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St. Joseph the Worker, Weija, Weija, Accra (2026)

26/05/2026

The best way to prepare for death is to spend everyday of life as though it were the last.

(St. Philip Neri)

26/05/2026

THE REWARD OF DISCIPLESHIP

1. “Behold, we have left everything and followed you.”

•These are the words of St. Peter to Jesus in today's Gospel reading (Mark 10:28-31).

•Two key phrases in this sentence are “Left everything” and “Followed.”

2. To leave something behind is to give it up. It is to abandon the something. It is to let go. It means detachment. The Greek expression is ἀφήκαμεν (aphēkamen) which means "to let go away, to move away from or to leave behind.”

•When Jesus called the Apostles to Himself, they left everything. They took nothing with them. They left their jobs, families, possessions, etc.

•What is the point? To be with Jesus, there is something that you must detach yourself from. If you don’t move from that, you can’t be with the Lord.

•Today (26-5-2026), I put this to you: What must you let go of? What must you give up in order to be with Jesus?

3. To follow someone is to move along with the person. The person is in front, and you are behind. Wherever the person goes, you are there. The Greek expression is ἠκολουθήκαμέν (ēkolouthēkamen) which means "to go behind, to accompany or to be a disciple of.”

•Indeed, the Apostles followed Jesus. They were with the Lord from the beginning till the end. After leaving everything, they attached themselves to Jesus

•I ask: Who are you following? Is it Jesus? Is it the Devil? For how long have you been following Jesus or the Devil? What is making you follow Jesus or the Devil?

•Today, the disciples have a message for us. They tell us to follow Jesus. They tell us that it pays to be with Jesus always. They tell us not to follow Jesus today and the Devil tomorrow. They add that you can't follow both Jesus and the Devil at the same time. The choice is yours to make.

4. This statement of St. Peter is all about the reward of being a disciple. In other words, the disciple (St. Peter) wants to know the benefit of leaving everything in order to follow Jesus. You may liken this to an “employee” with an “employer.”

•Jesus, the master, answers St. Peter, the servant. The Lord tells the reward. Jesus doesn’t hide anything from the disciples. The Lord presents the reality to the disciples. Jesus tells the disciples what it means to follow Him. This response is expressed in today’s theme: THE REWARD OF DISCIPLESHIP!

•Today, this is the same response that Jesus is telling you. Nothing has changed. The answer is till the same.

5. Today's message is expressed below:

•The Lord is calling you to be His disciple.

•Like the Lord, the Devil is also calling you to be His disciple.

•You can’t be a disciple of both Jesus and the Devil at the same time.

•You would have to make a choice: to be with Jesus or to be with the Devil.

•It is not easy to be with Jesus. In fact, it is difficult.

•To be with the Devil appears rosy.

•It is good to be with Jesus than to be with the Devil.

•The reward of being a disciple of Jesus is HEAVEN.

•Hell awaits anybody who is ready to be the Devil’s disciple.

It is well....🌿

25/05/2026

On the cross, Jesus entrusted the Church to His Mother of which you are a member. Today, may the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for you. I repeat: May Mary pray for you!

25/05/2026

WE HAVE A LOVING MOTHER

1. In the early part of 2018, Pope Francis decreed that the first Monday, immediately after Pentecost Sunday, be dedicated to celebrating the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. This decree explains the reason for today's celebration.

2. You may ask: Why is Mary the Mother of the Church? How did Mary become the Mother of the Church? Did Mary establish the Church? Which Church has Mary as her mother? The Roman Catholic Church? The Anglican Church? The Methodist Church? Presbyterian Church? The Zion Church? Where is it recorded in Sacred Scripture that Mary is the Mother of the Church? What role does the Mother of the Church play for her children? What are the expectations of the Mother of the Church for her children.

3. In today's Gospel reading (John 19:25-34), Jesus says to His Mother (Mary): "Woman, behold your son (beloved disciple) and to the beloved disciple, behold your mother (Mary)."

•It is understood that the beloved disciple in this context is not an individual but a representation of all God's people, humanity, and the Church. Indirectly, Jesus simply says that Mary is not just His mother, but our mother, the Mother of the Church.

4. In Ephesians 5:23, it's observed that Christ is the head of the Church.

•Ephesians 5:30 makes it clear that we are all members of the body of Christ.

•If the head (Jesus Christ) has a mother (Mary), then by extension, Mary is not just the mother of the head (Jesus Christ), but the entire body (Church).

5. In Luke 8:21, Jesus says that being a member of His family is contingent on doing His will.

•What does this mean? If I do God's will, I become a member of the family of Jesus. Is Mary not a member of Jesus' family? She is! If Mary is the mother of this family, then I become a child of Mary with her as my mother and Jesus as my sibling.

6. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) adds to the above when it says: "The Virgin Mary is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer. She is clearly the mother of the members of Christ, since she has, by her charity, joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head. Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church (cf. CCC 963)."

7. To proclaim Mary as the Mother of the Church is not to imply that she is the foundress of the Church. No! Mary didn't establish the Church as there is no evidence in the Holy Bible, which suggests that she did. Sacred Tradition seems to be silent on this issue. In fact, Mary is a member of the Church, and at the same time, she is the Mother of the Church on account of Jesus, who is the Head of the Church.

8. Mary is not the Mother of the Church in name. No! She does more than this. She intercedes on our behalf, she prays for the Church daily, she presents our requests to Jesus, our salvation is her intention, etc. As a mother would attend to the needs of her child(ren), so does Mary relate to the Church. She is a good mother, a prayerful mother, a loving mother, a caring mother, and a mother par excellence.

9. I ask: How does Mary see her children (members of the Church)? What will be her assessment of our earthly conduct? Is the Church making Mary happy or sad? How united are we as children of Mary (members of the Church)? How supportive is the Church to her own? As children of Mary (members of the Church), what are we doing to win souls for God's kingdom? As a Church (children of Mary), what example are we setting for humanity? Is there jealousy, hatred, gossip, or envy in the Church?

•Today's celebration is a call to reflect on our lives as members of the Church (children of Mary). If our mother is holy, so must we. If our mother is loving, so must we, etc.

10. As the mother of the Church, Mary has some expectations for her children (members of the Church). Interestingly, these could be identified in her life: holiness, prayer, unity, forgiveness, faith, humility, frequent Confession, and active involvement in church activities, etc.

It is well......🌿

24/05/2026

Receive the Holy Spirit

(John 20:22)

24/05/2026

RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!

1. Today (24-5-2026) is the fourth Sunday of the month. It is also the fiftieth day after the resurrection of the Lord. In Roman Catholic worship, today is dedicated to celebrating the Solemnity of Pentecost. You may call it the descent of the Holy Spirit, the third Glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary, the fulfilment of the promise of the Father or the birthday of the Church. With today's celebration, we bring to a close the Season of Easter, and we continue the liturgical year with Ordinary Time 2.

2. You may ask these questions:

• What is Pentecost?

• Why Pentecost?

• The message of Pentecost?

3. In ancient Israel, there were three major festivals to which every Jewish male living within twenty miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to participate: Unleavened Bread, Tabernacles, and Harvest Festival.

a. UNLEAVENED BREAD

This is the most important of all Jewish festivals. It is also known as Passover. It celebrates the departure of the Jewish people from Egypt (Exodus 12-15) as well as the beginning of a new planting season.

b. TABERNACLES

This feast was celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the year. It lasted for 7 days. It recalls the work of God in the life of the Hebrews in the desert. It is also known as Sukkoth (a Hebrew word for booths or tents). In the Old Testament, God, through Moses, commanded the Hebrews to live in tents for 7 days (Leviticus 23:42), and this tradition continues to this day. The observance of this feast is recorded in Exodus 23:16, 34:22, Numbers 29:12-40, Deuteronomy 16:13-15, Ezra 3:4, and Nehemiah 8:13-18.

c. HARVEST FESTIVAL

This is also known as feast of harvest, first fruits, or feast of weeks. It is the second greatest feast of the Israelites. Traditionally, it is a joyous time of giving thanks and presenting offerings for the new grain of the summer wheat harvest. Initially, this was not part of Israel's celebration. It was only adopted after settling on the land of Canaan. Later, the Jews associated this feast with the remembrance of God’s covenants with Noah after the flood (Genesis 9:13) and with Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-6). This feast was celebrated on the 50th day after Passover. The Greek rendition of this festival (feast of harvest) is πεντηκοστη (pentekoste) which simply means fiftieth (50th). It is from this Greek word that we derive the English word Pentecost.

•In Judaism, Pentecost was initially an agricultural festival. In fact, it had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. In Christianity, this feast assumed a much bigger dimension, in that it was not just limited to agriculture, but it came to mean the fulfillment of the Father’s promise, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the descent of the third Person of the Holy Trinity.

4. The first reading (Acts 2:1-11) relates to us the first ever Pentecost experience. It tells us that what we are celebrating today isn't a figment of someone's imagination. It did happen. The Holy Spirit descended. People felt the power of the Holy Spirit. The question is: How did it happen?

a. There was a gathering in a place with all present. What does this suggest? Unity! Peter, James, Mary, etc. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of unity. He is a Spirit that binds. The Spirit is a Spirit of oneness. If this is the case, then we should be united. How united are we?

b. The people came together for prayer. We can conclude that they also had a novena. They prepared their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit.

•Let me ask: Did you make it for the novena? Why could you not make it? What is the impact of the novena on your life? How do you expect to receive the Holy Spirit without preparation?

•Pentecost Sunday is an invitation to a life of prayer. It is a call to go on your knees and pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to sanctify you. Pray for the grace of favour, the grace of peace. Again, pray for your wife, husband, child(ren), friends, etc.

c. Each person received the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is no evidence of someone who never received a gift.

•Today, this same Holy Spirit will descend upon us as He did to the people of old.

d. In today's second reading (1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13), St. Paul tells us: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone."

•I have this for you: God has given you a gift. Yes! We have different gifts as people of faith. What matters isn't your gift, but how you use it. In essence, what you have is God's gift to you. What you do with what you have is your gift to God.

•Today, Exercise your gift with love, humility, and patience. Use your gift to build the Church, nation, and family.

e. The descent of the Holy Spirit had a great impact on humanity. Right after this experience, Peter would go out to preach and win over 3000 souls for Jesus. This is the birthday of the Church.

•I ask: How many soul(s) have you led to Jesus? How many soul(s) have stopped coming to Church because of you? As a Priest, how many soul(s) have I won for the Lord? Am I bringing others to God? Am I driving people away?

•Pentecost Sunday is a call to bring the Word of God to the hearts of people. It is an invitation to a life of witnessing to Jesus. It is a call to make the Lord known to humanity. This is a beautiful gift you can give to the Church as she celebrates the anniversary of her birth. If 12 men could do this, then we, with a greater number, should do better.

f. It's unfortunate to hear some people say that there is no Spirit in the Roman Catholic Church. Sadly, some Catholics believe this. I ask: How can a 5 year old Church compete with a Church which is over 2000 years? The Spirit was in the Church, the Spirit is in the Church, and the Spirit will forever be in the Church. If the Spirit is in the Church, then it means that the Spirit is in you.

g. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness. For this reason, you can't receive that which is holy when you have that which is unholy in you. I humbly suggest that you go for Confession. Take this seriously. Go and be cleansed of sin in order to receive the Holy Spirit. The Lord is waiting for you at the confessional.

h. The message of Pentecost is summarized below:

•Be holy as the Spirit of God is holy.

•The Holy Spirit is in the Church.

•The Holy Spirit is in you.

•Activate the Holy Spirit.

•Evangelize.

•Be led by the Holy Spirit.

PLEASE NOTE:

•In the early part of 2018, Pope Francis decreed that the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae), be celebrated on the Monday immediately after Pentecost. This means that tomorrow (25th May), the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church will be celebrated in every Roman Catholic Church throughout the world. Please make it for Holy Mass.

Come Holy Spirit....🙏🏿

23/05/2026

LET US LEARN TOGETHER: THE SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST!

1.Tomorrow (24-5-2026) is the 4th Sunday of the month.

•Liturgically, it is dedicated to celebrating the Solemnity of Pentecost.

2. You may ask: What is Pentecost? Where does Pentecost come from? What is the import of Pentecost? Is this celebration in reference to the Church of Pentecost?

3. The word “Pentecost” is derived from the Greek word πεντηκοστη (pentekoste) which literally means fiftieth (50th).

•The 50th is so on account of the fact that the celebration falls exactly on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus.

4. Pentecost Sunday is the birthday of the Church. Yes! I repeat: It was on this day that the Church was ourdoored. May God bless His Church! May God strengthen His Church! May God unite the members of His Church! May God sanctify the Church!

5. Pentecost Sunday is the fulfillment of the Father’s promise. It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is the descent of the third Person of the Holy Trinity (the third glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary).

6. Pentecost Sunday isn't in reference to the Church of Pentecost. No! It's not an exclusive celebration to any pentecostal denomination.

7. Finally, this is an assignment to you: Name one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the comment section.

•Nb: With the celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost, we end the season of Easter and continue the liturgical year with the season of Ordinary Time 2.

Arise Catholic Faithful: Rejoice and Renew!

23/05/2026

IT IS BECAUSE OF JESUS

1. Today’s first reading is taken from Acts 28:16-20, 30-31. The setting of the text appears to be a prison in Rome. You may call it a place of confinement, a restricted space, a place with little or no freedom.

•If there is a prison, then there should be a prisoner. You may ask: Who is this prisoner? It is Paul! Did you hear that? I repeat: It is St. Paul!

2. You may ask again: What was Paul's offence? What did Paul do? What did Paul say? Where did Paul go? Did Paul offend the state? Did Paul engage in any abominable act? None of the above.

•Paul's incarceration was on account of the Word of God. He went through pain because of Jesus. This is the inspiration behind today's theme: IT IS BECAUSE OF JESUS.

3. This Pauline experience is indicative of the fact that there would certainly be moments of pain in your life. You can't be a Christian and not undergo persecution. If it happens to you, know that others have experienced the same situation.

4. In prison, Paul had every cause to be angry with God. He had every cause to be disappointed. In fact, he could have stopped witnessing to Jesus. He could have asked questions upon questions. He could have spoken against God's name.

•What happened? Paul managed this situation responsibly. He continued working as if nothing had taken place. For him, it was all about Jesus. Nothing could stop him except to die.

•What is the point? It's not what you go through, but your reaction towards your situation.

5. When Paul was confined, where was God? Why did the Lord not deliver Paul? Why did God allow Paul to go through this situation? What was the Lord waiting for?

•Such is life! Sometimes, the challenges of life can set you thinking. You may be asking, where is GOD? Why am I in this situation? Where did I go wrong?

•This is the message: Despite your pain, God is with you. The Lord has always been with you. Forever will He be with you. You are not alone in your condition. With the seeming "silence" of God, He is still working.

6. In prison, Paul evangelised. He spread the Word of God. He made Jesus known to others. He proclaimed the Word. This act is symbolic. It tells of Paul's commitment to evangelisation. Even if in prison he makes Jesus known, then he would have done more out of incarceration.

•Today (23-5-2026), be like Paul. Use your freedom to win souls for Jesus.

7. In prison, some people came to visit Paul. They came to interact with him. They encouraged him. They strengthened him. These people didn’t abandon Paul. You can tell the joy on Paul's face.

•What is the message? Let us lend a hand of support to those in pain. How you wish to be treated when you're in pain, do the same for others. Today, it is the other person and not you. Tomorrow, it might be you. These visitors of Paul show us the way.

8. Finally, today is the last day of this year's Pentecost novena. We have been reflecting on 9 different topics each day during this period. We have been praying the Litany to the Holy Spirit. We have been engaging in other spiritual exercises.

•I ask: How many days were you able to make for the novena? What has been the impact? Has there been an improvement in your spiritual life? Is the value still the same? How many times did you ponder over the Word of God in silence? What is the specific gift that you have been praying for? In all, which mark in terms of percentage would you give yourself? To receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I propose the following:

• Implore the Holy Spirit to sanctify you.

• Go for Confession.

• Forgive.

• Spend some time in prayer.

• keep no hurt within you.

• Read a passage of Sacred Scripture.

• Smile.

• Seek reconciliation.

Come Holy Spirit....🙏🏿

22/05/2026

Love God above all things

(St. Rita of Cascia)

22/05/2026

DO YOU LOVE JESUS?

1. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

•This is Jesus's question to Simon Peter in today's Gospel reading (John 21:1-19).

2. You may ask: Why did Jesus directly address Simon Peter? Why not James, Andrew, or John? Why this question even in the first place? What did Jesus expect to hear? What if Peter had said this to Jesus: "Lord, I don't love You."

3. Before Jesus' crucifixion, Peter had denied Jesus on three occasions. In this context, Peter failed this examination. With these questions, Peter is given another chance by Jesus to resit this same examination in order to pass. This time, it's not about verbal assurance but an authentic assurance. It is an assurance that is real and meaningful.

4. Today (22-5-2026), Jesus is putting this same question before you: “Do you love Me?"

•I ask: As a Chorister, Lector, Mass Server, Usher, Catechist, etc, do you truly love Jesus? What makes you love Jesus? As a doctor, nurse, teacher, trader, etc, do you love Jesus? Why can't you love Jesus? As a mother, father, child(ren), etc, do you love Jesus? As a country (eg., Ghana), do we love Jesus? As a Priest, do I truly love Jesus?

5. Peter's response to Jesus's question is interesting. He tells Jesus: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

•Today, what will be your response to this same question? Can you confidently tell Jesus that you love Him?

6. Jesus tells Peter: "Feed my lambs, tend my sheep and feed my sheep."

A bit of Greek will help us to understand what is happening.

•The Greek for feed is βόσκε (boske) which means "to take care of, to herd or to look after.”

•The Greek for tend is ποίμαινε (poimaine) which means "to guide, to shepherd, to help, to herd or to take care of.”

Clearly, Jesus tells Peter of his role as a leader. He is to nourish. Simon Peter is to guide. He is to strengthen. Simon is to secure. He is to take care. Peter is to look after. He is to be watchful.

•I ask: As a parent, how are you tending your child(ren)? As a doctor or nurse, how are you attending to the patient(s) in your care? As a teacher, how are you "feeding" your students? As a Priest, how am I taking care of God's flock?

7. Finally, Jesus talks about the death of Simon Peter. The Lord calls it the glory of God. Peter's death is on account of the Gospel. In the end, the Lord glorifies Peter.

•At the moment of your death, may God remember you! May God glorify you in heaven! Like Peter, may God grant you the grace to defend the faith at all times!

Come Holy Spirit....🙏🏿

21/05/2026

For the gift of unity: Lord, hear our prayer!

(John 17:21)

St. Joseph the Worker, Weija

26/05/2026

26/05/2026

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25/05/2026

24/05/2026

24/05/2026

23/05/2026

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