by By Elijah Ugani
The local ordinary and Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, the Most Rev Donatus Edet Akpan, has charged shepherds of the flock to prioritize building of God’s temple over R
rectories where they live.
Bishop Akpan made the charge during the rededication of Holy Trinity Parish Ogboja-Ogoja, today December 13th 2024.
The Bishop commended the Parish Priest, Very Rev Fr Felix Ekpe, for leading the christain faithfuls to remodel the beautiful place of worship, congratulated him and noted that the temple is made decent and sacred.
In his words “With what Fr Felix has done here, it is a great challenge thrown to us, the shepherd of the flocks begining with me. We should not build rectories as mansions and abandon the temple of God, build a good place of worship and ensure that what is dedicated to God accommodate God”.
He admonished christains to support priests who wants to build a place of worship, when he said “When any priest demands that we build a place of worship for your use, please don’t hesitate to do so, so that a beautiful place of worship will be put up”
The Bishop reiterated the sacredness of the temple and assured that “If anyone enters this temple to pray, God will hear the person.
We must be careful how we handle this temple, it is holy.
“Two things in this celebration are brought together. One is earthly and the other is spiritual. The physical, we see, the spiritual we can not see. God uses the teachings of St Paul talking about our bodies. If we realize that God talks to us both physical and spiritual, we have become one with God.
We have to see and use this physical structure in a way that God is happy with us. If we do not have regards for God, you will not have regards to what is dedicated to him. If we desecrate what is dedicated to him, we destroy our very foundation.
When we visit traditional rulers, we pay homage to them. Some people when they visit the Bishop, including some clergies, they pull their shoes and walk bare footed.
“They have shown regards towards the person they believe have some authority over them. But if you come to the house of God and walk carelessly, you must try to remember that this place you’re going to is not like every other place. God lives here.
“When you regard and believe that God is in this temple, when you ask, you must get results for what you ask for. Some people don’t believe, they run into the church, the kind of things they do, they eat chewing gum inside the church during mass, and sometimes their phone rings, you see a faithful Catholic brings out a phone and talking in low tune during mass. They don’t have time to dedicate few hours for God. You have to develop faith in you”.
He further charges priests to ensure that God’s temple remains sacred”What the pastor does is to ensure that the place of worship looks sacred” he added.
Commenting on the beautiful edifice, Bishop Akpan said “If you enter a place of worship and it looks like this, surely you will believe that God is there.
“I congratulate Fr Felix Ekpe for leading you to put this place of worship to look like this. May all who contributed to make this place look like this experience joy and fulfillment. May God reward you all. Like David, who said I live in a mansion and God house looks like a tent. I will build a temple for the Lord, you have done what David did, may God reward you abundantly.
“This place is made decent and sacred, Fr Felix congratulations. Some human beings are careless. Anything goes.
“Jesus beats some people who misused the temple. You may not see Jesus physically when you misuse this temple. The beating may follow you to wherever you go. Show regards to what is Holy and dedicated to God. Some people may be reluctant to sweep the temple. Nobody should see him/herself too big to clean the church, make efforts to preserve this temple”.
He encouraged christains to see God in the temple noted “In places where we have chapel of adoration, a lot of people do not go to the main church to seek God. The chapel is an emergency place for the priest”.
He admonished christains to see their bodies as the temple of the holy spirit and treat it same as the temple that is rededicated today said “Some people believe that they can do what they like with themselves. As you regard the sacredness of this temple, that is how you should regards your bodies, because it is the temple of God. You cannot do what you like with your body because you will give an account of what you do with your body. Do you realize that you’re God’s temple and the spirit of God dwells in you? You have children, will you not just wake up and kill your child. Your child is part of your body. I commend your efforts and may God reward you”.
The mass was attended by priests numbering 40, religious, guests and parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish Ogboja-Ogoja.
