FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT. Nnanna was born into a core traditional religious family whose ancestral lineage could be likened to the priestly tribe of Levi. His father was the chief-priest of the town and according to the tradition, Nnanna would inherit the office of the chief-priest if his father dies or retires. At the age of seven, Nnanna was denied the Western education which most of his age mates were privileged to be attending due to their Christian background. His father denied him this opportunity because he thought that the white-mens religion would corrupt Nnanna against his heritage. His mingling with his age mates during their playing moments, made him to learn alot from them. He learnt how to pronounce certain words in English, and how to sing some of the Christian songs they were taught in school. He also learnt how to shout the name of Jesus when there is any danger. He was happy learning these things from them and had wished he was privileged to go to school. One fateful day, Nnanna accompanied his father as usual, to the shrine which was situated in the middle of a thick forest. As his father was offering sacrifices and doing some incantations, Nnanna stood some distance away watching and observing what his father was doing. Suddenly, he saw a big black snake crawling towards him. Out of great fear and anxiety, Nnanna shouted Jesus!. Immediately, there was great pandemonium at the shrine. The father and his fellow worshippers fell on the ground, and then the snake disappeared into the thick forest. His father scolded him angrily, and warned him seriously not to mention that name again. Nnanna was greatly marvelled at what happened. He believed that the name he mentioned was so powerful more than the gods of the land. This episode coupled with his experiences with his agemates, left an imprint in him and increased his love for Christianity. At the age of twelve, Nnanna was already fade up with his fathers practices, and ran away from the village without his fathers consent. At the city, he went to a Reverend Father and explained his predicaments to him. The Priest gave him shelter and assited him to start school. After five years, he told the priest of his intention to go the seminary but the priest told him that it would require his fathers consent. The priest took him to his father in the village. When they came to his father, he welcomed them politely thinking that his son had returned to his senses. As he was told of Nnannas intention, he was enraged and threatened to kill him. The Reverend Father understood the situation and took Nnanna away, who had told his father plainly that he would not follow the traditional practices. In anger, the father disowned him, and made up his mind to kill Nnanna before he achieves his ambition. To cut the story short, Nnanna entered the Seminary against his fathers wish, and faced many challenges and spiritual attacks which were supposedly sent by his father to kill him. At the end of the day, God gave me victory over these challenges and he ended up becoming a Catholic Priest instead of a Chief-priest. Due to the many frustrated attempts to kill his son, his father came to know the power of God through the faith of his son. He denounced his traditional practices and embraced Christianity. He turned from darkness to light. All glory to God. In todays gospel, Jesus called his first disciples, making them to turn from darkness to light. The world of God says, The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light(Mtt.4:16). Jesus is calling us to turn from the darkness of our sins to the light of his grace. Whenever we commit sin, we are wallowing in darkness. Sin affects the God-given potentials in us. Sin can make one to be a failure in life in spite of ones struggle to excel. Our prayers would lack effect if we are in sin. My beloved ones, sin is a cankerworm that eats up Gods blessings and favours in our lives. Sin can deprive us of reaching our goals in life. It can prevent us from attaining to the heights where God wants us to attain. Those who live in sin are living in darkness. It is only the Light of Jesus Christ that can enable us to be what we ought to be, and where we ought to be. Many of us are born eagles but we end up as chickens because our sins have pinned us down that we are incapable to fly like eagles. I pray that the Light of Jesus will overshadow us as we resolve within ourselves to repent of our sins, and live in the light of Christ. God bless you. HAPPY SUNDAY MY BELOVED ONES.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 10:21:25 +0000
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