CHANGE YOUR WAYS TO TAP BENEFITS OF GOOD FRIDAY—FR. ODIGBO

REPORTER: CHUKWUBUIKE MADU

A Resident Priest at St. Michael’s Catholic Parish, Asata, Enugu, the Rev Fr. Ikechukwu Odigbo, says the death of Christ is designed to redeem people from sin, death, curses and bondage as well as guarantee them the kingdom of God on the last day.

The Rev. Fr. Odigbo, who stated this in a homily to mark Good Friday, called on Christians to make themselves available to benefit from that salvific power of God.

The priest argued that despite the inherent benefits the death of Christ had brought to the world, many people were still under curses and neck deep in sin because they had refused to change from their evil ways.

“There is what is called objective salvation. The fact that Jesus has opened the gate of heaven, you still have to make efforts to enter the gate.

“So he has created the infinite possibilities that people will be redeemed, that people will be free from bondages, that they can become free from their burden of both the orginal and their own particular sins, the blessings are inumerable.

“But in all this, people still have to desire it so much that they go for it. We capture it with the statements from of one of the doctors of the church, St. Agustin, who says: the God who created you without you, cannot save you without you.

“I encourage Christians to come closer to Jesus so that all the benefits of the death of Jesus can become truly theirs,” he admonished.

The Rev. Fr. Odigbo also enjoined Christians to emulate the selflessness of Christ as he suffered and sacrificed himself in the cross for the redemption of the world.

The Good Friday service was preceded by the dramatic enactment of Jesus’ journey to calvary, otherwise known as the stations of the cross.