Messages and Quotes from Blessed Iwene Tansi

Bl. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

Bl Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was born in 1903 and died in January 20, 1964. He was a Roman Catholic Priest and later, in 1950 went on to become a Monk at Mount of St. Bernard. He was from an Igbo tribe in the Eastern Nigeria. Pope John Paul on 22 March, 1998, who said,

Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene 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 effort of the missionaries, and taking this Christian way of life as his own, he made it truly African and Nigerian.

In this post, I want to highlight most of Blessed Iwene Tansi's messages and  quotes; this is my main concern for now. But in short time, I would be bringing to you all, summary of Iwene Tansi's life.

On Abandonment to God's Will: (This seems to have been the central attrait of his life)

• ...As a man's handiwork belongs to him, so do we all belong to God, and should accordingly have no other will but His. 

• Leave yourselves in His hands, not for a year, nor two years, but as long as you have to live on earth.  

• When the resistance ceases and when the surrender is made, peace invades the soul.

On the Difficulty of Perseverance:

Onye afuro na enuigwe, si aguyi na. 

(Count no one saved, until he is found in heaven.)

On the Transitory Nature of this World's Satisfactions:

• Do not be imitating the Whites in everything, strive hard to gain the Kingdom of God. The Whites are already in heaven in this world, but you are suffering every want. Are you going to suffer also in the next world: Life in earth could be compared to the journey of a young student who received a slip for a registered parcel, and he had to go to Lagos to claim this parcel. On the way he passed through many beautiful towns, towns with very attractive things in the shops. He started going from one shop to another, stretching his hands to the beautiful things he saw. He stopped so often in these big towns that he almost forgot what he was travelling for. It was after a long time that he ultimately reached Lagos, and when he went to claim the  parcel he was told that the parcel had lain in the post so long without him arriving to claim it that they had finally decided to send it back to the sender.

• Chakulu chakulu cha-anu felu akpele, ogaa.

(A few bites - when the meat leaves the throat, it vanishes.)

On God's Rewards to His Servants:

• You have embarked upon a paying  concern. We cannot be more generous than God.

On Prayer:

Never impose time limits on God. If you have a time in mind, God will let the time elapse, and say: "Now do your worst!" 

On Looking for the Kingdom:

• Whether you like it or not, saving your soul is your business. If you are weak and fall by the wayside, we shall push you aside and tread on you as we march forward to meet God.

On Attitudes to One's Own Achievement:

In every success we are right, I think, to take a modest share of joy and satisfaction while leaving the glory to God who is the Principal Author of our good work, we being just the instruments.

On Courage:

• The only refuge of a Christian is courage.

On Faith:

...faith is the foundation of the whole spiritual life. The strength of the edifice will be proportioned to the strength of the foundation... To a lively faith the Saviour refuses nothing.

On Joy:

• ...When we are satisfied with God and with His way of dealing with us, it reflects on the countenance. The face is aglow with joy.

On Taking Decision, and on How to Work:

• We do very little good when we embark on our own. We do much good when we allow God to direct us and direct our enterprise...

• ...learn to do away with anxieties of all sorts.

• ...Our conversation with God should be continual. This is not a height to be attained in a day... 

Others:

• ...Hope opens a kingdom. We begin to desire it ; to seek it; to take the first steps towards it. First steps are most tragic things. 

 • If you are going to be a Christian at all, you might as well live entirely for God.