By Olivia Obijiaku
On Tuesday, 6th February, 2024, the Parish Priest of St Ann’s Catholic Church, Zango Tama, Catholic Diocese of Zaria and Supplying Priest to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, Rev Fr Patrick Andrew Atama celebrated the Mass in Our Lady’s where he leaned on the day’s Gospel, Mk. 7:1-13 in cautioning against obeying Men of God at the expense of one’s family.
The priest linked that some Men of God exploit the people like the Pharisees in the Gospel who placed human law against Divine Law for their personal gains.“Now almost every building is becoming a church.” He observed. “Everybody is becoming a man of God.
We can no longer distinguish between the real ones and the fake ones. A true man of Good will never ask you to bring all your food to the Temple. If you do that what will you eat at home? But today, some of us follow such men of God. Some of us obey them and disregard our parents at home. Some of us obey them and disregard our spouses at home.
The fourth commandment is, ‘Honour your father and your mother!’But many of us here honour Men of God more than our parents. God asked you to bring ten percent. Then why will you obey someone somewhere who asked you to bring hundred percent? Brainwashing using the Word of God, and they will deceive wise person like you? Then the next day you start borrowing or begging to survive.
Let us be wise most especially in Africa and in Nigeria. Open your eyes. Shine them well so that at the end, you will not be deceived. Stand on the side of the Truth always and only the Truth will set you free at the end of time.”On the state of the nation, Fr Atama lamented that life is becoming too hard for a common man blaming the trend on hypocrisy.
He wonders how a common man survives in Nigeria even as he tasked the faithful to remain obedient to Divine Law so that they may be rewarded with eternal life and so that they do not add to the problems of the nation.
