Christians have been told that what matters most in life is their relationship with God and their neighbours, as they are asked to be wise by living in righteousness and be practically demonstrative in thought, word and action. The charge was given by very Rev. Fr. Anthony Akinwale, OP while delivering the homily at the Funeral Mass of late Rev. Sr. Agnes Mary Hassan, OLA, held recently at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State. Fr. Akinwale described death as a return to peace, a Passover from life to Life, a Passover into immortality, into eternal Sabbath in which the righteous will rest in God because they have allowed God to work in them during their earthly sojourn.
Encouraging the people to prayerfully attend to wisdom, righteousness and immortality as stated in the Scripture, Fr. Akinwale said the late Sr. Agnes was wise, and, in her wisdom she sought righteousness, and in seeking righteousness, she desired immortality. He said the deceased exemplary religious life showed that she understood the words of the Book of Wisdom, adding that during her earthly existence, she demonstrated her practical understanding of the dynamics of wisdom, righteousness and immortality.
According to him, “Sr. Agnes taught us many things by her life. She understood that the wisest way to live is to be righteous, to be practically demonstrative by thought, word and action, that what matters most in life is right relationship with God and right relationship with one’s neighbours. “Yes, the life of Sr. Agnes teaches us that wisdom enables us to live rightly, and, it is in living rightly that we seek immortality. It is in answering the call to holiness that we, souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no torment will touch them.”
He said Jesus is Wisdom leading the faithful through righteousness to the mansions of the heavenly Father in immortality, as He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life without whom no one comes to the Father. Fr. Akinwale said Sr. Agnes continues to live because she lived an authentic life in conscious preparation for death which everyone, including tyrants, power addicts and power mongers ought to do. He said the deceased lived each day as if it were her last, adding that that was why she was able to be many things to many people; to her family, to her religious congregation, to her students at St. Theresa’s College, Oke Ado, Ibadan.
According to him “Sr. Agnes was content with having God. So, she did not care about things that do not matter. Her life challenges and encourages us as Christians, especially we men and women religious of generations coming after hers, to retrieve the simplicity of religious life.” “Without that simplicity, the beauty of consecrated life would be lost. Without that simplicity, we would be competing with Nollywood celebrities. But that is not our call. Without that simplicity, we would lose our identity. Without Christ-like simplicity, we religious would become irrelevant clowns and buffoons posturing as liberators, noisy ideological agitators pretending to be prophets.”
