Be joyful in adversity to attract God’s blessings, Cleric urges faithful

Rev. Fr. Chibuike Ezeani, a visiting Priest from Ekwulobia Parish, Anambra, in Lagos on Sunday urged Catholic faithful to be cheerful in their daily endeavour in spite of hard times.

Ezeani gave this advice when he officiated a Mass at the Saints Peter and Paul Church Tedi, Lagos, to herald a week retreat for parishioners ahead of the Christmas celebration.

According to him, being cheerful all the time will help them attract God’s blessings and interventions to check hard times.

He said that today, third Sunday in Advent, should be a joyful mood to prepare people ahead of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Decrying disharmony among couples, the priest said people should eschew bad blood and nagging capable of derailing progress in matrimonial homes.

He said there should be oneness and love for one another in the midst of anxieties to attract positive God’s interventions.

“We cannot get any good thing from God if we go to Him in resentful manner.

“Remember the story of Paul and Silas in prison.

”There in castration, they worshipped and praised God the more in good heart without carrying the burden of being imprisoned on the face and God intervened in their situation and they became free.

“The hard times of today is not enough for us not be happy and joyful to God for the gift of life, for there is no problem that exists without God having its solution.

“Being in the season of advert into the third Sunday, the church expects us to cast away our burdens.

“Be pure in heart and inspire others to be happy to welcome the manifestation of the King of Kings in few weeks time,” he said.

Ezeani, who would be anchoring the Church’s Christmas retreat starting on Dec.13, said worshippers should approach God through praise songs and prayers for solutions to social problems.

He enjoined Nigerians to desist from “bad mouthing” the country, but present the nation in prayers before God for good development.