By Olivia Obijiaku
The new Parish Priest of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Fegge Onitsha, Rev Fr Samson leaned on the readings of the day, Wednesday, 11th October, 2023 in asserting that following the footsteps of Jesus is the surest way to sharing in the new life He purchased with His Blood on the Cross even as he lamented the way and manner in which many Christians emulate models especially those whose lifestyle is not in accordance with that of Jesus.
The priest detailed the negative effects of the attitude of Jonah in the first reading (Jonah 4:1-11), who became angry when God forgave the repentant people of Nineveh and called on the faithful to pray like Jesus taught His followers – according to the will of God in the Gospel (Luke 11:1-4), so that their prayers may be favourably answered.
“Today, some of us are living the lives of others and you see many following after lives that are not in line with the life of Christ.” He observed. “The type of prayer and ministry handed over to us these days is that of the ministry of Jonah – no space for mercy, love and repentance. Jonah wanted his prophetic declaration to come to pass because there was no mercy and love in it. Revenge was the order of the day. Let us learn our lessons from the life of Jonah. He wanted to administer the stance of his ministry. He forgot that God is a God of mercy and compassion.. He wanted Nineveh to perish but God wanted them to repent.”
“On Easter Sunday, life was changed and a new one in Christ was given. No more life in the Pharisees and the Jews but new life in Christ. This new life affirmed Jesus’ teachings all through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. He inaugurated this new life with His death on the Cross and sealed it with His Blood. So, if you want things from God, do things in the manner of Jesus. Your prayer must be answered if you pray in line with that of Jesus. If we learn the manner of Jesus, everything we are asking will be given to us and we will live in heaven while on earth.”
Fr Ogbuebunu also spoke against the prayer of’back to sender’ and reminded them of the need to answer the call of Jesus by following Him rather than what is common in the present dispensation when people follow the God of some ministers.
