The chief celebrant, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Felix Alaba Job in his homily stressed the importance of God’s love for his creatures. We are created according to the image of God and called to serve Him.
Furthermore, he said that God sent different leaders at different times to save His people. He sent Moses who was born in a peculiar way and who performed wonders in the name of the Lord and brought the Israelites out of the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt: likewise, John the Baptist urged and directed as many that came to him to prepare a straight way for the Lord. God raises people in every aspect of life to serve His beloved. There is no time God is unmindful of His creatures.
As we commemorate the centenary of the birth of the founder of Opus Dei, His Grace called on the faithful especially the sons and daughters of Opus Dei to emulate the life of Blessed Josemaría who aimed at promoting, among people of all social classes, the search for holiness and the exercise of apostolate, through the sanctification of ordinary work in the middle of the world and without changing their state of life.
This should be done with great apostolic zeal for souls. Blessed Josemaría dedicated himself to fulfilling the mission that God has entrusted to him, the Archbishop said.
In addition, the prelate stressed that each of us is called to holiness, to build the house of God, be part of the Church and to create impact. We are challenged to be models of the saints we imitate. We cannot be devoted and good Catholics if we do not follow Christ’s teachings. We should know our faith and follow it with filial trust in Jesus Christ – our model.
Most Rev. Dr. Alaba Job said that above all, we must not lose our focus. As much as we can, we should sanctify our daily work and put everything into the hands of God for the Psalmist said “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it: unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches in vain…” (Ps 127: 1-2). Simon Peter worked hard all night long and caught nothing but when Jesus Christ intervened, he was able to catch a huge number of fish that his net began to tear (cf. Lk 5: 4-7).
As we remember Blessed Josemaría born 100 years ago, let us remember that our birth should be recorded through our sanctification, he appealed.
Archbishop Job prayed for God’s guidance, protection, blessings and salvation to be with the faithful in the New Year.
The Mass was concelebrated by Very Rev. Msgr. Felix Adeigbo, Fathers John Toyin Pinheiro, Boniface Okafor and Simon Ugwu.