Christians have been encouraged not to give up despite the hardship in the country, but rather to put their trust in the Lord, for nothing is impossible for Him. Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun gave the admonition while delivering his reflection titled: “Keep your hearts clean” at St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan on Sunday 1st September 2024.

According to the Parish Priest, the goodness of God could only be expressed in true worship and love of neighbours, for God also dwells in those that worship Him in truth. “You may not have all the world gives, but with the little you have, don’t condemn yourself but give thanks to God as we begin a new month.”

Fr. Balogun added that “if it is in going out that you will meet your own helpers, go out, for even those that stay indoor still died.” Rather, he stated “once we have received Christ in our hearts, we have seen God. Hence, giving up is not an option for those who trust in God.”

He admonished Christians to always wish other people well and it will be well with them, for everything begins from the heart like the Gospel of the day (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23) indicated.

The Chairman of CAN in Ona Ara LGA of Oyo State noted that faith in God, if not expressed in loving kindness towards others is meaningless. “We must not let unnecessary things occupy our hearts like the Pharisees who wanted people to wash up to their elbows before eating, wondering if people would use their elbows to eat.

The Cleric therefore charged Catholic faithful to always make an enquiry if any of the Church’s traditions is not well understood rather than just keeping quite. He buttressed this with a story of a Man of God who would always tie a cat by his side whenever he was praying for people every evening.

When the Man died and the cat also died, people following the Man thought without tying a cat while praying, their prayers would not be answered and they started tying cat while praying like the Man without knowing that the man observed while alive that each time he was praying, the cat would go to his kitchen and eat his fish and meat, hence, he decided to be tying the cat whenever he wanted to pray. 

The Parish Priest also thanked Seminarian Stephen Alapode, who was ending his two-month pastoral work in the parish for all the assistance he rendered during the period. The Parishioners also expressed their gratitude through gifts and joined him in thanksgiving too..

The Seminarian in turn was full of gratitude to the Parish Priest and the Parishioners for taking him like their son during his stay; expressing his readiness to still come back to the parish, which he described as his second home. Group photographs were also taken with him after the Mass.