Gbaara agbazinye
Day 14
NNAANYA bụ onyinye, onyinye dị ọcha sitere n’aka Chineke nke ọ dịghị onye na-akpata ya. A na-enye n'efu n'ihi na "Chineke hụrụ ụwa n'anya nke ukwuu." [1]John 3: 16 N'ime otu mkpughe ndị na-akpali akpali sitere n'aka Jizọs gaa St Faustina, Ọ na-akpọ oku:
Ka onye nmehie ghara itu egwu ibiakwute m. Ire ọkụ nke ebere na-ere M-na-achọ ka emefu… Achọrọ m ịnọgide na-awụkwasị ha na mkpụrụ obi; mkpụrụ obi anaghị achọ ikwere na ịdị mma m. -Ebere Chukwu Site na Obi M, Diary, n. Ogbe 50
Onyeozi Pọl dere na Chineke “chọrọ ka a zọpụta mmadụ nile na ka ha bịaruo ịmara nke eziokwu.” [2]1 Tim 2: 4 Ya mere enweghi mgbaghara banyere mmesapụ aka nke Chineke na oke agụụ ịhụ ka nwoke na nwanyị ọbụla na-anọnyere Ya ruo mgbe ebighị ebi. Kaosinadị, ọ dịkwa eziokwu na naanị na anyị enweghị ike ịjụ onyinye a, mana tufuo ya, ọbụlagodi mgbe "a zọpụtara" anyị.
When I was growing up, there was a heresy circulating among some of the Evangelical churches that “once saved, always saved”, that you can mgbe lose your salvation. That from the “altar call” on, you are “covered by the blood of Jesus”, no matter you do. Sadly, I still hear radio and television preachers continue to teach this error from time to time. But to be certain, it has its Catholic counterpart as well, where some clergy have taught that, because of God’s infinite mercy, ọ dịghị will end up for eternity in Hell. [3]Olu Hel bụ n'ezie
The reason that both these heresies are a dangerous and insidious lie, is that it is has the potential of stunting or even completely stalling a Christian’s growth in ido-nsọ. If I can never lose my salvation, then why bother mortifying my flesh? If I can simply ask forgiveness, why not give into this mortal sin just one more time? If I will never end up in Hell, then why bother persevering in devotion, prayer, fasting and frequenting the Sacraments when our time to “eat, drink, and be merry” here on earth is short as it is? Such lukewarm, if not cold Christians, are the Devil’s greatest strategy in the spiritual battle to claim souls as his own. For Satan does not fear the saved—he fears the ndị nsọ. Those, who with St. Paul can say, "Ana m ebi, abughi m ọzọ, kama Kraist bi n'ime m.” [4]Gal 2: 20 And according to Jesus, they are few.
Banye nke dị warara banye; n’ihi na ọnụ ụzọ ahụ sara mbara, ụzọ dịkwa mfe, nke na-eduba ná mbibi, ndị na-esikwa na ya abanye dị ọtụtụ. N’ihi na ọnụ ụzọ ahụ dị warara, okporo ụzọ ya dịkwa nkụ, nke na-eduba ná ndụ, ndị na-achọta ya dịkwa ole na ole. (Mat 7: 13-14)
This passage is typically understood as meaning that many go to Hell, and few reach Heaven. But there is another deeper meaning here to consider. And it is this: that the narrow gate to life is the gate of self-denial and renunciation of the world that leads to interior union with God. And truly, few are those who find it, few are those willing to persevere on what Jesus calls the “hard way.” Today, we call those who did “saints.” On the other hand, many are those who take the easy and lukewarm path that compromises with the world, and ultimately leads to the destruction of the fruits of the Spirit in one’s life, thereby neutering the Christian’s witness and his or her threat to the kingdom of Satan.
And so yesterday was an invitation to you and me to enter the narrow gate, to become true pilgrims who resist the easy way. The “way is hard”, but I assure you, God will make every possible grace and “spiritual blessing” [5]cf. Ndị Efesọs 1:3 available to you and me if we but ọchịchọ to take this path. And that desire opens the fifth pathway, the fifth “highway” for God to enter the soul, which is where I believe we’ll pick up tomorrow.
But I want to close today’s reflection by briefly countering this heresy that we can never lose our salvation—not to scare you; not to create fear. But to draw your attention to the spiritual battle we are in that most notably is aimed at preventing you and me from becoming ọzọ Christ in the world. It was to St. John Vianney that Satan shrieked, A sị na e nwere ndị nchụàjà dị ka gị, alaeze m ga-ala n'iyi! ” What if you and I actually enter what I will henceforth call the “Narrow Pilgrim Road”?
Okay, on to the heresy. Jesus warned that…
…the love of many will grow cold. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. (Matt 10:22)
Speaking to the Roman Christians who were saved “because of faith”, [6]Rom said St. Paul, 11:20 he reminds them to see…
…God’s kindness to you, nyere you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off. (Rom 11:22)
This echoes Jesus’s words that those branches that do not bear fruit will be “cut off” and those…
…branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:6)
To the Hebrews, Paul says:
For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Heb 3:14)
This confidence or “faith”, said St. James, is nwụrụ anwụ if it is not proven in works. [7]cf. Jemes 2:17 Indeed, at the last judgment, Jesus says that we will be judged by our works:
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs? ’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me. ’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Matt 25:44-46)
Notice that the damned called Him “Lord”. But Jesus says,
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matt 7:21)
Last, St. Paul turns to himself and says,
I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor 9:27; see also Phil 2:12, 1 Cor 10:11-12, and Gal 5:4)
That is, dear brothers and sisters, St. Paul entered the Narrow Pilgrim Gate and the way that is hard. But in this, he discovered a secret joy, “For to me life is Christ,Ọ sịrị, “and death is gain." [8]Phil 1: 21 That is, death to self.
Nchịkọta NA Akwụkwọ Nsọ
The “Narrow Pilgrim Road”, which is the path of renouncing oneself for the sake of Christ, leads to the beatitude of peace and joy and life.
Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity, without laying the foundation all over again… For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt. (Heb 6:1-6)
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