Wednesday, October 14, 2009

A DAY IN THE SEMINARY

A DAY IN THE SEMINARY
INTRODUCTION
Formation of priest in present day circumstances is challenging hence a day in the seminary will unravel what is being done to meet these challenges. This paper would disabuse the minds of people with the popular conception that the seminary is only a place where we go to read the bible. It will also bring to the fore a day in the life of the seminarian in the Seminary under the following headings: prayer, work, lectures and games.
PRAYER
To begin with, St. John Mary Vianney whose memorial we celebrate on the 4th of August every year once said that “My children, your hearts are small. But prayer will enlarge them and render them capable of Loving God. This profound statement of St. John Vianney sums up the prayer life of the seminarian on campus. Morning, afternoon, evening and night, the seminarian is challenged to pray; to sanctify almost every hour of the day. At 5:30am, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the Chapel where every Seminarian is encouraged to go and commune with the Lord for 30 minutes after which we all gather as a community to prayer at 6: 00am during which we ask the Lord to open our lips which literally close the previous night at 11pm. After our morning prayer, a 30 minute of meditation is observed by all to enable each seminarian as it were digest what we have the Psalms we have prayed that morning. The Church believes in silent prayer because it avails much and it exposes our wretchedness to us. That is why I could not agree more with Blaise Paschal when he says ‘ knowing God without knowing your wretchedness leads to pride; knowing God without your wretchedness leads to despair; knowing Jesus bridges the gap between knowing God and your own wretchedness. Silence brings us face to face with our own wretchedness and nakedness and above all makes us dependent on God totally. At 1: 40pm, Seminarians gather again in the Chapel for afternoon prayer. Furthermore, at 5: 30pm, we gather again for evening prayer (Vespers). After prayer, we gather again for spiritual conference or Spiritual reading (Lectio Divina). At night, that is after the seminarian has finished his activities for the day, he is encouraged to pray the night prayer to end the hustling and bustling of the day followed by the grace silence which will carry him through the night till the following day. As you can see, right from the word go, the Seminarian is encouraged to love prayer and so seek closer union with Christ.
WORK
There is dignity in labour as goes the popular dictum. Work is one of the most cherished moments in our formation. It is believed that work itself is prayer as expressed in the saying “laborare et orare (to work is to pray).” Work is part of our human nature because God who created us in His own image and likeness is a homophaber (a worker). The sociologist will say that man is the product of his work. Thus right from the Seminary, one’s attitude towards work is realized. The Seminarian is encouraged to work to the best of his capabilities. Various departments have been created not only to assist the Seminarian to develop and exhibit his talents but also it creates room for others to learn new things. Departments like carpentry, masonry, painting, electrical, plumbing, interior decoration, and so on. Aside these departments, every Seminarian are expected to weed the compound when the need arises. Thus Mondays and Fridays are days earmarked for general work where every seminarian is expected to join the whole school to work. Wednesdays and Saturdays are days when everybody who belongs to a particular department is required to join that department for work (Special work).
GAMES
A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Once again, every seminarian is encouraged to go for games. Activities such as football, volley ball, basket ball, lawn tennis, jogging, and the likes are undertaken every Tuesdays, and Saturdays at 3:30pm.
INTELECTUAL FORMATION
Lectures begin from 8: 00 and ends at 1:35pm everyday.
Comparing a day in the seminary to a day in a University of which I was a product, I can say without mincing words that a day in the Seminary is really packed; it is demanding. Unlike in the University where after lectures one is free, a day in the Seminary is packed to the extent that time is a scarce commodity like water in the desert. The Seminarian is of course being formed to take care of souls and his formation cannot but be holistic.
Formation in the seminary is supposed to make the Seminarian purpose oriented. To be purpose oriented is to discover that purposes do not come out of the blue. They reflect the voice of God in the inner spirit; they spring from a host of past experiences. This is what the Seminarian is formed to be. Every body can be great because every body can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You do not have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You do not have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in Physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace; a soul guaranteed by love. Prayer, work, games and academic work are all geared towards making the seminarian a man whose heart is full of love and service.
CONCLUSION
A day in the Seminary is interesting and challenging. It is indeed a daunty task to accomplish. However, it is worthwhile taking cognizance of the Herculean task that lies ahead of him.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

SEEKING TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS

SEEKING TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For no human being will be justified in His sight by deeds prescribed by Law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
“Yet whatever gains I had these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith…” (cf. Philippians 3: 7-9).Paul sees all that he had attained before encountering Christ as a liability. Paul says that they are a liability because of his encounter with Christ who has made it possible.
St. Paul in his bid to defend the faith of his ancestors or Orthodoxy of his faith was blinded of the human situation. He was so convinced about his faith that he will kill to preserve the faith of his ancestors and will not feel remorse about it. It was only after he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus that he now felt that obedient to the laws alone was not enough. Better still, it blinds but faith in Jesus alone was the surest way to righteousness. Hence his statement in Philippians 3:7-14.
Seeking true righteousness will take away our boast, our pride, and our envy because we come to discover that we are what we are because of the grace of God. Seeking true righteousness does not mean that we throw away the law (cf Roman 3:3). In fact, it enables us to uphold the law. It aids us to give a “human face” to the law because no one is righteousness before God. We can talk about Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Mary, to mention but few.
Furthermore, seeking true righteousness means that we must allow ourselves to be disillusioned about our false conception of who God is. Anyone who thinks that by paying tithes, praying always, and fasting, obeying Church laws to the letter is a righteous person is living in a world of illusion and this false righteousness must be disillusioned. True righteousness comes through faith in Jesus alone though the above obligations are a part. They are not ends in themselves but a means to an end. “He who comes to Him must believe that He exists and He rewards all who diligently seek him” (Hebrew 11:6). The parable of the Merciful Father (Luke 15:11- 32) is my point of departure. The parable of the Merciful Father is a practical example of seeking true righteousness. Specifically the attitude of the Elder brother leaves much to be desired. His righteousness is self- imposed. He thought that by just obeying his father to the letter was to bring him the joy of the Kingdom.
“Then he became angry and refused to go in… v. 28.
Why did he become angry? Two things come to mind namely: he became envious of his younger brother and that he had been working hard for his father and he deserve what perhaps his younger brother is enjoying and even better. Like him you will also be angry too were you to find yourself in that situation. Some of us have been baptized as infants in the Church and have spent all our lives working for the growth of the Church namely paying Church dues and Tithes, cleaning the Church, to mention but few. But when our friends whom perhaps we began life with backslides and he or she comes back and he or she is given attention we are worried and instead of being happy, we become angry and envious. Have we not sought our own righteousness and relegated the righteousness which comes through faith in Jesus to the background?
“His father came out and began to plead with him” v. 28
His father’s plea was to calm his justified anger. Unfortunately his anger blinded him so much so that he did not realize that everything in his father’s house belongs to him. Indeed, he lost everything. In our anger, let us be careful because, we will lose everything, we will lose our son ship in God’s kingdom. The elder son thought that obeying his father and working for him as a slave meant righteousness. Indeed, he complained that his father never appreciated his hard work let alone organize a feast in his honour. But unlike the younger son, he did not ask his father for anything. Sometimes in our self- righteousness, we think that God knows everything we need and so we do not ask. Indeed, he knows everything but we must ask. When those who in our own estimation do not deserve God’s favour are favored because they asked, we became angry like the Elder brother.
“But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes; you killed a fatted calf for him… v. 30”
The elder brother is not aware that his brother is a changed person; a transformed man. He is still living in his past; he is holy than thou. His vision has been clouded and obscured by his self- righteousness. Thus instead of rejoicing in his brother’s conversion, he is angry; he is sad and will not even listen to his father’s plea “… Son you are always with me and all that I have is yours, but we must celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life he was lost and has been found (v.31-32).” The impudence with which he says to his father “…When this son of yours came back after devouring your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him (v.30) must be condemned. Indeed, his younger brother was a son of his father that is why he is pleased to have him back safe and sound. Our return to God is not to be determined by our past life. Jesus wants to accept us for who we are. Indeed, if angels in heaven will rejoice over one repentant sinner than ninety-nine righteous people who are you, an individual, to be angry about the conversion of someone? If you do that you will lose everything including your years of faithfulness to the Lord. I believe that the Elder brother was overwhelmed by the fact that his father received is wayward brother back with such alacrity. Indeed, in the acts of love, words are lost.
It must be emphasized that by his choice of words, the elder brother lost three things:
• He became an enemy to his brother.
• He lost friendship with his own brother.
• He lost his share of the estate
Knowing God without knowing our wretchedness leads to pride so says Blaise Pascal. This is what happens to most of us. God continues to plead with us to make a return to him but we have allowed jealousy to cloud this beatific vision. What then becomes of the elder brother in the parable? In comparison to his younger brother, who is better placed? Where do you place yourself? Are you broken? The Lord is calling and waiting for you. He is calling tenderly (song).

VOCATION: A CALL TO SERVICE

Formation of Priests in present day circumstances is very challenging. This is because our families which are supposed to be places where vocations are nurtured are experiencing broken marriages. That is why we could not agree more with Pope John Paul II of blessed memory in his message ( Faith in the Divine Initiative, the human response Matthew 9:38)on vocations that “The Church’ first duty is to keep alive in families and in parishes, in movements (COSRA, CYO, CATHSU, CHARISMATIC RENEWAL, ST THERESA OF THE CHILD JESUS, CHRISTIAN MOTHERS ASSOCIATION, SACRED HEART CONFRATERNITY, ST ANTHONY’S GUILD, LEGION OF MARY ETC), … and all sectors of Diocesan life this appeal to the divine initiative with unceasing prayer. We must pray that the whole Christian people grow in its trust in God, convinced that the Lord of the harvest does not cease to ask some to place their entire existence freely at his service so as to work with them more closely in the mission of salvation .”
We are here, therefore, first of all, to remind you, our Lay Faithful, on the need to renew your efforts in praying for the increase in vocations to the Priesthood and the Religious Life. It is a divine imperative that demands a corresponding swift response, for the moment you stop praying, vocations will cease. If you doubt what we are saying “… think of the places where people anxiously await a priest and over the years of waiting have never ceased to hope for one. Sometimes they meet in an abandoned shrine …they recite all the prayers of the Mass until they come to the words of the consecration. Then a deep silence falls upon them, a silence sometimes broken by a sob … so ardently do they long to hear the words that only a priest can speak effectively. They long for Holy Communion for which they depend on the ministry of a priest, just as they also long to hear the words of pardon … how deeply do they feel the lack of a priest …” ( Pope John Paul II, Letter to Priests, 6th April, 1979).
Secondly, since prayer alone will not increase vocations, we have decided to meet the youth of this parish after Mass in order to interact with them and to encourage them to embrace this challenge.
We are also here to ask you to kindly support our annual general meeting which affords us the opportunity to gather as brothers to fellowship, to take stock of our lives and to encourage one another. This year’s General Meeting will take place on the 20th -22nd August, 2009 at the Catholic Youth Formation Centre, Lashibi.
We will like to use this opportunity to thank all of you for your unrelenting support for our formation. Be assured of our continuous prayerful support. It is said that those who pave the way for the great, pave the way for their own greatness. God richly bless you.