Neolife International Abuja

02/11/2024

https://www.blessediwenetansi.org/news.html

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Simple ways to become a friend of Blessed Tansi

January 20 is the Feast of Blessed Tansi. You can start your relationship with this Nigerian popular saint by following these simple suggestions. Remember that he is a Nigerian hundred per cent. “Father Tansi was a great man a many-sided specimen of redeemed humanity, a pride of Nigeria and the Catholic priesthood in Nigeria, a convert from African Traditional Religion who lived entirely for God, a follower of Christ who put his hand to the plough and did not look back” (cf. Lk. 9: 62)( Arinze Cardinal in ‘Total Response’ p. 9). For us Christians, it will be very important to recall that he was among the first to receive the catholic faith from the European missionaries. “Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi is a prime example of the fruits of holiness which have grown and matured in the Church in Nigeria since the Gospel was first preached in this land. He received the gift of faith through the efforts of the missionaries and taking the Christian way of life as his own he made it truly African and Nigerian”( John Paul 11 in a sermon at Beatification Nigeria 1998). When Blessed Tansi died on January 20 1964 believers across Nigeria were sure that he would one day be declared a saint. Many described his death as a material loss but a spiritual gain. The official investigation into his cause did not begin until 1986, and he was not beatified until 1998; by that time, however, there were already thousands of people who were living spiritual friendships with him.
Many of us would like to develop special friendships with this holy Nigerian but often the problem is how to begin. Here we give a few suggestions: The first step to take is to know who this person is. As you develop a relationship with someone, it is only natural that you will want to learn about that person’s life, experiences, and outlook on things. Becoming friends with a saint follows the same dynamic. So, if you want to become friends with Blessed Tansi, a good starting point would be to learn something about his life. Fortunately, there are many good biographies written about him by those who know him well – his town’s people, spiritual sons and daughters, novice master and the postulation for his cause. The ‘Entirely for God’ is considered by many to be the best general account of his life. One book that I love. You can also check out some of the many articles written about Blessed Tansi on ‘weekly meditation’ featuring many quotes from him and highlighting different aspects of his spirituality.
If you are serious about your friendship with Blessed Tansi you can ask questions. An important part of any friendship is knowing that you can ask the other person for support and help – and that is particularly important when building a relationship with a saint. Blessed Tansi is known for being an especially powerful intercessor. St. John Paul II understood this and said: “Father Tansi knew that there is something of the Prodigal Son in every human being. He knew that all men and women are tempted to separate themselves from God to lead their own independent and selfish existence. He knew that they were then disappointed by the emptiness of the illusion which had fascinated them and that they eventually found in the depths of their heart the road leading back to the Father's house (cf. Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 5). He encouraged people to confess their sins and receive God's forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation” (Sermon Beatification Nigeria 1998). This is wonderful because we do not just ask Blessed Tansi to do us favours but to help change our hearts so that we can become the persons that God intends us to be. That is the definition of true friendship.
As we become closer to Blessed Tansi, we will hopefully learn to pray with his simplicity and intensity, as well as become more focused and prayerful during the sacraments. When we have a friend whom we admire, it is only natural that we try to emulate them. We can also try to imitate how Blessed Tansi acted in the world, showing love to others especially the sick, the poor and the voiceless. The story of his love and help to the smallpox patients at Umunya an outstation of his parish in 1944 during an outbreak there is well known today. The joy, comfort and healing he brought to the lepers at Nnewi in 1939-40 are on record. As Christians, we have a mission to look after the sick. How could you express love if not through words which bring spiritual relief to the sick person? Bring God to the sick. Many are inspired when they try to look at suffering as Blessed Tansi did. It helped to understand that while human suffering will never be eliminated in this life, we can join Christ in embracing those who suffer as they cry out for meaning. As your relationship with Blessed Tansi grows, he will hopefully open your eyes and help you look at the world in a more beautiful and Christ-centric way, just as he did.
There is one final aspect of friendship that is sometimes forgotten but is quite vital. A healthy friendship is never closed in on itself but opens itself to others – especially to those who feel isolated and marginalized. How does this apply to your relationship with Blessed Tansi? Well, if you find help and comfort in that friendship, then you should invite others to join you. That is especially true for those you see who are lonely, feeling like outcasts, or who are struggling personally or spiritually. You might give them a prayer card of Blessed Tansi and explain how his friendship has helped you. Maybe you want to share a book or article about Blessed Tansi that you found helpful. Or if your parish has a Blessed Tansi Solidarity Prayer group, you could invite the person to join you in prayer. Sometimes you can invite somebody who might need help to come to Blessed Tansi. Whatever gesture you choose, keep it simple and respect the other person’s freedom, treating them with the same love and consideration that Blessed Tansi showed to others.
Finally, there is a very subtle danger that we face in honouring the saints like the Blessed Tansi. The danger is not, as some non-Catholics believe, that honouring the saints is a distraction from God or even offensive to God since when a saint is honoured, it is God who is glorified. Rather, the danger that we face in honouring the saints is that we admire them–but from a distance. We marvel at the person of Blessed Tansi. We stand in awe as we contemplate his life of prayer, the poverty he chose to embrace, his detachment from the world, the apostolic works he performed for the glory of God or the miracles God performed through him. And the danger is, that this is all we do. We admire him, but we don’t imitate him. Blessed Tansi would be saying to all his friends: “Don’t just admire my life. Rather, love as I loved, pray as I prayed, serve as I served, believe as I believed, hope as I hoped, and most importantly, give yourself totally to God and don’t look back.” Hence, what he wants most from our friendship is not merely admiration, but imitation. God is giving each one of us the grace to become a saint right now. Jesus told St. Paul “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9). Holiness is possible for each one of us, regardless of our past, our wounds, our vocation, age, weaknesses, failures, etc. Regarding holiness, there are no legitimate excuses simply because the power and beauty of God’s grace are greater than anything we can fathom. The lives of the saints, especially what they did, how they suffered, and how God used them are all very impressive. They certainly deserve our admiration. However, what is most impressive is how each one of the saints in their own way gave themselves to God without reserve. This is ultimately what the saints desire of us as well. We should not only admire the saints but imitate them, and maybe even God willing, go even further than they did in their gift of self to God.

12/10/2024

https://www.blessediwenetansi.org/news.html
Sunday, October 13, 2024

Blessed Tansi's life and apostolate are all about Christ

The life and activities of Blessed Tansi and indeed of all the saints of every age and place point to the truths and values far more enduring than having a good job, a fat bank account, healthy children, a comfortable house, a good name and a good material living. His life and message are universal because they are the message of the Gospel applied to concrete situations in today's world. For him, human life on earth has a purpose that must be taken seriously. His words and advice also have such wide appeal because they touch on a fundamental thirst in every human heart: the thirst and search for love, goodness, and truth. He knew that this thirst could find its fulfilment only in God living among and identifying with the poor, the sick and the dejected of society. The Blessed Tansi is perhaps one of the most zealous priests the Archdiocese of Onitsha has known in the last sixty years. He began as a missionary. He was among the first Nigerians to be ordained, and he led his people by word and example. There is no saying what his future would have been had he remained in his native country - Nigeria. But Providence had another plan and mission for him somewhere. The former bishop of Umuahia, the late Bishop Anthony Nwedo has this to say about his zeal and commitment to the apostolate: “... it may be a high claim to make, but it is hard to think of any other indigenous priest who has left a deeper imprint upon the Nigerian church in the last fifty years than Fr. Cyprian Michael Tansi. He was cast in a heroic mould and his life was short with suffering. He had a very high degree of energy, enthusiasm candour, and the sensitiveness which is their concomitant. He had a generosity of temperament which was entirely self-forgetful”. (Sermon at the re-interment Onitsha October 1986).
For many people, today his life offers an opportunity to nourish their faith once more. That means, first and foremost, discovering their identity in Christ. He so identified with Christ and his work that people who met him got something of God and their identity. He was a Nigerian. He lived out the Gospel in a way that was convincing in a way that gave credible witness to his fellow Nigerians, with a very high degree of credibility. The type of witnesses that is contagious. Cardinal Arinze said that you would not be indifferent to Blessed Tansi if you knew him. You either are for him or you will want to run away from him. He also appreciated the human person, from the little child to the youth; he helped them to become somebody through schooling to realize what human dignity is. Women have much more respect and honour today in Nigeria than they had sixty years ago. Blessed Tansi showed a Christian sensitivity to the work of every human person, woman or child. He was a person ready to serve others. “Everyone who met him was touched by his personal goodness” (St. John Paul 11 Sermon beatification Nigeria 1998). If those who met him forget everything about him they cannot forget that he was urging them to remember their identity as God’s beloved sons and daughters. “First as a Teacher and later as School Headmaster, Tansi continued to reveal not merely his “sharp and keen” abilities as an Educator, but of equal importance to us, his demonstrable preferential love of God and of Christian values. So much did he integrate academics with religious knowledge and practice – in those days, the Teacher also served the Christian community in the role of Catechist that Headmaster Tansi was often accused by less tepid souls of running the school in the manner of a seminary” ( Eddy. Debany SJ in a National symposium Onitsha March 18, 2004). He was telling them that Jesus took upon himself our humanity and his heart will never be separated from them. The encounter with Jesus Christ, especially through his witness reinforced the call to live a life centered on Christ. Suffering and sickness were common challenges people had to face but his catechesis gave them guidance and inspiration, equipping them to face the challenges of their time with unwavering faith.
Before he entered the junior seminary in 1925 he was already a headmaster and was already doing good and holy work simply by being a dedicated Christian educator: Had he continued in the same profession, he would surely have contributed significantly to the intellectual, social, moral and even political development of his people while at the same time enjoying much praise, esteem, honours and even financial security. Growing up as a dedicated and pious lay educator, perhaps even married with children, he could have also achieved “blessedness”, the eternal reward of all Christ’s faithful simply by becoming a heroically virtuous and dedicated lay educator. So why did he give all this up to become a priest? Not certainly for the prestige or the money he already had. So why did he leave his promising career to enter the seminary? Because, like all holy people, he was following the Lord’s invitation to a higher call to provide his people a transforming encounter with Jesus Christ. In fact, ultimately, his life cannot be about anything other than Christ the Lord.
His life and ministry served as the catalyst for a more profound relationship with Jesus Christ. As young Catholics gather in his newly opened missions to worship, learn and pray together, the joy and energy present opens hearts and minds to the reality of Christ’s presence. Engaging in spiritual exercises that might not be a regular part of parish life for many young Catholics. They meet Jesus in a privileged way in the confessional, in the Eucharist, and in catechesis. This encounter fosters a deep sense of intimacy and love for Christ, often igniting a desire to seek him with passion and commitment. Young people can hear the Lord’s voice more clearly and begin to know the plans of love he has for them. This led to so many from his parish aspiring for the seminary and the religious life.

28/09/2024

https://www.blessediwenetansi.org/news.html
Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Blessed Tansi moved from light to darkness.

Blessed Tansi was among the first Nigerians to be ordained priests. He led the people by word and example. He had a very flourishing apostolate in Nigeria as a parish priest. He had a great zeal for evangelisation and building up stations and parishes. From his early start in life, he dedicated his entire life to serving the Lord and His people as a pastor and minister by living out the necessary disciplines, principles and commitments to help him do this. He had a great influence on the people - Christians and non-Christians. But at a stage in his very active pastoral ministry, he felt the call to follow Christ in another way. He was urged by the love of God and his fellow men and women. He was a man of prayer, intent on personal union with the Lord, and was also urged by a great desire to bring the monastic and contemplative apostolate to Nigeria. When no other person was ready to go for this, he volunteered to do this at a great cost. The high esteem he has for it impelled him to sacrifice so much willingly to obtain its blessings for himself and his people. He left an extremely active and flourishing pastoral ministry, which included his determination to foster vocations, sanctify marriages, care for the poor and the sick, spending himself in the confessional and answering sick calls. As we know things did not turn out like that. God’s ways are often strange. Fr. Tansi did not do this personally, for he died before his longing could be carried out. When he left Nigeria in 1950, he completely disappeared as far as his people were concerned. He had gone from light into darkness, from a life in the sight of all to a life hidden from the world. He moved from the world of authority and command to a world of powerless and inferior, from a life of master to the life of last in the community. Leaving a most rewarding pastoral responsibility to the four walls of a monastery where he was not even allowed to exercise his priestly functions for some time. Fr. Tansi did not see this as running away, as an avoiding of responsibilities. For him, it was God’s call, an invitation to go into the unknown where God was waiting for him. It was leaving his country and his family like Abraham and so many others. It was to undertake what he believed to be a deeper and more enduring apostolate. His was like all true calls from God, a venture of faith and love. The cost to him was certainly great but later he gained more than he seemed to have lost. He found peace and God in the darkness. Fr. Tansi was a unique person. Nobody will be him. He had his own life and vocation. His life helps us to see and appreciate what is important at the core of our faith, helps us to renew our awareness of the things that matter. His life is important to us because it was a life of faith, of humility and perseverance following out of what he saw to be God’s will for him, even when it cost everything, even when all was cold and dark. His faith and his ideal held fast to the end even to realizing that he fulfilled his vow of stability perfectly by dying in the Abby far away from his people and land and being buried happily in the monastery.

Weekly Medidations

15/09/2024

https://www.blessediwenetansi.org/news.html
Sunday, September 15, 2024,

Experience and Encounter with Blessed Tansi – Miracle happen

Unfortunately, noise and distraction are too often our steadfast companions as we trek through our day-to-day activities. Youths, in particular, are frequently bombarded by social media even as they juggle hectic class/work schedules. Some say the only way to cope during these overly stimulated times - especially if your goal is to encounter Christ -- is to completely disengage from society. Is it possible to find Christ amidst the noise? Many today draw their inspiration from Matthew 7:7: "Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you." They take time off their busy, noisy hours to visit the Blessed Iwene Tansi. An encounter with him makes for a perfect meditation for anyone who is seeking to make critical decisions about their future. As Catholics, the goal of our searching is not a thing, but a Person, Jesus Christ, and if we seek Him with all our hearts, the rest will fall into place. Blessed Tansi is the surest way to achieve this goal. We can easily get to him through his mortal Remains at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Onitsha. Many from far and near flock there to find him. Of course, we can also find and connect with him through our prayers and devotion wherever we are. With encounters with Blessed Tansi miracles are constantly occurring. The real question is do we see them? Do we have the eyes of a living faith which recognize the hand of the Lord at work? Do we ask for them? The Catholic Church has always proclaimed its belief in the existence of many different kinds of miracles. Our tradition and history are replete with examples of miracles. All miracles are due to the Risen Lord's continued ministry of Mercy in our midst. His redemptive work continues through the ministry of the Church which is His Body. All miracles are still signs of the Kingdom of God. Whenever we do see or experience miracles, are we responding to these great acts of love and signs of the kingdom - a life different as a result of finding true joy and freedom which comes from repentance and conversion?
To experience miracles begin to share your living faith in Jesus Christ with those around you who hunger for meaning in their lives. Believe that the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead is at work in the Church which is His Body. Pray for miracles in your life through the intercession of Blessed Tansi. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that miracles are a sign of the Kingdom of God: “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and attest that he was the promised Messiah. The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God.” (CCC 547-550) These signs of the Kingdom continue to be manifested in our day. Sometimes such miracles are accomplished through the intercession of the Saints like the Blessed Iwene Tansi. They are an integral part of the process which leads to their canonization. The prayers and intercession of Blessed Tansi have brought some of the most extraordinary miracles.
We need just one miracle to bring his cause of canonization to a happy conclusion. The church demands one miracle through his intercession to proclaim him a Saint. We know that only God can work a miracle but we, his children can beg him to give us one through the intercession of the Blessed Tansi. Blessed Tansi does not need a miracle; we are the ones that need it. The cause of Blessed Tansi is for our interest and good. We are all convinced of this need but how do we pray for it? The most important thing for a miracle to happen is FAITH. And faith is to miracles as the cause is to effect. Paul was able to heal the crippled man because he saw he had the faith to be healed. Faith precedes miracles. (cf Acts 14. 7-10). There are many places in the Scriptures where faith and miracles are linked: “When Jesus had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. (Matt 9:28) Jesus even complained about the lack of faith in the people: “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can’t?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” … Jesus rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mk 9:19-29). The disciples of Jesus were worried they were not able to perform miracles. “Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why could not we drive the demon out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt 17:19-20)
The key point is that faith is the essential ingredient for miracles. There must be faith not only on the part of the one who pays for it but even more so on the part of the one who receives the miracle. For it may sometimes happen that the one through whom the miracle is accomplished, has only poor faith, but the one receiving it has the faith to be healed, and thus God grants it. Perhaps in times like these where we often do not expect miracles or dismiss them too easily when they occur, the gift to be sought is the gift of the fear of the Lord. At its heart, the fear of the Lord is the awareness of the wonderful things God is always doing in our lives from moment to moment. It is the gift of wonder and awe before the displayed majesty of our God, and a desire not to offend him out of love and respect. And frankly, one way we might offend against his glory is to walk right past the glories he is doing from moment to moment, being ungrateful, unaware, and seeing as routine the magnificence of what he does. Indeed, our very own existence, all events of our life and countless other wonders are on daily display. And seeing them for the miraculous gift they begin to open our minds to the possibility of miracles too. The gift of the fear of the Lord helps to increase our awareness of God and our faith in Him. And faith is the door to even greater miracles.
As we look for miracles to complete the cause of Blessed Tansi the Lord has a related question for us: Do you believe that I can do this? (Matt 9:28). It is true, that God sometimes says no. But perhaps we ought also to check our attitude, and ask why we might be quick to presume he will say no or has said no. Scripture says, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). Why not ask with confidence and leave the answer up to God. God loves his children and will always answer their prayers when they do the right thing and when their prayers correspond to His will. In our own case, the church wants but a miracle to bring the Blessed Tansi to sainthood. Since everything is possible for God, you can experience miracles in your life when you invite God to intervene – even in situations that seem impossible. But too often, people neglect to ask God for miracles in their lives and end up settling for far less than God’s best for them. In this case let us all approach God with confidence if we trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. So do not hesitate to pray for miracles in honour of Blessed Tansi. Here is how you can ask God for a miracle: Maybe some evil is hindering this miracle from happening. If evil in the spiritual realm is hindering miracles from happening, pray for breakthrough prayers against evil to clear the way for more miracles to occur. Start by confessing your sins that come to mind, and then repent of each one specifically. Next, ask in Jesus’ name and through the power of His blood for the Holy Spirit to help you and the people you are praying for be victorious over all evil attacks. Ask God to protect you and those you are praying for from future attacks by evil.
There are no magical formulas to use to conjure up miracles. Instead, miracles happen whenever you welcome God’s powerful presence into the situations you face. So do not worry about trying to pray perfect prayers to convince God to do something miraculous in your life. Simply invite God to work in every situation in which you are seeking miracles, and trust Him to do what is best after you ask Him to intervene. You can use the official prayers for the cause or once you recognize the presence of God talk to God in your own words.
Obey God’s command to forgive so your prayers will not be hindered. If you are unwilling to forgive someone who has hurt or offended you, that refusal to forgive can hinder your prayers from being answered, because God sometimes waits until you obey His commands before answering prayers. Remember how much God has forgiven you and let that motivate you to obey His call to forgive others. Ask God to help you forgive; you can choose to forgive even when you do not feel like it and rely on the strength God will give you during the forgiveness process.
Praise God more through attendance at Mass and other forms of worship. You can experience more miracles when you spend more time praising God in worship because worship ushers God’s power into your life in fresh ways and helps you discern His voice more clearly as He leads you toward miracles. Make a habit of praising God for who He is, during both good and bad times in your life. Live a life that is completely devoted to God. Remember that Blessed Tansi lived a life completely devoted to God. When you devote yourself to God completely – in every area of your life you will notice more miracles happening in your life.

Weekly Medidations

31/08/2024

https://www.blessediwenetansi.org/news.html
Sunday, September 1, 2024

Turn to Blessed Tansi for healing from cancer

Many of us do not know that Blessed Tansi can heal cancer patients. Cancer is one of the most feared and lethal diseases. The Blessed Tansi is one of the saints who have special sympathy for those who suffer from such disease — and he suffered from abdominal growth. He is known for healing prayers. As human beings, we are all prone to suffer from diseases of many kinds, cancer included. No one can avoid it, not even the saints. When we learn about the lives of the saints, we discover that many of them suffered from various ailments. Knowing that we share this bodily weakness, we can turn to them to console us in moments of pain and to intercede with the Lord. Their prayers may help to obtain from God the restoration of our own or someone else’s health, if it is God’s will, but also the grace that our sufferings may serve for our sanctification. Cancer is a disease that has become common over the past century. I don’t know if Jesus healed cancer cases, particularly during his earthly life. However, I do know that he “went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people" (Mt 4:23). It seems like we can reasonably guess that he healed some people with cancer among them. We know God can do everything including the healing of any kind of cancer. In the same way, Saints can assist through their intercession to obtain healing in the face of cancer. In any case, let us trust in the healing power of Jesus and the intercession of the saints who help us pray for this grace. Here are some saints whom we know to have helped in the face of this suffering.
A religious Sister, Mary Frances de Sales, matron at St. Joseph’s hospital turned to Blessed Tansi when one of the girls Philomena Emeka working in the hospital developed abdominal fibrosis which could not be operated on. Sister prayed with her workers to Blessed Tansi and on the day the remains of the Blessed were brought to the basilica for re-interment the sick girl got an instantaneous healing by touching the Remains. Miracles happen, and God heals incurable sickness through the intercession of his saints. Sister Francese De Sales remained devoted to Blessed Tansi for the rest of her life. She was a great promoter of the Blessed Tansi Solidarity Prayer movement. She explained that her service, to which she devoted so much time and strength, was an expression of gratitude to God for the miracle of Philomena’s healing. Praying means giving some of your time to Christ, entrusting yourself to Him, listening silently to His word, and letting Him echo in your heart. There is another man cured of cancer through the intercession of St. John Paul II. Fernando Pedro Nieto Giménez, a provincial of the Spanish Province of the Order of Knights of St. John Paul II, when his 20-year-old beloved son Fernando fell ill with an aggressive form of cancer, he was terrified. As the doctors were battling to save the life of his son he went to the hospital chapel next door and prayed with his wife through the intercession of the Polish Pope St. John Paul 11 for a miracle. And a miracle happened. His son was healed through the intercession of Saint John Paul 11. The doctors could not explain the healing of his son.
You can reach the Blessed Tansi very easily. At the basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Onitsha where the remains are kept. Many of the faithful flock to him for devotion. Many others today drew their inspiration from Matthew 7:7: "Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you". They take time off their busy and noisy hours to visit the Blessed Iwene Tansi. An encounter with him makes for a perfect meditation for anyone who is seeking to make critical decisions about their future. As Catholics, the goal of our searching is not a thing, but a Person, Jesus Christ, and, if we seek Him with all our hearts, the rest will fall into place. Blessed Tansi is the surest way to achieve this goal. Many have tried to give favourable testimony. Their experiences have helped and encouraged many others. Miracles, signs and wonders occur. With encounters with Blessed Tansi miracles are constantly occurring. The real question is do we see them? Do we have the eyes of a living faith which recognize the hand of the Lord at work? Do we ask for them? The Catholic Church has always proclaimed its belief in the existence of many different kinds of miracles. Our tradition and history are replete with examples of miracles. All miracles are due to the Risen Lord's continued ministry of Mercy in our midst. His redemptive work continues through the ministry of the Church which is His Body. All miracles are still signs of the Kingdom of God. If we do see and experience miracles, are we responding to these great acts of Love and signs of the kingdom? Are our lives different as a result of these miracles and signs? Do they lead us to find true joy and freedom which come from repentance and conversion?
To experience miracles begin to share your living faith in Jesus Christ with those around you who hunger for meaning in their lives. Believe that the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead is at work in the Church which is His Body. Pray for miracles before Blessed Tansi the difference will be clear. “Jesus accompanies his words with many "mighty works and wonders and signs", which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and attest that he was the promised Messiah. The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God.” (CCC n. 547-550). These signs of the Kingdom continue to be manifested in our days. Sometimes such miracles are accomplished through the intercession of the Saints like the Blessed Iwene Tansi. They are an integral part of the process which leads to their canonization. The prayers and intercession of Blessed Tansi have brought some of the most extraordinary miracles. We want miracles in our lives and nation. What we are going through now needs nothing less than a miracle for a solution. Blessed Tansi is our National saint and patron. What are we waiting for? Come to him with your problems and surely he will do the needful. Join us at his prayer movement and the celebration of his cult at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Onitsha every Monday.
Perhaps in times like these where we often do not expect miracles or dismiss them too easily when they occur, the gift to be sought is the gift of faith and the fear of the Lord. At its heart, the fear of the Lord is the awareness of the wonderful things God is always doing in our lives from moment to moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why could not we drive the demon out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt 17:19-20). After reading this what prevents you from acting, bring your sick to Blessed Tansi or tell someone who needs healing to come to Blessed Tansi? Faith is the great door to even greater miracles.

Weekly Medidations