General News
Empowerment! The Best Version Of Sermon
Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara
Jarlathuche@ gmail.com
For the first time it happend across board, not in staggered form as has been the practice.
From East to West, North to South, the story is not different though with the flavour of each uniquely designed to suit their values, consideration and target, defining the more the very core of their purpose and aspiration as a body .
To some it was all about eat, drink and dance. To others it was about money scouting for projects that may not impact directly on the lives of people, though gigantic but most times not productively yielding.
Yet, to others it was a moment to step down christianity from its conventional high tension of theories to the low tension of practice, bringing the gospel down and making the thoeries of the bible one that can easliy be relatable. The last , without undermining other ones seems the real game for me.
I witnessed this last version first hand and it brought joy and happiness to all, more than the food, drink and dance that usually are the do without in such or similar events.
The church was fillled to the brim with a slight overflow. The awardess decked in their white and blue attaires with fabrics and designs not cheap and common.
The altar was different, doted with mothers dressed like little baby angels, dilligently serving at the table of the Eucharist. All were conscious, with hands joined reverently, with saintly looks and gait so feline one could give them a clean bill of perfection.
Walking into the church premises through the entrance gate, the sight I beheld was jolting. From grinding machines, to sewing machines, to baking ovens, to provision items, hand hair dryers, weavons , all were arranged for empowerment purposes .
At this time when the economy is bad and shaky, when people struggle to scrape up a living, when an average Nigeria on the street cares about nothing except how to eat, nothing could be more christain, more gospel englightening and Christ preaching than showing one how to fish with good nets and strong hooks.
I could see the genuine radiation of happiness on the faces of the beneficiaries. The joy was thick and massive, so palpable one could cut through it with a knife. I saw the diginity of humanity restored. I saw value and self worth re-ignited, I saw self esteem long battered and destroyed by the challenges of life restored. I saw hearts that would henceforth be ready to listen to the word of God, happy to comply without doubts and feeling despontent if indeed God is faithful.
I equally saw in profound measure leadership by transformation, a far cry from what we have in Nigeria.
Imagine if our politicians can be this transformational? Empathetic with the masses and the gory of their daily struggles to eke out a living. Imagine if they can tune down on their lifestyle of ostentatiouness, debauchery, wealth amassing to keep stoking up the embers of their outlandish lifestyle to concentrate no matter how little on the empowerment of their constituents.
If you ask me Nigeria isn’t broke enough to at least not take care of the basic needs of her population, it beats anybody how the masses would fare if this kind of money our leaders waste on luxuries is properly utilized .
Nigeria is blessed, but Nigerians by themselves through complicitness, conniavance, selfishness and greed have impoverished themselves.
Until an average Nigeria whips up in themselve the consciousness of being impoverished by those they call leaders, who they fetch and carry because of the little token thrown inside the plate of their destiny , they wouldn’t at all times be grateful for having a penult from what should be their collective or commonwealth.
If Holy Family Catholic CWO could be this transformational in leadership with no constituency allowance, our politicians can do much more.
Congratutions to all Catholic Women Organizations who understood the signs of time and tried to breach the gap created by poverty through bad leadership.
Christainity is better practiced by example. It is better appreciated when it is evidenced through love, care and sense of compassion.
Christanity isn’t christanity without charity, material and spiritual empowerment. The truth is, any of those beneficiaries would be as committed to the activities of CWO henceforth , afterall it is only the one that has the palm leaves that goats follow.
This was the strategy the early christians used and replicated by the early missionaries.
It worked for them and would work for any other person who engages it. Christanity on an empty stomach can be very challenging, discouraging and depressive. We need more of this empowerment, less of the elephant projects embarked on for show and personal glory . More of this life touching gestures, it seems a better and quicker way of conversion of souls than preaching and sermonization.
Father’ day is by the corner, the bell is tolling, ears are standing erect to hear, eyes wide awake to see.
The game has changed, the new normal is not projects, food , wine, awards and conferement of patronship. As good as they may seem, deep calls on deep, a better values is on and the need to preach Christ through nets and hook with a clear instruction of “cast your net here” very urgent.
Provide Empowerment, bible no matter the version becomes easier to read and understand!! Provide empowerment, bible becomes relatable. Provide empowement, the interpretation of the gospel mesages becomes clear and easy. Provide empowement! The access to someone’ heart for evangelization becomes easier and maleable.
Empowerment, the oil that greases the cranking noise of unbelief, softing it to accept, believe and obey.
To the various pockets that made the CWO empowerment possible in my parish and any other parishes it happened to mark this year’ mothers’ day let them be replenished in manifold. To the CWO and other well meaning Catholics blessed and empowered, let empowerment be an alternate religion to be practiced and preached at all times not a one off thing
Signing off, I am persuaded to make this proposal. Every month, societies, Organizations and Associations in all parishes entertain themselves. Those that celebrate their birthdays each month contribute hundreds of naira to make their hosting very unique and resounding. As good as it seems, if half of the money contributed can be saved for empowerment to be disbursed at the end of the year, two or more persons would have been lifted for a better life.
Let us empower through job, skill acquistion, grants and other ways through which lives can be improved upon. We are better and bigger by lifting others. Riches and wealth glowing and dazzling on their own amidst deep darkness of abject poverty, penury and impoverishment without Illuminating them , is a wealth most unfortunate and bizarre .