By Ononye VC
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Onitsha,Very Rev Fr Johnbosco Okafor has explained that the mother church does not condemn cultures and traditions of the people,rather,it frowns at situations where such customs and traditions are practiced over and above the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
Fr Johnbosco made this explanation while delivering a sermon at the St Mary’s Catholic Church,Onitsha Inland Town last Sunday while reflecting on the need for Christians to remain steadfast in God and obey His commandments.
According to him,the problem begins when people relegate the divine law to the background and project their so called traditions and customs to replace the statues given to mankind by God.
“Yes,the church says no when they worship their traditions and transfer the glory of the immortal God to what human beings have made”,fr Johnbosco insisted.
He reminded christians that custom and tradition were made by man but that man remains the creature of God and demanded to know between man and God who is greater.
The Vicar General charged christians to celebrate and not worship culture adding that only God can be worshipped and adored.
He concluded by making a scriptural reference as the best way to reciprocate God’s unmerited grace which according to him is to love what God commands and observe his laws as stated,in the Gospel of St James:”Be doers of the word and not hearers only”,and also “care for orphans and widows in their afflictions and keep on self uncontaminated by the world”.