Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “new” attached to any subject? I bet that it evokes the feeling of something better and more desirable. No wonder it excels as a bargaining principle in various areas of life, […]
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THE MOTHER WHO IS NOT REMEMBERED ON MOTHER’S DAY
During my Mother’s Day reflection on Sunday, I asked the people if anyone could recall the origin of the Mother’s Day celebration. There was a long silence as nobody had ideas. The importance of a historical perspective to anything we celebrate, including Mother’s Day, does not need much emphasis. So, what is the history behind […]
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THE BENEFITS OF THE GOOD SHEEP MENTALITY
Reflection for the Fourth Sunday Easter (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Once upon a time, a wise man was asked by the kingmakers in his kingdom to become the new king after the death of their king. To the amazement of all, he turned down the offer. When he was asked why […]
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WITHOUT LOVE YOU LABOR LONG FOR NOTHING
REFLECTION FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. The greatest need ever is love because it is the bedrock of every good thing`. Did you know that it is easier to say, “I love you” than to answer the question, “do you love me?” The question seems to point to […]
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DO WE NEED DIVINE MERCY?
Reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. One interesting discovery in our ecosystem is that each organism can only survive at certain places and under certain conditions. For example, a lion cannot live in water as powerful as it is. Furthermore, the largest creature on earth, the blue whale, can only […]
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A LETTER TO THE VICTORIOUS AND RISEN LORD
Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Dearest gracious and risen Lord, Welcome back! It is barely three days now, and it seems you were long gone. The glory of your rising from the dead replaces the agony of the cross. The Easter joy diminishes the pain of Good Friday. Precious Lord, your last words on […]
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A LETTER TO THE PASSIONATE AND DYING CHRIST
Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Dearest passionate and loving Lord, This is my first ever published letter to you. I am excited to do this, and I promise that it will not be the last in this communication capacity. Pardon me in advance; I will be asking you questions. I may get emotional […]
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STONING THE SIN AND SAVING THE SINNER!
Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Lent (Year C) Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. There is no dispute that we all are sinners without exception. For instance, the two Psalms of David (14:2-3; 53:2-3) tell us that God looked from heaven on the children of men to see if anyone understands. The Psalms further […]
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THE JOY OF RECONCILIATION
Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Lent (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. People often wonder why God usually allows the wicked to flourish and excel while the righteous suffer and even die! The prophecy of Ezekiel answers this puzzle where God asks, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of […]
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BURNING AND BEARING FRUITS FOR THE LORD
Are you fruitful or barren like that one tree that was singled out in the entire orchard be cut down? Like the gardener begged for an additional year, the Lord is giving us this Lenten season as a grace period to become fruitful. In the Gospel of John (15:16), Jesus says, “you did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruits; fruits that that will last.”
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THE LENTEN SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
The morale of the transfiguration narrative is that we should keep praying until we are transformed from every disfiguration and distortion. Praying is not reducible to obtaining material favors but that significant change that can open the heavens for us to receive the divine confirmation of our place in the heart of God our Father.
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HOW TO OVERCOME THE TEMPTER
Reflection for the First Sunday of Lent Rev. Fr. Bonnie Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Temptation refers to the allurement or enticement to do something that falls outside the scope of right conduct or moral expectations. From the spiritual perspective, temptation is an occasion that precedes a sinful act or omission. One of the truths that […]
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TRAIN YOUR WORDS, WIN YOUR WORLD
Nobody has a bad mouth; the problem is the heart. Essentially, words are cooked in the heart, the seat of all good and evil. Therefore, we must refine our hearts so that the words that proceed from them become dependable memories that will uplift people!
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HOW TO OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD
Reflection for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Imagine if God would need to hit us physically with something each time we sin! Evidently, there would be more people with broken bones and maimed bodies in the world than those who are whole. The Psalmist puts […]
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OBTAINING THE KEYS TO BLESSEDNESS
Reflection for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D. Once upon a time, a king promised that he would give a bag of gold to the most diligent person in the kingdom. He said he would watch people conduct their daily activities to identify the most diligent […]
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NOTHING CHANGES UNTIL GOD SHOWS UP: THE MIRACLE OF DIVINE TRANSFORMATION! Reflection for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D.
Nothing changes until God shows up, but we need to be responsive to God’s presence. Sometimes, our willingness to respond to God could be limited by some “king Uzziahs” in our life. Like Isaiah. King Uzziah stands for any and all manners of limitations in our lives that impede our access to God. Notice that it was the year King Uzziah died that Isaiah had his encounter!
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THE IMPLICATIONS OF REJECTING LOVE 4TH Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D.
There are many stories about tragic rejection, especially in marriages. One of the ugly ones was a true-life story about a lady who walked away on her wedding day. In short, she didn’t show up at all, and all the efforts to reach her failed. As a result, the groom who courted her for over […]
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THE UNTAPPED POWER OF UNITY Reflection for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Rev. Fr. Boniface Nkem Anusiem Ph.D.
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-200) was the first African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950. Among her numerous writings, she made this instructive comment on the concept of unity, “we are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” What Gwendolyn was saying is that we […]