By Chuks Nzeh
The parish priest of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church Lugbe, Rev. Fr. James Akpaamo, has charged parishioners to live a life worthy of emulation and such that attracts people to Christ. He went on to task parents on leading their children to Jesus Christ through positive lifestyles that makes them their children’s role models.
The clergy made this known in his homily of 2024 First Sunday, used to commemorate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Jesus Christ, taken from the Book of Matthew 2:1-12.
He said our children today would prefer popular musicians and other celebrities when asked who are their role models. He stressed the need for parents to be the superstars that will lead people especially children to Christ.
He noted that the celebration calls on parents and all children of God to be stars that will lead people to Christ. He added that for us to be stars we need to have something good in us, and good things attract people to Christ.
Furthermore, he said by doing good, we would be stars that bring people to Christ. He also said that a committed father who provides for his family and others can be a star to his children and a path to Christ for them. He said the same rule applies to mothers… a good mother should live a lifestyle that will bring her children to Christ.
He said in the Bible Herod wanted to destroy Christ the star of the world. “He never wanted the light of Christ to shine to this dark world that was why he killed many children. He wanted to get to Christ the King who the Wise Men came to pay homage to.
Today we have people who do not want any one to progress, if you are shining they will want to cut you short so that your star will not shine. Ilet the Herod’s among us repent so that they can also bring people to Christ.”
He further said we do not have gold or frankincense and myrrh to give Jesus Christ but we can give him our heart for him to dwell in.
“Let us struggle to become stars so that we can attract people to Christ and let that star continue to shine so that it will grow for other to see and find Jesus. That is the challenge for us. We should go about sharing the good news of the birth of Christ.” He concluded.
On his part Pope Francis in his homily on the First Sunday of January, 2024 used the Solemnity of the Epiphany to call on the faithful to emulate the 3 wise men and come to Christ Jesus.
