Dear friends in Christ,
                                                                                Is God Absent?
 
Jesus assures Martha in John's Gospel for this Sunday that her brother Lazarus "will rise again." Jesus says of himself: "I am the resurrection and the life, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25). The resurrection of the dead is very crucial to the Christian faith; it is no wonder the Nicene Creed we recite at masses on Sundays and Holydays of obligation highlights it. Do we believe in the resurrection of the dead?
 
Death of Lazarus, a dearly beloved friend of Jesus, rocked the world of his sisters, Mary and Martha of Bethany. The Gospel, according to John, relates the sisters' tears and grief over the painful death of their brother. Jesus himself wept when confronted with his death, displaying his humanity and indicating to us that it is human to cry when we lose a loved one. As we continued to be tried by the global coronavirus pandemic, those who have lost loved ones to the virus can connect with the sorrows of Mary and Martha. Like the sisters, they are perhaps wondering if God is absent and no longer involved in our world. The scourge of this invisible agent of death challenges all of us, we live in anxiety and uncertainty.
 
But we must pause and ponder the raising of Lazarus in today's Gospel. Jesus raised him to strengthen our faith. We must find hope and strength in our faith in the resurrection of the dead as we face the threat of death either directly or indirectly. As we think of thousands who have died in Italy, Spain, China, and even in our country, we must turn to Jesus the living Lord who, in the words of prophet Ezekiel, will open graves (Ez 37:12). St. Paul reminds us of the Spirit of God who lives in us, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11). Like Mary and Martha, we must rise and fall at the feet of Jesus, crying out prayerfully to Him, who will hear our voice (Ps.130:2 ). Jesus is not absent, even in the face of death; he is here with us. Jesus is here to raise our hope by raising Lazarus from the dead, and he assures us of his love and presence despite permitting the tragedy of the plague and death. He is not absent in our time of trials; he is very much present. Do we believe him?
 
What meaning and use are we making of this time of quarantine? What is the Lord telling us in our bible reading and prayers? God has a purpose for this period of painful isolation, what are his intentions for you and me?
 
Yours in the Living Christ,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 
 

Dear Friends in Christ,
                                                                      Are We Also Blind?
The entire chapter 9 of John's Gospel is devoted to the account of Jesus' cure of the man born blind. This singular focus of the chapter signifies the importance of the subject addressed, Christ; the divine Light overcomes the darkness of sin. The sacrament of baptism accurately embodies this act. It is for this reason that "enlightenment" is another name given to baptism in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
To see in the spiritual sense, it is Christ who will give us Light (Eph. 5:14). We need his Light now more than ever because we have a form of darkness that looms over our lives, the gloom called Covid-19. A plague that has suddenly turn our world into chaos and uncertainty. It is spreading the darkness of fear, illness, and death that is rocking every facet of life. We need Christ's Light. We need to be able to see through this darkness. We need a perception, a divine perception. Like Samuel, we tend to see with human eyes, not with divine eyes, but "Not as man sees does God sees" (1 Sam 16).
Like some of the Pharisees in today's Gospel, we ask Jesus, like the man born blind, "Are we also blind?" (Jn 9:40). Yes, we should humbly admit that we are blind, but we should also be confident to say that we have encountered Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. If we believe and follow Jesus in this time of the darkness of the unknown, we will have the Light of life.
Despite the blindness we experience now, despite the pains and sufferings that follow, the Light of faith is a source of joy. On this Sunday, traditionally called Laetare Sunday, we find a reason to rejoice because Jesus the Light will cure our blindness. Let's invite that Light in continuous prayers, fasting, and compassion for our neighbors. And let's stay safe by doing the right thing.

In Christ, the Light,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP

Dear friends in Christ,
                                                                    Living Water Sinks Deep
 
I had the privilege of a visit to Jacob's well during a pilgrimage to Israel in January 2012. It is the sight of the revered Jacob's well where Jesus engaged the Samaritan woman in a conversation as recorded in John 4, the gospel reading for this third Sunday of Lent. It did not strike me as particularly astonishing because it was similar in appearance to the water well I drew water from as a kid during visits to my grandfather's country home in Nigeria. What was amazing about the place, however, is the conversation that took place between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. To step into the same space where the grace of salvation was revealed to a wounded and wanting sinful soul is amazing.
 
Though the water well of Samaria was not that deep, the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman was very deep and sank deep into her soul. Jesus' living words are rich in symbols and convey multiple meanings that the sinful Samaritan woman took in her strides. That Jesus, a Jewish prophet, requested a drink of water from a Samaritan woman was enough reason to shock this woman, but she was willing to cooperate with the movement of grace set in motion by Jesus. In her open conversation with Jesus, he revealed that she'd been married to five different husbands, and the sixth one she currently lives with is not her husband. This revelation has deep meanings. She's been seeking satisfaction for her inner longings in the wrong places and things represented by the six different men she's had liaisons with. Six being a symbol of imperfection in the bible, she now meets the perfect seventh man in Jesus who happens to be the actual one she's been thirsting and longing for. Jesus is the symbolic and spiritual, perfect husband she needs to marry to get true and deep satisfaction her heart longs for.
 
The Samaritan woman stands for all of us the Church, the spouse of Christ. In baptism, we received Jesus into our lives through the living water of baptism. The living water of baptism, "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" sinks deep into our soul to satisfy the natural thirst for the gift of eternal life. This weekend, two elects, Chad Shank and Lizbeth Gober, preparing to receive sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation at Easter Vigil, will undergo the first of three scrutinies to help them in the process of Purification and enlightenment. Like the Samaritan woman, they are getting their lifetime soul-thirst satisfied through their living encounter with Jesus. Let us, as a community, pray that like the Samaritan woman, they will receive "a spirit of repentance, a sense of sin, and the true freedom of the children of God."
 
I am delighted to announce that Mr. Shawn Marker has generously accepted the offer to be our new Parish Youth Minister! Mr. Marker is a parishioner already working with our parish youth in the youth choir and as coordinator of Steubenville retreat. He comes with us with a deep passion for Catholic faith and enthusiasm for getting the youth "program off the ground," to use his own words. I will be working with Mr. Marker to keep the Catholic faith of our parish youth alive.
I also want to announce that I have reconstituted the Parish Finance Council. Cindy Barr, Dave Dolan, and Rebecca Beck have accepted my requests to constitute the new Parish Finance Council. We are going to work as a team to chart a healthy path for our parish finance. I am thankful for their willingness to serve our parish despite their busy schedules.
 
In Christ, the Living Water,
 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 

Dear friends in Christ,

                                                                     The Mysteries of Light

The transfiguration experience is enlightening. Latin “trans” meaning “through” or “change” can be used as a prefix before another word to create a new one. One of my favorite words created in this way is translucent (the prefix “trans”-through plus “lucere”-light) which indicates light passing through an object thereby making it clear; a word that lends meaning to the mystery of light that took place on Mount Tabor in the presence of Peter, James, and John. The divine light shines through the body of Jesus, the dazzled apostles are enlightened about the future glorious light of the resurrection that would transform the suffering that Jesus would experience; sufferings that all his followers would also experience. We need this transforming light to see through and beyond unavoidable humans sufferings as people of faith, the transfiguration offers this enlightenment.
One of the spiritual enlightenment that I have received recently is derived from my lenten commitment to daily contemplation of all the four mysteries of the rosary- the joyful, the luminous, the sorrowful and the glorious mysteries. This contemplative practice has thrown light on my path as each day unfolds with its struggles and sufferings in the light of faith.
The fourth of the mysteries of light is the transfiguration, described by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Viirginis Mariae as “The mystery of light par excellence,”  reveals to us that “The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to “listen to him” (cf. Lk 9:35 and parallels) and to prepare to experience with him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit.”
May the transfigured Christ transform our sufferings during this lent and always as I invite you to contemplate with me the mysteries of light. 

In Christ our Light,              
 ~ Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP