Homily
for June 25, 2017
Today’s message would be
very direct so brace up.
Dear friends, based on the
recent happenings in our dear country today, one does not need a soothsayer any
more to tell us that the Christian Faith and Christian Religion is under
serious threat. Christians in Nigeria today are faced with an unprecedented
form of persecution from the powers that be.
The recent introduction of a
subject called “Religion and National Values” into the Nation’s educational
curriculum whereby the same textbook would contain both Christianity and Islam and
both would be taught by the same teacher is the greatest blow so far we have seen
being meted out against Christianity.
There is grave insecurity in
the land, people are now afraid to go to the farms but while the perpetuators
of dastardly acts are never arrested but those who run to security personnel to
report cases are held in custody.
Dear friends, just as
Jeremiah cried out in our first reading today, there is terror on every side;
Christianity is under attack. Many powerful persons have put plans in place not
only wipe out Christians but Christianity itself from our dear country.
Even from within, the
Christian-Catholic faith is under serious attack. We have shown so much hatred
against our fellow Christians because we value our tribal and ethnic bond over
and above their spiritual bond as baptized children of the same Father.
We have attacked the hierarchy,
we have washed our dirty linens in public, we have shown the world that we cannot
love and accommodate our fellow Christians as leaders because they didn’t grow
up with us.
Yes, as we face persecution
externally and internally, this is a time to pray the prayer of Jeremiah. Yes,
this is a time for Christians to rise to their feet and join with Jeremiah to
ask God for vengeance. As Jeremiah prayed: “O Lord of hosts, who test the
righteous… let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my
cause.” Jeremiah 20:12.
This is a time for us go to
war against the enemies of our Christian faith with all our weapons for the
enemy has drawn the battle line. Now is the time for us to put on the
breastplate of righteousness, shoes ready to announce Gospel, the shield of
faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God.
Now is the time for us to
double and even triple our prayer life. As St. Paul admonishes us: Pray at all
times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert
with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. See Ephesians
6:14-18
Remember the story of
Esther? How Haman made an evil plot to exterminate all the Jews simply because
of his hatred of Mordecai? Remember how Esther together with all the Jews went
down on their knees to pray and fast until God eventually did to Haman, the
very thing he had planned to do to the Jews?
Dear friends, the Haman of
our time has sworn an oath and is perfecting plans right now on how to wipe out
Christianity. This is a time for every Christian in this country to pray and
fast that the vengeance of God and his full wrath may fall upon the people who
plan to destroy us.
Apart from prayer, this is a
time for us to really rise in defence of what we believe. For some reasons, we
Christians have become too worldly minded, too materialistic, too
prosperity-conscious that we find it really difficult to proclaim our faith Jesus
Christ openly.
We can go on and on talking
about the latest musician, the latest fashion or the richest people in the
world but when it comes to talking about Jesus or to put it bluntly, ENFORCING our
religion on others, we behave like babies. It is as if we are ashamed or afraid.
What is wrong with campaigning for and entirely Christian nation?
Jesus is telling us today to
remove fear from our mind especially the fear of those who can kill only the
body but cannot kill the soul. We should not be afraid at all because even the
very hairs on our head are accounted for. This is a time for us to boldly and
openly proclaim Jesus to the world. This is a time for us to acknowledge Jesus
before men that he too may acknowledge us before the Father.
This is a time for us
parents to teach compulsory C.R.S to all our children at home since the Government
wants to remove the subject from our schools. Indeed, we have kept quiet for
too long. Enough is enough. Any parent who fails to teach C.R.S to his or her
children henceforth is not worthy to be called a Christian. Such a parent
should be flogged seriously!
If you don’t have a Bible at
home, Go Get One Now! And please Read it, read it aloud, recite it morning,
afternoon and night. Stop watching immoral film shows, dancing to rubbish
music, if not, we would be so shocked to see our next generation abandoning Christianity
because there was no one to teach them.
It is no longer enough to
bring your babies for baptism hoping they would just get along. No! No!! No!!! This
is the time to stamp your feet down and deliberately teach God to your kids.
In fact, if I am not
prepared to die for the sake of my Christian faith, then I am not yet fully converted.
If I cannot talk about Christ and proclaim him from the rooftop of my house,
then what is the point coming to church?
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, please
take away fear from my heart. Amen.
Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live
Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Twelfth Sunday
in Ordinary Time. Year A. Bible Study: Jeremiah 20:10-13, Romans 5:12-15 and Matthew 10:26-33).
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