Christians urged to remember their roots

By Remmy Nweke

Parish priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Awba-Ofemili in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Reverend Father John Chibuike Offor, has urged Nigerian Christians to always remember their roots and mostly the home parishes wherever they may be.

This he said, could be done both in spiritual life through prayers and God’s blessings.

He also urged them to sustain their brotherhood so as to be a source of encouragement for one another.

Speaking at a sermon last Sunday at a special session with parishioners of St. Paul’s in Lagos State, Fr. Offor tasked Christians and the parishioners particularly to always give thanks to God no matter the situation, because its only God’s spirit in man that sustains him.

According to him, Christians living outside their home towns must realise that the source of whatever they have become originates from God Almighty and their home towns, stressing that if at the beginning they were not well-raised, it would become problematic to the society and even the town itself.

“Whatever you have ordinarily looks common but its something special in other environment,” he declared, citing for instance that in Awba-Ofemili most indigenes could afford to reject rice as a common food because it is abundantly produced in that community.

“But for those who do not have it as common food, they would grab it with two hands when offered,” he noted.

Hence, he reiterated the need for them at all times give thanks to God for his mercies, adding that their status in life as of today, did not start today or where they are residing presently, but their roots.

“Whatever you are does not start today, but from your origin or root. So this must be recognised, in order to appreciate your home town. From time to time show appreciation to God for whatever you are and what you have,” he pointed out.

Fr. Offor further asked the parishioners to stand out in their various calling by remaining good citizens and contributing their good quota in moving the nation forward.

In addition, he said that 2007 annual bazaar has been fixed for Thursday, December 27, at St. Paul’s parish compound, Awba-Ofemili and invited them to take active part in this year’s event.

Welcoming the priest on behalf of St. Paul's Awba-Ofemili parishioners in Lagos, their leader, Mr. Bernard Chidebe, assured of their unequivocal support for both the upcoming bazaar and other projects on-going in the parish.

He added that God willing, most of them would be home to physically grace the occasion and expressed appreciation for the priest’s visit to know how his faithful are doing outside the parish.

Readings were taken from Kings 5: 14-17, letter of St. Paul to Timothy 2: 8-13 and Luke 17: 11-19.