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Funeral Mass Of Late Seminarian Michael Nnadi (cont.) - Politics - Nairaland

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Funeral Mass Of Late Seminarian Michael Nnadi (cont.) by Nobody: 9:18pm On Feb 11, 2020
21. My dear brothers and sisters, Anger, the quest for Vengeance, are a legitimate inheritance of the condition of unredeemed human being. Both have appeal. Through Violence, you can murder the murderer, but you cannot murder Murder. Through violence, you can kill the Liar, but you cannot kill Lies or install truth. Through Violence, you can murder the Terrorist, but you cannot end Terrorism. Through Violence, you can murder the Violent, but you cannot end Violence. Through Violence, you can murder the Hater, but you cannot end Hatred. Unredeemed man sees vengeance as power, strength and the best means to teach the offender a lesson. These are the ways of the flesh.
22. Christianity parts ways with other Religions when it comes to what to do with the enemy. Here, we must admit, Christianity stands alone. This is the challenge for us as Christians. Others believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or that one can take either blood money or make some form of reparation one way or the other. However, for us Christians, Jesus stands right in the middle with a message that is the opposite of all that is sensible to us as human beings. Put back your sword (Mt. 26: 52). Turn the other cheek (Mt. 5:38). Pray for your enemy (Mt. 5: 44). Give the thief your cloak (Lk. 6:29). None of these makes sense to the human mind without faith. This is why Jesus said the only solution is for us to be born again (Jn. 3:3). The challenge before us is to behold the face of Jesus and ask the question, Are we Born against hatred, anger, violence and vengeance? 
23.  There is hope, my dear friends. Are we angry? Yes, we are. Are we sad? Of course, we are. Are we tempted to vengeance? Indeed, we are. Do we feel betrayed? You bet. Do we know what to do? Definitely. Do we know when to do it? Why not? Do we know how? Absolutely. Are we in a war? Yes. But what would Christ have us do? The only way He has pointed out to us is the non-violent way. It is the road less travelled, but it is the only way. 
24. How and why does God choose these young persons as our models? Leah Sharibu and now Michael, all teenagers when they confronted evil and became martyrs. In a recent report in Daily Trust on February 2, 2020, I read the story of one of the Dapchi girls and their incredible show of bravery in the face of fire. They were asked by their ferocious captors to point out the Christians among them or they would all face death. In response, they said in unison that they were all Muslims. Then, she continued, “when they intensified their threat to kill us, Leah stood up and said that she was a Christian. She said they could go ahead and kill her instead of killing all of us. So, they separated her from us…before we were rescued, they told us that if Leah would convert to Islam, they would free us, so we tried as much as possible to convince her but she refused saying she would never renounce her religion for fear of death.” 
25. We have no evidence of what transpired between Michael and his killers. However, for us Christians, this death is a metaphor for the fate of all Christians in Nigeria but especially northern Nigeria. For us Christians, it would seem safe to say that we are all marked men and women today. Yet, we must be ready to be washed in the blood of the lamb. The testimony of the Dapchi girl above suggests that our country has a future, a future based on the innocence of our youth who have seen beyond religion. Leah Sharibu is a martyr for the faith and so is Michael. St Paul has already said it well: We carry this treasure in vessels of clay so that all this surpassing power may not be seen as ours, but as God’s. Trials of every sort come our way, but we are not discouraged. We are left without answers but we do not despair, persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed. At any moment, we carry in our person, the death of Jesus, so that in life, Jesus may also be manifested in us (2 Cor. 4: 7-10). 
26. Finally, we praise and thank God that Pius, Peter and Stephen are alive and will continue to bear earthly testimony of this horror. May God help them to all heal. We join the family of Michael in their act of forgiveness while calling on God give these killers their own road to Damascus experience deep in the forests and highways. For now, we in Sokoto are at peace and feel mightily honoured that we have been chosen for this task of being called upon to walk the footsteps of the passion of Jesus Christ. We know that the Lord’s burden is never heavy. We are humbled but not bowed. Although we are only a little flock, we are pleased to offer from the little we have to the Master. Like the owner of the donkey on which Jesus rode to Jerusalem, we are asking no question because the Master has asked for Michael (Lk. 19:31). Like the Galileans (Lk. 13:1), we surrender the blood of Michael to the vicious Herods of today but we know we will one day rise to a new life.  The choice of our son Michael as a Simon of Cyrene is a remarkable gift that we must embrace with both hands. We feel as if our son has been chosen to represent us in the national team of martyrs. Without fear, we will complete the journey he started because his memory will give us strength. 

27. We know that Michael’s strength will inspire an army of young people to follow in his steps. We will march on with the cross of Christ entrusted to us, not in agony or pain, because our salvation lies in your cross. We have no vengeance or bitterness in our hearts. We have no drop of sorrow inside us. We are honoured that our son has been summoned to receive the crown of martyrdom at the infancy of his journey to the priesthood. We are grateful that even before he could ascend the earthly altar, Jesus the high priest, called Him to stand by His angels. He was a priest by desire but he is concelebrating the fullness of the priesthood beside His Master. He was lifted up even before his hands could lift up the sacred chalice. May the Lord place him beside His bosom and may he intercede for us. If his blood can bring healing to our nation, then his murderers will never have the final say. May God give him eternal peace.
Re: Funeral Mass Of Late Seminarian Michael Nnadi (cont.) by Commentor: 9:27pm On Feb 11, 2020
May his soul rest in peace.
Re: Funeral Mass Of Late Seminarian Michael Nnadi (cont.) by bigeliot(m): 9:36pm On Feb 11, 2020
These new modus operandi of these guys is scary o. Christians affected d more. One Nigeria is d reason y dis guy was killed o, if not tell me y and wat he was doing at where he was caught?

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