Tag: #Alongsideoneanother

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#SV – Tough Yoke

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke

It is really not easy to follow Jesus no matter how beautiful his words sound. Following Jesus reverses the trend and expectations of the world. It puts one in the position of vulnerability and recaliberates that vulnerability as true power. I doubt if the world honors that option. It is even hard for most Christians to honor this option. It is a yoke to difficult to accept; a burden to heavy to bear. But here is the twist! Once we get to the point of accepting and bearing this yoke and burden, we encounter the liberating effect of Jesus’ option. … Continue reading #SV – Tough Yoke

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The Three Graveyards

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke

Early this month, a group of friends gathered for lunch in the quiet village of Boxberg, somewhere in Germany. As the conversation progressed, one of them narrated the story of a small community in Germany that had three graveyards (Friedhöfe): the first is for the Catholics, the second is for the Evangelische Kirche (Lutherans) and the third is for everyone. Interestingly, the first two are quite populated with beautifully maintained graves/gravestones, but the general or common graveyard has, after 10 years of its establishment, only two graves. Why? Why did the community even come to the resolution to set up … Continue reading The Three Graveyards

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#SV – ‘An Upright Man’

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke

Dear friends, Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, is around the corner. Barely three days from now. Yes, it is a joyful time. The lights are already up on the streets. The musical shows have already begun. But beyond the lights and sounds, the night of the birth would be marked by silence. A cold silent night. This points us symbolically to the need to go into our heart, the silent parts of us and renew our lives from the wealth of the messages that we have heard all through the Advent. This Sunday, the last Sunday of … Continue reading #SV – ‘An Upright Man’