All posts filed under: Faith

A Lenten Reflection on Faith

Published by Osemhen

This is who I am. This woman in her mid-twenties, with a day job and a writing itch. A daughter. A sister. The “best girlfriend in the world”. A cousin. A niece. A best friend. A friend. A colleague. A side-kick. A buddy. A Catholic. A practicing Catholic. And what does that even mean? I left the Catholic Church as a teenager. I was disillusioned by many of the adult Catholics around me including, it must be said, a couple of priests. I didn’t understand the “idol worship”, or how the Catholic Church could help me develop the faith I needed to move the mountains in my life. And there were many mountains that needed moving. So I left in search of the Light. And I found it…in the Catholic Church. Let me explain. I searched in other churches, and I found sparks, glimmers that whetted my appetite. In one of the pentecostal fellowships I joined in university, I learnt to study sacred Scripture. In another, I learned to give to the church, to only …

These Are A Few of My Beautiful Things.

Published by Osemhen

I’m a sucker for beautiful things. And I don’t mean physical beauty, though I appreciate symmetry and intricacy and elegance and all those things that define physical appeal. And I hardly consider humans physically beautiful; pretty, good-looking, fine? Yes. But that’s a discussion for another day. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiXd_9DFCOQ] Beauty. I watched a TedTalk* once that tried to define beauty. According to the speaker, real beauty isn’t so much seen as it is felt. Beauty is something you feel in your gut. I have a list of beautiful moments. If I had any sort of talent with a camera or a painter’s brush, I would capture them, commit them to eternity on paper. But all I have are my words. So here goes. My cousin bravely swallowing tears back the evening of her wedding. She’d come home to change out of her dress, her husband was outside waiting and she was inside, fighting sobs while her mother smiled and soothed her. The 10-year-old in church with a fierce look on his face and his arms wrapped protectively …

Religion vs. Spirituality: It's in the Latin.

Published by Osemhen

It drives me nuts when people say they’re spiritual and not religious Christians or anyone who claims to be any kind of theist, says they’re spiritual and not religious. The implication being that “religion is bad” and “spirituality is good”. Eh? The word “Religion” comes from the Latin word “religio” which means “respect for what is sacred, reverence to a God (god)”. Religio is also said to come from the word “relegare” which means to “bind fast” or “place an obligation on” or “bond between man and a God (god)”. Cicero held that religion also comes from “relegere” which means to “treat carefully”.  Catholic history actually defines religion as the “voluntary submission of oneself to God”. Do you believe in the existence of a higher power? Do you submit to Him? Do you consider yourself bound to Him in any sort of relationship: father-child, master-servant, creator-creature? Do you resolve to live according to His rules, as spelt out in some book or by divine inspiration? Do you work daily at improving your understanding of and relationship with Him? You are …

Sometimes…

Published by Osemhen

Sometimes, she lost herself. In the world, and it’s noise. In opinions and perceptions. In work. In the internet and its distractions. In Nigeria and its problems. In gossip. In gist. In caring about things that you’re supposed to care about, or at least act like you do. Because everyone else does. Because some people do. Because it’s the right thing to do: to care about those things. Like I care. Sometimes, she found herself. In books. In art. In laughter, real laughter with friends not mere LOLs. In quiet. In silence. In a dark movie theatre with her head on his shoulder. In prayer. In falling asleep cheek-to-cheek with her sister. In arguing dress patterns with her aunts. In research. In writing. In rain. In fear, fear like she’d never felt before, fear that reminded her she was alive. And then she lost herself. In pain, love and loss. Behind smiles that threatened to split her face. In zeroes. In the knowledge that this, all of this, is vanity and still…we press on, afraid …

God Has A Sense of Humour

Published by Osemhen

When I do my daily prayers, I try to make resolutions based on the promptings I receive. Nothing major. It could be to call someone I haven’t spoken to in a while, or to write someone a letter. It could be to give up social media for a day, or to eat no sugar. Just normal stuff. Well, yesterday I resolved that I would be cheerful all of today, no matter what. I promised God I would smile through out today. Guess what? I woke up late. I flew into and out of the bathroom in record time, dressed hurriedly and then began to throw all my stuff into my sling backpack. Books. gadgets. Wristwatch. External Hard Drive. Everything went into the bag. Then I rushed to breakfast. Half an hour later, I realize that the cord for my hard drive has broken at the connection point to the drive. No wahala. I remove it. Try a new cord with the hard disk. It doesn’t work. I realize that one of the pins is bent. …

There Be Dragons

Published by Osemhen

Even saints have a past. And in Roland Joffe’s new movie, There Be Dragons, he attempts to outline the past of one of the most controversial saints of the twentieth century, Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei. Yes, the one parodied in The Da-Vinci Code. It’s an epic film, set in Spain and revolving around the Spanish Civil War (time to get our history groove on!). A modern-day journalist, Robert, is trying to make up with his dying father, Manolo who fought in the war. Then he discovers that his father was a childhood friend of Josemaria who is, at the time, being considered for sainthood. Drum roll, please! I’ve only seen previews and heard about the movie on the grapevine. It hasn’t begun showing in the cinemas here yet (I hear they’ve begun previewing though) even though it was released May 6th. But I can gather from the trailer that There is a beautiful girl involved (as always). Manolo did something quite evil. Josemaria was quite brave, reaffirming his identity as a priest in times …

A Note on Christmas…

Published by Osemhen

I’m unbelievably self-absorbed. Not content to simply ‘feel’ emotions, I poke and analyse my feelings in a quest for further meaning, implications, deductions and failing all that, at least a rational explanation. It is not enough for me, to say, “I loathe XYZ.” I have to ask myself, “Why? What exactly do I loathe in XYZ? What could change in XYZ that would make me loathe him/her/it less? More? What does it say about me that I loathe XYZ? Why do I care sef?” etc. etc. That said, you can understand why it is not enough for me to merely ‘feel’ exasperation at Christmas. Not at the event itself, o. Good Lord, no! I love the Christmas Story, adore the carols. What I can’t stand is the urge/need/push to bend over backwards and do financial gymnastics just to celebrate Christmas. Caveat, I make no attempt to dictate how people should/should not spend their money. But, I need to reply a few people who have tried to impose on me certain ‘obligations.’ For instance, why does …