JOS JULY 7, 2015(CISA) – Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos has said, “Like John the Baptist, a prophet or a man of God tells the truth and is ready to suffer the consequences.”
“A priest is a reconciler, teacher and a prophet who is concerned with the truth of God. He prays and leads the people to genuinely seek God and to do His will,” said Archbishop Kaigama, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
Archbishop Kaigama was speaking in his homily at St Monica’s Catholic Church, Rantya, Jos Plateau State during the priestly ordination of six Augustinian Deacons on July 5, where he urged the newly ordained priests to be guided by truth, honour and service in the course of their apostolate.
“How many of our so-called prophets or pastors are ready to suffer for the faith or for the nation?
A priest is not one who tells people what they want to hear, about prosperity, miracles or one who thinks he can compel God to do people’s will,” he stated.
Archbishop Kaigama noted that what marks Catholic spirituality out is that a Catholic prays and patiently allows God’s will to be done.
“For good Catholics, religion is about adoration and worship of God who at His own time quietly provide our needs even exceeding our expectations,” he said.
He further stated that those going from one church to another are not doing so to worship God but rather to look for motivational speakers who will assure them that “there is cheaper Christianity that does not tolerate suffering but only celebrates success and miracles.”
The Archbishop said that pastors who woo people to their church by promising miracles are not different from politicians who desperately want to win over the electorate by promising them the impossible.
