TAKING THE EXTRA STEPS TO HEAL OUR LAND

‘Only a fool fools with sin’ (Proverbs 20:3).

‘If my people, will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Introduction

Men and women, including our young people and children are deeply longing for Nigeria to be a God fearing godly nation, from households , educational institutions, religious institutions, to halls of government. Our liberty as a people matters very little if our hearts remain enslaved to sin. Though we may feel tired, hurt and disappointed in ourselves, we must allow God to take over and send His helping hand. True freedom is possible only through an intimate relationship with Christ Jesus. Every day we face condemnation from the devil, an enemy, or our own guilty conscience. Jesus never condemns us (John 8:11). We might not know what to do or where to go in our confusion, but Sacred Scriptures offers us message of hope - ‘Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1-2). This reflection is meant to make us get to think, pray and reflect on the state of our nation and the need to be actively involved in overcoming the issues that confront us as a people. We must understand that we have a mutual obligation of going the extra mile to work for peace and promote each other’s joy, happiness and welfare.

Endless tales of woes and a ticking time bomb

Nigeria is expressing very disturbing and distressing circumstances, where dark threatening clouds overwhelmingly roll in, crippling our lives, destroying our peace and security and deteriorating our country at a frightening pace. Day by day, the stories of our dailies reveal how our people awake from extremely disturbing nightmares, feeling profoundly troubled and fearing for the future of the nation. We see the vicious circle of conflict and warfare, attack and counter attack, strike and counter strike  breeding hatred, resentment and bitterness among our people. We see recklessness and carelessness with impunity; we see endless militancy and terrorism; we see reign of terror and incessant bloodletting, we see heart breaking and horrific scenes of innocent people gunned down, killed and their scorched bodies lying helpless on each other; we see decapitated, mutilated and naked corpses of our innocent citizens; we see our people alarmed, agitated, trapped and cornered like rats; we perceive some dangerous and merciless invisible insurgents and hear their murderous campaigns and threats to inflict injuries on our innocent citizens; we see the inhuman condition of life and the deplorable insecurity situation spiraling dangerously into total chaos; we see our people deprived of all dignity and brutalized in a climate of violence; we hear distressing voices of people crying desperately for help; we see our desperate people caught up in the grips of despair; we see the unfortunate game of ghost workers phenomenon multiplying by the day and our systems suffocated. We witnessed spates of bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, abductions, gun attacks on key point and strategic areas of interest – Military formations, Churches, Schools, Market places, Banks and private residences by unidentified gun men on motor cycles, who trail their victims to attack and inflict serious injuries on them. These sad and ugly events bear witness to the painful chapter in the history of Nigeria in our times. The increasing wave of socio-political and ethno-religious crisis threatening our national security and corporate existence calls for serious attention and deep prayer for mercy and healing upon our land.

Going the extra mile and taking the extra steps to stop the ‘culture of blame’

It is high time we take responsibilities individually and collectively in handling and tackling issues that confront us as a nation through prayers and concrete action. For Scriptures says the good influence of a godly citizens causes a city to prosper (Proverbs 11:11). Thankfully, God knows and has a profound wisdom about all things. He sees from the beginning to the end of every matter, and understands the absolute best course to take in every situation. We will not fail if we place our trust in Him. Doing God’s Will is central to our calling as Christians. The Speech of President Ronald Reagan  on the National Day of Prayer Proclamation, March 19, 1981, holds special appeal for us as Nigerians passing through the storms of revolution and disillusionment: ‘Our Nation’s motto – ‘In God We Trust’ – was not chosen lightly. It reflects a basic recognition that there is a divine authority in the Universe to which the Nation owes homage. Throughout our history, Americans have put their faith in God and no one can doubt that we have been blessed for it. … Prayer is today as powerful a force in our Nation as it has ever been. We as a Nation should never forget this source of strength. And while recognizing that the freedom to choose a godly path is the essence of liberty, as a nation we cannot but hope that more of our citizens would, through prayer, come into closer relationship with their maker’.[1]

The way to which Christ calls us can be sometimes daunting (Matthew 5:39-44). Jesus tells us to offer other cheek, give our extra tunic, walk the extra mile, love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us. This task to extra patience, unbridled generosity and untiring commitment to another is not for the weak and faint hearted. God calls us to do the impossible sometimes; but we can with His help and grace. It is at the crucial moment like this when we have reached our human limit that we must surrender to the grace of God.

Today there are so many ways and so many situations where it is far easier to criticize than to give help and support. When things go wrong today, we see the culture of blame, condemnation and judgment. We are merely concerned to identify a scapegoat than fix the problem; more concerned to punish wrong doers than heal the injury. Yes, we have made mistakes as a people, fallen short of the mark and displayed dishonorable faults with impunity, but mere blames and criticism will not help. The important question for us now is not ‘whose fault is this? But How can we put it right? Let us not go through our national life wearing mask and pretending that all is well.

The words of Henri J. M. Nouwen, in his book the Road to Daybreak speaks to us here: ‘I read in the Gospel  of (Matthew 5: 23-24) Jesus’ words: ‘If you are bringing your gift to the altar…’ These words have stayed the whole day. When I think back on the friendships, encounters and confrontations of the past, I realize that islands of anger, bitterness, and resentment still lie hidden in my heart. My inner life is so filled with opinions, judgments, and prejudices about my brothers and sisters that real peace is far away. As I think about Jesus’ words, I know that I must let go of all these divisive emotions and thoughts so that I can truly experience peace with all of God’s people. This means  an unrestrained willingness to forgive and let go of fears, bitterness, resentment, anger, and lust, and thus find reconciliation’.[2] Unless we confront and deal with our unresolved and deep rooted bitterness and defuse this controlling damaging feeling and attitude, it can destroy us.

Our greatest weapon is Prayer and God’s Help

The greatest tool we have is the power of prayer and God’s help. God governs in all the affairs of men. Since prayer is deeply rooted in our socio-cultural and religious heritage as a people of different religious persuasions, we must turn to God in prayers as a nation dedicated under Him, through this times of storms and disarray for divine guidance and deliverance in the quest for liberty, justice and healing for our land. As we pursue our national desires and goals, we must not fail to pause to hear the Lord. We should take time to wait on God patiently in prayer, lest we miss out His blessings. It is crucial that we sit and pay attention to what He is saying to us and strive to walk with Him. We have a responsibility to keep listening, trusting and obeying. Though we live in tumultuous times, our assurance is that our Sovereign God is in control and rules the universe. He can restore joy and bring about good from even the most overwhelming circumstances. So why do we then settle for mediocre life when we can reach our full potentials. The road we chose today without seeking for God’s direction may lead to heartache. Let this uncertainty draw us back to God like a magnet. The days and times may be hard for Nigeria, but it has brought out the best in some of us.

Conclusion

While we salute the intervention of the military through the presidential order of Goodluck Jonathan which has restored normalcy and confidence in the hearts of our people around the Nigeria and Chad border region; we challenge His government and cabinet to face squarely the issues of poverty reduction and job creation, work for better economy and welfare of Nigerians, combat corruption, human trafficking, child abuse and sex slavery; strengthen and improve cooperation and policy implementation and coordination between all tiers of government, and to empower and strengthen institutions and regulatory bodies to ensure strict compliance to democratic principles and tenets for good corporate governance.  Attention should be given to environmental issues of poor sanitation, refuse dumps, drainage and other factors associated with slum communities. We must take our future as a people seriously and be committed to working and building a good solid nation together. We must seek new insight and direction for a constructive way forward for everyone. Remember, our power to do good and to become a dynamic nation diminishes when our people are ill and broken; therefore,  preserving and defending a healthy and formidable nation is a moral and religious duty. As we connect to God in all things, let us keep ourselves motivated by aligning and keying to His will, plan and purposes for healing upon our land.

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[1] David R.  Shepherd, Ronald Reagan: In God I Trust. President Reagan’s Statements of Faith in God and their Effects on the Nation and the World; Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 1984, Pp. 57-58.

[2] Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak, p. 141.

 

Rev Fr Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director, Media Service Centre Kaduna Nigeria 2013.

THE POWER OF PRAISE

‘Let us , then always offer Praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess Him as Lord’ (Hebrews 13:15).

Introduction

Obviously hard times are inevitable in the human life. Today so many things have strong grip on our hearts. Many things troubles us – financial need, global economic crisis, joblessness, relational stress, security and terror threat, difficult circumstances, and lingering and crippling illnesses, and debilitating diseases creating deep fear and feeling of anxiety. Yet in all these overwhelming distress, the Holy Bible tells us to trust God and give praise and thanks to Him not just with request for the removal of these problems, but with thanks for strength and grace to endure (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We can thank God no matter what we feel or what the outcome may be, while trusting Him to see us through. We must not let anxiety conquer us. In these challenging situations, we should remember to discover the Power of Praise. Focusing on obstacles rather than God distorts our vision. Thankfully God guides us through times of turbulence (Psalm 23). The key then to dealing with difficulty lies with the One in control of all things. Yes, we might be in terrible dilemma, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can endure struggles with the Peace of Christ. Praise is powerful and it conquers all things! God’s beautiful design in nature is all praise – birds, flowers, sea, ocean, wind, thunder and lightning, sky, stars and sun. Similarly, everybody in life responds to praise – children, adults and aged are all created for praise. So lay aside your list of request and petition for a moment, and praise God as never before. Just lift up your hearts, voices, hands and feet in a burst of Praise to God.

 Praising the Lord

Praising the Lord means adoring, worshiping, thanking, exalting and glorifying Him. Praise seems easy, but in reality, it is not very easy in the midst of storms, troubles, trials and turmoil of our time. In theory this sounds great and fairly easy, but we know how hard it can be in practice. Problems may seem to loom so large that we cannot see to take the next step in faith. Yet sincere praise is the remedy. Praise brings down God’s presence, glory, and manifest His power – that blesses, redeems, saves, heals, and delivers (Acts 16:30-31). In fact, it raises us up in joy and faith, and keeps us connected to God’s presence. More often than not, we tend to devote our time and energies to complaints and asking God to help us with our problems and needs rather than praising and worshipping Him. Yet it is in Praise and Worship that our hearts can be lifted up to God’s presence, where we can gain new vision and heavenly perspective. There is great healing and blessing through praise. We are created for praise and worship and it is in praising God that we find ourselves most fulfilled (Isaiah 43:7; 1 Peter 2: 5, 9). God takes delight in praise and worship. So do not put it off and waste no time about it!

Ways of praising God

King David knows the power of praise. He truly expressed this in the Book of Psalms and placed a sense of urgency of it in the minds of Believers. We praise God in the way we live, the way we do things, think and the thoughts we convey (life style, words, actions, and attitudes). Our praise can be expressed in many ways:

·         Spending time in God’s presence: The author of Hebrews invites us to spend ourselves on God, pouring out prayers and hymns of adoration to Him. ‘Let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God’ (Hebrews 13:15).

·         Making a joyful noise: By singing joyous songs before Him with grateful hearts (Psalm 98:4; Psalm 147:1; Psalm 150). We can praise Him by words, music and gestures like raising hands and dancing.

·         Blessing the Lord at all times: By turning our hearts to Him during the day (Psalm 34:1).

·         Exulting His great Deeds: By recalling all He has done for us, and praising Him for what He is doing and for what He will continue to do (Psalm 9:1-16).

·         Dancing before the Lord: As King David did in thanksgiving (2 Samuel 6:14).

·         Crying out along with the multitudes in heaven: ‘’Holy, Holy, holy is the Lord God of Host’ (Revelation 4:8). Generally, we praise and worship the Lord with our whole being – heart, mind, spirit, soul and body.

A Beautiful Testimony to ponder upon

We never cease to marvel at the power of prayerful praise. The WORD among Us of Lent 2005 edition tells this beautiful story: Bob went into his office early, just as he had done the previous four days this week. He had worked about fifty hours a week for the past two months trying to keep up with the workload. He had a good job, enjoyed the little time he had to spend with his children, and loved his wife dearly. Yet this morning, as he sat down and faced his computer monitor, he suddenly felt very empty. ‘What am I doing here?’ he asked himself. ‘What is the purpose of my life? There’s got to be more to it than just going to work and coming home tired at the end of the day. Is this really all there is?’ On the same morning, a woman named Jill was praying about 1,200 miles away. She felt especially led by the Spirit in prayerful praise, to pray that the Lord would touch someone who was feeling empty and alone. So she spent the next ten minutes praying that the lonely would be open to God’s mercy and love. At the same time, without her knowledge, Bob broke down and began to weep. He realized that he had been pursuing things that really didn’t matter. He began to ask God to help him.[1] There are countless ‘Bobs’ in the world today that God wants to offer freedom out of the desert of loneliness and emptiness through our prayer and praise. Are we really praising God and interceding for them?

Discovering the Power and Benefits of Praise

Praise is absolutely essential to the knowledge of God and His Will. Its benefits are numerous:

ü  Praise honors, magnifies and pleases the Lord. God is worthy of our praise (Psalm 18:31; Psalm 22:3; Revelation 5:11-12). Praise is a reminder of God’s greatness and our dependence upon Him.

ü  Praise brings deliverance and healing, and dispels darkness and depression.

ü  Praise of God free us from the bondage of endless condemnation and blames

ü  Praise strengthens our sense of assurance in God, takes away anxiety and worry, and increases our faith.

ü  Praise creates joy, peace and good health and produces more divine favors. Adoration of God modifies our estimation of self. It challenges our pride and humbles us.

ü  Praise purges the body and purifies the mind, it brings about tranquility and serenity (Psalm 150:6). Physically, tension leaves us and we find new strength.

ü  When we focus on Jesus’ goodness and begin to surrender ourselves to Him in praise and worship, changes start to take place in our lives.

ü  Whenever we surrender to God in prayer and praise, he can work a miracle in us through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit.

ü  God wants to strengthen us to choose His ways and obey Him. Every time we obey His Word, ask for His help or turn to Him in worship and praise, we open ourselves to His water of life.

ü  Through praise and worship, we become firmly rooted in God by letting Him influence every dimension of our lives, our work, our family, our finances and our leisure time.

Conclusion

I conclude with the encouraging words of St. Paul to Thessalonians: ‘Be joyful always, Pray at all times, and be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18). So, worship Him with praise as you spend time in His presence today. Let us glorify and praise God through our actions, thoughts and creativity for the small miracles we see in our everyday lives. What can you praise Him for today?

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director, media Service Centre Kaduna, Nigeria 2013.

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[1] The WORD among Us Lent 2005 edition, p.23.

Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization

Introduction

It is a great delight to be here today. Happy 47^th World Communications Day. Communication is indeed a binding force which holds groups together, and makes our day to day existence possible. To be human is to communicate. In our everyday experience it is an activity which creates connections, that brings about the flow of ideas, beliefs, opinions, experiences and information. It would seem pretty obvious that we need communication to for survival, cooperation, satisfy personal needs – physical, need to feel secure within ourselves, to have a good opinion of ourselves, and to feel wanted and valued, to be involved with others in relationships, to satisfy our social needs and to hold our society together in a practical sense.

Challenges of Pope’s Message to Communicators

In his message for the 47th World Communications Day with the theme "Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization", Pope Benedict XVI urges effective and active engagement of Communication in spreading the faith. He states, ‘Social networks are the "new 'agora,' "an open public square" where "new relationships and forms of community can come into being." As such, they offer new ways for Christians to introduce the faith to others, as long as they are savvy to the medium.

In this digital environment and forum, the Pope encourages members of the social media networks to use wisely and responsibly these great gifts. ‘Social media “need the commitment of all who are conscious of the value of dialogue, reasoned debate and logical argumentation”. Social forums need to be used wisely and well, which means fostering balanced and respectful dialogue and debate, and paying special attention to “privacy, responsibility and truthfulness”. The pontiff urges mutual respect, responsibility, honest dialogue and accountability in social media networks. We are challenged through our engagement to promote, share and defend the values of our Christian faith with great conviction and commitment to counteract relativism, secularism, fundamentalism, aggressive atheism and indifference to religion.

Social Communicators and Social Responsibility in a digital environment

We are called Social Communicators because we are responsible and accountable to the society, in building and fostering development through the spread of useful information. Therefore, communication serving the society should be influenced in her crucial role by a people centred vision based on respect for human rights, respect for the sanctity, dignity and value of human life, social justice, honesty, peace, truth and sustainable development of our parish communities, dioceses and the society at large. In fact, this concept of corporate social responsibility has continued to flourish and blossom over the last few decades. Service to the society rather than profit is seen as a great priority. The challenge before us is in getting people behave and act responsibly with the view to improving the society and bettering the living standard of the people. We should not be driven primarily by the logic of profitability and capital accumulation, but to ensure that the public interest is served responsibly. Our responsibility to the society is a collective one and we need to build together healthy network of communication and social relationships to the greater glory of God.

Therefore, Christian Communication is ultimately meant to glorify God. It is a challenge to witness to God’s transforming power in all areas of human life. Effective usage and application of it will serve to facilitate integral human development, harmony, peace and progress in the modern multi-cultural, multi-religious and pluralistic world; build fraternal encounter and mutual relationships, and foster faith renewal, and a renewed challenge to create other pastoral agenda and strategies for today’s fast changing cultural patterns and pastoral circumstances, with particular context of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

Some Benefits of Social Networking

Social networking is becoming an increasingly important method of communicating in schools and the workplaces and business. So it is good for us to be prepared for its proper usage and application in evangelization. While there are risks and disadvantage inherent in online social networking, there are also many potential benefits. Social networking can.

§  provide opportunities for new relationships as well as strengthening existing relationships. Creates connections. You can search for people, places and things. Keeping in touch with family members that live far away can become much easier through the use of online social networking. By sharing updates, photos, videos, and messages, family members can stay connected even if they live across the country—or the world.

§  Allows you to post messages, upload pictures and stories on to your own personal page where friends, family, colleagues can visit to see what is going on.

§  Some sites provide Blogs, forum, automatic links to your favorite music, artist, online games and others.

§  Some social network sites offer advertising to its subscribers for a small fee.

§  Social networks offers opportunities for prayer, meditation and sharing the Word of God.

§  Helps faithful who are isolated and reinforces their sense of real unity with the worldwide community of believers.

§   Social network facilitates sharing of religious, spiritual, biblical and liturgical resources.

§  Promotes daily meditation of gospel on face book

§  It is greatly appreciated by young people. So, on face book we can present Church activities, programs, vital information and Church views on important issues and questions. Educationally teachers can take advantage of students’ social networking abilities to create class blogs, discussion forums, videos, and more.

Effective  and active engagement of Communication in spreading the faith

 

Since religion itself is basically a communication experience between God and human being, the task before the Church is effective communication meant to ultimately glorify God. We should get more deeply involved in evangelization through the media.

·         Web presence is very important where you have variety of good news on line packed with news, articles, reflections, talks, powerful spiritual testimonies and inspiring prayers

·         prayer line for prayer request and for questions and answers of the Christian faith should be opened

·         e-ministry, e-apostolate, e-pulpit should be encouraged through blocs, U tube, chat, text messages, web radio, web television, and face book because they provide great place for interaction, exchange, connecting to people and keeping in touch with friends, and also posting photos and videos

·         The use of electronic media – radio and television should also form an important part of our evangelistic ministry. Holy mass, Church services, fellowships, biblical and catechetical programs should be packaged for radio and television broadcast;

·         CDs, VCDs, Tapes and inspiring books on sermons, life of Saints and the Catholic Social Teachings, newsletter, Bulletins, pamphlets and magazines should be made available and sold in our Bookshops and Churches.

·         The culture of reading and building family and parish Library should be developed and encouraged.

·         Seminarians and Priests should be encouraged to take courses in computer information technology

·         Do awareness courses in technology for computer appreciation and knowledge; courses on information management and communication

·         Our lay people are also faced with the challenge of active engagement, involvement, contribution and participation in public discourse on vital issues on the Holy Bible, and Church doctrines and politics. Good religious publications, motivational and inspiring books on human development, Social Teachings of the Church and Papal messages should be carefully studied and taken seriously.

 

Conclusion

The following are fundamental questions for us: Are we on social networking site? What is on our profile? How do we feel our employers, teachers, parents, and parishioners seeing what we have posted. We must evaluate our social networking accounts and postings to see whether we are giving the desired witness and testimony in this year of faith. The Pope warns: ‘In this digital environment, too, where it is easy for heated and divisive voices to be raised and where sensationalism can at times prevail, we are called to attentive discernment. In this period of dramatic technological and social change, effective evangelism needs to cultivate a variety of new types of pastoral strategies to make the Gospel relevant to the demands of the new age. We now have the power through information technology to choose a radically different path by our positive and fruitful engagement in the social media.

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre, Kaduna Nigeria 2013

Facing trials of life with godly attitude

‘I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!’ ( John 16:33)

Introduction

Trials have been the common experience of humankind throughout history. These trials and storms speak powerfully to the human heart and reveals our broken, weak, sinful and frail nature as ordinary mortals. We all experience hardships, trials and troublesome circumstances in life. All these overwhelm, test, shake and sometimes erode our Christian faith unless we cling to truth - negative emotions, fear, doubts, long standing disappointment and hurts, ill – health, sudden death of a loved one, family difficulties, community and national afflictions and tragedies which perpetually leaves us in prolong sadness and misery because of years of seemingly unanswered prayers and expectations. Even when life sometimes seems to fall apart, we know through our Christian faith that God is in perfect control strengthening and guiding us in every step and changing our circumstances for good.

Why does God allow trials?

The Lord’s ways are totally beyond our ability to understand as human beings. Knowing that God has the ultimate powers can leave us wondering why He would allow our painfully tragic circumstances in life. Why does He allow us go through hard times? Sometimes, we Christians even assume that if we are following the Lord, our lives will be problem and trial free. But Jesus never promised His disciples lives of ease and comfort, but on the contrary told us to expect tribulations (John 16:33). Christ Himself was not exempted from afflictions and sorrows. He was called ‘a man of sorrow’ (Isaiah 53:3). The Lord uses hardships to achieve something good in our lives, but whether we experience these benefits or not depends upon our response.

What is Our attitude and behavior during trials?

Yes, trials and troubles are inevitable part of life, they pop up unexpectedly and come in all shapes and sizes. The question is what is our behavior and attitude when experiencing difficulty or pain? Do we grumble and complain or indulge in self-pity? Or do we get angry and blame others for our troubles? All these reactions lead to despair, frustration and misery. However, St. James presents a totally different perspective about suffering when he said: ‘Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials’ (James 1:2-6). He urges us not to merely delight in pain and be happy about suffering, but to assess our trials as an opportunity to receive the blessings God has promised us when we respond wisely.

Godly perspective for hard times

Dr. Charles Stanley suggests that knowing and determining the sources and causes of trial can help us understand the wise way to react – either is from the self, others, world, Satan or God. He enumerated some godly perspective for hard times in his article titled Wisdom for the trials of life in the InTouch Magazine of January 2012:

·         The Lord controls the timing and intensity of my trial.

·         He has specific purpose for allowing it.

·         It may yield something in me that I presently lack.

·         If I trust God with a joyful attitude, I will benefit from adversity.

·         Christ wants to demonstrate His ability to sustain me under great pressure.

·         He walks with me every step of the way.

·         Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I will come out of this trial victorious.[1]

Right attitude to embrace for the trials of life

ü  In difficult times, we must always remember that God will meet all our needs.

ü  During difficult times, we must learn to cling to the Lord’s promise that He is in complete control. We have certain Biblical assurances that help us endure even if we do not understand.

ü  We must understand God’s purpose for testing our faith and perfecting us. God teaches us through our mistakes.

ü  Cooperate with God’s goal. There are far bigger picture than what we are able to see, and God weaves circumstances together in beautiful ways.

ü  Trials are often necessary to draw us near to God. We can be confident in trials when we rest in the fact that Jesus is in complete control, and will work everything out for our good.

Conclusion

St. James tell us that the crown of life awaits those who persevere under trial. ‘Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.’ (James 1:12). Though Jesus said we would face troubles in life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate Victory is His, and He will work everything out for our good!

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre, Kaduna Nigeria 2012.

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[1] InTouch Magazine January 2012

MAKING A GRATITUDE LISTS THIS NEW YEAR

What kind of world do we live in? How do we progressively move forward in a world confronted by multiple contradictions of kidnappings, violence, massacre, trauma, devastation, family crisis, destitution, hunger and starvation? How do we survive in an angry, ungrateful and aggressive world? The answers lies not out there, but in ourselves. A wise man once remarked that a hostile person lives in a hostile world, while a loving person finds it a loving one. The choice is actually ours! Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. Seeing His will done is more important than our own comfort and personal ambition. The choice for the way to greatness and goodness is ours. Zane Grey, the prolific writer of western novels gives the recipe for greatness thus: ‘To bear up under loss; to fight the bitterness of defeat and the weakness of grief; to be victor over anger; to smile when tears are close; to resist disease and evil men and base instincts; to hate hate and love love; to go on when it would seem good to die; to look up with unquenchable faith in something ever about to be; That is what any man can do, and be great’.

Obviously, we all have dark times in our lives when we long for a little light to cheer us on our way. This is the light and brighter ray that this New Day and Year emits. As you wake up today, look out of the window gratefully and say to yourself, I am looking at a brand New Day and a brand New Year with a positively brand New mind. So be ever determined to make the most of it assuring yourself that God will give you grace and strength to sail through. Kathleen Gillium beautifully captures it thus: ‘Let our words be happy words of love and sympathy; let us speak of kindness and generosity. Do not let unpleasant things mar or spoil the day; we should then think carefully of what we are going to say. For words can wound and injure, or they can heal and bless – so let us try to cultivate the words of happiness’.[1]

As we begin a New Year in this great journey of Faith, trust is absolutely vital in our relationship with God. Therefore, I encourage you to follow the Lord and trust His Word. The Christian life rests on a firm foundation of God’s promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that God said because His Word is truthful, faithful, loving and all powerful (Hebrews 4:12-13; Isaiah 40:11; Roman 8:28; John 3:16). The Lord always keep His promises.

·         Learn to rely on His faithfulness, and enjoy the peace and blessing that comes with trust in Him.

·         Let our greatest and most rewarding pursuit be intimacy with God, with hearts full of thanksgiving and demonstrated by thanks living.

·         Learn to fight life’s battles through intimate communion with the Lord.

·         Obey God and leave all consequences to Him

·         Learn to give testimony of God’s greatness and goodness as you tell your story and make your gratitude lists.

Note that Gratitude is the key word of this reflection. Genuine gratitude is a wonderful thing. It takes us into the courts of praise, and once inside, there is  something about beholding the one on the throne that puts a lot in perspective (Philippians 4:6).

So, Let us thank the Lord, praise the Lord, adore the Lord and glorify Him as never before (Psalm 105), this New Year because He is our provider and defender, and will always be no matter what. Though we live amidst doubts and uncertainties, trials and troubles, and at times wonder and question the reasons and causes for certain senseless tragedies in the world, we have every reason to praise and thank God always. So, I feel like thanking you Lord for: for today, for your care and providence, for love and life, for grace and favor, for family and friends, for children, young and old, for benefactors and benefactresses, for teachers and professors, for rain, sunshine, moon, stars, hills and valleys, thunder and lightning, for the gift of speech, sight and the sense to feel, hear, smell, and taste, for the air we breathe and the water we drink, for food and nourishment, for health and strength to work, for the sweet and bitter experiences of life, for joy and sorrows, for hopes and struggles, for tears and laughter, for light and darkness, for success and failure, for every little material and spiritual benefits, for every expression of love, for every act of helpfulness and for the things, which many take for granted. Thank you Lord for everything.

We may at the moment be feeling deserted or rejected by families and friends; we may be experiencing hardship and trials that can test and shake our faith unless we cling to the truth; let us be assured that we are never alone. God promised to be with us always (Hebrew 13:5). The sobering question for us is: What does God want me to do this New Year? God’s promised blessings are real. So following him in all things is the surest path to favor and spiritual growth. Recognizing His intimate presence will give us confidence in the midst of challenges and trials. So be joyful in your union with the Lord, and in all things give thanks to the Lord, rejoicing over all He plans to accomplish in your life this New Year. When God steps in and takes charge, all is well.

May this New Year be an opportunity for us to gracefully grow in the knowledge and intimacy with the Lord who is the Lord of the Universe and Master of every situation. Have a blessed 2013!

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria 2013

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[1] Francis Gay, the friendship Book, D.C Thomson & Co. Ltd, London, 1999.

NIGERIA @ 52: MATTERS ARISING

‘It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are still alive. There are certain things that are beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them’. George Elliot

Introduction

See how time flies! The time is here again for yet another celebration of our 52^nd Independence anniversary. The question is, is it a celebration or commiseration? Obviously, the times are not favorable and safe as we seem to be surrounded by doom, pain and regrets. Nigerians are painfully lamenting the state of terrorism and insecurity in the nation – Boko Haram menace, reckless violence in Jos, Maiduguri, Bauchi and other parts of the federation, terrible floods and heightened insecurity across the country. Our people are desperately asking; Is President Goodluck Jonathan really capable of taking the country out of the doldrums? Does he have the political will of solving the hydra-headed problems facing the country?

Painting a true scenario

Life to common Nigerians have become poor, miserable and rough. Everywhere you go in the length and breadth of our land you see pervasive poverty, institutional corruption, the vain superiority and supremacy of the ruling class leading to monopoly of high key positions, thus giving rise to a clique of wealthy and powerful rulers; you hear the cry of the oppressed deprived of justice; you see the fear of oppression and domination by the majority tribe and religion against the minorities; you also notice general cynicism regarding governance as a result of the growing gap between the rulers and the ruled, the rich and the poor, and lack of access to basic public services and social amenities.

Blame and Victim mentality

Admittedly, the President is trying and glaringly committed despite efforts of anti-democratic forces to sabotage him. However, all stakeholders must give him their support to turn things around and take the country to greater heights. It is all too easy, in this high-pressure and high-tension situation to be swept along with the tide of blaming, complaining and criticizing destructively. Apparently, our modern culture has become one of complaint, blame, criticism and non-responsibility. Everything is someone else’s fault. We commonly hear such statements as: ‘it is not my fault; I am not to blame; I am framed; I am not guilty; I am not responsible; they caused it’ etc. In fact, the blame and victim mentality has grown in popularity in our country in the last few decades. We always claim credit for victories won or goals achieved, but never easily as Nigerian people admit our faults and mistakes. Let us not be deceived; we must admit our sins and sincerely confess our need of God for the way forward.

Our Endowments and Matters arising

The Almighty Creator has shown our country great favor in no small measure. God has no doubt endowed us with all it takes (natural and human resources) to develop and be among the leading economies in the world, but we remain stagnated as a result of greed, carelessness, and recklessness by our leaders and people. Unfortunately, we have become a country of lost and untapped opportunities, potentials and lost dreams. We remain unchanged in our deceitful nature. What we essentially need now to forge ahead positively is attitudinal change and moral re-orientation, as William Jones (1842-1910) said: ‘The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter his life by altering his attitude of mind’. The Holy Bible has categorically said that two thousand years ago. The most important moment in our life is now. The best time is now, the best place is here. So let us begin something today with the help of God. For when God supports us, no one can defeat us as a nation. Let us collectively manage our resources, harness our potentials and maximize our God given gifts to make Nigeria great.

Special Prayer for Nigeria

Special friends and beloved countrymen and women, let us thank God with grateful hearts and reflect on our wishes and aspirations as Nigerian people as I invite you to join me in my prayerful wishes for Nigeria. This is my wish for Nigeria: Faith to believe in God’s promises; Humility to admit our faults and to confess our sins; Trust to keep faithful; Courage to be sincere, open and honest in the twists and turns of life; Strength to hold  on to what is good; Patience to accept the truth;  A change from bankruptcy to blessing; a change from burden to victory; Stamina to sustain our struggle for freedom and entrenchment of democracy; godly heart to leave heart prints of love, compassion, understanding, forgiveness and peace; Positive heart to worship God in thick and thin and to grow and live for the future, and the Grace to fear less and love more. O God, in failure and disappointment preserve our faith; In success please keep us humble; Help us as a people to choose to love rather than hate; to choose to build rather than destroy; to choose to persevere rather than quit; to choose to forgive rather than curse; to choose to live with honor and character rather than live in disgrace and shame; and to choose to pray rather than despair.

Our internal raging Battle and Choice

It is my believe that as a people we can learn from this beautiful native wisdom taken from the Irish get up and go 2011 Diary challenging us to the decisions and choices we make: A Grandfather from Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson. ‘A fight is going on inside me’ he said to the boy. ‘It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves’. ‘One wolf is evil and ugly; he is anger, envy, greed, self pity, resentment, selfishness, inferiority, false pride, lies, guilt, arrogance and wars’. ‘The other wolf is beautiful and good; he is friendly, joyful, generous, peaceful, loving, humble, kind, just, compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude.’ ‘The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every human being.’ The grandson paused in deep reflection on what his grandfather has said’ then he asked, ‘Grandfather, which wolf will win the fight?’ The elder Cherokee replied: ‘the wolf that you feed.’

Fanning the embers of Hope

Yes, it seems we have been feeding the evil and ugly wolf in us and as a result our country is bedeviled by all manners of criminal activities, terrorism and anarchy. Now our hearts are troubled and we are having symptoms and experiencing signs of heart attack; our environment is polluted and we are feeling dizzy and experiencing shortness of breath; there are times when we are alone and feel deserted.  In fact, we are almost getting suffocated. Our people are fuming and blowing hot and our psychological tension is heightened. Now is the time to stand up as a people against the many factors inhibiting our spiritual and natural growth as a nation; now is the time to draw strength and encouragement from each other in order to fan the glowing embers of hope. God alone can respond to our deepest longings, aspirations, concerns, yearnings and give true meaning to our lives as a nation and people. Only in Him can we find direction and a sense of purpose.

Conclusion

Let me conclude with the appealing words of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria given in a Communiqué issued at the end of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), at Bishop Thomas Mcgetrick Pastoral Centre, Abakiliki, Ebonyi State from September 10 – 17, 2011: ‘During the Golden Jubilee of our Independence as a nation, we celebrated the labors of our past heroes which our national Anthem declares shall never be in vain. To this end, we call on our leaders to renew their vision for a greater Nigeria, and through good governance and honest labors, to ensure the building of a greater nation bound in freedom, peace and unity. This indeed is our challenge as a people. Let us not place regional and sectional interest far above our national affiliation, but give adequate support to the concept of nationalism and patriotism.

God bless Nigeria and Happy Independence Anniversary!

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola Director, Media Service Centre Kaduna, Nigeria 2012