Greetings from Owerri Nigeria! In bodily form, I am more than seven thousand miles away from you. But because He lives, I am present with you in the spirit of Christ. A host of my family members, nieces, and nephews, friends, and neighbors are sending their love and regards to you dear St. Jerome.

We are all blessed in Christ who pitched his tent with us. He has accompanied us and walked with us through the valleys of the pandemic years and the wintry storms. The Christmas event makes him an unchangeable companion through the lofty and rugged roads of life. Regardless of the many challenges in life, Jesus Christ remains a formidable force that we can depend on always.

As blessed children of grace, let us make our journey over this year confidently and resolutely because we aren’t alone anymore. Therefore, arise, Jesus is Lord. Sink your root deeply in him and let him nurture you. We can do this by letting the gospel, the Church, the sacraments become the fundamental part of our daily life nourishments.  You will find increasingly within yourself an invigorated man, an invigorated woman, undeterred for the mission of Jesus Christ the Lord.   

Let’s keep in mind, this new and invigorated life in Christ should not be born out of notional assent with the gospel but from utter surrender to it as LIFE-GIVING WORDS; a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path. It is like when Mary and Joseph said “yes” to God, they were not merely conceding to God’s authority and command. They were submitting to a solemn mystery that will dramatically rearrange the contours of their life. As it was described, they did not see all the implications of their surrender to God’s will. Yet they submitted and walked faithfully.

In this regard, I see that it is necessary for us to enter the year 2022 with a clear reminder of the Christmas message which beckons on us to welcome and turn to the incarnate Son of God, Christ the Lord. He is the hand of mercy that God extends to broken humanity to draw us out of the mud of sin and to set us firmly on the boat of righteousness.   

As invigorated men and women of St. Jerome church, let the good news of GOD IS WITH US resonate in our hearts and fill us with such excitement and passionate joy to replicate the Christ to the world in which we live now. Let people experience his loving presence in and through us. So, in the words of St. Paul, I enjoin you, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things” (Ph 4:8), in this year and always, Amen!
May the year 2022 provoke for us all a life-changing encounter with Christ the Lord! I long to see y’all soon! Happy New Year!

Rev. James Ekeocha