7TH PRIESTLY ANIVERSARY OF FR CHINEDU

REV FR RICHMOND CHINEDU IBENEZI @ 7^TH PRIESTLY ORDINATION ANNIVERSRY TODAY MONDAY, 16^TH JULY 2012

A joy that knows no bound envelops Rev Fr Chinedu IBEZIE’s heart, today Monday 16^th July 2012 feast of Our lady of Mount Carmel. It was on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Saturday 16^th July 2005, that you answered Ego me mitte Domine – I am here send me Lord Isa.6:8. Today Monday 16^th July 2012, you are joyful singing with the Psalmist: What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will offer a chalice of salvation to the Lord as a form of thanksgiving. In the assembly of all his people I will give him what I have promised…I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you. In the assembly of all your Temple in Jerusalem, I will give what you I have promised Ps.116:12-14, 17-19. From the 15^th Week of Ordinary Time Monday Psalter Week Three of Office of the Reading, the First reading from 1Kg.18:16-40, exactlty at the Mount Carmel of Holy Land, we behold God that answers with fire. He answered Elijah against the prophets of Baal and of the goddess Asherah. Having prepared the Altar of the Lord Elijah ordered the people to pour water 3 times, Do it the third times 1Kg.18:34. At this sight, the beauty of Mount Carmel was seen as Elijah defended the Purity of Israel’s faith, before the Living God who answers with a consuming fire that sanctifies and purifies. This calls to mind the nature of God whose Son Christ Jesus is the Eternal and high Priesthood with a Divine Completeness or perfection. This is exactly what the number 7 signifies: Completion or Perfection, as seen in Gen.7:2 – 4 and Apoc.1:20. It is called God's number, as Only HIM is the Perfect One and Complete. Ipso fact, seven implies Resurrection and Spiritual Completeness or Perfection, as you, REV FR RICHMOND CHINEDU IBENEZI have been celebrating this Resurrection or Spiritual Perfection for seven years once you mount the Altar of Sacrifice. As you are seven years in the priesthood be assured that your sacrifices will ever be blessed by God. Remember always the promises you made on that day of ordination before the people of God, Meditate over the profound gesture of your prostration during the Litany of the Saints, By that act you professed your nothingness before God. Let those noble exhortations by Church through your Bishop continue to re-echo in your mind and heart always. Being in a foreign land for mission demands a lot. BE always a good ambassador of Christ and to your beloved NNEWI DIOCESE, in the CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SENEGALIA-ITALIA as you pastor the faithful people of God in PARROCHIA SANTA MARIA CASTAGNOLA CHIARAVALLE. From the meaning of your name RICHMOND (meaning POWERFUL PROTECTOR of German origin & FRUITFUL HILL from French origin), you are really a gift to the Church, This gift is special because you share in the extraordinary nature of God as an ALTER CHRISTI and IN PERSONA CHRISTI, you forgive the sins of the people of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, being IPSE CHRISTI. In so doing, you powerfully protect them from the snares of the devil thereby producing much fruit in them through the gift of Holy Spirit. By this act you show people the meaning of your Igbo name CHINEDUM (GOD IS GUIDING or LEADING ME). Therefore, I urge you and congratulate you for your 7^th priestly ordination anniversary to remember that: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Ps.110:4; Heb.5:6. Ipso act, the life of testimony and witness which ought to be preached and lived as a priest ought to be characterized in your sincere life With Christ (sacrifice), For Christ (obedience) and In Christ (holiness of life). Congratulations, augurione

From, REV FR PAUL IKECHUKWU OGUJIOFFOR (OKIGWE DIOCESE)