Frank Edwin

Monday 31 August 2026
Week 22 in Ordinary Time.
Luke 4.16-30.
ANOINTING: THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and it was confirmed by those who listened to Him that He was no longer the son of the carpenter they used to know. The power of that anointing set Him apart and empowered Him for His mission. They were amazed by the gracious words coming from His mouth. However, at the end of the story, the people also opposed Jesus because He told them the truth and not what they wanted to hear. Anointing is for the service of God and humanity, it is not for people pleasing. We can’t achieve much without anointing, when we combine anointing with character, discipline and purposefulness, the result is amazing. We receive anointing according to our office and disposition to serve. God is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for it. The anointing of the Holy Spirit is necessary for every work of God, when we ignore the Holy Spirit, we might start working for men instead of working for God, we might start pleasing people and telling them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. The difference is very clear. May you receive the anointing of power to achieve the great purposes of your life and rule your world in Jesus name Amen.
A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON

"Friday 28 August 2026
Week 21 in Ordinary Time
St Augustine
Matthew 25.1-13
*TEN VIRGINS; FIVE WERE FOOLISH, FIVE WERE SENSIBLE*
*Foolishness and sensibility play a lot of roles both in individual and group life. In every sphere of life, people succeed or fail based on foolishness or sensibility of the choices they made. Wisdom is different from intelligence, there are so many intelligent fools in every aspect of life. The good news is that even unintelligent person can gain wisdom, and anyone can grow in wisdom and understanding. The parable of the virgins is a practical guide to successful living. Being sensible entails better preparations, being proactive, making plans for eventualities. Those who built fire extinguishers and have effective fire services are neither praying nor wishing for fire incidents. They only provide a means of dealing with fire if it happens. They equally maintain these fire services year after year even when there are no fires, that is a good example of being sensible. If the bridegroom had arrived on time, the foolish virgins wouldn’t have had any problems, in fact, they might have even laughed at the ‘sensible’ virgins for carrying unnecessary load of extra oil. There’s wisdom in going EXTRA mile, spare tire, extra money, extra holiness, extra preparations, there’s is wisdom in doing more; don’t be a minimalist who does the least possible, be maximalist who strives to do/be the possible best. Most times, it is that ‘extra’ that makes all the difference. May the Holy Spirit make us sensible and wise in every way and see us through these challenging times through Christ our Lord Amen.*
‘A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON’

"Thursday 27 August 2026
Week 21 in Ordinary Time.
Matthew 24.42-51
VIGILANCE, RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
*One of the toughest disciplines is vigilance. It requires a lot of skills; focus, calculative, tactical, foresight and endurance. Lack of vigilance can lead to waste of resources, we might even lose the resources without knowing. Being alert and sensitive helps to save a lot of disasters and failures. People have lost valuable resources because they became distracted by trifles and stopped paying attention to things that matter. This is why we need to have frequent time for sober recollection in order to ensure we are still in control and on the right track. Parents who are not vigilant often fail in their duties towards their children and blame it on something else, they took it for granted that all is well without paying critical attention to what is really happening. We must develop sense of awareness of possible threats to our values and resources without being paranoid. This takes discipline and focus, when we develop our minds to be creative, organised, proactive and dynamic, we will be more productive with our times. Lack of planning, living on impulse, unfocused and uncritical mind can hardly lead to effective use of time. It is good to examine our habits once in a while to make sure we are doing the very best we can with what we have been given. May God save us from waste of precious time and resources in Jesus name Amen.*
‘A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON’

"Wednesday 26 August 2026
Week 21 in Ordinary Time
Matthew 23.27-32
YOU APPEAR FROM OUTSIDE LIKE GOOD AND HONEST
*Jesus compared the Scribes and Pharisees with whitewashed tombs that are beautiful outside but full dead bones and corruption inside. He condemned such a religion of outward appearances and pretense. True religion should then involve internal transformation. Appearance is different from reality. When we spend our energy on looking good and appearing great only on the outside, the result is shallowness and emptiness. It takes a lot of energy and discipline to purify the inside, but that is where true growth and development occur. Appearance is deceptive and unreliable. In today’s world, a lot of people are deceived because they look only on the surface, they lack the energy and character to examine things at a deeper and foundational level. Just like someone who applies makeup on a rough face looks perfect and excellent as long as the makeup lasts, a life of makeup does not take anyone far. It is often difficult to face the reality and deal with it, it is often easier to cover up and makeup. The truth is that those who take the pains of doing the inside job, healing from the root, building and developing the inner self, always have a wonderful life and free from regrets. Those who spend their energy on appearing good only on the surface and ‘facebooks’, will discover sooner or later that the real books of life demands more seriousness and attention than mere appearance and branding. May the Lord Jesus give us the grace to dig into the depths of our lives and build solid characters and values worthy of our calls as Christians through Christ our Lord Amen.*
‘A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON’

🎊 Happy Birthday, Our Beloved Kooko — Chikaodili Damian! 💙

On behalf of our unique Royal Family of Mazi Edwin Nwafor Nwadiogwa Ibeamaonye, we celebrate you with love and gratitude.

We pray that Chukwuokikeabiama grants the humble soul of your departed twin brother, Chidera Dominic, eternal rest. May the afflictions of the enemy never befall us a second time, in the mighty name of Chukwuokikeabiama. Iseeeee Amen!

May God’s divine protection, providence, guidance, breakthroughs and abundant blessings follow you in all your endeavours. May you receive a double portion of Prophet Elijah’s power in all ramifications, excel positively among your peers, and be blessed throughout Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo.

May Chukwuokikeabiama crown your life with longevity, excellent health, peace and prosperity all your days.

Vibrant congratulations, Kooko! 🎊💙 Iseeeee Amen!

Birthday Blessings to Our Beloved Chinelo Zimna (Olieji) Ibeamaonye
On this very special and beautiful occasion of your birthday, we, the Unique Royal Family of Edwin Nwafor Nwadiogwa Ibeamaonye, lovingly celebrate you, our cherished daughter and granddaughter, Chinelo Zimna (Olieji) Ibeamaonye.

As you add another glorious year to your life, we pray that Chukwuokikeabiama will continue to be your divine Protection, Shield, Guide, Provider, and Ever-Present Helper. May His mighty hands continually lead you on the right path and preserve you from every evil and danger.

May you grow from strength to strength and become the best amongst your peers, distinguished by wisdom, grace, excellence, good character, and favour. May every door of opportunity, success, happiness, and prosperity open unto you.

We pray that Chukwuokikeabiama will crown your life with longevity, abundant blessings, peace, joy, and excellent health. May your years ahead be filled with beautiful testimonies, fulfilment, and greatness, and may you continue to bring honour, joy, and pride to our family.

Happy Birthday, our precious Chinelo Zimna (Olieji)! 🎂🎉🎊❤️

May your new age be a glorious beginning of greater things to come.

Chukwuokikeabiama ga-eso gi jee, ga-echekwa gi, ga-edu gi, ga-enyekwa gi ihe nile di nma.

Iseeeeeee! Amen! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Sunday 23 August 2026

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.

(Isaiah 22.19-23, Romans 11.33-36, Matthew 16.13-20).

WHO DO PEOPLE SAY I AM; WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

There is a famous legend about a young man called Narcissus. He stayed by the river bank always to contemplate his beauty. He was so disappointed that he could not hold unto his reflection in the water and wept bitterly everyday till he fell into the river and died. However, while Narcissus was engrossed in the reflection of his beauty in the lake, he equally rejected those who wanted him badly because of his beauty. Yet, he refused to let go of the reflection of himself in the water. This myth can teach us a lot about self-awareness and self-development. Feedback is very important for growth. You can see that many companies will plead with you to give them a review or feedback based on your experience of their products or services. Yet, how often do we seek a review or feedback about ourselves?

The two important questions in the gospel today will help us to understand ourselves better. We noticed that these two questions were answered differently. The first question, ‘who do people say I am?’ attracted more answers. It seemed to be very easy question and there were many answers. We were not even told who answered what, like when you ask children easy question and they are all struggling to answer at the same time. But, look at the second question, ‘who do you think I am?’ There seemed to be some silence because, the author said, ‘Peter spoke up’. This statement shows there was a difficulty in getting an answer and Peter seemed to be the one who broke the silence. Peter speaking up means that others were either murmuring or saying nothing or even looking away trying to avoid the question.

It is good to know what people say about us, to understand how people perceive us. This will help us to view ourselves more objectively. Our personal views about ourselves are mostly governed by self-love; we can exaggerate our beauty, we can easily get carried away by praises even when they are flattery or based on lies. In the same way, we can easily reject truth about ourselves simply because they are not pleasant. This is why we often rely heavily on make-ups and other things that make us look elegant, this is equally why some people will spend so much more trying to look rich instead of working hard to actually get rich. We equally take up titles that are far from reality. There are people who answer ogbu agu (Lion killers) who in reality has never seen a lion and cannot kill even a dog. Knowing and accepting the truth about ourselves is often difficult and it is even more difficult to know others as they truly are.

We find it easy to accept lies that suits our fantasies. When people do better than us, we find a way of making it look like they are not special because of envy and jealousy. We often get bitter when others are praised. This is why we easily accept what we hear about others without trying to find out if those things are true or not. This is why we prefer to believe in biased opinions that belittle others. There are people who criticize everything including what they do not even understand. We fill our heads with criticisms about God meanwhile we have not been able to do anything with what God gave us. Remember the man who buried his talent in the Bible while criticizing his master for being hard (Matthew 25.24-26). Instead of working on his laziness and hustling with what he had, he was busy hearing and spreading gossips about his Master that gave him a talent. When we get engrossed in what people say, we have no time to see things the way they truly are.

It is actually very easy to know or say what others say. This is why most times, when we gather in discussion, we talk about what others have said and done. The question of what we have said, where we stand, and why we stand where we stand, we try as much as possible to avoid these. It is easier and better to talk about others other than us. It is better and easier to talk about other people’s beliefs and convictions, it even helps us to avoid talking about our own. Many of us are still Christians because we have always been Christians, we born in Christian families, and baptized as children, we grew up being Christians, and in order to avoid the question, ‘who do you think I am?’ We quietly remain Christians. Did it not surprise you that Jesus was asking His disciples whom they thought He was? It surprised me. It means that though they had been following Him, they were not yet sure whom He was. If they were sure, Peter’s answer would not have made any impression, the question would not have even risen in the first place.

Following Jesus does not always mean that we know everything or even much about Him. It means we want to know Him more, we want to understand Him better, a disciple is a learner. What is important is that we should have the attitudes of disciples, ready to learn, open to simple and difficult questions. These reflective questions help us to develop the faith we received as children. Most times, we do not take time to reflect deeply on things, we do not research and ask deep questions. We prefer easy answers. We should equally know that some questions might require a revelation from above. This is because, like Paul said in the second reading, the depths of God are rich, it is impossible to pe*****te His motives or understand His methods. This statement from Paul tells us that knowing God requires faith, humility and prayer. Flesh and blood cannot reveal certain things about God. The best of intellects cannot furnish us with all the answers about God. This is why faith and humility are very important because God reveals Himself as He chooses.

Getting feedback from people does not mean we should live only to please people or disregard ourselves because of people. Feedback helps us to get a better perspective about ourselves. Not every feedback is useful or even right; people often judge from their own narrow or negative mindset. Jesus never accepted everything he heard about himself even the ones that seemed right. He never relied on people’s words even when they sounded wonderful. He ran away when people wanted to make him a king (John 6.15), human approval meant little or nothing to him (John 5.41). This is because he spent so much time to seek insight about himself to avoid falling into the trap of human opinion which includes self-opinions. We are called to be open to others, to embrace perspectives that are different from our own and above all, to seek the insight that comes not from flesh and blood but from the Spirit of Truth and Knowledge.

We should try to approach God in the same way He approached us; in simplicity, lowliness, and service. This simplicity helps us to know ourselves better, the light of God drives away self-deceptions and conceited ideas we have about ourselves and reality. The man Shebna, whom God rejected in the first reading was full of himself and self-seeking (Isaiah 22.15-18). Faith and humility help us not only to approach and understand God, they help us to equally approach and understand ourselves and others better, they help us to serve each other knowing that God lives in us. They break the doubts and pride that hinder us from seeing and serving Jesus in our neighbours, in the poor and the weak, even in ourselves. May God give us the true dispositions of disciples and give us access to the things flesh and blood cannot offer us through Christ our Lord. Amen

A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON

Happy 1st birthday to our beloved AdaObi Chidera, the first granddaughter of Mazi Edwin Nwafor Ibeamaonye Nwadiogwa's unique Royal Family! 🎂

We give glory, honor, power, majesty, and worship to Chukwuokikeabiama, our Almighty God, for this beautiful day! 🙏

On behalf of the entire Royal Family, I wish AdaObi Chidera a happy birthday. May her Chi (Creator) guide and protect her always. We pray:
Her stars shine brightly, illuminating her path
She achieves her heart's desires and excels among her peers
Okike protects, guides, and provides for her
The wicked eyes of enemies never prevail
God crowns her with longevity and excellent health

Iseeeee Amen 🙏. Congratulations, AdaObi 🎊! We love and celebrate you 💜.

"Saturday 22 August 2026
Week 20 in Ordinary Time.
Our Lady Queen and Mother
Matthew 23.1-23
THE SEAT OF MOSES: SEAT OF INTEGRITY
*‘Listen to what they say but don’t be guided by what they do’, Jesus told his disciples concerning the Pharisees. We all need a guide, a mentor, a model. Your guide is someone who is ready to lead the way, to make the journey easy and to encourage you. You don’t have to follow someone because of any seat of authority the person is occupying but because of the person’s integrity. Jesus condemned the lack of integrity in the Pharisees, true leaders do not only show the way, they equally walk the way. We all need a leader, a mentor, not one who will show us the way, but one who will walk the way with us, one who will make the journey easy and the burden light. Jesus is the perfect model of leadership. We are all called to lead in different capacities; as pastors, parents, teachers, etc. You can equally provide leadership to others without having any title, being the salt of the earth and the light of the world implies leadership. Every Christian is a leader, an influencer, a model. We are to be the light and salt for the world. Being a good leader is neither automatic nor easy, we are called to develop ourselves as great leaders whose words and actions will be worthy of emulation. May Holy Spirit teach and guide us and lighten the burden for us, may He fill us with the wisdom and charisma for effective leadership through Christ our Lord. Amen.*
‘A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON’