By Olivia Obijiaku
Rev Fr. Jibo Dan’asabe of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan celebrated the Mass in St Mary’s Catholic Church Samaru, Zaria, on the Feast of St Anthony of Padua, June 13 2024. There, he leaned on the readings of the day, the first on on Elijah and Ahab, the Gospel, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and the Scribes as well as the life of St Anthony in calling for sensitivity towards others and practical living as Christians.
He said, “We should be sensitive to our relationship with one another. Try and reconcile with your brothers and sisters if you have anything against them. That is what we see in the life of Elijah in the first reading. He tried to reconcile and bring Ahab back to God. He prayed to God to end that draught that was already invading the land of Israel. That is a good example of those who are agents of the Good News.”
“St Anthony of Padua is also someone whose righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees and the Scribes. Dying for Christ attracted him to preach the Gospel. He was an Augustinian priest but when he heard that the Franciscans were martyred for preaching the Gospel, he joined them so that he too will be martyred. He lived of poverty and obedience. In the end, he died for Christ.”
