Nigerian politicians who make promises during their political campaigns, must fulfill them, and not betray the trust of their people, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama, has said.
While calling on Nigerians to draw closer to God, by not living a life of double standards, he said the nation’s leaders must serve, and not exploit their leadership positions, refusing to “wash the feet” of their people, considering this below their status and dignity.
Kaigama stated these in his Palm Sunday Homily delivered at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Abuja with the theme, “From Hosanna to Condemnation: Our Sorrows He Bore”, taken from Isaiah, Psalm, Philemon and Mark.
He said, “On a day like this, our prayer as priests, politicians, husbands, wives, children, colleagues at work, etc., is that God should forgive our unfaithfulness to Him and our betrayal of one another. The politicians among us who hysterically make promises during their political campaigns, must fulfill them, and not betray the trust of their people.
“We are, today challenged to examine our own lives in the light of the characters in the passion narrative who at one point praised Jesus, and at another, condemned Him.
“Dear brothers and sisters, let us draw closer to God, by not living a life of double standards. Whether as spiritual, traditional, or political leaders, we must practice what we call kenosis – self-emptying/self-giving. Let the same mind be in Nigerian leaders as it was in Christ Jesus, who, though, was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
“Leaders must serve, and not exploit their leadership positions, refusing to ‘wash the feet’ of their people, considering this below their status and dignity.
“Today, the Church invites us to consider the one who laid down His life so that we might have life and have it to the full. This is a call to Christian religious leaders to realize that it is not enough to own large and expensive church buildings or boast of having established churches everywhere. We are called to be shepherds whose priority is not money or the competition for numerical increase of members, or how luxurious and expensive pastors’ lives must be as proof that they are not serving a poor God. Our primary concern must be to lead our people to eternal salvation.
“Money, while very helpful, did not play a critical role in Jesus’ ministry and should not be the major determining factor for our ministry. As we begin the Holy Week, and going forward, even when we pass through the valley of darkness, may our hearts and mouths sing Hosanna to Jesus, and may He save us from falling into desperation and sin.”
Friday Olokor, Abuja
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