Reflection/Homily

The great Paschal Mystery, on which Christians reflect in faith these days, is for us a source from which we draw energy, strength and light, all of which we in Nigeria hunger for so greatly at this time.  Just when we thought we had woken up to a new dawn, we realise that yesterday’s litany of woes is still with us: the Chibok girls have still not been found, the fuel queues are longer, workers’ salaries still remain unpaid, prices of foodstuffs have gone through the roof, trials in the battle against corruption remain stalled, the roads are still a wide open graveyard, the killing fields

Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal who survived after his 70 brothers had been slaughtered addressed the people of Israel at Shechem in the form of an imaginary conversation that is intriguing. He said: One day, the trees decided to anoint one of them to become their king. They approached the Olive tree, but the Olive tree said he could not forgo his oil which gives honour to the gods and men. He did not think he could make such a sacrifice.

Depending on what you believe in, life seems to be a set of circles. For Buddhism, the belief in reincarnation means that we are endlessly changing from one being to the other. This has helped to create order, discipline, respect and cohesion in the Asian societies where it is a dominant religion. For example, this religion has tended to instill some kind of fear of the unknown. It also preys on our human tendency and wishes to be better and happier.

Two things stand out in today’s celebration. First, is that vocation, a call is a gift which God freely gives to us all. Second, our future depends on how we respond to this call. In each case, free will or freedom are exercised. God gives us freely and we receive freely. What happens, what we do with this gift is the summary of our life.

The old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfills Himself in many ways. Lest one good custom should corrupt the world. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of… If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer….. For so the whole round earth is every way, Bound by gold chains about the feet of God

(Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), Le Morte d’Arthur.

At the last meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, the Bishops took the theme: Good Families Make Good Nations for their reflections. At the end of the Conference on February 26^th, they observed in their Communiqué that: The family, is the vital cell of society is where leaders are born and nurtured. Hence, both the effectiveness of such institutions and emergence of good leaders in the nation largely depend on the family.

I want to use this medium to congratulate you all for the wonderful support we received marking the Golden Jubilee of our dear Diocese last week. May God the creator of heaven and earth, the one with the all-seeing eyes, let His face shine upon you now and forever, Amen (Num. 6:24, 24:4).

Welcome to Ash Wednesday, the John the Baptist of Easter. Today, we Catholics take out our dirty linens and hand them over for dry cleaning. In this way, through our penance and supplication, the Lord in His mercy, will clothe us and make us worthy of being at the table of the Lamb. It is a time for us to prepare ourselves so that at the appropriate time, we shall be counted among those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb (Rev 7:14).