- Says Easter is the greatest, most important feast in the Church
The Catholic Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina has called on Nigerians to put away their sinful past and focus solely on God to experience the new life that Easter offers. He gave this counsel in a recent live broadcast in commemoration of Easter. Most. Rev. Adesina said, “Dearly beloved in Christ, if you and I must partake of the new life of Easter, we too must respond radically to the call of God. We must be ready to detach ourselves from every sinful attachments of the past. “We must detach from whatever is holding us down spiritually and morally. Whatever is keeping us embalmed and demobilised in the grave of sin must be set aside now.
Jesus Christ has set us free! We must be free indeed – free from earthly corruptions and dis tractions, free to love like Jesus, free to accept God’s will in our lives, and free to serve others like Jesus did.” He said the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope and encouragement that we are not alone; that the Risen Lord is with us in our journeys of life as he promised. He emphasised that to be a true Christian means to live the Easter joy and hope in all human circumstances.
“It simply means that l believe that I am not alone, that the Risen Christ lives in me and works through me. This is the good news of Easter that every Nigerian should like to hear today – that we are not alone in our struggles, in our fears, and in our uncertainties. The Risen Lord, who himself had passed through suffering, molestation, rejection and betrayal of friends is walking along with us. Therefore, do not loose hope in yourself,” the prelate stated. Bishop Adesina urged Nigerians not to loose faith in a better Nigeria, stressing that every citizen could make it possible if we all work together.” The cleric remarked that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the singular event in history that makes Christianity different from any other religion.
“Therefore, the feast of Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. Easter is the celebration of new life in Christ. Easter marks the birthday of our eternal hope. In other words, in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, humanity once disfigured by sin and death is reconciled with God. At every Easter celebration, we renew and celebrate our unique relationship with God as his sons and daughters.” Speaking further, the Bishop of Ijebu-Ode noted that in the resurrection of Jesus, we have a sure guarantee of eternal life. He added, “The rising of Jesus from the grave is the definitive prove that human life does not end in the grave, it goes beyond it. He enjoined the citizenry to optimise the opportunity of the Easter celebration to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and saviour.”
