He underscores the need to embrace Christmas graces, saying, “With all the strife, conflict, bloodshed, hunger, suffering, abuse and injustice all around, the world needs Christmas, not every year but every day.”
“We cannot wish a merry Christmas to hungry people nor can we celebrate and make merry without each of us personally helping people who are suffering,” Bishop Badejo emphasizes, and continues, “All of us can do this because to overcome your troubles, help people out of theirs.”
The Local Ordinary of Oyo Diocese who doubles as the President of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) decries violent conflicts in various countries of the world ahead of Christmas celebrations.
“The joy of Christmas will surely sound hollow to people caught up in ongoing war and violence in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Congo, Tudun Biri in Nigeria, and other parts of the world,” he says in his December 15 Advent reflection.
He adds, “Christmas indicts all political leaders who are supposed to be saving people from trouble and suffering.”
The celebration of Christmas, Bishop Badejo continues, “speaks to the difference between statesmen and mere politicians who flood the countries of the world.”
“A statesman is a politician who puts himself at the service of his nation, a politician, in contrast, is a statesman who puts the nation at his own service,” he explains.
The member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication since his appointment in December 2021 further says, “Our world and our country need to be relieved of selfish politicians and be endowed with Christ-like statesmen, for God so loved the world that he gave His only son Jesus Christ that all who believe in Him may be saved.”
He goes on to caution against “cosmetic” Christmas, saying, “If our souls do not sing of true love and peace with the angels and hosts of heaven, our Christmas carols, be they accompanied by a billion trumpets, bugles and violins from a million musicians, can never be big enough for the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega. He came to join earth to heaven and asks us to do the same in word and action.”
“This year in Jerusalem all the Christian Churches have agreed that there will be no celebration of Christmas, only worship, particularly because of many children being killed in the war in Gaza,” Bishop Badejo says referencing the war between Israel and Hamas.
