“Our joy must outweigh every sorrow”: Catholic Archbishop in Nigeria on Gaudete Sunday

He continued, “Our experiences of violence, bloodshed, the inhuman behavior of kidnapping, corruption, unemployment, high inflation and cases of terror attacks and other problems Nigeria is facing may seem to blur this holy joy, plunging many into hopelessness and sadness.”

The Nigerian Catholic Church leader went on to underscore the need reject evil, treat everyone with dignity, and speak out against injustices and all wrongdoing in the country in the example of Jesus Christ and at His command.

“When we embrace Christ, our lives undergo a remarkable transformation; divine light illumines our path, and we can navigate life’s journey with greater clarity,” said the Local Ordinary of Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese since November 2019.

He added, “Even when we face persecutions like John the Baptist, we should remember that though weeping may last through the night, great joy comes before dawn.”

Humility is the greatest virtue that Nigerians can learn from John the Baptist who understood that he was not the light but a humble witness, Archbishop Kaigama said, and urged the candidates he was to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation to be witnesses of the light of Christ.

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“As soldiers of Christ, your faith must be strong and love for others genuine, beyond boundaries or barriers. Speak the truth and shame the devil; demonstrate that there can be joy of heart even in the face of adversity,” the Catholic Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Jalingo Diocese said. 

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