Abuja, 15 May, 2024 / 10:05 pm (ACI Africa).
The election of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot recounted in the Acts of the Apostles provides good lessons for the people of God in Nigeria during the electioneering period, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja has said.
In a text of a homily he published on Facebook on May 12, Archbishop Kaigama reflects on the First Reading for Feast of St. Matthias, the Apostle, marked on May 14.
“In the election of Matthias in Acts of the Apostles, we see how the assembled disciples recognized clearly that God’s will is supreme, and so they prayed and left the final choice to God. That was how Matthias was chosen as an apostle,” he says.
“From the election of Matthias in the first reading we in Nigeria should beware not to allow our unhealthy political scheming to prevail each time we conduct elections,” he says, adding, “See the example of a flawless, God-inspired election. No violence, no rigging, no court case, no bitterness.”
The Nigerian Catholic Church leader implores, “May our leaders be guided by such ethical and God-fearing conduct during elections and in governance.”