He further urged families in his Metropolitan See to gather to pray the Holy Rosary daily, adding, “Let us care for the poor and sick, offering Marian charity.”
Reflecting on the experience of Peter and the other apostles, who showed courage in the face of persecution following their testimonies about the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Kaigama extolled the people of God in the West African nation, where Christians are facing increasing attacks for their faith to be courageous witnesses.
“The apostles had discovered that obedience to God is more life-giving than human approval or comfort,” the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop said, and added, “Their witness reminds us that faith is not just about comfort or prosperity. It is about conviction, truth, and fidelity, even when it costs us something.”
“We are called to be witnesses - in our homes, workplaces, and society,” Archbishop Kaigama said.
Noting that witnessing one's faith is not always smooth, he said, “Sometimes we may face ridicule or rejection. The world may not always welcome the message of Christ. But like the apostles, we must have the courage to say: We must obey God rather than men.”
“How can we be witnesses today?” the Archbishop of Abuja since November 2019 posed, and offered, “By living with integrity and honesty when others compromise; by standing for the truth in a world of confusion; by showing mercy and forgiveness, when the world chooses vengeance; by professing Christ not only with our lips but with our lives. Let us not be afraid to obey God above all else, even when the world resists.”
He narrated the encounter the apostles had with Jesus, with the risen Christ restoring Peter to his position as head of the apostles and of the early church and giving him a second chance, having failed the first time, by denying Him.
“Three times, Peter affirms his commitment to care for the flock of Jesus,” he said, and added, “As a leader, you have the duty to protect the interest of your flock; to care for them, and not to feed on them.”
Caring for God’s flock, Archbishop Kaigama said, requires courage and willpower, attributes that he said most leaders today lack. “No matter what oppositions and challenges we face, we must stand for truth and justice,” the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo said.
Praying for the intercession of the Mother of Jesus, he said, “May she accompany us during this month of May and always lead us ever closer to her Son. With her maternal care, we cannot be afraid. With her example, we cannot be idle. And with her intercession, we cannot fail.”
