Osimiri nke Ndụ

UGBU A OKWU NA MASS NA-agụ akwụkwọ
nke Eprel 1, 2014
Tuesday nke Izu nke Anọ nke Oge Lenti

Foto Elia Locardi sere

I na onye na-ekweghị na Chineke na-arụrịta ụka n'oge na-adịbeghị anya (ọ mechara hapụ ya). Na mbido mkparịta ụka anyị, akọwara m ya na okwukwe m na Jizọs Kraịst enweghị ihe jikọrọ ya na ọrụ ebube doro anya nke ọgwụgwọ ọrịa, ngosipụta, na ndị nsọ a na-apụghị imerụ emerụ, na ihe ndị ọzọ iji mezuo na m mara Jisos (dika O kpugheere Onwe Ya nye m). Mana o kwusiri ike na nke a ezughi oke, na enweghị m ezi uche, bụrụ onye akụkọ ifo, nke Chọọchị nna ochie na-emegbu emegbu oppressed ị maara, onye diatribe na-emebu. Ọ chọrọ ka m mụta nwa Chineke na efere petri, nke ọma, echeghị m na Ọ ruru ya.

Mgbe m na-aguta ihe o kwuru, odi ka o na acho igwa nwoke nke ga esi mmiri ozuzo puta na mmiri adighi ya. Na mmiri m na-ekwu maka ebe a bụ nke Osimiri nke Ndụ.

Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’ He said this in reference to the Spirit… (Jn 7:38-39)

This is the definitive proof of Jesus Christ for the believer. It is the proof that moved thousands to willingly give up their lives for Him in the first century alone. It is the proof that led countless others to leave everything and proclaim Him to the ends of the earth. It is the proof that has led scientists, physicists, mathematicians, and some of the greatest intellects in history to bend their knee at the name of Jesus. Because rivers of living water were flowing in their souls.

Now the unspiritual person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is discerned spiritually. (1 Cor 2:14)

The great fountainhead of this River, the wellspring of delight, is from the pierced side of Christ, prefigured in the vision of the temple:

…the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the right side of the temple… (First reading)

It is a river that was unleashed at the foot of the Cross when a soldier pierced His side, and blood and water gushed forth. ^[1]cf. Jn 19: 34 This mighty River was not the end, but the beginning of the life of the Church, the “city of God.”

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. (Today’s Psalm)

This River is real and life-giving in the Christian, because he who has opened his heart to it can “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” in the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. (Gal 5:22-23)

And as we witness in the Gospel today, “their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.” Today, many in the world have turned to science alone as the solution to all man’s problems, just as people in Christ’s day turned to the pool of Bethesda, which at most, could heal the body, but not the soul.

Ndị gbasoro usoro ọgụgụ isi nke oge a nke [Francis Bacon] kpaliri ezighị ezi kwere na a ga-agbapụta mmadụ site na sayensị. Dị atụmanya dị otú ahụ na-ajụ ọtụtụ sayensị; kinddị olileanya a dị aghụghọ. Sayensị nwere ike inye aka dị ukwuu n’ime ka ụwa na ụmụ mmadụ bụrụ mmadụ. N'agbanyeghị nke ahụ, ọ pụkwara ibibi ụmụ mmadụ na ụwa belụsọ ma ọ bụrụ na ndị na-abụghị ya na-eduzi ya. —BENEDICT XVI, Akwụkwọ Ozi Encyclopedia, Kwuo Salvi, n. Ogbe 25

The River of Life does not destroy, but heal. Hence Jesus says to the formerly lame man: “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” That is to say, the real healing Jesus came to bring is of the heart, and once healed…

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard… (Acts 4:20)

Indeed, the purest joy lies in the relationship with Christ, encountered, followed, known, and loved, thanks to the constant effort of mind and heart. To be a disciple of Christ: for a Christian this suffices. —BENEDICT XVI, Angelus Address, January 15th, 2006