Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

The Parish Priest of St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun has admonished Catholic faithful to trust God in prayer and to be persistent in asking. The priest said this during the celebration of last Sunday in the month of July, Sunday 27th July 2025.

Starting his reflection with the popular song; “Prayer is the key/2x, prayer is the master key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer, prayer is the master key,” the cleric said a times some have the master key but still do not know how to use it. William Mcgill says, "The value of persistent prayers is not that God will not hear us, but that we will listen and finally hear God." Therefore, in order to exercise our faith and trust in God, we must apply wisdom. The wisdom to choose to remain at the door of mercy and grace, knocking persistently with the strength from on high like the man in the Gospel (Lk.11:1-13).

He added that the day’s gospel shows how Christ dedicated Himself to a life of prayer, encouraging His disciples; which eventually led to one of the disciples asking Christ, “Lord, teach us how to pray,” even though they had been praying before. He therefore enjoined Catholic faithful on the need to teach their children as well as encourage the adults on the importance of prayer. “Everything is going digital now, hence register or apply online etc. if you don’t know how, you have nowhere to go. That’s why some will call on others to come and learn at a cost, because they have the key.”

The parish priest, who is also the CAN Coordinator in Ona – Ara LGA of Oyo State added that knowing how to pray is one thing, the ability to do it is another. Hence, he said “anyone that does not plant will have nothing to harvest.” You must sow the seed of prayer and let the kinds of words that come from your mouth be acceptable in God’s sight.

Looking at the efforts of Abraham in the first reading, the priest called on all to sit down and see how good they are to one another. “Our leaders refused to do the necessary things in the country and that’s why they are going abroad to receive treatment, forgetting that no one knows tomorrow.” Going further, he said: ”Prayer is not just about speaking words—it is about trust. No wonder Abraham said to God, "I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: Perhaps there will only be ten there..." (Gen.18:32). Hence, in prayer, we speak to God not as strangers, but as beloved children to their beloved Father. It is a living relationship with the living God.”

Fr. Balogun urged the parishioners to knock and if their hands are paining them, they can use stone. “It is not your shouting but in trust. Do not relent, let us not give up. Prayer changes thing,” he said. “Finally, don't give up at this point, never stop asking in faith, never stop knocking at His door of mercy. NOTE: "Those who do not knock, will never find out what is on the other side of the door!" If you have faith and trust in God, you shall move that mountain of disappointment, sickness, pains, sorrow, backwardness and failure away from your life. The Lord shall do great things in your life.”

The parish on the same Sunday launched the 2025 Harvest as everyone came out to launch, one after the other; setting stage for individual family harvest from the first Sunday in August.

Special thanksgiving also took place thereafter, to thank God for the last Sunday of the month of July and for the feast day celebration the previous day of Sts. Joachim and Anne (St. Anne, being the parish Patron Saint).