Opinion
By Paul Ejime
RELIGIOUS worship has picked up under the New Normal pandemic protocols. And at Sunday, September 6, at the 10 am Mass at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, OLQN, Pro-Cathedral, Abuja, was special for two priests.
Fr. Raphael Okanumeh is going on study leave abroad, while Fr Bennett Umeh is joining the OLQN pastoral team led by Father John Jimoh, parish priest and administrator.
Raphael and Bennet were, respectively, sent forth and welcomed with prayers and gifts by different Societies/Associations and the general congregation.
Before then, the homily was on reconciliation – gaining back a brother or sister, who has sinned against us. It is about the need to discuss issues with him/her privately with love first; enlisting one or two others if the first attempt fails; then telling the Church (those likely to exercise influence on the offender), and if all these fail, treating the offender like a Gentile or a tax collector!
If we remember how Jesus Christ handled the Gentiles and the tax collectors (one of them, Matthew, became one of His Apostles), then the matter is settled. We can despise sin, but not the sinner, for were God to judge anyone of us, none will measure up. We need and must love one another.
Like the good shepherd, we are called upon to abandon 99 “saved” sheep and go in search and recovery of the missing 100th sheep. In correcting our brothers and sisters with and in love, we must be firm and truthful, not judgemental.
Truth without Compassion is arrogance and Compassion without Truth is Compromise, says the preacher.
**Paul Ejime is an international affairs expert.
– Sept. 7, 2020 @ 11:12 GMT |
