The Catholic Bishop of Osogbo Diocese, Most Rev. John Oyejola, has charged Christians not to be afraid of death, but strive to live a decent religious life that will endear them to God.
According to Bishop Oyejola, since death is sure for everybody, true Christians, especially Catholics, should see the phenomenon as a channel through which they could rejoice with their Father in heaven, rather than being full of fear for death like the unbelievers.
The cleric said this while delivering his homily at the Solemnity of All Souls held at the Saint Benedict Catholic Cathedral, Popo, Osogbo in Osun State.
Oyejola revealed that God is waiting for all Christians “to return home” and so, they should always be connected to Him by loving and serving Him faithfully while on earth.
The prelate described heaven as a gift of God, which could not be earned by anyone, adding that Christians should not lose touch with God in order not to lose out in the race for their heavenly home.
While stressing the significance of the feast of the All Souls, Bishop Oyejola asked Catholics to value the dead since they would also find themselves in the same condition one day.
He said, “The bond between the living and the dead is close. They (the dead) are close to us. Our closeness to the dead can be likened to the electron force in Chemistry. You know when you phone at times, you don’t hear whom you called, but they might be hearing you. So, the dead hear us, they know what we do, but we can’t hear or see them.
“This celebration affords us the opportunity to be closer to them. Even the Muslims value the dead. So, the Lord is waiting for us to return home. He is watching the way for us. We have come to this world to play but our play is significant.
“We are not meant to oppress others. Here (earth) is not our home; the father is waiting for us to return to Him. He is preparing the way for us. We should not lose touch with God. Our Shepherd is a good Shepherd.”
The cleric further said, “You don’t earn heaven; it is a gift of God. Going to heaven is not what anybody earns. It’s a gift of God, but people can desire it. As Catholics, you need to forgive others. Be perfect every day and try to be perfect until you reach your grave.
“The cycle of life makes you come back to where you started from. Death is everyone’s portion. We have a loving Father and He wants us to love others. Don’t be afraid of death. True Christians should not be afraid of death, but should be always be connected to God at all times. The Lord will rest the souls of the departed. Amen.”
