Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

The need to prioritize every moment of our life as Christians and be alert since no one knows what life entails has been stressed. Rev. Fr. Vitalis Ikechukwu, CSJ emphasized this fact on Sunday, 10th August during a Mass he officiated at St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan.

Making reference to Christ’s appeal in the day’s Gospel reading for Christians to be at alert and be ready at all time for the coming of their Master, the priest admonished all to live by faith as demonstrated by our father in faith, Abraham and his wife Sarah; who lived in faith, by faith and for faith.

According to Fr. Vitalis, faith is a reality and not a metaphor and many have lived this faith and got rewarded. He added that living in faith does not mean absence of problems or trials but that it is in such trials that Christians’ faith become actualized. “Along the road of faith, there must be ups and downs like it happened to the Israelites, who were dejected at the red sea and also complained of being fed only with manna in the wilderness but God never abandoned them. Whatever faith you believe, if there is no problem, it is not faith because any problem in life is knocking for another gate to open.” The priest stated.

The Chief Celebrant also condemned people’s attitude of abandoning their faith because of trials, pointing out that Israelites endured a lot, teaching us how to live our life.

The homilist enlightened all of the fact that there is no promise inside this life but emptiness and sufferings, and as such, nothing should prevent Christians from selling off all they have for a proper place in heaven. He enjoined the parishioners to examine themselves why they have gathered on a Sunday; whether they were actually in Church for real or for show and to recognize that death can come at anytime.

Fr. Ikechukwu did not forget to affirm that it is not an easy task to live by faith but was quick to add that living without faith is a great problem for such leads to frustration, hatred and then leading to every evil springing up followed by apathy, when one sees everyone as nobody.

He concluded by saying that Christ is calling on us all to prepare and not allow ourselves to fall into hatred as he said ‘evils people do’ do not live after them any longer but live with them.’

A special thanksgiving by the Farmers’ Club of Caritas International School, Ogbere for a successful end of academic session took place during the day’s Mass, in addition to family harvest thanksgiving of the families of Adewuyi, Oretu and Babalola; as the parish’s 2025 family harvest thanksgiving enters second week.