Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev ( Dr.) Callistus Onaga, has admonished Nigerians to keep trusting in God, love one another ,be united, prayerful and hopeful, practice the love of Christ ,be sincere, make peace, avoid discord, and allow the light which the presence of God illuminates shine upon them ,this Christmas and always .
He gave the admonition in his 2023 Christmass message, he presented on Friday,December 23, at the Bishop’s Court ,Enugu..
Bishoo Onaga
Bishop Onaga also urged the Federal Government and governments at all levels to have human face and , provide good governance to the people.
He said, Christmass commemorates the nativity of Jesus Christ. The Bishop described the story around Christmas as a “historical fact ,not an imagination that Christ was born in Bethlehem.
“Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation of God taking flesh. God took flesh and became man inorder to save man from sin.
” After the fall of man, efforts were made to save man from sin but Christ Himself came down again to save mankind. We had the fore runner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, say, “I am not the one coming. So, there are proofs. In the Catholic Church, we have the luminous mystery, throwing light . The first mystery is the baptism of Christ at River Jordan. Through the Dove God spoke,’ This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased “
“Every year it takes up in all Christendom. People celebrate it as it has never been done in the past.
“God is a Saviour. God came after the fall of man . We share the love of God by sharing of love, gifts, forgiveness and caring for one another In Christmas we emphasize that fact that God is with us and if God is with us , who can be against us? he asked.
Bishop Onaga lamented that the Nigerian Government was not sensitive to the plight of the people. He said that things were hard and the federal government announced 50% transport renumeration. How many people can afford it? he asked
The Cleric said Government at all levels, the legislators ,all the leaders should be sensitive to the plight of the people. “Transport is high, the roads are bad. Let us do things as if we are dealing with humanbeings God is with us in all these things happening . God is still with us.Trying to see how to save us.
Bishop Onaga
He reminded the leaders that they will stand before God and answer questions on their stewardship on Earth.
Bishop Onaga commended media practitioners for the good works they do.and urged them to report objectively. To those hoarding fuel, those selling bad fuel, , those involved in different kinds of crimes, the Bishop asked them to desist from doing evil.
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He drew the attention of the people to the right way of wishing a happy Christmas, noting that “it is not happy holiday but happy Christmas. He said it was anti Christ that introduced using happy holidays instead of happy Christmas, stressing that
“it should be happy Christmas. It is deliberate , they want to kill the loudness of Christmas. They are anti Christ. You don’t throw away the substance because you want to be happy. It is happy Christmas, we have been having holidays”, Bishop Onaga said..
He condemned the rate at which people, especially youths go into ritual killings, fetish practice.
To film/play writers, television stations, the Cleric cautioned against writing movies or plays that promote evil “Be careful what you wrote, you don’t promote evil ‘Change your mathod of conveying values. You should promote good values, not ritual killings. You don’t kill to make money. They are all fallacies
Bishop Onaga also condemned fraud. He urged people in authority, in places of authority to do things that will help build the society and not things that will destroy it.
Bishop Onaga wished everyone a happy Christmas and prayed for journey mercies for those travelling and God’s protection to all. He urged them to always note that God is with them and should show love of Christ, forgive one
Author: Maureen Ikpeama