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Catholic Archbishop Urges Nigerians who have “lost faith” to Keep Praying for Country

Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Nigeria's Lagos Archdiocese. Credit: Lagos Archdiocese

Nigerians seem to be losing confidence in prayers in their seemingly unanswered cries to be liberated from suffering, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Nigeria’s Lagos Archdiocese has said, and encouraged the people of God in the country to continue interceding for their nation. 

In his Lenten reflection for Thursday, March 14, the Catholic Archbishop said some Nigerians have lost hope in interceding for the country as challenges are still at hand.

“Let us stand with compassion in the face of human frailty. Stand to intercede on behalf of the country and other persons with the hope of guiding them back to God’s favor and the path of righteousness,” said Archbishop Martins.

He said, “We have been praying for Nigeria in the face of the distress that we have been facing, for the situation of our country for some time now. Some of our people are beginning to wonder whether God is paying attention to our intercession on behalf of our country. Some have lost faith, others have lost interest, some others do not care anymore.”

Nigeria is currently weighed down with multiple challenges that stem from corruption, a deteriorating economy and insecurity, with Christians in Africa’s most populous being subjected to jihadist attacks.

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Reflecting on the Biblical passage of the golden calf in which Moses interceded for the Israelites after they worshiped other gods, Archbishop Martins said, “I believe that God has sent us a story of the golden calf today and Moses’ response to assure us that prayers of intercession are not in vain and they have been shown to affect the cause of the life of nations positively.”

“God was so angry with them that in speaking with Moses he referred to them not as my people but as your people. He divorced Himself from the Israelites and was determined to destroy them and make a new people for Himself. Moses, on his part, stood in the bridge between them and the anger of God, pleading that God relents in his anger and stops the decision to wipe them out of existence,” said the Archbishop. 

The Local Ordinary of Lagos said in his reflection themed ‘The Importance of Being Witnesses to the Faith’, “Moses was the model of the faith that if we approach God in the prayer for intercession for other people, God will respond. He reminds us that our prayers and petitions can influence the cause of events.”

The Catholic Church leader added that Christians are called “to be witnesses to divine truth and the doctrines of our faith especially by our way of life.”

“As we strive to reflect the light of the love of God, and the truth in his message in words and action, our words and deeds will testify to the transformative power of faith in Christ,” Archbishop Martins said and added, “Let us try to be reliable witnesses, not just with our lips, but with the sincerity of our hearts, echoing the profound truth of our faith as we strive to live an authentic Christian life.”

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