Catholic faithful have been urged to cherish what the Church has, the Holy Eucharist and make efforts to be part of that banquet, since Holy Mass is not meant for the priests alone but participatory.

The parish priest of St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan, Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun made this appeal while delivering his reflection with the theme: “Take and eat, take and drink, it is free” on Sunday 18th August 2024 in the parish.

Beginning his reflection with the Catholic Hymn “Come let’s share in the banquet of the Lord” the priest said all are invited to Eucharistic table like the readings in the last four Sundays have been talking about this spiritual food.

Talking about the physical food which many long for this day, the priest noted that many are still hungry in the society. Nobody asks if any child is okay with the food given to him/her, no longer eating balanced diet but just put something inside.

He then asked whether Christians are also longing for the spiritual food the same way they long for the physical food. “Christ is offering us what goes beyond any divide, His body.

Hence, the Church is different from other Churches though others may sing more than us or use more quality materials. We have what others don’t have, but do we put our minds in it? There is hunger, pain, sufferings and difficulties but we should be careful. Only God can help us to fight all these.

Many are re-creating and over re-creating themselves; unless you’re in your natural self, you can never be satisfied.” He stated.

The priest reminded those being held down from the Eucharist to make efforts and return to the sacrament. “What is holding us down from the Eucharist? Some have complicated cases but the Church has a way of removing it, hence the Psalmist says: ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’. Let us make efforts to return to the Eucharist, tomorrow may be too late.”

The parish priest appreciated the family of Dr. &Mrs Chijioke Onyia (from Lagos), who only joined the Mass in the parish the previous Sunday, saw that the parish is having family harvest thanksgiving and decided to also have their own family harvest thanksgiving in the parish the following Sunday. “It shows the Church is one, made possible through the Holy Eucharist.” The priest added.

Fr. Balogun also commended the creation of additional deaneries as announced by the Archbishop during the priestly ordination Mass on Thursday 15th August 2024 at Christ the King Catholic Church, Odo-Ona, Ibadan, saying the step is to enable the parishes in each deanery to know themselves better.

He therefore admonished the parishioners to be ready to associate themselves with the new deanery (Oke-Ado) in whatever the deanery is doing.