Every generation declares some kind of crisis in masculinity. And women today aren’t shy of pronouncing a masculine emergency: Hannah Rosin did so in her book The End of Men while MP Diane Abbott warned of a disaffected “fight club” generation. But where are the male voices? The few that are in the media like Ally Fogg and recently Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow agree that, for whatever reason, men are not very good at talking openly about (and organising around) the deeper issues affecting them. But by the end of 2013 the term “meninism” started trending on Twitter,…
Author: Debonair Admin
Sequel to yesterday’s reflection, Fr. Chidube Ubili, OP reflects today on “the spirituality of service” taken from Jn.13:1-15. 1. This day, 9th April, known in Christian order of worship as Holy Thursday, we begin the Easter Triduum. Easter Triduum refers to the last three(3)days of the Lenten Season which consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday an d the Solemn Vigil that would usher in Easter, the Resurrection Feast. —The main focus of Holy Thursday celebration is commemoration of the Last Supper of the Lord, Jesu with His apostles; simply called the “Lord’s Supper”. It is very specially situated within the…
Even before Bill Withers passed away from heart complications at the end of March, his 1972 hit Lean on Me had already become something of a marker for public solidarity in the face of the coronavirus. From schoolchildren in Scotland, to quarantined apartment residents in Dallas and online virtual choirs around the world, the song has been a prominent feature of musical responses to the crisis. This is unsurprising. It was already a staple of charity concerts, and had been performed at the presidential inaugurations of both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Its appeal, like much of Withers’ music, lies in its accessibility, universality and…
Sequel to yesterday’s reflection, Fr. Chidube Ubili, OP reflects today on “the value of money” taken from Matt. 26:14-25. Judas negotiated with the chief priests to deliver(betray) Jesus o them at the cost of thirty(30)pieces of silver. The chief priests paid him promptly, as they were eager to seal the deal and have it executed. In the market terms of product, seller and buyer; Jesus was the product, Judas was the seller, while the chief priests were the buyers. —Thus, Judas sold Jesus, his Lord and Master to the chief priests, for a paltry sum of thirty(30)silver coins. Perhaps, it…
Growing up we had a lot of trees in our garden where various kinds of birds often perched. So, my younger brother and I took up an interest in bird watching. One of the birds that fascinated me the most was the woodpecker. I found its incessant pecking on tree barks ridiculous. One day, my dad caught my brother and I laughing at the woodpecker from our second floor window and asked what was so funny. His following remarks changed my life forever. He said, “Sons, just because the woodpecker rams its beak into a tree doesn’t mean it’s stupid.…
A star-studded line-up including Sting, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Miriam Makeba performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in London on June 11 1988. Whitney Houston summed up the mood as she caught her breath and told the crowd: We could have been anywhere in the world we wanted to be today, but we are here to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s birthday. What a courageous man. She was watched by 600 million-plus viewers in 67 countries, even if no South African TV station would have dared to show footage. Later described as the “biggest and most spectacular pop political event…
Sequel to yesterday’s reflection, Fr. Chidube Ubili, OP reflects today on “relationship between betrayed and denied” taken from Jn. 13:21-33, 36-38. As a Jew born and bred in Jewish culture and traditions, Jesus was familiar with the Passover Festival and had participated severally in it. But, to fulfill His Divine Mission, for which He is “The Christ, The Messiah, The Savour”, He desired to replace the Old Passover Meal, for which an “unblemished lamb” was sacrificed with a New(Passover) Meal, for which He would be sacrificed. —So, St. John The Evangelist, reports that on the day before the Jewish Passover,…
Getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult at the best of times. But it can be even harder when you’re anxious or have something on your mind – a global pandemic, for example. Right now though, getting a good night’s sleep could be more important than ever. Sleep is essential for maintaining our health and mood. Sleep can also boost our immune function and help us deal with stress. How much do we need? Social distancing has many of us spending more time at home. This may mean more sleep for some people – suddenly you’ve got time to sleep in and even have a…
Professor Ekanem Braide, a professor of parasitology and epidemiology, was recently named president of the Nigerian Academy of Science and will assume office in January 2021. She is the first female president in the Academy’s 43 years of existence. The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asked Professor Olanike K. Adeyemo, a fellow of the Academy, to provide some context and background. What does Professor Braide’s appointment mean to fellow female scientists? The appointment shows that it’s possible to overcome the implicit bias, opinion and attitudes that prevent women from getting into the leadership positions they deserve. It can be likened to the proverbial…
Sequel to yesterday’s reflection, Fr. Chidube Ubili, OP reflects today on Jesus at a dinner party taken from Jn. 12:1-11. We recalled Jesus’ Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem, which we celebrated as Palm Sunday on Sunday 5th April, to begin the events of Holy Week, 2020. But, before Jesus rode high on a Donkey to Jerusalem, he took time off to visit Bethany, about 2miles(3.2kms) away from Jerusalem. While at Bethany, he was a “distinguished guest” at a dinner organized to honour and thank Him for raising Lazarus from the dead.The trio siblings; Martha, Lazarus and Mary(MaLaMa) were His hosts(We never…