12/04/2026
Between Spirituality and Apologetics
Valentine Obienyem
Have you noticed over the years that from Easter Sunday until the end of the Easter season - Pentecost - all the readings come from the New Testament? It is not by coincidence but by design. Today’s readings are all from the New Testament because we are still in the Easter season, specifically the Second Sunday of Easter (also called Divine Mercy Sunday). During this period, the Church shifts focus from Old Testament promises to their fulfillment in the risen Christ. The First Reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles to show the life of the early Church, while the Epistle and Gospel emphasize the Resurrection and its meaning for believers.
Today’s readings followed the same pattern. In his sermon, Fr. Maximus Okonkwo focused on the Gospel. He emphasized the verse he described as “futuristic”: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Here, Father explained faith and faith in action. His explanation aligns with Saint Augustine of Hippo, who described faith as believing in what you do not yet see, so that by believing you may come to see. He also emphasized that faith is not only intellectual agreement but a movement of the heart toward God.
Father made it clear that faith is not dependent on miracles or physical contact. We do not need the drama of Thomas to believe.
For Father, faith in God does not leave room for lukewarmness. Lukewarm Christians often express a lack of faith in many ways: questioning doctrines, dogmas, scriptural interpretations, and even the existence of God. They are those Christians who speak about returning to the “roots” they themselves do not fully understand.
A good homily from Fr. Maximus, one would say, but for us inclined toward apologetics, he did not touch on some subjects today’s readings could have opened up - especially the Church’s relationship with Tradition and sacramental (oracular) confession, two areas often misunderstood and used against us by some of our separated brethren.
The opening line of the First Reading says: “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life…” (Acts 2:42). The concluding part of the Gospel says: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.” (Saint John the Evangelist, John 20:30). Elsewhere, we also read: “When he had said this, he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’” (John 20:22–23).
These are profound texts for Catholic doctrine. The statement in Acts 2:42 that the early Christians “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles,” together with Saint John the Evangelist’s declaration that Jesus performed many other signs not written in his Gospel (John 20:30; 21:25), shows that the faith of the early Church was not based only on written Scripture but also on the living transmission of Christ’s works and teachings through the apostles. This unity of apostolic preaching and written testimony forms the basis for the Church’s understanding of Sacred Tradition and Scripture as two inseparable ways the one apostolic faith is handed down.
On Tradition, I often use a hypothetical example of four men who came to live in Awka. Awka came into being in 1940, and one man arrived in the town the same year. We speak here of contemporaneity. Within his lifetime, the history of Awka was written, may be in 1959. The second arrived in 1960, the third in 1990, and the youngest in 2020. If you ask all four to speak about Awka, what would they say? The contemporary of Awka can go beyond the written record with full authority, speaking about realities not contained in the book. The others do not possess the same lived authority to go beyond it. This, in simple terms, reflects the relationship between Tradition and Scripture as understood in the Church.
Another point often missed is sacramental confession. The words, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained,” form the biblical foundation of this practice. Catholics need to understand this because it is often challenged by other Christian groups. One frequently hears, “Why confess to a fellow man?” Yet this passage points directly to the authority given by Christ to the apostles and passed on through apostolic succession.
Yes, Fr. Maximus focused on strengthening faith and helping us become better Christians through his preaching and pastoral guidance. A priest is primarily a spiritual guide, but he is also called, at least in part, to apologetics. It is through explaining the faith that the flock entrusted to them by the apostles is guided away from confusion and misleading voices that seek to lead them astray.
I appreciate it when priests seize such moments to explain our faith. Because if we do not explain to Catholics the meaning of actions like incensing the Paschal Candle, someone else may misinterpret it as idol worship or “offering smoke to the god of light,” when in fact it signifies that Christ, the Light of the world (cf. John 8:12), is present among His people. Incense symbolizes prayer rising to God, holiness, and divine presence; thus, incensing the Paschal Candle expresses reverence for the risen Christ and the Church’s adoration of Him.
At this point, it becomes clear that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in extremes but in harmony - where spirituality and apologetics support rather than oppose each other. A faith that is deeply spiritual but not understood can become vulnerable to confusion, while a faith that is well argued but not prayerful can lose its warmth and vitality. The Church therefore invites us to a balanced maturity: to worship God with sincere devotion, and at the same time to be able to give reason for our belief with clarity and humility. In this way, spirituality keeps apologetics grounded in love, and apologetics keeps spirituality anchored in truth, so that the believer grows not only in feeling or knowledge alone, but in a full and living faith in Christ.
After Mass, our chaplaincy raised funds for the pastoral visit of the bishop. As Chairman of the Planning Committee, I acknowledged and appreciated those who have already supported us.
I also take this opportunity to sincerely request further support from my friends and well-wishers, especially those who value the Sunday devotion and the preaching ministry of our chaplain, Fr. Chigozie Jidere, and Fr. Maximus Okonkwo which I convey every Sunday in writing.
For your support, kindly pay as follows:
• Bank: Zenith Bank
• Account Name: Sacred Heart Ngozika Catholic Church Awka
• Account No: 1014167244
Kindly send your payment receipt or transfer screenshot so your name can be duly recorded and acknowledged by the chaplaincy.
I sincerely count on your support and goodwill. May God bless and reward you abundantly.
Happy Sunday to you all.
