Easter Celebration: A Period For Forgiveness- Bishop Ezeokafor



BY ABUCHI IFESINACHI, AWKA

The Catholic Bishop of Awka His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has described the 2015 Easter celebration as a period of forgiveness and time to show unconditional love to one another noting that God shows us his unconditional and immeasurable love by blotting out our offences through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ his only begotten Son.  

Bishop Ezeokafor who stated this while delivering  his Easter message at St. Patrrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka said, 'In Him, as St Paul rightly puts it, "We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Eph 1:17). In his last words on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34), Jesus highlights the deep mystery that his death inaugurates and which reaches its fulfilment in His resurrection."
'This is the mystery we celebrate at Easter. This generous love of God evokes thanksgiving and praise from us His creatures who are the beneficiaries. In the liturgy, the Church ritualizes this act of thanksgiving and praise in the Easter chorus of GLORIA and ALLELUIA. In her wisdom, the Church kept these away from the faithful during the season of Lent, so that at Easter we all can echo them with new freshness and deeper appreciation of God’s magnanimity in our lives.

Forgiveness: unmerited and unsolicited.The forgiveness we have received from God in Christ is totally unmerited and unsolicited. We have absolutely done nothing to deserve it. Being unsolicited does not mean that it was not absolutely necessary in our lives. It is, but the devil keeps blurring our vision of this necessity.

'He beclouds our spiritual insights and presents the material things of this world as capable of offering us eternal happiness, which is totally false. But God in His infinite wisdom knows that we were helpless without the atonement of our sins by the blood of His only-begotten Son. By His own initiative, He took our sins upon Himself so that we might be free from corruption and death.

'Forgive Us Our Sins as We Forgive Those Who Sin Against Us. In the prayer taught us by Jesus Himself, He shows us the need to carry out this ministry of forgiveness in our daily lives. He demonstrates to us that forgiveness is not a special prerogative of God but also our own way of sharing in God’s life through effective witness. In the story of unforgiving debtor (Matt 18:23-35), Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is not something we only receive, but also something we should freely offer to others. If we do not forgive our neighbours their trespasses against us, we are, in a sense asking God not to forgive ours.

'Nevertheless, owing to God’s magnanimity, he goes on forgiving us in ways incomparable to our forgiveness of others. This period of Easter is a time for us to ask ourselves whether we show mercy and forgiveness to our own brothers and sisters or whether we are unforgiving and merciless. The Psalmist rightly states, “If you oh Lord should mark our guilt, Lord who would survive” (Ps. 130:3).

'This statement of faith acknowledges our sinfulness and reliance on the infinite mercy of God, who continuously showers us with his love even in our sins. He commands us to do same to our neighbours. Once we fail to do this, we are already deviating from the true path of life shown us in Jesus’ life.

'Gains of Forgiveness
My dear people of God, forgiveness is not easy, but it is liberating: morally, psychologically and emotionally.

'Those who bear grudges are easily prone to psychological and emotional breakdown. The more we forgive, the more we cleanse ourselves of resentment which harms our souls; make peace with our past; become freer and more relaxed. Once we forgive from the depths of our hearts, we open the door for the graceful presence of God, which brings peace and serenity to our hearts and souls. The less we forgive, the less we give room in our lives for God who is forgiveness Himself.

'In families, forgiveness brings members together, so that they can work together for the good of all. Without forgiveness, love suffers, making married life dry and “insipid.” This also affects the larger society. In our country Nigeria, we need this virtue of forgiveness very earnestly, especially in the aftermath of the elections.

'The whole nation, and indeed the international community, has been showering praises on the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, simply because he realized the need to accept defeat, even when pre-election campaign had witnessed exchange of unpalatable words among political parties and politicians. This is the type of spirit we are beckoned by Christ to imbibe. 

'We hope that the newly elected politicians will put the interest of the masses before their selfish interests; eschew all bitterness and rancour; join hands to move the nation forward. Christ died to cleanse us of our sins without minding the cost. This is what we are all called to do as Christians. One who is selfish neither truly loves nor forgives, and without these, this country can hardly make any meaningful progress.

'I implore you at this period of Easter to offer hands of friendship and fellowship to all those who have wronged you and those you have wronged in one way or another. One who offends should stop offending and seek for forgiveness. One who is offended should find a way to forgive the offender, especially when he or she had asked for forgiveness. We are all weak and in need of forgiveness. God forgave us and continues to do so. May His love for us motivate us to seek ways to forgive others.

'I wish you a happy Easter, as I commend you to the loving intercession of our Blessed Mother Virgin Mary,' Bishop Ezeokafor said. 

Meanwhile, the Catholic bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has congratulated
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s
President-elect, who emerged
victorious in the just concluded
presidential election.

Bishop Ezeokafor who gave the congratulatory message while interacting with newsmen at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral , Awka also commended
President Goodluck Jonathan for
conceding defeat and the
Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, for
conducting a peaceful election.

He also commended the electorate for the way and manner they comported themselves during and after  the exercise.

'On behalf of the Auxiliary bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Jonas Benson Okoye, the priests , the religious and the entire laity of Awka Catholic Diocese, I say a very big congratulations to you our president-elect,' he said.