Michael OKEOLA

The family of the late Bishop Emeritus, Most Rev. Julius Babatunde Adelakun, gathered at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Cathedral, Oyo, on Sunday for a special thanksgiving Mass marking the successful burial of the revered Prelate. During the celebration, the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, delivered a powerful message to usher in the Advent season, calling on all Christians to “stay awake” and “stand ready” as they prepare for the coming of the Lord. His homily, rich with imagery, humour, admonition, and pastoral warmth, resonated deeply with the congregation still carrying the emotions of the funeral rites.

 

Reflecting on the essence of Advent, Bishop Badejo reminded the faithful that every significant event in life requires preparation. He noted that when people plan for weddings, travel, or even a hypothetical visit from Governor Seyi Makinde, they prepare thoroughly and would not rest until everything is in order. In the same way, he insisted, Christians cannot enter the season of Christmas casually or without spiritual readiness. He warned that many believers today understand Christmas festivities but fail to grasp the depth and purpose of Advent. Just as not everyone who celebrates Easter understands Holy Week, he said, many approach the faith with excitement but without depth, reducing their relationship with God to endless “give me, give me” prayers.

 

The Bishop emphasized that true friendship with Jesus requires walking with Him through every moment of His life — His baptism, presentation, transfiguration, passion, and resurrection. He highlighted the liturgical seasons of the Church as a roadmap for this journey and described the Stations of the Cross as a uniquely Catholic devotion that keeps the faithful connected to the footsteps of Christ. Anyone who claims to be a friend of Jesus, he said, must show it not only at Christmas but throughout the entire year.

 

Drawing from the day’s Gospel, Bishop Badejo echoed the message of Jesus: “Stay awake, stand ready, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” He led the congregation in singing a brief refrain that reinforced the call to spiritual alertness, reminding them that the Lord could come at any time — morning, afternoon, or night — and only those who are prepared will welcome Him with joy.

 

He spoke on the symbols of Advent, especially the purple vestments and the four candles representing virtues such as hope. The Bishop noted that this year is particularly significant as the Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope. He stressed that hope remains the driving force that sustains people even in troubled regions like Borno, Taraba, and Kogi, where violence and uncertainty persist daily. “If hope dies, human beings die,” he declared, urging the faithful never to lose sight of God’s promises.

 

He lamented the number of Christians who attend Mass with heavy hearts, worried expressions, and burdens they refuse to release. Such attitudes, he warned, only invite stress-related illnesses like high blood pressure and ulcers. “You are not the saviour of the world,” he reminded them. “There is only one Saviour, and His name is Jesus Christ. There is no vacancy in that position.” He described Advent as a season to rekindle joy, restore hope, and trust once more in God’s goodness, symbolized by the newborn baby brought to Church on the first Sunday of Advent — a sign that God still creates new beginnings.

 

The Bishop cautioned against misplaced priorities as the season unfolds. Many people, he said, have already bought Christmas decorations, selected clothes, arranged meals, and even debated the superiority of Nigerian versus Ghanaian jollof rice, yet very few have made efforts to prepare spiritually. He compared such misplaced priorities to a student who studies Geography for an exam only to discover that the actual exam is Yoruba, noting that confidence cannot save such a student from failure.

 

Quoting Isaiah’s prophecy, he spoke of God’s power to raise valleys and level mountains. He invited the faithful to examine the “valleys” and “mountains” in their lives — sins, pride, laziness, immorality, and spiritual lukewarmness — and make a sincere effort to correct them during this season. Whether it is a husband failing in responsibility, a mother neglecting her duties, or a child living in disobedience, he said, Advent calls everyone to renewal.

 

He likened the Christian life to swimming in a strong river: anyone who stops pushing forward will begin to sink. Advent, he explained, is a call to steady, daily growth. He encouraged the faithful to take small, consistent steps of change that their families would notice — not superficial ones like new clothes or powdered faces borrowed on credit, but genuine transformation of character and spirit.

 

While acknowledging the joy that Christmas brings — from rice and turkey to fine clothes and family gatherings — he stressed that without spiritual preparation, such celebrations amount to preparing for “an exam that is not set.” The real examination, he said, is readiness for the coming of Jesus.

 

In his final prayer, Bishop Badejo asked God to grant peace to every home and to the nation as a whole. He prayed that the faithful would reach the end of the year in safety and grace, strengthened by hope and made ready for the Lord’s coming. “May each of us become a sign of Jesus’ coming for everyone who meets us,” he prayed.

The Cathedral Administrator offered words of gratitude, thanking Bishop Badejo for his presence and pastoral guidance, and prayed for the soul of the late Bishop Emeritus Julius Babatunde Adelakun to rest in perfect peace.