By Olivia Obijiaku
The Parish Priest of St Ann’s Parish, Zango Tama, Catholic Diocese of Zaria, Rev. Fr. Patrick Atama has called on parishioners of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria to embrace positive thoughts, since thoughts influence one’s words and action.
Leaning on the 1st reading of the day, Thursday, July 17, 2025, Ex. 3:13-20, in which Moses felt unqualified for the mission, which God was sending him to embark on, in Egypt, the priest observed that Moses was controlled by negative thoughts of his inabilities, though he was in the Presence of God and was witnessing the miracle of the Burning Bush.
His words, “Though we do not have one hundred percent control of our thoughts, we need to manage them, because our words proceed from our thoughts and our words influence our actions. Everything proceeds from the heart. It is very important to control our hearts and thoughts. Our words influence our lives. Our words can either encourage or discourage others too. They either build or destroy them.”
“We need to think positively. If your thoughts are always positive, your actions will be positive. Moses’ thoughts were controlling him – that was why the words that were coming out of him were also controlling him. But God wanted him to allow his actions to be positive, and not for him to dwell in the difficulties of the mission, but in the possibilities of achieving that mission.”
“Most times, we are in the Presence of God, but we do not dwell on the greatness of God. Rather, we dwell on the difficulties and challenges we are battling with. This becomes a stumbling block between us and the work of God. That is why, sometimes, we do not get solutions to our problems. When you dwell on your challenges, instead of on the greatness of God, you will see impossibilities, instead of possibilities.”
Fr. Atama acknowledged different kinds of yoke, like, sickness, poverty, and malice, even as he pointed the burdened to Jesus’ invitation in the day’s Gospel, Matt. 11:28-30, to ‘Come to Me, all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’
