By Olivia Obijiaku
The Parish Priest of St Enda’s Catholic Church Zaria, Rev Fr Felix Yayock has blamed the problems confronting Nigeria and her citizens to the gap between the leaders and Masses. He took this stand at the Mass he celebrated in Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish Ahmadu Bello University Zaria on Sunday 28th April 2024.
Leaning on the day’s Gospel on, ‘Cut off from Me, you can do nothing,’ he proffered connecting with the masses as the easiest way of identifying and tacking their challenges.He said, “There is a problem because there is no connection between the leaders in Nigeria and the masses. Our leaders do not even know that we are suffering. There is no bond between us.
There is a connection among atoms when they come together. That is what happens when we come together, when we share things together, the bonding beings and a relationship is established.Jesus had friends. Judas Iscariot became His treasurer.
There was a connection between them. If that bond was strong, I do not think Judas would have betrayed Jesus. Peter swore he would not deny Jesus. Peter made a mistake but he did not break his bond with Jesus Christ.John the Beloved stood by the foot of the Cross when Jesus was hanging on the Cross.
No wonder their bond did not stop at death. When Jesus died, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb because there was a bond between them. Some of us have broken the connection the relationship they have with Jesus. Just like what Peter did and what Judas Iscariot did. Some of us here do not know the last time they received the Holy Communion.
What is stopping you? You do not know the last time you went for confession. What is your relationship with God today?”“. Selfishness and greed destroy bond. Many of our leaders are selfish. Some of us are selfish. It is all about them and everything must be centered on them. We need to reconnect with our leaders. We need to connect with ourselves.”
