THE DOGMA OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Introduction

The Christian faith teaches the truth that we are all created not for eternal damnation, but for eternal bliss beyond the reach of earthly misery. Today, we celebrate with faith and devotion the Solemnity of the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its history goes back to the beginning of the Church. The belief that Mary was assumed into heaven is ancient, dating back to the apostles themselves. It is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century.

Council of Chalcedon

At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 the emperor Marcian asked the Patriarch of Jerusalem to bring the relics of Mary to Constantinople to be enshrined there. The Patriarch explained to the Emperor that there were no relics of Mary in Jerusalem, that ‘Mary had died in the presence of the apostles; but her tomb, when opened later… was found empty and so the apostles concluded that the body was taken up into heaven.

In the eighth century, St. John Damascene preached: ‘Although the body was duly buried, it did not remain in the  state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay… You were transferred to your heavenly home, O Lady, Queen and Mother of God in truth.’ Mary’s empty tomb on the edge of Jerusalem, near the place where she died, soon became a place of pilgrimage. The Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition of Mary stands on the spot today.[1]

Definition and Declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven at the end of her earthly life is defined Dogma of the Catholic Church on November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, exercising Papal infallibility, declared in Munificentissimus Deus ‘that it is the dogma of the Church ‘that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.’ As a dogma, the Assumption is  a required belief of all Catholics; anyone who publicly dissents from the dogma, Pope Pius declared, ‘has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.’[2]

The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these. (CCC 88)[3]The

In the text explaining the definition of the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Pius XII states: ‘In order that this, our definition of the bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven may be brought to the attention of the universal Church, we desire that this, our Apostolic Letter, should stand for perpetual remembrance, commanding that written copies of it, or even printed copies, signed by the hand of any public notary and bearing the seal of a person constituted in ecclesiastical dignity, should be accorded by all men the same reception they would give to this present letter, were it tendered or shown. It is forbidden to any man to change this, our declaration, pronouncement, and definition or, by rash attempt, to oppose and counter it. If any man should presume to make such an attempt, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.’[4]

What is a Dogma?

Dogma is a truth that:

ü  Pertains to faith and morals.

ü  Is revealed by God.

ü  Was transmitted from the Apostles either in Scripture or by tradition.

ü  Is proposed by the Church for acceptance of the faithful.

The difference between Doctrine and Dogma

In general, Doctrine is all Church teaching in matters of faith and morals. Dogma is more narrowly defined as that part of Doctrine which has been divinely revealed and which the Church has formally defined and declared to be believed as revealed.

 

Lessons of the feast of the Assumption

·         Mary’s humble life of faith is crowned in her entry, body and soul into the glory of the resurrection, into the fullness of God’s life. We also have hope in our own destiny.

·         Our faith is rooted in the truth that we too will rise from the dead, body and soul through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ.

·         The Blessed Virgin Mary challenges us to totally say ‘Yes’ to God and place ourselves at the service of God.

·         In her, Salvation is announced and she accepted God’s will. We too must accept God’s will to be blessed. 

·         In her, God’s promises are fulfilled. We too must believe and trust that God’s promises will be fulfill in our lives.

·         She extols God for all He is doing for humanity and teaches us to do same in thanksgiving and surrender. She is a wonderful model for us, because in her: we see a woman of love and faith, prayer and obedience, trust, hope, humility, surrender and Victory.

Conclusion

The feast of the glorious Assumption of Our Lady holds out to us her children, a wonderful invitation to hope in the power of the risen and glorified Christ. Indeed, there is great hope and tremendous consolation in the Assumption message, which invites us to know that like Our Lady, assumed and exalted high above the heavens after the pattern of Her only Son, Jesus Christ, we too are on our way to eternal glory reserved for us by God, and we hope to share with her the inheritance of eternal life if we say “Yes” to God’s love like she did. So she invites us today to follow her steps in Her pilgrimage of faith and deepen our own faith. Mary’s victory over the suffering of this life is a promise of our own victory. We too, like Mary will receive the reward of heaven if we keep steadfast and faithful to God’s will. We ask her maternal intercession as we continue to proclaim with her, the goodness and greatness of God.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

ENDNOTES

1.       Bible Alive August 2012, p.34.

2.       Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950.

3.       Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 88.

4.       Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950, Nos. 46 & 47.

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

 

---

[1] Bible Alive August 2012, p.34.

[2] Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950.

 

[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 88.

[4] Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950, Nos. 46 & 47.

 

YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION

‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’ JOHN WESLEY’S RULE

Introduction

Life with the youth is never dull or boring. They are a wonderful gift to humanity and a great force to reckon with as future leaders. They occupy a prominent place in any society. Youth are the foundation of a society.  In fact, God has chosen them from all eternity to be an indispensable part of his divine plan. They are  great agents of transformation which God uses to transfigure His world. It is God’s plan that your life will be honorable, full of good things, favors and blessings. So if it fails or succeed depends on the choices and decisions you make. Deviation from God’s will through pride, criminality, lawlessness, recklessness, carelessness, violence, gangsterism, greed, and unforgiveness are destructive pitfalls that can make life hellish.  However one sees it, the increasing occurrence of acts of violence and lawlessness, including things like hostage-taking of prominent citizens and innocent expatriate oil workers, as well as oil bunkering, arms insurgence, and cultism among the youth portends real and grave danger to our country. It is therefore important for us to be watchful, careful and wise (WCW). Indeed our young people want a century with a great sign of hope and simple justice for all. Therefore, there is an urgent need today in this year of faith, for a mutual recognition and joint action in the task of empowering our young people by cultivating in them positive frame of mind, and good godly values for the interest of tomorrow.

Who are the youth?

The Youth are a group of energetic, vibrant, active and dynamic people. They constitute the productive labor force and are the back-bone, bedrock and life-wire of any society. Youth means freshness and vitality, it signifies growth and maturity, readiness to face trail and struggle, a time of adventure and risk taking, a time of search and discovery of self. They play a significant role in nation building, and so need to cultivate a positive frame of mind and good leadership qualities for the interest of the future. In the past and even today, the youth are coming under increasing pressures and are faced with  crisis of identity, disempowerment, and indiscipline. They have been used by disgruntled and unscrupulous people as instruments of violence, terrorism and destruction. This growing epidemic of youth violence extends beyond our cities into virtually every community. Not only are there more youth killers and destroyers, but more youth and children are getting killed. We observe with great concern that youth under the age bracket of 18 – 40 now account to fifty percent of violence in Nigeria. Yet, a recent random survey I conducted revealed that practically all Nigerian Youth express the desire for a stable and secure future; for wealth and prestige and also to obtain position of leadership, and have a chance to influence the policy of their government. This I think is the time for social engagement of the youth in creative and profitable ventures to enable the recovery of lost dreams and aspirations, and also help them explore the untapped areas of their lives.

Youth Restiveness and Crime

This has become an issue of serious concern and challenge to all Nigerians and even the multinational companies. Youth restiveness has become a problem that has taken its toll in the social, economic and political development of Nigeria. There has been an increase in the occurrence of acts of violence and lawlessness, kidnapping and abduction. Various forms of youth restiveness that are economically, politically, or religiously motivated have existed for a long time. Our country is unfortunately weighed down by ethnic bigotry, religious fanaticism, endemic corruption, political banditry, poverty, ignorance and disease. The recent unrest, insecurity, flashes of threats and violence around the country experienced and brought about by inter/intra political party conflicts, socio-economic agitations, ethno-religious crisis, organized rebellion and outright criminality is repugnant, shameful and disturbing. Media coverage of rising crime rates among young people often highlights such issues as street crimes-  vandalism, school truancy, drug abuse, theft, burglary, assault and rape, gangsterism and armed robbery. In fact, robberies are committed by young people in order to finance drug habits and live luxurious and flamboyant life styles. They are also involved in organized crimes embracing smuggling, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution and large scale theft. Nigeria has witness a growing incidence of fundamentalist and ethnic violence involving educated youth since the beginning of the 1980s. This aggressive behavioral pattern and attitude are a mirror of what they experience in their real environment – frustration, hostility, homelessness, unemployment and problematic circumstances.

Some possible causes of Youth restiveness

The probable causes and sources of youth restiveness ranges from parental neglect, the breakdown of family has left many children without guidance and support, while others are influenced by the rash violent images in music, films and television, bad governance, unemployment, poverty, inequality, injustice, quest for materialism and selfishness, inadequate educational opportunities and resources, love of money and corruption. It is sad to note that while the living standard of our people is deteriorating rapidly, corruption is flourishing. We must refrain from cruelty, oppression and corruption, and stand up for truth, human dignity, freedom, justice and peace in our society. The youth must reject the life of slavery, violence and destruction and the culture of hatred, persecution, discrimination and marginalization. I want to believe that the Boko Haram insurgency in the North, activities of area boys in the South-West, MASSOB in the East, Militant groups in the Niger Delta area are all rooted in the failure of government to deliver basic services, reduce poverty and create employment.

Self-Actualization

Self actualization is all about empowerment. It is a constant process of becoming, discovering, learning, growing maturing, advancing and developing the youth potentials, talents and capabilities for national development. It is the discovery of one’s purpose, gift, and talent and the commitment to give them in service to humankind. Our self-estimation for self-actualization comes from our awareness of our value to our world and the significant contribution we make to life. I agree with Dr. Myles Munroe, who in his book ‘The Spirit of Leadership, Cultivating the Attitudes that Influence Human Action’ said: ‘Every human being came to this planet with a seed of greatness buried in a gift needed by the world’.[1] Our youth need to be empowered by all stakeholders through economic reforms and policies. There should be creation and training schemes for youth empowerment. Parents, teachers, religious leaders and the government have the awesome task of raising, molding and shaping the children and youth under their guidance. If they choose not to, someone or something else will. There is need to understand deeply the major cultural forces and modern trends that shape the character, values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of our youth.

Conclusion

Parenting, tutoring, mentoring is hard work and involves many struggles. There is no doubt that our children and youth are filled with high dreams, hopes, aspirations for the future. But they are facing a new set of choices, questions, expectations, pressures, fears, challenges and problems, in our society which has become more complex, more challenging, and more competitive than ever before. Therefore, understanding today’s youth culture can help us address their issues with intelligence and relevance. Protecting and securing the life of the youth for a better and brighter future is an absolute necessity. Therefore, there is the urgent need for all stakeholders to support parents in their struggle to deal with drug and alcohol abuse, teen sex, violence, internet dangers, self-abuse, and all other complex issues our youth face each and every day. In the quest to discover and accept who they are, the modern youth are looking for answers to significant life’s questions, amidst the conflicting voices, which Parents and teachers must offer with understanding and humility. The government should encourage the youth to use their talents to develop business innovation rather than engage in restiveness, militancy, rebellion and insurgency.

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

---

[1] Myles Munroe, The Spirit of Leadership, Cultivating the Attitudes that Influence Human Action, WHITAKER HOUSE, USA, 2005, p.99.

Behold the Jubilarian and Shepherd Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Yariyok Jatau!

TRIBUTE TO ARCHBISHOP PETER Y. JATAU

‘Take time to think and look around you, smell the flowers, see the sky, let your hopeful thoughts surround you, never let your daydreams die. Take time to listen, time for caring, counting blessings from above, time to know the joy of sharing, and the precious gift of love’ - IRIS HESSELDEN

 As you clock 80 and celebrate your Golden Jubilee of the Priesthood, we join thousands both home and abroad in sharing the great joy of your Birthday and Golden  Priestly Anniversaries. We congratulate and honor you today in recognition of your immense and selfless pastoral contribution to the development of the Church in Northern Nigeria. We are proud of your outstanding performance and landmark achievements.

Hurray! It is another feather to your golden cap. It is a memorable and unique day. Congratulations for this honor well deserved. You have achieved a milestone and really deserved to be cherished. We think of you today with affection and gratitude and salute your commitment to a worthy course. We recognize your immense contribution to the welfare of the less privileged and the marginalized in the society; your humanitarian and philanthropic services to the poor is deeply appreciated

As an Octogenarian, You have seen the world change dramatically over these decades; the socio-cultural and political landscape is radically different and a technological revolution has taken place; Yet you lived through these changes of life with grace, wisdom and compassion; you have remained steadfast in all these bearing your duties with grace and decorum.

For us your sons, friends, priests and associates, you are a shining example of a kind Shepherd and a worthy ambassador; you are a pastor and gentleman; compassionate and tolerant; a remarkable and thoughtful pastor; simply modest and humble; tremendously warm and receptive; quiet and reflective; you worked with admirable strength and humility and demonstrated the spirit of mercy and concern critical for all; you were there in a most attentive and caring way; your unique and selfless style of leadership is phenomenal; your resourcefulness and sterling qualities as a father saw you through even in the most difficult circumstance; even in the face of inner difficulties you took life calmly and wonderfully connected to God in all things; you lived and worked with millions of your brothers and sisters who live in situations of great injustice and poverty and showed constancy of love and wisdom; you faced the challenge to be honest in dishonest times and took time to pray and considered yourself blessed.

You faced troubles that seems impossible to handle and to resolve, but faced them with vitality and courage; In all the stress and complexity of life you remained focused; As a pastor fulfilling your prophetic mission of reconciliation, justice and peace you suffered incredible shame, humiliation, discouragement and rejection but remained focused because God was your solid support; As a human being you knew bitter failures and suffered constant criticism, accusation and rejection, but responded to all these with tremendous love and compassion; You tolerated the unpleasant and overcome the unexpected; you remain a major Father figure and pillar of support and inspiration to us all; we are inspired by your sense of justice and concern for your flock; we thank you for your fatherly advice and encouragement and we would continue to value and count on your fatherly goodwill, counsel and support.

 We are grateful for the many wonderful things you taught us; you are simply unforgettable! We have great cause to celebrate your outstanding contribution to the unity, peace and progress of our nation. We appreciate and love you and pray God to keep you in good health. May you be well, peaceful and happy. Amen.

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

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.

---

[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.

---

[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