The Emeritus Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, Archbishop
Felix Alaba Job, has identified sincerity of heart filled with faith and
endurance to do God’s will as necessary virtues of a good Christians to ensure
eternal life in heaven, reports ITRealms.
This remark was made while recently facilitating the Annual
Retreat to kick-start work by all the staff of the Catholic Secretariat ofNigeria (CSN) and other agencies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria
(CBCN).
The two-day programme attended by all the workers of the
agencies of the Bishops Conference from across the country, the Archbishop
emeritus said retreat is a period of deep and sincere concentration and honest
examination of what one has been, what one is at present and what one will want
to be later, stressing that the Catholic Retreat is not the type of retreat
politicians in the country started having of recent.
He premised his topic of the first lecture of the retreat
reflecting on how the staff spent the past year, 2017 in the service of the
Church and in relationship with their neighbours; asserting that when Christians
come together like this for a retreat, “we should become an oasis of hearts.”
Christians, he said, have come not only on their own but as
a body, hence should be oasis in the desert, the desert of the noise of the world
that does not grow anything.
“A desert of hearts are people who have hearts and are ready
to rub minds and hearts, listening to the music of angels and allowing
themselves to be served by Christ and his Mother Mary. When you listen to the
music of angels and you dance to the music, surely, Jesus and his mother will
provide you with more, much more than you can request” he said.
Archbishop Job urged the workers to reflect and reexamine
their consciences on how they have spent the past year in their various
offices; and how they have discharged entrusted duties, as well as how they
have related with their co-workers, the people they serve and their neighbours.
The retreat facilitator noted that great use of life is to
spend it for really worthwhile pursuits on something that will outclass adding
that this will propel how the New Year will be spent. His words: “doing the
will of God makes us live forever. We are equal creatures of God, sanctified by
the Blessed Trinity but with different responsibilities.”
Ayo Midele/GEE
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