Anthony BAMITEKO

 

V. Rev. Fr. Julius Akinyode, the Cathedral Administrator of St. Mary Cathedral, Oke Padi, Ibadan, on Twentieth Sunday in the Ordinary Time, Year A, opened his homily with a verse in the First Reading of the day; "My house shall be called a house of prayer for everyone." Isaiah 56:7.

 

The Administrator used Hannah as an ample example of someone that sees the house of God as a place of prayer, and as such goes to the house of God every year to pray and ask for the same thing until her prayer was answered. "Eli used to think she was drunk, but on that day that God will answer her prayer, God used Prophet Eli and he said, 'next year passover, you shall come with your own child'."

 

Fr. Akinyode frowned at character and behavior of many people that come to the house of God these days without having reference for the Lord. Those that see the house of God as a place of gist, display beauty and that even fight in God's house.

 

"Many of us Catholics have forgotten that the house of God is a holy place. Today first reading is warning us not to forget that the house of God is a place of prayer, and that our God we worship is a God of all universe," he noted.

 

The homilist also said he has friends from other Church denominations that send their prayer intentions, that how many Catholic still do the same and know the importance of this that the Mother Church outlined to help our various needs. "If you go to Marian Shrine in Eleta during the week, you will see Muslim women with veil praying there. Many Cherubim and Seraphim members, and other Pentecostal Churches go there to pray too, how many of us go there to pray? Do we still believe in the Sacraments? Do we believe in the holy Eucharist?

 

Fr. Akinyode then used the woman in the gospel reading of the day that approached Jesus to heal her child that is sick, that Jesus replied her it is not right to give the child’s food to a dog, and that he was only sent to the twelve tribes of Judah.

 

"Everything like insult that Jesus used on this woman in today's gospel, is to test her faith. The woman still didn't work out on Jesus. Many mothers work out of their marriage and abandon their children these days. There are mothers that leave all responsibilities of their children to husband. I have seen a woman that left her marriage with four children, and one of them with a defect, but now the most prosperous amongst the four children.

 

If you do not persevere now for your children, how then will they not be angry with you when you need them. Some women buy all manner of clothes, jewelries, even separate pot soup; one for their children and husband, and the second one will be richly prepared for themselves alone. If you do all these, what type of fruit do you want to reap? Invest in your children life."

 

The Administrator concluded his homily by enjoining the parishioners not to see the spiritual activities of the Church as a drama, but key into them all by praying rosary, booking and attending Mass. He noted that many that were following Jesus saw what he was doing as a drama, but those that truly know Jesus, like the woman in the gospel of the day keyed into Him, and encountered God.