THE MYSTERY ABOUT DEATH REMAINS INCOMPREHENSIBLE BELOVED BROTHER, FR. LONGINUS CHIMEZIE OGOWUIHE, it is very difficult for me to believe the heart-shocking and devastating news of your death. The news of your death has kept me in a deep motionless situation, propelling me into the terrain of meditation and reflection while asking myself a lot of questions ranging within the circumference of life and mission. It is very difficult to believe it as a reality. I called your line on Sunday June 30, 2013 following the Tuesday July 2, 2013 that I got the news of your death which came to me as a thunderbolt with a confusing pressure. I pursed motionlessly, yet unable to stand the pressure, burst into tears, called your line severally but unavailable. Still longing to be sure whether it could be news without the face of reality, I called home and it was confirmed as a reality. Oh! My God, how did it happen? Who can tell me what happened to my beloved brother and friend, Fr. Longy? Fr. Longy, I never heard of any sickness of any kind about you! You did not tell me anything about illness! We had been often in communication before this incident took place. Who can tell me what led to the sudden death of my brother, Fr Longy? The news of your death is indeed very hard to believe. Only God knows the degree of joy and happiness that radiated in my mind when you called me few months ago and availed me the news that the bishop has told you to come over to Austria for further studies. I was very glad and happy that you are coming over to study with me here and eagerly waiting to receive and welcome you. One of the reasons why I called you on that very Sunday as usual was to know when you would arrive. Thinking as a human being, it is very sad and painful. But God’s decision surpasses the human desires and wishes. However, tomorrow being July 16, 2013, you will be committed to mother earth. We resort to the will of God to prevail and cannot ask God any question for He remains the source of your being. God called you to His ministry of love and service centered on the salvation of humanity through the celebration of the sacraments and proclamation of God’s word. You executed this ministry selflessly and tried in possible ways to make all who come in contact with you to experience the love of God in you. You exercised your priestly ministry sacrificially and in love and with love, dedicating your time, treasure and talents. Though short a time it might appeared in the eyes of the people, barely six years in the ministry of priesthood as you were ordained a priest in August 18, 2007, the integral contributions which you made in propagating the seed of God’s love and word among the people of God will continue to ring the bell of praises unto God. Your effort has shown that in priesthood what counts is not “when” but how effective; hence your death in this dimension remains a full gospel of its own to all in various capacities and spheres of life. It pleases God to call you back to Himself at the apex of your active participation and active work. The Eucharistic celebration (Mass) remains our highest sacrifice and prayer. It is Christ Himself who offers it as a Priest and a Victim; hence the Mass remains the source and reenactment of human redemption. You were celebrating the Mass which stands as the nucleus by which you were called by God as a priest before the incident occurred. This incident paved a route for you to answer this holy call of the Father, a call to come back to Him. God gave you a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and offer the mass, which is the highest offer/sacrament that unites heaven and earth, reconciles Divinity and humanity, sanctifies the people and embraces all the basic functions of a priest. It enabled you to share the word of God with God’s people, and consecrated the body and blood of Christ and together you communed with them, these life-giving body and blood of Christ. This is a wonderful and holy opportunity, and God really prepared you well. The gospel dimension of your death will continue to propagate the Gospel of Christ. The people will never and can never forget the word of God which you shared with them as well as the mass you offered on their behalf before the incident. All remains unique as willed by God. Therefore, we shall remain thankful to God, no more crying and no more weeping. To God be the glory. Longy nwanne m, tears can gush down from my eyes, but it is not tears of pessimism but the tears of optimism. All who love you will certainly cry, questions will be asked and movement will be motionless. The fact remains that He who called you through and for the sacrifice of the mass, called you back to Himself through the sacrifice of the mass. It is a holy and divine communion with the angels and the saints of God. You participated in it and God called you for its eternal participation filled with joy and happiness in heaven. Therefore, when we look and stand at your graveside, we shall reflect not on the darkness of death but on the hope of resurrection and life. God has made all once more through your death to realize the fact that our life here on earth is temporal and short, and death occurs when nobody knows. Hence, it calls for readiness all the time. Relying on God’s will, I console all who are directly or indirectly affected by his death, his bishop (Bishop Augustine Ukwuoma, all the priests from the diocese of Orlu especially his classmates, his students and parishioners as well as his friends and well-wishers. I pray for God’s fortitude on his beloved mother, siblings and other members of his family to enable them accept his departure into eternity with the hope of resurrection. Longy nwanne m, you are priest of God for ever. You fought the good fight very courageously as a man and played your wing well. You made a positive imprint in the minds and hearts of many people and left good legacies behind with which your name will be afresh in the hearts of your loved ones. We pray God to forgive you if there is any way you might have sinned out of human frailty. It is difficult, very difficult indeed to say a good bye to a beloved one. However, I will say it to you in love. Beloved brother priest, beloved friend, “nwanne m” go in peace to God. He called you in peace, and may His angels joyfully accompany you and may His saints receive and welcome you into God’s kingdom of peace and joy. May our Mother Mary assist you through her intercession and shelter your journey with her virginal mantle. We love you and your memorable shall remain always afresh in our hearts. God who loves you most has called you and may you rest in PAECE in the LORD. Adieu beloved brother Longy, adieu Fr. Nwanne nke m. Your brother, Fr. Ifeanyi Sylvanus Njurum SMMM
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 20:18:49 +0000
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